Dr Paul Allen

Plate 16 of 22 for the Macklin Bible after Loutherbourg. Bowyer Bible. Christ Stills the Storm (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) “But seek ye first the kingdom of God , and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” ( Matthew 6:33 ) There are innumerable things to do and things to buy and things to read. How does one choose between them? An important guideline is the use of the word “first” in the New Testament . For example, consider the following priority items. Priority in awareness: “Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers . . . saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for . . . all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation” ( 2 Peter 3:3-4 ). The primary intellectual heresy of these latter times is the anti-God philosophy of naturalistic evolutionism, as succinctly outlined in this passage. Priority in behavior: “Cleanse first that which is within the cup and the platter, that the outside of them may be c

Stained glass at St John the Baptist's Anglican Church http://www.stjohnsashfield.org.au, Ashfield, New South Wales. Illustrates Jesus' description of himself "I am the Good Shepherd" (from the Gospel of John, chapter 10, verse 11). This version of the image shows the detail of his face. The memorial window is also captioned: "To the Glory of God and in Loving Memory of William Wright. Died 6th November, 1932. Aged 70 Yrs." (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) "Follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart." ( 2 Timothy 2:22 ) The word "follow" is frequently translated "persecute" in other passages. Jesus used the word this way: "The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you" ( John 15:20 ). The connotation of the Greek term includes a dogged and relentless effort. Anyone who wants to serve the Lord Jesus faithfully mus

C hrist in Gethsemane (Christus in Gethsemane), oil painting by Heinrich Ferdinand Hofmann (Heinrich Hofmann). The original is at the Riverside Church (Riverside Church, New York City). (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) "But seek ye first the kingdom of God , and his righteousness ; and all these things shall be added unto you." ( Matthew 6:33 ) This verse has become a favorite memory verse for millions and has even been set to music by a number of artists. Indeed, its truth is of foundational importance. First, notice that the tense of the verb "seek" in Greek implies a command to establish an ongoing habit or lifestyle of "seeking" the things of the kingdom. We are commanded to put first things first on a continual basis and watch Him take care of the items of secondary interest. We should strive to make His priorities our priorities--to so mold our thinking by the Word of God that we think as He does on every issue. Our lives should exhibit the purity

By Rembrandt. (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) "Notwithstanding ye have well done, that ye did communicate with my affliction." ( Philippians 4:14 ) " Communicate " is one of the older words from the era of the King James Version that takes some re-connecting in order to clarify the term. Our use today normally means speaking, understanding one another, or simply passing on instructions. The Greek word is sugkoinoneo, a compound of the preposition "with" and the primary word for "participation." The basic term is often translated "partner" or "partake" and frequently is connected with the act of sharing finances in the ministry of others. That is the application in the context of today's verse. Paul commends the Philippian church for partnering with him over his journeys and recognizing time and again the needs that were necessary to fulfill for the success of the ministry. Today, there are a vast array of charity-based or