SEEK FIRST

Matthew 6:25-34 (NIV) – [25] “Therefore I tell you, do not WORRY about your life… 33] But SEEK FIRST his kingdom and his righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well.

HOW TO OVERCOME WORRY:

-Seek First His Face

-Seek First His Kingdom

-Seek First His Righteousness

Seek (zeteo) means to strive after, to desire, to look for, to strive to find, to try to gain, to aim for; to inquire, to ask; to investigate, to study, to consider; to seek in order to find out by thinking, meditating, and reasoning.

Isaiah 64:6 (NIV) – [6] All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our RIGHTEOUS acts are like filthy rags…

Righteousness (dikaiosune) means integrity, virtue, purity of life, uprightness, correctness in thinking, feeling, and acting: (Thayer's Greek Lexicon)

1 John 3:7 (NIV) – [7] Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. He who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous.

1. Righteousness is from God.

Psalms 119:137-138 (NIV) – [137] Righteous are you, O LORD, and your laws are right. [138] The statutes you have laid down are righteous; they are fully trustworthy.

Romans 3:10 (NIV) – [10] As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one.”

Romans 3:22-23 (NIV) – [22] This RIGHTEOUSNESS FROM GOD comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, [23] for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

2. Righteousness is a gift.

Romans 5:17 (NIV) – [17] For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the GIFT of RIGHTEOUSNESS reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.

3. Righteousness is by faith.

Romans 1:17 (NIV) – [17] For in the gospel a RIGHTEOUSNESS from God is revealed, a RIGHTEOUSNESS that is by FAITH from first to last, just as it is written: “The RIGHTEOUS will live by faith.”

4. Righteousness is pursued.

2 Timothy 2:22 (NIV) – [22] Flee the evil desires of youth, and PURSUE RIGHTEOUSNESS, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

5. Righteousness is imputed.

Philemon 18 (NIV) – [18] If he has done you any wrong or owes you anything, charge it to me.

God accounts or transfers the righteousness of Christ to those who trust in Him. We do not become righteous because of our inherent goodness; God sees us as righteous because of our identification by faith with His Son. (Nelson’s Illustrated Bible Dictionary)

2 Corinthians 5:21 (NIV) – [21] God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.