Seek This First
There are a lot of things that reach for our attention. Our time is filled with people and responsibilities, with needs and desires, and these all take time.
In Jesus’ famous sermon in Matthew 6, He spends time talking about the various things in life that we give our attention to. Jesus tells us that instead of spending our time worrying about how to get what we need, we should seek His Kingdom and His righteousness. If we do that, then everything else will be taken care of.
So what does it mean to seek God’s Kingdom and God’s righteousness?
God’s Kingdom is about God’s rule and reign over all of creation. His Kingdom began in Jesus’ ministry on earth and is now expanding and continuing through the Church. The work of the Kingdom is to continue to tell others about the hope of Jesus, and to teach all the things Jesus has commanded us.
To seek God’s righteousness is to desire to live the way God intended. It is to live according to God’s commands, which requires that we make decisions that align with God’s Word.
Jesus says that if we do these two things—seek God’s Kingdom and His righteousness—then every other area of our life will make sense. When we don’t prioritize God’s desires for our life first, then we’ll end up worrying about things that are temporary.
Living a life according to God’s Word ought to be our greatest concern because God’s Kingdom will last forever.
Think about how you spend your time. In what ways can you make seeking God's Kingdom your first priority? Rather than worrying about how to get what you need, seek God and watch Him meet your needs.
Justified by Faith
Paul, the writer of the letter to the church in Rome, covers the details of what is known as “the Gospel message”—a message that was handed down to them. It's packed with deep theological truths that are meant to shape the way Christians live.
One of the central components to the Gospel is that salvation comes through faith alone. That means we are saved by the power of God through believing and trusting in Jesus. Every Christian comes to God through faith—not through good deeds or by trying to earn salvation.
Paul says that we have peace with God by our faith in Jesus. Prior to that, we were considered ungodly and unrighteous—because we would live our lives in our own power, doing our own things. This led to separation from God.
However, by faith in Jesus, we are justified before Him. This means that through Jesus’ own right-living, we are made right before Him. Even though we still make mistakes, we can stand innocent before God because of Jesus.
It’s ...