Matthew Chapter 6. Your worrying isn't going to help you a bit!
Jesus addresses his listeners on how their walk with the Lord is not to be hypocritical. He challenged them by saying if you're going to serve the Lord, or pray, or even fast, then it should be that which is between you and the Lord. It's not to be done so everybody's impressed on how well you help others. Or how eloquent your prayers are, or how religious you are because you fast. It truly is all about the heart between you and God. It's all about bringing glory to God because of our humble and broken heart versus trying to get glory for ourselves because of our arrogant heart.
Then Jesus confronts those who are all about storing up treasures for themselves on Earth rather than focusing on heavenly treasures that focuses on other people so that God's kingdom is built rather than our selfish Kingdom built. Earthly treasures are inward focus and heavenly treasures are outward focus. However let me make it clarification. To strive for a better job with more pay, or to strive for a piece of property with buildings on it, doesn't automatically mean it's evil because it's “earthly.” A person can strive to gain such things with the sole purpose of using it for God's glory. So having some type of earthly item doesn't automatically mean “evil”. Once again, it's all about the intent and motive of the heart. In fact, you could be dirt poor and have a problem with earthly treasures because that's where your heart constantly is. You may not have earthly treasures but that's your desire more than your desire for heavenly treasures.
Jesus says wherever your heart is that's where your treasures are. Is our heart inward focus or outward focus?
Many people strive for the earthly things because they worry about their present and future needs. Once we start to worry about our needs we lose focus of God who wants to take care of our needs. Worry doesn't add one hour to our life, in fact it actually wears the body down. Jesus calls a worrisome person a person with “little faith.”
Jesus gives an alternative to worry. He says seek first the kingdom of God. In doing so your heart becomes outward focus and your actions are done for his purpose and His glory and not our own. Secondly, Jesus says we are to seek his righteousness. His righteousness is holiness, purity, love. It wants nothing to do with the world. It's a life that reflects the Light of Christ. A light that points people to the Lord. It's being a person of integrity to all including non-Christians.
CHALLENGE: What are you worrying about? Are you seeking God's Kingdom or an earthly kingdom? Are you seeking the righteousness of Jesus or the lusts and pleasures of this world? Seek Him and then let's trust Him in faith. He will take care of us. Have a good and worry-free day!