Five Secrets To Discovering God's Will (pt. 5) A Bible Study by Daniel Kolenda (CfaN) Photo: © Sebastian Grecu
An extract from Daniel’s new book- Live before you die. £9.99 BUY NOW.
The imperative of seeking God’s kingdom is not only relevant in the context of highly spiritual ministry issues. Jesus says that if we seek the kingdom first, all these things will Repentance be added to isus. such This is an one oftenof the most powerful secrets to misunderstood concept. Contrary discovering God’s will for your life. to what many people think, If you will set your sights on His repentance not make a dirty that word.your It’s kingdom is and as the you move it you notpriority, just for sinnertoward who wants will automatically come across to get saved, nor is it just for those everything else you need!
who are committing gross sins and living inafter blatant immorality. For the Once I had finished preaching about the kingdom of God, an elder child of God repentance should be in the church approached me and a lifestyle. To repent means to said, “You know, all these lofty “turn,” one’sbutmind ideas to arechange wonderful, mostand of the people in the church are just direction.
trying to figure out how to pay their and get along with their people spouse Butbillshere is where many and raise their kids and do a good misunderstand. We tend to think job at work.” I realized that in many of ways repentance as primarily this dear friend wasturning right. away fromChristians something,consider as in turning Most the kingdom of God to be something so away from sin and making a onelofty that it is best left to pastors hundred-eighty-degree change to and evangelists.
the opposite direction. But this is The famous Abraham missing the psychologist real point. For Maslow espoused a similar view. He example, a sinner could turn away constructed a pyramid that he titled from sin and still be lost.It In the a“Hierarchy of Needs.” wasfact, his there are many religions that teach opinion that before someone could “self-actualize,” he first needed to morals and abstinence from meet the baser needs of human various sins, but that in and of nature such as food, shelter, and itself does not Maslow save anyone. companionship. believed that beforefrom one could the Therefore, the reach Christian lofty ideals at the top of the perspective, what you turn away pyramid, he would need to climb from is not really the issue. It is what you turn to that makes the difference.
from the bottom, meeting the basic needs first.
kingdom, and you’ll land in the right school!
This seems to be the most intuitive approach to life. Many people think the kingdom of God is an ethereal and irrelevant topic, and they prefer to be “down to earth.” They have decided to first concentrate on putting food on the table and paying the bills. This seems to be the responsible and practical thing to do.
If you want to know where you should live—seek His kingdom, and He’ll lead you to the right geographical location! Can it really be that simple? Could this one command really be the secret to finding out God’s will? My friend, these are not my words. These are not the words of a philosopher or a preacher. These are the words of the Son of God Himself; “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” (Matt. 6:33, NKJV, emphasis added).
But what Jesus taught is quite the opposite. Jesus said, “Don’t worry about what you will eat or what you will wear. Your Father in heaven knows you need these things, and He will take care of you. Instead seek first the kingdom of God, and all these things will be added to you.” (See Matthew 6:25-33.) What Jesus was teaching was Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs in reverse. Jesus turns Maslow’s pyramid upside down! Jesus teaches us to start at the pinnacle of the pyramid, the highest and loftiest place. Put the kingdom of God first, and everything else will be taken care of—physical, mental, and emotional needs included. If you want to know what job God has for you— seek His kingdom, and you’ll find your occupational calling! If you want to know whom you should marry—seek His kingdom, and you’ll find your spouse! If you want to know where you should go to college— seek His 10
Many people have put education first in their lives. When all is said and done, they will be highly intelligent fools, missing the greatest wisdom of all in their endless search for knowledge. Many people have put money first in their lives. When all is said and done, they will know the truth of Matthew 6:24 “You cannot serve both God and Money” (NIV). Many people put family first in their lives. When all is said and done, it is their family who will pay the price for their misdirected priorities. When we put anything ahead of Christ and His kingdom in our lives, not only will we miss God’s kingdom, but we will also miss all the other treasures as well.