1 00:00:02,730 --> 00:00:06,730 Speaker 1: Life Audio. For more resources to help you in your 2 00:00:06,790 --> 00:00:13,420 Speaker 1: walk with Christ, please visit us at BibleStudyHeadquarters.com. You're listening 3 00:00:13,480 --> 00:00:18,079 Speaker 1: to Daily Devotions with Pastor John. I'm John Stonge, and 4 00:00:18,120 --> 00:00:23,290 Speaker 1: today's devotion is inspired by Matthew 6, verse 33, which says, 5 00:00:24,710 --> 00:00:28,010 Speaker 1: But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, 6 00:00:28,650 --> 00:00:33,380 Speaker 1: and all these things will be added to you. There 7 00:00:33,520 --> 00:00:35,780 Speaker 1: are plenty of things in this world that vie for 8 00:00:35,880 --> 00:00:40,100 Speaker 1: our attention and compete for our affections. There are things 9 00:00:40,159 --> 00:00:42,840 Speaker 1: we would like to own, places we would like to visit, 10 00:00:43,240 --> 00:00:46,860 Speaker 1: and experiences we would like to have. Some of these 11 00:00:46,920 --> 00:00:49,960 Speaker 1: things are fine, but others have the potential to become 12 00:00:50,080 --> 00:00:55,280 Speaker 1: personal idols if we aren't careful. Jesus knows that we 13 00:00:55,440 --> 00:00:58,700 Speaker 1: are interested in these things, but he reminds us not 14 00:00:58,770 --> 00:01:02,420 Speaker 1: to pour out our lives in their pursuit. there's something 15 00:01:02,600 --> 00:01:08,610 Speaker 1: of eternal value we're encouraged to seek first. Specifically, Jesus 16 00:01:08,670 --> 00:01:12,130 Speaker 1: tells us to seek the kingdom of God and the 17 00:01:12,209 --> 00:01:17,670 Speaker 1: righteousness that he generously supplies to all believers. A kingdom 18 00:01:17,690 --> 00:01:20,590 Speaker 1: mindset is one that is focused on the greater mission 19 00:01:20,610 --> 00:01:24,110 Speaker 1: of Jesus more so than on the trivial objectives of 20 00:01:24,170 --> 00:01:27,920 Speaker 1: this world. A kingdom mindset delights to give glory to 21 00:01:28,000 --> 00:01:31,330 Speaker 1: Jesus more so than seeking personal glory or or the 22 00:01:31,390 --> 00:01:36,130 Speaker 1: accumulation of worldly goods. When the kingdom of God and 23 00:01:36,170 --> 00:01:41,200 Speaker 1: the righteousness the Lord supplies are our primary objectives, the 24 00:01:41,260 --> 00:01:44,540 Speaker 1: rest of life will fall into place. The things He 25 00:01:44,600 --> 00:01:47,980 Speaker 1: desires us to own, places He wants us to go, 26 00:01:48,420 --> 00:01:51,680 Speaker 1: and experiences He wants us to have will come to pass. 27 00:01:52,420 --> 00:01:55,700 Speaker 1: But even greater than these things is the contentment that 28 00:01:55,840 --> 00:01:59,640 Speaker 1: comes through knowing that when we have Jesus, We have 29 00:01:59,900 --> 00:02:06,720 Speaker 1: all we truly need. Let's pray. Lord, we thank you 30 00:02:06,760 --> 00:02:08,960 Speaker 1: for your word, and we thank you for the privilege 31 00:02:09,000 --> 00:02:10,960 Speaker 1: that it is to look at this portion of Scripture 32 00:02:11,020 --> 00:02:14,240 Speaker 1: from the Gospel of Matthew today. And Lord, as we 33 00:02:14,280 --> 00:02:17,240 Speaker 1: look at this portion of your word, you show us 34 00:02:17,320 --> 00:02:20,750 Speaker 1: that there are things that should be of primary importance 35 00:02:20,850 --> 00:02:23,250 Speaker 1: to us, and you lay them out for us in 36 00:02:23,270 --> 00:02:26,340 Speaker 1: this portion of your word. Lord, we know that throughout 37 00:02:26,380 --> 00:02:30,530 Speaker 1: the course of our lives, we're tempted to overvalue certain 38 00:02:30,590 --> 00:02:34,170 Speaker 1: things that really are just worldly in nature. But in 39 00:02:34,210 --> 00:02:37,190 Speaker 1: this portion of Scripture, you tell us to seek first 40 00:02:37,690 --> 00:02:43,070 Speaker 1: your kingdom and to seek first your righteousness. And as 41 00:02:43,130 --> 00:02:46,660 Speaker 1: we do so, all the other aspects of life that 42 00:02:46,910 --> 00:02:50,040 Speaker 1: seem so important to us, they all fall into their 43 00:02:50,100 --> 00:02:53,639 Speaker 1: rightful place. They all come into alignment. And we can 44 00:02:53,680 --> 00:02:58,639 Speaker 1: be content there. that we have what matters most. Lord, 45 00:02:58,680 --> 00:03:01,560 Speaker 1: it's amazing to think that we waste so much of 46 00:03:01,660 --> 00:03:05,970 Speaker 1: our time chasing after things that have no eternal consequence. 47 00:03:06,830 --> 00:03:08,830 Speaker 1: And then again, we look at this portion of Scripture, 48 00:03:09,330 --> 00:03:11,830 Speaker 1: and we're shown that there are things that you want 49 00:03:11,870 --> 00:03:15,810 Speaker 1: us to be chasing after, but they're things that matter forever. 50 00:03:15,910 --> 00:03:19,730 Speaker 1: Your kingdom, your righteousness, these are things that will always 51 00:03:19,810 --> 00:03:22,490 Speaker 1: be of concern to us. And so you call us 52 00:03:22,530 --> 00:03:26,030 Speaker 1: to prioritize them now. And Father, we're grateful for the 53 00:03:26,070 --> 00:03:31,550 Speaker 1: fact that we can experience genuine contentment through knowing that 54 00:03:31,590 --> 00:03:34,830 Speaker 1: when we have your Son, Jesus Christ, we have all 55 00:03:34,890 --> 00:03:38,130 Speaker 1: that we truly need. So Father, we pray that we 56 00:03:38,170 --> 00:03:41,190 Speaker 1: would be content with that knowledge. We pray that we 57 00:03:41,230 --> 00:03:45,490 Speaker 1: would be fully satisfied in our relationship with you. And 58 00:03:45,530 --> 00:03:48,330 Speaker 1: we pray that we would have grateful hearts that are 59 00:03:48,370 --> 00:03:52,020 Speaker 1: thankful for every blessing that you've delivered to us. We're 60 00:03:52,040 --> 00:03:54,780 Speaker 1: grateful for this reminder today, and we commit this day 61 00:03:54,840 --> 00:03:59,770 Speaker 1: to your care and pray this all in Jesus' name. Amen.