Matthew 6:33 – But seek first His kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
Who are we desiring to please? Our failure in life before salvation was that everything was about us! We set ourselves up as mini gods. Everything was driven by our fleshly desires. “Self” was at the center of our actions. Some men are driven by how healthy they are––the health god! Some wealth––the wealth god! Others may include entertainment, looks, respect, business, or relationships.
While some of these may seem okay at a glance, we may not realize that we need Christ at the center! For example, wealth is not bad. However, wealth hoarded is.
Ecclesiastes: 5:13-14
I have seen a grievous evil under the sun: wealth hoarded to the harm of its owners, or wealth lost through some misfortune, so that when they have children there is nothing left for them to inherit.
Sex isn’t bad, but sex outside of marriage is! I Thessalonians 4:3-5 says It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality (fornication––sex outside of marriage); that each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the pagans, who do not know God–
Rest isn’t bad, but too much rest is laziness! Proverbs 6:9-11 says “How long will you lie there, you sluggard? When will you get up from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest—and poverty will come on you like a thief and scarcity like an armed man.”
A glass of wine may not be bad, but too much is! Ephesians 5:18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit–
Prior to salvation, our old self had to be satisfied, and our fleshly nature could never be satisfied (“So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want.” Galatians 5:16-17). At salvation, the Holy Spirit empowers us not to live by that flesh nature anymore! Simply, my desire for wealth, health, and self-righteousness is replaced by His! In my old self, I couldn’t get enough! That old self never had peace. My fleshly goals dominated everything! And because flesh can’t be satisfied, it’s followed with no peace or rest! At salvation, we secure eternity in Heaven, and the Holy Spirit empowers us to subdue the flesh!
This won’t mean you’ll stop wanting to be successful. This means you’ll be okay if you’re not! If you’re blessed enough to have money, your tendency to hoard turns into a desire to give! Your focus turns from self-righteousness to His righteousness! Our goals and ambitions align with His will and outcome! We no longer have to strive to achieve what the world says, which is often unattainable, wears us out, and leaves us disappointed! Now, we seek Him and leave the outcome to Him! (“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” Matthew 6:33)
When we seek His will over ours, we remove ourselves as gods over our lives and put the only real God in charge! When this happens, when we seek His wisdom and authority, He, in turn, gives us His wisdom and understanding and peace. This way, when things don’t go quite as I want them to, I don’t live in a state of dismay and failure; I live in a state where He knows what’s better for me because He created me! When we seek His will first, we then partake of His goodness!
Whether you have little faith or a lot, His plans for us are much better than anything we could imagine for ourselves! When we stop seeking our will and seek Him, we open the door to a great journey that, no matter the outcome, we can always rest in Him! His sole purpose was to have a relationship with His children. As a good and loving Father, He paid the price for our sins on the cross. He also sent us a Guide, the Holy Spirit, to live within us so that we can navigate and grow as His children while we are on earth!
He didn’t come to rob us of blessings. He came to show us where the blessings are!
Have a blessed Thursday!
Stephen L. Thomas