Devotional:

Hey Be Hope Family! Welcome to another day of 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting. This week we have been talking about putting God first and setting our priorities with him. Matthew 6:33 says, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” When we seek after his kingdom first, in everything we do, God provides us with everything we need. When we seek Him first, our faith becomes stronger, and we grow into a deeper relationship with Him. This verse reminds us of the true importance of seeking God’s kingdom and righteousness above everything else. When we seek the things that put God first and make it a priority over all the things of the world, He adds everything to us.

At the start of the new year, a lot of us stress and worry about the things of the world, feeling hurried and forgetting at times to make God the priority. When we slow down and take the time to be in God’s presence, we begin to have a sense of peace, joy, purpose, and clarity. We find solutions to problems that we have been facing in our everyday life.

We should give God our first and our best because He gave us His best, His son JESUS. Here at Be Hope, Pastor Brad always encourages us to take the first five minutes of our day to spend time with the Lord. When I don’t take the first five minutes of the day to be with God, I feel worried, I feel stressed, and I can’t seem to get my thoughts together. But when I give Jesus my first five minutes of the day, I find peace, I find joy, and then find gratitude during my day, and I feel so much closer to God. When we put Him first, we see life change, relationships get stronger, and Jesus draws closer to us. His light shines over the darkness. His light is everything we need in this world. His light is what keeps us going.

When you truly seek after God, he provides everything that you need. When we put our trust in Him and give Him everything we have, He is going to do something greater than you can even imagine in your life. I would encourage you to seek after God and make Him the priority in your life. Continue to meditate on His word and the love that He provides us, and let his presence flow into your life as you enter this new year.

Prayer:

Lord, I pray that you give us wisdom, encouragement, and strength during this new year. Help us to seek you first in everything we have, to gain hope and clarity from you. Amen.

Thank you for joining us today for 21 Days! Tune in next Monday and we'll have another devotional for you. Join us every Tuesday night at 6:30pm at each location as we gather together to worship, have a devotional, and pray together during these 21 Day of Prayer and Fasting.