Daily Devo
Spiritual Growth Fundamentals
By: Keefe Wilson
Saturday, October 11, 2025
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Matthew 6:33
When I taught high school math in the summer, I'd get the students who struggled to learn math during the school year. I always started out by explaining everything in life has fundamentals. When we learn to read, we begin with A-B-C. Learning music starts with Do-Re-Me, and learning math starts with 1, 2, and 3. The key to mastering complex math problems is having a better understanding of math's fundamentals.
To help my new students succeed, I needed to identify where their foundation was weak. We started by reviewing the fundamentals of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. When their fundamentals were solid, algebra started to make sense! Understanding the fundamentals helped their math confidence grow.
That same principle applies to our spiritual lives too... If we want to grow spiritually, we must understand the fundamentals of our Christian faith. Jesus gave us a key foundational statement in today's opening verse (Matthew 6:33) when He said, "Seek first the kingdom of God..."
It's foundational, because if we aren't seeking God's Kingdom (seeking His will and His ways), life will seem empty and purposeless. If we don't put God first, we'll make poor decisions and start worrying about everything. Without God, pride grows, stress increases, and what little joy we have will fade.
But when we put God first, everything starts falling into place. Putting God first is fundamental, and it's the foundation of a strong faith. When we put God first, He'll help us stand firm no matter what troubles comes our way. He'll give us His peace in moments of uncertainty, and He'll guide our decisions and provide for our needs. Of course, we'll still have trials and tough moments, but we'll be walking through them with Him, walking in His strength instead of our weakness.
Our God holds everything together, and our lives change dramatically when we start putting Him first. Maybe you're wondering; "How do we put God first?" By talking to Him in prayer, studying His Word, and surrendering our will to His. As we grow spiritually, His voice will be easier to hear. Putting God first (seeking His Kingdom) is also the first step in controlling our thoughts, words, and deeds. When our fundamentals are solid, our lives will start reflecting God's heart in every situation.
Putting God first is fundamental! It honors Him and reminds us that Jesus is WAY more important than we are! If we call ourselves Christ Followers, we must seek His face daily, love Jesus deeply, and trust God completely!