Matthew 6:33 ...seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

We've all heard the saying "First things first." That's good advice as we set about determining our life's priorities. Jesus himself acknowledges we have things we need to support this body and life. But Jesus also says, "...your Father knows what you need before you ask him" (Matthew 6:8).

So God has our needs covered before we even know what to ask for. But now have you ever thought to yourself: "What is it God needs from me?" On the one hand, you could say he doesn't need a thing from me. But when Jesus says, "...seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness," isn't he inviting me to consider what's in God's best interest and not just me own?

That's what happens when we look at the cross and see that we were at the top of Jesus' list of priorities; he was willing to die to usher us into the kingdom of God.
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Helping people live life with Jesus everyday,

Psalm 37:5 Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act.

Do you have something on your mind these days? Maybe it's a decision you need to make about a job change. Maybe it's a health matter, for you or someone you love, that keeps you up at night. Maybe it's something as simple as misplacing the TV remote.

Isn't it true that when troubling times come upon us, we know it's fruitless to worry, but we do it anyway? Someone close by may even encourage it: "Don't just sit there. Worry."

I saw this on a plaque at a Cracker Barrel once: "Let your faith be greater than your fear." I like that. But I also like this from Psalm 37:5: "Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him, and he will act."

It's when you give your way, your whole life, to the Lord, that you begin to trust He will act on your behalf for your good.

Remember God's got the whole world in His hands. That includes you and me.
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Helping people live life with Jesus everyday,

Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.

Do you remember those moments as a child when something in the dark scared you awake from a sound sleep? That's when it's time to call for someone to come and shine a light on your fear and remind you that you are safe, that there's nothing to be afraid of.

But think now of Jesus in the last hours before the soldiers came to take him away to suffer and die. Think of how, in the dark of that night, he knew there was good reason to be faraid. He even prayed that perhaps his Father in heaven might provide a way out of the torment awaiting him. But then he said, "Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done" (Luke 22:42).

I may never understand the depths of Jesus' love for us, but one thing is certain: We can trust Him when he tells us, "Do not fear, only believe" (Mark 5:36).
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Helping people live life with Jesus everyday,

Numbers 6:24-26 The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.

What more beautiful words could there be than those words spoken in the Benediction at the close of a worship service? The Lord our God sends us on our way with a blessing, the same blessing spoken over the people of God in Moses' day. What God did then, he does now. His face shines on us with grace, even as he lifts his whole being to give us peace.

The word peace in Hebrew is the word shalom. In Hebrew that word is vividly translated, "May all things be for you the way God always wanted them to be." The word shalom invites us to recall the Garden of Eden that God created at the dawn of time and believe that one day we'll be back there again, because of Jesus Christ.
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Helping people live life with Jesus everyday,

Philippians 4:11 ..I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.

You probably have a friend who worries about everything. Perhaps they even say, "If I don't have something to worry about, I worry until I have something to worry about."

That may seem strange, but I have to admit that I've had times when I've worried and really didn't need to, times when things were going well that I just knew something bad was about to happen.

But why not turn all that around? When things are going bad, why not think, "Any minute now, things are going to get better...because I have Jesus"? Or, to put it another way, "because Jesus has me."

I like to sit in a pew and look at the cross. Sometimes I pray. At other times, I like to sit quietly and let God speak to me. And you know something? He really does.
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Helping people live life with Jesus everyday,

Romans 5:1 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Perhaps you have seen the sign: "No Jesus, no peace. Know Jesus, know peace." I like that. I also like what I heard a preacher say once: "If Jesus is not real, nothing matters. If Jesus is real, nothing else matters."

So is Jesus real for you? I know we all have to answer that question for ourselves, but I don't think that by ourselves we can come to the right answer. That's why the Spirit of God in Jesus guides us to the cross to show us through faith what happened there. Jesus dies there. But then look again. Jesus isn't on that cross anymore, and neither are we.

Jesus died, but then rose again, and then, justified by faith in Him, we rise with Him. That's why when we approach the cross of Jesus, there's always an invitation to see what's behind the cross - Easter.

Know Jesus, know peace.
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Helping people live life with Jesus everyday,

Luke 19:10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.

Years ago, the Beatles released a song called "Eleanor Rigby." It's a pretty depressing song that talks about lonely, abandoned, heartbroken people who simply want to be loved. One of the lines is "All the lonely people, where do they all come from? All the lonely people, where do they belong?"

That last line is particularly telling: "Where do they all belong?" To me, that says all those lonely people do have a place where they belong even though they may not realize it. All those lonely people are important to someone, and that someone is Jesus.

Jesus said, "For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost," and he gave his life to prove it. So, Eleanor Rigby, if you're listening, you're not alone anymore.
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Helping people live life with Jesus everyday,