Matthew 6 (Part 5) :25-34

But grab your Bibles and open them up to Matthew, chapter 6, as we are on our third trip through the Bible, and for the last seven months we've been in Matthew, so there you go. This time, I'm sure we won't get through before the rapture. I think I said that through the other two times, though, too. So that's how much I know, but we can always, you know, hope, right? Matthew chapter 6, I know this passage today isn't going to apply to anybody, so we're just going to read through it and talk about it, but it's about worrying, which I know you guys never do. So just bear with us as we kind of talk about things that really don't apply to our lives. Here we go. Beginning at verse 25, Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air. They do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Which of you, by worrying, can add a single hour to his life? And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin, and yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, what shall we eat, or what shall we drink, or what shall we wear, for the pagans run after all these things. And your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, open our hearts. Oh God, you know I was being facetious at the beginning, Lord. We all worry. And I pray that we'd really get a hold of what this passage says, and that we would begin to really, truly trust you. So just be with us and open our ears, open our eyes, open our hearts to hear your voice. In Jesus' name we pray, amen. Notice that this passage here in verse 25 begins with the word therefore. Whenever you see the word therefore, that means that what you're about to read is a summary of what has happened before. Now in terms of when Jesus gave this, this was just a few seconds ago. For you and I, those of you that were here last Sunday, this was a week ago. So let me kind of review just very, very briefly. You'll remember that Jesus was talking to us and encouraging us to think about some things in our lives. He was encouraging us to think about the things that we're living for. What are the treasures that we've put into our lives as being most important? What are we treasuring? What are we filling our lives with that we look at with our eyes? We talked about that last week. And who is our master? Have we made the Lord God our creator, our father as our true master of our lives? Or have we given in to other masters such as money? And we talked about how last week you can't serve two masters. Now he asked us to think about those things and to really ponder those issues. And then he begins this section by saying, therefore, but people, I want to make a very important point here, and this is really important that we get this. The verses that we've read today that begin with therefore do not worry are predicated upon coming up with the right answers to the questions that he's posed to us in the verses that we studied last week. That's why it's really a shame that these verses that we're looking at here today are often disconnected from the ones that came before them. You often hear people talking about, you know, hey, don't worry because God loves you more than the birds, man, and he feeds the birds, so he'll feed you, and he dresses up the flowers looking pretty sweet, so he'll take care of your clothing needs and all that stuff, so don't worry. But they don't often mention what came right before that. And the questions that are posed by Jesus and the answers that we give to those questions are vital to tying into this option of no worry. What I mean by that is, are your treasures in heaven or are they on earth? What are your eyes fixed on? The things, the treasures of the earth, the darkness that is surrounded the things of this earth, or are they fixed on the treasures of heaven? And then lastly, who is your master? Is it the God who created you or is it the wealth and pleasures of this world? Now if you answer those questions correctly, you can go on now and take hold of what Jesus says when he says, therefore do not worry. If you don't answer those questions properly, I don't care what you do. Worry is going to be your lot in life. You see, what I mean by that is that if your treasures are here on this earth, you've got a lot to worry about because they are so prone to disappearing. They're prone to thievery, they're prone to deterioration, remember all the things Jesus talked about? If your eyes are fixed on the things of this world, you've got a lot to worry about. And if your master is mammon or material wealth or the pleasures of this world, you've got a lot to worry about. And you can come to verse 25 and you can claim it all day long and it won't be yours. Because you haven't responded yet appropriately to the first portion of what Jesus is giving to us in this passage, which once again we studied last week. If you missed it, go to our website, you can listen to it there or watch it or whatever. But do you get the point of what I'm saying here? Jesus is giving us an option here of having a worry-free life. The option is there for you and I. We rarely tie into it, but the option is there nonetheless. But the option is predicated upon what came before. And that's why Jesus begins this section with, therefore. Now, having your treasures in heaven, therefore, having your eyes fixed and your passions, your desires fixed upon the things of the kingdom. And now, therefore, having God as the master of your life rather than mammon. Now, let's not worry about this other junk, okay? Do you see how it all ties in together? Do you see how you can't just pull up some of these promises of God's word without understanding the connecting points of them? That's something that people like to do. We like to kind of just, you know, I've said many times, we like to go through the drive-up window of God's promises and get our short order of whatever we're needing. You know, boom, boom, boom. And we don't even stop to think about what the long-term connecting points or what these are predicated upon. Sometimes we think because salvation is free, every other promise of God is free too. They are not. There are promises that are predicated upon other things. For example, we're going to see a little bit later on that the promise of God's peace is predicated upon you praying. I just really want the peace of God. Well, the Bible says pray. Pray your burdens at his feet. You know, you got to come to him. Jesus said, come to me, all you who are wearing heavy laden, and I'll give you rest. You know, we can't expect that we're just going to automatically have these things if we haven't responded to what the word has to say related to them. And again, these are the connecting points of God's promises. You got to connect A and B and C and get to the final sort of a deal. You know what I mean? So once again, remember that when you see therefore in the word of God, you got to look and see what that word is there for. It's just a good way to remember it. And it's there because it is pointing you to the information that has come previously so that now I can make a summary from that information and kind of give you the payoff. And the payoff is there is an option of no worry that is yours, but it is connected to putting your treasure in heaven, having your eyes fixed on the kingdom, and having the right master. So these are really, really important things. Jesus is going to talk. He talks here about worry. And you know, again, I'm not going to do something so ridiculous as to have you raise your hands in response to. Who all of us worries good grief we all do we already know that that's you know an exercise in dumbness But Jesus talks to us you'll notice here about worry connected to some of the most basic issues of life and that's eating drinking and being clothed and And you might think well, I don't worry about those things. Oh, don't you? That's how that's how Obsessed we really are with those things. We didn't think about how much we think about them We don't even notice how much we think about them. It is absolutely amazing when you stop and think about it, but but We think that oh, I worry about all kinds of other things. I but You'd be it's what you spend your time with and how you where your focus is. I Read this really interesting little It's kind of a quote, I'm not gonna put it up on the screen I'll just read it for you, but it's by one of my favorite authors and he was talking about this issue of What we're obsessed with in life, but he got this Complimentary subscription to a magazine right and it was called accent And I don't know I don't know if anybody ever heard of that magazine before accent It's actually the long name for it apparently was accent on good living. But anyway, here's his little kind of description I thought this was good. He says a few years ago I was sent a complimentary issue of accent a new glossy magazine the full title of which was accent on good living It included enticing advertisements on champagne food Clothing antiques and carpet together with the description of an esoteric weekends shopping in Rome We've all want to do that, right? there were articles on how to have a computer in your kitchen how to win a luxury cabin cruiser or 112 bottle cases of scotch whiskey and how 15 million women can't be wrong about their cosmetic choices. Can you hear the radio voice coming out a little bit there? I Used to do commercials like this anyway We were then promised in the following month's issue alluring articles on Caribbean holidays staying in bed high-fashion warm underwear And the delights of reindeer meat Do they really eat those and Snowberries, I don't even know what those are But here was his here was his quick comment summary at the end of it. You ready for this? He says from beginning to end in other words from cover to cover in this magazine It was concerned with the welfare of the body How to feed it? Clothe it warm it Clothe it warm it cool it refresh it relax it and entertain it Now you and I read that description do you think well, it's just about every magazine I possibly pick up and that sounds about like You know, I mean he missed a few steamy articles about Things we don't want to mention But they're always thrown in there too and right on the cover so that so as to draw your attention or how about this? 25 ways to lose 10 pounds in five days Or something like that, you know or how so-and-so lost her baby weight as if we care Of course those things do sell so I guess we kind of do Yeah, I think we're obsessed We think all the time About what to put in our mouth and what to put on our bodies whether it is clothing cosmetics hair color lotions or Whatever. All right Now, please understand something When Jesus tells us not to worry about those things. He's not Telling us to deny our physical needs. Please. Remember the Son of God came and took on a physical body During his ministry on earth. He had physical needs and he met them within the confines of propriety when Jesus says don't worry what he's telling you and I is not to become so engrossed in Physical needs that they become the high priority of our lives literally the reason for our living And so what Jesus does in this grouping of verses that we're looking at here today is he's going to give us Four reasons why we should not be worry warts All right. So here we go. Look at verse 26. We're going to find the first of the four reasons He says look at the birds of the air They do not sow or reap or store away in barns and yet your heavenly Father feeds them Are you not much more valuable than they so the first thing he tells us to do is to consider The birds and how amply they are provided By the Lord for all of their needs and he asks this simple question of you and I are you not? much more Valuable Are you not much more valuable? And so the first reason that we are not to worry according to Jesus Christ who is God in human flesh I mean, you can't get a better authority. You can't get a higher authority. The first reason is because God cares Now it's one thing for you and I or for me to say to you, by the way, God cares for you God cares for you and that's all that sounds good. And that might even make you feel kind of good. But when God himself in The person of his son Jesus Christ says to you God cares for you you you better believe it This is this is right from the horse's mouth you guys As it were and and and this is important for you and I to ask ourselves the question do I Be leave it because you see our worry often says something a little bit other than what? We like to confess as our belief system. Oh, I believe does God care for me? Yes. Oh, absolutely I if I you know again, I'm gonna mark that box that says yes on the test God cares for me Am I acting like he cares for me in my day-to-day life in the sense of what I'm how I worry? Well, not so much And that's really the reality of the situation. And so the very first reason is God God cares for us and and and by the way I think it's important here that we note to that Jesus isn't Suggesting that his that God's care for us as such that you and I can sit around You know the house all day long just wait for the groceries to show up on the doorstep Did you notice that he told us to look at the birds have you ever watched birds Have you ever watched They're busy. I mean they're fluttering over here and over there and they're just constantly looking and pecking and Finding food and stuff like that. They're busy and they're doing what they need to do But they're just taking advantage of what God's given them. They're not having an ulcer over the situation, you know they're not fretting over the thing and And and but they're just out getting what God has provided for them But there is a busyness to what they do and so Jesus says look at the birds and take note Isn't that interesting, you know when birds become our teachers? They literally become our instructors on how to just Take hold of what God has given you just get busy and take hold of it, right? So, you know, it's it's it's really kind of a neat picture when you stop and think about it But but Jesus is making the point that he cares for you More than he cares about the birds. So you have a greater reason To not give in to fretting. All right Peter said this Same basic thing. I'll put it on the screen for you from first Peter chapter 5 Chapter 5 it says cast all your anxiety on him. Why because he cares for you So, why am I gonna trust him why am I gonna lay my my worries and my frets and my anxieties on him because he cares He cares To listen to some people's prayers and I don't mean to be negative and critical. I'm sorry But you would get the impression that they are attempting to reach the heart of Someone who does not care and in fact has to be awakened to their need And that their purpose in prayer is to convince God to care I Mean hey, let's be honest even some of the biblical writers Cried out to God and said God don't you care? And I love that honesty. I really do. I love that just Gut level honesty from people who can just say, you know, I'm not really sure God cares But of course when that happens that's when we come back to the Word of God and we have to bathe our heart In the truth of his word and we need to remind ourselves. Oh, yeah, that's right. God does care He cares about my life and so you know what because he cares I'm gonna bring those things to him and I'm going to trust him with them All right, very important second reason we're not to worry is found in verse 27. Look with me in your Bible It says who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life. I like this I really do because Jesus is saying basically what goods are doing you did you ever stop to think about that worry? What good it does you I? I mean what profit is it? In your life and that statement of who can add a single hour to his life. That's just another way of saying What what is it profiting you? All it might take a few hours off your life possibly potentially But as far as adding to your life, it certainly doesn't add to the quality of your life. Does it? In any way shape or form it removes from the quality of your life so You can see that pretty much anything that that that worry does do it does in a negative way And what jesus is telling us here is that it is a waste of time And that's the second reason why we shouldn't worry. It doesn't profit us. It doesn't benefit us anything In fact, if anything it causes problems You know, there's a wonderful passage in the in the proverbs that talks about the person who trusts the lord In fact, it's that you know You guys most of you guys know proverbs 3 5 and 6 trust in the lord with all of your heart rather Lean not on your own understanding in all your ways acknowledge him and he will direct your paths Remember or make your path straight depending on which translation you read. Have you ever gone on to read the next few verses? It actually gives a physical description of the person who trusts god physically It says that it'll actually have an effect on their bone structure. Did you know that it's interesting too? Because a number of years ago when sue was pregnant she was going for one of her well baby checks at the doctor and she picked up a medical magazine that had a review or a Kind of a deal they a test they had gone through and they had tested people and their bone density Related to whether or not they were worriers or not Isn't that crazy people who had a high level of anxiety had a more brittle bone structure And so it said that some people who were 30 years old but were worriers had the bones of a 75 year old And you had some 75 year olds who were just kind of one of those people that just didn't worry I mean, they just it wasn't a common I mean they worried from time to time but not in the sense that it was it was a consuming thing And they had the bone structure of a younger individual Isn't that interesting that the bible? makes these scientific Physiological statements about the benefits of trusting god not worrying and putting your hope in him Isn't that great? I just think that's amazing Well Like I said It doesn't do anything good Then he goes on to speak of another reason for not worrying verse 28. Look with me There goes on to say and why do you worry about your clothes? See how the lilies of the field growed they do not labor or spin and the word spin refers to getting you know sitting down at a loom and Spinning yarn or spinning fabric or is something into fabric? It's actually still done today in some cases But it says yet I tell you that not even Solomon who was the richest man of all Whoever lived on the earth and with all his money and all his splendor Wasn't even dressed or your bible may say arrayed Like just one of these flowers and he says if this is how god clothes the grass of the field Which is here today and tomorrow in our case struck by lightning out in the fields Will he not much more clothe you and then look what he says here at the end. Oh you of little faith So the third reason for not worrying is it's contrary to faith In fact, i'll go as far as to say worrying is the opposite of having faith Because you see having faith means you're trusting in god worrying is not trusting in god And I understand all this stuff too Because i've been a master worrier in my time But when I began to realize That worry Was a lack of faith It didn't completely stop worrying my life, but it helped me to know what to do with my worry It helped me know what to do with it, this is very important you guys because i've noticed something about worriers We tend to just pass it off like it's a family trade or something You know, my mom was a worrier My grandma She was a worrier. We're all worriers We just worry You know and i'm a worrier too runs in the family And we do that in a sense of kind of justifying ourselves or explaining ourselves as to why we worry so much But the reason we do that is because we really don't know what to do with our worry We just kind of we have to just accept it. You know what they used to tell me when I was a kid Here's the word that the world uses about all the nasties that you and I are supposed to bring to god They tell us to cope You know paul you just need to learn to cope with that And i'll tell you something I want to gag on the word cope anymore Because my bible doesn't tell me To cope with the things of the flesh Here's the here's the thing I realized that my worry If it isn't faith Then it must be sin You might say well pastor paul, why do you reach that conclusion? I'll show you it's actually in the book of romans everything that does not come from faith is sin Well, that's kind of a smack in the face, isn't it? Everything that doesn't come from faith Is sin now follow me here because this revelation in my heart made a big difference for me Remember what the definition of sin is it means missing the mark? The mark is trusting god The mark is putting your hope and faith in jesus christ when you worry you miss the mark You miss the mark That is what sin means So everything that does not involve faith and come from faith is missing the mark. It's a sin Now, why did god tell us that? To make you feel bad To give you a bummer To make you feel depressed and discouraged heavens, no As believers, we know what to do with sin We Take it to the cross And we get forgiveness and there we find something else We find an element of the work of the holy spirit to strengthen us in that area. So we don't keep giving into that sin Anymore, you see this is why this was such a revelation to me at one point when god began to help me to realize paul your Fear is sin and you need to bring your sin to me get you know At the foot of the cross and you need to confess it and say father. I have sinned i've fallen short And then he says i'm right there to forgive you and the blood of jesus christ will keep washing you And cleansing you from all sin and then as you cry out to me I'm going to give you my holy spirit and i'm going to strengthen you so you do you don't keep falling into that area of sin See it's interesting, you know, we think about other sins and we think Well, I just really need to get you know, I I really need to get Stronger in this area of my life so I don't keep giving into this sin It could be the sin of this this this or this but we don't often put fear in that category We just say well, you know, i've got the sin of you know, anger and jealousy and i've got this once in a while I engage in the sin of like, you know Uh Really bad language and i've given into this and i've given into that and so forth And I really need god to strengthen me and i'm confessing those things so that god will give me His strength so i'll get over those sins But then we get into fear and we just kind of go. Oh, well, yeah fears fear. I mean you who? yeah, everybody fears and We never turn to him and expect that there's going to be a work of his grace in that area as well But there can be that's the exciting news That was the exciting thing that god began to share with me is there can be a change in your life related to Fear because you know, you know fear is one of those interesting things. It's like a knee-jerk reaction, you know Have you ever noticed that when something like kind of scary happens in your life? It's kind of like when the doctor comes and hits you right in that place in your knee and it kind of goes You know sort of a thing you can't help it. It just And fear is like that And fear is like that When something touches you at the place of of fear that reaction that response of our lives is just this like You know and it's like we can't even help it. We just kind of freak out But through the work of god's holy spirit as I confess that fear to him and as I trust him To make changes in my life. He can desensitize those points in my body or you know Symbolically speaking that are going to react to life and just naturally respond with this freaked out fear You know There can be changes We don't have to be Caught in that same level of fearful response That we felt like we always were God can help you because here's why fear is sin Trusting god is faith God wants you it is his will That you would walk by faith and not by fear. Do you guys understand what this whole Sermon on the Mount, I hope you're getting the essence of what the Sermon on the Mount is all about. It's all about being different than the world. It's all about showing a different attitude than the world. It's living a different life. Did you notice almost in every time Jesus makes statements, he always says, don't do it like they do it. Don't be like them. Here he compares us with pagans and he says, don't be like the pagans. He said that earlier about prayer. He said, don't pray like the pagans because they sit and go blah, blah, blah, thinking that they're going to be heard by their many words. And he says, don't be like the pagans in their worry either because they worry and they run after everything. Don't be like them. See, for us, it's kind of like it's the world. That's who we're talking about. Don't be like the world. The world is running around having a conniption fit, getting ulcers, ruining their lives, ruining their everything, their families, their health, their everything because they are so bound up and wound so tight about the worries of this world that they can't see straight. And you and I are supposed to be different because we're following Jesus Christ, not the world. And we are to exude that different reaction to life. Now, don't get all discouraged if you're kind of sitting there thinking to yourself, oh boy, I sure don't. I know, me too, but we're going to grow. We're going to change by the grace of God. We're going to start laying these things at the cross. We're going to come to Him for forgiveness when we give in to the temptation to fear and we're going to trust Him to change our hearts and to make what is weak into that which is strong. If we can't trust Him for that, we can't trust Him for anything. And so, this is another great reason. Now, he goes on to speak of another reason for not worrying. Verse 31. This is the fourth reason. So do not worry saying, what shall we eat or what shall we drink or what shall we wear? For the pagans run after all these things and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. And that's the other reason right there. The fourth reason is because God already knows. God knows what you need. He knows what you need. And He has already purposed to meet your needs. There is not one single need in your life for which God is unaware. Not one. And He has already purposed to meet that need. That was the point of telling you the story about the birds. He created them with needs. But He purposed to meet those needs. You have needs too. You and I. And He has purposed to meet our needs. And He knows what they are. So why do we worry? There is a little bit later on in Matthew. We are going to come to this passage in chapter 10. Jesus says, are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don't be afraid. He says, you are worth more than many sparrows. So I have to ask myself the question. Do I believe that? Or am I running around like the people of this world trying to make a way and make a way for myself in such a way as to have my needs met? Because I know as a worldly person that if I don't do it, nobody will. Or am I living like a Christian who says, you know what? I have a loving Father in heaven who knows my needs, cares deeply about them, and has already purposed to meet those needs, and so I'm going to trust Him. I'm going to trust Him and put my hope in Him and rest in Him. You know, it always amazes me when I go through worship and, you know, the songs that we did today. Oh, there's Aaron's gum. Okay. I was just going through and looking at the lyrics of these songs while we were doing worship, and I was so blessed because it just goes along. We were singing about what I'm talking about here right now and we were talking about how strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord. Do you know what waiting on the Lord is? It's trusting. Putting your hope in Him and just saying, you know what? I'm not going to scurry around and fix this thing on my own. I'm going to wait on the Lord. I'm not going to try to effect my own deliverance, remember? I'm going to let the Lord deliver me. He will not fade. You won't grow weary. You're the defender of the weak and so forth. And then in the next song we sang, deeply in love, you have stolen my heart. I'm captivated by you. Never will you and I part. I've fallen deeply in love with you and so forth, you know? I thought, wow, how desperately important that relationship is of just loving Jesus to learning to trust Him. Because, you know, let's face it, guys, you can't trust somebody you don't know. You know? You can't trust somebody you don't know. The more you get to know God, the more you have a personal relationship with Him, through Jesus Christ, the work of the Holy Spirit in your life, the more your ability to trust Him is going to grow. And that's why that song was really such a blessing. Anyway, I was just really just kind of tweaked, you know? I thought that was so cool. All those songs. We sing it. The question is, do we believe it? Now, you might have noticed that everything in what Jesus is saying about worry up to this point is all given to us in the negative sense or stated in negative terms. Do not worry. Do not do this. Do not, do not, do not. Now He's going to tell us what to do, all right? Look at verse 33. He says, but seek first. And those words are so vital. Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and all these things that the world thinks they have to run after and be all cranked up about. You're going to find that all those things are going to just come along without you worrying about it if you'll put your focus first on the kingdom of God. And I love this verse. I really do love this verse because it makes clear to you and I that not only are you and I to steer clear of pursuing the things of the world because they're empty and we know they're empty, but we're supposed to fill the emptiness with something that is positive. We're supposed to replace the empty pursuits of running after worldliness with the godly pursuit of running after things that are full and fulfilling and meaningful and eternal. And what are those things? The kingdom of God. Now, that's a wonderful thing, but what does he mean by that? I mean, it would be kind of dumb if I said here, if I kind of ended by saying, all right people, here's the answer. Seek first the kingdom of God. All right, let's pray. And everybody's walking away going, what does that mean? Seek first the kingdom? Guys, do you understand that every kingdom has a throne? Do you understand that on every throne there's a king? Do you know that the kingdom of God is centered around the rulership of Jesus Christ? When he tells you and I to seek first the kingdom of God, he's telling you and I to seek first the rulership of Jesus Christ. And what he's saying in essence there is that you and I are to seek, as a first priority of our lives, the willing, joyful surrender of each area of our lives to the lordship of Jesus Christ. That means my heart, my home, my marriage, my children and the raising of those children, my personal behavior in the private sector, my professional behavior, my finances, my desires, yes, even my thought life is to come under the lordship of Jesus Christ and that is to be the focus of my life. To make him lord. Okay? Not to try to fill up my life with all these things because I'm worrying about them. But to fill up my life with him and to ask myself the question, is Jesus Christ the lord of my life? And then I begin to categorize, or even the Holy Spirit helps me to see my life in these different areas. And you notice the wonderful thing about our God, he doesn't come to us and talk about lordship in this general universal sort of a sense because it would overwhelm us, right? He doesn't come to me and say, I will be lord of all of your life. Now give it all to me right now, right here. Sort of a thing, you know, I mean we'd freak out What does he do? He has this wonderful gentle way of speaking to us about? Whatever happens to be on the front burner, but he might come to you and say My child I love you with an everlasting love But the stuff that comes out of your mouth sometimes just isn't good and you need to surrender your mouth your tongue to my lordship Or he comes to you and he says, you know the the the The very little that you actually spend in any kind of devotional thought about my word Distresses me my child. I love you. I want you to be stronger in me I want you to surrender the area of your time So that you will give the proper time to me to worship and be in my word That place needs to be under the lordship of Jesus Christ as well And then it just goes on and on doesn't it and you know what our lives and it never stops You ever notice that it never stops. He just keeps talking to I think I got life kind of dialed in and he shows me one more area That I need to bring under his lordship. He says Paul. Here's another area. Okay. Good. Thank you. Here we go Time to do this again, right, you know, okay Then it goes just it runs the gamut How I speak to my wife how I speak to my children How I think about things You know what I put in my mouth even convicts me about that you wouldn't know it from looking at me but You know, it's just there's just it's just it doesn't but what is he doing? He's not beating me with a rubber hose He's speaking to me as a gentle Lord and he says you know what? Lordship is what this relationship is all about and you need to give yourself to me more and more every day More of you I want more of you and I'm not going to be satisfied without all of you Because I died for all of you. I gave my life not just for some of you but for all of you and I want you my son or my daughter To make as a first level of priority to seek the Lordship My lordship in your life. I want you to make that first I want you to crown that first put it on the the top priority level. It's it's about me. It's not about these other things It's about making me Lord And there's this wonderful sort of a response that comes from this We stop worrying We stop spending our time running after things that really in the final analysis aren't all that important and We find that the needs that are real genuine needs are being met by the Lord in Response to his word and all these things Will be added unto you and so forth So you see and you know, he said don't only seek the kingdom and seek his righteousness What does that mean is righteousness is just the heart of Jesus seek the heart of Jesus in every situation in every circumstance It's Simply saying I want you to be the Lord of my life. I want you also to be the first expression of my life to other people as well So here's the summary look at verse 34 in your Bible. This is the summarizes. How do we know it summarizes? It begins with that wonderful word therefore Therefore here's the summary Do not worry about tomorrow Why? Tomorrow isn't even here yet Don't borrow tomorrow's troubles Do that most of our fears relate to the unknown of what's gonna happen tomorrow. He says don't do that Tomorrow, you know will worry about itself every day has enough trouble So just deal with the issues that are going on today and so forth and just don't worry about those things So for those of you that were writing down those four reasons why we shouldn't worry I'll put them up on the screen here for you Just so you can kind of compare but number one the first reason we shouldn't marry worries because God cares for us and we need to Begin to believe that reason number two is it's a waste of time. It doesn't profit you anything thirdly He says it's contrary to faith Which of course means that it's a sin and you need to confess it and then reason number four is God knows Your needs and you don't need to tug on his pants so that he'll get his attention He knows and you can trust him Alright, let me end with one final passage from the book of Philippians and it says do not be anxious about Anything those of you that were wondering if maybe this whole worry talk was only about food and clothing Paul says no. No, no, it encompasses everything. Don't worry about anything but in Everything meaning in and in each and every difficult situation by prayer and petition Remembering to spend some time in Thanksgiving present your requests to God and then leave them there and Trust him That he's going to take care of you amen You You