Be Concerned with God’s Kingdom

Pray – (1/2 minute)

Read – (2 1/2 minutes) – “I would like you to be free from concern. An unmarried man is concerned about the Lord’s affairs – ho he can please the Lord. But a married man is concerned about the affairs of this world – how he can please his wife – and his interests are divided. . . . I am saying this for your own good, not to restrict you, but that you may lie in a right way in undivided devotion to the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 7:32-35)
   Passage: Philippians 3:10-16

        After my sophomore year in college, I was called to First Baptist Church, Missouri City, TX, to be a summer youth minister. It was the first opportunity I had to direct a full ministry and God blessed that summer in special ways. I not only planned out ministry activities, but because I was single, I spent most of my free time with students as well. Three years later, that same church called me to be their first full-time Student Minister. However, this time, I was married. Pam served with me in many ways, but when I had free time, I didn’t want to spend all of it with students. I wanted to spend it with her.
       Paul acknowledged that reality in his letter to the Corinthian believers. He pointed out that one advantage to being single is that a person doesn’t have to think about a spouse when considering how to spend his or her time. The principle is that whether single or married, we need to be concerned with God’s Kingdom and seek to fulfill His purposes for our lives.

‍Apply - (2 1/2 minutes)
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Pray - (1 1/2 minutes)