What Are You Looking At? | Matthew 6:33 Sermon on Seeking God First

Devotional

Day 1: The Call to Intentional Pursuit

The call to seek God is not a passive suggestion but an active command. It requires a deliberate and focused effort, a conscious decision to aim one's life toward His purposes. This pursuit is not something one stumbles into by accident; it is a choice made with clarity and resolve. To seek first is to structure your priorities around discovering and carrying out God's will above all else. It is the foundation upon which a life of fulfillment is built. [05:40]

"But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." (Matthew 6:33, ESV)

Reflection: What does it look like, in the practical rhythm of your day, to intentionally pursue God's kingdom rather than just hoping to find it? Identify one routine you could adjust this week to make seeking Him a true first priority.

Day 2: Aligning Our Priorities with God's Kingdom

An anxious heart often stems from misplaced priorities, not from laziness or outright rebellion. The human tendency is to try everything else first and then turn to God as a last resort. This verse corrects that impulse by demanding that God's kingdom be our preeminent concern, our first thought before anything else competes for our attention. It is a predecision to align oneself fully with His purpose before the day's demands begin. [09:06]

“Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all." (Matthew 6:31-32, ESV)

Reflection: Where has worry or anxiety recently revealed a area where you have been seeking "all these things" first, instead of trusting God's provision? How might your perspective change if you truly believed He already knows what you need?

Day 3: Seeking His Righteousness and Character

The command is twofold: we are to seek both His kingdom and His righteousness. To seek His righteousness is to pursue a life of high moral character and integrity that aligns with God's own nature. It is to desire and adhere to what is morally correct and upright in His eyes. God blesses and adds things according to His will, and His blessings flow to those whose hearts are acquainted with His character of love, care, and selflessness. [12:24]

"Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous." (1 John 3:7, ESV)

Reflection: Beyond your personal desires, how are you actively seeking to grow in God's character—in your love for others, your integrity, and your heart for what is right? What is one relationship or situation where you can practice His righteousness this week?

Day 4: The Tragedy of Unclaimed Provision

Spiritual blindness is often not due to a lack of God's provision but to a failure to prioritize seeking it. The answer, the remedy, and the help have already been established and are readily available in His Word and His kingdom. The tragedy is to live in needless darkness, with unsearchable riches within reach, simply because we have not intentionally looked for them. God’s solutions are present and waiting to be discovered by those who seek. [18:04]

"Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law." (Psalm 119:18, ESV)

Reflection: Is there an area of your life where you have been living in "spiritual blindness," struggling with an issue for which God's Word already provides clear direction or comfort? What step will you take to open His Word and seek His remedy there?

Day 5: The Promise of "All Things" Added

The promise attached to seeking first is comprehensive and overwhelming. When God's kingdom and righteousness become our primary pursuit, He Himself assumes responsibility for adding everything else that aligns with His good will. This encompasses not just material needs but the deepest longings of the soul: purpose, peace, joy, and the power to live. It is an invitation to trust that He will provide all that is needed to live fully in the land of the living. [20:28]

"Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart." (Psalm 37:4, ESV)

Reflection: As you consider the promise that "all these things will be added," what desire of your heart feels most unmet? How might delighting yourself in the Lord and seeking His kingdom first reshape that very desire and your trust in His timing?

Sermon Summary

Matthew 6:33 declares a single-order priority: pursue the kingdom of God and his righteousness first, and all necessary things will follow. The original Greek verb for “seek” demands intentional pursuit, not casual glancing or passive hoping; life must aim toward God with predecided priorities so distractions cannot reroute purpose. Seeking the kingdom requires aligning daily choices with God’s moral character—righteousness refers to consistent uprightness, integrity, and a life shaped by what is morally right. Alignment with that character matters because God’s provision comes to those whose lives demonstrate the virtues of the kingdom; provision does not arrive apart from inward conformity to God’s ways.

Practical examples sharpen the point: a testimony of a gospel artist roots success in devotion to Matthew 6:33, and a medical case of long-term blindness illustrates spiritual blindness—remedies and provision sometimes exist but remain unseen when people fail to seek. Intentionality acts like clear vision; correcting spiritual blind spots exposes remedies that have always been available. Predecision—choosing what comes first before circumstances demand attention—functions as a spiritual discipline that conserves time and redirects energy from anxiety to faithful pursuit. Worry and misplaced priorities cannot coexist with a life ordered around the kingdom; when first things truly come first, the overflow of God’s goodness, healing, provision, and purpose aligns with his will.

The text calls for a consistent posture: seek God’s domain and his righteousness before seeking secondary answers or visibility, and expect that God releases blessings in accordance with his will and character. Seeking first does not guarantee every desire indiscriminately, but it places desires under divine wisdom so that what is added aligns with eternal purpose. The urgent invitation asks each person to see their future—elevation, healing, relationships, increase—and then to seek God for those realities, trusting that the remedy, provision, and promise often sit ready behind a window of heaven, awaiting a people who will look and pursue.

Key Takeaways

1. Seek God first with intentionality Seeking means active pursuit, not passive hope. Structuring life around God requires daily choices that aim toward his kingdom so distractions cannot redirect destiny. Intentional seeking reshapes time, focus, and energy into spiritual momentum rather than anxious reaction. [06:03]
2. Align life to God’s righteousness Righteousness here names moral character expressed in consistent integrity and love for others. God’s added things flow to those whose lives reflect kingdom virtues, not merely to those who ask. Transformation precedes many provisions; inward conformity creates capacity for outward blessing. [12:24]
3. Pre-decide what comes first Predecision removes indecision and saves time by choosing kingdom priorities before crises arrive. When first things receive first place, secondary needs find clarity and directional wisdom. This discipline prevents scrambling and preserves spiritual sight amid competing claims. [09:06]
4. Remove spiritual blind spots Some remedies exist but stay unseen because sight remains unfocused toward God’s provision. Correcting vision—through intentional seeking and Scripture—exposes blessings that have always been available. Spiritual sight invites action and releases what waits behind the window of heaven. [16:14]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:27] - Matthew 6:33 introduced
[02:07] - Sound of Success story
[03:35] - Secret rooted in Scripture
[05:25] - "Seek" defined: pursue intentionally
[08:45] - Prioritize and pre-decide life
[11:35] - Seek God's righteousness explained
[13:36] - Blessings labeled for you
[16:14] - blindness story and remedy
[18:30] - See and seek your future
[20:57] - Closing exhortation

Bible Study Guide

Bible reading
Matthew 6:33 (ESV)
But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

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Observation questions

According to the passage, what two things are we instructed to seek first?
What does the original Greek word for "seek" imply about how we are to pursue God’s kingdom? [05:25]
What does the term "righteousness" refer to in this context, based on the sermon? [11:35]
How does the story of the blind woman illustrate the consequence of not seeking what is already available? [16:14]

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Interpretation questions

Why do you think Jesus emphasizes seeking God’s kingdom *first* rather than as a secondary priority?
How does intentional seeking protect a person from being distracted by other concerns? [10:50]
In what ways might God’s provision be connected to our alignment with His character? [12:24]
What might it look like practically to “pre-decide” to seek God first before other needs arise? [09:06]

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Application questions

What is one area of your life where you’ve been seeking answers or provision *before* seeking God’s kingdom? How can you reorder that priority this week?
Where do you sense a “spiritual blind spot” in your life—a place where God’s remedy may already be available, but you haven’t yet seen it? [16:14]
How can you intentionally structure your day tomorrow to “seek first” God’s kingdom through prayer, Scripture, or obedience in a specific area? [06:03]
What does seeking God’s righteousness look like in your relationships, work, or private decisions? [12:24]
Is there a desire or need you’ve been praying about that hasn’t been fulfilled? How might seeking God’s character first change your approach or perspective?
What’s one practical step you can take this week to correct your spiritual vision and focus more intentionally on what God has said? [14:36]
How would your life look different if you truly believed that “all these things” are added when you seek God first?

Sermon Clips

See, the word seek here it it does not mean to casually glance at something. It does not mean to it does not mean to to hope it finds you. The word seek means to pursue intentionally. Seek ye first. Pursue god first. Pursue god with intentionality. It means to aim your life towards something. It means to structure your priorities around something. Nobody stumbles into the kingdom. Nobody accidentally walks into righteousness. You have to seek it on purpose. [00:05:27] (66 seconds) #PursueGodFirst

The remedy has been there the whole time. The answer has been in the word. The provision has been in the kingdom. But if you do not seek it, you will not see it. My great people, I stopped by Florence Bowes to let you know, you do not have to remain blind to your future. You do not have to live in a season where God's unsearchable riches are available but untouched. [00:17:47] (39 seconds) #WordIsTheRemedy

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What Are You Looking At? | Matthew 6:33 Sermon on Seeking God First

Devotional

Day 1: The Call to Intentional Pursuit

Day 2: Aligning Our Priorities with God's Kingdom

Day 3: Seeking His Righteousness and Character

Day 4: The Tragedy of Unclaimed Provision

Day 5: The Promise of "All Things" Added

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Chatbot

What Are You Looking At? | Matthew 6:33 Sermon on Seeking God First

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