Living Worry Free. Pt.2 Matthew 6:33
Mark Twain said, “I've suffered a great many catastrophes in life. Most of them never happened.” Someone sent me a card that read on the outside: There's a secret to living without stress and worry and frustration… Opening the card, it read: “Try to avoid becoming personally involved in your own life.”
Worry focuses on the worst possible thing that can happen. We deal with a hypothetical and get preoccupied with what if?
In case you weren’t aware, anxiety and worry are earthly, temporal, Nothing gained by worry/anxiety. I wonder how many hours a week we fret, and worry?
Jesus declares in, Matthew 6:33AMP But first and most importantly seek (aim at, strive after) His kingdom and His righteousness [His way of doing and being right—the attitude and character of God], and all these things will be given to you also.
The centerfold for each believer ought to be identical, the centerfold is, devotion.
Being sold out, because ‘who’ and ‘what’ you represent and speak for is solely worthy of your devotion. Nothing can divert your attention, because everything else is inferior. P.H
Going back for a moment, Sunday AM. Charles Swindoll: The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than success, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company … a church … a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past… we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude…I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you, we are in charge of our attitudes.
Again, Matthew 6:33MSG Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don’t worry about missing out. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.
Here’s a relief for someone, -Seek Jesus first, and you’ll receive all things added.
There are three main causes of worry. First, External Circumstances.
External Circumstances threaten our sense of security, we feel from the time we were born.
Soren Kierkegaard the philosopher said, Anxiety is the price of being in the world. There is no way to live and not feel threatened or insecure at times.
Jesus states in, John 16:33KJV These things I have spoken unto you, that in Me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
Why not place your life in the hands of a man who overcame the world. -Be of good cheer! P.H
Second, There are internal conditions that make us worry.
As a Son or Daughter of God, satan wants you to live with spiritual amnesia when it comes to your position in Jesus Christ. -Spiritual amnesia paralyzes, it stunts growth! -Worry stunts growth! P.H
2 Corinthians 4:7-9J.B. Phillips New Testament 7 This priceless treasure we hold, so to speak, in a common earthenware jar—to show that the splendid power of it belongs to God and not to us. 8 We are handicapped on all sides, but we are never frustrated; we are puzzled, but never in despair. 9 We are persecuted, but we never have to stand it alone: we may be knocked down but we are never knocked out!
Internally you might be trembling, but remember, you have a priceless treasure! P.H
Third, we worry because we feel separated from God.
1 John 3:19AMP By this (God’s love) we will know [without any doubt] that we are of the truth, and will assure our heart and quiet our conscience before Him.
It may be real separation because of our sins, and our guilt. The answer to the feeling of separation from God, is to set our hearts at rest in God’s presence.
Matthew 6:28-33TPT “And why would you worry about your clothing? Look at all the beautiful flowers of the field. They don’t work or toil, 29 and yet not even Solomon in all his splendor was robed in beauty like one of these! 30 So if God has clothed the meadow with hay, which is here for such a short time and then dried up and burned, won’t he provide for you the clothes you need—you of little faith? 31“So then, forsake your worries! Why would you say, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’ 32For that is what the unbelievers chase after. Doesn’t your heavenly Father already know the things your bodies require? 33“So above all, constantly seek God’s kingdom and his righteousness, then all these less important things will be given to you abundantly.
Just to give your mind a rest, and set it at ease, Jesus’ Kingdom, His glory, His spirit, His authority, His confidence, Holding His keys, and all of His impartations are worth everything!
Again, 3. Many feel separated from God, and this produces worry.
Romans 8:1-2J.B. Phillips New Testament No condemnation now hangs over the head of those who are “in” Jesus Christ. For the new spiritual principle of life “in” Christ lifts me out of the old vicious circle of sin and death.
Jesus makes three key statements to teach us the secret to living without worry:
1. Jesus states, look at the lilies of the field.
Wildflowers are abundant in Galilee. This statement is like Jesus’ earlier, “Look at the birds of the air, verse 26.”
The point is, “God richly provides for all of his creation.”
God richly provides for us in ways we don't even recognize.
God clothes the grass of the field with beautiful flowers that are neither productive are enduring. They are here today and tomorrow gone.
Those seeking His Kingdom, God provides.
2. Jesus said of his disciples, “O, you of little faith.”
The root of worry is, unbelief, and the answer is a deep, personal trust in God.
Personally, I take a lot of comfort in, Genesis 1:1AMP In the beginning God ( Elohim) created [by forming from nothing] the heavens and the earth.
Say, “I trust Him, because He has given me a measure of faith.”
Romans 12:2AMP For by the grace [of God] given to me I say to everyone of you not to think more highly of himself [and of his importance and ability] than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has apportioned to each a degree of faith [and a purpose designed for service].
If you’re a believer, your unbelief is a cop-out. Every believer has been given a measure of faith. (Faith is supernatural, so watch out)!
3. So Jesus say’s, “Do not worry!”
In other words, in view of everything you see in creation, and how God takes care of it with abundant provision, do not worry!
The pagans run after all these things, Jesus adds. The worry-filled-life is one of running a fast, feverish pace, driven by anxiety.
Unbelievers/Pagans, focus on material things instead of spiritual things. -Where is your focus?
John 6:63NIV The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit and life.
We have to stop making ‘things’ so important, and make the main thing the main thing, which is to seek first God’s kingdom, and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well, Matthew 6:33. -That’s the secret to living without worry.
I want to break down Matthew 6:33, to understand what Jesus is saying, and how to apply it to our lives.
1. Get your priorities in order.
Seek first the Kingdom. Simplicity equals rest.
One day at man saw a frog on the sidewalk and picked it up. The frog said, “if you kiss me, I'll turn into a beautiful princess.” The man put the frog in his pocket without kissing it, and the frog said, “wait, why haven't you kissed me yet?” The man responded, “at this point in my life, I prefer to have a talking frog.”
Again, 1. Get your priorities in order!
“Your relationship with God is the most important relationship you’ll ever have.” P.H
2. Rest in the Sovereignty of God.
The kingdom of God means He is in charge, He's running the show, and He's in control. You might be in chaos, but God is in control.
The way we enter the Kingdom of God is to be born again.
John 3:3-7NKJV Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 4 Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?”5 Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’
Kingdom living begins with being born again!
If I seek the kingdom, it means I am active in announcing that the kingdom has come in Jesus, and that we can be saved. Matthew 24,14 The gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.
Kingdom living means you actively proclaim the gospel.
3. Do things God’s way.
We are also to see Gods righteousness, which simply means that which is right in the eyes of God. -It means personal holiness and social justice.
Peace and righteousness go together, Romans 14,17. There is a right and a wrong way to do things. There is a productive and unproductive way to do things.
Here's the promise. All these things will be given or provided for you. Instead of having to control everything in life, you will live on the gifts of God.
JCPenney company owned 200 stores nationwide. 10 years later, he owned 1400 stores nationwide. Mr. Penney’s personal income was over 1.5 million a year, equal to about 150 million today. His personal estate had grown to over one billion in today's dollars. Then, at the age of 55, he lost nearly everything when the great depression hit in 1930.
As a result, he became hopeless. His health failed so drastically his doctor thought he would die. He was hospitalized in a sanitarium in Michigan. One night in the hospital, he felt he would die in the night, so he pinned a letter saying goodbye to his family. When he awoke the next morning, he heard singing. He got out of bed and followed the sound to a chapel service in the hospital. He heard the people singing the song, “God will take care of you.” The words of the song washed away his worries, and he found new faith. His health returned, and he went on to rebuild his fortune to an even greater level than before. He not only build a thriving business, he gave a lot of money away to Christian charities. He lived to be 95 and frequently quoted a passage he said was his favorite:
Psalm 26 1–3TPT Yahweh, be my judge and declare me innocent! Clear my name, for I walk in integrity and trust you without wavering. 2 Yahweh, you can scrutinize me. Refine my heart and probe my every thought. 3 Put me to the test and you’ll find me true. I will never lose sight of your steadfast love for me. Your faithfulness has steadied my steps.
Benediction. JCPenney learned to live on 10% of his income, he tithed 90%! Wow- Worry verses Kingdom, not a match! Kingdom wins every time!
