First Things First

First Things First

Without any contradiction whatsoever, we should always do first things—and the most important things— first.

Therefore Jesus says, “Seek first the kingdom of God . . . .”

Both our spirit and our body need nourishment. First, we need nourishment for our spirit, then for our body. It was precisely in this context that Jesus said that we were to seek God’s kingdom and His righteousness first. However, it is quite common to do the exact opposite. People virtually throw themselves at the physical food, without sacrificing any time for God’s Word. They strive both day and night to get food for their belly, but they show very little interest in God’s Word. They walk or drive long distances in their pursuit of food for the belly, but they have no time to spare to search for sustenance for their inner man.

On the whole, life is very good to us, despite the fact that there is little effort made always to seek God’s kingdom first. The reason is that God regards us in the kindest way. But how unspeakably good and glorious it will be when we repent and radically always seek God’s kingdom first in our life!!!

First God’s Word for our spirit—before food for the stomach! First prayer, intercession, and thanksgiving for all men, before the earthly things—every day! Then there will be no lack of showers of blessing and much fruit. We can be assured of that.

The natural man bears no small resemblance to a swine that falls greedily on the food for its belly. May we show the same zeal for prayer, thanksgiving, God’s Word, and obedience to the Word!!!

Let us follow the apostle’s exhortation: “First of all . . . .” 1 Tim. 2:1.

By and large most people’s condition is so wretched that they are so far from doing this first—first of all—that they do not even do it as the last thing, after they have done all the other things. Instead of seeking God’s kingdom first and last, they seek the world first and last. There is a great need for repentance, in deed and in truth, in this area. We have enough theories.

We cannot rightfully expect an especially great blessing when we disdain and despise God’s Word to the extent that, by and large—all year round—we do the exact opposite of what the Lord Himself and the apostles exhort us to do!!!

Let us all, in all seriousness, go in for “first, first of all,” doing what needs to be done first, before anything else! Then there will be revival, constant revival.