Matthew 6:33 – “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”  NASB

I confess I hesitate to use a single verse as my text for this devotional because the preceding and subsequent verses are incredibly germane and vital for the full understanding and impact.  However, I will focus on three words, “But seek first…”  This is not meant to say, “just seek anything but something specific and that is God, His kingdom, and His righteousness.”  He must become the prime pursuit of our lives and must be sought before and above everything or anything else.

There have been countless messages, sermons, and exhortations regarding the need and value of Commitment and Dedication to God.  The warning cry of men of God for generations has been to beware of putting anything before or above God.  There have been urgent pleas week after week from pulpits around this world seeking to inspire and encourage people everywhere to see that which is the most important in life. 

There is something or someone that is to be placed above everything in life and that is God!  There is something or someone upon which or whom or Eternal Existence depends and that is God!  The message of Jesus in this declaration is not just valuable for the believer it is vital.  It is not simply a suggestion, but a declaration of not only what God desires but that which will produce the most incredible victory we could ever experience this side of heaven.

The declaration of Jesus, “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and…” is important. The “and” is a vital word in this truth.  It reveals the benefits of following the directive.  It reveals the natural benefits and the material benefits, but it also reveals the eternal and spiritual benefits.  There is nothing in life that is more important than the Presence of God and In His Presence, we find Hope, Peace, Joy, Forgiveness, and the incredible Provision of His Promises.

Sadly, far too many stop at “seek first the kingdom…”  Rather than seeking His kingdom often they are investing themselves, their time, energy, money, talents, and abilities into developing a kingdom of their own.  A kingdom of recognition, fame, fortune, influence, power, and things.  In that kingdom, God is often forced to the sidelines or out of the picture entirely.  The world and even the church are filled with Kingdom Seekers, but not His Kingdom and His Righteousness. 

I must tap the brakes lest I appear overly negative.  I do not believe that everyone in the church or even most of the people in the church are in that position and condition. Far too often we relegate God to the Emergency Button Position.  We seek Him as we would break the glass in case of an emergency.  We talk to Him in times of trial rather than making Him the most important and first sought after of our day. 

When I meditate and muse on this passage, I see several things clearly suggested:

• Something is to be Sought.
• The Priority of that which is to be Sought.
• The Benefit of Obedience.

Over the next couple of devotionals, I will focus on those three things, and I hope you will join me and then take it far beyond what I suggest as you meditate, muse, consider, and ponder this passage again and again.

I am going to pause here and declare that in the next devotionals we are going to consider the question, “WHAT ARE WE TO SEEK?”

May the LORD richly bless you and create a hunger and thirst in your heart as you prepare your hearts to “Seek First, Him, His Kingdom, and His Righteousness.”   May your day be rich and filled with His presence and His blessings!

Matthew 5:38-48

As we move forward in considering what makes a Christian distinctively different from a non-Christian, I believe we need to be reminded that the Early Church specialized in brotherliness and not only loved fellow believers but outsiders as well.  That brings us to another dimension of their demonstration of love and that which made them distinctively different.

THEY LOVED THEIR ENEMIES…

That is a big pill to swallow, and I find many believers and professing Christians who find that almost impossible.  But they hurt me!  You do not know what they did!  You are right, I may not, but God does and if you consider what was done to Jesus, your argument falls apart rather quickly.

Loving our enemies or those who hate us and have harmed us is something the person of the world not only does not do, they do not want to.  I had a person tell me regarding another person, “I could not love him, even if I wanted to.”  The last part of that statement is revealing and identifies the root of the problem.  Yet, a genuine Christian not only wants to, the love!

In our text verses 44-45, Jesus drove this message home, “But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, ⁴⁵ that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.”  He repeated that message in Luke 6:27 and 35.  The staggering truth implied is that if we do not want to, we are not genuine followers of His.  That may anger some, and that is not my purpose, but I want all of us to be free of hate and to walk in love.

I offer an addendum you are not asked to like or condone their sinful ways.  You are commanded to love them.   Jesus practiced that kind of love.  Remember His words on the Cross, “Father forgive them; for they know not what they do”?  Stephen exemplified that quality, praying as he was being stoned, “LORD, lay not this sin to their charge.”  That is genuine Christian love.  It is to love the brethren, love those outside the faith, and even love our enemies.  That is only possible if we have an overriding love for God!  Christ in us, the hope of glory!

THE EARLY CHURCH NOT ONLY WANTED TO FOLLOW JESUS THEY WANT TO REPRODUCE HIM IN OTHERS…

They sought to inform everyone of the Good News of the Gospel. They wanted to introduce everyone to this glorious Good News and bring them to the new birth experience.  They wanted to include everyone.  They took to heart the words that “God is not willing or desirous that any should perish but come to everlasting life.”

That was a costly goal and mission.  There is a wide gate that leads to destruction, and it is the easy way, but it leads to death.  The way to life is the straight gate and the narrow way, but it leads to everlasting life.  There is a measure of self-denial and cross-bearing that we must embrace.  There is no cheap, easy, instant way to be a mature Christian, but love motivated them and they persisted and persevered.

That goal is a top priority with the Father.  The disciples and believers were motivated by God’s love, and they were committed to Him regardless of their plight or suffering.  Some of them were stoned to death.  Some were sawn asunder which is a picture of being tied with ropes and ripped apart as horses pulled in opposite directions.  They were tempted and slain by the sword.  Some experienced poverty and were persecuted.  Yet, they demonstrated the Love of God in all things.

The difference was they were not stopped by those things but counted it an honor to suffer for Jesus.  They did not seek suffering but when they did, they rejoiced.  They never prayed for escape, but for opportunity, boldness, and courage.  Remember in Acts after the apostles had been beaten by the Sanhedrin their prayer was beyond human reason.  They prayed, “And now, LORD, behold their threatenings…”  Who was threatening them?  The same people who crucified Jesus.

They continued, “grant unto your servants, that with all boldness we may speak your word.”  Wow!  The way of Christ is not self-preservation or ease but proclaiming the Good news and demonstrating the Love of God!

THEY HAD A HARD TIME BUT THEY HAD SOMETHING DIFFERENT… 

They had Joy Unspeakable and were Full of Peace and Glory!  They were full of God’s New Wine!  They were intoxicated not with alcoholic beverages but by the Spirit of God.  The apostle Paul had an incredibly difficult life but in prison, he could sing praises to God.  Nothing could rob him of his joy and the peace of God. 

Believers in fellowship with Jesus possess all that makes life worthwhile in both time and eternity.  My prayer is, “LORD, help me be a person who is different and manifests the love of God to everyone all the time!”  

Matthew 5:38-48

Now we will attempt to answer the questions raised in the previous devotional and particularly, “What is distinctive about genuine Christianity?”  In order to achieve that goal, we need to consider the character and characteristics of the Early Church.

THE EARLY CHRISTIANS SPECIALIZED IN BROTHERLINESS…

Simply, they out loved their pagan neighbors.  They specialized in love for one another.  In John 13:34-35, we read, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. ³⁵ By this everyone will know that you are my disciples if you love one another.”  In John 15:12, Jesus said, “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.” And in John 15:17, He said, “This is my command: Love each other.”

The Master Lover of All Time had taught them.  He who is love taught them about love!  How are we to distinguish a Christian from a person who is not?  “…if you have love one for another.”  There is no more powerful influence in the world than genuine love.

In 1 Thessalonians 3:12, this is exemplified, “May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and everyone else, just as ours does for you.”  Then in 1 Thessalonians 4:9, Paul clarifies,” Now about your love for one another we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other.”  That is the theme of the entire New Testament.

In Hebrews 13:1 the apostle Paul enjoins them to “let brotherly love continue.”  In 1 John 3:14-15, the apostle John gives a powerful definition.  He says, “We know that we have passed from death to life because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death. ¹⁵ Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him.”  Could anything be clearer?

Love drew people to Jesus and still does!

Additionally, They loved the outsiders as well.  If you reread vv. 43-44 of our text, you realize how important loving others is to God.  In Matthew 19:19 the LORD instructs us to love our neighbors as ourselves and it is repeated in Matthew 22:39; Mark 12:31; Romans 13:9; and Galatians 5:14. In Romans 13:10 we read, “Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore, “love is the fulfillment of the law.”  That is incredible!

Love bridged and bridges the gap.  Our world today is deeply divided or fragmented.  We are separated by seemingly impassable chasms of ideology, bias, and prejudice.  In Jesus’ day, the world was equally if not more divided, but those followers of Jesus bridged those chasms through their demonstrated love! 

They bridged the gap between men or people, between ethnicities, and between social classes.  They loved every human soul and demonstrably manifested that love.  It was not flowery words but actions that demonstrated their love.

I need to continue this a bit further but will pause here and pick this up in the next devotional.  Until then, may the blessings of the LORD be yours and the peace of God overshadow you.  Have a wonderful day!

Jeremiah 28:16 – “Therefore thus says Adonai: I am about to send you away from off the face of the earth. This year you will die since you have spoken apostasy against Adonai.” TLV

I realize that speaking of death has morbidity that many reject and avoid like the plague.  However, it is a reality that each of us will face, therefore a topic that we should not fear.  I want to look into my title question, “What if this year was your last?” In doing so, I hope to challenge our hearts to learn to live life to the fullest and be the most productive and useful for the Kingdom of God possible.

The sandfly is born at daylight and dies at dark.  That is a long life for the sand fly.  Man lives, 70, 80, 90, or more but those years are far too short for a being made in the image and likeness of God.  The average person spends their time learning one art, one trade, one profession, and everything else is postponed. 

Occasionally, there is another Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Mozart, or Einstein who masters architecture, sculpture, painting, music, science, civil engineering, and all in one life.   In the world of literature, Samuel Taylor Coleridge was unique.  At his death, he left one hundred manuscripts carefully outlined and with big promise, but not one of them was complete.  Lord Shaftesbury, Anthony Ashley Cooper, was the leader of his generation in philanthropy.  He worked for coal miners, chimney sweeps, orphans, and castaways.  But while dying, he said that he had just started his reforms.

There is so much to do and so little time to accomplish all our hearts and minds desire.  The goal and drive to ‘do something’ that abides and outlives you are escribed upon most hearts.  We want to leave a lasting legacy.

We go to the museum and see bird tracks fixed in sandstone.  They left a lasting impression.  We can visit the old Warwick Castle in England and find dented helmets, broken shields, and nicked swords, all used by King Alfred’s men.  These remain though the men who wore or used them have long since departed this life.

We can visit the Egyptian room of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and see mummies that are yellow and dry.  Those mummies would crumble at the touch of a finger and beside them, there are seeds of wheat that ripened three thousand or more years ago.  Wherever we go and whatever we see brings to light that man, at his best, is temporary and mortal. 

THE LIFE OF JESUS, ON EARTH, WAS AN ABBREVIATED LIFE…

The consciousness of this was a catalyst that drove Him to work as no other has ever worked.  Every day he felt the pressure of that reality.  He said, “I must work while it is yet day.” (John 9:4) He kept no office hours and did not limit Himself to a 40-hour workweek.  Often, while others slept, He prepared Himself for the next day in prayer.  Jesus knew as we know that He was accountable for all that He did.  He had an assignment and he focused on it constantly.

The sense of the brevity of life should make every day precious to us.  The knowledge of the limitation of our time here on earth demands order and time management.  It should cause us to refuse aimlessness.  We cannot afford to drift!  The world cannot afford for us to drift!  We have a mission and a commission! 

Can you imagine the scene if a person approached an airline ticket counter and asked for a ticket?  The agent would ask, “What city?”  But the response would be, “It doesn’t matter, any city will do!”  Sadly, multitudes of people live their lives in exactly that manner.  They seem to be on a mission to kill time and get a new thrill’

There are multitudes who drift from the beach to the casino.  They jet from Broadway to Paris.  They float from cocktail party to cocktail party.  Their chief ambition, killing time and seeking a new thrill, is their biggest enemy and problem. It is purpose that turns a mob into a regiment.  It is thought and motive that organizes sounds into a song.  It is a blueprint that makes a pile of bricks a building. 

What mercy will there be for the trifler on the day of judgment?  May God help us to realize that this time we have on earth is a precious commodity not to be wasted.  It is time for the world and the church to hear the Gospel Truth from the pulpits and over the airwaves.  Life is too short to allow it to be lived without purpose, unorganized, and aimless. 

I want to address this further and will in the next devotional, but for now, I pray that the LORD of Hosts will enlighten your minds to see the value of your days here on earth. 

May His Blessings be yours today and every day!

Ecclesiastes 11:3-4 – “If the clouds are full, they empty out rain upon the earth.  Whether a tree falls to south or north, the tree lies wherever it falls.  ⁴ Whoever keeps watching the wind will not sow and whoever gazes at the clouds will not reap.” TLV

John 19:19-22 – “Pilate also wrote a sign and put it on the execution stake. It was written, “YESHUA HA-NATZRATI, THE KING OF THE JEWS.” ²⁰ Many Judeans read this sign, because the place where Yeshua was executed was near the city; it was written in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek. ²¹ The ruling kohanim of the Judeans were saying to Pilate, “Don’t write, ‘The King of the Jews,’ but that He said, ‘I am King of the Jews.’”

²² “What I have written, I have written,” Pilate answered.” TLV

We have considered the Wind Watcher and the Cloud Watcher Christian, the pitfalls, problems, and solutions and now we will consider the last of the three types of Christians I mentioned at the outset.

THE FAITHFUL THROUGH IT ALL…

This is the person who receives the Word of God, receives the Pardon of Jesus, and is Born-Again.  They live a life of consistency and prayer is a cornerstone of life for them.  They are faithful to the LORD in all things and at all times.  Their focus is the Person, Power, Provisions, and Promises of God.  They have Vision. They have Hope.  They have resolved to completely surrender their entire being to Jesus.

They are a picture of the Psalm 1 believer and demonstrate the life expressed in Psalm 126:6 – “Whoever keeps going out weeping, carrying his bag of seed, will surely come back with a song of joy, carrying his sheaves.”

This person sees the wind and is not deterred because they know that God is All-Powerful.  They see the clouds and remain confident that God is their keeper and deliverer.  They sow in hope and reap in joy.  They know that it is God who gives the increase and their responsibility to obey.  They are anchored in the Rock and although night approaches and darkness surround them, they Trust!

The writer of Proverbs offers a warning that this believer receives and embraces, “There is a way that seems right to man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.”  They know that the easy way may not be the right way.  They live in the light of the truth of James 1:2, “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials.”  Why?  Because they embrace the rest of the passage expressed by James that testing produces endurance and the perfect work of endurance is spiritual maturity and full provision by the God of all creation.

The directive that Obedience is better than Sacrifice resonates in their hearts and they, like the three Hebrew Children before Nebuchadnezzar, “we know our God can, but even if He does not deliver us, we won’t bow before anyone but Him.”

It is imperative that we remember we are saved by Grace!  We need to remind ourselves that through Jesus we can do all things!  We must never forget that there will be trials, tests, and temptations in life.  But hold to the truth of 2 Corinthians 12:9 where Paul relates the promise of Jesus,” My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.”

Remember the words of Jesus in Mark 9:23, “All things are possible for one who believes!”

As we conclude I urge you to hold in your heart and mind that your Life is a book being written.  What you write you write!  The conclusion can be ‘Victorious Through Christ.  Overcomer by the Blood of the Lamb’ or it can be “Defeated in the end or stopped before you started.’

If you are finding it difficult to live victoriously then I urge you to run to the Cross and surrender your entire being to God.  Allow the Holy Spirit to enable you to abide in Jesus and allow His Words to abide in you.  Be transformed by the renewing of our mind and think on things above not be sidetracked by what you see in the here and now.  Return to the well of living water and drink.

God bless you as you write the book of your life by His Grace!  May the Grace and Peace of God go with you each step of the way!

Ecclesiastes 11:3-4 – “If the clouds are full, they empty out rain upon the earth.  Whether a tree falls to south or north, the tree lies wherever it falls.  ⁴ Whoever keeps watching the wind will not sow and whoever gazes at the clouds will not reap.” TLV

John 19:19-22 – “Pilate also wrote a sign and put it on the execution stake. It was written, “YESHUA HA-NATZRATI, THE KING OF THE JEWS.” ²⁰ Many Judeans read this sign, because the place where Yeshua was executed was near the city; it was written in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek. ²¹ The ruling kohanim of the Judeans were saying to Pilate, “Don’t write, ‘The King of the Jews,’ but that He said, ‘I am King of the Jews.’”

²² “What I have written, I have written,” Pilate answered.” TLV

Yesterday we considered the first of three types of Christians – ‘The Wind Watcher’ and discussed the perils and problems in that type of life.  We also addressed the solution.  Today I would like to delve a little deeper into this discussion and consider additional types of Christians.

THERE IS THE CLOUD WATCHER…

This is a little different from the Wind Watcher in that this person is a born-again believer who sowed regardless of the wind.  In their zeal, they forged ahead even when the winds of adversity blew upon them.  They demonstrated faithfulness and a willingness to tackle any situation.

Then something happens.  The harvest is planted, and they have watched it grow and observe the fruitful field and fruit on the plants of life.  Then, like Peter when walking on the water, they see something that frightens them.  They see the clouds begin to form over the harvest and fear grips their hearts. 

Paul warned in Galatians 6:9, “let us not grow weary in well-doing; for in due season we will reap, if we faith not.”  Maybe it is battle fatigue and they have lost sight of the weapons of warfare provided for the believer in Ephesians 6:11. They fail to put on the whole armor of God which enables them to stand. (v.13).  They have forgotten the counsel to “be strong in the LORD, and the Power of His Might.” (v.10).

In life, we are all disappointed and let down by people.  They make mistakes, we all do.  But we must hold close to our hearts the truth of Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me.”  We must remember that the battle is not our but the LORD’s.  What we do, we do as unto Christ and through Him. 

The Cloud Watcher is defeated at the end even though he had a good beginning.  Good beginnings have merit, but it is not the one who runs but finishes who receives the prize.  Jesus said in Matthew 10:22, “He that endures to the end shall be saved.”  But defeat is defeat whether at the beginning or the end.  However, it is even more tragic after having run well to falter with the finish line in sight. 

We are told in 2 Corinthians 9:24 this powerful truth, “Don’t you know that in a stadium the runners all run, but one receives the prize?  Run in such a way that you may win!”

There is a passage in Jeremiah 12 that is challenging and inspirational.  “If you raced with those on foot and they wore you out, how can you compete with horses?  If you are secure in a land of peace, how will you do in Jordan’s thickets?”  If adversity hinders you, your trust is in what you see not what God has declared.  It is time to repent and return and enjoy the Provisions, Protection, and Promises of God. 

I want to take this one more step further and will do so in the next devotional.  Until then I pray that the LORD of Hosts will guard and guide you each step you take.  

Blessings be upon you!

Ecclesiastes 11:3-4 – “If the clouds are full, they empty out rain upon the earth.  Whether a tree falls to south or north, the tree lies wherever it falls.  ⁴ Whoever keeps watching the wind will not sow and whoever gazes at the clouds will not reap.” TLV

John 19:19-22 – “Pilate also wrote a sign and put it on the execution stake. It was written, “YESHUA HA-NATZRATI, THE KING OF THE JEWS.” ²⁰ Many Judeans read this sign, because the place where Yeshua was executed was near the city; it was written in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek. ²¹ The ruling kohanim of the Judeans were saying to Pilate, “Don’t write, ‘The King of the Jews,’ but that He said, ‘I am King of the Jews.’”

²² “What I have written, I have written,” Pilate answered.” TLV

Each of us is writing a book of our life!  Some books are written by people who have no control over or first-hand knowledge of what is taking or has taken place.  Others are written by people very much involved such as in an autobiography. 

Our life is a book, and we are the authors, well we are the writers and hopefully, we allow God to be the author.  Each day a new page or pages, even chapters are inserted into that book.  There is only one drawback, we cannot erase the pages or events. We cannot, in our own strength change the outcome.  The only eraser is “The Blood that Stained the Old Rugged Cross.”  We are writing our book of life and the outcome depends upon our relationship with Christ Jesus our LORD!

I want to consider three types of Christians in this devotional message.  I am trying to be honest and realistic in my approach and hopefully, it will benefit not hinder.  I pray that I will not be so abrasive that I lose my readership and that these words will resonate in the hearts and produce the desired fruit.

THERE IS THE WIND WATCHER CHRISTIAN…

This is the person that lives based on the storms of life produced by the enemy of our souls, the devil.  This person is always looking for that perfect day to do anything.  Any obstacle, opposition, or resistance keeps him at home.  The slightest breeze of adversity prevents this person from venturing out into the sea of life to fulfill the purposes or assignments God has issued for his life.

This person sees two Gods and elevates the devil to equal status with the Almighty Creator of all things.  They forget that the devil is also a created being not Omniscient, Omnipotent, nor Omnipresent.  That attribute belongs only to God, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  This person has not grasped the revelation and truth that the devil was defeated by Jesus on the Cross.

This person allows public opinion to be their barometer.  They seek acceptance and the approval of men rather than God.  They esteem social acceptance as their criterion for action.  They are always inconsistent, up, and down depending on the winds of life.

If you are or have been a wind watcher, I pray that you will run to the Father in repentance and allow the Holy Spirit to inscribe upon your heart the truth that God is faithful and no matter the adversity HE IS!  If you want to change the ending of your biography you need to allow Jesus to have control of your life and banish fear from your heart.

I want to address this further but will pause here until the next time.  May the rich and bountiful blessing of the LORD be yours today and every day!

Proverbs 3:5-6 – “Trust in Adonai with all your heart, lean not on your own understanding. ⁶ In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” TLV

Last time we took the first step in discovering the key to winning victory over anxiety and worry.  Step one was “Trust in the LORD will All Our Heart.”  Now I would like for us to take more steps toward the ultimate goal of ‘Deliverance from Anxiety.’

LEAN NOT TO YOUR OWN UNDERSTANDING…

Let me ask, “What person has the ability or intelligence to guide their own life successfully without God’s help?”  If you are an unbeliever, then you may take umbrage at that statement. However, I believe it is the truth and verified in both the Bible and life experiences.

In Isaiah 55:8-9 we read God’s answer, “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways.”  It is a declaration of Adonai.  ⁹ “For as the heavens are higher than earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.” TLV Also in Proverbs 14:12 we are warned, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.” TLV Additionally, we find the powerful revelation in Jeremiah 17:5-7 – “Thus says Adonai: “Cursed is the one who trusts in man and depends on flesh as his arm, and whose heart turns from Adonai.  ⁶ For he will be like a bush in the desert.    He cannot see goodness when it comes but will dwell in parched places in the wilderness—a salt land where no one lives.   ⁷ Blessed is the one who trusts in Adonai, whose confidence is in Adonai.”  TLV

If you continue reading in Jeremiah, you find that that person will be like a tree planted by the waters with its taproots in the river of life not fearing what may come and will be productive regardless of what is happening around him or her.  THAT IS POWERFUL!

My challenge or question is, “Why depend on our ability when we have the Promise and Provision of God’s ability?”  He is ready and willing to help, lead, guide, protect, and defend.  Trust Him!

IN ALL YOUR WAYS ACKNOWLEDGE HIM AND HE WILL DIRECT YOUR PATHS…

Paul told his son in the faith, Timothy in 1 Timothy 4:12 to be an example of the believer.  In Psalms 37:23 we are told that “the steps of a good man or ordered of the LORD.”  Then in Isaiah 30:21, we hear that incredible promise, “Your ears will hear a word behind you saying: ‘This is the way, walk in it.  When you turn to the right, or when you turn to the left.”  THAT IS INCREDIBLE!

God has promised to supply all our needs (Philippians 4:19).  He has promised to be with us always. (Hebrews 13:5).  He has promised to protect us. (Exodus 19:4; Psalm 23:1, Psalm 91, Psalm 100:3, and many more.)  And the capstone of His Promises is that He is coming back for us (John 14).  We are instructed to disallow a troubled heart of fear and worry to dwell in us.  We have His great and precious promises backed up by His person.  Therefore, as a believer, we have no reason to worry.  If God is in control, what could we possibly have to fear?

Worry is not a product of faith or salvation it is an attack by the enemy attempting to shipwreck our faith and ruin our lives.  Worry is rooted in confusion and fear with the devil being the author of that fear and confusion.  God is not the author of confusion but peace and confidence.

Remember this simple truth – God is Not Worried!  He knows the end from the beginning, and nothing is impossible with Him.  He is well able to handle whatever we face, so Why Worry?  Who is the LORD?  Is His arm shortened that He cannot save, heal, deliver, protect, and provide?  As the old song says, “Trust and obey for there is no other way to be happy in Jesus but to trust and obey.”

God bless you as you walk in His Peace on this day and every day!

Proverbs 3:5-6 – “Trust in Adonai with all your heart, lean not on your own understanding. ⁶ In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” TLV

Anxiety, worry, or fretting is a problem!  It is a problem that all have had or will have at some point in their life.  I am extremely grateful to the LORD for His wonderful grace and goodness to me.  This passage has a deeply personal meaning to me for it was the key passage that brought me to salvation.  It was meaningful then and throughout my years has been a vehicle through which God has revealed His Truth and Love powerfully repeatedly.  It has been a key in helping me be free of anxiety and live in peace.

The human mind has an element in it that requires divine deliverance or help to rid itself of before we can walk in perfect peace in all things.  That element is anxiety or worry!  I have known what I call chronic worriers.  They have a misplaced trust and misapplied confidence or lack thereof.  Until this element is overcome it deals almost constant misery to the person tormented by it.  It has been one of the enemies’ most effective tools to hinder the believer in his or her faith and development.

The writers of the Book of Proverbs frequently give keys to victory over worry.  That makes it a powerful book for study. 

• WORRY – – Can cause a person to become sick physically, depressed mentally, and hinders them from rising to the place of victory and power that God would have them enjoy in life spiritually.

• WORRY – – Hinders prayer by placing trust in the arm of flesh more than in the Omnipotent Creator of all things.  It trusts what it can see rather than what it cannot see.

• WORRY – – Is a deterrent to faith.  It loses hope before the victory arrives because it dwells in the realm of the natural disregarding the supernatural. Let me state something that we know but need to be reminded of – You were not born worried.

• WORRY – – Is often learned.  Parents who are worriers teach their children by example to worry and fret.  Parents who are chronic worriers demonstrate a lack of confidence in the faithfulness of God.

• WORRY – – Can be overcome!  It is overcome by the Word of God and Trust in the God of that Word. 

There are two types of things we should not worry about – Those we cannot control and those we can.  The writer of this Proverb reveals that spiritual victory is ours if we follow the direction offered.

TRUST IN THE LORD WITH ALL YOUR HEART…

That is 100%, complete and total Trust!  It is to place our lives, the entirety of it, all that we have, and all that we do in His hands.  It is to live a life of obedient expectancy.  We need to remind ourselves that we had to trust God for our Salvation.  We must develop confidence in God’s faithfulness and His ability to keep His Word.  We are to Trust in Everything!  We are to trust God in times of grief, joy, tears, storms, valleys, mountains, and sunshine.  Trust Always!

We are to trust God when the bills are paid and when they are not.  It is easy to declare that we are trusting God when everything is in place and no storms on the horizon.  We are to trust God when we are sick and when we are well.  We are to trust Him in times of prosperity and times of lack.  We are to trust Him when we are bubbling over spiritually and emotionally and when we are in a season of drought.

It is putting complete confidence in God.   We are instructed in 1 Peter 5:7 to “cast all our worries on Him, for He cares for you.” Also in Isaiah 26:3, we are informed that God “keeps in perfect peace the one whose mind is stayed on You.”  It is not always easy to rest in God, but it is a place He has provided for us if we will commit our entire lives to Him and relax in His Person, Power, Provision, and Promise. 

I want to take this a step further and will do so in the next devotional.  Until then, I pray that the Peace of God that passes all understanding be yours.  Have a Great Day!