Matthew 6:19-34 – “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.  20 “But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; 21 for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.  

22 ” The eye is the lamp of the body; so then if your eye is clear, your whole body will be full of light.  23 “But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!  

24 ” No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.  

25 ” For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to 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, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?  27 “And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life?  28 “And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, 29 yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these.  30 “But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith!  31 “Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’  32 “For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.  33 “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.  

34 “So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” NASU

 

I would not have to make any remarks in this devotional for those verses say it all eloquently.  However, I believe that the Bible is a Book of Precepts, Principles, and Promises.  In this passage, spoken in the heart of the ‘Sermon on the Mount’, Jesus gives His answer to Life.  He opens the door and reveals a beautiful truth regarding His Love and Concern for each of us who follow Him.  He exposes the sham and fallacy of seeking anything above Him or other than Him.

The Principle and Message are vividly clear and not to be misunderstood.  The Principle taught throughout the Bible is “God Must Be Lord of All or He Is Not Lord at All.”  That truth glows brightly in this text.

We find in Deuteronomy 5:7 – “Thou shalt have no other gods before Me.”  Then in Matthew 22:37 – “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God will all thy heart, and with all thy soul and with all thy mind.”  In Luke 10:27 the words of Jesus ring loudly, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself.”  That is revealing and powerful for the honest and open heart.

THE CLEAR PRECEPT – – God Must Occupy the Top Place in Our Lives.

His character, nature, justice, love, mercy, grace, and righteousness will allow nothing less.  There can never be co-habitation between the Spirit of God and the spirit of the world or the devil.  There is clear evidence when God is occupying the Top Place in our lives and that is found in John 14:15, “If you love Me, keep My commandments.”  Obedience, we are told, is better than sacrifice.  We are admonished to Love God will our Entire Being, Heart, Mind, Soul, Spirit, and Strength.  If we love Him, we do everything within our power to walk in obedience.

In 1 John 2:15 we are instructed to “Do not love the world nor the things that are in the world.  If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.”  That is incredibly definitive, and some would call it black and white with no gray.  Evidence that God does not occupy the Top Spot in our lives is revealed in “not loving God with our all.”  It is revealed in “loving the world” its offerings, pleasures, and treasures.  When we allow the world to increase in our hearts God decreases and John the Baptist said beautifully, “He must increase, but I must decrease.”

 I want to address the order and emphasis of our Lord in this passage but will pause here and pick this up in another devotional.   Until then, may the rich and bountiful blessings of the LORD be yours.

I pray that this day will be rich and rewarding!