“So do not worry and say, ‘What are we to eat?’ or ‘What are we to drink?’ or ‘What are we to wear?’ All these things the pagans seek. Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom [of God] and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides. Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself. Sufficient for a day is its own evil. – Matthew 6:31-34
Seek first.
First above all other things for which one could be seeking and pursuing.
First and foremost in one’s heart, priorities, and will.
First before one’s feet hit the floor for the day.
First in how one prioritizes time use in all areas of life.
First every day, before one starts in on the day’s activities.
First in one’s affection as one’s foremost love above all, including self.
First among all one’s expenditures of time, energy, focus, and priority.
First at every transition point in the course of the day.
Seek first the Kingdom of God.
There is only one kingdom, and that is Christ’s Kingdom. Not self. Not country. Not other relationships. Only Christ Jesus is king, and only His kingdom matters.
One’s own “kingdom,” the pursuit of all self-will, self-management, self-promotion, and self-assertion, must be forfeit. For the true citizen of Christ’s Kingdom, Christ Himself, His will, and His priorities replace all former priorities. One’s life is now fixated by an exclusive love for Christ and a preoccupation with His will and glory.
Seeking the Kingdom of Christ as one’s daily “first,” includes deepening one’s conversational communion with the King, the fellowship with the Father and Son by the indwelling Spirit. As the love of God grows stronger in a person, it will lead to a nurturing communion with brothers and sisters in this journey, caring for and binding wounds of others, and meeting needs under the Holy Spirit’s power and direction.
Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness.
In the Kingdom of Christ, one lays aside all seeking for righteousness by human efforts and religious activities. Righteousness comes only from our God by the indwelling Spirit of Life in the true disciple. It must be so, for only the righteousness of Christ is sufficient – all human efforts at righteousness are as filthy diapers, born of humanity’s rebellion.
Now one disdains all self-righteousness and self-effort at righteousness, instead turning in faith to the indwelling Christ to supply His righteousness as well as His holiness, love, strength wisdom and thoughts. The spiritual disciplines of the Kingdom are those by which we receive the life of Christ in its fullness. It is a moment-by-moment turning to the indwelling Christ to live His life and fullness in the person.
This is the abiding life, the continual, conscious conversational communion which is likened to a branch feeding from the vine. It is also described as praying at all times in the Spirit, and emptying oneself of all self-will and living to be filled with the very life of Christ.
Without Limit 
Amen!
“Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works…” Rev. 2:4-5
Only “first love” can do the “first works.” “First” in the Greek means per-eminent, foremost, and overriding love.
“But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.”
Jude 1:20-21
May we be active in exhorting one another, loving one another in the pursuit of a Kingdom that is eternal, sacrificial, and pure!
“But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel. See that ye refuse not him that speaketh…” Heb. 12:20-25
Such a grand and glorious city and one worthy of all sacrifice!
Blessings
BT
LikeLiked by 1 person
Severely simple, stark naked, unashamed faith brings Christ’s imperially imputed, richly royal righteousness, bringing finest first love affection and presciently piercing commitment, bringing increasing, ravishing intimate, lavishing love communion of worshipful obedience in Spirit and Truth, bringing the beneficent beauty and magnificent munificence of age-abiding, happified, heavenly holiness. Everlastingly to the One Triune God of all goodness and all grace be all the glory!
Galatians 3:1-3 AMP
3 O you foolish and thoughtless and superficial Galatians, who has bewitched you [that you would act like this], to whom—right before your very eyes—Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified [in the gospel message]? 2 This is all I want to ask of you: did you receive the [Holy] Spirit as the result of obeying [the requirements of] the Law, or was it the result of hearing [the message of salvation and] with faith [believing it]? 3 Are you so foolish and senseless? Having begun [your new life by faith] with the Spirit, are you now being perfected and reaching spiritual maturity by the flesh [that is, by your own works and efforts to keep the Law]?
LikeLike
Romans 8:29-30 AMP
29 For those whom He foreknew [and loved and chose beforehand], He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son [and ultimately share in His complete sanctification], so that He would be the firstborn [the most beloved and honored] among many believers. 30 And those whom He predestined, He also called; and those whom He called, He also justified [declared free of the guilt of sin]; and those whom He justified, He also glorified [raising them to a heavenly dignity].
Ephesians 1:5 AMP
He predestined and lovingly planned for us to be adopted to Himself as [His own] children through Jesus Christ, in accordance with the kind intention and good pleasure of His will—
Many people disdain the doctrine of predestination. Notwithstanding, predestination is explicitly set forth by the Author, our Teacher, the Spirit of holiness and truth. Basic to truly understanding that which predestination actually means, is interpreting Scripture with Scripture in the context of all of Scripture, especially as pertains to supremely Who God Is, juxtaposed with the darkened religious/legalist mindset of the unwittingly natural man that is over against Him.
Gladness and gratitude from on high pour forth into and flow forth from the human heart when the heightened understanding of this foundational facet of salvation settles securely in the awareness and appreciation. This heartening awakening and acute awareness are in words, ways, and works to the infinitely deserving praise and unending thanksgiving of the One everlastingly merciful and altogether munificent.
The Holy One and the Just, Himself, Love Almighty, never fails. By the purity and power of His passion for saving to the uttermost, the Bridegroom King prevails, ever living to, with absolute adequacy of advocacy and intensity of intimacy, intercede for His love-sought, blood-bought bride of His own heart. Never does the Christ lose; His bride Whom He woos and wows, romances and entrances, He justifies and glorifies all the Way to the marriage supper and through the endless ages of eternity, not by any harrowing, marrow merit of her own, but by His hallowing, holy lovingkindness alone, as the Lord of each individual’s history, their most ardently affectionate Alphabet of love, their Word of imperially imputed, not to be darkly disputed, royal Righteousness.
Titus 3:5 AMP (emphasis mine)
He saved us, NOT because of ANY works of righteousness that WE have done, but because of HIS OWN compassion and mercy, by the CLEANSING OF the new birth (spiritual transformation, regeneration) and RENEWING BY the Holy Spirit.
Ephesians 2:8-10 AMP
8 For it is by grace [God’s remarkable compassion and favor drawing you to Christ] that you have been saved [actually delivered from judgment and given eternal life] through faith. And this [salvation] is not of yourselves [not through your own effort], but it is the [undeserved, gracious] gift of God; 9 not as a result of [your] works [nor your attempts to keep the Law], so that no one will [be able to] boast or take credit in any way [for his salvation]. 10 For we are His workmanship [His own master work, a work of art], created in Christ Jesus [reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, ready to be used] for good works, which God prepared [for us] beforehand [taking paths which He set], so that we would walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us].
The words translated “predestined” in the Scriptures referenced above are from the Greek word proorizo, which majors the meaning of “determining beforehand,” “ordaining,” “deciding ahead of time.” Know that the Father of spirits, the Father of creation and destinies, the Father of mercies, in the prescience of His omniscience knew that those multiplied millions of individuals whom He called would, not merely should or could but would satisfactorily stay the entirety of the divinely deemed distance with Himself, the omnipresent, sovereign Surety of their salvation, their omnipotent safe and soaring Sanctification, as His infinitely ingenious, wondrously wise, perfect and cherished workmanship.
John 6:44 AMP
No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him [giving him the desire to come to Me], and I will raise him up [from the dead] on the last day.
Romans 8:28-39 AMP
28 And we know [with great confidence] that God [who is deeply concerned about us] causes all things to work together [as a plan] for good for those who love God, to those who are called according to His plan and purpose. 29 For those whom He foreknew [and loved and chose beforehand], He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son [and ultimately share in His complete sanctification], so that He would be the firstborn [the most beloved and honored] among many believers. 30 And those whom He predestined, He also called; and those whom He called, He also justified [declared free of the guilt of sin]; and those whom He justified, He also glorified [raising them to a heavenly dignity].
31 What then shall we say to all these things? If God is for us, who can be [successful] against us? 32 He who did not spare [even] His own Son, but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things? 33 Who will bring any charge against God’s elect (His chosen ones)? It is God who justifies us [declaring us blameless and putting us in a right relationship with Himself]. 34 Who is the one who condemns us? Christ Jesus is the One who died [to pay our penalty], and more than that, who was raised [from the dead], and who is at the right hand of God interceding [with the Father] for us. 35 Who shall ever separate us from the love of [d]Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36 Just as it is written and forever remains written,
“For Your sake we are put to death all day long;
We are regarded as sheep for the slaughter.”
37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors and gain an overwhelming victory through Him who loved us [so much that He died for us]. 38 For I am convinced [and continue to be convinced—beyond any doubt] that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present and threatening, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the [unlimited] love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
1 Corinthians 1:30-31 AMP
30 But it is from Him that you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God [revealing His plan of salvation], and righteousness [making us acceptable to God], and sanctification [making us holy and setting us apart for God], and redemption [providing our ransom from the penalty for sin], 31 so then, as it is written [in Scripture], “He who boasts and glories, let him boast and glory in the Lord.”
From our Creator’s peerless and perfect perspective, the predestination of Christ’s redeemed is certain and complete. His elect assures their conscience and comportment before their Christ, Who elected each one as surely as He selected every one of them, by their worshipful loving obedience that is the thoroughgoing outflow of their caringly cultivating intimacy, sitting submitted at the feet of their sufficient Savior, the Sum and Summit of their selfless self, soaking and steeping in His sanctifying Spirit, gazing on the duly transforming radiance of His matchlessly beautiful face.
2 Corinthians 3:18 AMP
And we all, with unveiled face, continually seeing as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are progressively being transformed into His image from [one degree of] glory to [even more] glory, which comes from the Lord, [who is] the Spirit.
LikeLike