God Is Not Our Last Resort

God Is Not Our Last Resort 

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

Jesus says that God should be our first resort, not our last!  Too often, we come to God after we have poured our self into whatever situation we are dealing with.  If we had asked Him, first, for His guidance, we might have avoided a lot of trouble. 

I founded my business, about 51 years ago, on Matt 6:33.  I felt sure that God was calling me into the business, and wanted His direction in all that I did.  Somehow, over the next three years, the mantra changed to, seek first the kingdom of success, and all these things shall be added to you. 

That may work for some people, and it may work for some time, but it is, eventually, a lost cause. 

In my case, the problems mounted up, until one day I got to the end of my rope, and realized the truth.  I repented, and turned the leadership of my business over to Christ.  Over the next two years, we tripled in size! 

That was a great lesson, which I have tried to continue to apply, and have found God to be faithful to this promise for the past fifty years, whether I have, or not. 

I have learned from 2 Timothy 2:21 that God wants each of us to be  cleansed vessel, a vessel for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master,  so that His Holy Spirit can do God’s work through us.   

John tells us in his first letter, If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  1 John 1:9 

That is backed up by the 22nd verse in 2 Timothy 2:  Now flee from youthful lusts and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. 

Righteousness is obviously an important commodity, and the word is first used in  Genesis when God is calling Abraham:  Then he believed in the LORD; and He reckoned it to him as righteousness. Gen 15:6 

The simplest definition of righteousness is the condition acceptable to God. 

Abraham believed, and he was accepted!  The same is true of us!  When we put our belief in Jesus Christ, and His death, burial, and resurrection for our sins, we become acceptable to God. He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.  2Co 5:21 

We start out as clean vessels when we are saved, but we must maintain that cleansed condition by daily submitting to God, and allowing the Holy Spirit to live the life of Christ through us, moment by moment, step by step. 

Think first about God, instead of last! 

Temple of the Holy Spirit – cleansed vessel 

Article by Eldon Kibbey.