Facing My Future With Faith.

Facing my future with faith.

Matthew 6:31 -- 34. 01/16/05

We are talking about a series of messages on faith. Psychologists, counsels, and many others have said the No. 1 fear for America today is the fear of financial bondage or the fear of recession or the fear of depression. Anytime we think about-facing the future with faith, we think about how our needs are going to be taken care of. Look in Matthew 6:31, where Jesus is teaching about how to face the future with faith.

Much of the Sermon on the Mount is dealing with the subject of facing the future with faith. Jesus deals with the things that you and I think about almost every day. What will I eat; what shall I drink; what will I wear; how will I put a roof over our head; how will I meet the needs of my children; how will I pay the bills? All of these things Jesus addresses in the Sermon on the Mount.

Some people say I just want to work until I am financially secure and yet folks, our security cannot be found in the things of this world. That is one of the reasons Jesus tells us not to worry about the future. Now Jesus wasn’t saying not to plan for the future but not to worry about the future. He says face the future with faith in God.

Now Jesus gives us about two things in our text this morning we want to get in to and the first is RESISTING THE WORRY OF FEAR.

We want to see what Jesus said about this because it is so natural to be afraid of what might happen tomorrow. And Jesus said first of all, fear is unreasonable. Look at what he said in verse 25. Why is it unreasonable to fear? Because the pagans run after these things and your heavenly father knows what you have need of. All the things I have need of? He is teaching us that our concern is more than the things that are material but spiritual.

Because of our new birth, worry is unnatural. Jesus talked about the birds of the air and the plants in the field. Have you ever seen a worried bird? I doubt seriously that a bird ever thought I need to build a bigger nest for my security. A plant never worries out there in the field will I ever bloom? Humans are the only one of God’s creation that worries about things that are so unnatural.

It is also unhelpful. Jesus said you cannot add any height to your being nor can you get one hour to your life. It is never helpful to worry about things in which you have no control. Never worry about anything you can never do anything about. Worry never takes the difficulty out of tomorrow. It does take the joy out of today.

Also worry it is so unnecessary. Jesus says your heavenly father knows what you have need of. If God is going to take care of our needs, then He assumes the responsibility for you because you are His child.

And then worry is unbelieving. This is the worst about worry. The reason is because this is how unbelievers live their life. They worry about these things because they haven’t plugged into the source of all power.

Jesus tells us not only to resist the worry of fear but also to RELEASE THE WORK OF FAITH IN OUR LIFE.

Faith is a powerful influence. Jesus says in verse 32, your father already knows perfectly well what you need.

Now here is what it means to release the work of faith in your life. No. 1, it means that God will take care of my future if I put him first. I have had people to tell me I tried religion and it did not work. The problem is they tried religion without a relationship with Jesus. With Jesus as our savior, the past is taken care of and our future is secure. Jesus says in John 14, I go and prepare a place for you, that where I am, there you will be also. That is what this message is all about, trusting Jesus in faith for my future.

Now let me ask you, have you ever trusted Jesus as your personal savior? If you have, have you made him first in your life? Today would be a wonderful day to come to Jesus and not have to worry about the future.