Anxious?

"No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money. "Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?    (Mat 6:24-25)

I am astounded at the "therefore."  Jesus has called His hearers to a point of decision, Mammon or God.  It's a hard choice in that our service to Mammon can be so very very subtle and has roots running deep into our flesh.  We can make the good choice but that only initiates the hard work of "rooting out" Mammon-ness.

But having called them to a point of decision He goes on as though they had indeed made the right choice.  He is telling us, "Having chosen God over Mammon do not be anxious about your life."  then he enumerates many of the things we do ge anxious about.  I hesitate to see this list as definitive (that is limited only to what is here) but rather I am tempted to expand it this way:

"Do not be anxious about those material things you need God to provide so that you may serve and honor Him while you are here."

I am reminded of Abraham when he was called to sacrifice Issac.  I can think of no greater "hard place" to be than the one he found himself in and yet he states:

Abraham said, "God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son." (Gen 22:8)

As i read this I wonder if we might consider that God will provide Himself with what is needed for His children to live in obedience and service.  The twist here is that God is providing it for Himself to us for His glory and honor.  Hope that's not too weird I don't want to start a theological fuss!

But if everything God does (and calls us to do) is for His glory - can't we see that he is providing it for Himself to us so we might glorify Him?

He KNOWS what we need - we THINK we know what we need.  See the difference?

Jesus asks a question we need to prayerfully consider and seek the Spirits guidance concerning:

"Is not life more than.....?"

Isn't it?  Really?

Please know I am aware of how tough a question that is and how so very much works to keep us from accepting this and living it out.  I am especially aware at how parents struggle so very much to raise their children to know this and live this.  We are in prayer for you all - please be in prayer for us as well.

msanders.bc@gmail.com

KingSHIP 001

"KingSHIP"  001 
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Gloom and Doom - Doom and Gloom

They're really nothing new and other than the fact they make everything very uncomfortable, they're not out of God's sight or withdrawn from His concern and attention.  But Satan loves to scare the children of God and get their eyes off the Master and on to the Mess.  Well, let's not be tricked by that - OK?

As you begin your new 365 consider:

  Luke 12:22-31 ESV
And he said to his disciples, "Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on. [23] For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. [24] Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds! [25] And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? [26] If then you are not able to do as small a thing as that, why are you anxious about the rest? [27] Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. [28] But if God so clothes the grass, which is alive in the field today, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! [29] And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried. [30] For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them. [31] Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you.

Consider verse 26 especially:  "If then you are not able to do as small a thing as that, why are you anxious about the rest?"

The key here for me is, "why are you anxious about the rest?"  My response to God is a resounding, "Becaue of three reasons:  First, I'm a weenie.  Second, I still think I can and need to make it all work.  Third, it's not that my faith is weak - it's more like I don't use it first but wait until I've tried all my ideas first."

Instead of anxiety (not the neurochemical kind ;-}) He calls us to: "Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you."

Remember the song, "Don't worry be happy"?  Well, he seems to be saying, "Don't worry get busy (specifically busy!)"

"Seek His Kingdom!"  Proposed:  There is no real difference between God's Kingdom and His Kingship - so we can legitimately use either term - Ok?

So, the alternative (and perhaps the remedy) for anxiousness is Kingdom/ship seeking.  Mmmmmm - that's a pretty big seekiing.

But let me suggest that you consider that it all begins with "ship" and you.  What I suggest is that we first seek to live out His King SHIIP over us - individualy and uniquely before we run off trying to do the King DOM thing.  

So, we begin a series on SHIP KingSHIP which, on the other end of the stick, is submission as vassals to the King.

I'll try to keep these brief - just hints and suggstions from scripture and my own turbulent seeking.

First step:
James 4:7 ESV
Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Second step:
James 4:8 ESV
Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

Just consider and pray about these imperatives and NEVER forget -----

2 Peter 1:3-4 ESV
His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, [4] by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.

Peter’s Pen 1st Peter 2:1-3

1Pe 2:1-3  So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander.  (2)  Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation-(3)  if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.

Peter has repeatedly affirmed our assurance in Christ and is now moving us into some practical and surprising areas of living out our faith.  He has already called us to love one another earnestly based upon our union with the Lord.  Now he moves on.

“put away”

No, this is not “work” but it is part of our growth in Christ.  We are never called to do what we cannot – but we cannot without His power. 

When we read a command or an admonishment, we are often tempted to put it on “the” list and dig into the “doing.”  Though the high motivation is a good thing springing from a pure heart, the rushing into the “doing” might not be so wise.

Commands or directives are not challenges thrown out for us to “prove” our love for Him.  Rather, they are intended to draw us closer to Him first seeking His direction and power to obey.  If commands and directives are intended to “prove” anything, it is to prove that we need Him and that He is faithful to provide what we need from Him to follow.

In Romans 1:5 Paul writes about, “obedience of faith.”  Many a late night has been spent where the meaning of this is debated and analyzed.  But if we can just accept the simple fact that faith (trust) changes our actions, we will be a lot closer to understanding what Paul is saying.

Jesus calls us to “trust” His faithfulness and His power and His love for us.  He calls us to “do” so we might be in a better position to see His trustworthiness.  The more we act, trusting Him, the broader and deeper our trust grows.  I have trusted Him (not always well) for over 30 years and He has never failed me.  Where the bumps in the road come for me is in not paying attention and acknowledging that in every circumstance and situation He has been the source of any and every ability to obey.  

Just this morning I was mulling over our present circumstances and wondering whether we had provision for the future.  I had to laugh at myself because we have much more provision for today than we could ever need.  All our needs are met in Him today – I can rest in Him – today.  But friends, today is all we ever have.  Tomorrow is just impending today – when it gets here, it will be today.

I’d love to write about our souls longing for eternity – an eternal “today.”  But I’ll save that thought.

Peter calls us to, “put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander.”  Now we might – possibly – be able to put away these things on occasion, but Peter nails all of us when he says we are to put them ALL away.  That ALL is the clincher – the crusher. 

I don’t even see these things all the time – I engage in them and then later remember.  If I don’t notice them ALL, it’s not likely I’ll put them all away.  Here comes faith/trust!  He can enable me to notice and stop.  He can make me sensitive to their potential in every situation.  He can shut my mouth and ears. 

Peter tells us how to embark on this “putting away.”

V 2:  Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation-

“Like” new born infants!!!!!!!  How dependent is a new born?  That’s how dependent we are to be upon Him.  But, what’s  great is that what we need is provided – we need to desire it!  It is, “the pure spiritual milk,” that we grow by.  Milk – “Got Milk?”   What in the world is Peter talking about?

1Co 3:2  I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready,

Heb 5:12-14  For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food,  (13)  for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child.  (14)  But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.

Ahh – perhaps this is why Peter ends this reference to milk with, “that by it you may grow up into salvation.”

Jesus is a gentle teacher and a loving friend.  He knows we are weak and frightful.  He knows everything about us – and He provides us with what we specifically need when we specifically need it.  In this instance, we need “milk” to grow us as we “put away” these sinful things. 

Remember, the picture here is of infants not big strong strapping adults.  Remember, too, that this is not just about our bodies but about our hearts and minds as well.  It’s called humility and it’s a tough thing.  We have to learn that we can’t – He can.  We need to pray that we will humble our hearts and accept our infantile needs in Him and allow Him to feed us that “milk” which we must have to grow.

Milk first and fundamental - as He shows you what and how and enables you to do so.

I suspect that the toughest part of this whole passage is:

“Like newborn infants”