"Now Hear This" #8

DO NOT WORRY

Worriers will always find something to keep them uptight and their blood pressure elevated. The trigger can be something serious or something innocuous but that anxiety will always be there even if it isn't immediately evident. Jesus came to teach all of us to relax in the will of our Father and always have the intent to do His will.

As Jesus went about teaching the good news, He met two sisters and their brother. One of the sisters, Martha, invited Him to their home in Bethany, a few miles from Jerusalem. Luke 10:39-42

• "And she had a sister named Mary, who also sat at Jesus feet and heard His word. But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, 'Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore, tell her to help me'. And Jesus answered and said to her, 'Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.'"   

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus brings up the subject of worry and anxiety over the trials and uncertainties that are a part of daily human life. You may see yourself or someone in your family or a friend at your workplace, or even in your church. Hear Jesus' teaching on this wide range of things and listen intently to His heavenly advice. Matthew 6:19-34

• "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth ...... but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven......For where you treasure is, there will your heart be also." 
• "The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness."
• "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon/money."  

When I was a young aspiring preacher, I had the great privilege to work with a church in Tennessee while I went to David Lipscomb after serving in the US Navy. I was hired to be the worship leader and youth minister while attending college in Nashville After we had been there several months one of the oldest elders in that church invited me to visit with him at his place of business. We talked about what plans I had for the youth program and some other things but after awhile I knew he was ready for me to be on my way. But, before he let me go, he told me about his business and brought his bank book to show me how much money he had. Although I was still pretty new to ministry, I was experienced in many of the ways of the world. I was a bit uneasy wondering why he wanted me to know how rich he was. So, I asked him what he was going to do with all that money. I knew his children were successful in their own careers and certainly didn't need it. He never spoke to me again.

Jesus was right,  you can't serve God and money. Is it wrong to have a bank account, or life insurance or a retirement plan? I don't think Jesus would condemn anyone who is prudent enough to plan for their future, but how much do you really need? If all one sees in life is how to make more and more and more money and own more and more things, what's the point? Earthly treasure is always a risky proposition. Where is your heart? That is the ultimate issue Jesus wants to know from all of us.

• "Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on."
• "Why do you worry about clothing?"
• "Therefore do not worry saying, 'What shall we eat? or What shall we drink?"
• "After all these things the Gentiles seek."
• "But, seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore, do no worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble."

Jesus uses the birds who are fed by the hand of God and they neither sow nor reap, as proof our Father is always there for us. He uses the lilies of the field and their beauty that surpasses even that of King Solomon in all his glory as proof that our Father will always have our backs.

SO HERE IS THE REAL BOTTOM LINE

There is no sin in working to make money to take care of yourself and/or your family, to provide food and clothing and a home etc. There is no sin in having money in savings or wearing whatever clothing you choose or purchasing the foods you like to eat. The real issue is always, where is your heart. Don't allow the evil one to fill your heart with darkness, seek the light of God, His righteousness because that is where His kingdom is.

Learn to live in your "forever" future and refuse to bow the Satanic temptation to be a competitor for the biggest, the best or the most in this present world. DO NOT WORRY your Father always has your back.