Seek First

[Daily verse and quote]

"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness,

and all these things will be given to you as well."
Matthew 6:33

 

In Richard Foster's book of discipline he divides discipline into three parts:

Inward, Outward, and Corporate discipline. He places simplicity under the category of the Outward Disciplines. Here are his nine ways to order our world so that we can create simplicity in our life.

First, buy things for their usefulness rather than their status

Second, reject anything that is producing an addiction in you.

Third, develop a habit of giving things away.

Fourth, refuse to be propagandized by the custodians of modern gadgetry.

Fifth, learn to enjoy things without owning them.

Sixth, develop a deeper appreciation for the creation.

Seventh, look at a healthy skepticism at all "buy now, pay later" schemes.

Eighth, obey Jesus' instructions about plain, honest speech.

Ninth, reject anything that will breed the oppression of others.

Tenth, shun whatever would distract you from your main goal:

"Seek first the kingdom of God."

[Richard Foster, Celebration of Discipline.]

[Neighbor]

Perhaps there could be an 11th &12th? 

Eleventh, “We must be willing to go down into the recreating silences, into the inner world of contemplation. In their writings, all of the masters of meditation strive to awaken us to the fact that the universe is much larger than we know, that there are vast unexplored inner regions that are just as real as the physical world we know so well… They call us to the adventure, to be pioneers in this frontier of the Spirit.” (p 13 - supposedly from his book Celebration of Discipline)

Twelveth, “In your imagination allow your spiritual body, shining with light, to rise out of your physical body. Look back so that you can see yourself lying in the grass and reassure your body that you will return momentarily. Imagine your spiritual self, alive and vibrant, rising up through the clouds and into the stratosphere. . . Go deeper and deeper into outer space until there is nothing except the warm presence of the eternal Creator. Rest in His presence. Listen quietly, anticipating the unanticipated. Note carefully any instruction given. With time and experience you will be able to distinguish readily between mere human thought that may bubble up to the conscious mind and the True Spirit which inwardly moves upon the heart.” (pp 27, 28 - supposedly from the same book)

 -Curtesy  of a critique of his book and of him by something called the new Calvinists, itself a questionable resource, but if the quotes from his book are accurate eleven and twelve do become  an interesting slant of this writer with evidently a Quaker experiential background.

Interesting, evidently  a  popular read at one time, though the "10" plus 11 and 12 added by me are also pretty new age like to my own  mind's eye.

[Daily verse and quote]

You are definitely a "wordsmith".

The mental images you bring forth in your writings is great!

It reminds me of this quote:

"Wise men because they have something to say;

fools because they have to say something."

Plato

YOU are definitely in the 1st category, and I thank you for sharing it with us!

 

[TruthDefender]

So- do you know what  God's Kingdom IS?

[Daily verse and quote]

I looked it up on the internet. Here is the answer first presented to me: "The spiritual realm over which God reigns as King, or the fulfillment on earth of God's will." The phrase was used by Jesus in the first three gospels.

[TruthDefender]

Very Good! It's literally a Kingdom!

Now God has handed it over to His son!

[Daily verse and quote]

And there can be no One higher, greater, more loving, gracious...than Jesus!

[TruthDefender]

1 hour ago, Daily verse and quote said:

And there can be no One higher, greater, more loving, gracious...than Jesus!

EXCEPT for the ONE exception~

1 Cor 15:27- For God has put all things in subjection under his feet. But when it says, “All things are put in subjection under him,” it is plain that He is excepted who put all things under him.

 

[Daily verse and quote]

I should have been more specific, so that the phrasing would only reference all things in the natural realm. Thanks for calling that error to my attention.

[Daily verse and quote]

Here is the response I gave to Truth Defender several hours ago:

"And there can be no One higher, greater, more loving, gracious...than Jesus!" That's pretty implicit in its meaning. How could that be speaking "against Jesus"?