Fresh Mannaby Pastor Tim BurtIf I asked you, "What's something everyone does?" Would you say eat, drink, or maybe die? All of those would be true! Everyone does those things. If you said "Worry," you'd also be correct. Everyone worries—it’s just a part of life, right? Well, Jesus says both yes and no.Matthew 6:27-28, 30-33 (NLT) says: "Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing... And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith? ... Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need."Jesus is saying that for those who truly know Him, worrying is an entirely fruitless exercise. Let me ask you this: Would you ever sit in a restaurant and try to eat a bowl of tomato soup with a fork? Of course not! It would be a useless effort. That’s exactly how Jesus describes worrying—it accomplishes nothing. Well, maybe I shouldn’t say "nothing." Worrying does achieve something—it creates stress. It can lead to health problems like ulcers, insomnia, and countless other issues. It can result in emotional outbursts, mental health struggles, and even damaged relationships. So yes, worrying does accomplish a lot, but none of it is positive! Most importantly, it diminishes your faith in God. Jesus makes it clear: worrying is a sign of little or no faith.Instead, Jesus tells us that we have no reason to worry if we focus on seeking Him and aligning our lives with His purpose. All the things people typically worry about will be added to our lives as we trust in Him.Throughout my Christian walk, I’ve strived to be sincere with God. You can’t lie to or con God, though many try. To God, truth and sincerity matter. There are things in my life that I need such as providing for my family, and things I need in order to fulfill what I believe God has called me to do. We all have different needs, whether related to our families, our responsibilities, or our callings. God’s Word refers to those needs as “equipping.” In 2 Corinthians 9:8 (NIV), we read: "And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work."God knows we have needs, and He promises to meet them when we seek Him and put Him first in our lives. He doesn’t want the focus of our lives to be on material things. Instead, He wants us to focus on His purpose, His love, walking in obedience to His ways, and making a daily impact on the world by showing others the love of Jesus. That impact can take countless forms. He wants us to use the gifts and resources He’s given us to touch people’s lives so they experience His love through us. Each and every time we do that, it's a seed planted in someone's life. When we do that, the promise of 2 Corinthians 9:8 (NLT) becomes ours: "And God will generously provide all you needs. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others."I’ve asked God to equip me in every area of my life because my purpose is not just my job or just my calling or just enjoying my life. Our lives are a blend of all those things because they all work together at the same time. Walking in the love of God toward others is fulltime. It's always! And so things I need for my calling are not separate from my personal needs. My car is for going to the grocery store, as well as going to church, as well as driving to my men's Bible study, as well as driving my kids to basketball or visiting someone in the hospital to pray with and encourage them. It's all mixed together. God knows this is true. And so, the needs for my life, my family, and my purpose of serving God are all included in my need list! They are my needs that God has said to make His needs—to leave at His feet in prayer and quit worrying about them. I spend little time praying for my needs (because He is not deaf or forgetful,) and much more time thanking God for meeting all my needs including the ones that have not yet manifested in my life!With that in mind, know this: Renee and I have never withheld anything from God. We’ve always tithed and given offerings to the Lord. We’ve also done our best to put Him first in our lives by serving Him and others. Why do I mention that? Not because it's some legalistic requirement, but to say that our lives are about His plans and purposes, and they come first. We put Him first and then have confidence that He will provide all of our needs according to His riches in glory. There's no doubt about it. This is a life of faith and trusting God. It is what He asks of us!For years, we’ve made lists of our needs and posted them in our kitchen pantry—a place we visit daily. Instead of worrying, we pray over those lists, trusting that God will meet our needs. And He always has. Once a need is met, we put a line through it and we praise God. When a list is fulfilled, we replace it with a new one and keep the old list as a testimony of God's faithfulness, love and provision. He has met every need beyond what we could ask or imagine.Those who don’t know God don’t realize how much He cares for them, so they worry. Worry is often the precursor to making unethical choices such as stealing, lying, manipulating, and more. Acting unethically erodes and/or destroys our life in God.It’s time for you to know God and the extent of His love for you. He already gave you His best when He sent Jesus to die for your sins. Why would He withhold anything less from you? Matthew 7:11 (NIV) says, "If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask Him!God is not a genie—He’s a loving Heavenly Father. His promise begins with these words: "Seek first the Kingdom of God." He wants you to have faith, not worry. Learn to be sincere with Him and examine your heart as you ask for His provision. God isn’t opposed to you having good things that contribute to a meaningful life of serving Him. He’s only opposed to those things controlling you or leading you to sin or away from Him. Seek Him and be faithful to His purpose, and you’ll discover this promise to be true in your life.Psalms 84:11 (NLT) "For the Lord God is our sun and our shield. He gives us grace and glory. The Lord will withhold no good thing from those who do what is right" In His love,Pastor Tim Burt
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