Verse of the Day 6/9

Through the Bible - 2 Chronicles 31-33, John 19:1-16

 

Good morning,

We moved from Illinois to North Carolina about 5 years ago.  It has taken me that long to realize how prolific the vines are that grow down here.  I had not been diligent to seek out and remove some that had crept into our yard.  After several months of growing "unchecked" someone pointed them out to me.  They had actually killed one flowering bush and had damaged others.

 

Worry can be like that in our lives, it can choke us, rob us of enjoying life and living it how God intended it to be.

 

For today's verse we'll go to Matthew 6 to a verse that we should be familiar with but we easily forget.

Matt 6:25 "That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn't life more than food, and your body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds. They don't plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren't you far more valuable to him than they are? 27 Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?   NLT

 

Far from adding a single moment to our lives, iworry can rob us of precious moments.  Can you think of examples of how it does so, how it has done so in your life?

 

John MacArthur writes, "Worry is basically the sin of distrusting the promise and providence of God, and yet it is a sin Chrisitans commit perhaps more frequently than any other.  In the Greek, the tense of Jesus' command includes the idea of stopping what is already being done.  We are to stop worrying and never start again."

He continues, "The English term worry come from an old German word meaning to strangle or to choke.  That's exactly what worry does - it's a type of mental and emotional strangulation that probably causes more mental and physical afflictions than any other single cause."

 

Powerful words and true.  Looking back or looking at your life, have you allowed the vines of worry to creep in and take hold in your life?  If so, call on God to remove the worry and the doubts.  Through Him we can be overcomers and remove those doubts that can rob us of joy that can be experienced even in the trials of life.

 

Why worry when you can pray, trust Jesus, He'll be your stay.  Don't be a doubing Thomas, rest fully on His promise, why worry, worry, worry, when you can pray.

 

We'll read about Thomas in tomorrow's New Testament reading.

 

In Christ,
Mike
mikevw@bellsouth.net
More tools available at: http://mikesvotd.blogspot.com
Eph 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace  NIV

 

Teaching about Money and Possessions

 

Matthew 6:19 "Don't store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. 21 Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.

 

22 "Your eye is a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is good, your whole body is filled with light. 23 But when your eye is bad, your whole body is filled with darkness. And if the light you think you have is actually darkness, how deep that darkness is!

 

24 "No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.

 

25 "That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn't life more than food, and your body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds. They don't plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren't you far more valuable to him than they are? 27 Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?

 

28 "And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don't work or make their clothing, 29 yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. 30 And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?

 

31 "So don't worry about these things, saying, 'What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?' 32 These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. 33 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.

 

34 "So don't worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today's trouble is enough for today.