God's Kingdom

"But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness; and all these things will be added to you"

Mathew 6:33

My top priority must be my Father's kingdom. I must apply self-discipline and undergo training in order to better seek God's will and implement his ways in my life. His eternal kingdom, his children, and his ministry plans for me are to be the focus of my life.

The Chinese use two brush strokes to write the word "crisis." One brush stroke stands for danger; the other for opportunity. In a crisis, be aware of the danger- but recognize the opportunity -Richard M. Nixon

In every crisis, I must seek the opportunity that God want me to pursue, and I must look for a way to advance his kingdom.

Very little is needed to make happy a life. -Marcus Aurelius

All I need is Christ.

2 Corinthians 4:18

So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but what is unseen.

For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

The trials of this life are temporary. There is a purpose to the troubles we face. God allows suffering and pain in his children’s' lives for different reasons.

• Troubles keep us from becoming prideful in our own strength. Facing difficulties teaches us to rely on God's strength and wisdom.
• Struggles pull our focus off of this earthly life. Obstacles we must overcome remind us to seek God's kingdom first, and to appreciate God's future home for us in heaven.
• Our weaknesses and our grief give God the opportunity to demonstrate his love and power to us and to the people around us.
• Trials are used by God to strengthen our faith and to help us grow in Him.
• Suffering gives us opportunities to reach out and minister to others in ways that would not be possible otherwise.
• The pain we endure reminds us of the suffering Christ experienced for our sake. The Student's A to Z Guide to Bible Application, Tyndale House Publishers Inc. (p. 220)

Never, in peace or war, commit your virtue or your happiness to the future. Happy work is best done by the man who takes his long-term plans somewhat lightly and works from moment to moment 'as to the Lord.' It is only our daily break that we are encouraged to ask for. The present is the only time in which any duty can be done or any grace recieved. -C.S. Lewis

In this moment, and in every moment, I will seek God’s kingdom and pursue his righteousness. When I fail, I will seek forgiveness and ask for his grace to continue my pursuit.