"First Things First"

Matt 6:25-33 "For this reason I say to you, do not be anxious for your life, {as to} what you shall eat, or what you shall drink; nor for your body, {as to} what you shall put on. Is not life more than food, and the body than clothing? 26 "Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns, and {yet} your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? 27 "And which of you by being anxious can add a {single} cubit to his life's span? 28 "And why are you anxious about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, 29 yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory did not clothe himself like one of these. 30 "But if God so arrays the grass of the field, which is {alive} today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, {will He} not much more {do so for} you, O men of little faith? 31 "Do not be anxious then, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'With what shall we clothe ourselves?' 32 "For all these things the Gentiles eagerly seek; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.33 "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you. (NAS)

• Worry, doubt, lack of faith;

Jesus uses birds as an illustration. The birds don't have to plant or harvest. They don't have storage barns. The fact is they have nothing to worry about. They don't have nice gardens like Sis Collier did. But the Lord provides for them.

He said the lilies do not have to labor, yet Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like them.

Vs. 25 do not be anxious for your life. The KJV says "take no thought". The Psalmist said; in Ch 55:22 Cast your burden upon the LORD, and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken.

In the parable of the sower, in Mark 4; Jesus said; 18 "And others are the ones on whom seed was sown among the thorns; these are the ones who have heard the word, 19 and the worries of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.

We must refuse to allow the worries of life and our personal desires hinder the work of God in us. It is not a sin to work hard, to have things and to have personal desires as long as we have our priorities in order. Jesus insists on being first in our lives.

Phil 4:6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication (petition) with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. (NAS)

Jesus rebuked his disciples because of their lack of faith. Remember how they became afraid in the boat when the storm came.

Jesus took a boys sack lunch and fed 5000 men beside the women and children, which no doubt would have been over 20,000 people. Do you remember what he did when everyone had eaten and were full. He had His disciples gather the leftovers, and there were 12 baskets full. Can you imagine what the boy's mother said when he returned home with more than he had when he left.

• Seek

I would not give this sermon justice unless I talk about this little four letter word seek.

Jesus did not say beg, He said seek, go after as in hot pursuit.

Matt 7:7 "Ask, and it shall be given to you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you”. One translation says keep asking, keep seeking, keep knocking.

Prov 2:1-9 My son, if you will receive my sayings, and treasure my commandments within you, 2 Make your ear attentive to wisdom, incline your heart to understand-ing; 3 For if you cry for discernment, lift your voice for understanding; 4 If you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures; 5 Then you will discern the fear of the LORD, and discover the knowledge of God. 6 For the LORD gives wisdom; from His mouth {come} knowledge and understanding. 7 He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; {He is} a shield to those who walk in integrity, 8 Guarding the paths of justice, and He preserves the way of His godly ones. 9 Then you will discern righteousness and justice and equity {and} every good course.

• First His Kingdom.

Jesus told Martha in Luke 10:42 but {only} a few things are necessary, really {only} one, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her." Martha's main focus was preparing the meal, while Mary main focus was on the Lord.

Our duty is to seek; to desire, to pursue, and to aim at these things. Seek first the Kingdom of God, and his righteousness.

Seek God's righteousness His character, the righteousness (character) which he requires to be fulfilled in us.

We must seek the things of Christ more than our own things.

The Lord will not take second place. Ex 34:14 for you shall not worship any other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.

We should focus more on seeking His face than we do his hand.

I'm sure you folks don't have little golden images that you worship, like many people in other countries do, but if you put anything before the Lord that becomes your idol. If your career or anything else, including your family comes before the Lord, then that becomes your god. As a minister I had to learn that my family came before the church, but never before the Lord.

• All these thing will be added to you.

All these things. What are these things. Ph 4:19 And my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. These things are our needs. Whatever are your needs are, that is what He is concerned about.

In vs 25-32 Jesus teaches us not to worry, then He says Matt 6:32 "... for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. He knows even before we ask. He is our father and the responsibility of fathers is to provide for his children.

Ps 34:9 O fear the LORD, you His saints; for to those who fear (revere) Him, there is no want.

Ps 37:18-19 The LORD knows the days of the blameless; and their inheritance will be forever. They will not be ashamed in the time of evil; and in the days of famine they will have abundance.

Ps 84:11 For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD gives grace and glory; no good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly.