SEEK YE FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD

Newsletter 188 - April 10, 2010

Bob Mills

I don’t remember where I read it first, but the quotation went somewhat like this. “Show me a man’s check stubs and I will tell you how seriously he takes the Lord’s work.” I know it did not come from me first, but it is very true. I make a spread sheet of all my banking and it reveals a lot; the source of all my income, and where it is spent. If one were to add a log of every day’s activities, even more would be revealed. Our lives are open books, nothing is hidden from God. Jesus knew Judas Iscariot was a thief, right down to the last penny. He knew Judas had arranged to betray him, and how much he had been promised. He knows exactly everything about every one of us, and he still loves us. He loves the most vile sinner, for he knows what he is capable of being, and doing. He knows why he made them as they are.

His disciples represented a cross section of mankind. There was a thief, there was a tax collector, there was one so unstable that he was called a little pebble stone, one was a doubter. Each has his own weaknesses, but it is not what they were, it is what they became that counts. Jesus also knew that.

WE WORRY INSTEAD OF TRUSTING HIM

Luke 12:22-34 (King James Version)

22 And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on. (Luke 12:22-31, Matthew 6:25-33)

23 The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment.

GOD WILL CARE FOR HIS OWN

24 Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls? (Job 38:41, Luke 12:18)

25 And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit? (Psalm 39:5)

26 If ye then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for the rest? (1 Kings 10:4-7, 2 Chronicles 9:3-6)

27 Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

28 If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith? (Matthew 6:30)

JESUS SENT THE SEVENTY OUT ON FAITH

29 And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind. (Matthew 6:31)

30 For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things.

SEEK FIRST HIS KINGDOM

31 But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you. (Matthew 6:33)

32 Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. (Matthew 14:27John 21:15-17, Ephesians 5:9)

33 Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth. (Matthew 19:21, Luke 11:41, Luke 18:22, Matthew 6:20, Luke 12:21)

34 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. (Matthew 6:21)

It is natural for anyone to feel uneasy when he lacks a sense of security. Jesus is pleased when we place our trust in him.

This a lesson that I have difficulties with, so you can imagine how uneasy I was recently when bringing my spread sheet up to date I saw that it had dropped to a very uncomfortable low balance. God was showing me that He cares and will provide. Surely enough a few days later it was restored to a much more acceptable balance. God sees, and he cares when we trust Him.

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RESOLVE TO READ THE BIBLE THROUGH AGAIN IN 2010


APRIL

11th. Sunday – Deuteronomy 25, 26, 27, Luke 13, Psalm 44:1-12

12th. Monday – Deuteronomy 28, Luke 14, Psalm 44:13-26

13th. Tuesday – Deuteronomy 29, 30, 31, Luke 15, Psalm 45:1-9

14th. Wednesday - Deuteronomy 32, Luke 16, Proverbs 9:13-18

15th. Thursday – Deuteronomy 33, 34, Luke 17, Psalm 45:10-17

16th. Friday - Joshua 1, Luke 18:1-17, Psalm 46

17th. Saturday – Joshua 2, 3, Luke 18:18-43, Psalm 47:1-8

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THIS WEEK'S SCRIPTURE

“Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.”

Luke 12:40
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RIVALARIES...

A first-grade teacher explains to her class that she is an New England Patriots fan. She asks her students to raise their hands if they are Patriots fans too. Not really knowing what a Patriots fan was, but wanting to be liked by their teacher, their hands fly into the air.

There is, however, one exception. Kelly has not gone along with the crowd. The teacher asks her why she has decided to be different. "Because I'm not a Patriots fan" she reports.

"Then," asks the teacher," What are you?"

"I'm a New York Giants fan," boasts the little girl.

The teacher asks Susie why she is a Giants fan.

"Well, my Dad and Mom are Giants fans, so I'm a Giants fan too," she responds.

"That's no reason," the teacher says. "What if your mom was a moron, and your dad was an idiot. What would you be then?"

Kelly smiles and says, "Then I'd be a Patriots fan."