“But seek (aim at and strive after) first of all His kingdom and His righteousness (His way of doing and being right), and then all these things taken together will be given you besides.” This verse is also a sign of our needs being supplied. The things being talked about in this chapter are referring to the things we need for everyday life, clothes, food, what to drink, etc. Those things will be added to us as we first seek God’s kingdom and His righteousness. This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but we are to study, and meditate in the word of God day and night, and it shall make your way prosperous (Joshua 1:8). He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him (Hebrews 11:6). There are so many opportunities and ungodly distractions around us. At one point in our lives we get to the place of being sick and tired of being sick and tired. When you arrive there, prove whether or not God’s way will work for you. If it doesn’t work for you, you’re not working it properly, it’s a lifestyle not to be tried, but to be lived. When we want something bad enough we go after it like our life depends on it, and in reality, it does. Life and death are in the power of the tongue and those that love to talk shall eat its fruit, good or bad (Proverbs 18:21 NLT), because we eventually have what we’ve been saying over time. So start using your words in a positive manner. When you decide to start getting serious about God, He’ll start getting serious about you.

“But all things are from God, Who through Jesus Christ reconciled us to Himself [received us into favor, brought us into harmony with Himself] and gave to us the ministry of reconciliation [that by word and deed we might aim to bring others into harmony with Him].” We have the ministry of reconciliation. We are commissioned to go out and spread the good news of the gospel, as per the Lord. By word and deeds we must aim to bring others into harmony with Him. We are part of the body of Christ. Jesus being the head of the body has completed His part when He walked the earth. Now it’s our turn to put into action the plan of reconciliation. Winning souls for the Lord is the highest priority in the Kingdom of God. It is the “greater works” Jesus said we’d do after His departure back to heaven (John 14:12). People getting healed of sickness and disease is big, and thank God for His healing, and delivering power. Someone changing their eternal direction from going to hell, to going to heaven after death, is a greater work indeed. The price has been paid for us to spend eternity with the family of God instead of burning in hell with Satan and his crew. Justice must be satisfied because of our wrong doings. Jesus satisfied justice on the cross for anyone who reaches out for salvation. Jesus is the way the truth and the life. God has reconciled us back to Himself, but without asking Jesus to save you, your final destiny will be paying for your own sins in hell forever.

“And he shall turn and reconcile the hearts of the [estranged] fathers to the [ungodly] children, and the hearts of the [rebellious] children to [the piety of] their fathers [a reconciliation produced by repentance of the ungodly], lest I come and smite the land with a curse and a ban of utter destruction.” This verse is God telling the saints of old how He will turn the hearts of the estranged father to their children and the hearts of the children to their Fathers / parents. There is hope for that Father who has for whatever reason left his position as prophet, and priest of his household. God will bring those dad’s home to you, but you have a diligent part to play. First of all if you want him back home, much prayer is required. The father’s will is involved so God has to work around that. But by your constant prayers going up to God, it gives the Lord something to work with. So time being the great equalizer, through faith and patience we obtain the promises. Because of our will God can’t override it, or He’d be no better than the devil, making us do something through manipulation against our will, which is Satan’s MO. Your children will come back to you with this same process of praying, believing, and waiting with a confident favorable expectation, thanking God while you wait for the return of your loved ones. It is the Lord’s good pleasure to bring dad, and your children home, so do the work it takes, use your faith. Hang a sign up on a wall in your house saying, welcome home dad before he gets there, that’s your faith in action.

“So be merciful (sympathetic, tender, responsive, and compassionate) even as your Father is [all these].” Our Heavenly Father is merciful and we are His children reflecting His nature of love. Without love how can we be merciful. Mercy is; not giving someone the punishment they deserve based on the offense that was committed. When another person wrongs you, do you automatically react with a reprimanding response, or do you wait and try to understand this person’s dilemma, which in most cases they were already pissed about something else, but they released their frustrations on you. There are other times when some people are just straight up nasty, or mean most of the time. The latter needs your merciful kindness more than most. Being sympathetic, tender, responsive, and compassionate are the true traits of mercy’s character. We don’t get there overnight but through much heartache, trouble, and crisis we begin to understand. The training room of trials and storms in our lives is where we cultivate this mercy and we will have experienced the need for mercy ourselves and by not giving up, mercy swoops down to bail us out. Sow the seed of mercy to others, you never know when you might need that same harvest in your life.

“Let no one despise or think less of you because of your youth, but be an example (pattern) for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, and in purity.” If anyone is despising you as you fulfill the purpose of God for your life, because you’re young, then Houston we have a problem. And the problem isn’t yours, it’s the person who is treating you with less respect because you are younger than they are. The element of pride is very present in such cases. The bible encourages older men to come alongside the younger men to help them along the way in their God given destiny. Things never have to be done the same way as our former leaders led the way. The world is constantly changing and the body of Christ must be flexible in this area. No one minister or ministry has exclusive knowledge as to how the Lord will lead us individually in getting the gospel out. Without the youth there is no tomorrow for the next seasons of life to flourish. This is why it’s so vital to be able to hear from God for yourself. You don’t need to hear that still small voice to have the conviction you need to go forth in confidence. You may be the type that has a sense you’re doing it the way you’re supposed to, your gut feeling. As we become more knowledgeable of God’s word, we develop the boldness of purpose He has put in us. Go with God and be a blessing, chin up, you got this.

“The Lord is good, a Strength and Stronghold in the day of trouble; He knows (recognizes, has knowledge of, and understands) those who take refuge and trust in Him.” When we are weak then are we strong. So when we feel weak, the Lord is good, a strength and stronghold in the day of trouble. He knows those who take refuge in Him, and most importantly, He understands. The only one who can and does understand everything and everyone is The Lord God Almighty. He is omniscient and omnipresent, which means He knows it all, and He is everywhere at the same time (Don’t try to figure that out, just believe it). Nothing goes unnoticed before God. Coming to Him for refuge and or strength, He already knows why you came and what you need from Him. Times of trouble can be a blessing in disguise when it comes to you growing up. Without trails and crisis in our lives, we’d never grow to the potential that lies deep down in our hearts. Trouble makes you reach down there for dear life. Life’s struggles will always yield the harvest of strong faith if you don’t give up or give in to your situation. You are strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Come to Him now for everything, He’s an ever ready help in times of need.

“Do not gather and heap up and store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust and worm consume and destroy, and where thieves break through and steal.” This verse is basically talking about not allowing your heart to be caught up on this world’s wealth and treasures. Our focus as christians is to lay up treasures or wealth in heaven, so when we get there our gifts will have gone on before us. We lay up treasures in heaven by bearing fruit down here first. The great commission, along with our heart commission is to share the good news of the gospel, by going into all the world and teach / preach the bible. The bottom line is, where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. The Lord wants us all in concerning Himself. He wants all of you or nothing at all. The bible says if you are like warm concerning your faith in Him, He will spit you out of His mouth (Revelation 3:16). God wants willing candidates in His family. Now is the time to prove to Him and the devil whose side you’re on. Our actions reveal what’s in our hearts. It’s almost like the pirates and Danes of old placing the coins on the eyes of their dead to have passage to the gods for the afterlife. But that won’t get us passage to The Lord God Almighty. You need Jesus for passage into heaven. Set your hearts on things above not on this world, and its ways.

“But God shows and clearly proves His [own] love for us by the fact that while we were still sinners, Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One) died for us.” We prove our love for someone by our actions. Being a doer and not only having lip service towards someone you truly love. It is very common that many of us don’t know how to express our feelings. We release our feelings through our words, and actions. As we become more knowledgeable of the things of God, we fall into His love triangle. Since we are love children of a love God, the power to release our feelings through our words is available. A boldness comes upon the receiver of truth and honesty. As we become more acquainted with Jesus who is the way the truth and the life, we begin to uncover areas of our life not made plain to see before the knowledge of God’s word. Even when we were sinners and enemies to God, (because of our sinful nature), the Love of God broke through all yokes of bondage we were caught up in. As our nature is changed from being spiritually dead to now being alive to God, we have boldness that should be tapped into. Once that boldness takes root, you will unequivocally be able to say the words, I love you. Say it even when you’re not feeling like it. Train your flesh to do what’s right, use your words boldly, release the words to your special someone and get freed from the bondage of not being able to express your feelings now!

“Love endures long and is patient and kind; love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy, is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily.” First of all the word love in the english language has different meanings. Not like the Greek or Hebrew words which can break down the individual ways the word should be used. There’s love for a friend or brotherly love. Then we say “I love ice cream”, which really means, you like it a lot. Then there’s the true love between two people, husband and wife, which is sexual love. There is also the love we have for a son or daughter. Many people use the words ” I love you”, for personal gain, but they really don’t love you from the heart, only to get over on you. It’s a powerful word because God is love (1John 4:8). When you tell someone you love them, and you don’t, you are playing with a secret fire that will burn you eventually in life. Love is patient, love is kind, love does not envy, is not boastful or arrogant, and it sustains the lover with self-control. So when you say you love someone, what do you really mean. When we live and breathe God’s (Agape) love in our everyday lives, this is the highest level of love you can have. Not for wimps who have no constraints for holding down the pride and selfishness in their lives. With this information today, do you truly love.

“You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in your word.” Hoping in God’s word is a good hope. A hope that stays present and is attainable. Our confident, favorable expectation in and of the Lord’s words in our hearts and minds will produce a great harvest of victories. God’s word is spirit and life, and it will not return to God void of power or without accomplishment of what it was sent to do on our behalf. The Lord is our strength and our shield, and when our hearts trust in Him, we are shielded and have refuge when we need it. We can’t always trust anyone but Jesus sticks closer than a brother. Trusting people isn’t always easy because people have the propensity to change under pressure or bad circumstances in their lives. The Lord is the same yesterday today and forever. We can totally trust in and rely on Him for everything, that’s a comfort beyond compare. Sometimes we must leave the battlefield of life to rest, and refresh in the Lord. You’ve tried everything else in life, might be time to put the Lord’s program for your life in motion. Trust Him, won’t He do it.