Rock’s tree peony (Paeonia rockii). The plant is grown up in a garden. Ukraine. by George Chernilevsky
Good morning, friends,
Well, another weekend has begun and with it a gaggle of children. Noah had some friends sleep over last night and Ella had a friend with her as well. As I reflect on the week, so much blessing came this week. I have prayed for the duration of our time here that our house would be filled with happy children and that I could begin to open my house to others and this week they came in packs. 🙂 It made me very happy to hear laughter ring through these walls. So long it felt like only tears, frustration and fear reverberated off these walls. It has been as if all the windows have opened, the sunshine broke through and spring is finally here. Praise God!
“Thus says the Lord Who made [the earth], the Lord Who formed it to establish it—the Lord is His name: Call to Me and I will answer you and show you great and mighty things, fenced in and hidden, which you do not know (do not distinguish and recognize, have knowledge of and understand).” Jeremiah 33:2-3 AMP
Dust sunbeams through tree by Fir0002/Flagstaffotos”.
25 Therefore I tell you, stop being perpetually uneasy (anxious and worried) about your life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink; or about your body, what you shall put on. Is not life greater [in quality] than food, and the body [far above and more excellent] than clothing?
26 Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father keeps feeding them. Are you not worth much more than they?
27 And who of you by worrying and being anxious can add one unit of measure (cubit) to his stature or to the span of his life?
28 And why should you be anxious about clothes? Consider the lilies of the field and learn thoroughly how they grow; they neither toil nor spin.
29 Yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his magnificence (excellence, dignity, and grace) was not arrayed like one of these.
30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and green and tomorrow is tossed into the furnace, will He not much more surely clothe you, O you of little faith?
Sunbeams by Fir0002/Flagstaffotos
31 Therefore do not worry and be anxious, saying, What are we going to have to eat? or, What are we going to have to drink? or, What are we going to have to wear?
32 For the Gentiles (heathen) wish for and crave and diligently seek all these things, and your heavenly Father knows well that you need them all.
33 But seek (aim at and strive after) first of all His kingdom and His righteousness (His way of doing and being right), and then all these things taken together will be given you besides.
34 So do not worry or be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will have worries andanxieties of its own. Sufficient for each day is its own trouble.
God’s specific instructions:
- Don’t be worried about your life: eat, drink, clothes
- Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness
- Do not be worried about tomorrow
Seek first His kingdom…
Seek (zēteō)..
1) to seek in order to find
a) to seek a thing
b) to seek [in order to find out] by thinking, meditating, reasoning, to enquire into
c) to seek after, seek for, aim at, strive after
2) to seek i.e. require, demand
a) to crave, demand something from someone
kingdom (basileia)..
1) royal power, kingship, dominion, rule
a) not to be confused with an actual kingdom but rather the right or authority to rule over a kingdom
b) of the royal power of Jesus as the triumphant Messiah
c) of the royal power and dignity conferred on Christians in the Messiah’s kingdom
2) a kingdom, the territory subject to the rule of a king
3) used in the N.T. to refer to the reign of the Messiah
With these definitions in our back pocket, we can find some answers! Crave, demand, seek in order to find His royal power, kingship, dominion and rule in your/my life. How about it? Beginning your day with the cry out prayer of asking for Him to guide you in seeking first His kingdom, asking His Spirit to fill you, guide you and move you towards His purposes for your life.
Promises in Matthew 6
- Your Father feeds the birds of the air..are you not worth more than they?
- If God clothes the grass of the field..will He not much more clothe you?
- Your heavenly Father you need all these things
Let’s look through some other verses that encourage our faith and trust!
Philippians 4:19 And my God will liberally supply (fill to the full) your every need according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
God will give you all you need. Christ Jesus’ glory and riches will give you all you need. 🙂
Philippians 3:7 But whatever former things I had that might have been gains to me, I have come to consider as [one combined] loss for Christ’s sake.
8 Yes, furthermore, I count everything as losscompared to the possession of the priceless privilege (the overwhelming preciousness, the surpassing worth, and supreme advantage) of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord and of progressively becoming more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him [of perceiving and recognizing and understanding Him more fully and clearly]. For His sake I have lost everything and consider it all to be mere rubbish (refuse, dregs), in order that I may win (gain) Christ (the Anointed One),
9 And that I may [actually] be found and known as in Him,not having any [self-achieved] righteousness that can be called my own, based on my obedience to the Law’s demands (ritualistic uprightness and supposed right standing with God thus acquired), but possessing that [genuine righteousness] which comes through faith in Christ (the Anointed One), the [truly] right standing with God, which comes from God by [saving] faith.
His kingdom, His glory, His riches:
- a priceless privilege of knowing Jesus
- becoming more deeply and intimately recognizing and understanding Him clearly and fully
- winning/gaining Christ
- righteousness comes by faith in Christ
- truly right standing with God..by saving faith in Him!
One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek, inquire for, and [insistently] require: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord [in His presence] all the days of my life, to beholdand gaze upon the beauty [the sweet attractiveness and the delightful loveliness] of the Lord and to meditate, consider, and inquire in His temple.
5 For in the day of trouble He will hide me in His shelter; in the secret place of His tent will He hide me; He will set me high upon a rock.
6 And now shall my head be lifted up above my enemies round about me; in His tent I will offer sacrifices and shouting of joy; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the Lord.
7 Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud; have mercy and be gracious to me and answer me!
8 You have said, Seek My face [inquire for and require My presence as your vital need]. My heart says to You, Your face (Your presence), Lord, will I seek, inquire for, and require [of necessity and on the authority of Your Word].
Oh, Lord, I love this!
- seek so that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life
- to behold and gaze upon the beauty of the Lord
- instead of fearing: I will offer sacrifices and shouts of joy, singing praises to the Lord
38 Now while they were on their way, it occurred that Jesus entered a certain village, and a woman named Martha received and welcomed Him into her house.
39 And she had a sister named Mary, who seated herself at the Lord’s feet and was listening to His teaching.
40 But Martha [overly occupied and too busy] was distracted with much serving; and she came up to Him and said, Lord, is it nothing to You that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me [to lend a hand and do her part along with me]!
41 But the Lord replied to her by saying, Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things;
42 There is need of only one or but a few things. Mary has chosen the good portion [that which is to her advantage], which shall not be taken away from her.
if we look at what Mary was doing: who seated herself at the Lord’s feet and was listening to His teaching. Look at the word: feet (pous),It is used in phrases expressing subjection, 1Cr 15:27, RV; of the humility and receptivity of discipleship,Luk 10:39; Act 22:3; of obeisance and worship, e.g., Mat 28:9; of scornful rejection, Mat 10:14; Act 13:51. Washing the “feet” of another betokened the humility of the service and the comfort of the guest, and was a feature of hospitality…
Mary was seeking first His kingdom and Jesus was commending her on her choice.
Pray on, beloved. Pray on.
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