I want to tell you two words right now
Don't worry
Now less you think that comes from me. Let me make a correction that comes from Jesus
In Matthew chapter 6
Verses 25 to 34
Jesus says three times
Don't worry
He says stop worrying in verse 25
31 and 34
Now you say but how practical is that given all that
we're facing the unknowns the crisis the sickness. Is that a practical
Expectation of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ. Well, yes it is because he
Commands us not to do it
We have a legitimate right for legitimate concern
What we don't have the right to do is worry. God does not expect us not to deal in reality
If you're sick, you're sick, if you're struggling you're struggling
But that's different than worry
Concern you own
Worry owns you
The believer should not worry
Now Jesus is not saying we shouldn't be concerned about the needs of life
He's not saying we shouldn't be concerned about
Food on the table clothes on our back a roof over our heads
But what he is saying is don't worry about these things
Worry is not a good thing worry is a failure to
Trust God and so we can sleep and we can rest in the Lord
Knowing that our God is still in control and he's on his throne working in our life
In fact, Jesus even goes a little deeper because he says if you controlled by worry
He says oh ye of little faith in verse 30 of Matthew 6
Many people believe in God who still worry
Because they have little faith
But now, how do you measure little faith how do you know
Well, if you're worrying and that's become your pattern, you know, you have little faith
And that's because of the size of your God
You see the size of your faith is tied to the size of your God
When you shrink God you automatically shrink faith
So if you and I have little faith
It's because we're operating with a small understanding and view of God
So the way you get more faith is not going faith hunting
The way you overcome worry is not by trying to tell yourself and talk yourself into not worrying. It is to expand your understanding
view of and submission to
God
Because when we grow him your faith will grow with it and your worry will shrink
and become responsible
concern you know our problem
We believe in a God who we do not understand as a father
We hear it in our prayers o great father and God creator of the universe
Who spun creation into being simply by the voice and word of his mouth. All of that's true
He says that I want you to look at him as a father
When it comes to not worrying
He says I want you to look at him as a father and understand that this father cares for you
Philippians 4 says when you attempted to be anxious
That's an invitation to pray
So you always know he's supposed to pray because it always should be connected when you're tempted to be a worrier
And get your growing
focus on God
Who is able to calm your fears
So I want you to calm down
You don't live in panic when you know you have a Heavenly Father if you want to get over your worry
Here's what I want you to do verse 33
And seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added to you
He can't be second
The moment you put God in second place
You've removed him from engagement with your life
Seek ye first the kingdom of God. God must be put in priority
But not just could you say the word God is first in my life. That's
nice religiosity
No, he must be functionally first
not philosophically first
He must be
functionally first not merely verbally first and how do you know when God is first
Because he takes priority in your decision-making
When you have to choose
What you will do or won't do he wins
the choice if he does not win the choice. He's not first no matter how often you use his name
And what should we be looking at when we put him first it says seek ye first the kingdom of God
His rule in your life
God's kingdom is his rule
That he gets the final
Decision over everything that has to do with you that makes him first
Seek first the kingdom of God in his righteousness
Put God first in your life put God first in your priorities
Put God first in your marriage put God first in your singleness. Put God first in your career put God first in your
finances honor the Lord let him have his way in your life
And God's plans for you are better than your plans for yourself
Don't be afraid to commit an unknown future to a known
God put God's kingdom first and turn your panic into prayer
If you don't want to live in fear anxiety
And worry put your concerns in the hands of God
He does not want to be one of many
He wants to be prioritized over the highest priority you have in your life
Because when you have to make a choice
You choose him or his way of doing things. That's why you ought to seek first his kingdom and his righteousness
His righteousness is his standard. What is his standard on
This issue. What is his standard on my life? What is his standard on my relationships? What is his standard on my self?
what is his standard on this thing I want to do what is his standard and when I submit to his standard
And relate to him as my father
Because it's a relationship thing
Not just doing it because he says do it. He's a
relationship God wants a relationship
And he wants a close one an intimate one with you
He says when you do this I got you and does that mean there won't be challenges?
No, because then there would be nothing to pray about does that mean it won't be trials?
No, because that means there's nothing you have to trust him for but it says that you will not face those trials by yourself
They actually would become opportunities
It's much more helpful, if you'll stop asking why
Why is this happening and start asking what what do you want me to learn
What do you want me to become
How can I grow from this how can I become a better woman
How can I become a better man through this crisis. Yeah, I'm being tested
I'm not gonna worry about the why why doesn't really even matter
What matters is what what am I going to become and what am I going to learn from this situation
The devil means to defeat you with these problems, but God means to develop you through these problems
He wants to defeat you satan, but God wants to develop you
He says
So do not worry verse 34 about tomorrow
For tomorrow will care for itself for each day has enough trouble of its own
Most people are crucified between two thieves yesterday and tomorrow
Do you know
Today is the tomorrow
You worried about yesterday
Today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday
So let yesterday go
Trust God for tomorrow
And be at peace
With him right now
If he has you here today believe he's got you today
You plan for tomorrow
But you live by faith today