Seeking First the Kingdom
by Jim Person
So often in our lives we tend to get caught up in what seems right for us to do, instead of finding out what we are suppose to do in Christ. We know from Proverbs 14:12 where that will take us! (‘There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death’.) With my life of being a father, husband, director, pastor, and mentor, I can sometimes slip into thinking I can continue on with what God has given me from the past, but I understand it’s not my past anointing or experience that will bring me through, but my daily reliance on God.
In my recent trip to America, where my role as a father to my son presided, I’ve been finding that God is not really concerned about the method of my journey, but with the direction and outcome of what’s produced in me through it. How we respond to pressure is more critical than how God provides for our needs. He has them met already, but how do we react when that ‘pressure’ of the need is present in our lives?
Recently, my son and I attended a church service where the pastor preached on Matthew 6: 25-33. To many of us, this is a familiar passage. This time God took this passage and opened it up to me to ask me what I’m finding my value in? Clothes? Food? Like most Americans, I tend to focus on the tangible physical things in my life to show me that I have value, but Jesus shares that our value is greater than we could ever imagine .
We try to dress up to impress others and if we don’t have the latest gadget or apparel we tend to devalue ourselves. Or we try to add to our life by being caught up in what will happen tomorrow, stressing about it or even scheming as to how to ‘fix’ it. Jesus said so clearly that we can’t add any time to our lives by worrying about such things.
Then the sweetness of the passage is revealed in such a simple faith-filled point of explanation - if we ‘seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, all theses things shall be added to you’. Not to do what seems right, not to do what the world does, not to stress about tomorrow, BUT to seek His kingdom and His righteousness! Oh, how complex we make our lives!
Oh, how difficult it becomes, when we wrestle with things for which we simply need to trust God! My life today has sufficient troubles; doesn’t yours? God has been teaching me to take each day and make the most of it for His Kingdom. Today, where are you? Are you getting caught up in the current global economic worries? Are you trying to do what seems right? Let today be a new beginning; seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and see Him add to your life!
Prayer: Lord, I need Your help in laying down all the expectations I’ve placed upon my life. Help me, dear Jesus, to draw near to You as I seek first the Kingdom of God, and in so doing find a new aspect to Your righteousness. I don’t want to do what seems right to me! I want to step out in faith and see what Your plans are for me; to do Your righteousness instead of mine. Thank You for showing me how valuable I am! Help me to trust in You rather than myself to ‘fix’ any area of my life. I chose this day to seek first the kingdom of God and Your righteousness! In the precious name of Jesus, Amen!
Jim Person Jim grew up in Alaska and from a small child commercial fished every summer with his family. God called him, his wife Tanya, and their four children to move to Hungary as missionaries in 2003. God then led him to join Ellel Ministries in 2005. After serving in various positions with Ellel in Central and Eastern Europe, God led them back to the United States, where he is now serving with the Ellel USA team. Jim and Tanya have a passion to see leaders restored, the church discipled and walking in God’s fullness of life and freedom. They also love mentoring the existing and developing Ellel teams wherever God leads them. Jim also has a real gift for working with the land to create a beautiful and welcoming environment.
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