on March 6, 2014
Luke 12:22-26 – Then Jesus said to his disciples: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?
Jesus’s last message, warned against all kinds of greed, and was addressed to the CROWD. This one is to His DISCIPLES. If you are a follower of Jesus, then you’ll want to heed His counsel about life! Don’t worry about things like what you will eat or what you will wear. Life is bigger than these things! “The CROWD” is preoccupied with laboring to keep up with the rest of the CROWD in their fashions and food. Christ’s disciples are coached to NOT WORRY about these things. Jesus has spoken of this before but, most of us need to hear it repeated over and over until we finally “get it!” We might think that we aren’t in danger of being greedy but there is another side of covetousness that those of us who have very little of this world’s goods may be most tempted by. These men who had left everything to follow Jesus were going to deal with moments of anxiety about the basic necessities of life. Jesus says, “Do not worry about your life…” As you follow Christ, you will face all the challenges of hunger, nakedness and danger, but DON’T WORRY!
WHY NOT, Jesus? Because of your value in God’s sight! Just think about the ravens. Do they plant fields, harvest crops and store them away in barns? Of course not! But, God feeds them! You need to understand that you are far more valuable than birds! You need to understand that if you seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, these things will be supplied as well. You need to understand that, IF YOU TAKE CARE OF THE THINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO GOD, HE WILL TAKE CARE OF THE THINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO YOU! Life is MORE THAN food and clothes! Life is MORE THAN material possessions and things! When you spend your entire life focused on working for these things, when will you ever become rich toward God? When will you ever understand your value to God? When will you ever experience HIS PROVISION and care for you?
In fact, life is more than this life! Do you think that worrying about death can add more time to life? Most of us need the love of God to heal our minds so that we understand that whether we live or die, we belong to Him! Does He care whether we live or die? Are we that valuable to Him that He’s attentive to our basic needs and concerns? Our Lord stresses this point with His disciples, “DON’T WORRY… ARE YOU NOT MUCH MORE VALUABLE THAN BIRDS? Stop worrying! Let go of the anxious thoughts! Governments and businesses capitalize on people’s worries and fears! This faith will keep the right perspective on the role of government and business! So, live your life knowing that you are important to God! And, live your life in a way that demonstrates that God is important to you! My friend, trust the word of Christ! Cast your cares upon Him and freely live the life that He has planned for you! Life is more than food and clothing; it’s trusting Jesus, recognizing our value, putting God first and living by faith!
Thursday: Meet together with at least 1 or 2 other believers to enter the Throne Room of Grace.
Friday: Pray for the families of the week: Allen Grandin (Junior), Christina Greisch (Derek, Alisha), Ryan & Sara Hackett.
Saturday: Don’t waste the life God has given you by just working for food and clothes, labor for Him!
Sunday: Go to the House of the Lord! Bring Him a tithe that demonstrates His supremacy in your life!
Monday: Be mindful of how precious you are to God – He has the hairs of your head accounted for!
Tuesday: Cease your worries about life and trust God to care, lead and supply your need!
Wednesday: Remember that life is more than this life! Live the life that is eternal! (Stay tuned for more).
Prayer Challenge – Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. We live by faith, not by sight. We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad. – 2 Corinthians 5:1-10