LEARNING DAILY

Matthew 6:25, "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?”

Pastor Ed Newton spoke on the words Jesus spoke to the people during the Sermon on the Mount. It is important to know He was speaking “to people who did not know where their next meal was going to come from” (EN). They were those today’s society would call poor; they lived from day to day. In the verses before this, Jesus had taught not to be preoccupied with wealth, but to focus their lives on the eternal rewards that come with believing and following Him. Being poor they may not have been too concerned with building wealth. Jesus told them that even though they might have little, they could become too preoccupied with material things.

Read on and Jesus pointed to the birds of the air, the lilies of the field, the grass of the field, and the Gentiles (unbelievers). He taught them “that the birds did not stockpile food; God provided for them each day. If God took care of the lilies, He would take care of them. Jesus pointed out that if He took care of those who did not follow Him, He would take care of them. God gives grace to even those who do not follow Him” (EN).

“Do not be anxious about your life.” Pastor defined anxiety as “being torn apart.” He said, “When people seek other things besides Jesus, it is like being torn apart. Trying to serve two masters causes one to become conflicted; once that happens Believers need to remember that God is the author of their faith. Will you follow your own way or follow God’s way?”

Matthew 6:31, “Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?” Pastor said, “Anxiety is fear without reason and worry is something specific that causes fear.” If there is ever a time to start worrying it is when one does not know where their next meal or clothing is coming from. “Worry leads a person to a place where he/she tries to fix the problem themselves, to be fixated on what cannot be controlled” (verse 27) (EN). Jesus is telling His listeners and readers of the Sermon on the Mount to, “Remember how big God is and what the Word says about Him; this places everything in the proper perspective. God is bigger than everything Believers face” (EN).

Matthew 6:33, “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” “Seeking” means to prioritize, to stay focused on God, and to keep being consumed by Him and His Word. Doing this is the foundation of making Him the center of your life. “When the Believer’s life works around the Lord everything comes together. When I take my eyes off Him, things go wrong because I am looking to myself. Seek His kingdom, His righteousness, His character. God always comes through” (EN).