Seek God First

Carter Conlon from the historic Times Square Church in New York City would become addicted to add on frame wind up praying our whole focus becomes bread water closing houses and we start focusing on what God has already promised to give us a focus on the right thing that's Carter Conlon from Times Square Church in New York City were glad you're with us here on the call to the nation in Matthew chapter 6 Jesus tells us not to worry about, what shall we eat or what shall we drink, but seek first his kingdom and his righteousness and all these things will be added unto you.

In today's message Carter will teach us and why we should not fall into the trap praying for the add-ons in our lives. Let's discover more as we join Carter now jumper six beginning at verse 31 Jesus told those were listening to him this time. Therefore do not worry, saying, what shall we eat, what shall we drink, or what shall we wear.

In other words, do not let the focus of your life.

Be on the things in your cupboard.

The things that sustain you physically places that you live in the clothes that are on your back.

Don't let that be your primary focus is not suggesting we don't think about these things we do. That's why we work as well have jobs. What we pay rent for after all these things the Gentiles seek another words he said all these things. The people who do not know God are concerned about. That's what occupies their whole day.

What shall I eat, what shall I drink what shall I wear for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things he knows he's aware he knows every need that you have people online so that he knows what you need he knows the groceries that may be locked and you need knows all of these things but seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added to you.

Now these are these are add-on to another kind of prayer. If you seek first the kingdom of God. Seek first the place that God has for you in his house and his kingdom. Seek first the calling of God that is upon your life. Seek first the ability, the God promises to give you and to give me to do the very things that he's called us to do that will glorify his name on the seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness means to live in a manner that represents him morally and ethically seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, seek first God make me an honest person make me a truthful person make me a morally clean person make me a focus person make me a loving person make me a compassionate person God make me a fearless person that I will do what you called me to do and I will do it boldly in your strength and with your power with your heart and with your mind.

Show me what you have for me in your kingdom.

I'm not called to be ordinary.

None of us here are extraordinary people in God.

The apostle Peter says we are peculiar people will strange to this world as it is and we are called to show forth the praises of him was called us out of darkness into his marvelous light. That's who we are. We are heralds of who we wear our beacons on a hilltop with healing where there's a wounded nation. We are clear thinking with is nothing but confusion where of voice for the voiceless knows I'm going to call out for them.

That's who we are and that's what our seeking is to be when you see what happens is we become addicted to add-on prayer wind up praying our whole focus becomes bread water closing houses and we start focusing on what God is already promised to give us.

It will focus on the right thing.

Remember years ago serving the Lord with all my heart and about two weeks before I traveled to Eastern Canada on the evangelistic crusade Lord moved on my hardwood.

I have much money in the bank that I have some. It was it was a fun there and the Lord moved on my heart to give it to a friend so he could buy car because he had no car and will bathe peasantry sigh. I never would do this without the consent in my talk about and she said that the Lord is calling you to do it do it so we really give away all of our savings so somebody could buy themselves a car then went to Eastern Canada and when I was while I was there preaching our house burned to the ground. We lost everything. Everything in the firemen said was the most incredible fires that ever see the lifetime just happened to be that a huge win came up the house. Of course, was a farmhouse that we had built and rebuilt and rebuilt rebuilt for about 12 years and it was log. The walls were square logs we can just imagine how that thing burned caved into the basement and there was nothing left. We came back to just ashes. We had no money with no close front children. Thank God he had taken her children out of the house and they had been spared. To this day my heart is grateful, but we had nothing.

We ended up living in the house of our friends. Another pastoral couple and one morning I remember going out for a jog because I used to like to run at that time and I went out for jargon. We had nothing and but I had everything I remember saying, as I stepped out the door to go for a run was in cold November morning and I said Lord I don't have clothes for my children only have the toothbrush to brush my teeth, but your word says seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and Lord, I have sought you first and I will continue to seek your will for my life and I will continue to ask you to make me the kind of a man that I should be the can bring honor to your name and you said that you would add to my life. All these things that I need and folks I just watch the miracles of God unfold before me. I didn't focus on it. I didn't ask for a dime from anybody but I watched God do what only God can do. I want to give back everything that was taken away. We bought a new house that wasn't as big but it was nice and it was new. We bought new furniture.

I even bought a pair of skates that I always wanted. Never was able to afford and when we had bought everything new close front children. We had everything was nothing left to buy and what was all said and done, I had the exactly the same amount of money that I had given way to put back in the bank. Lord spoke to my heart and said I wanted to show you that I can take it all away and I can give it all back. What I want you to do is continue to seek me first to seek my will for your life. My power to perform what I've called you to do the seek to be a truthful, honest, virtuous person that can stand represent me in mind and in your generation that was the cry and he said all these things will be added to. I made a point of all my life all my Christian life I have never told anybody any of my needs. I made it a point not to do that. Is it because sometimes during a need for some religious unbelief in disguise its unbelief, wearing a tuxedo or to pray about my knee. Folks realistically it's is begging the house of God is a lack of faith. I made a point of not showing my needs and God has met everyone of my needs all these years. All these uses never fail all these things shall be added to what we fall into the trap of praying for the add-ons amazing C was a church, a revelation. I'm sure they had no permanent. Now I know why there's no permanence in America very, very few permittees in this nation because we prospered God blessed this country for the reasons of godliness that wasn't always total godliness obvious in the nation, but there was an honoring of his name and he blessed the nation. He blessed the church is a bus.

The people and when the cupboards were full and when the clothes were new and when everybody had a nice roof over their head and they had stuff in the cupboard and if that's all were praying for them why printing why go to prayer when our needs are met.

You see it's it's it's a falling short of what were called to be, is that as a people church later this year. They were in charge there dressed as a church and they said while we're rich in increasing goods.

The veto nothing. So why would they pray.

Why would they be seeking God that the Scripture describes a conditioners is lukewarm. Jesus looked at the surgeon said your direction your pouring your blind your naked if you lost something you've lost that what your purpose is supposed to be in the earth wife called you, I have saved you. I've left you here. I liken it to a racecar driver.

I was thinking about it this morning was driving in the Grand Prix. Let's end this is driving is thanking God.

God is no such good tires on this car, but you're going around the tracks of the times the tires are starting to get a little worn and I'm afraid if if the track it's like I might slider something might happen if it starts to rain. I might not have the traction I need to go around the car so he starts focusing on his tires search praying about his tires is it's wrong focus because it's not what it's all about. It's about the race folks is behind that wheel for the specific note of the body, but a specific purpose and suddenly pulls into the pitstop and outcomes the crew with the add-ons right there add-ons to the race and immediately zip zip zip zip that the old tires are taken off the new ones are put on and he gets out of his car and he walks around so Lord, thank you, these are awesome tires and if we lose the treads and nobody's looking at her watch any he fails to understand that the longer he focuses on the add-ons. The more behind is getting in the race itself suddenly pulls back on the track is 18 laps behind where he supposed that bent because his focus was wrong. He was be uniform seek.

Do you understand why you're in your CTE fails to realize that he's in the driver seat for a reason these in a race that is supposed to win and there's there's a measure of glory. That's only human. At the end of course a trophy. There's something at the end and buddies failed to realize why is behind the wheel of the car. That's only an example but do you realize why you're sitting in the seat in the house of God. What this is all about, you realize that you and I are here to seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, that the cry of our heart is got to be up and there will never be a spiritual awakening without it.

Lord, what is the purpose of my life one of you called me to do what about been singularly anointed to do what's in your heart towards me. I fit in the kingdom of God. How is my life to bring you glory what is it that you would have me to do and on the way to perform that Lord clean out my life take away everything from my life that dishonors you. That would bring your name into reproach if I was put out publicly tomorrow and this thing is still in my life it would bring your name to reproach of God, get these things out of my like that don't belong.

Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness.

All these other things that occupy so much about thinking another time.

All these other things that are such a primary concern as it dawned on you that you have a purpose in the kingdom of God is not just about paying your rent and putting food in your car but I know that's important to you. It's also important to God, Jesus, and your heavenly father already knows what you need to seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness.

All these things shall be added to you because liking David can Sabin Young non-mold. I've never seen the righteous forsaken or his seed begging bread. Praise be to God.

I can say that to from my heart. I have known many godly people I've never seen one of them forsaken ever at any time or his seed begging bread. It not only affects you when you seek first the kingdom of God. It affects your children. It affects your grandchildren.

It affects your nephews can affect your nieces and affect your brothers can affect your sisters. There is a blessing of God that is commanded and begins to flow through your life when you seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness. That's still the cry of my heart. I want this a long time but I'm starting to realize something of God's going to send an awakening to a nation to a city to even a charge. There has to be a people in that place was seeking first the kingdom of God and his righteousness no idea the ministries it would be born to or listen to me online testing just to be an evangelist. You are a plaster scenario we are part of a supernatural kingdom. We are part of the kingdom that is supposed to bring glory to God in disputable way. With the presence and power of God on is giving us the ability to do things we could never do in our own strength. That's who we are. I guess my point is what we can pray for what we can focus if it's all about us will never know the wake. The Lord God will never bring people into his house to hear about that.

There's a point where this these things are important when were in infancy in the house of God, but then all of a sudden we begin to realize were called to something much greater than this much higher. I have a stirring inside of me that is deepening and I know it's the Holy Spirit side of my life that there's so much more that he has for all of us. I don't want to get to the throne of God one day and have Jesus Christ look at me and then suddenly because it's a moment of truth and want me to condemn me. I'm already saved my moment of truth versus this is what your life could have been. This was my plan for you to find out that I had so focused on the wrong things. So let my thoughts preoccupied with those things of the Gentiles, the godless seek after I missed the point of my life. I miss the power of God to perform. If you can lay hold of this you can hear this.

It opens your heart to something of God, that can't be humanly produced, whom he can do it.

Suddenly, we begin to pray this way. What I used to call preposterous thought.

Start cleaned your mind soon Kristin, I began praying I wanted my whole heart to be given to God and suddenly this is pictures of standing in places before. Lots of people begin and it was something that it wasn't. I wasn't enamored to it. I was terrified by get it begin God begin to speak my heart if you can hear let's quit praying about the adult. I'm not saying that we shouldn't order a person time. So God please would you help me pay the rent or give me food for my children.

I recognize that, but don't let it become your whole focus because he's already promised, I want you to read these verses and meditate on. When you get home. Matthew chapter 6 verses 31 to 33 is either true or it's not. We have to deal with either will add to us everything we need or he won't. I have proven my life that it's true it's true. My father told me when I went into full-time ministry said you're a fool you're a fool's you're throwing away your life you're throwing away your career for what he says when you don't have money to buy milk for your children don't come running to me. Remember the pain of those words accidentally can tell you is a God is called and I believe in God will be faithful to me years later, years later, he had seen the provision of God in my life. It seemed God blessed me he had watched my children over through college.

You did all the things that he said were never going to happen happened.

He watched the bills all being paid and I sat down with them and I remember he's set up on the bench he was visiting us is not now you and I have to talk again. I said you watched my life and you see the God is if you seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness. He said all these things will be added to and you have the witness that they have been added to bacitracin. I both of us with never needed for or wanted for anything God has always always provided for us SHORTLY after that I was able to lead them to Christ.

He saw the blessing of God's folks saw skepticism when out the window he saw saw with the Lord had done in this my prayer for you for me to see for this generation to be awake and they need to see the church again in order for them to see the church the needs of Christ in us. There is no other way were not going to come up with some new gimmick. God knows we've done that for 20 years. The stupidity the church of Jesus Christ is done in his name is mind-boggling. Thinking that these things are going save the nation when it's all here, it's all clear. If you begin to pray God will begin to show you what you're actually called be and do and don't say no don't say no he's God said to Moses, who made your mouth. Don't tell me you can't speak don't tell me who created the universe with the word of his mouth is something I can do in your life or through your life. Don't tell me I can't raise you up. Don't tell me I can't speak through you or flow through you or do miracles through. Don't tell me I can provide for you. Don't tell me I will fail you or forsake you is I won't comes a point where we reckon with and we deal with, say, Lord, I believe, I believe. I believe all my heart. If I seek you first in your righteousness you want from and you will add everything in my life that I need I need nothing agreed that I need is a big difference. He'll add it to. Praise be to God is so hard to believe that it's so quiet we start talking about faith beyond bread close to it so hard, but it's so real. Never once in a while through history somebody leasehold. I love that I love the fact that Isaiah the prophet says it's the leg would take the price the people who get the miracles in Jesus day wasn't able to scroll through the crowd of people with the religious garments which the beards and see how can profit come from Jerusalem.

While the lepers climbed through and that people are blinds.

They have mercy on their getting the miracles religious cottages left with the beards and there's all the Scriptures and the people and nobody cared about her getting America on their testifying of who God is and what is done seek first the kingdom of God. Seek first and a few of these things will be added or doesn't say that. What is it say all these things shall be added to you seek first the kingdom of God.

So let your prayer be Lord, what would you have me to do. That's where it started with Saul of Tarsus when the Lord talks to me. To begin, Paul the apostle, the first prayer out of that man's mouth, Lord, what would you have me to do. Praise be to God and God kept his whole life. God kept it is sought. First the kingdom of God in the storm and ask chapter 27 he sought first the kingdom of God and God added to him 276 old on that ship it broke bread what you think he got the bread from in the midst of the storm. It was added to him because he was seeking first the kingdom of God and his righteousness.

What you think you got the peace award that he had to hang onto to swim to shore.

It was added to God gave them these things because he sought first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things were added to him, and may we lay hold of that truth again in our generation. May we cherish it, may we love it. May we long for. With all of our heart and not be just defensible thought the report to the sidelines and then go back to praying about our add-ons may be the focus of our lives because the future thousands of people now depends on what you and I choose to know that we are right on the edge of an awakening now God has spared us unspeakable agenda of darkness in the nation for only a short season, we have only window to pray this way but if we will pray we will call it the God we will say Lord use my life.

The potential in this room is mind-boggling about God could do the people he could raise up in every strata of society, not just breaches in a public every strata of society, whether it's in the media, whether it's in business, whether it's in the school system wherever there's no limit to what God can do through your life. You and I won't just be reading about what God did to some other people and some other time know it will be written about us as well.

I'm not satisfied just to read about what God did in history believe Jesus Christ is the same yesterday today and forever.

I believe that with all my heart, so I'm going to seek him with all my heart and his righteousness and all these things should be worried about the things in praise be to God, courage to believe courage courage to believe that you might be a missionary courage to believe that God can actually flow healing and deliverance through your hands this moment in history depends on what you and I chose to do now because there is no plan B it's all in the hands of the church by God's grace we will be what God calls. Thank you for joining us this week for a call to the nation with Carter come from Times Square Church in New York City. For more information log onto TSC.NYC that's TSC.NYC you can count on a powerful message each week on a call to the nation with Carter,