Just be faithful and trust God

Good morning, everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Lighten up a little”

Our Bible verse for today: “So don’t worry, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’ For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you.” Matthew 6:31-33 (CSB)

Our thought for today: “Just be faithful and trust God”

Matthew 6:25-34 is part of the “Sermon on the Mount”. In this passage Jesus assures us that we have a Father in heaven who loves us deeply, cares for us more than we can know, and who has committed to providing for us. If we obey and honor Him, we can trust Him to care for us. He is sovereign over the affairs of our lives, He is all-powerful, and He owns the cattle on a thousand hills.

Although I love that passage and have always been reassured and comforted by it, my personal favorite (especially as I’ve entered the senior years) comes from Isaiah 46:4. This is my personalized translation of it: “Even to your old age and grey hairs, Jim, I am He. I am He who will sustain you. I will sustain you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.”

Ever since I became a Christian more than thirty-five years ago, I have strived to be faithful to God in acts of service, financial stewardship, and in overall lifestyle. Of course, just like you, I have been far from perfect, but I have tried. And God has certainly taken care of me. I have never been wealthy, but I’ve also never been homeless and hungry either.

Financial and physical concerns are a common source of worry and anxiety for people. They steal our joy. It’s impossible to be joyful and light-hearted if you’re fearful and anxious. Learning to truly trust in the goodness, mercy, and watch-care of your Father in Heaven is the key to breaking free from the bondage of being preoccupied with such matters. You still must do your part. God expects you to work hard, earn a good living, be a good steward, make smart money decisions, and give generously to help support His kingdom-building work. But if you are doing your part, and as-long-as you are seeking first His Kingdom and His righteousness, He will quietly and subtly take care of the rest for you. You will be provided for.

So, don’t resort to extreme measures like wasting money on lottery tickets, or gambling at the casino, or running drugs for the Mexican cartels. Also, don’t be like the guy who called and asked me to pray for him. He said, “I have an important meeting at a bank later and if everything goes right, I will be debt free and I will own everything I have. I’m so excited I can hardly get my ski mask on!””

Don’t be that guy. Just be faithful and trust God.

God bless,
Pastor Jim

(If you like what you are reading in these daily devotionals and if you would like more content from Oak Hill Baptist Church, join us on Sundays at 10:00 – in-person if you are nearby or, if you are geographically distant or if you just can’t make it, online at www.YouTube.com/@oakhillbaptistcrossville

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