Tag: Worry

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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!

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!

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Worrying or Hurting?

AUGUST 21

MATTHEW 6:31_saying, what shall ye eat or, what shall ye drink, or wherewithal shall ye be clothed?

You can worry yourself sick—literally. Worry takes such a toll on the soul, the body can become weary, weak, and sick. The heart takes the worst beating from worry. The body was not designed to stand up under constant worry. The soul (mind, will, emotions) was not designed to stand up under constant worry. The spirit was not designed to worry at all! The spirit was designed to praise!

You are designed in God’s image to know and worship Him. You are designed to joy in the Lord. Worry can’t stand up against joy. 

Don’t confuse worry with times of struggle and trial that cause suffering. If you don’t believe God has the power and the mercy to bring you through—then you are worrying. If you are suffering during a trial, but believe God will bring you through, you are not worrying. If you believe God will cause some good to come from your pain, you are not worrying. You are hurting. 

Romans 8:35,37 )KJV), “35Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?  37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us.”              

PRAYER

Lord of Love, Help me know there is nothing that can overpower Your love. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.

Christ’s love conquers—Whatever comes against me!

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Learn to Praise

AUGUST 20

MATTHEW 6:31_saying, what shall ye eat or, what shall ye drink, or wherewithal shall ye be clothed?

If you plan to overcome worry with Scripture, go to those wonderful Psalms. When the devil tempts you to worry it is because he knows worry weakens. Weakness makes an easy target.

Rather than worrying, learn to praise. Psalm 63 is a great way to praise. Read verses 1-8 (KJV), “O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is; 2 To see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary. 3 Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee. 4 Thus will I bless thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in thy name. 5 My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips: 6 When I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches.7 Because thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice. 8 My soul followeth hard after thee: thy right hand upholdeth me.”

Notice when to seek God—early.

Notice what thirsts—the soul.

Notice how the soul follows after God—hard.   

PRAYER

Lord Who Satisfies, I want my soul satisfied by You—to follow hard after You. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.

Christ’s lovingkindness is better than life – I praise Him!

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The Bling Melts

AUGUST 19

MATTHEW 6:31_saying, what shall ye eat or, what shall ye drink, or wherewithal shall ye be clothed?

Remember how Jesus referred to Himself as Bread and Water? This is spiritual bread and water: feeds the spirit and satisfies the soul. The spirit can overpower the body, but it must be yielded to Jesus. Just because you are a spiritual being does not automatically make you a salty-lit-up disciple of Jesus. You either yield your spirit to Jesus or yield it to the devil.

The devil also has power to meet needs, but his supplies are temporary. The devil’s temptations sparkle and dazzle with an abundance of bling. They offer a way out of suffering. Who doesn’t want a way out?

The devil can satisfy your physical but never your spiritual. A spirit yielded to the devil can never be satisfied.

Your spirit was created with a yearning to know and be in a loving relationship with Jesus Christ. Once the devil has you in his trap—nothing satisfies. All his bling melts away and cravings are worse than they were before you yielded.

Adam and Eve’s son, Cain, met his needs the easy way. Their son, Abel, chose God’s way.  Genesis 4:7 (KJV), “If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door…”

Cain committed the first murder. His easy way cost the life of his brother.

PRAYER

Lord Who Cares, Help me to be strong and choose Your way. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.

Christ can make me strong—I ask Him to!

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Nobody Ever Said It Is Easy

AUGUST 18

MATTHEW 6:31_Therefore take no thought…

Remember when the Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness for a time of testing? There was nothing easy about it. Jesus was called to fast, and the devil tempted Him to break the fast and eat. If you recall, Jesus used the same weapon against the devil that we should use: the words of truth. In this instance Jesus quoted Deuteronomy 8:3 (KJV), “… man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord doth man live.” 

If your family is going through some kind of a struggle, the devil’s temptation is for you to worry. Nobody ever said it is easy not to worry when you are struggling. Use this time to shout out the Joshua chapter 1 cheer: “Be strong and of a good courage.”

This is the time to defy thoughts of worry about where your next meal is coming from, or some other need. This is a time to quote the entire verse of Joshua 1:9 (KJV), “Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.”

You’re not in this alone: Whithersoever covers everywhere. Thou goest doesn’t necessarily mean a certain place. It could mean where you are in the circumstances of your life.

You don’t have strength to just not worry.

Overpower worry with the truth of Scripture.

PRAYER

Mighty Warrior, You know my circumstances and are with me. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.

Christ is a warrior for me—wherever I am in life!