THOUGHTS FROM MATTHEW
February 19
Text: Matthew 6:33, 34
"But seek first His
kingdom and His righteousness; and all these things shall be
added to you. Therefore do not be anxious for tomorrow; for
tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of
its own.” (NASB)
Following Jesus changes priorities in a dramatic fashion.
In some way before
following Jesus, the person’s decisions usually focused on
benefits to self. In
the initial stages of following Jesus that person may still
focus on self—my
Savior, my God, my repentance,
my salvation,
my blessings, my
forgiveness, and my
home in heaven.
At some
point, the voice of spiritual maturity and understanding shout,
“This is about much more than you!
This is much bigger than your existence!
Yes, your blessings in Jesus Christ are real.
However, God’s work in Jesus Christ involves much more
than you. If your
determination to be righteous is sincere, you need a basic
understanding of the ‘more.’”
Priority #1: God through Jesus is building a kingdom. A kingdom is not a democracy—the only opinion that matters is the King’s. You are not the king, but a servant of the king. To be a servant of this King, you must be committed to being righteous. You will not automatically know the King’s righteousness. You must learn it. Your commitment to His concepts must be real and fervent.
Priority #2: You must trust the king enough to be ruled by Him
instead of being controlled by physical anxieties.
The king cares for those sincere about their commitment.
These people do not allow the uncertain future to control
their minds. God’s
righteousness determines how they behave “now.”
They always are busy
if they allow righteousness to address the problems of “now.”
Righteous people address
the future by addressing now.
Suggestion for reflection: Seek to grasp God’s work to make His
rule reality. (Read
1 Timothy 4:6-10.)
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