Prioritizing God's Kingdom: A Graduate's Guide

Devotional

Day 1: The Kingdom as a Cherished Treasure

The kingdom of God is not something to be flaunted or displayed as a trophy; rather, it is a treasure that requires deep appreciation and internal transformation. This treasure calls for a shift in focus from external appearances to cultivating a personal relationship with God. By seeking God with all our hearts, we make Him the center of our lives, allowing His presence to transform us from within. This internal transformation is a journey that requires dedication and a sincere desire to know God more intimately. [20:01]

Matthew 13:44-46 (ESV): "The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it."

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you can shift your focus from external appearances to nurturing a deeper relationship with God? How can you begin to cherish the kingdom of God as a treasure today?

Day 2: Prayer as the Fuel for Our Journey

Prayer is not merely a ritual or a set of rote words; it is the fuel that powers our journey in the kingdom of God. Jesus emphasizes the importance of praying in secret, fostering a dynamic and personal relationship with the Father. This heartfelt connection with God is essential for spiritual growth and alignment with His will. As we engage in sincere prayer, we open ourselves to God's guidance and strength, allowing Him to work in and through us. [22:52]

Colossians 4:2-3 (ESV): "Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison."

Reflection: How can you create a dedicated time and space for secret prayer in your daily routine? What steps can you take to deepen your personal connection with God through prayer today?

Day 3: Reprioritizing Life for the Kingdom

Seeking first the kingdom of God requires a complete reprioritization of our lives. It means making the pursuit of God's kingdom and righteousness our primary focus, allowing His ways to guide our decisions and actions. This shift in priorities leads to a life that is aligned with God's purposes, where His kingdom becomes our obsession. By aligning our lives with God's priorities, we open ourselves to His guidance and blessings. [34:33]

Matthew 16:24-25 (ESV): "Then Jesus told his disciples, 'If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.'"

Reflection: What is one area of your life that needs to be reprioritized to align with God's kingdom? How can you begin to make God's kingdom your primary focus today?

Day 4: Trusting in God's Provision

Jesus teaches us not to worry, as worry is misplaced prayer. Instead, we are called to trust in God's provision, knowing that He will take care of our needs as we prioritize His kingdom. This trust in God frees us from anxiety and allows us to focus on following Jesus wholeheartedly. By placing our trust in God's provision, we can experience peace and assurance, knowing that He is faithful to provide for us. [26:28]

1 Peter 5:6-7 (ESV): "Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you."

Reflection: What is one worry or anxiety that you can surrender to God today? How can you actively trust in His provision and care for your needs?

Day 5: Laying Down Our Plans for God's Guidance

We are encouraged to lay down our plans and dreams, allowing God to resurrect what is truly valuable. By surrendering our desires to Him, we open ourselves to His guidance and blessings, trusting that He will add what is important to us as we seek His kingdom first. This act of surrender requires faith and a willingness to let go of our own agendas, allowing God to lead us in His perfect will. [30:19]

Proverbs 16:3-4 (ESV): "Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established. The Lord has made everything for its purpose, even the wicked for the day of trouble."

Reflection: What is one plan or dream that you need to lay down before God? How can you trust Him to guide you and resurrect what is truly valuable in your life?

Sermon Summary

Summary:

Today, we celebrate our graduates and their hard work, acknowledging the significant milestone they have achieved. As we honor them, we delve into the third part of a series titled "About Jesus," focusing on the best advice Jesus ever gave, found in Matthew 6:33: "But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you." This advice is not only for our graduates but for all of us, as it serves as a guiding principle for life.

To understand this advice, we revisit the context in Matthew 4, where Jesus, after being baptized and tempted, begins his ministry by preaching repentance and the coming of the kingdom of heaven. His mission was to reach all people, including the Gentiles, with the light of the world. Jesus' teachings challenge the religious norms of the time, emphasizing an internal life over external appearances. The kingdom of God is not a trophy to be displayed but a treasure to be cherished.

Prayer is central to the kingdom life, fueling our journey with God. Jesus teaches us to pray in secret, focusing on a personal relationship with the Father. As we seek the kingdom, we are called to reprioritize our lives, making the pursuit of God's kingdom and righteousness our primary obsession. This requires a shift from worrying about worldly concerns to trusting in God's provision.

The advice to seek first the kingdom is a call to align our lives with God's priorities. It challenges us to lay down our plans and dreams, allowing God to resurrect what is truly valuable. By making God the center of our lives, we open ourselves to His blessings, as He promises that the things important to us will be added to us. This journey requires faith and trust, knowing that God will provide and guide us as we follow Him.

Key Takeaways

1. The Kingdom as a Treasure: The kingdom of God is not a trophy to be paraded but a treasure to be cherished. It calls for an internal transformation, focusing on a personal relationship with God rather than external appearances. This treasure requires us to seek God with all our hearts, making Him the center of our lives. [20:01]
2. Prayer as Fuel: Prayer is the fuel for our kingdom journey. It is not about reciting rote prayers but about engaging in a dynamic, personal relationship with God. Jesus teaches us to pray in secret, emphasizing the importance of a heartfelt connection with the Father. [22:52]
3. Reprioritizing Life: Seeking first the kingdom requires a complete reprioritization of our lives. It means making the pursuit of God's kingdom and righteousness our primary obsession, allowing His ways to guide our decisions and actions. This shift in focus leads to a life aligned with God's purposes. [34:33]
4. Trusting in God's Provision: Jesus commands us not to worry, as worry is misplaced prayer. Instead, we are to trust in God's provision, knowing that He will take care of our needs as we prioritize His kingdom. This trust frees us from anxiety and allows us to focus on following Jesus wholeheartedly. [26:28]
5. Laying Down Our Plans: We are encouraged to lay down our plans and dreams, allowing God to resurrect what is truly valuable. By surrendering our desires to Him, we open ourselves to His guidance and blessings, knowing that He will add what is important to us as we seek His kingdom first. [30:19]
** [30:19]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:49] - Honoring Our Graduates
[02:09] - Series Introduction: About Jesus
[03:12] - The Best Advice Jesus Ever Gave
[04:15] - Context from Matthew 4
[09:10] - Jesus' Mission to the Gentiles
[10:16] - The Kingdom of Heaven at Hand
[11:51] - The Call to Follow Jesus
[15:12] - Jesus' Ministry and Miracles
[16:18] - Teaching the Ways of the Kingdom
[18:23] - The Internal Life of the Kingdom
[20:01] - The Kingdom as a Treasure
[22:52] - The Importance of Prayer
[23:58] - Do Not Worry
[34:33] - Seek First the Kingdom
[38:24] - God's Provision and Blessings
[41:50] - Closing Prayer and Dismissal

Sermon Clips

"From that time. Say that with me. From that time. Jesus began to preach. What was he preaching? He was preaching repentance. For the kingdom of heaven is at hand. In another translation it says, he was preaching repentance for the kingdom of heaven was touching down on earth. Not just a place, a celestial place in the heavenly. No, not just a place. Out there. But it was touching down right here." [00:09:44] (41 seconds)

"Listen, there's only one way to be a Christian, and that is to follow him. Oh, it gets deeper. It gets deeper as we go. He says, follow me. And the Bible says in verse 20, it says, they immediately left their nets and what? And then he went to some other disciples. Verse 22, and he said the same thing. And this is what happened. He says, and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him." [00:11:57] (38 seconds)

"He taught about prayer. We love Matthew 6 6 because the kingdom life is fueled by prayer. We're still on our way to the greatest advice he ever gave, but the kingdom life is fueled by prayer. If you don't pray, I'm not talking about now I lay me down to sleep. I pray the Lord my soul to keep. If I should die before away, what kind of prayer is that?" [00:21:07] (29 seconds)

"Therefore I say to you do not worry now we've heard that preached many times in many places about many things but I want to set the record straight because in the context of what is being communicated this word worry which I will elaborate on here in a second is has to do with the decision to follow Jesus." [00:24:12] (35 seconds)

"Listen carefully I know we associate it with lots of different things yeah don't don't worry about you know the Lord will take care of your bills and you know he'll make sure you're okay and all that could be legitimate but the principal context for that word worry is in the context of the mandate to follow Jesus because Jesus is realizing you're gonna have to give up some stuff to follow me and I'm just gonna tell you right now don't worry not the Pharrell version of don't worry the Jesus version of don't worry." [00:25:44] (39 seconds)

"The word worry is better known as some would say negative meditation but the Lord showed me something much more interesting that worry let me just be frank is prayer to the devil that's what it is when you worry you are praying to the devil you Can I say it that way? When you worry, you are praying to the devil." [00:27:47] (37 seconds)

"Because I realize that as soon as I worry, my attention, my affections shift from Jesus to the devil. Now, the Lord has spoken, right? But I'm steady worrying. Preoccupied. Can't think of nothing else. Messing up my body. Got anxiety. Running around with depression. You understand what I'm saying? Because our eyes are off Jesus. It's a real thing." [00:29:12] (41 seconds)

"Take all your dreams and I would say these words. Take all your plans. Put them on the ground and shoot them. Kill them. Ooh, I know you're shuddering. That's what I would do. I'd say kill them all. Kill all the dreams, all the plans. Shoot them! Wait for the rest of it. And then ask Jesus. If there's anything there worth my time, resurrect it. Resurrect it." [00:29:24] (43 seconds)

"Everything revolves around him as I bring this to a close. He says, first, seek. Seek meaning preoccupation. The kingdom, the pursuit of the kingdom and the ways of the king must be your one obsession. Your one obsession. Your one obsession. Are you obsessed with pursuing the kingdom of heaven? Are you obsessed with the pursuit of Jesus?" [00:35:11] (38 seconds)

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