Under His Shelter

AUGUST 28

MATTHEW 6:33_ and all these things shall be added unto you.

What are all these things? Jesus has taken time to list the needs of food and clothes. But isn’t something missing? What about shelter? Do you find it odd shelter is not mentioned?

The more you study the Bible you will find God often mentions Himself as our shelter: a refuge, under His shelter.

Psalm 91:1 (KJV) “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.”

To dwell with God in your heart is shelter.

I believe far more than food and shelter shall be added unto you. First and foremost is love. This is not just about God’s love for you. The ability to give and receive love is a powerful gift from God to you.

Broken homes and divided families would be a minimum if believers latched on to their God-given ability to give love. And allowed themselves to receive love.

When you make God your shelter and trust Him with food and clothes, you can trust Him to add all these things unto you!

PRAYER

Holy God, Help me trust You with everything in my life. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.

Christ provides ALL needs—I will trust Him!

The Believer Has the Bread of Life

AUGUST 22

MATTHEW 6:32_For after all these things do the Gentiles seek…

It is easy to say don’t worry, but it is not easy to do. Jesus leads us to a place where it becomes easier: faith and trust. Faith and trust come from being filled with the Holy Spirit. The Spirit teaches truth. Truth leads to freedom! Even freedom from worry.  John 8:32 (KJV) is worth repeating several times, “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free .” 

Remember, Gentiles are considered non-believers. Ones who do not put faith and trust in the Triune God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Without faith and trust, opportunities for truth and freedom are reduced. John 8:36 (KJV), “If the son [Jesus] therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.”  

Worry fits into the design of a non-believer. When unbelievers fall upon hard times, they are without a source of overcoming power. Suppose a financial depression hits the country. Any money that may have gone toward comforts is now applied to the essential of food. It is a difficult time for believers as well as non-believers. The believer hurts during this time just as the non-believer.

But, the believer has the Bread of Life—from which to find hope.

PRAYER

Living God, Help me find hope by trusting in You. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.

Christ wants to give me hope—I will accept it!

Can You Trust God?

AUGUST 15

MATTHEW 6:30_which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven…

The life span of grass sounds pretty brief—maybe it is. Regardless of how brief, during its time on earth, God gave it soil, rain, and sun. And beyond the basic needs, God added beauty. This is not to say a field of grass does not have beauty of its own—it surely does. But, God loves to add beauty in life. This kind of beauty is a fringe benefit of a life of faith. Faith in the true God—not just a god.

This is the Triune God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The God who gives provisions. God’s supplies to His creation include beauty—amazing beauty. Even the wealthy, resplendent King Solomon had no match for God’s beauty in nature. 

Jesus wants you to see how much God cares for and about you. Jesus helps with trust. Can you trust that the God who takes care of grass is concerned about every aspect of your life? Psalm 16:11 (KJV), Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.”

God wants you to stay on His path. He wants to fill you with joy. God wants to stretch forth His hand and give you pleasure.        

PRAYER

Heavenly Father, I praise You that only You can give me fullness of joy. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.

Christ is the fulfillment of joy—He fills me with it!

An Insatiable Desire

AUGUST 6

MATTHEW 6:28_And why take ye thought for raiment?

Jesus re-visits the clothes issue. There is something else Jesus re-visits. Do you see it? Do you see the word thought

The tenth commandment is Thou shalt not covet. Covet is akin to lust.

Thought patterns are captured.

A strong desire that doesn’t let go until it is satisfied.

If the truth be told, covetousness can’t be satisfied.

Once lust, or covetousness, obtains its desire—it wants more. That’s the very nature of covetousness—an insatiable desire. Luke 12:15 (KJV), “And he [Jesus] said unto them, ‘Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.’’’ There is a difference in coveting the latest brand name and just needing clothes.

Covet is also akin to envy. Envy dwells on what someone else possesses. The longer the dwell, the deeper envy works its way into the heart. Once there, envy causes conflict. Not because you’ve been wronged, but because the one you envy dresses like you want to—but can’t.

Galatians 5:26 (KJV), “Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.”

Don’t let worry thought patterns fill you with strife over clothes.

PRAYER

Lord Jesus, Help me trust You to provide for me what is best at this time. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.              

Christ knows all my needs—He will provide

God Has a Plan for Everyone

JULY 10

MATTHEW 6:18_shall reward thee openly.

God rewards openly. Trust. Believe. But remember, God has His own time table, and it’s a perfect one. You can also trust and believe that!

God delights in rewarding His people. Another natural byproduct of love is to give: time, money, gifts. God is the creator of all things physical and spiritual. He knows how to reward, when to reward, what to reward (behavior or actions), and the kind of reward to give.

You can trust your Heavenly Father to give rewards perfectly designed for you. They are part of the wonderful plan God has for your life. God has a plan for everyone. There are those who do not choose to accept His plan. The circumstances of life, which are beyond your control: family, race, culture, disabilities, can never prevent you from achieving His plan—if you seek it. 

Jeremiah 29:11-13 (KJV),“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. 12 Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. 13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.”

PRAYER

God Who Cares, Thank You for Your plan for me. Nothing in this life can take it from me! In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.

Christ has a plan for me—He will help me achieve it!