Let’s get right to it, shall we?  What we think we need, spend enormous amounts of time to get, concerned that we will not get it soon enough or often enough takes up our being to the point that we think (and overthink) that what is needed is all up to us. 

You have heard it said, but I say to you…Jesus continues his teaching on the mountain side.  As he teaches, Jesus turns the tables of human thinking once more, turning our mountain of survivalist worry into nuggets of Truth from God.  He speaks Truth about God about His love and care for us.  Sometimes we focus only on the “do not worry” part and feel guilty that we cannot seem to stop worrying.  We worry about worrying!  Stop it!  Look and listen to the depth of Jesus’ teaching.  We sometimes bypass many other Truth statements in this passage that teaches us HOW to live more contented lives with God’s power and strength in us.  Each statement builds on the other, leading us to the heart of the matter.

1. We have a heart issue.  What our perceived needs are stem from what our hearts desire.
2. When we look for God, we will see Him and be filled with the Light of Truth.
3. Who do we serve?  Only God must be the answer.
4. Serve the One and Only who loves you most and will care for you with all you need. 
5. Seek God first, everything else will fall into a place of contentment and peace because of a building faith and trust in Him.
6. God knows us.  God knows what we really need before we know.
7. “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.” –Jesus

Playing the background of God’s Word to us is an old hymn, one of my favorites…Written by Thomas O. Chisholm in 1866.  His testimony to God’s faithfulness, love and care for us still speaks to our hearts today.  “Great Is Thy Faithfulness”

Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father
There is no shadow of turning with Thee
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not
As Thou hast been Thou forever wilt be

Great is Thy faithfulness, great is Thy faithfulness
Morning by morning new mercies I see
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me

Summer and winter, and springtime and harvest
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love

Great is Thy faithfulness, great is Thy faithfulness
Morning by morning new mercies I see
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside

Great is Thy faithfulness, great is Thy faithfulness
Morning by morning new mercies I see
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me

Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father…Amen!

Matthew—The Law Fulfilled

Matthew 6:19-34, NLT

Teaching about Money and Possessions

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 like a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is filled with light. ²³ But when your eye is unhealthy, 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 God and be enslaved to 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.

SO…

What is our real need?  What are we going to do about it?

Abba, Father in Heaven,

My real need is all of you in all of me.  I’m learning that the more of my life I turn over to you, the more your peace pours into my soul.  Worry drowns in the thought of your care and provisions.  My burdens are lifted knowing all of life’s concerns and perceived needs are not on my shoulders but in your scope of care. 

You are faithful and unchangeable in your Truth, your care, your love, mercy and grace.  You know me.  You made me.  You saved me.  You know what I need most.  And you give exactly what I need at the time I need it most.  There is no one like you.  Absolutely no one.  All my life is wrapped in You.  Help me to live in faith what I say I believe.  Yes, match my behavior, inside and out, with what I say I believe.  I believe in You.

In Jesus Name, Amen. 

All I have needed your hand has provided,

Great is Your faithfulness

Lord, unto me.