“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” –Matthew 6:33

Many have referred to the Sermon on the Mount as Jesus’ manifesto for kingdom living. It certainly is a call to a radical lifestyle such as the world has never seen. It covers most of the major areas of life and brings everything under the lordship of Jesus. One of the best known and most powerful statements is our text today: “Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

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In a culture that is continually striving for more and more, these are radical words. Rather than focusing on our clothes, our food, or our shelter, Jesus said our focus must be on the things of God. My wife, Kim, delights in telling the story of the Christmas morning when our son, David, just a toddler at the time, was playing with his first present. When he received a second present, he politely said, “no thank you. I already have one.” Is it possible for us to have that sort of innocence that trusts in the Lord, not grasping for more, but contented with what we have?

With a proper focus on the kingdom of God, we will live in a nation that can care for those who are hurting and still have an abundance. This will happen not because the government has man- dated (that has never worked) but because we are seeking first that which is eternal and are then content to allow the Lord to provide everything else that we need.

Prayer Points

• Commit yourself in prayer to seeking first His kingdom and His righteousness.
• Pray for that spirit of seeking God to pervade the church in America.
• Pray for a right focus in America—back to the Lord and away from material things.

My Prayer

Lord Jesus, I commit myself this day to seeking Your kingdom and Your righteousness. With all that is in me, I long to experience Your rule over my life. May that same desire permeate the church in America. Give us seeking hearts that will not be content with anything less than You and Your kingdom in our lives. With that firmly in place, help us to trust You to provide for us in every way. Help our nation to be set free from a grasping materialism that is never satisfied and never secure. May our national motto “In God we trust” become a way of life for America.

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David Butts is the chairman of America’s National Prayer Committee and the president of Harvest Prayer Ministries. Photo Credit: PonyWang/Getty Images Signature via Canva Teams.