Prioritizing The Kingdom

I want to thank the Lord for this day and opportunity to teach the word of God. I will be quoting Dr. Mile Monroe, Author of The Kingdom principals. God established only two priorities for mankind: the Kingdom of God and the righteousness of God. Kingdom refers to the governing influence of Heaven on earth and righteousness refers to right alignment and positioning with that government authority. Our highest priorities and greatest desires should be to enter the Kingdom of God and thirst for a right relationship with God’s heavenly government. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled (Matthew 5:6, emphasis added).

The concept of “kingdom” was not invented by mankind but was the first form of government introduced by the

Creator. The greatest secret to living effectively on earth is understanding the principle and power of priorities. Life on earth holds no greater challenge than the complicating daily demand of choosing among competing alternatives for our limited time. Our life is the sum total of all the decisions we make every day, and those decisions are determined by our priorities. How we use our time every day eventually defines our lives. Life was designed to be simple, not complicated, and the key to simplifying life is prioritization. Identifying the correct and right priority of life is the key to a successful and fulfilled life. Our priorities determine the quality of life and dictate all of our actions and behavior, it is essential that we understand and identify our priorities. The greatest tragedy in life is not death but life without a purpose—life with the wrong priorities.

Failure to establish correct priority causes you to waste your two most important commodities: your time and

your energy.

Why is this principle of priority so important to our discussion of the Kingdom?

Because, if priority is the essence of life, then we should want to know what our priority in life should be so that we can live effectively. It may surprise you to know that most of the people in the world are driven by incorrect priorities that occupy and control their entire lives. What are these priorities that master most of the human race?

The answer is perhaps found the in the work of behavioral scientist and psychologist Abraham Maslow who, after studying the motivations of human behavior, concluded that all human behavior is driven by the same basic “hierarchy of needs”:

• Water.

• Food.

• Clothes.

• Housing.

• Protection.

• Security.

• Preservation.

• Self-actualization.

• Significance.

It is important to note that Maslow listed these motivational needs in order of priority. We go to work every day, and some even hold down two or more jobs, just to secure water, food, clothing, housing, and protection. What a tragedy, to think that the basic priority driving most humans is that of simple survival!

Would it surprise you to learn that most religions are built around the promise to meet these very same needs as a priority? Meeting human needs is the premise of all religions. One common denominator of all religions is the effort to please or appease some deity in order to secure basic needs such as a good harvest, favorable weather, protection from enemies, etc.

God established His priority at the beginning of creation and made it clear by His own declaration to mankind. Christ came to earth and reestablished God’s number-one priority. Should it surprise us to discover that God’s priority for mankind is completely opposite to man’s priorities? God’s priority for mankind as stated by the Lord. During His first discourse introducing His mission and primary message, Yeshua established God’s priority for all mankind with several powerful and straightforward statements:

Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? (Matthew 6:25).

Notice that this statement directly challenges Maslow’s hierarchy of needs and contradicts its order. Yeshua’s statement also exposes man’s defective priority and confirms our preoccupation with the less important. Instructing us not to worry implies that these basic needs for maintenance should not be the primary motivator for human action.

The word worry means to consume in thought, to establish as our first interest, mental preoccupation, priority concern, fretting, fear of the unknown, and to rehearse the future over which we have no control.

Continuing on, Yeshua says:

Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? (Matthew 6:26-27).

This statement implies that our self-worth is more important than our basic needs and should never be sacrificed for the sake of those needs.

And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? (Matthew 6:28-30).

The thrust of these verses is that our confidence in our Creator’s obligation and commitment to sustain His creation should lead us to transfer our priority from our basic human needs to the priority of cultivating and maintaining a healthy relationship with His Kingdom and with Himself.

So do not worry, saying, “What shall we eat?” or “What shall we drink?” or “What shall we wear?” For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them (Matthew 6:31-32).

The word “pagans” here implies that religion should not be motivated by human needs for food, water, clothing, shelter, etc…

But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well (Matthew 6:33, emphasis added).

Here Yeshua states God’s number-one priority: Seek first His Kingdom.

A kingdom is…

The governing influence of a king over his territory, impacting it with his personal will, purpose, and intent, producing a culture, values, morals, and lifestyle that reflect the king’s desires and nature for his citizens.

Yeshua’s final instruction to us in this verse is to seek also the righteousness of the Kingdom. This is another vitally important concept that has been diluted in the waters of religion and must be recovered if we are to understand the Kingdom and experience the abundant life all humans deserve. The word righteousness is actually from the discipline of law, not religion, and implies right positioning. To be righteous means to be in alignment with authority, to be in legal or lawful alignment, and to be in correct standing with the law or regulations.

In essence, righteousness describes the maintenance of the rightly aligned relationship with a governing authority so as to qualify for the right to receive governmental privileges. This is why Christ emphasizes the Kingdom and the need to be righteous so that you can receive “all things added unto you.” This promise includes all your physical needs, social needs, emotional needs, all your psychological needs, all your financial needs, and all your security needs, as well as your need for self-significance and a sense of self-worth and purpose.

 

But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you (Matthew 6:33 NKJV, emphasis added).

Priestly Blessing May our heavenly father bless and protect you.

May he face you and shed his light and grace upon you.

May he grant you peace, joy, and everlasting love. Amen. At this time I would like to make a donation request for our church.

It is God’s commandment that everyone gives 10% to the Lord, these donations go towards upgrading our productions and housing.

You can find those links at lordrayel.org and in the comments below.

May you go in peace in Lord RayEl’s name. Amen.