by Cindy Phillips
What is it you seek? You can answer this by examining what you do. You will do what is important to you. Do you seek approval of man? Do you seek wealth, physical comfort, or other earthly things? What does Scripture say about what a child of God should be seeking?
Jesus said to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness in His Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 6:33). The verse’s meaning is as direct as it sounds. We are to seek the things of God as a priority over the things of the world. Does this mean that we should neglect the reasonable and daily duties that help sustain our, and our family’s, lives? Certainly not. But for the Christian, there should be a difference in our attitude toward the things of this earth when compared to the people who don’t know God. If we are taking care of God’s business as a priority, living in obedience to Him and sharing the good news of the kingdom with others, He has promised to take care of the things we need on this earth. Since this is a promise of God why do so many of His people worry?
God has promised to provide for His own, supplying every need (Philippians 4:19), but His idea of what we need is often different from ours, and His timing will be in His time, not necessarily ours. God loved both Job and Elijah, but He allowed Satan to take all Job held dear (all under His watchful eye), and He let that evil woman, Jezebel, break the spirit of His own prophet Elijah (Job 1–2; 1 Kings 18–19). In both cases, God followed these trials with restoration and sustenance.
God has alot to say about the Kingdom of God. Jesus told many parables (the Kingdom of God is like…). He also said the Kingdom of God is within you!!
Broadly speaking, the kingdom of God is the rule of an eternal, sovereign God over all the universe. Several passages of Scripture show that God is the undeniable Monarch of all creation: “The LORD has established his throne in heaven, and his kingdom rules over all” (Psalm 103:19). And, as King Nebuchadnezzar declared, “His kingdom is an eternal kingdom” (Daniel 4:3). Every authority that exists has been established by God (Romans 13:1). So, in one sense, the kingdom of God incorporates everything that is.
More narrowly, the kingdom of God is a spiritual rule over the hearts and lives of those who willingly submit to God’s authority. Those who defy God’s authority and refuse to submit to Him are not part of the kingdom of God; in contrast, those who acknowledge the lordship of Christ and gladly surrender to God’s rule in their hearts are part of the kingdom of God. In this sense, the kingdom of God is spiritual—Jesus said His kingdom was not of this world (John 18:36), and He preached that repentance is necessary to be a part of the kingdom of God (Matthew 4:17). That the kingdom of God can be equated with the sphere of salvation is evident in John 3:5–7, where Jesus says the kingdom of God must be entered into by being born again. See also 1 Corinthians 6:9.
“For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” – Romans 14:17
Be encouraged to start the day with God, asking Him what He would have you do. Then seek the answer and be obedient to what you hear. Put the needs of others above your own and let God use you for His Glory.
Maranatha.