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Why Is It SO HARD to Put God First_ (Matthew 6_33 Explained · truthunedited

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  Speaker 1: Why is it so hard to live? By Matthew six
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  Speaker 1: thirty three. You know what the Bible says. You have
• 0:06
  Speaker 1: read this verse, we've heard it preached, we've probably quoted
• 0:09
  Speaker 1: it ourselves. But seek first the Kingdom of God and
• 0:14
  Speaker 1: his righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
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  Speaker 1: But let's be honest. Why do we still put money first?
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  Speaker 1: Why do we chase relationships before we chase God? Why
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  Speaker 1: do we spend more time worrying about our future than
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  Speaker 1: we do trusting in him. If Jesus said that all
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  Speaker 1: these things, provision, security, direction would be added to us
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  Speaker 1: if we put God first, then why do most people
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  Speaker 1: struggle to live this way? The world teaches us secure
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  Speaker 1: your career first, then serve God. Make sure you have
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  Speaker 1: enough money, then give to the kingdom, find the right person,
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  Speaker 1: then focus on your relationship with God. But Jesus flips
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  Speaker 1: the script. He says, put God first and everything else
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  Speaker 1: will follow. But how what does it actually mean to
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  Speaker 1: seek first the kingdom? Why do most people fail to
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  Speaker 1: apply this verse? Who in the Bible actually followed this
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  Speaker 1: command and saw God fulfill his promise? How can you
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  Speaker 1: start seeking God first and truly experience all these things?
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  Speaker 1: Added to you because by the end of this video,
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  Speaker 1: you will have a change of heart. You will realize
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  Speaker 1: that seeking God first is not a sacrifice. It is
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  Speaker 1: the greatest investment of your life. So let me ask you,
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  Speaker 1: what if the things you've been chasing after are actually
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  Speaker 1: waiting for you on the other side of obedience. What
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  Speaker 1: if the stress and anxiety you feel is because you've
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  Speaker 1: been seeking the gifts more than the giver. What if
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  Speaker 1: the moment you truly put God first, everything changes. Because
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  Speaker 1: by the end of this video, you will not only
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  Speaker 1: understand Matthew six thirty three, you will desire nothing more
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  Speaker 1: seeking God first. We have created in depth explanation videos
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  Speaker 1: for every book of the Bible to help you go
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  Speaker 1: deeper in your faith. Each Deep Bible Stories video is
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  Speaker 1: designed to break down scripture in a way that is simple, clear,
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  Speaker 1: and deeply impactful. We also have ebooks on our website
• 2:22
  Speaker 1: for some of our most popular videos. If you'd like
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  Speaker 1: this video to be turned into an ebook, let us
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  Speaker 1: know in the comments, and if this video has opened
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  Speaker 1: your eyes to something new, like and share it so
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  Speaker 1: more people can understand why seeking God first is the
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  Speaker 1: only way to truly live. It is our hope and
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  Speaker 1: prayer that this video awakens something in your spirit, a
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  Speaker 1: faith so strong that nothing can shake it. With that
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  Speaker 1: being said, let's get started. The idea of seeking first
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  Speaker 1: the Kingdom of God was not spoken in isolation. It
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  Speaker 1: was part of a much bigger message. In Matthew six,
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  Speaker 1: Jesus was delivering one of the most radical sermons ever preached,
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  Speaker 1: the Sermon on the Mount, and in this moment, he
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  Speaker 1: wasn't just teaching, he was challenging everything people thought they
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  Speaker 1: knew about life. Imagine being part of the crowd that day.
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  Speaker 1: You've been taught since childhood that success is having enough wealth, land,
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  Speaker 1: and security. You've seen the religious leaders, the Pharisees, who
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  Speaker 1: parade their wealth and status as proof of God's favor.
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  Speaker 1: You've spent your life worrying about what you will eat,
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  Speaker 1: what you will drink, and what you will wear, because
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  Speaker 1: in your world, survival depends on these things. Then Jesus
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  Speaker 1: stands up and says, do not worry about your life
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  Speaker 1: what you will eat, what you will drink, or what
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  Speaker 1: you will wear. Matthew six twenty five. What how could
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  Speaker 1: he say that that's all people worried about, It's all
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  Speaker 1: they knew food and clothing weren't luxuries, they were necessities.
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  Speaker 1: Yet Jesus was saying, the pagans run after all these things,
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  Speaker 1: but your heavenly father knows that you need them Matthew
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  Speaker 1: six thirty two. Then he gives the command that changed everything.
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  Speaker 1: Seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, and
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  Speaker 1: all these things shall be added to you Matthew six
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  Speaker 1: thirty three. This was not just a nice spiritual idea.
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  Speaker 1: It was a direct attack on the way people thought
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  Speaker 1: about life. Jesus was saying, stop chasing after material things
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  Speaker 1: like the world does. Stop treating security as your top priority.
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  Speaker 1: Stop acting like you're in control. God already knows what
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  Speaker 1: you need. This was shocking, It was offensive. It was
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  Speaker 1: liberating because the truth is, most people even to day,
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  Speaker 1: still don't believe this verse. Let's be real. We say
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  Speaker 1: we trust God, but why do we still worry constantly?
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  Speaker 1: We say we love him, but why do we still
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  Speaker 1: chase after money? We say we seek the kingdom, but
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  Speaker 1: why do we make every decision based on comfort and security?
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  Speaker 1: This is exactly what Jesus was confronting. The entire Sermon
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  Speaker 1: on the Mount was about shifting priorities. Jesus wasn't just
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  Speaker 1: talking about prayer or religion. He was talking about how
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  Speaker 1: we live. He challenged people about money. You cannot serve
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  Speaker 1: both God and money Matthew six twenty four. He called
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  Speaker 1: out worry. Can any one of you by worrying add
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  Speaker 1: a single hour to your life? Matthew six twenty seven.
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  Speaker 1: He redefined success. Blessed are the poor in spirit. Blessed
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  Speaker 1: are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness Matthew five
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  Speaker 1: three six. And then he gave the solution, seek first
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  Speaker 1: the Kingdom of God. It was a command, not a suggestion.
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  Speaker 1: It was a promise, not a gamble. But here's the question,
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  Speaker 1: do we actually believe it? What does it really mean
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  Speaker 1: to seek first the Kingdom? Why do most people fail
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  Speaker 1: to live this out? Who in the Bible actually followed
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  Speaker 1: this command and saw the results? Because here's the truth.
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  Speaker 1: Jesus didn't just say this verse. He lived it, and
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  Speaker 1: he's calling you to do the same. So let's go
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  Speaker 1: deeper because if we truly understand this, everything in our
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  Speaker 1: lives will change. Seeking first the Kingdom of God is
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  Speaker 1: not just about putting God at the top of a
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  Speaker 1: to do list. It is not just about praying more, reading,
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  Speaker 1: the Bible more or trying to be a better Christian.
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  Speaker 1: It is about a total shift in how you live, think,
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  Speaker 1: and prioritize everything. When Jesus said seek first the Kingdom
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  Speaker 1: of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall
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  Speaker 1: be added to you Matthew six thirty three, he wasn't
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  Speaker 1: just giving advice. He was revealing a divine principle that
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  Speaker 1: governs life itself. But what does it actually mean to
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  Speaker 1: seek first the kingdom. Let's break it down first. Let's
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  Speaker 1: look at the word seek. To seek something is not
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  Speaker 1: a passive act. It's not something you do occasionally or casually.
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  Speaker 1: When a person loses their phone, they don't just sit
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  Speaker 1: and hope it magically appears. They seek it. They search,
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  Speaker 1: They retrace their steps, They turn the house upside down
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  Speaker 1: if necessary. When a person loses their child in a crowd,
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  Speaker 1: they don't say, well, I hope they come back. No,
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  Speaker 1: they run, They call out, they push through obstacles, they
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  Speaker 1: don't stop until they find them. That is what it
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  Speaker 1: means to seek. Jesus is saying, pursue my kingdom with
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  Speaker 1: that same intensity. Seek God the way a drowning man
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  Speaker 1: seeks air, Seek his righteousness the way a starving man
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  Speaker 1: seeks food, seek his will the way a lost person
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  Speaker 1: seeks direction. But here's the key. Jesus didn't just say
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  Speaker 1: seek the kingdom. He said seek first the kingdom. And
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  Speaker 1: this is where most people struggle because we don't seek
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  Speaker 1: God first. We seek comfort first, then we ask God
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  Speaker 1: to bless us. We seek money first, then we ask
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  Speaker 1: God for wisdom. We seek relationships first, then we ask
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  Speaker 1: God for guidance. We seek our own plans first, then
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  Speaker 1: we ask God to fit into them. But Jesus said
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  Speaker 1: seek first the kingdom. He didn't say seek God when
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  Speaker 1: it's convenient. He didn't say seek God after you've handled
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  Speaker 1: your responsibilities. He didn't say seek God when you have time.
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  Speaker 1: He said seek first. That means before you make a decision,
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  Speaker 1: seek God, before you start your day, Seek God before
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  Speaker 1: you chase after money. Seek God before you commit to
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  Speaker 1: a relationship. Seek God before you take a job, Seek
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  Speaker 1: God before you worry. Seek God. Because if God is
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  Speaker 1: not first, he is not truly Lord. And that brings
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  Speaker 1: us to the third part. Seek first the Kingdom of God.
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  Speaker 1: What does that mean? A kingdom is a realm where
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  Speaker 1: a king rules. If you are seeking the kingdom of God.
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  Speaker 1: You are seeking the rule and reign of God in
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  Speaker 1: your life. That means your decisions, your finances, your relationships,
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  Speaker 1: your future, your dreams, everything belongs to him. The problem
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  Speaker 1: is many people want God's blessings, but they don't want
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  Speaker 1: his kingdom. They want his help, but they don't want
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  Speaker 1: his authority. They want his protection, but they don't want
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  Speaker 1: his direction. They want his provision, but they don't want
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  Speaker 1: his lordship. But you cannot seek the kingdom without submitting
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  Speaker 1: to the king. That's why Jesus said, why do you
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  Speaker 1: call me Lord law and do not do what I say?
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  Speaker 1: Luke six forty six. Because seeking first the kingdom of
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  Speaker 1: God is not just about praying more or reading more
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  Speaker 1: Bible verses. It's about a complete surrender of your life
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  Speaker 1: to his will. Look at the life of the disciples.
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  Speaker 1: When Jesus called Peter, Andrew, James, and John, they were fishing,
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  Speaker 1: running their business, providing for their families. But when Jesus
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  Speaker 1: said follow me, what did they do? Immediately they left
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  Speaker 1: their nets and followed him. Matthew four twenty. They didn't say,
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  Speaker 1: let me finish my work first. They didn't say, let
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  Speaker 1: me make sure I have enough money saved They didn't say,
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  Speaker 1: let me figure out my five year plan. They left
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  Speaker 1: everything because they sought first the kingdom, and what happened.
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  Speaker 1: God provided everything they needed. They didn't lack food, they
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  Speaker 1: didn't lack shelter, they didn't lack purpose. Because when you
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  Speaker 1: seek first the kingdom, God takes care of everything else.
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  Speaker 1: This is what Jesus meant when he said all these
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  Speaker 1: things shall be added to you. He wasn't saying, seek
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  Speaker 1: me so I can give you money and success. He
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  Speaker 1: was saying, when you make me your priority, I will
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  Speaker 1: take care of your needs. Look at the life of Solomon.
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  Speaker 1: When God asked Solomon, what do you want? He didn't
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  Speaker 1: ask for riches, power, or success. He asked for wisdom
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  Speaker 1: to rule according to God's will. That was seeking first
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  Speaker 1: the kingdom, and what happened. God gave him wisdom. God
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  Speaker 1: gave him wealth, God gave him power. God gave him
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  Speaker 1: everything he didn't even ask for. Because when you seek
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  Speaker 1: first the kingdom, God will always provide everything you need.
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  Speaker 1: But the question is are you really seeking him first?
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  Speaker 1: Is he first in your decisions? Is he first in
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  Speaker 1: your priorities? Is he first in your finances? Is he
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  Speaker 1: first in your relationships? Is he first in your time?
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  Speaker 1: Because Jesus didn't say, seek first your dreams and I'll
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  Speaker 1: add my kingdom to you. He said, seek first my
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  Speaker 1: kingdom and I'll add everything else to you. And this
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  Speaker 1: is the difference between a life of peace and a
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  Speaker 1: life of stress, a life of blessing and a life
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  Speaker 1: of struggle, a life of faith and a life of fear.
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  Speaker 1: So now the question is how do you actually do this?
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  Speaker 1: Because seeking first the Kingdom of God is not just
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  Speaker 1: an idea, it's a way of life. The idea of
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  Speaker 1: seeking first the Kingdom of God sounds simple, It sounds
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  Speaker 1: like something every Christian should naturally want to do. But
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  Speaker 1: if that were true, why do so many struggle to
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  Speaker 1: actually live it out. Why do we say we trust
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  Speaker 1: God yet still hold on to control. Why do we
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  Speaker 1: claim to put him first, yet our decisions are ruled
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  Speaker 1: by fear, worry, and self preservation. Why do we know
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  Speaker 1: this verse by heart, yet our hearts still chase after money, success, relationships,
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  Speaker 1: comfort and security before seeking God. Because the truth is
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  Speaker 1: there's a war inside of us, a war between faith
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  Speaker 1: and fear, a war between trusting God and trusting ourselves,
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  Speaker 1: a war between seeking God's kingdom and seeking our own comfort.
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  Speaker 1: And this is exactly what Jesus was addressing. Why is
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  Speaker 1: it so hard to seek God first? Because we don't
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  Speaker 1: want to give up control. Let's be honest. We like control.
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  Speaker 1: We like to plan everything, we like to secure our future,
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  Speaker 1: we like to know exactly what's coming next. But Jesus
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  Speaker 1: calls us to a life of faith, not control. This
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  Speaker 1: is why Abraham's story is so powerful. Abraham was wealthy,
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  Speaker 1: He had land, security, and a comfortable life in err
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  Speaker 1: of the Chaldeans. Then God called him to leave it all.
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  Speaker 1: Go from your country, your people, and your father's household
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  Speaker 1: to the land I will show you Genesis twelve one.
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  Speaker 1: Notice something, God didn't even tell him where he was going.
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  Speaker 1: Can you imagine what if God told you right now,
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  Speaker 1: leave your house, quit your job, sell everything, start walking.
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  Speaker 1: I'll show you the destination later. Would you do it?
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  Speaker 1: That's what Abraham had to decide, would he trust God
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  Speaker 1: first or cling to control. And here's what's amazing. When
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  Speaker 1: he stepped out in faith, God provided everything. God gave
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  Speaker 1: him land, God made him wealthy beyond imagination. God gave
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  Speaker 1: him a son when it was impossible, And most importantly,
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  Speaker 1: God made him the father of a nation. Why because
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  Speaker 1: Abraham sought the kingdom of God first. But here's the thing.
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  Speaker 1: Most people don't live like Abraham. Most people live like
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  Speaker 1: King Saul. Saul was given the kingdom of Israel, but
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  Speaker 1: instead of trusting God, he tried to control everything himself.
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  Speaker 1: He feared losing power, so he disobeyed God's commands. For
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  Speaker 1: Samuel fifteen nine, he feared the people, so he made
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  Speaker 1: decisions based on what they wanted. For Samuel fifteen twenty four.
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  Speaker 1: He feared the future, so he tried to force God's
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  Speaker 1: timing by offering a sacrifice himself instead of waiting for Samuel.
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  Speaker 1: For Samuel thirteen eight to fourteen, and because Saul wouldn't
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  Speaker 1: surrender control and trust God, he lost everything. He lost
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  Speaker 1: his kingdom, he lost God's favor, and eventually he lost
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  Speaker 1: his life. So here's the question. Are you living like Abraham,
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  Speaker 1: trusting God, stepping out in faith and letting him provide,
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  Speaker 1: or are you living like Saul, trying to control everything,
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  Speaker 1: making decisions based on fear, and ultimately missing God's best
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  Speaker 1: for your life. Because here's the truth, you cannot seek
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  Speaker 1: the Kingdom of God first if you're still trying to
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  Speaker 1: be king of your own life. And that's the second
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  Speaker 1: reason people struggle to seek God first pride. Pride tells
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  Speaker 1: us we don't need God. I'll seek God after I've
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  Speaker 1: secured my future. I'll put him first, after I've built
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  Speaker 1: my career. I'll serve him once I have enough money.
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  Speaker 1: But that's a lie. God is not an afterthought. He
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  Speaker 1: is the source of everything good in your life. Jesus
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  Speaker 1: told a parable about a rich fool who made this mistake.
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  Speaker 1: I'll tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and
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  Speaker 1: I'll say to myself, you have plenty of grain laid
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  Speaker 1: up for many years. Take life easy, eat, drink, and
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  Speaker 1: be merry Luke twelve eighteen to nineteen. But what did
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  Speaker 1: God say, you fool? This very night? Your life will
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  Speaker 1: be demanded from you, Luke twelve twenty. The rich fool
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  Speaker 1: thought he was in control, He thought he had time,
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  Speaker 1: He thought he could secure his future without God. But
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  Speaker 1: he lost everything because he never sought the kingdom of
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  Speaker 1: God first. And that's exactly where so many people are today.
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  Speaker 1: We chase money thinking it will give us peace. We
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  Speaker 1: chase success thinking it will give us purpose. We chase
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  Speaker 1: relationships thinking they will fulfill us. And the whole time
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  Speaker 1: God is saying, seek me first and I will take
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  Speaker 1: care of everything else. But instead of seeking him first,
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  Speaker 1: we get distracted. That's the third reason seeking God first
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  Speaker 1: is so hard. Distractions. Satan doesn't need to destroy you,
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  Speaker 1: he just needs to distract you. And right now we
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  Speaker 1: are living in the most distracted generation in history. Social
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  Speaker 1: media keeps our minds occupied, entertainment keeps our hearts numb,
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  Speaker 1: work keeps us too busy, worry keeps us too anxious,
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  Speaker 1: and sin keeps us too well slaved. No wonder people
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  Speaker 1: struggle to seek God first. But let's go deeper, because
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  Speaker 1: if we don't deal with these struggles, we will never
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  Speaker 1: experience the power of Matthew six thirty three. When Jesus said,
• 18:13
  Speaker 1: seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, and
• 18:17
  Speaker 1: all these things shall be added to you Matthew six
• 18:21
  Speaker 1: thirty three, he wasn't giving a theory. He was revealing
• 18:26
  Speaker 1: a divine reality, a principle that has been true from
• 18:31
  Speaker 1: the very beginning of time. But here's the thing. This
• 18:34
  Speaker 1: is not just a nice verse to quote. It's a
• 18:38
  Speaker 1: command that must be lived. And throughout scripture we see
• 18:42
  Speaker 1: people who actually lived this out, who put God first
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  Speaker 1: even when it didn't make sense, and in return, they
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  Speaker 1: saw God move in ways that were beyond human understanding.
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  Speaker 1: Take Abraham, for example, God called him to leave everything behind,
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  Speaker 1: his home, his family, his security, and follow him to
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  Speaker 1: an unknown land. Go from your country, your people, and
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  Speaker 1: your father's household to the land I will show you
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  Speaker 1: Genesis twelve one. Think about what that means. Abraham wasn't
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  Speaker 1: just going on a road trip. He was leaving behind
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  Speaker 1: everything he had ever known. Most of us today wouldn't
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  Speaker 1: even move cities without a solid job, offer a housing plan,
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  Speaker 1: and a five year strategy. But Abraham, he didn't even
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  Speaker 1: know where he was going. All he had was a
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  Speaker 1: promise from God. And yet he obeyed. And what happened.
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  Speaker 1: God led him to the promised land. God blessed him
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  Speaker 1: beyond measure. God made him the father of many nations.
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  Speaker 1: Abraham didn't seek security first, He sought God first, and
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  Speaker 1: because of that, God provided everything he needed. Then there's Solomon,
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  Speaker 1: one of the richest men who ever lived. But when
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  Speaker 1: Solomon became king, he didn't ask God for wealth, power,
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  Speaker 1: or fame. Instead, he prayed, give your servant therefore an
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  Speaker 1: understanding heart to judge your people, that I may discern
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  Speaker 1: between good and evil. First Kings three nine. Solomon sought
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  Speaker 1: God's wisdom first, And what did God do? Since you
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  Speaker 1: have asked for this and not for long life or
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  Speaker 1: wealth for yourself, I will give you a wise and
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  Speaker 1: discerning heart. Moreover, I will give you what you have
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  Speaker 1: not asked for, both wealth and honor. First Kings three
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  Speaker 1: eleven to thirteen. Solomon didn't chase after riches. He chased
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  Speaker 1: after God's wisdom. And because he put God first, God
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  Speaker 1: gave him everything else as well. But maybe your thinking, well,
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  Speaker 1: Solomon was already a king. What about regular people like me?
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  Speaker 1: That brings us to one of the most powerful stories
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  Speaker 1: in the Bible, Elijah and the Widow of Zaraphath. During
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  Speaker 1: a time of extreme drought and famine, God sent Elijah
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  Speaker 1: to a poor widow who had only one meal left.
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  Speaker 1: Elijah said to us, make me a small loaf of
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  Speaker 1: bread first, and then make something for yourself and your son.
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  Speaker 1: First Kings seventeen thirteen. Now pause for a moment. Imagine
• 21:23
  Speaker 1: you have just one meal left, and a stranger tells
• 21:25
  Speaker 1: you feed me first, and then God will take care
• 21:29
  Speaker 1: of you, most of us would say, no way, I
• 21:32
  Speaker 1: need to take care of myself first. But this woman,
• 21:36
  Speaker 1: she obeyed. She put God first, and what happened. Her
• 21:39
  Speaker 1: flower never ran out, her oil never dried up. She
• 21:42
  Speaker 1: and her son had food every day, just as God promised.
• 21:46
  Speaker 1: Because she sought God first, God provided for her needs supernaturally.
• 21:53
  Speaker 1: And here's the key. In every one of these stories,
• 21:56
  Speaker 1: the person had a choice. Abraham could have stayed aid
• 22:00
  Speaker 1: in his comfort zone. Solomon could have asked for riches
• 22:04
  Speaker 1: instead of wisdom. The widow could have put her survival
• 22:08
  Speaker 1: first instead of trusting God. But they didn't. They chose
• 22:12
  Speaker 1: obedience over logic, and they chose faith over fear. They
• 22:16
  Speaker 1: chose God over everything else. And because they sought first
• 22:20
  Speaker 1: the Kingdom of God, everything else was added to them. Now,
• 22:24
  Speaker 1: let's bring this to you. If God asked you to
• 22:27
  Speaker 1: take a step of faith, would you if he told
• 22:29
  Speaker 1: you to leave something behind, would you trust him? If
• 22:33
  Speaker 1: he told you to give when you don't have much,
• 22:35
  Speaker 1: would you believe he'll provide. If he told you to
• 22:39
  Speaker 1: seek him first instead of chasing after security, would you obey?
• 22:45
  Speaker 1: Because here's the truth. Most people never experience the fullness
• 22:49
  Speaker 1: of Matthew six thirty three because they never fully commit
• 22:53
  Speaker 1: to seeking God first. We say we trust God, but
• 22:56
  Speaker 1: then we rely on our jobs for security. We say
• 23:00
  Speaker 1: we love God, but we spend more time worrying about
• 23:03
  Speaker 1: money than we do in prayer. We say we want
• 23:06
  Speaker 1: God's will, but we refuse to let go of our
• 23:09
  Speaker 1: own plans. But if we truly believe that seeking God
• 23:13
  Speaker 1: first unlocks everything else, we wouldn't hesitate. And that's the
• 23:18
  Speaker 1: challenge to day. Will you be one of the few
• 23:21
  Speaker 1: who actually live this verse. If seeking first the kingdom
• 23:25
  Speaker 1: of God is the condition, then what about the promise?
• 23:29
  Speaker 1: What does Jesus actually mean when he says all these
• 23:33
  Speaker 1: things shall be added to you. Does this mean God
• 23:37
  Speaker 1: will make you rich? Does it mean everything in your
• 23:41
  Speaker 1: life will be easy and comfortable? This is where many
• 23:45
  Speaker 1: people get it wrong. Some take this verse and turn
• 23:49
  Speaker 1: it into a formula for material success. If you pray enough,
• 23:53
  Speaker 1: read your Bible enough, and go to church enough, then
• 23:56
  Speaker 1: God will give you everything you want, money, car houses,
• 24:01
  Speaker 1: a problem free life. But that's not what Jesus was saying.
• 24:05
  Speaker 1: Jesus wasn't preaching a prosperity gospel. He was preaching a
• 24:10
  Speaker 1: kingdom Gospel. Look at the context. Just before this verse,
• 24:14
  Speaker 1: Jesus was talking about worry, worry about food, worry about clothing,
• 24:20
  Speaker 1: worry about life's basic needs. He pointed to the birds
• 24:24
  Speaker 1: of the air and the lilies of the field, showing
• 24:26
  Speaker 1: that God provides for his creation effortlessly. And then he says,
• 24:31
  Speaker 1: seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, and
• 24:36
  Speaker 1: all these things shall be added to you. All these
• 24:40
  Speaker 1: things refer to what you actually need, not necessarily what
• 24:44
  Speaker 1: you want. God promises provision, not prosperity. He promises sufficiency,
• 24:50
  Speaker 1: not excess. He promises his best for you, not what
• 24:54
  Speaker 1: the world calls success. And if you think about it,
• 24:57
  Speaker 1: isn't that better? Would you rather have just money or peace, joy,
• 25:02
  Speaker 1: and a life full of purpose? Would you rather have
• 25:05
  Speaker 1: just success or true fulfillment that goes beyond career and status.
• 25:10
  Speaker 1: When Jesus says all these things shall be added, he
• 25:13
  Speaker 1: is talking about everything you need to fulfill His purpose
• 25:17
  Speaker 1: for your life. That means spiritual blessings, wisdom, strength, and
• 25:22
  Speaker 1: joy that money can't buy. That means emotional blessings, peace
• 25:27
  Speaker 1: that passes understanding, contentment no matter the situation. That means
• 25:32
  Speaker 1: physical provision because when you put God first, he takes
• 25:36
  Speaker 1: care of his own. Look at the Israelites in the wilderness.
• 25:40
  Speaker 1: They didn't know how God would provide, but every day
• 25:44
  Speaker 1: he sent manner. They didn't know where their water would
• 25:47
  Speaker 1: come from, but God brought water from a rock. Their
• 25:50
  Speaker 1: clothes didn't wear out, their shoes didn't break down. God
• 25:54
  Speaker 1: sustained them. And here's the part that many forget. God's
• 25:58
  Speaker 1: provision comes on his terms, not ours. This is why
• 26:02
  Speaker 1: trusting in God's timing is key. God knows exactly what
• 26:06
  Speaker 1: you need and exactly when you need it. Abraham was
• 26:10
  Speaker 1: promised a son, but God didn't fulfill that promise right away.
• 26:14
  Speaker 1: Why because Abraham needed to learn faith. Joseph was given
• 26:18
  Speaker 1: a dream of ruling, but before that dream was fulfilled,
• 26:22
  Speaker 1: he went through slavery and prison. Why because Joseph needed
• 26:27
  Speaker 1: to be prepared for his purpose. If God hasn't added
• 26:30
  Speaker 1: something to your life yet, it's not because he won't.
• 26:34
  Speaker 1: It's because he's doing something in you first. So the
• 26:38
  Speaker 1: real question is can you seek him first even when
• 26:41
  Speaker 1: you don't see the blessing yet? Can you trust that
• 26:44
  Speaker 1: He knows the exact moment to add what you need?
• 26:47
  Speaker 1: Because if you do, you'll discover that seeking first the
• 26:51
  Speaker 1: Kingdom doesn't just change what you receive, it changes what
• 26:55
  Speaker 1: you desire. And when your heart is aligned with His kingdom,
• 26:59
  Speaker 1: you'll realize that God has already given you more than enough.
• 27:03
  Speaker 1: Seeking God first is not just a mindset, it's an action.
• 27:07
  Speaker 1: It's a daily decision that affects how we spend our time,
• 27:11
  Speaker 1: how we make decisions, and how we live our lives.
• 27:16
  Speaker 1: It's not just about saying God you are first, but
• 27:20
  Speaker 1: actually living in a way that reflects that reality. But
• 27:23
  Speaker 1: let's be honest. How often do we say we want
• 27:27
  Speaker 1: to put God first? But our actions tell a different story.
• 27:32
  Speaker 1: Think about this. What's the first thing you reach for
• 27:35
  Speaker 1: in the morning. Is it your phone, social media, the
• 27:38
  Speaker 1: latest news, or do you start your day in His presence,
• 27:42
  Speaker 1: surrendering your plans to Him before anything else. Jesus didn't
• 27:47
  Speaker 1: just say seek first the Kingdom of God. He showed
• 27:50
  Speaker 1: us how to do it. He woke up early to
• 27:52
  Speaker 1: pray before the crowds came. Mark one thirty five, He
• 27:59
  Speaker 1: withdrew to quiet places to spend time with the Father.
• 28:03
  Speaker 1: Luke five sixteen. He made obedience to the Father's will
• 28:08
  Speaker 1: his priority over everything else. John four thirty four. If Jesus,
• 28:14
  Speaker 1: the son of God, needed to seek the Father first,
• 28:18
  Speaker 1: how much more do we making time for God before
• 28:23
  Speaker 1: anything else. The way you start your day sets the
• 28:27
  Speaker 1: tone for everything else. If the first thing you do
• 28:30
  Speaker 1: is focus on problems, distractions, or stress, you are already
• 28:34
  Speaker 1: positioning yourself to worry instead of trust. But when you
• 28:38
  Speaker 1: seek God first before the world grabs your attention, you
• 28:42
  Speaker 1: invite his wisdom, his peace, and his direction into your day.
• 28:48
  Speaker 1: David understood this when he said, Oh God, you are
• 28:51
  Speaker 1: my God. Early will I seek you? Psalm sixty three,
• 28:55
  Speaker 1: Colon I. It's not about legalism, it's about alignment. When
• 29:00
  Speaker 1: you wake up and put God first, whether through prayer, worship,
• 29:04
  Speaker 1: or reading his word, you are making a statement God,
• 29:07
  Speaker 1: before I listen to anyone else. I want to hear
• 29:10
  Speaker 1: from you, before I chase after anything else. I want
• 29:15
  Speaker 1: to seek your kingdom, surrendering plans, decisions, and finances to God.
• 29:24
  Speaker 1: Seeking first the kingdom is not just about what you
• 29:26
  Speaker 1: do in the morning. It's about how you make decisions
• 29:29
  Speaker 1: throughout the day. Do you include God in your decision
• 29:33
  Speaker 1: making or do you only come to him when things
• 29:37
  Speaker 1: go wrong? Proverbs three five through six says trust in
• 29:42
  Speaker 1: the Lord with all your heart and lean not on
• 29:45
  Speaker 1: your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge Him and
• 29:50
  Speaker 1: he will direct your paths. The key phrase in all
• 29:54
  Speaker 1: your ways acknowledge Him. That means before making a big
• 29:59
  Speaker 1: decision and pray first. Before accepting a job, ask if
• 30:03
  Speaker 1: it aligns with God's purpose. Before entering a relationship, seek
• 30:08
  Speaker 1: God's wisdom. Seeking God first means you don't move unless
• 30:13
  Speaker 1: He leads, and yes, this includes finances too. Most people say,
• 30:18
  Speaker 1: God bless my finances. But do we seek him first
• 30:21
  Speaker 1: in how we handle money? Do we honor Him with
• 30:24
  Speaker 1: our tithes and offerings? Do we trust him as our provider?
• 30:28
  Speaker 1: Or do we hoarde out of fear? Do we seek
• 30:31
  Speaker 1: his wisdom before making financial commitments. The widow of Zaraphath
• 30:36
  Speaker 1: in First King seventeen is a powerful example. She had
• 30:40
  Speaker 1: only a handful of flour and a little oil left,
• 30:43
  Speaker 1: just enough to make a last meal for herself and
• 30:45
  Speaker 1: her son. Then Elijah told her first, make a small
• 30:51
  Speaker 1: loaf for me first. That didn't make sense. She was
• 30:55
  Speaker 1: on the verge of starvation, but she chose to obey.
• 30:59
  Speaker 1: She sought God first, and what happened. The jar of
• 31:03
  Speaker 1: flower was not used up, and the jug of oil
• 31:06
  Speaker 1: did not run dry. First King seventeen sixteen. God multiplied
• 31:12
  Speaker 1: what she had because she put him first. What would
• 31:15
  Speaker 1: happen if we lived like that? Walking in obedience? How
• 31:20
  Speaker 1: seeking first means following his voice. Seeking first the kingdom
• 31:27
  Speaker 1: isn't just about praying more or reading the Bible more.
• 31:30
  Speaker 1: It's about obedience. Jesus said, if you love me, keep
• 31:34
  Speaker 1: my commandments. John fourteen fifteen. Many people say, God, I
• 31:40
  Speaker 1: want to seek you first, but when he asked them
• 31:43
  Speaker 1: to step out in faith, they hesitate. Abraham sought first
• 31:46
  Speaker 1: the kingdom when he left everything behind to follow God's
• 31:50
  Speaker 1: call Genesis twelve one through four. Peter sought first the
• 31:56
  Speaker 1: kingdom when he left his fishing business to follow Jesus
• 32:00
  Speaker 1: Duke five ten to eleven. Paul sought first the kingdom
• 32:04
  Speaker 1: when he gave up his status as a pharisee to
• 32:07
  Speaker 1: preach the Gospel Philippians three seven to eight. Seeking first
• 32:12
  Speaker 1: the kingdom means you trust God enough to obey even
• 32:16
  Speaker 1: when it's uncomfortable. So ask yourself, am I holding back
• 32:20
  Speaker 1: any areas of my life from God's control? Am I
• 32:24
  Speaker 1: making my own plans and asking God to bless them,
• 32:27
  Speaker 1: Or am I truly seeking His will first? Am I
• 32:30
  Speaker 1: living as if His kingdom is my top priority or
• 32:33
  Speaker 1: just something I fit into my schedule? Because here's the truth.
• 32:38
  Speaker 1: Seeking first the Kingdom of God is not something you
• 32:41
  Speaker 1: do occasionally. It's a lifestyle, and when you live this way,
• 32:46
  Speaker 1: you'll experience the reality of Matthew six thirty three, not
• 32:51
  Speaker 1: just as a promise, but as your personal testimony. It's
• 32:55
  Speaker 1: easy to say we want to seek God first, but
• 32:58
  Speaker 1: if we're honest, many of us live our lives chasing
• 33:01
  Speaker 1: everything except the Kingdom of God. We run after success, security, relationships, money,
• 33:09
  Speaker 1: and comfort. Then we try to fit God in wherever
• 33:12
  Speaker 1: there's extra space. But Jesus never said seek the kingdom
• 33:17
  Speaker 1: when you have time. He said, seek first the Kingdom
• 33:22
  Speaker 1: of God. But what happens when we don't. The Book
• 33:26
  Speaker 1: of Haggai gives a powerful warning about the consequences of
• 33:29
  Speaker 1: putting everything else before God. In Hagai one, the Israelites
• 33:35
  Speaker 1: had returned from exile in Babylon. God had commanded them
• 33:40
  Speaker 1: to rebuild his temple, but instead they focused on building
• 33:44
  Speaker 1: their own houses and pursuing their own comfort. They wanted
• 33:48
  Speaker 1: prosperity and security before they prioritized God's work, and what happened.
• 33:56
  Speaker 1: God told them, you have planted much but harvested little.
• 34:00
  Speaker 1: You eat but never have enough. You drink but never
• 34:04
  Speaker 1: have your fill. You put on clothes but are not warm.
• 34:08
  Speaker 1: You earn wages only to put them in a purse
• 34:11
  Speaker 1: with holes in it. Hagai won six. Does this sound familiar?
• 34:16
  Speaker 1: You work hard, but your money never seems to be enough.
• 34:20
  Speaker 1: You chase after success, but you still feel empty. You
• 34:24
  Speaker 1: achieve your goals, but you're still searching for more. God
• 34:29
  Speaker 1: was showing them a hard truth. When you put everything
• 34:31
  Speaker 1: else first and leave God out, nothing will satisfy you.
• 34:36
  Speaker 1: Many people believe more money, more success, or more comfort
• 34:40
  Speaker 1: will bring peace. But how many wealthy people still feel anxious?
• 34:45
  Speaker 1: How many successful people still feel empty? Solomon, one of
• 34:49
  Speaker 1: the richest, most successful kings in history, tried everything this
• 34:54
  Speaker 1: world had to offer. He built palaces, gathered wealth, pursued pleasures,
• 34:59
  Speaker 1: and gained more wisdom than any one before him. And
• 35:03
  Speaker 1: yet at the end of it all, he wrote meaningless, meaningless.
• 35:07
  Speaker 1: Everything is meaningless Ecclesiastes one two. Why because without God
• 35:14
  Speaker 1: at the center, nothing truly satisfies. Jesus warned about this
• 35:19
  Speaker 1: same danger in Luke twelve sixteen to twenty one, when
• 35:22
  Speaker 1: he told the Parable of the Rich Fool. A man
• 35:26
  Speaker 1: stored up so much wealth that he thought he could
• 35:28
  Speaker 1: finally relax and enjoy life. But that very night he died,
• 35:34
  Speaker 1: and all his riches meant nothing. Jesus ended the parable
• 35:39
  Speaker 1: with these chilling words, this is how it will be
• 35:42
  Speaker 1: with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not
• 35:45
  Speaker 1: rich toward God Luke twelve twenty one. Seeking everything else
• 35:51
  Speaker 1: first may give temporary success, but in the end it
• 35:54
  Speaker 1: leads to spiritual poverty. Another danger of seeking everything else
• 35:59
  Speaker 1: first is that it leads to constant worry. Jesus said,
• 36:04
  Speaker 1: do not worry about your life, what you will eat
• 36:07
  Speaker 1: or drink, or about your body what you will wear
• 36:11
  Speaker 1: Matthew six twenty five. Why did Jesus say this right
• 36:15
  Speaker 1: before telling us to seek first the kingdom? Because worry
• 36:20
  Speaker 1: is a sign that we don't fully trust God. We
• 36:24
  Speaker 1: worry about money because we think we're the ones responsible
• 36:28
  Speaker 1: for providing. We worry about the future because we think
• 36:32
  Speaker 1: we're in control. We worry about success because we don't
• 36:36
  Speaker 1: believe God's plan is enough. But here's the truth. Worry
• 36:41
  Speaker 1: doesn't change anything. Jesus asked, can any one of you,
• 36:45
  Speaker 1: by worrying, add a single hour to your life? Matthew
• 36:49
  Speaker 1: six twenty seven. Of course not. Worry doesn't fix problems,
• 36:53
  Speaker 1: It only steals your peace. Yet many of us live
• 36:57
  Speaker 1: our lives ruled by fear instead of faith. We chase
• 37:01
  Speaker 1: after financial security because we fear lack. We run after
• 37:06
  Speaker 1: relationships because we fear being alone. We grasp for control
• 37:11
  Speaker 1: because we fear uncertainty, and in doing so we leave
• 37:15
  Speaker 1: God out, thinking that once we get what we want,
• 37:19
  Speaker 1: then we will finally have peace. But peace never comes
• 37:22
  Speaker 1: from external things. It comes from trusting God. Isiah twenty
• 37:27
  Speaker 1: six three says you will keep in perfect peace those
• 37:30
  Speaker 1: whose minds are steadfast because they trust in you. Let's
• 37:35
  Speaker 1: go back to Hagei. After God rebuked the Israelites for
• 37:38
  Speaker 1: putting their own desires before him, they listened and repented.
• 37:44
  Speaker 1: They stopped chasing their own plans and focused on rebuilding
• 37:48
  Speaker 1: the temple, putting God first again. And what happened. God
• 37:53
  Speaker 1: bless them, and he told them from this day on,
• 37:56
  Speaker 1: I will bless you Hagui two nineteen. Why because when
• 38:02
  Speaker 1: we seek God first, he takes care of everything else.
• 38:06
  Speaker 1: The same thing happened in Matthew six thirty three. Jesus promised,
• 38:11
  Speaker 1: seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, and
• 38:15
  Speaker 1: all these things will be added to you. God knows
• 38:19
  Speaker 1: what you need, and when you put His kingdom first,
• 38:22
  Speaker 1: he takes care of the rest, not just financially, not
• 38:25
  Speaker 1: just materially, but in every area of your life. Instead
• 38:29
  Speaker 1: of worry, you'll have peace instead of lack. You'll experience
• 38:33
  Speaker 1: provision instead of emptiness. You'll find true purpose. So ask
• 38:38
  Speaker 1: yourself to day, am I putting my own desires before
• 38:41
  Speaker 1: God's kingdom? Am I chasing after things that don't really satisfy?
• 38:47
  Speaker 1: Am I trusting in my own strength instead of God's provision?
• 38:51
  Speaker 1: Because the danger of seeking everything else first is not
• 38:55
  Speaker 1: just frustration in this life. It's missing out on the
• 38:59
  Speaker 1: fullness of what God has for you. But when you
• 39:02
  Speaker 1: put Him first, you'll find something the world can never
• 39:05
  Speaker 1: give you, a life of purpose, peace and provision that
• 39:10
  Speaker 1: only comes from seeking God above all else. Something incredible
• 39:15
  Speaker 1: happens when you truly put God first. It's not just
• 39:19
  Speaker 1: about religious discipline or spiritual habits. It's about stepping into
• 39:24
  Speaker 1: a completely different way of living. When God becomes your
• 39:28
  Speaker 1: first priority, life doesn't just change a little, it changes completely.
• 39:35
  Speaker 1: Many people hesitate to surrender everything to God because they
• 39:39
  Speaker 1: fear losing control. They think, if I truly seek God first,
• 39:44
  Speaker 1: will I have to give up my dreams? What if
• 39:47
  Speaker 1: I end up with less instead of more? But the
• 39:50
  Speaker 1: truth is the opposite. The Bible is filled with testimonies
• 39:54
  Speaker 1: of people who put God first and saw him move
• 39:57
  Speaker 1: supernaturally in their lives. Take Abraham, for example, God told
• 40:02
  Speaker 1: him leave your country, your people, and your father's household,
• 40:08
  Speaker 1: and go to the land I will show you Genesis
• 40:12
  Speaker 1: twelve one. That command required absolute trust. Abraham didn't know
• 40:18
  Speaker 1: where he was going or what would happen. All he
• 40:21
  Speaker 1: knew was that God had to come first, and because
• 40:24
  Speaker 1: he obeyed, God made him the father of many nations.
• 40:28
  Speaker 1: Would Abraham have received the blessing if he had put
• 40:31
  Speaker 1: his own comfort first? Number. When you seek first the kingdom,
• 40:37
  Speaker 1: God takes care of the rest. Or Look at Solomon
• 40:40
  Speaker 1: when God told him, ask for whatever you want me
• 40:43
  Speaker 1: to give you first Kings three five. Solomon didn't ask
• 40:47
  Speaker 1: for money, success or power. He asked for wisdom because
• 40:51
  Speaker 1: he wanted to lead God's people. Well, he sought God's
• 40:55
  Speaker 1: kingdom first, and what happened. God not only gave him wisdom,
• 40:59
  Speaker 1: but he added everything else. Moreover, I will give you
• 41:02
  Speaker 1: what you have not asked for, both wealth and honor,
• 41:06
  Speaker 1: so that in your lifetime you will have no equal
• 41:09
  Speaker 1: among kings. First Kings three thirteen. What if Solomon had
• 41:14
  Speaker 1: sought wealth and power first. He might have gained temporary success,
• 41:18
  Speaker 1: but he would have missed out on divine wisdom, and
• 41:21
  Speaker 1: his legacy would not have lasted. When you truly put
• 41:25
  Speaker 1: God first, he gives you what you need, even before
• 41:29
  Speaker 1: you realize you need it. There's another powerful example in
• 41:34
  Speaker 1: First King seventeen. A widow who had nothing left during
• 41:39
  Speaker 1: a severe famine, the prophet Elijah asked her for food.
• 41:43
  Speaker 1: She responded, as surely as the Lord your God lives,
• 41:47
  Speaker 1: I don't have any bread, only a handful of flour
• 41:51
  Speaker 1: in a jar and a little olive oil in a jug.
• 41:55
  Speaker 1: I am gathering a few sticks to take home and
• 41:57
  Speaker 1: make a meal for myself and my son. We may
• 42:00
  Speaker 1: eat it and die. First King seventeen twelve. Imagine the
• 42:08
  Speaker 1: desperation she must have felt she had one last meal
• 42:11
  Speaker 1: before starvation, and now this prophet was asking her to
• 42:15
  Speaker 1: give it away. It didn't make sense, but faith rarely
• 42:19
  Speaker 1: makes sense to the world. Elijah told her, do not
• 42:23
  Speaker 1: be afraid. Go home and do as you have said,
• 42:26
  Speaker 1: but first make a small loaf of bread for me,
• 42:29
  Speaker 1: and then make something for yourself and your son. For
• 42:33
  Speaker 1: this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says.
• 42:37
  Speaker 1: The jar of flower will not be used up, and
• 42:40
  Speaker 1: the jug of oil will not run dry until the
• 42:42
  Speaker 1: day the Lord sends rain on the land. First King
• 42:47
  Speaker 1: seventeen thirteen to fourteen that one decision to put God's
• 42:51
  Speaker 1: instruction first changed everything. She gave what little she had
• 42:57
  Speaker 1: and God multiplied it. Her flower never ran out, her
• 43:00
  Speaker 1: oil never dried up. She and her son survived the
• 43:03
  Speaker 1: famine because she chose to put God first, even when
• 43:07
  Speaker 1: it didn't make sense. How many of us are holding
• 43:09
  Speaker 1: on to our last bit of control, afraid to trust
• 43:12
  Speaker 1: God fully. How many of us fear giving up the
• 43:16
  Speaker 1: little we have, not realizing that God is waiting to
• 43:19
  Speaker 1: multiply it. Something radical happens when you step out in
• 43:24
  Speaker 1: faith and make God your priority instead of living in fear.
• 43:28
  Speaker 1: You start walking in peace instead of constantly chasing things,
• 43:33
  Speaker 1: you start receiving what you need instead of relying on
• 43:36
  Speaker 1: your own strength. You start experiencing God's supernatural provision. This
• 43:42
  Speaker 1: is not just a theory, it's a promise straight from
• 43:45
  Speaker 1: Jesus himself. Seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness,
• 43:50
  Speaker 1: and all these things will be added to you Matthew
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  Speaker 1: six thirty three. This means when you put God first
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  Speaker 1: in your finances, he will take care of your needs.
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  Speaker 1: When you put God first in your relationships, he will
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  Speaker 1: bring the right people into your life. When you put
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  Speaker 1: God first in your decisions, he will guide you to
• 44:11
  Speaker 1: the best path. God is not a god of lack.
• 44:15
  Speaker 1: He is a God of abundance. But the key is
• 44:18
  Speaker 1: trusting him enough to seek him first. Many people want
• 44:22
  Speaker 1: the blessings of Matthew six thirty three, but they're afraid
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  Speaker 1: to take the first step. They want thee all these
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  Speaker 1: things added part, but they don't want to seek first
• 44:32
  Speaker 1: the kingdom. They hesitate thinking what if I put God
• 44:36
  Speaker 1: first and nothing changes. What if I trust him but
• 44:39
  Speaker 1: I still struggle. What if I surrender but I don't
• 44:42
  Speaker 1: see results right away? But that's not faith. Faith is
• 44:46
  Speaker 1: trusting God before you see the outcome. That's what Abraham
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  Speaker 1: did when he left his home. That's what Solomon did
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  Speaker 1: when he asked for wisdom. That's what the widow did
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  Speaker 1: when she gave her last meal. And every single time
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  Speaker 1: God prove faithful. So let me ask you to day,
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  Speaker 1: what is God asking you to surrender? What area of
• 45:06
  Speaker 1: your life have you been seeking before him? Are you
• 45:09
  Speaker 1: willing to take the first step, even before you see
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  Speaker 1: the results, Because when you do, when you truly put
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  Speaker 1: God first, you will experience a life of provision, peace,
• 45:21
  Speaker 1: and supernatural breakthrough that nothing in this world can offer.
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  Speaker 1: Most people spend their entire lives chasing after things, security, money, success, relationships,
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  Speaker 1: only to find themselves empty, anxious, and exhausted. They believe
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  Speaker 1: that if they just work harder, save more, or plan better,
• 45:43
  Speaker 1: then they will finally find peace. But how many people
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  Speaker 1: do you know who have everything the world offers yet
• 45:49
  Speaker 1: still feel like something is missing? What if the very
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  Speaker 1: thing you're searching for isn't found in chasing after things,
• 45:57
  Speaker 1: but in trusting the one who provides them. Jesus didn't
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  Speaker 1: say seek success first. He didn't say secure your future first.
• 46:08
  Speaker 1: He didn't even say fix all your problems first. He said,
• 46:11
  Speaker 1: seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, and
• 46:14
  Speaker 1: all these things shall be added to you Matthew six
• 46:18
  Speaker 1: thirty three. But here's the question, will you trust him
• 46:23
  Speaker 1: enough to live by this? Let's be honest. Trusting God's
• 46:27
  Speaker 1: way isn't easy. It means letting go of control. It
• 46:31
  Speaker 1: means choosing faith over fear. It means believing that God's
• 46:35
  Speaker 1: plan is better than ours, even when we don't see
• 46:38
  Speaker 1: the full picture yet. Think about the rich young ruler
• 46:41
  Speaker 1: in Mark ten. He had everything, wealth, status, a good reputation,
• 46:46
  Speaker 1: But when Jesus told him to let go of his
• 46:48
  Speaker 1: riches and follow him, the man walked away sad. Why
• 46:52
  Speaker 1: because he wanted the kingdom and his own way at
• 46:55
  Speaker 1: the same time. How many of us are doing the
• 46:58
  Speaker 1: same thing. We want god blessings, but we hold on
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  Speaker 1: to control. We want his provision, but we won't let
• 47:05
  Speaker 1: go of worry. We want his peace, but we don't
• 47:08
  Speaker 1: want to surrender our plans. And because of that, many
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  Speaker 1: of us stay stuck, chasing after everything except the one
• 47:16
  Speaker 1: who can provide it all. The Bible gives us countless
• 47:19
  Speaker 1: examples of people who had to make a choice. Abraham
• 47:23
  Speaker 1: had to leave everything familiar before he saw God's promise.
• 47:28
  Speaker 1: Noah had to build an ark in the middle of
• 47:30
  Speaker 1: dry land before the rain came. Peter had to step
• 47:35
  Speaker 1: out of the boat before he could walk on water.
• 47:37
  Speaker 1: What do they all have in common? They trusted God
• 47:41
  Speaker 1: before they saw the results. And that's exactly what seeking
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  Speaker 1: God first looks like. It means praying first before stressing
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  Speaker 1: about solutions. It means giving first before worrying about what's left.
• 47:53
  Speaker 1: It means abaying first before asking. But what if it
• 47:57
  Speaker 1: doesn't work out? Because when you put God first, everything
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  Speaker 1: else follows. If you're still wondering whether or not to
• 48:06
  Speaker 1: fully surrender to God's way, ask yourself, this, has my
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  Speaker 1: own way ever brought me the peace I'm looking for?
• 48:14
  Speaker 1: Has chasing after things ever truly satisfied my soul? What
• 48:19
  Speaker 1: if I've been fighting for something that God is waiting
• 48:22
  Speaker 1: to give me freely? Because here's the truth. You will
• 48:25
  Speaker 1: never regret putting God first, But many people do regret
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  Speaker 1: wasting years chasing after things that never truly satisfied. The
• 48:35
  Speaker 1: question is which one will you choose? Will you keep striving,
• 48:40
  Speaker 1: chasing and worrying about everything you think you need, or
• 48:43
  Speaker 1: will you step into God's promise and trust that when
• 48:46
  Speaker 1: you seek his kingdom first, he will take care of
• 48:49
  Speaker 1: everything else. It's your decision. Surrender is never easy. Letting
• 48:56
  Speaker 1: go of control, releasing our worries, and choosing to trust
• 49:00
  Speaker 1: God's way over our own requires faith. But here's the truth.
• 49:05
  Speaker 1: Faith is not about having all the answers. It's about
• 49:09
  Speaker 1: trusting the one who does. We've spent this time diving
• 49:14
  Speaker 1: deep into what it really means to seek first the
• 49:17
  Speaker 1: kingdom of God. We've seen that those who put God
• 49:20
  Speaker 1: first never lacked anything. We've seen how Jesus calls us
• 49:24
  Speaker 1: away from worry and into trust. And now it's time
• 49:28
  Speaker 1: to act on that faith. Right now, Let's take a
• 49:32
  Speaker 1: moment to pray together wherever you are. Take a deep breath,
• 49:35
  Speaker 1: close your eyes if you need to. This is your
• 49:38
  Speaker 1: moment to let go. This is your moment to surrender
• 49:42
  Speaker 1: everything you've been holding on too. Let's pray. Father. We
• 49:47
  Speaker 1: come before you with open hearts. For too long we
• 49:49
  Speaker 1: have tried to do things our way. We have worried
• 49:52
  Speaker 1: about tomorrow, stressed over money, chased after success, and relied
• 49:58
  Speaker 1: on our own strength. Today we make the decision to
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  Speaker 1: let go. Lord, We confess that there have been times
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  Speaker 1: when we put other things before you. We have trusted
• 50:11
  Speaker 1: in our own plans more than your promises. But your
• 50:15
  Speaker 1: word says in Proverbs three five through six, trust in
• 50:19
  Speaker 1: the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on
• 50:22
  Speaker 1: your own understanding. In all your ways. Submit to him,
• 50:27
  Speaker 1: and he will make your paths straight. So today we
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  Speaker 1: choose to trust you. We surrender our worries. We surrender
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  Speaker 1: our fears. We surrender our plans, our careers, our finances,
• 50:41
  Speaker 1: our relationships, everything that we've been trying to control. Father,
• 50:46
  Speaker 1: help us to truly seek you first, not as an afterthought,
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  Speaker 1: not when it's convenient, not only when we're desperate, but first,
• 50:55
  Speaker 1: every day in everything. Teach us how to put you
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  Speaker 1: at the center of our lives. When we wake up.
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  Speaker 1: Let you be our first thought before we make decisions.
• 51:08
  Speaker 1: Let us seek your wisdom before we run to anyone
• 51:11
  Speaker 1: else for advice. Let us run to you. We pray
• 51:15
  Speaker 1: for faith, like Abraham, who left his home without knowing
• 51:18
  Speaker 1: where you were leading him. We pray for obedience, like Peter,
• 51:22
  Speaker 1: who stepped out of the boat on to the water
• 51:24
  Speaker 1: when you called him. We pray for trust, like the
• 51:27
  Speaker 1: widow in Zaraphath, who gave her last meal in faith,
• 51:31
  Speaker 1: and you provided beyond measure. Lord, help us to stop
• 51:36
  Speaker 1: chasing after things that don't satisfy you said in Psalm
• 51:39
  Speaker 1: thirty four ten, the lions may grow weak and hungry,
• 51:44
  Speaker 1: but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.
• 51:49
  Speaker 1: We declare that promise over our lives. We will lack
• 51:52
  Speaker 1: no good thing because we choose to seek You first.
• 51:56
  Speaker 1: We break off the spirit of fear that makes us
• 51:58
  Speaker 1: anxious about the future. We break off the need for
• 52:01
  Speaker 1: control that keeps us from fully surrendering. We break off
• 52:06
  Speaker 1: every lie of the enemy that tells us we have
• 52:08
  Speaker 1: to strive for what you have already promised to provide. Instead,
• 52:13
  Speaker 1: we step into your peace, your provision, and your perfect plan. Father,
• 52:19
  Speaker 1: we don't want to just know this truth, we want
• 52:21
  Speaker 1: to live it. So give us the courage to put
• 52:24
  Speaker 1: you first every single day. Let our lives be a
• 52:28
  Speaker 1: testimony of what happens when someone truly seeks first the
• 52:32
  Speaker 1: Kingdom of God. And as we do, we trust that
• 52:35
  Speaker 1: you will add everything we need, not always what we expect,
• 52:39
  Speaker 1: not always in our timing, but always exactly what we need.
• 52:44
  Speaker 1: Thank you, Lord for your faithfulness, Thank you for being
• 52:47
  Speaker 1: the God who never fails. Thank you for loving us,
• 52:50
  Speaker 1: providing for us, and calling us to something greater than
• 52:54
  Speaker 1: what this world offers. We love you, we trust you,
• 52:58
  Speaker 1: and we surrender to you completely in Jesus' mighty name. Amen,