Seek First His Kingdom: Putting God First in Your Priorities – Dr. Aaron Perdue

All throughout scripture we see that we are to put God first. As the children of Israel were preparing to enter the promised land, Moses instructed them and told them of the great blessings of putting God first. He said, “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength” (Deuteronomy 6:5). This passage goes on to describe what happens when you put God first… “that the LORD will give you large and beautiful cities which you did not build, houses full of all good things, which you did not fill, hewn-out wells which you did not dig, vineyards and olive trees which you did not plant” (Deuteronomy 6:10-11). There are incredible blessings that come when we seek God with all our heart. He loves you and is after your heart.

As we grow in our walk with the Lord, it is essential that we know why God is important in our life. As our creator and the author of our life story, He needs to be interwoven into the very fabric of our lives. When Paul spoke to a group of non-believers on Mars Hill in Athens, he stated that “for in Him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 18:28). He was explaining to them that we exist only because of God and that He wants to be a part of our lives. Once you realize that there is one true God who created you for a purpose, you need to know what it means to put God first.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said, “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble” (Matthew 6:33-34). So many people are consumed by worry. Jesus wants to set everyone free from the chains of anxiety. He said that as long as you put God first and seek His righteousness (which only comes through faith in Jesus), you don’t need to worry about anything! I have seen many precious souls set free from constant worry and fear and I know that Jesus wants you to be completely free. So let’s talk about how to put God first in your life.

I believe there are four primary ways every believer needs to put God first in their life. They might seem simple to some people, but too many people get side-tracked and miss out on the blessings of putting God first.

#1 Spend time in prayer!
Jesus spent a lot of time in prayer and it really struck a chord with people close to Him. There was something different about the way Jesus prayed. He was in the presence of the Father! His disciples could have asked Jesus to teach them how to do lots of things, like turning water into wine, feeding 5,000 people with just 5 loaves and 2 fish, and how to walk on water. But they said to Jesus, “Teach us how to pray.” Because of Jesus, we all have access to the presence of our Father. As you spend time in prayer and communion with God, your life will never be the same.

#2 Treasure the Word of God!
If you love Jesus, you are going to love the Word of God. Psalm 119:162 says, “I rejoice at Your word as one who finds great treasure.” Be an avid student of the Word of God. Read scripture consistently and listen to Bible teachers that bring insight and revelation and inspire you to keep digging for the infinite treasure that is contained in the Word of God. Come to the point where you believe the Bible above all else. If the Word says it, that settles it!

#3 Prioritize the local church!
As I teach my son to have good manners, I often quote a famous old English saying: “Manners maketh man.” The Bible actually says that it is proper manners for a believer to go to church. Hebrews 10:25 says, “not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.” Even though the first century church faced great persecution and their lives were threatened for worshiping with other believers, they made it a priority. It’s important that we put God first by connecting with a good Bible-believing church where we can worship together and build each other up in our most holy faith.

#4 Be faithful in giving!
Jesus said, “He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much. Therefore if you have not been faithful to the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?” (Luke 16:10-11) When you give to good churches and ministries that preach Jesus and the truth from the Word of God, you are putting God first over your finances. Giving is a simple way to put God first and seek Him with all your heart. There are great blessings of putting God first, especially in the area of finances.

“For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him” (2 Chronicles 16:9a)

I believe that as you seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness that “all these things will be added to you.” Your life will be blessed and marked by the supernatural favor of Go

This teaching article comes from a message that Pastor Aaron shared at church. To listen to the entire message, click on this link.