Seek First the Kingdom of God: Kingdom Priorities for Christian Living (Matthew 6:33)

Imagine waking up and realizing your entire to-do list, your bank account, your weekend

plans, and even your closest relationships have quietly shifted.

Not because you forced a New Year’s resolution, or gave up something for Lent, but because Jesus stepped into your life and asked, “What are you really living for?”

For many of us on this Jesus Journey, that’s exactly what happens. Life doesn’t necessarily get easier, and the change doesn’t necessarily happen overnight, but over time it becomes profoundly different for a follower of Jesus.

We stop prioritizing the things the world says matter most—success, security, pleasure, approval—and start seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.

Just as Jesus said in Matthew 6:33: “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

As believers, we learn that we want to live for what lasts forever. As we grow, we should come to realize that the eternal is what truly matters. And the best thing is that when we seek first the kingdom, our Father God has promised to take care of the rest.

The Big Shift: From Worldly Worries to Kingdom Trust in Christian Living

Life looks different for a follower of Jesus because our Kingdom priorities should no longer be dictated by fear, comparison, or self-preservation. That is not to say we don’t experience those feelings, but as our faith grows, we should become less concerned.

In Matthew 6:25-34, Jesus addresses the everyday anxieties that consume most people who don’t have faith to rely on—food, drink, clothing, tomorrow’s needs.

But Kingdom citizens? We seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. We are told not to worry about tomorrow.

Why? Because we’ve discovered that the Kingdom of God isn’t a distant future hope—Jesus is active in our hearts and minds right now (Luke 17:21).

As part of Christian living, we’re striving to live for His glory, His justice, His love, and the advancement of His message. Everything else in our daily Christian walk flows from that.

The result? Amazing freedom from the exhausting rat race and a deep, abiding peace that the world can’t give—true freedom that comes from an eternal perspective.

Learn more about our exciting out-of-the-box ministry here

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Relationships: Kingdom Priorities in Love and

Community

In the Kingdom of God, relationships aren’t just about what others can do for us or how they make us feel. They become the primary place we practice the two greatest commandments in Christian living: love God with all our heart, soul, and mind—and love our neighbor as ourselves (Matthew 22:37-39).

• Marriage & Family: We’re learning that our homes are little outposts of the Kingdom.

  Husbands love like Christ loves the church—sacrificially (Ephesians 5:25). Wives respect and partner in the mission. Together we raise kids who know Jesus isn’t just part of life—He is life.

• Friendships: No more shallow connections built strictly on shared hobbies or convenience. Kingdom friendships are the best! They sharpen one another (Proverbs 27:17), speak truth in love, and spur each other toward good works (Hebrews 10:24-25).

• Even difficult relationships: We’re learning to forgive as we’ve been forgiven (Matthew 6:14-15) and to love our enemies (Matthew 5:44). It’s counter-cultural, but it’s how the world knows we belong to Jesus (John 13:35).

Finances: Kingdom Priorities in Stewardship and Generosity

Money reveals our true mindset faster than almost anything else in Christian living. The world is encouraged to hoard, compare, and worry about  having “enough.”

In the Kingdom of God, we remember that everything belongs to God (Psalm 24:1). We’re learning to live as faithful stewards as part of our Kingdom priorities.

Jesus warned, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth… but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven” (Matthew 6:19-21).

We live this out with generous giving—tithing, offerings, and spontaneous generosity that meets real needs.

Why? Because our hearts follow our treasure (Matthew 6:21).

When we release control of our finances to God in seeking first the kingdom of God, we experience the joy of participating in His work—feeding the hungry, supporting gospel work, and trusting Him as Provider.

When we obey, worry fades, and provision comes.

Hobbies, Time & Daily Life: Redeeming Time with Kingdom Priorities

As followers of Jesus, we’re learning to use our time wisely (Ephesians 5:15-16) through intentional Kingdom priorities, time management, and daily choices.

Spending time enjoying hobbies should create opportunities to reflect on our Creator and the many blessings we have.

Whether it’s gardening, fishing, reading, or any other creative endeavor, we should ask:

Does this help me grow towards Kingdom work, or does it pull me away from the King? Thankfully, many of the hobbies we enjoy become opportunities to rejoice in God's beautiful creation.

We know we can rest without guilt because even Jesus withdrew to pray and recharge. But we need to guard against idolatry.

Anything that becomes more important than our time with God should send up a red flag. Things such as screen time, entertainment, and “me-time” should no longer own us.

Instead, in one way or another, much of a Christian’s day might be shaped by prayer, Scripture, serving others, and making disciples (Matthew 28:19-20).

Why? Because our lives are not our own (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). We should strive to remember that every hour is a gift from God to be spent advancing the Kingdom of God—whether in quiet faithfulness at home or as an example of Godly living in the workplace.

Practical Christian time management should have us working towards seeking what is useful in bettering Gods kingdom on earth.

Work & Career:

Even our jobs look different when we embrace Kingdom priorities. The world often chases promotions and prestige for personal gain. In the Kingdom of God, we work “as for the Lord” (Colossians 3:23). Our career becomes a platform to glorify God, serve others, and reflect His character—turning daily work into worship in our Christian living.

The “Why” Behind Kingdom Priorities for Christians

We fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen—for what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal (2 Corinthians 4:18).

We experience joy that doesn’t depend on circumstances and the deep satisfaction of hearing, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

Seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness (Matthew 6:33) reorders everything:

relationships, finances, time, hobbies, and work.

Points to Ponder

• Seeking first the kingdom of God isn’t about doing more religious activities—it’s about letting King Jesus reorder every part of your Christian living, from your morning routine to your weekend plans.

• Your heart always follows your treasure. Where your time, money, and attention go most reveals what you’re truly living for in your Kingdom priorities.

• Worry loses its power when we trust that our Father knows exactly what we need and has promised to provide as we seek first the kingdom.

• Even “good” things—like hobbies, career success, or family time—can become idols if we let them take the place of Jesus.

• True freedom comes when we stop chasing the temporary and start investing in what lasts for eternity through Kingdom priorities.

Reflection Questions

1. What does “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness” (Matthew 6:33) look like in your everyday Christian living right now?

2. If someone observed your calendar, bank account, and conversations for a week, what would they say is most important to you in your Kingdom priorities?

3. In what areas of life are you still tempted to worry or chase “all these things” like the world does instead of seeking first the kingdom?

4. How are your closest relationships different because of Kingdom priorities? Where do they still need a reset?

5. Who in your life is hard to love right now? What would it look like to love them the way Jesus commands?

6. How do you currently use your free time and hobbies? Do they support your Kingdom priorities or distract you?

7. What one small change could you make this week to redeem the time for God’s glory?

8. Which area of life is the Holy Spirit nudging you to surrender more fully to Jesus right now in your Kingdom priorities?

A Kingdom Reset This Week

We should strive to let every relationship, dollar, hobby, and hour glorify God. It won’t always be easy, but it will be the most abundant life you’ve ever known in Christian living.

What area of your life needs a Kingdom priority reset this week? Share in the comments—I’d love to hear and pray with you as we encourage one another on the journey.

Lord, help us seek first Your Kingdom today. Reorder our hearts, our time, our resources, and our relationships for Your glory. Amen.

Meet the author and Her Partner in Faith:

Tammy and Bruce have been married for 38 years, navigating life as best friends and partners in faith. Their days are a beautiful blend of service and creativity: Tammy serves her community as an active EMT when she isn't on the road, while Bruce, a retired Law Enforcement officer, is the visionary artist behind God’s Country Art.

Between the adrenaline of emergency medicine and the peace of the open road, Tammy is a lifelong writer currently preparing to publish her debut Christian Fantasy novel, Beyond the Mirror’s Edge.

Together, they are devoted parents who find God’s handiwork in everything—from a life-saving moment in the field to a quiet piece of hand-carved wood. Whether through fellowship with others online at Your Jesus Journey, or a campfire chat at a new campsite, they are committed to sharing the love of Christ one mile at a time.

You can see some of Bruce's handiwork at Godscountryart.com