Seek Ye First The Kingdom of God

In this part of the sermon: Martin reviews the previous weeks' teaching on Matthew 6:25-34, reminding listeners that these instructions are for God's children and address sinful anxiety by highlighting God's…

Unbelief is described as a terrible thing because it distrusts God's character, misunderstands His salvation, and questions His promises, setting the stage for the positive command to seek Him.

It's a failure to believe God. The last part of verse 30. O ye of little faith. And unbelief is a terrible thing because it's a distrust of the character of God.

2:48 - 2:59 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: He details the promise attached to the precept, explaining that God will add all necessary temporal things as a bonus, emphasizing the subject, substance, scope, and certainty of…

The promise of 'these things shall be added' is illustrated by a corn vendor throwing in extra ears or a jeweler providing packaging for a diamond brooch, showing that temporal necessities are incidentals God throws in when the main thing (His kingdom) is sought.

Now here's a promise about those things. Now what is the substance of the promise? Here it is. These things shall be added unto you. They shall be thrown in as a bonus. Some of you in the summertime you buy corn from a certain place and you ask for a dozen, they throw in an extra one or two. Now that's the picture here. The Lord says if you seek the main thing, the kingdom of God and his righteousness, these things about which you're wearing are just incidentals, and I'll throw them in. It's like going down to a store and making a purchase. Say someone had a lot of money and didn't know what t...

26:58 - 27:52 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The story of the widow of Zarephath is expounded as a powerful illustration of God's supernatural provision when His kingdom (through Elijah) is prioritized over personal temporal…

This extended Old Testament narrative vividly illustrates God's supernatural provision for a widow and her son when she obeyed Elijah's command to feed him first from her last meal, demonstrating the principle of seeking God's kingdom first.

Will you turn to 1 Kings for a wonderful illustration of this from the Old Testament. 1 Kings chapter 18. It's chapter 17, I'm sorry.

29:39 - 29:48 Read in full sermon

The point: When you receive your paycheck, ensure the Lord's portion (tithe) comes out first, before any other needs are touched, trusting His word for provision.

A modern application of the widow's story, challenging believers to prioritize God's portion (tithe) even when faced with pressing needs like a child's winter clothing, trusting God's word over visible resources.

I want to see how practical this is. The Lord says, seek first the kingdom. When you get your paycheck, the Lord's tent ought to come out of that before anything else is touched for any other need. Oh, but if I give that, that's just what we allotted for Junior's winter snowsuit. I can't send my little boy out into the cold winter with last year's snowsuit. It's threadbare and thin and he'll freeze to death. And the only way I can possibly see is to cut back on the Lord's portion, the tent that belongs to him. And the only way I can see, God says, give me first.

34:25 - 35:06 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin briefly references Isaiah 58 and Solomon's prayer for wisdom as additional examples of God adding temporal blessings when spiritual priorities are sought first.

Solomon's request for wisdom to govern God's people, rather than riches or might, is used as an example of prioritizing spiritual things, leading to God adding all other blessings.

This is true of Solomon when he came to the kingdom and God says, now ask something. What did Solomon pray for? He said, Lord, I want one thing. I want wisdom.

37:48 - 37:55 Read in full sermon

The point: To be kept from youthful lusts and sins, get so involved in seeking the kingdom of God and His righteousness (e.g., winning classmates to Christ) that you have no time for temptation.

The proverb 'An idle mind is the devil's workshop, and idle hands are his willing tools' is used to explain the principle that positive involvement in righteousness prevents sin.

You see, an idle mind is the devil's workshop, and idle hands are his willing tools.

40:03 - 40:09 Read in full sermon

The point: To be kept from youthful lusts and sins, get so involved in seeking the kingdom of God and His righteousness (e.g., winning classmates to Christ) that you have no time for temptation.

Young people are exhorted to avoid sexual sin by getting so involved in seeking God's kingdom and winning classmates to Christ that they have no time for temptation.

An idle mind is the devil's workshop, and idle hands are his willing tools. You young people, do you want to be kept from the sins that are sucking into shame and ruin so many of your fellow young people?

40:11 - 40:26 Read in full sermon

The point: To be kept from youthful lusts and sins, get so involved in seeking the kingdom of God and His righteousness (e.g., winning classmates to Christ) that you have no time for temptation.

The problem of defiling one's mind with inappropriate TV is contrasted with reading a good missionary biography, illustrating how turning to positive, righteous pursuits delivers from sin and brings a good conscience.

That's what the Lord is saying here. Some of you have a problem finding that you go to bed with a guilty conscience because you've watched things on the TV that you ought not, and you know that you've defiled your mind, certain things. You saw a good program, and that's all you're meant to look at, and you sat there long as you should, and you go to bed with a condemned conscience. How are you going to get over it?

40:50 - 41:09 Read in full sermon

The point: To overcome defiling your mind with inappropriate media, actively turn to positive, righteous pursuits like reading a missionary biography.

The idea that some chronic illnesses are exacerbated by self-focus is presented, suggesting that getting involved in the needs of others and the kingdom can lead to physical relief.

Well, tomorrow night, pick up a book and get lost in a good missionary biography, and you'll go to bed with a good conscience that God has spoken to your heart, see? Not enough to turn from, but turn to. Now, how do we get delivered from sin? How do we get delivered from sinful anxiety about food and clothing and life and health? Get so involved in the extension of the kingdom of God, and being a holy man or holy woman, you won't have time. I'm convinced that a lot of people who have chronic illnesses, their problem is they sit around focusing on their problems. And every time they get one lit...

41:10 - 41:53 Read in full sermon

The point: To be delivered from chronic illnesses or self-focus, get so involved in the extension of God's kingdom and the needs of others that you have no time to dwell on your own ailments.

The common experience of feeling unwell before prayer meeting but leaving refreshed after praying for God's kingdom is used to illustrate how seeking God's kingdom can bring physical and spiritual benefit.

It's a principle, dear ones. It operates in the realm of the physical. How many of you have testified this about prayer meeting night? You felt no more like coming to prayer meeting than having a batch of chickens or something.

42:12 - 42:24 Read in full sermon

The point: Prove the truth of Matthew 6:33 in your own life by prioritizing God's portion and kingdom involvement, expecting God to meet your needs from unexpected sources.

Martin shares a personal testimony of God's supernatural provision when he chose to forgo his salary during a week of ministry to a struggling church, demonstrating God's faithfulness to the principle of seeking His kingdom first.

When we made this plan that when I went away for a week at a time, that we the church would give my salary to Bill Franklin. He's not here, so I can say this this morning.

44:49 - 44:58 Read in full sermon