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The Power of Proper Priorities (Part Two)


In the first part of this study, we began with Jesus' words, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you” (Matthew 6:33). Jesus doesn’t desire a place in your life—He demands priority in your life.

Jesus is preeminent in all things and all people are created to bow down to Him. He sent the Holy Spirit simply to bring glory to the Lord.

So how can we take what we’ve heard as a command and use it in our lives? This month we want to look at practical ways you can do that.

The Sweeping Dimension of This Priority

To say Jesus is Lord suggests some sweeping dimensions. But just what does that mean?

It means give the Lord your first thoughts every day. “My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, 0 Lord,” the Psalmist said. “In the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up” (Psalm 5:3). Your first thought each morning should be a hearty, “Good morning, Lord!” not an unhappy, “Good Lord, it’s morning!” As your eyes open in the morning and close at night, they ought to be on the Lord.

I have a little exercise I use called PACE.

  • The “P” stands for praise.
    • Wake up and praise the Lord each morning. Lift your heart and praise Him for who He is and what He has done.
  • The “A” stands for abide.
    • Tell Him that you are abiding in Him as you go through your day.
  • The “C” stands for control.
    • Say to the Lord, “I’m Yours to control today. I present myself to You.” Allow Him to command your life.
  • The “E” stands for expectation.
    • Expect Christ to live in you and expect Him to work through you.

You can pray through those four thoughts in the first few moments as you get out of bed each morning. Every morning lean your arms upon the window sill of heaven and gaze upon the Lord. Give Him the first thought each morning.

In addition, give the Lord the first day of your week. Acts 20:7 tells us, “Upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them.” Make sure you show your willingness to follow Christ by meeting other believers at church every Sunday.

Another thing that Scripture calls us to do is to give the Lord the firstfruit of our income. “Honor the LORD with thy substance,” it says in Proverbs 3:9. When you give of your firstfruit to the church, you are honoring God.

We are also to give the Lord first consideration in our decisions. Paul says that is what the believers in Macedonia did. (2 Corinthians 8:5). When a decision has to be made, do you decide what is best for yourself, or what gives God the most honor? Do you seek to please yourself or to please Him? Your choice of a job, of a school, of a major purchase, or of a boyfriend, are all to be made in light of what the Lord approves.

Give the Lord the first devotion of your heart. Make sure that you aren’t just going through the motions. Are you doing the right things, but your heart’s not in it? Have you lost your first love like the church in Ephesus (Revelation 2)? Give Him the first devotion of your heart.

The Satisfying Dynamic of This Priority

The principle in Matthew 6:33 is simple ─ God is number one. He takes precedence over all other things. Our lives ought to reflect that fact. When we seek first His kingdom and righteousness, all these things are added unto us. We no longer have to worry. Worry is simply putting other things before God, so that He takes second place. But Jesus has instructed us not to worry. Worry is senseless and sinful for the Christian, because it reveals we don’t trust God. Instead of worrying, we are to seek the Lord. Then all those things we worry about will be taken care of.

1. On a scale of 1 to 100, where would you rate your relationship with Christ?

What would you need to do to raise your score by ten points?

In your own words, how are we to go about seeking the kingdom of God?

2. Why does the Lord want the firstfruits of everything?

What does giving Him the “first” reveal ─ about yourself & about others?

If someone came up to you and said, “I can’t afford to give to the Lord from my firstfruits, so I give when I can afford it.” How would you respond?

How does giving a measure of our faith and obedience to the Lord bring Him glory?

3. What do these scriptures say about what the power of God can do in your life?

Philippians 4:19

Ephesians 1:3

1 John 3:22

4. Would you consider yourself a worrier? How can these scriptures give us encouragement at those times?

Romans 8:37

Psalm 68

John 15:7

Mark 11:24

When we devote our lives to Jesus, He turns our wants into His wants; our wills become aligned with His. He leads us into paths of righteousness for His glory and His honor. Our future is secure (Matthew 6:30-34), our past is forgiven (Psalm 102:12), and He is present to provide for us every step of the way.

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