A Better Way

25 “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? 28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. 34 “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

Speaking to anxious people just like you and I.

People that are more worried about the future than what is in front of us.

People who are more worried about decisions than their character.

The Better Way: Seeking contentment in His Provision

Matthew 6:30 ESV

30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

Jesus doesn’t treat obsession with the future as a personal quirk, but as evidence of little faith (v. 30). Worry and anxiety reflect our hearts’ distrust in the goodness and sovereignty of God. Worry is a spiritual issue and must be fought with faith. - Kevin DeYoung

Our anxiety about the future and about the things around us stem from a deficiency in our faith.

It is totally human to worry about the stuff of life, but are faith should not be dictated by human circumstances, but by an all-powerful, loving, and caring God.

It doesn’t mean we are going to have an easy road if we just have faith, it means we are not going to change anything by worry, but our faith will change how we deal with things.

Matthew 6:34 ESV

34 “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

Matthew 6:31–32 ESV

31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.

The difference between us and a Gentile is our “heavenly Father knows that you need them all.” - God is watching over us.

Even when we are lacking, God is still caring for us.

Even when things seem to be going against us, we must trust God for He is our rock and our salvation.

We haven’t missed God’s Will, God’s Will is that we be content in Him alone.

1 Thessalonians 5:16–18 ESV

16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

1 thess 5:

The Better Way: Pursuing character as His Plan

Matthew 6:33–34 ESV

33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. 34 “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

matt 6:

Seeking first the kingdom of God is ultimately us refocusing our minds on God’s purpose for us away from our focus/plan/desire for ourselves.

When we are focused on God’s Kingdom, His rule over our life and purpose for our life, then His Will is more about our character than our future.

Look at what Paul says:

1 Thessalonians 4:3 ESV

3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality;

Colossians 1:9–10 ESV

9 And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10 so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;

Colossians 1:9–11 ESV

Colossians 1:9 ESV

9 And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,

Paul prays for them (and us) to know God’s will so that we may

Walk worthy of the Lord

Bear fruit in good works

Increase in knowledge of God

Be strengthen in His power for endurance and patience.

Ephesians 5:17–18 ESV

17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit,

To be filled with the Spirit that we might overcome the desires of the flesh that destroy.

Galatians 5:16 ESV

16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.

Kevin DeYoung says this:

So go marry someone, provided you’re equally yoked and you actually like being with each other. Go get a job, provided it’s not wicked. Go live somewhere in something with somebody or nobody. But put aside the passivity and the quest for complete fulfillment and the perfectionism and the preoccupation with the future, and for God’s sake start making some decisions in your life. Don’t wait for the liver-shiver. If you are seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, you will be in God’s will, so just go out and do something.

and the perfectionism and the preoccupation with the future, and for God’s sake start mak- ing some decisions in your life. Don’t wait for the liver-shiver. If you are seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, you will be in God’s will, so just go out and do something.

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