“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”
Matthew 6:33
- There is a reward for seeking righteousness.
- Jesus was laying out what the culture of His Kingdom will look like.
- You can’t separate the Kingdom of God from the Righteousness of God.
- Psalms 97:2.
- Romans 14:17.
- Hebrews 1:8.
- As I seek God’s kingdom, I am seeking His righteousness.
- Matthew 6:21.
- When I seek His Kingdom and righteousness, all things will be added to my life.
Instructed in Righteousness:
Righteousness is right standing with God.
Romans 3:10.
Isaiah 64:6.
I don’t have right standing with God outside of Jesus.
Difference between standing right with God and standing right for God:
Relational = Right standing with God.
Representative = I re-present Him with the way I live.
“The heart of the righteous studieth to answer: but the mouth of the wicked poureth out evil things. The Lord is far from the wicked: but he heareth the prayer of the righteous.”
Proverbs 15:28-29
- Too few believers live out a Kingdom mindset.
- Why is study essential? It helps us learn how to represent the heart of the Father.
- Too many believers offer too many opinions that they have not studied.
- We study the Word of God to know the answer.
- God has not called you to live by the opinions of others, He has called you to live by the truth of His Word.
- We should not take our opinion and go into God’s Word to seek an answer. We should lay our opinion on His altar and seek truth from His Word.
- God cannot educate us if we go to Him thinking we know everything!
- We must be willing to stay in His Word and not change with the winds of doctrine.
“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.”
2 Timothy 3:16-17
- We need instruction in Righteousness.
- Hebrews 5:13.
“I have sworn, and I will perform it, that I will keep thy righteous judgments.”
Psalms 119:106
- Righteous Judgement – where God has already judged a thing.
- No matter what the world says, I can’t move off of what God says.
“Righteous art thou, O Lord, and upright are thy judgments. Thy testimonies that thou hast commanded are righteous and very faithful.”
Psalms 119:137-138
- The Word is the instrument of righteousness that can resolve all debates.
“I beheld the transgressors, and was grieved; because they kept not thy word.”
Psalms 119:158
- Truth is not relative.
- God’s Truth does not change.
“Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever.”
Psalms 119:160
- Revelations 16:7.
- Revelations 19:2.
“With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.”
Isaiah 26:9
- What is my motive?
- His Word (when applied to your life) will change your life.
- Our hearts desire should be to get His Word out in order to advance the Kingdom.
“The righteous is more excellent than his neighbour: but the way of the wicked seduceth them.”
Proverbs 12:26
- You cannot excel without excellence.
- Excellence is influential.
“The [consistently] righteous man is a guide to his neighbor, but the way of the wicked causes others to go astray.”
Proverbs 12:26
“In the way of righteousness is life; and in the pathway thereof there is no death.”
Proverbs 12:28
- John 10:10.
- Abundant life is found in righteousness.
- It benefits society when righteousness is exalted.
“Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.”
Proverbs 14:34
“For what nation is there so great, who hath God so nigh unto them, as the Lord our God is in all things that we call upon him for? And what nation is there so great, that hath statutes and judgments so righteous as all this law, which I set before you this day?”
Deuteronomy 4:7-8
- For a nation to be great, they must position themselves in the righteousness of God.
- We have an impact on people when we stand right for God, even if those people don’t believe.
- II Thess. 2:10-12.
“Give the king thy judgments, O God, and thy righteousness unto the king’s son. He shall judge thy people with righteousness, and thy poor with judgment. The mountains shall bring peace to the people, and the little hills, by righteousness.”
Psalms 72:1-3
- Psalms 34:21.