25 “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious 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? 26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? 28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
34 “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. Matthew 6: 25-34 ESV
Matthew 6: 25-34 Don't be Anxious
…3Join me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4A soldier refrains from entangling himself in civilian affairs, in order to please the one who enlisted him. 5Likewise, a competitor does not receive the crown unless he competes according to the rules.… 2 Timothy 2: 3-5
…5Let your gentleness be apparent to all. The Lord is near. 6Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.… Philippians 4: 5-7
Do not be anxious about your life - This is the most common sin of the Christian, anxiety, and it is a sin for God has commanded us against it. It is distrust, just like that in the garden, "hath God said", will He really take care of His children? It is the easiest one for me to slip into, to carry things that I cannot bear, things that are unknown yet. It is like worrying about your health because of some symptom, yet not having seen the doctor yet, you allow your mind to take a spot, a cough, or an ache all the way to your grave. Go to the doctor and find out what it is, knowing that God is already aware. Remember the last post though; it is not wrong to think ahead, like the ant, and we are told to take care of ourselves and our families, so Jesus isn't telling them to go sit on a hill somewhere and meditate, doing nothing. The Bible says, he who does not work shall not eat.
…6Walk in the manner of the ant, O slacker; observe its ways and become wise. 7 Without a commander, without an overseer or ruler, 8it prepares its provisions in summer; it gathers its food at harvest.… Proverbs 6: 6-8
There is a subtle distinction between worry and concern, for whereas worry tends to "paralyze" us and decreases initiative, genuine concern tends to motivate us to take the initiative. Worry fears the worse and tries to control the future, whereas godly concern hopes for the best and redeems the future. Worry does not give God the glory due Him (Mt 5:16-note) and tends to take our mind off of the things that are important, whereas genuine concern tends to direct our focus to those things that are truly important. A good antidote for present worry is to maintain a "future focus", continually contemplating the things above (Col 3:1-note, Col 3:2-note) and the things to come, especially our blessed future hope (Titus 2:13-note). "Amid fret and worry a hope of heaven is an effectual balm." (Spurgeon)
What you will eat or what you will drink - In the first world this is truly embarrassing; it is like the man with a cigarette in his mouth thinking about his next cigarette which is in his pocket. God gave us food and even pleasure with taste and variety, but I hate it when my children snub a meal, not just because there are those who don't have as much, but because this is what God provided, and what is in front of them will fit the purpose. If you say, "I am hungry", but turn up your nose at what will make you full, and what will provide the fuel your body needs, well then I don't think you understand true hunger, and you add the sin of ungratefulness. I knew a man in his 80s, who claimed to be a Christian, but would push his plate away and say, "I don't eat left overs". He thought every day and every meal should be a smorgasbord of delights for him to choose from and then throw the rest away, or put it in the fridge, pretending not to waste, until it was eventually thrown away. I remember arguments over which restaurant we were going to go to when I was a kid. My kids do the same, and I have made way too big a deal over food. I remember as a teenager, watching a friends dad throw a temper tantrum because his wife didn't make a dessert for that night. I know people who are in to prepping, preparing for their idea of Armageddon or Mad Max, storing up dry goods and can goods, building bunkers, but what if your property is destroyed, what if you are kicked off of it before you can get all your goods? Will you still believe in God? I don't think it's wrong to prepare, for old age, for hurricane season, for a fall out. Be like the ant, who prepared for winter, have some non perishables, and grab a few more cans so you can share with your neighbor too, be a good provider, but don't fret.
Anxious: Characterized by extreme uneasiness of mind or brooding fear about some contingency (Webster, modern). Worried and tense because of possible misfortune, danger, etc. (Collins) Experiencing worry, nervousness, or unease. (Oxford) Concern or solicitude respecting some event, future or uncertain, which disturbs the mind, and keeps it in a state of painful uneasiness. it expresses more than uneasiness or disturbance, and even more than trouble or solicitude. it usually springs from fear or serious apprehension of evil, and involves a suspense respecting an event, and often, a perplexity of mind, to know how to shape our conduct. (Webster, 1828) A state of restlessness and agitation, often with general indisposition and a distressing sense of oppression at the epigastrium. (Webster, 1913) - Precept Austin
Look at the birds of the air, they neither sew nor reap - Now people twist this into what they like, and end up driving around the country to Rainbow gatherings, collecting welfare from the state, but they miss what God says about work and they enter into the sin of laziness. They also distract from people with real needs. This was a problem in the early church as well, and I have mentioned before about an older "Christian" couple, who thought Christians weren't supposed to work, because of a cult that taught this. Birds are designed this way, and they do work, they burn calories, as life is caloric, demanding energy be spent and consumed, just breathing requires calories. Even though the vulture doesn't take the prey, he flies far and wide, looking for the carcass. The ducks, geese, and many other birds, migrate south in the winter to feed, and then back north in the spring to feed. God has designed them to know where to look for food, like the Osprey, who dives from the sky, calculates the refraction of the water and then grabs a fish. It is miraculous to think about it. Humans have been given extraordinary minds, and if we really loved others, it would be our joy not to burden, but to even overproduce, so that we can help the needy. Our tech today is so amazing that it takes so few of us to actually grow the food that feeds everyone. Often it is more difficult to get it to people before it spoils.
…9Not that we lack this right, but we wanted to offer ourselves as an example for you to imitate. 10For even while we were with you, we gave you this command: “If anyone is unwilling to work, he shall not eat.” 11Yet we hear that some of you are leading undisciplined lives and accomplishing nothing but being busybodies.… 2 Thessalonians 3: 9-11
Add a single hour to his span of life - Doctors actually tell us that stress and worry do the opposite. People are so obsessed with living longer though, and snake oil manufacturers know how to tap into this anxiety, this fear. It fuels huge industries. Drink this tea, take these vitamins if you want to live longer. My Dad and his wife were visited by a door to door salesman, who installed a water filtration system in their living room, because they didn't have room for it anywhere else. He charged them 7,000 dollars, which they thought was a steal, why? Because they would live to be a hundred. Fortunately someone from their church got wind of it and had it removed. They had stacks of sweepstakes mail, why? Because they wanted to be rich while they lived longer, and if your rich you can afford more snake oil, better snake oil, new snake oil. Be a good steward of your body, it is the temple of the Lord if you are saved, but it's also a temporary loan; God has already determined your days.
20I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have complete boldness so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. 21For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 22But if I go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. So what shall I choose? I do not know.… Philippians 1: 20-22
Why are you anxious about clothing - It's gross, but I use to throw a tantrum when I was young. I wanted my grandmother to drive ungodly distances to find very specific Vans shoes, because I needed to stand out in order to fit in. God forbid someone comes up to you and says, "the eighties wants that jacket back, hah hah," that would be too much, right, who could bear that sort of stigma? I don't want to look like the poor kid, I don't want to look out of style. I was a whiner, a follower, unthankful, disgusting. My great-grandmother had clothes from the 1940s, and I would dare anyone to confront her about that. She would make you feel like an idiot. God is well aware of the needs of His children, but don't confuse needs with wants and delusion.
…21But since he has no root, he remains for only a season. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away. 22 The seed sown among the thorns is the one who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. 23But the seed sown on good soil is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and produces a crop—a hundredfold, sixtyfold, or thirtyfold.”… Matthew 13: 21-23
O you of little faith - Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. God gave the Israelites plenty of reasons to believe in Him, to trust Him. Jesus will heal, raise the dead and use five loaves and two fish to feed 5,000 men, not including their wives and children.
5Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, for God has said: “Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you.” 6So we say with confidence: “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?” 7Remember your leaders who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.… Hebrews 13: 5-7
11So I swore on oath in My anger, ‘They shall never enter My rest.’ ” 12See to it, brothers, that none of you has a wicked heart of unbelief that turns away from the living God. 13But exhort one another daily, as long as it is called today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.… Hebrews 3: 11-13
…26Eight days later, His disciples were once again inside with the doors locked, and Thomas was with them. Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” 27Then Jesus said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and look at My hands. Reach out your hand and put it into My side. Stop doubting and believe.” 28Thomas replied, “My Lord and my God!”… John 20: 26-28
…16But not all of them welcomed the good news. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our message?” 17Consequently, faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ. 18But I ask, did they not hear? Indeed they did: “Their voice has gone out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.”… Romans 10: 16-18
…7in order that in the coming ages He might display the surpassing riches of His grace, demonstrated by His kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not from yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9not by works, so that no one can boast.… Ephesians 2: 7-9
Seek first the Kingdom of God - Here is that eternal perspective again, and we miss it by being so distracted by that which only effects time and space. We are to provide for our children, to toil, work for the food we feed them, but that is the smallest part of the matter. If we have not taught them Scripture, which is the Word of God, from whence comes faith and the knowledge of the Creator, even the true knowledge of self, then we have failed as parents. We are not right in patting ourselves upon the back for the cars, the clothes, the vacations, the temporal, which will in no way outweigh the infinite, we are no better than those who do not honor God, we are pagan in our practice.
17So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. 18They are darkened in their understanding and alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardness of their hearts. 19Having lost all sense of shame, they have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity, with a craving for more.… Ephesians 4: 17-19
…11What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? 12Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13So if you who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”… Luke 11: 11-13
Seek first His kingdom - He does not say seek for the kingdom which is what Jesus would have said if He was addressing this command to unbelievers. Seek for it to get into it was not what He was saying. He was speaking to those who are kingdom citizens to make the interests of God's kingdom their priority. Kingdom citizens should ponder "Is what I am going to say or do going to advance God's kingdom and glory?" - Precept Austin
My son, if you accept my words
and store up my commands within you,
2 turning your ear to wisdom
and applying your heart to understanding—
3 indeed, if you call out for insight
and cry aloud for understanding,
4 and if you look for it as for silver
and search for it as for hidden treasure,
5 then you will understand the fear of the Lord
and find the knowledge of God.
6 For the Lord gives wisdom;
from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.
7 He holds success in store for the upright,
he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless,
8 for he guards the course of the just
and protects the way of his faithful ones.
9 Then you will understand what is right and just
and fair—every good path. Proverbs 2: 1-9
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