Jesus said, "seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness" (Matthew 6:33). The first commandment is "Thou shalt have no other gods before me" (Exodus 20:3), and we are to love the Lord with all our heart (Deuteronomy 6:5; Matthew 22:37-38). Honour Him with firstfruits (Proverbs 3:9); you cannot serve God and mammon (Matthew 6:24).
Putting God first is about priority—who gets the throne of your heart, calendar, and choices. These twelve King James passages focus on seeking His kingdom first, loving Him above every rival, and giving Him first place. This is not a money-greed page (see money) or a hustle-and-grind page (see working hard); it is firstfruits of the heart.
Seek first the kingdom
1. Matthew 6:33
"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."
Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Priority reorders anxiety: God first, provision follows in His timing.
2. Exodus 20:3
"Thou shalt have no other gods before me."
Thou shalt have no other gods before me. The first commandment is first for a reason—God will not share the throne.
3. Deuteronomy 6:5
"And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might."
Love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, soul, and might. Whole-self love is how God defines "first."
4. Matthew 22:37-38
"Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment."
Jesus names this the first and great commandment: love God with all your heart, soul, and mind. Putting God first is love, not only duty.
No rival masters
5. Matthew 6:24
"No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon."
No man can serve two masters... Ye cannot serve God and mammon. Split allegiance is impossible; something will win.
6. Matthew 10:37
"He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me."
He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me. Jesus claims a love-priority above even the dearest earthly ties—without despising family.
7. Luke 9:23
"And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me."
If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. Daily self-denial is how "God first" becomes practice.
8. Mark 8:36
"For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?"
What shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Wrong first things empty the soul even when the resume looks full.
Firstfruits and set-on-things-above
9. Proverbs 3:9
"Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase:"
Honour the Lord with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase. Firstfruits teach the heart that God gets the first slice, not the leftovers.
10. Psalms 27:4
"One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple."
One thing have I desired of the Lord... that I may dwell in the house of the Lord. David's "one thing" is a picture of undivided desire.
11. Colossians 3:1-2
"If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth."
Seek those things which are above... Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. Priority is aimed by where you set your mind.
12. Psalms 37:4
"Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart."
Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. When He is your delight, your desires begin to match His.
A short prayer
Father, I confess divided loves and crowded first places. Teach me to seek Your kingdom first, to have no other gods before You, and to love You with all my heart. Make You my one desire, and reorder my days around Your honour. In Jesus' name, amen.
Go deeper: a SOAP study prompt
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Frequently asked questions
What does the Bible say about putting God first?
Seek first His kingdom (Matthew 6:33), have no other gods before Him (Exodus 20:3), love Him with all your heart (Deuteronomy 6:5; Matthew 22:37-38), and honour Him with firstfruits (Proverbs 3:9).
Where does the Bible say seek first the kingdom of God?
Matthew 6:33: "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."
How do I put God first in daily life?
Start with loving Him above rivals (Matthew 22:37-38), refuse twin masters (Matthew 6:24), practice daily self-denial (Luke 9:23), and set your mind on things above (Colossians 3:1-2).
Is putting God first only about money?
No. Firstfruits (Proverbs 3:9) include substance, but the heart of the theme is priority and love. For greed and contentment, see our money page; for diligent work, see working hard.
Sources: All Scripture quotations are from the King James Version (KJV), public domain in the United States. References were checked against the KJV text from bible-api.com.
Related: Bible verses about faith · Bible verses about trusting God · Bible verses about money · Bible verses about working hard · Bible verses about prayer
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