Putting God First

but seek ye first the reign of God and His righteousness, and all these shall be added to you.

therefore ye may not be anxious, saying, What may we eat? or, What may we drink? or, What may we put round? — read the full passage →

Roll unto Jehovah thy works, And established are thy purposes,

`Treasure not up to yourselves treasures on the earth, where moth and rust disfigure, and where thieves break through and steal, — read the full passage →

`None is able to serve two lords, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will hold to the one, and despise the other; ye are not able to serve God and Mammon.

with Christ I have been crucified, and live no more do I, and Christ doth live in me; and that which I now live in the flesh--in the faith I live of the Son of God, who did love me and did give himself for me;

`Him it behoveth to increase, and me to become less;

If, then, ye were raised with the Christ, the things above seek ye, where the Christ is, on the right hand of God seated, — read the full passage →

For those who are according to the flesh, the things of the flesh do mind; and those according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit;

And Jesus said to him, `Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thine understanding--

No temptation hath taken you--except human; and God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above what ye are able, but He will make, with the temptation, also the outlet, for your being able to bear <FI>it<Fi> .

For all things I have strength, in Christ's strengthening me;

`I am the vine, ye the branches; he who is remaining in me, and I in him, this one doth bear much fruit, because apart from me ye are not able to do anything;

My son! my law forget not, And my commands let thy heart keep, — read the full passage →

In all thy ways know thou Him, And He doth make straight thy paths.

`And God speaketh all these words, saying, — read the full passage →

And him who is weak in the faith receive ye--not to determinations of reasonings; — read the full passage →

be diligent to present thyself approved to God--a workman irreproachable, rightly dividing the word of the truth;

`If any one doth come unto me, and doth not hate his own father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brothers, and sisters, and yet even his own life, he is not able to be my disciple;

neither give place to the devil;

Desist, and know that I <FI>am<Fi> God, I am exalted among nations, I am exalted in the earth.

and not according as we expected, but themselves they did give first to the Lord, and to us, through the will of God,

Adulterers and adulteresses! have ye not known that friendship of the world is enmity with God? whoever, then, may counsel to be a friend of the world, an enemy of God he is set. — read the full passage →

the Lord is not slow in regard to the promise, as certain count slowness, but is long-suffering to us, not counselling any to be lost but all to pass on to reformation,

for God did so love the world, that His Son--the only begotten--He gave, that every one who is believing in him may not perish, but may have life age-during.

and if the herbage in the field, that to-day is, and to-morrow into an oven is cast, God doth so clothe, how much more you--ye of little faith? — read the full passage →

If with the tongues of men and of messengers I speak, and have not love, I have become brass sounding, or a cymbal tinkling; — read the full passage →

and thou hast loved Jehovah thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might,

`He who is loving father or mother above me, is not worthy of me, and he who is loving son or daughter above me, is not worthy of me, — read the full passage →

And delight thyself on Jehovah, And He giveth to thee the petitions of thy heart.

and God doth commend His own love to us, that, in our being still sinners, Christ did die for us;

and my God shall supply all your need, according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus;

Trust unto Jehovah with all thy heart, And unto thine own understanding lean not. — read the full passage →

I call upon you, therefore, brethren, through the compassions of God, to present your bodies a sacrifice--living, sanctified, acceptable to God--your intelligent service; — read the full passage →

every Writing <FI>is<Fi> God-breathed, and profitable for teaching, for conviction, for setting aright, for instruction that <FI>is<Fi> in righteousness,

`And God speaketh all these words, saying, — read the full passage →

and there is not salvation in any other, for there is no other name under the heaven that hath been given among men, in which it behoveth us to be saved.'

Let every soul to the higher authorities be subject, for there is no authority except from God, and the authorities existing are appointed by God, — read the full passage →

and be not conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, for your proving what <FI>is<Fi> the will of God--the good, and acceptable, and perfect.

I <FI>am<Fi> Jehovah, this <FI>is<Fi> My name, And Mine honour to another I give not, Nor My praise to graven images.

`Thou hast no other Gods before Me.

we were buried together, then, with him through the baptism to the death, that even as Christ was raised up out of the dead through the glory of the Father, so also we in newness of life might walk.

but in every nation he who is fearing Him, and is working righteousness, is acceptable to Him;

O the happiness of that one, who Hath not walked in the counsel of the wicked. And in the way of sinners hath not stood, And in the seat of scorners hath not sat; — read the full passage →

that the man of God may be fitted--for every good work having been completed.

and apart from faith it is impossible to please well, for it behoveth him who is coming to God to believe that He is, and to those seeking Him He becometh a rewarder.

And Peter and the apostles answering, said, `To obey God it behoveth, rather than men;

`The thief doth not come, except that he may steal, and kill, and destroy; I came that they may have life, and may have <FI>it<Fi> abundantly.

and thou shalt love the Lord thy God out of all thy heart, and out of thy soul, and out of all thine understanding, and out of all thy strength--this <FI>is<Fi> the first command;

the things above mind ye, not the things upon the earth,

for God did so love the world, that His Son--the only begotten--He gave, that every one who is believing in him may not perish, but may have life age-during. — read the full passage →

`So, then, every one of you who doth not take leave of all that he himself hath, is not able to be my disciple.

Then saith Jesus to him, `Go--Adversary, for it hath been written, The Lord thy God thou shalt bow to, and Him only thou shalt serve.'

`Happy those hungering and thirsting for righteousness--because they shall be filled.

A Psalm of David. Jehovah <FI>is<Fi> my shepherd, I do not lack, — read the full passage →

`Judge not, that ye may not be judged,

looking to the author and perfecter of faith--Jesus, who, over-against the joy set before him--did endure a cross, shame having despised, on the right hand also of the throne of God did sit down;

but as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the good news, so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God, who is proving our hearts,

In the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month, in the first day of the month, hath a word of Jehovah been by the hand of Haggai the prophet, unto Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and unto Joshua son of Josedech, the high priest, saying: — read the full passage →

therefore ye may not be anxious, saying, What may we eat? or, What may we drink? or, What may we put round?

and all, whatever ye may do in word or in work, <FI>do<Fi> all things in the name of the Lord Jesus--giving thanks to the God and Father, through him.

I call upon you, therefore, brethren, through the compassions of God, to present your bodies a sacrifice--living, sanctified, acceptable to God--your intelligent service;

Therefore, we also having so great a cloud of witnesses set around us, every weight having put off, and the closely besetting sin, through endurance may we run the contest that is set before us, — read the full passage →

What, then, shall we say unto these things? if God <FI>is<Fi> for us, who <FI>is<Fi> against us?

work not for the food that is perishing, but for the food that is remaining to life age-during, which the Son of Man will give to you, for him did the Father seal--<FI> even<Fi> God.'

and about clothing why are ye anxious? consider well the lilies of the field; how do they grow? they do not labour, nor do they spin; — read the full passage →

so that if any one <FI>is<Fi> in Christ--<FI> he is<Fi> a new creature; the old things did pass away, lo, become new have the all things.

`And be not afraid of those killing the body, and are not able to kill the soul, but fear rather Him who is able both soul and body to destroy in gehenna.

and they take Lot, Abram's brother's son (seeing he is dwelling in Sodom), and his substance, and go away. — read the full passage →

Seek ye Jehovah and His strength, Seek His face continually.

`I am not able of myself to do anything; according as I hear I judge, and my judgment is righteous, because I seek not my own will, but the will of the Father who sent me.

`Again, the reign of the heavens is like to treasure hid in the field, which a man having found did hide, and from his joy goeth, and all, as much as he hath, he selleth, and buyeth that field. — read the full passage →

And Solomon joineth in marriage with Pharaoh king of Egypt, and taketh the daughter of Pharaoh, and bringeth her in unto the city of David, till he completeth to build his own house, and the house of Jehovah, and the wall of Jerusalem round about. — read the full passage →

I am thankful to God, whom I serve from progenitors in a pure conscience, that unceasingly I have remembrance concerning thee in my supplications night and day,

For ye--to freedom ye were called, brethren, only not the freedom for an occasion to the flesh, but through the love serve ye one another,

let all your things be done in love.

And there was a man of the Pharisees, Nicodemus his name, a ruler of the Jews, — read the full passage →

And the chief priests and the scribes sought to lay hands on him in that hour, and they feared the people, for they knew that against them he spake this simile. — read the full passage →

`If any one doth come unto me, and doth not hate his own father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brothers, and sisters, and yet even his own life, he is not able to be my disciple; — read the full passage →

Jesus said therefore again to them, `Verily, verily, I say to you--I am the door of the sheep; — read the full passage →

`And the king answering, shall say to them, Verily I say to you, Inasmuch as ye did <FI>it<Fi> to one of these my brethren--the least--to me ye did <FI>it<Fi> .

`Thy reign come: Thy will come to pass, as in heaven also on the earth.

The secret of Jehovah <FI>is<Fi> for those fearing Him, And His covenant--to cause them to know.

`Six years thou dost sow thy field, and six years thou dost prune thy vineyard, and hast gathered its increase, — read the full passage →

Those rich in the present age charge thou not to be high-minded, nor to hope in the uncertainty of riches, but in the living God, who is giving to us all things richly for enjoyment; -- — read the full passage →

that your faith may not be in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.

And it came to pass, in their going on, that he entered into a certain village, and a certain woman, by name Martha, did receive him into her house, — read the full passage →

having gone, then, disciple all the nations, (baptizing them--to the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,

And these <FI>are<Fi> words of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem unto the remnant of the elders of the removal, and unto the priests, and unto the prophets, and unto all the people--whom Nebuchadnezzar removed from Jerusalem to Babylon, — read the full passage →

Prepare in an out-place thy work, And make it ready in the field--go afterwards, Then thou hast built thy house.

A Song of the Ascents, by David. I have rejoiced in those saying to me, `To the house of Jehovah we go.'

A revelation of Jesus Christ, that God gave to him, to shew to his servants what things it behoveth to come to pass quickly; and he did signify <FI>it<Fi> , having sent through his messenger to his servant John,

For I wish you to know how great a conflict I have for you and those in Laodicea, and as many as have not seen my face in the flesh, — read the full passage →

reform, therefore, from this thy wickedness, and beseech God, if then the purpose of thy heart may be forgiven thee,

`This Jesus did God raise up, of which we are all witnesses; — read the full passage →

Jesus said to him, `If thou dost will to be perfect, go away, sell what thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven, and come, follow me.'

`Ask, and it shall be given to you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you; — read the full passage →

One <FI>thing<Fi> I asked of Jehovah--it I seek. My dwelling in the house of Jehovah, All the days of my life, To look on the pleasantness of Jehovah, And to inquire in His temple.

Then said Jesus to his disciples, `If any one doth will to come after me, let him disown himself, and take up his cross, and follow me, — read the full passage →

and why have ye brought in the assembly of Jehovah unto this wilderness to die there, we and our beasts?