This study was first taught on January 12, 2011

Topic: Possessions, Money, and Life (6): Seek God First

No audio available for this study.

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Background
Last week, we learnt that we are not to worry about anything whatsoever, least of all, what to eat, what to drink, nor what to wear. It is the Lord Jesus’ position that if God, our Father, is so caring toward plants and birds how will He not meet the needs of the epitome of His creation: you and I?

We saw that worry, anxiety, or fretting is showing great concern for what we have no control over or what we shouldn’t be concerned for. We observed that many of the things that we are concerned about are in God’s sphere of responsibility; unfortunately, we want to take these matters off His hands, and handle them ourselves. The problem is that we were not made to handle such matters (Psalm 23:1-2).

We saw that no reason is strong enough to make us worry, and lose sight of God, under whose control and authority are all things. We observed that worrying is a nature/attribute that does not trust God; and is responsible for envy, anger, rage, impatience, God-blaming, feeling abandoned by God, and the taking of matters into our own hands! We concluded that worrying does not solve any problem, so, why worry?

Rather than fret over matters that we have no control, we noted that we should commit all matters (great or small) into God’s hands through prayers; absolutely trust in and hold on to God, no matter for how long; patiently wait for God, for He does things in His time, and beautifully too; find contentment in what God has made available to us, and do not allow covetousness to be our ruin; in everything, to put God first and seek His approval; and, cast all our cares and burdens on God, rather than carry them on our heads.

Scripture Text(s)
Matthew 6:31-34; Luke 12:22-31
Our scripture texts tell us in a nutshell that, what you seek after is what occupies your thought, and by extension what you are most concerned with. People who do not believe in the Lord Jesus Christ seek after food, drinks, clothing, fame, possessions, and more; and so these are the things that pre-occupy their minds. The Christian, however, is not to be so pre-occupied, rather, he is to seek after what is heavenly, and all the earthly things that the unbelievers seek after will be added on to him without him having to worry about them. Simply put, stop thinking, and start seeking! May the Holy Spirit help us to practice this, in Jesus’ name, Amen.
The things we think about most are our necessities and the future. And while one man’s luxury is another’s necessity; all men are concerned about tomorrow. But the Lord instructs us rather, to trust God and seek His kingdom and righteousness first. The result of trusting and seeking is that all the things that others are chasing after will be added on to you.
Deuteronomy 28:1-14; John 6:22-29; 1:29-39; Luke 11:29, 31; 1 Kings 10:1-5; Matthew 2:1-18; Colossians 3:1-2; 1 Timothy 6:11-12; Matthew 6:33; Romans 14:17; 2 Timothy 4:3-5; Hebrews 11:24-27; Luke 14:25-33; James 4:1-3; John 2:23-25.

Conclusion
From our study tonight, we are being asked to seek first the things of God, and then the things that those who don’t know God are seeking after, which are necessary for our wellbeing will be added unto us. Scriptures make is clear that if we pursue God and by implication, righteousness, the benefits are tremendous (Proverbs 11:4-6; 14:34).

Our seeking God should be; so that we can be made righteous by Him; so that we can be with Him always; so that His kingdom can continue to advance on earth; and, so that we can know what is the right and acceptable thing to do in every situation. So, rather than chase after possessions, money, fame, and so on, the word of God to us is, “Chase after Me and I will give you necessaries and more, which others are chasing after!” In our seeking God, His kingdom, and His righteousness, we are not to do so with a view to getting worldly things; rather we are to seek after God for heavenly and eternal benefits. In the meantime, when we do seek God for the right reasons, He gives us those necessaries and more, here on earth, which the people who don’t trust Him are seeking after.

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