WORRY NOT ABOUT YOUR LIFE!

 

EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

SUNDAY AUGUST 30, 2020.

SUBJECT : WORRY NOT ABOUT YOUR LIFE!

Memory verse: "Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you." (First Peter 5 vs 7.)

READ: Matthew 6 vs 25 - 30::

6:25: Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?

6:26: Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your Heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?

6:37: Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?

6:28: So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin;

6:29: and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

6:30: Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

INTIMATION:

One must not be overly anxious about the things of this world nor of the sustenance of life. One must come to an understanding that life does not consist of those things that empirically beheld and possessed. God is our Creator and Sustainer of our lives. Just as the manufacturer of any product knows the reasons and purposes for doing so, and provides the means for its proper functioning, so it is with our God—the Creator and Owner of us all. He knows His reasons and purposes for creating anything He created, and provides all that are necessary for the effective functioning of all He created, so as to achieve the desired purposes. All those needs are in constant supply according to His promises.

Jesus asked the intriguing question, “Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?” Obviously, without life there are no needs for food and clothing. Therefore, if He has given you life, rest assured of His provisions of the necessities for sustaining the life, and He already knows of those needs (Matthew 6 vs 31). Worrying shows a lack of faith in and understanding of God, and it’s more harmful than helpful in our relationship with Him. It negatively hampers our efforts in relating with Him in the now—our faith in Him. God deals with our daily needs, hence Jesus’ teaching of our living one day at a time, and asking for our daily bread from Him (Matthew 6 vs 11). 

In the passage we read today, Jesus teaches of the wonderful ways God takes care of all He created; supplying them of their desired needs to live without any efforts of theirs. He gave two classical examples of the birds of the air and the lilies of the field. The birds neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet they have never lacked because He supplies their needs. And also, the lilies of the field neither toil nor spin, but the glory of their beautiful flowers are even better than the works of human designs and beautification. Jesus exhortation is that if God takes care of grass, flowers, birds, then surely He will take care of His children. The point is that one must trust in God, not in one’s own self-sufficiency. 

Have you ever read a headline about millions of birds dying of starvation? No! And you never will. They don't plant, or harvest, or store food away, yet God feeds them. If God cares that much for a tiny little bird, think how much better care He will take of a person who has been made in His image and after His likeness! Jesus is encouraging us that we can have much more confidence in God to take care of us. This seems a radical statement because we feel like it's our duty to worry about things, but God is telling us to rely on Him with our whole heart. (Proverbs 3 vs 5; First Peter 5 vs 7.)

Jesus further said in Matthew 6 vs 31 - 32, "Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or What where shall we wear?' For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your Heavenly Father knows that you need all these things."

There should be a difference between Christians and unbelievers—between people who have covenant with God, and people who are trying to do it all on their own. We shouldn't be out in the world chasing possessions and struggling to survive the same way that the unbelievers are. God wants us to prosper, and we have a covenant of all round blessings. Our covenant of blessing stems from the blessing of our father Abraham who was blessed in all things (Genesis 24 vs 1; Galatians 3 vs 14). 

The same God who created you can be trusted with the details of your life. The All-Knowing God knows all your needs even before you mention them, and is concerned about every aspect of our lives. He never ignores those who depend on Him (Romans 10 vs 11). He wants us to prosper in every way: physically, emotionally, financially, and in our relationships. Our duty is to put Him first in our life, and all our needs will be supplied according to His plans and purposes. God is pleased when we prosper! He wants to see us succeed. (See Psalm 35 vs 27; Third John 2.)

You have to rely on God and trust that He is your source—putting God first in everything in your life. It has to be a heart-level revelation, not just a conclusion you arrive at mentally. And once you grab hold of this, it will revolutionize your life, you will be completely transformed. He will begin to supernaturally take care of you. It will bring you a tremendous amount of peace and confidence. Let God’s counsel in His Word rule you at all time; “Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Hebrews 13 vs 5). 

Prayer: Abba Father, give me the grace to cast all my care upon You, and eschew all forms of worry in my life. What You cannot give me let me never have it, and what You cannot do for me let it remain undone, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!