Decisions, Decisions, Decisions...
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Jesus has just told His listeners they must choose to live their life for God or the god of money. There can be no duplicity on this point. If one has an evil eye, attempting to put one eye on God and the other on the god of money, his or her life will be filled with nothing but darkness.
Now He has words for those who choose to follow God. He knows they will have need of food, clothing, shelter and all of the necessities of life. He knows we have need of all of these things as well.
The need for these necessities can consume our thoughts, time and attention. It can consume us. If we are living for God this shouldn’t be the case…if we allow such to happen we develop an evil eye and begin to live as pagans do…those who worship the god of money.
Therefore — In light of…In light of your decision to follow God, place your eyes squarely on Him and love Him
Do not be anxious for your life — You may take thought for your life…plan for it and work to make a living. But, never be anxious for the attainment of the things we need to live.
“Jesus urges that men free themselves from the grasp of the money-god (or devil) and also from undue anxiety because of the absence of money.”
Anxiety does not provide for the necessities of life. It can never produce them. In fact, we know that anxiety injuries the body instead of helping it.
So we have a choice be anxious for your life or don’t be anxious for your life. Worry over paying the bills…or don’t.
But how? How can we let go of the worry???
Birds and Flowers
Birds and Flowers
Jesus uses two illustrations to demonstrate how much God cares for us and just how rational the idea of trusting God with the things we need to live.
Bird — God provides food for them because He deems them to be valuable. If He considers birds valuable what must He think of us, His children???
We can confidently expect God’s care for our life because of how much value God places on us.
We work…the farmers listening to Jesus sowed, reaped and stored their crop…but to put confidence in their work rather than God would be foolishness.
Dependence upon self or anything of the world is to trust in something or someone who is fallible, limited and uncertain. When we rely upon God for what we need to live we are relying on One who is perfect, unlimited and certain.
God who is perfect has placed great value upon us and promised to meet all of our needs. Could there be any more secure place than this?
“Oh, that we would be as good as the birds in trustfulness, since in dignity of nature we are so “much better than they!” — Spurgeon
Stature/Time — Can you make yourself taller by worrying? Can you add one moment to your life by worry? What power is in worrying to change things? It is an absurd idea to think there is any power in anxiety or worry.
So why do we worry about things we cannot alter? Anxiety makes no contribution to the quality or quantity of life.
An average person's anxiety is focused on : 40% -- things that will never happen 30% -- things about the past that can't be changed 12% -- things about criticism by others, mostly untrue 10% -- about health, which gets worse with stress 8% -- about real problems that will be faced
Flowers/Clothes — Some worry for the need of clothes and others fret over the style of clothes. Solomon was the richest of all men who ever lived and yet the lily of the fields were more beautifully and perfectly clothed than he.
The lilies are thrown into the fire to cook bread…it has a temporal existence upon this earth. We on the other hand have eternal life.
If God so clothes, makes beautiful, that which is temporary, will He not take even greater care to make sure we have clothes to wear? To be sure all of our material needs are met and met in a way which exceeds what He does for the flowers here today and gone tomorrow!
Why oh why do we struggle to have faith big enough to overcome fear and doubt? Why can we not have a committed trust in our Lord so that we might overcome our anxious thoughts?
“Little faith” is not a little fault; for it greatly wrongs the Lord, and sadly grieves the fretful mind. To think the Lord who clothes lilies will leave his own children naked is shameful. O little faith, learn better manners!” — Spurgeon
Anxiety is a lack of trust in God. We may not want to hear that and it may strike horror in us to own it…but…to be anxious means that we do not trust God for something in our life…whether that be money, clothes, food, a home, health, security, safety…whatever the case.
Again this does not mean we stop looking both ways before the crossing the street…but we realize it is not our vision or discipline to look which ultimately keeps us safe…it is God. God numbers our days and directs our steps.
Lacking trust in God makes your life like those who do not have a relationship with God.
Gentiles
Gentiles
Gentiles included everyone outside of the Jewish faith…all who lacked a relationship with the one true God Yahweh.
Unbeliever and believer alike have the same needs in life but the believer is meant to have a different kind of perspective and priority. We do not live for things nor do we occupy our mind and energy with the pursuit of them.
We trust God to provide for all of our needs according to His ability to do so. Philippians 4:19
And my God will supply all your needs according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
The unbeliever has no hold on God…no such expectation. They cannot pray and expect God to do anything for them.
God knows what we have need of and has committed His resources and ability to provide for our needs…our part is simply to trust Him to do so.
“Lord, enable me to be a non-anxious one. May I be so eager after heavenly I things, that I altogether leave my earthly cares with thee!” — Spurgeon
Heavenly Mindedness
Heavenly Mindedness
We serve, follow, love, have faith in and trust our God. Since He is taking care of our needs our mind can be devoted to bigger things…things of eternal significance.
We can focus on treasures in heaven. We can be a part of what God is doing and our part in His plan for this generation.
Seek First the Kingdom of God — Commit oneself to God above all else. Commit ourselves to His way of doing things and His Kingdom work above all other ambitions of life.
When we do this we can be certain God will take care of all the needs and necessities of life…but…if we choose to make our life about things and the pursuit of the necessities of life God will leave us to it…
God will allow us to feel the responsibility of earthly burdens and live after earthly treasures if we choose such for our lot in life.
The beginning of anxiety is the end of faith, and the beginning of true faith is the end of anxiety. — George Muller.
Take off the burdens of life…the struggles and let God have them. Let your concerns be of a higher nature. Let your thoughts be of a loftier sort. Place your attention on Christ.
Seek — Try to attain to His way of living and His work around us.
Do not be anxious for tomorrow — One way the enemy tries to get us off track is to have us borrow trouble from tomorrow. Often this is hypothetical or imaginary trouble…trouble that doesn’t even actually exist and never will.
God provides for our needs today. He gives graces for the trials, troubles and tribulations of today. If we borrow trouble from tomorrow we shouldn’t expect grace to fight that battle today.
The promise of God to provide for our needs is an ongoing, daily one. Let tomorrow’s potential stay right where it is and do not waste your time and energy on it today.
Conclusion
Conclusion
Decisions, decisions, decisions...
During World War II, Winston Churchill was forced to make a painful choice. The British secret service had broken the Nazi code and informed Churchill that the Germans were going to bomb Coventry. He had two alternatives: (1) evacuate the citizens and save hundreds of lives at the expense of indicating to the Germans that the code was broken; or (2) take no action, which would kill hundreds but keep the information flowing and possibly save many more lives. Churchill had to choose and followed the second course.
Isn’t it amazing and incredible that God has chosen, by grace, to allow us the privilege and opportunity to make decisions.
As a matter of the will we can choose to worry, borrow trouble from tomorrow and live for the necessities of life…or…Trust God for all of our needs, focus our eyes on what’s in front of us today and live for Kingdom purposes.
We can choose to make life about the pursuit of things or the pursuit of God and His work in the world around us.
What will be your decision? Will you lay down your cares and worries? Will you lay down the weight of the world? Will you trust God and stop the worry?
Pray and intentionally seek God first…commit yourself to Him and His way of doing things above all else.
Pray and trust Him for everything you need