"BUT SEEK YE FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD,
AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS;
and all these things shall be added unto you"
PASSION
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an extreme interest, desire for doing something
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any powerful or compelling emotion or feeling, as love or hate
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strong amorous feeling or desire; love
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a person toward whom one feels strong love or sexual desire.
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a strong or extravagant fondness, enthusiasm, or desire for anything
Passion is a feeling of intense enthusiasm towards or compelling desire for someone or something. Passion can range from eager interest in or admiration for an idea, proposal, or cause; to enthusiastic enjoyment of an interest or activity; to strong attraction, excitement, or emotion towards a person.
Who decides what is Godly, and what is unGodly?
God does!
“The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness;
but is longsuffering to us-ward,
NOT WILLING THAT ANY SHOULD PERISH,
BUT THAT ALL SHOULD COME TO REPENTANCE”
2 Peter 3:9 (KJV) - Matthew Henry Commentary
Repentance is your first step to changing your passion, changing your life. Repentance is simply a change of mind, and a change of behavior. If you give your life to God wholeheartedly (Be Born Again), His promises for you are in Matthew 6:33. God's desire for you is that He be first in your life, over and above anyone and anything. He is a jealous God, and wants every part of your being, “For thou shalt worship no other god (passions): for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God”-(Exodus 34:14). If you don't put God first in your life over absolutely everything, the Bible says you are committing Idolatry.
“Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth;
fornication,
(sexual intercourse between people not married to each other),
uncleanness,
(morally impure thoughts),
inordinate affection,
(unrestrained, disorderly, uncontrolled, excessive sexual affection)
evil concupiscence,
(the wicked or immoral part of someone or something, lust, sexual desire)
and covetousness,
(marked by exceeding desire for wealth or possessions or for another's possessions),
WHICH IS IDOLATRY”
“And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily,
as to the Lord, and not unto men”
THE FOLLOWING SLIDE SHOW REVEALS BOTH GODLY AND UNGODLY PASSIONS!
IMAGES MAYBE DISTURBING AND OFFENSIVE TO SOME VIEWERS!
CLICK ON IMAGE
“Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do,
do all to the glory of God”
“For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also”
MATTHEW 6:33
You have a surer and easier, a safer and more compendious way to obtain the necessaries of this life, than by carking, and caring, and fretting about them; and that is, by seeking first the kingdom of God, and making religion your business: say not that this is the way to starve, no, it is the way to be well provided for, even in this world. Observe here,
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[1.] The great duty required: it is the sum and substance of our whole duty: "Seek first the kingdom of God, mind religion as your great and principle concern.' Our duty is to seek; to desire, pursue, and aim at these things; it is a word that has in it much of the constitution of the new covenant in favour of us; though we have not attained, but in many things fail and come short, sincere seeking (a careful concern and an earnest endeavor) is accepted. Now observe,
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First, The object of this seeking; The kingdom of God, and his righteousness; we must mind heaven as our end, and holiness as our way. "Seek the comforts of the kingdom of grace and glory as your felicity. Aim at the kingdom of heaven; press towards it; give diligence to make it sure; resolve not to take up short of it; seek for this glory, honour, and immortality; prefer heaven and heavenly blessings far before earth and earthly delights.' We make nothing of our religion, if we do not make heaven of it. And with the happiness of this kingdom, seek the righteousness of it; God's righteousness, the righteousness which he requires to be wrought in us, and wrought by us, such as exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees; we must follow peace and holiness, Heb. 12:14.
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Secondly, The order of it. Seek first the kingdom of God. Let your care for your souls and another world take the place of all other cares: and let all the concerns of this life be made subordinate to those of the life to come: we must seek the things of Christ more than our own things; and if every they come in competition, we must remember to which we are to give the preference. "Seek these things first; first in thy days: let the morning of thy youth be dedicated to God. Wisdom must be sought early; it is good beginning betimes to be religious. Seek the first every day; let waking thoughts be of God.' Let this be our principle, to do that first which is most needful, and let him that is the First, have the first.
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[2.] The gracious promise annexed; all these things, the necessary supports of life, shall be added unto you; shall be given over and above; so it is in the margin. You shall have what you seek, the kingdom of God and his righteousness, for never any sought in vain, that sought in earnest; and besides that, you shall have food and raiment, by way of overplus; as he that buys goods has paper and packthread given him in the bargain. Godliness has the promise of the life that now is, 1 Tim. 4:8. Solomon asked wisdom, and had that and other things added to him, 2 Chr. 1:11, 12. O what a blessed change would it make in our hearts and lives, did we but firmly believe this truth, that the best way to be comfortably provided for in this world, is to be most intent upon another world! We then begin at the right end of our work, when we begin with God. If we give diligence to make sure to ourselves the kingdom of God and the righteousness thereof, as to all the things of this life, Jehovah-jireh-the Lord will provide as much of them as he sees good for us, and more we would not wish for. Have we trusted in him for the portion of our inheritance at our end, and shall we not trust him for the portion of our cup, in the way to it? God's Israel were not only brought to Canaan at last, but had their charges borne through the wilderness. O that we were more thoughtful about the things that are not seen, that are eternal, and then the less thoughtful we should be, and the less thoughtful we should need to be, about the things that are seen, that are temporal! Also regard not your stuff,Gen. 45:20, 23.
"BUT SEEK YE FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD,
AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS;
and all these things shall be added unto you"
"BUT THERE ARE SOME OF YOU THAT BELIEVE NOT.
For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him.
And he said, Therefore said I unto you,
THAT NO MAN CAN COME UNTO ME, EXCEPT IT WERE GIVEN UNTO HIM OF MY FATHER"