Do Not Worry

Signs of spring!

This morning I read Matthew 6. Verses 25-34 are a powerful reminder that WORRY = faith in the enemy!

...Do not worry about your life, what you eat or drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?

And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin...

Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you ...

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

It's natural to worry (even though we say we don't!) because we're sinful beings. But Jesus wants us to remember that it's also sinful to lie awake or obsess about things over which we have no control. I'm guilty of that! Are you?

Thank God for the forgiveness He gives through Jesus, and for His promises of His constant presence (James 4:8), agape love (John 3:16), and His supplying of our needs (Matthew 7:7-8)!

Let's give our worries to our loving Lord. He is all-knowing and all-powerful. God wants only the best for His children. Let's walk hand in hand with Him today in trust.

Peace and joy in Jesus--

A 40-Day Journey

Yesterday, Ash Wednesday, began the Christian's 40-day journey in Lent, a time of repentance and remembrance, a time of reflection and thanksgiving for what Jesus has done for us. At the end of Lent, on Easter Sunday, we celebrate Jesus' resurrection and the new life He gives us.

God sent Jesus to earth as His own Son (Psalm 2:7; Matthew 3:17) and as Servant (Isaiah 42:1; Mark 10:45), "to give His life as a ransom for us." As we say we're sorry for our sins and ask for forgiveness, we can be sure of that free gift because of God's grace (God's Riches At Christ's Expense). Our heavenly Father bought us back from sin with Jesus' blood, and He adopted us as His sons and daughters, making us heirs of eternal life. Jesus died so that when our bodies die, our spirits will live forever with Him in heaven.

He helps us to be a servant to others as an outpouring of our love to Him.

Reflect on ways that you might serve others, and as you do so, you also serve the Lord. God's love will shine through you!

My song is love unknown, my Savior's love to me,

Love to the loveless shown that they might lovely be.

Oh, who am I that for my sake

My Lord should take frail flesh and die?

Here might I stay and sing, no story so divine!

Never was love, dear King, never was grief like Thine.

This is my friend, in whose sweet praise

I all my days could gladly spend.

(hymn text public domain; by Samuel Crossman, 1624-83)