Jesus is concerned about the way we focus on material possessions as being of FIRST IMPORTANCE. He tells us three very simple, very elementary things…
- YOU CANNOT SERVE GOD AND MAMMON (wealth): Mammon: material possessions of this world. Jesus warns that these things can become our master and we their slaves, and if this happens we will not love and serve God as we should, “…don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Matt. 6:34)
- DO NOT BE ANXIOUS: Jesus is here talking about the basic needs of life, which He has PROMISED us! “Therefore I say to you, DO NOT WORRY about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?” (Matt. 6:25)
- SEEK THIS FIRST: “…SEEK FIRST the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be ADDED TO YOU.” (Matt. 6:33) The focus and TOP PRIORITY in our lives should be the kingdom of God and His righteousness, not chasing after the needs of the body, that is a sure signal to God that we DO NOT TRUST HIM.
We should not make the basic needs of life such as “food” and “clothing” the first and most important things in our lives. We must distinguish between the needs and the desires of the flesh. God will make sure that we have enough for our needs, and we should learn to be content with that. “Don’t worry about ANYTHING; instead, pray about EVERYTHING. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done. Then you will EXPERIENCE GOD’S PEACE, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will GUARD YOUR HEARTS AND MINDS as you live in Christ Jesus. And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are EXCELLENT AND WORTHY OF PRAISE.” (Phil. 4:6-8)
From Genesis 3 to Revelation 20 Satan has been calling God a liar and has attempted to deceive us and pull us away from God. The Lord created a beautiful sinless place for man in the beginning. Man lived in that beauty with God for a short time, until man sinned. For the past 2000 years Jesus has been preparing an even more beautiful, totally sinless, place and we will live there with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit for eternity!!!
-Bill Stockham