Seek God's Kingdom First

We've all seen the Hollywood kingdoms portrayed in Bible-time movies, read chapters of Revelation about what Heaven looks like, and colored pictures in junior Bible coloring books that portray the throne room in a palace. Disney has put marble floors, gem-filled crowns, and castle spires into little children's minds with the Cinderella story, and picture books have helped us imagine what it would be like. We tour Biltmore houses, and other splendid structures across America, and overseas, trying to get a glimpse of the awesomeness of a kingdom. So, what did Jesus mean when half way through the greatest sermon ever preached, he says "Seek ye first the Kingdom of God."? Lets put it into perspective:

(Paraphrase) Don't worry about what you'll eat, or what you'll drink. Don't worry about where you'll get clothes, or what they look like. Your life, and your body consist of more than food and clothing. Look! My Father takes care of the fowls of the air. He clothes the lilies of the field! Even Solomon was not arrayed as beautifully as one of them! Can you add stature to yourself? Stop worrying about your needs. My Father in heaven knows them all! Therefore, do this:

"Seek ye first the Kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself! Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof."

Actually, there are two kinds of kingdoms. The one that you and I think of when we think "Kingdom" is the future kingdom:

"The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever." (Rev 11:15)

Then we have the kingdom Jesus refers to in Matthew 6:33. God's present kingdom is within us! Jesus said:

"Behold, the kingdom of God is within you." (Luke 17:21)

Mr. Gothard in his book "49 Secrets of Power for Living" notes that the disciples often talked about who would be greatest in the kingdom of God. However, they failed to recognize that "The Kingdom" was within their hearts where the Holy Spirit dwells. This is why the first two things required to enter the kingdom are (1) repentance, and (2) new birth. We repent, and then we are saved. This results in the kingdom of God within us which is where the Holy Spirit takes up residency in our lives. Once this happens, we now have a new struggle:

Jesus was speaking to the multitudes when he gave this command. The word "seek" is a present, active verb. Jesus wasn't telling them to seek later, or that they already had sought, or to seek for a time, and then stop. Jesus was commanding them to seek continually, never to stop seeking, and to make seeking a way of life! Once we are born again, this seeking doesn't come to a sudden halt. Instead, we must take the initiative to keep seeking the kingdom of God, and thus, experience spiritual growth.

Initiative is acting on the rhemas that God gives to us in his Word. Initiative is also carrying out the will of God by being in tune with the heart of God

Idleness is the ground in which every form of evil takes root. The hour of idleness is the hour of temptation. This is why we are commanded by Jesus in Matthew 6:33 to be continually seeking God with a kingdom focus! Amy Carmichael thoughtfully said "Satan is much more in earnest than we are. He buys up the opportunity while we are wondering how much it will cost." How true! While we worry about what we will lose when we seek only God, Satan snatches the opportunity and leads us into temptation.

In tying all of this together, we have a kingdom within us that we are commanded to continually seek. We have initiative which is acting on the rhemas God gives us (those rhemas direct us and are both the motivation to seek, and the reward of seeking), and we have the warning that idleness breeds only temptation. So, what exactly are we seeking when we say "the kingdom within us"? There are eight things that a kingdom consists of:

1. A King - Jesus Christ
2. A Jurisdiction - Our Hearts
3. A Law - Christ's Commands
4. An Enemy - Satan
5. A Treasury - Sowing
6. A Citizenry - Disciples
7. A Flag - Banner of Love
   
8. An Army - Disciple Makers

Mr. Gothard lists these eight points in his book (49 Secrets of Power for Living) and here I have summarized it: we seek the kingdom by studying our King, Jesus Christ, in the Bible (God's instruction manual/love-letter to his children). As we learn about his Lordship, we surrender our hearts willingly to his jurisdiction. Now that we have surrendered to him, we seek to obey His commands, and in keeping with obeying them, seek to conquer the enemy that is ever present, wanting to devour. As others see our witness for Christ, we sow seeds in their lives. We then seek to build the number of citizens in God's Kingdom by making disciples. As we show our banner of love to them, they eventually mature, and thus, go out and make more disciples. Although there are many aspects to seeking the kingdom of God, this is one way we can "Seek God's Kingdom."

Now, why does it say "Seek ye FIRST"? Why not do other things first? I have to stick in an element from my Journey to the Heart binder, as usual, so this time, I am taking out "The Pure Heart." What is a pure heart? One with a pure heart is one who matches the standards of Christ (definition taken from "A Pure Heart" in the journey to the heart binder). Will any of us ever be perfectly pure during our life here on earth? No, but Jesus still calls us to live lives of purity...lives that don't see how close to the line they can get, or lives that sit on the fence, but lives that go the extra mile, make extra sacrifices, and show their love for their King liberally. We are promised by a God who does not break his promises, if you seek the kingdom first, ALL these things WILL be added unto you (i.e. you will never lack anything that Jesus Christ thinks you need.) A pure heart will enable us to throw away our worldly values and desire Jesus more!

I love this verse which directly follows Luke's documentation of this same passage in Matthew where Jesus says:

"Fear not little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom."

i.e. It's not a drudge for God to fulfill our needs, or to dwell within our imperfect selves. He delights in it. He loves it! It is His joy! Why should we worry about our physical needs when God not only fills them, but it is his GOOD PLEASURE to fill them??? This passage serves only to reiterate the beautiful words pf the prophet Zephaniah in Zephaniah 3:17 "The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy, he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.

Summarization II: the kingdom of God is within you! You know the eight things that you are seeking in that kingdom. You understand that initiative, and a pure heart are required as you seek the Lord, and you know that you don't need to worry about your needs, because God delights to fulfill them as a demonstration of His love and compassion. I want to tie this off with a story:

A young man is walking down the streets of Judea. Everyone can tell by his appearance that he has many worldly goods. As he walks, he meets a man named Jesus with his disciples. He asks Jesus, "What must I do to have eternal life?" As Jesus tells him to obey the commands of Christ, and lists a few of them, the young man looks hopeful. He has done these well. Then Jesus stops. "But, I have done all of that! I am still empty inside!" I can almost see his face, so empty, yet so hopeful that Jesus will have an answer for him he has not already heard. "Go, sell what you have and give to the poor. Then you will have treasure in heaven, and you can follow me." There is silence. The young man's head falls, and he turns slowly and walks away. What is wrong with him? He is worried about his earthly possessions. He is too attached to temporal things to lay up eternal treasure. If only he had sought first the kingdom of God, He would have found eternal life, free, and abundant. But so often, I think we are like this young man. We may be saved, but we hold onto our rights, our expectations, and when someone comes along and says, "Throw them away, and seek God," we turn away, sorrowful. We want the answers in life to go our way, and fulfill our desires! Notice Jesus' response: (paraphrase) It is hard for a rich man to enter heaven. Actually, it is easier for a camel to walk through the eye of a needle. His disciples were shocked! They responded by saying "Who then can enter the kingdom of God???" I can picture their amazement! Jesus replies, "With God, all things are possible." Why? Because when we stop worrying about ourselves, and let God handle the details, He carries the load for us.

Are you seeking Jesus Christ? Or have you hung your head, and walked away, too scared to let go of the very things that make you feel so empty?

Be Blessed in Jesus! Live only for HIM!~
Hannah-

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