October 7, 2021 THESE THINGS SHALL BE ADDED
Luke 12:22-24, 28, 29-32 “And He said to His disciples, ‘For this reason I say to you, do not be anxious for your life, as to what you shall eat; not for your body, as to what you will put on. For life is more than food, and the body than clothing. Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap; and they have no storeroom nor barn; and yet God feeds them, how much more valuable you are than the birds!’” “But if God so arrays the grass in the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, how much more will He clothe you, O men of little faith!” “And do not seek what you shall eat, and what you shall wear, and do not keep worrying. For all these things the nations of the world eagerly seek; but your Father knows that you need these things. But seek for His kingdom, and these things shall be added to you. Do not be afraid little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom.”
The verses above are not a mandate to quit your job! The point is where our trust lies; do we trust our ability to work and produce, or do we trust God for everything-including food and clothing. That sounds like a rather simple question-but it is a question we must wrestle with and a question that we must answer; it is a question that demands a deep look inside. If misunderstood, these verse could justify being lazy. However, it is clear from other scriptures that work is of God; the Apostle Paul worked. We must be conscience of the fact that God made us in His image, and He is a God who works and produces. One who does not even know God can work-but he does so merely with self effort and with self-interest. As members of God’s kingdom, we can do our work as unto the Lord, and for that reason, work takes on a new and fulfilling meaning-and because we work as unto Him, we should be the best workers. It is God who is our provider; He provides us with jobs, and ways to make an income, and He gives us the ability to do the job. When we come to know that God truly is the One who provides, we cease to be anxious and we no longer worry; worry is a red flag that says that our trust is not in God. It may be easy to trust God when things are going good; but our trust in God must remain steadfast even in the difficult times. Our primary focus should be on seeking His kingdom; we seek His kingdom by having a heart to know Him more fully; by reading His word; and by embracing and doing what we read-by obeying His commands. There are only two kingdoms; the kingdom of this world, and the kingdom of God. The kingdom of God is far different from the kingdom of this world; and only as we seek His kingdom first, will we experience life in His kingdom here on earth. Seeking His kingdom means that we lay aside our desires, viz. die to self, and pursue Him and His ways. The mystery is, that only when we die to ourselves, do we find life; the self-life is unfulfilling. The blessing is that as we seek Him and His kingdom life, we discover that He supplies what we need. Because we are the ‘flock’ of God, there is nothing to fear; nothing to worry about; and nothing to be anxious about. Sounds too good to be true? It’s not, when we seek Him above everything else.
Colossians 1:13 “For He delivered us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son,”
Philippians 4:19 “And My God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory, in Christ Jesus.”
2 Peter 1:3 “Seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.”
Blessings, Buddy
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