All These Things

Matthew 6:31-34
​
In reading the bible a number of times we see the phrase: “All these things”.

In the book of Romans it tells us that all these things work together for good for them that love God; for those who are the called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28)

In the book of Luke Mary and Joseph were visited by the shepherds in a lowly stable in Bethlehem.  The shepherds came telling them about an angelic choir that announced Jesus’ birth.  In the 19th verse of the 2nd chapter of Luke it says that Mary kept all these things in her heart.

Matthew 6: 31-34:  Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
 
Jesus points it out very clearly that the first thing we need to do is: “seek ye first the kingdom of God”. Then, He says, all these things will be added.

This made me think about 30 years ago I was working here at the University (ya’ll don’t believe that but I was working here at the University 30 years ago, lol). I had a little old Datsun - ya’ll remember the car called Datsun - and I had some car trouble out of this thing.  I was in my kitchen and I said Lord I need another car and the Lord spoke in my spirit and He said pray about it. I went right in and got right down beside the bed and I remember praying for a car.

About an hour later one of my brothers came by and he asked how I was doing.  I said “Man, I got to get another car!  The car I have, it made me late for work one day.” I said “Man, I’ve got to get me another car!”

It hadn’t been too long since he got a car from Jimmy Deloach which was on 15th street at the time and he said for me to come with him and we’d talk to the man.  I told him I can’t afford no car!  I had recently had marital problems, went through a divorce, and a lot of stuff back then.  I wasn’t walking with the Lord like I am now. Praise God I’m walking with him now but back then I was going through some things.

To make a long story short, after I prayed about this car, God is my witness, about 5 or 6 hours later, I had a car!  About 5 or 6 hours after I got up off my knees, I had a car.

All these things.

Jesus says:” Seek ye first the kingdom of God.”  There are all these things that you desire, but first of all you should go to God.  There are people right now that want this or want that but they want to skip over God.  They don’t want to acknowledge Him but they want to skip over God and try to get all these things.

A lot of times when we do that we go out there and get that car or get that house; we go out and get all this stuff and then one day we turn around and we’re struggling. We’re struggling - we can’t make the payments.  We get jammed up in debt and we’re trying to work - we’re talking to Mr. Anderson and Mr. Poole trying to get overtime, trying to get the money we need.

What should we have done before we went out there and got that Cadillac Escalade? Before we got that $300K house? We knew we couldn’t pay for it with our salary but we wanted it so we got it. 

What we should have done was acknowledge God.  We should be saying “Lord I’m going to seek you first”. We should say “I’m going to pray about this thing before I go and get myself in debt”.  But a lot of times we end up getting ourselves in debt.

When a person has pledged their allegiance to the King they must continue to seek the kingdom and its righteousness.  As believers we are to seek first the kingdom of God and its righteousness.  When it comes down to it brothers we should prioritize the things of God in our lives.  He should be number one in our lives.  The Lord should be number 1 in our lives - not the wife, not the job, not the car, and not the truck.  For God I live and for God I’ll die.

I remember I was over to my sister’s house back when my sister lived in a place called Robinson Gardens.  Some of you might know where that is, behind what used to be Winn Dixie down in West End. My sister was living down there - this was 30 years ago and there was this lady.  I’m hitting on her and she invites me in.  She sits me down and we began to talk.  She had a bible on the table and began to share the word of God with me.  But I’m not interesting in listening to the word of God – I ain’t going to lie to you - I had a Budweiser beer in my hand and I got some other things on my mind.  But this sister - she began to share the Word of God with me.  You know what she told me? She said “I want you to make sure that when you preach that first sermon – you make sure you call me and let me know.”  I’m thinking “What, preach?  You’re talking about preaching?”  But here I am, a preacher. 

It just shows you what God can do.  God can take what nobody thinks He would use and use it. God is not looking for a perfect man or woman. He’s looking for that one that’s been battered, that’s been bruised, the one that has been kicked around.  Those are the ones He wants because they can tell somebody else “How I got over”.

When we get ready to make these decisions let’s acknowledge Him because the bible says acknowledge God in all your ways and He will direct your paths.  When our priorities are spiritual, God will take care of all the material things.  For where God guides you, He will provide for you.  Where God leads you, He will provide for you.

He is the God of all these things.  He knows what you need, even all these things.  And if you seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, as he says in His Word, all these things will be added.  Let us start by seeking Him.
​~J. T.