“For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your soul, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?” Matthew 6:25.
But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Matthew 6:33.
Today your LORD (יהוה) God (אלהים) says:
You are not alone and never will be. I am with you. I will never leave you or forsake you. People walk away from Me, but I never walk away from you.
Even when Adam and Eve made the choice to stop fellowship with Me and to give their allegiance to another, I did not leave them alone, or any of their descendants. I kept providing for their lives and kept calling them to come back to Me and I have not stopped with their descendants down to this day. I keep calling you back to Me. And now I call you in and through My Son.
God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world. Hebrews 1:1-2.
I was there to help Adam and Eve, to sustain them, and to love them. The same was true for the Israelites who spoke ill of Me and refused to enter the land I had promised them. I gave them manna every day and water to drink for forty years in the desert. And I kept them clothed, not even their shoes wore out with all the walking they did and their feet were never swollen.
And all that has to do with today’s Life Lesson. Do not worry about provision for your spirit, soul, or body. I know what you need and I provide it. All look to Me in due season and I open My hand to you and every living being is satisfied. They all wait for Me to give them their food in due season. I give to them; they gather it up. I open My hand, they are satisfied with good. Psalm 104:27-28. I am there and I provide, Yahweh Shammah (the LORD is there) and Yahweh Yireh (the LORD looks ahead and provides). These are two of My Covenant promise Names. And I do this for you, for the animals, for the birds, for the fish, and for the plants.
But you are the crown of My creation, I made everything that is made for you to richly enjoy, not for you to worry about and toil for. Worry and toil are characteristics of the curse but the curse is not from Me. I gave you dominion and rule over the works of My hands.
Jesus has redeemed you from the curse. He came to undo the works of the devil. And that is what seeking My Kingdom first and My righteousness is all about so that all is richly provided for you. But you do have to gather it. The manna was there every morning for them but if they did not go out a take it, it just sat there and was gone by noon. The Promised Land was there for My people to take and occupy, but they did not go in and claim it. So they never knew the beauty and abundance I planned for them. Their children did, but the ones I first meant it for did not.
When you hear about the vast universe in relation to the earth where you dwell and unbelievers tell you that it formed itself and evolved into the way it is now, these godless men and women can cause you fear that you are alone, without a provider to see to your needs and without a guide to lead you in the way to eternity, it makes you feel insecure and like you have to worry about your life here and hereafter. It gives you fear of life and of death.
“Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, Jesus Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives.” Hebrews 2:14-15.
I sent My Word from the very beginning to give you good news. I am your refuge and your good Shepherd. You have a companion who owns everything and knows, sustains, and takes care of everything that exists, from the tiniest particles to the galaxies they form and everything in between and beyond. My Word is the Aleph Tav. The beginning to the end. There is nothing outside My Word. And My Word took flesh and joined My divinity with your humanity in one seamless life. And He is your great good Shepherd whom I raised from the dead by the Spirit and the Blood of the eternal Covenant. And I have given Him to you. He is with you always until the end of this age and then you shall be with Me and Him forever. I never leave you alone.
I have carried you and sustained and nourished you from your mother’s womb until this very day and I shall carry you to safety, to My Kingdom where the walls are Salvation and the gates are praise, and nothing unclean can enter there. You do not end your life when you physically die on this earth, for your earthly body will die because of sin, but your spirit and soul will be with Me and I will clothe you in a new body of glory and honor, a spiritual body filled with My eternal life, never again to age, be sick, have pain, or die. If I am doing that for you in the years to come, why would you think I would not supply for you NOW?
I have loved you with an everlasting love. You will travel through the universe with Me at some point, not alone or floating off to oblivion, but very much alive and with Me as your traveling companion. You are known, cherished, and loved by Me. I delight in doing good to you. I know everything I have made and I will so enjoy showing it all to you in all its magnificent wonders as you rise up in the air to meet My Son and are changed in the twinkling of an eye to be clothed in immortality.
I am not far from you. When you seek Me with all your heart you will find Me there with you. And that is what seeking the Kingdom first is about. And you seek with your heart. You put Me in the midst of your heart, the very center of your attention no matter where else you are looking in your busy day of good deeds.
Know you have a beloved and a friend whom you can never offend. Just return to Me for that is your part to do. I will not force you. You can grieve Me by walking away from My Kingdom, which I prepared for you since the foundation of the world, but your life is still from Me. All life is created and sustained in Me alone. It is a continuum. The closer you draw to the center with Me, the more like Me you become, Light and Love. The farther you walk away from Me the less and less you become like Me until you are in the darkness of the farthest outskirts of the continuum where the devil dwells. Cast out in the darkness to spend eternity in that darkness where the worm dies not and the fire is never extinguished. But this does not have to be. Turn to Me and be saved. Whoever calls on the Name of Jesus is saved.
You are never alone. I am yours and I call you Mine.
Today’s Life Lesson of the teachings Jesus gave in the Sermon on the Mount begins, “For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your soul, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?” Matthew 6:25.
It begins “for this reason (because of this),” so if you look back to see what it is “because of,” you will find that it is a continuation of the teaching we covered in yesterday’s Life Lesson that you cannot serve two masters, particularly, you cannot serve Me and mammon. So you know this is referring to running after the riches, fame, and material goods of the world to the exclusion of Me and My teachings. These are the thorns that choke off My Word in you and keep you constantly running so that you have absolutely no time for Me or for seeking My Kingdom and righteousness. It is what could be called living a “rat race.” It will have no end to it because each day you will have needs and if you think you are the one who meets them and has to supply all you need for life and godliness you will totally fail, like the Israelites who missed the Promised Land, to enter My rest. You will never experience the double portion nor the hundredfold blessing.
Jesus tells you not to worry about what you will eat and drink for man does not live on bread alone but every Word from My mouth. My Word, as I told Joshua, if you give it undivided attention and do it, will make your way prosperous and you will have good success. I have given you the means to profit and direct you in the way you should go. Stop worrying and start getting the plan and decreeing it until it manifests. It is by faith and patience that you inherit the promises.
And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence so as to realize the full assurance of hope until the end, so that you will not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. Hebrews 6:11-12.
There is more to your life than just meeting physical needs, in fact, the material things you need will overwhelm you and chase you down, as I told My redeemed people in the desert on the way to the Promised Land, if you hear and obey My Word. Deuteronomy 28:1-14. That is, when you are walking in the truth. And it is My Word that is truth.
When you worry about things just as unbelievers do who have no Word in them, you will choke off your provision by shutting your door to the blessings that I am pouring down from My throne in Heaven that are for you. And you will not get the creative plan to create wealth that I am giving you to confirm My Covenant with you.
So what is the remedy that will make you calm down and know all is there for you? Jesus turns your attention to birds and then to lilies. “Look at the birds of the air, they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?” Matthew 6:26. I have every hair on your head counted. I am watching over you. There is not a bird who falls to the ground without My consent. If I care so much for birds won’t I provide much more for you? Of course I will. I gave you My Son, will I not give you all good things with Him, in Him, and through Him? Of course I will.
And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to your life? In fact, worry will cut it short. And why are you worried about clothing? When Adam and Eve were in rebellion against Me and did not repent, I still clothed them Myself. They were used to living clothed in My glory and when they became stripped of that glory by sin and were naked they tried to sew clothes of fig leaves, which had become corruptible by their sin as well. But I clothed them in leather clothes of suede and fine fur coats.
Look at the wondrous flowers I created of all colors and combinations bolder than any fashion designer would dare introduce. And observe how the lovely fragrant lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. If I so clothe the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will I not much more clothe you? You of little faith! Of course I will.
Hadassah, known now as Queen Esther, was an orphan and prisoner of war, but I clothed her in the majestic raiment of the queen of the most powerful empire at that time.
“The King’s daughter is all glorious within; her clothing is interwoven with gold. She will be led to the King in embroidered work.” Psalm 45:13-14.
And you who are born again I clothe in Christ! Which are the garments of Salvation and the robe of righteousness. When the prodigal son returned to the Father, the Father clothed in in a magnificent robe and jewelry to adorn him and sandals for his feet.
“I will rejoice greatly in the LORD, my soul will exult in my God; for He has clothed me with garments of salvation, He has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.” Isaiah 61:10.
And do you remember the man possessed of a legion of demons at Gadara? My Son clothed him. I do not explain how Jesus had clothes with Him in the boat that fit that man perfectly and made him look so good that he went to preach the good news of Jesus in the ten cities and all who heard him were amazed at his transformation.
Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’ For the unbelievers eagerly seek all these things; for I, your heavenly Father, know that you need all these things. And they are all there for you. You just have to lift your eyes and see them and then gather them by seeking first My kingdom and My righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. And this is for sure. I cannot lie. So cast your cares on Me because I care for you and I own everything. There is no lack when you are living My Word.
I invite you to give Me your cares and concerns and then have no more anxiety about them. Only thanksgiving that you have a provider, companion, savior and friend who gave His life for you. Won’t I give you all things with Him? So do not worry about tomorrow; just give all your todays and tomorrows to Me. Your time is in My hands. Redeem the time with Me.
You do not have to journey through life, physical death, or eternity alone. You have a divine companion who owns all. I am your source. You have a source that will never run dry. And when you depart this life for eternity, Jesus told you that He would be there to take you up with Him right into My bosom. You will never travel the vast universe alone. You are in good hands, His and Mine. We are One and I take you in to be one with us. Never forget I am taking care of you and all that concerns you if you will just cast all that care on Me. And that frees you to seek My Kingdom first and My righteousness. And the result? Overflow.
I love you. Are you happy to have Me? I am happy to have you, I sing over you with joy as one does at festivals. Zephaniah 3:17. Will you join in the song?