33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
Matthew 6:33
This is one portion of Scripture that is very popular among Christians, yet its application is not seen in the lives of most of those who profess it. To seek the kingdom first, is to put the kingdom and matters of the kingdom in top priority in your resources, your money, your time, your thoughts, your decisions and so on.
You cannot practice God’s principles in God’s way and lose. It is impossible. I am a bit extreme in practicing this Scripture and I am fine with it. At least I am on the right end of the spectrum. For example, when I want to give my tithe or my offering, I will take out time, no matter how busy I am to select the newer or newest notes in that bunch for my tithes and then select the next best ones for my offerings. You may say, “They’re still the same. If you are giving 200 Naira, it’s the same 200 Naira.” No! Not for me. I believe in the principle that says, “Honour the LORD with your possessions, and with the firstfruits of all your increase” (Proverbs 3:9). I certainly want to honour the Lord and one way of doing that is to give Him the best of the crop. I am not in bondage because if I have no brand new notes, I certainly do not make that an excuse not to give my tithes and offerings. When I have both new and dirty old notes, I seize the opportunity to honour God with the best of what I have. When I get my monthly salary, first of all, I write my tithe cheque and then I write my offering cheque before any kobo comes out of it. This is regardless of how urgent my other needs may be.
These are little things, but I encourage you to practice them and after a while they will become a habit. Once they become a habit you will gain from them. Your daily habits are the things that will determine what you will become in future; and once you form them, they become so easy. Experts have said that if you practice anything consistently for twenty one days, it becomes a habit. Make a habit of prioritizing the things of the kingdom.
Confession:
Father, I seek Your kingdom first. I make the matters of Your kingdom top priority in all that I have. I practice Your principles of habitual giving and I profit from them.