Challenge Worry with Life Building Thoughts

Worry!

How can one possibly challenge worry? 

Matthew 6:25 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? 26 Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? 
Matthew 6:28 So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin; 29 and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 
Matthew 6:31 Therefore do not worry, saying, "What shall we drink? or What shall we wear?' 32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added to you. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.


If we look at the context of how this is given, we find that Matthew 6 points to do good to please God. Matthew 6:1 Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven.
So seeking God is paramount and high over that of trying to gain praise from men.
Jesus goes on to enlist prayer in Matthew 6:5-15 and then He talks about fasting to be seen only by God and not to go tell the many you know of your fasting practices.
Then Jesus gives the warning of avarice. Because avarice had a friend attached and he is called anxiety! 
Now Jesus does not prohibit material possessions but He does object to material possessions having rule over us and tying us to this earth. For those selfish in nature will chase that extravagant materialism and we should seek not to have that kind of eye.
Jesus goes on to mention the importance of our eye and that if our eye is bad, our whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in us is darkness, how great is that darkness!
We should be running to have a relationship with the Lord so we have a developed commitment to Him, to His will and to His ways.

When we get to Matthew 6:24 we find Jesus talking about one cannot serve two masters. You cannot serve God and mammon. We will either serve God or we will serve money. Proverbs tells us that riches has wings and will fly away. 
Proverbs 23:4-5 Do not work to be rich; because or your own understanding, cease! 5 Will you set your eyes on that which is not? For riches certainly can make themselves wings; they fly away like an eagle toward heaven.

I know about twenty years ago that there was much teaching about how God wanted us to prosper and they emphasized money. But God wants us to manage money so it will not manage us. I heard a report the other day of how many people are maxed out on their credit cards again just like those back in 2008 and 2009!  And we know a lot that happened and contributed to the scandalous practices of money lenders then was about bankers in many loaning departments loaned people money to buy homes they could not afford to pay back, for what they made monthly was short of their required payment needed monthly for repayment!


Worry causes us to be divided from our attention toward God. If our vision of God is divided by money matters, our vision is then divided. And division will divide one into portions and pieces. Daily needs occur, but it should not be that which brings division for that is unfruitful. Worry moves us out of faith and into unbelief. It is acting like God does not exist when He certainly does exist.

My husband and I just saw last week ( November 12) of the planet Neptune having the two moons, and one of them rotates around the planet, but the other moon is stationary. The one moon actively rotating does this oscillation move  that avoids the stationary moon when it makes its orbit close to it. NASA had just released this picture showing what it look like and I was in 'awe' of a great God who created these two moons that project the very existence of His glorious skill in being the Creator!
In viewing this orbit, this dancing motion of a moon, the orbiting moon moves consistently away out of line of the stationary moon and keeps right on moving through its ordered orbit around Neptune. Amazing!

So how could you or I be worried about tomorrow, about money or even healing when we have a God who has such strategy to move us out of harm's way to continue in the step of full light when we first seek Him and His plan for our lives? Our lives are in His hands. He has greater care for us because He has a plan for us.
Whatever provision we require, it will always follow that person whose priorities are concerned with God's ways, His work and His will which is His kingdom. If God's kingdom has come into our lives, then it is His rule we will see and His provision will flow to us without hindrances.
Jesus faced temptation at key moments of His ministry: in the wilderness prior to His public ministry, prior to His transfiguration and prior to His crucifixion.
Like Jesus, we have to know that we are a son of God, and when we know we have this walk of faith, we cannot be deterred by the Peter's in this life! For Jesus told them in Matthew 16:21-27 that He must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes and be killed and be raised the third day. ( Matthew 16:21) Yet Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying "Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!" 
Then Jesus rebuked Peter! Matthew 16:23 "Get behind Me Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men."
And remember Satan said the same to Jesus denoting that he could avoid suffering when Jesus met him in the wilderness and before the ministry began!
And right before Jesus was taken in the Garden of Gethsemane, it was time for praying, but the disciples could not stay awake one hour to pray with Him!

Worry can appear, but we must take it captive with the words of Jesus.  The kingdom is presented and we are to live by faith as Jesus did in that grace that was presented to the world! Although many will not heed the love of God that came in the package of Jesus Christ, still He is the only way to the Father. (John 14:6)
Jesus told us in John 14:7 If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him." Jesus was always about revealing the Father and His love for His creation.

We have so many opportunities to see the Father in all His glory, like the two moons around the planet Neptune, in the Scripture of His Son's crucifixion or even of His birth. But alas, those who truly believe are those who will do the same works as Jesus and will do greater works because Jesus returned to His Father who sent Him. For whatever we ask in His name, that he will do, that the Father be glorified in the Son.
Only faith, that trust in Jesus will bring the required results but worry will only bring a divided focus, a divided vision of what is before us. And if His name is on it, He will do it for He spoke it from the foundation of the world.
Worry today and be dismissed tomorrow to lack and no vision. But challenge worry and build your thought life with His thoughts and you will see and do greater things for it by His grace, that we achieve His kingdom's purposes for His glory indeed! Amen

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Broken Crayons Can Still Produce Color

Voice of Prayer

Unity is paramount for a family to not only survive but to thrive. And of those raised in the admonition of the Lord, His wisdom, love and knowledge is that "eternal" light always leading and always guiding them, they remain in unity.
Just like family units, the body of Christ must be in unity. We are to be speaking God's truth, declaring Jesus's soon return and to be expectant to see not only for today but for an eternity with the Lord!

We take a look at Paul, Barnabas, and Mark in this writing. Within this teaching we can see something has happened with the relationship of these two sent ones.
Acts 13:13   NKJV    13 Now when Paul and his party set sail from Paphos, they came to Perga in Pamphylia; and John, departing from them, returned to Jerusalem.

Now Mark has exited this team, and for whatever his reasoning as a "young" one has returned to Jerusalem.
Two to three years have passed and we get to Acts 15.

Acts 15:30- 41  NKJV  30 So when they were sent off, they came to Antioch, and when they had gathered the multitude together, they delivered the letter. 31 When they had read it, they rejoiced over its encouragement. 32 Now Judas and Silas, themselves being prophets also, exhorted and strengthened the brethren with many words. 33 And after they had stayed there for a time; they were sent back with greetings from the brethren to the apostles. 34 However, it seemed good to Silas to remain there. 35 Paul and Barnabas also remained in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also.

36 Then after some days Paul said to Barnabas, "let us now go back and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord, and see how they are doing."
37 Now Barnabas was determined to take with them John called Mark. 38 But Paul insisted that they should not take with them the one who had departed from them in Pamphylia, and had not gone with to the work. 39 Then the contention  became so sharp that they parted from one another. And so Barnabas took Mark and sailed to Cyprus, 40 but Paul chose Silas and departed, being commended by the brethren to the grace of God. 41 And he went through Syria and Cilicia strengthening the churches.


Let us remember that apostles are about checking on the churches they have begun. They make the periodic trips around the region to not only check on them, but to also preach the word of God there, and have fellowship with them as well.

In this we will see the division occur.
AND divisions do occur and can be painful within the church or body of believer's in Christ Jesus.
We find Paul relating about Mark in Colossians 4:10   NKJV  10 Aristarchus my fellow prisoner greets you, with Mark the cousin of Barnabas ( about whom you received instructions: if he comes to you, welcome him). 11 and  Jesus who is called Justus. these are my only fellow workers for the kingdom of God who are of the circumcision; they have proved to be a comfort to me.

As ministry continued in reaching the lost for Jesus; Aristarchus traveled extensively with Paul. Standing at this time with Paul is of course, Justus and Aristarchus. But he tells the brethren to receive him as per the instructions Paul the apostle has sent. Whatever the earlier instruction was, it was held private. Yet, Paul is adding Mark to be greeted by the brethren.

Yes, divisions do occur. From Paul's standpoint, Mark had deserted them earlier in ministry and probably had a position that had to be done, but failed to do so. Mark left them " so to speak, in the lurch." So Mark had left without leaving help evidently when it was needed most.

Yes, people can ultimately face divisions. People can leave, people can let us down and fail us, but where do we stand when chaos seems to rule over the norm?

 Though not of God, divisions can certainly play a big part of people's lives. Like when the husband leaves the wife of 20 years for greener pastures only to find the grassy field is the cover of a septic tank. Or the teenager leaves home to find someone who to them truly cares and who listens........only to find they are in worst trouble than before they left home. Each individual in each circumstance we have listed here can face many new changes, good or bad, and can face challenges that causes one to cry out "help".



IN that division, we know that the church had sided with Paul in the verse 40 of Acts 15. The same was not spoken of Barnabas and Mark.
Paul went on to strengthen the churches in Syria and Cilicia.

We find another situation with Barnabas and his character weakness affecting others. Within Galatians and chapter 2:11-14 we find this: 11 Now when Peter had come to Antioch, I withstood him to his  face, because he was to blamed ; 12 for certain men came from James, he would eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing those who were of the circumcision. 13 And the rest of the Jews also played the hypocrite with him, so that even Barnabas was carried away with their hypocrisy.


Paul addresses the "hypocrisy" that Peter (Cephas) and Barnabas are practicing. They are trying to implement a new commandment for the Gentiles to become Jews. Out of step with God can break people. Out of step of the ordered of God can cause a multitude of problems.

We are to operate in the truth of God's Word and give that truth only! 

Barnabas surely wanted to raise Mark up to minister to others. And he had taken him under his wing to teach him ministry. He wanted the young one to grow in the Lord.
But sending people out just for the sake of sending them can produce bitterness, hurt and especially on the part of the one "not ready for service" in the Gospel to the nations. Diversity is good, but we must be Jesus Christ centered, and not out to please man. In the case of Barnabas, the son of encouragement surely took those alongside himself to see they continue with God, but being THE encourager to others that they might continue, also caused him, Barnabas to err.
Barnabas had  some strong ties to the Jew more strongly than Paul and was making attempt to add another commandment. And being tied to the past can cause some really big issues for families, ministries and even for the work place.


Paul spoke that he prayed more than them all..in 1 Corinthians 14:18..and in his praying and keeping his focus on the Lord, by the Holy Spirit he wrote 2/3 of the New Testament. He had a devotion to God to pray in tongues and allow God into his life. Praying was to Paul that God is in the midst of me and whatever the situation. Paul filled with the Holy Spirit, we know kept the wisdom, power and holiness of Jesus.

(Note: if you do not have your prayer language, you can ask God and receive by faith just like your salvation. And remember you can pray in your own regular language of words, but seriously for me after about 10 minutes of regular words, I run out....and, I go into my prayer language of tongues)

We do see in 1 Corinthians 9:6 that Paul and Barnabas had continued to have work or trade they had while teaching the Gospel.

Did Barnabas do anything else for the Lord? Is there anymore of him written anywhere?
I have asked others, and of all we conclude little else is known of his career in ministry. Although still laboring in AD 56 or AD 57 about the time Paul wrote 1 Corinthians 9:5-6, he had died as some point while Paul was in Rome. For we find Mark did come to assist Paul in his latter day.


Broken people can still produce for the kingdom of God. Like broken crayons, one can still color a happy face on a crisp white sheet of paper.
Whatever the difficulty or division, we must remain within God and His leading by the Holy Spirit. We are to stay within the boundaries of His wisdom and love but not go off with something that changes God's Word, God's love,

Many say they believe that two ministries came out of the one, yet of Barnabas, that part was never put out for others to read and know about.
If division has occurred, we need to find what side we remain. If it is on the Lord's side, that is an excellent place to be.
Brokenness hurts, brings much pain and most times separation, but even in that one can still color their future because God continues to guide them when they remain faithful to His leading. Amen.

A child gets upset when a crayon is broken.......will hold it out.........for the parent or grand-parent to fix. I know I have seen it many times. Yet, that same broken crayon will produce. It still has the capacity to color in those places that need help. In division, know there is much you can still do for the kingdom of God. Now go color those places that need your giftings God has placed within you. With that your special circumstance, there will be a special smile on your face as well, a joy in your heart and a knowing that God is with you!


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Working Out Our Salvation: Taking Our Position....

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