Tag: Matthew 6:33
Know What to Ask God For
Scripture reading for August 6: 2 Chronicles 1:9-11 “O Lord God, let Your Word to David my father be now fulfilled, for You have made me king over a people as numerous as the dust of the earth. Give me now wisdom and knowledge to go out and come in before this people, for who can govern this people of Yours, which is so great?” God answered Solomon, “Because this was in your heart, and you have not asked for possessions, wealth, honor, or the life of those who hate you, and have not even asked for a long life, but have asked for wisdom and knowledge for yourself that you may govern My people over whom I have made you king, wisdom and knowledge are granted to you. I will also give you riches, possessions, and honor, such as none of the kings who were before you, and none after you shall have the like.”
God appeared to Solomon right after he was installed as king of Israel in place of his father David. He told him to ask Him for whatever he wanted the Lord to give him. Solomon could have asked for many physical things that would have given him pleasure and peace or a long life, but instead he asked God for wisdom and knowledge that would empower him to govern God’s numerous and great people. This prayer of faith pleased the Lord and He granted Solomon his request. In Solomon’s seeking God’s wisdom and will, God also added to him riches, honor and possessions. When we please the Lord and seek His kingdom and righteousness, everything we have need of and more will be added! (Matthew 6:33)
This passage also reminds us of a New Testament passage written by James, a half-brother of Jesus. James states “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, Who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.” (James 1:5) As we are dealing with healing, often our greatest need is wisdom and knowledge of how to proceed and our part in walking with faith and patience. Jesus Christ is our greatest source of wisdom from God as well as our righteousness and redemption. (1 Corinthians 1:30) Even when we don’t know how to pray, the Father’s Gift, the Holy Spirit Who lives in us can help us to pray. We build up our faith by praying in the Holy Spirit! (Jude 20) Let’s learn to ask for what pleases God.
Kind, gentle, and patient!
Scripture reading for October 3: 2 Timothy 2
“So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome, but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.” 2 Timothy 2:22-26
Paul wrote plainly to his ‘son’ in the faith, Timothy concerning the conduct of a minister of the Lord Jesus Christ. Although Timothy was young, Paul instructed him to flee from typical youthful passions and to instead focus on pursuing righteousness, faith, love, and peace. The kingdom of heaven is not eating or drinking, but righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. (Romans 14:17) Jesus taught His disciples that they should first seek the kingdom of heaven and God’s righteousness instead of seeking after food, clothes, or worldly riches and fame. (Matthew 6:33) God promises to take care of His children and provide for their needs as they humbly depend on Him.
In addition to this, ministers of the Gospel must not be quarrelsome or contentious. The humble and gentle heart of Jesus (Matthew 11:28-30) must be allowed to develop and be shown in kindness and gentleness to all, even to opponents who are mean or obnoxious. As Jesus patiently endured evil towards Himself, His disciples also must patiently endure and seek repentance and forgiveness for those who are opposing. God’s heart is that none perish but all come to the truth about Jesus and enter eternal life. It is God’s goodness reflected in those who minister the Gospel that draw even hardened opponents to Jesus for healing and deliverance from Satan’s snare.
Have you experienced or observed ministers of Jesus Christ who reflect the kindness and gentleness of Jesus to those opposing them? How would you evaluate your own application of these instructions on how to treat those that may oppose you or Christ’s message? Would others see Christ in your actions?
Prayer: Father God, thank You for clear and simple instructions and Christ’s example on how to live by love and faith in peace with others. Fill me with Christ’s Holy Spirit today and help me to reflect Your goodness and gentleness to those who even oppose you. Increase my patient endurance. Amen.
Divided priorities fail
Scripture reading for January 8: Matthew 6
“”Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. . . .No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”” Matthew 6:19-21, 24
Our world is obsessed with accumulating the ‘treasures’ of this earth. We have basic needs of food, clothing and shelter and should be concerned about those, but our appetites always outpace our basic needs. As I began my life on the farm with a new wife and a degree from a state university, my goal was to become a big farmer and find success. We started out small and began to accumulate land, animals and equipment. Borrowed money was used and debts grew as well. Then the economy took a turn and interest rates skyrocketed. I learned that the borrower becomes a slave of the lender! (Proverbs 22:7) That’s when our Lord revealed to me the truth that I couldn’t serve Him and ‘money’. My heart was tied up in worry about the things and money and not in worship and love for God.
But thanks be to God, He loved me enough to call me to follow Him. He called me to come to Him and learn His ways. He taught me that if I would seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, everything I truly needed would be supplied in my life! (Matthew 6:33) He taught me dependence on Him for my daily bread! (Matthew 6:11)
Where is your ‘treasure’ laid up today? Is your heart divided trying to serve two masters? Have you given all your love and devotion to your true Master Jesus Christ? Are you worried about your daily needs?
Prayer: “Our Father in heaven, hollowed by Your Name. Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” Amen! (Matthew 6:9-13)
Give careful thought to your ways!
Scripture reading for September 25: Haggai 1-2
Have you ever struggled with priorities? Mary and I had just about gotten our children through college and the last one was ready to get married. We were enjoying our first senior pastorate in Lacey, Washington and an empty nest. We loved to go antiquing and sight-seeing on my day off. None of those things were sinful and we were having a good time. Then God spoke to us through a missionary and our friends about enlarging our family by adoption. To be honest, that choice did not initially look like something we wanted to do. We wrestled with it for some time, before becoming settled on the Lord’s will and priority for our lives. It was not easy, but has been the most rewarding blessing!
Haggai was speaking to people who had chosen to come back from Babylon and rebuild the temple and Jerusalem. Initially, these people had the right priority but they drifted away from the priorities that once motivated them and began to focus on themselves, their own houses, and family needs. They neglected the house of the Lord! (Haggai 1:2-4) Haggai spoke to them from the Lord: “Give careful thought to your ways. You have planted much, but harvested little. You eat but never have enough. You drink but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it.” “Give careful thought to your ways. Go up into the mountains, and bring down timber and build a house, so that I may take pleasure in it and be honored, “says the Lord.” (Haggai 1:5-8)
Have you experienced lack of satisfaction and lack of fulfillment? It may be your priorities are out of whack like those who were in Jerusalem to rebuild the Lord’s temple. They had gotten their focus onto themselves and their houses and neglected God’s house! God was gently reminding them of their priorities. If we seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, everything we need will be added to us. If we try to grab what we need, even what we have will be lost! (Matthew 6:33)
We need to be about God’s business because a shaking is coming! (Haggai 2:6) God is going to shake the earth, sea, and all the nations of the earth. The ‘Desired of the Nations’ (Jesus Christ) is coming and will fill His house with glory! Jesus Christ did this in human form about 500 years after Haggai’s time. He will do it again during the millennial reign following the rapture of the church. The temple was the place of His first house and we are His temple today! “”The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house,” says the Lord Almighty. “And in this place I will grant peace,” declares the Lord Almighty.” (Haggai 2:9)
The disciple’s prayer pattern
Scripture reading for July 6th: Matthew 6
Key Scriptures: Matthew 6:7-14 “”And when you pray do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him. Pray then like this: Our Father in heaven, hallowed by Your Name. Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.””
In this Sermon on the Mount, Jesus covered many topics, but focused in on prayer. Prayer was not to be endless repetitions of empty phrases, but should be short and concise and focused on the basics of everyday life. Prayer admits dependency and begins with worship. The disciple is to know and address God as “Our Father”. They are members of a family where the Father is the provider, protector, and mediator of trouble. The Father has plans and purposes that family members know and support in agreement and unity. The Father instructs His children to forgive others their debts just as each of them has been forgiven. If there is no forgiveness, there is no understanding of God’s amazing grace and God cannot give us grace either. It is not salvation by works however, but always salvation and forgiveness by grace alone through faith in God’s mercy offered through the Cross of Jesus Christ. Asking and receiving are all by faith.
Matthew 6:33 “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.’
Faith confession and prayer: Father God, thank You for teaching us to pray simply for our basic needs. I need Your provisions for life and ministry, protection from evil and the evil one, mercy and forgiveness for my sins on a daily basis. I pray today this simple prayer: Our Father Who is in heaven, Hallowed by Your Name! Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For Yours is the kingdom, power and glory! Forever and ever! Amen!