Bible Study
– Simplicity (1) – A Centered Life – September 1, 2019
This is
lesson one (1) in our series entitled “Simplicity: Finding
Contentment in a
Busy Life.”
Our focus
scripture is Matthew 6:25-34.
When your
life is centered in CHRIST, everything else falls into place.
When a
Christian’s life is centered in CHRIST that is the key statement. Being
centered in CHRIST does not come from our perspective but from CHRIST’S. How do
we measure up on the obedience and trust scale according to GOD? Let’s explore!
Often, our
human nature is for us to be anxious. I know, I get anxious when things or
schedules don’t go according to my plans. I can stew or quickly shift my
thinking to, “Maybe GOD has a reason for delay. Maybe HE has a different plan
or schedule for me to follow.” Often, change
or delay prods me to shift into a trust mode. GOD may be telling me to wait or
pray about possible alternatives by asking GOD to direct me during uncertain
times. We must trust as we prayerfully consider alternatives and look for a
path forward.
I recall
driving in the mountains and getting into very dense fog. I could not see the
centerline in the road. We came upon a parking area. I pulled in. We had
traveled about ten miles or at least it seemed like 10 miles. I knew where I had
driven onto the road and could drive back the roughly ten miles. I prayed. LORD
what shall I do go back or keep going? The answer was keep going in the
direction you were headed. I did and within a short distance there was a road
that led me off the mountain.
This
experience somewhat relates to our subject of not being anxious but trusting our
LORD when our path forward is not clear.
Let’ s read
Matthew 6:24 which provides the base for our focus scripture:
24 “No one can be a
slave of two masters, since either he will hate one and love the other, or be
devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot be slaves of God and of
money.
So, what is the
cure? Focus completely upon what you have and not what you wish to have. So, who
do we have as Christian’s? A rich uncle or GOD through faith in JESUS? Let’s
explore!
JESUS was teaching HIS fellow Jews
from the scriptures. HE departed from the traditional interpretation of the
scriptures as presented by the Jewish scholars. Rather than presenting the “letter
of the law” JESUS spoke to a greater understanding and application of the law
that captured the true spirit of the scriptures. Thus, our study on the value
of being “centered in CHRIST” when anxiety raises its head in our lives.
Let’s
read Matthew 6:25-30:
The Cure for Anxiety
25 “This is why I tell you:
Don’t worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; or about
your body, what you will wear. Isn’t life more than food and the body more than
clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the sky: They don’t
sow or reap or gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t
you worth more than they? 27 Can any of you add a single
cubit to his height[o] by worrying? 28 And why do you worry about
clothes? Learn how the wildflowers of the field grow: they don’t labor or spin
thread. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all
his splendor was adorned like one of these! 30 If that’s
how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today
and thrown into the furnace tomorrow, won’t He do much more for you—you
of little faith?
When we, as Christians,
look to our ability to provide for ourselves, we come up short. Food and
clothing are necessities to sustain life upon earth. JESUS challenged HIS audience to change their focus from what they can
provide for themselves to consider what GOD can provide when their faith is in
HIM.
The key phrase is “Don’t worry.” Don’t worry when you
have the right relationship with GOD through faith in JESUS. When we do not
worry, does it mean we do not plan? No! Even the birds of the air have to seek
the food which GOD provides for them. JESUS was teaching that worry only increases
a person’s anxiety. Worry is a form of distrust. Worry reveals a flaw in our
relationship with GOD that needs to be confessed and to be repaired. GOD’S sufficiency versus self-sufficiency.
A caution here. This is not putting planning for the
future on the sidelines. We are to plan but seek the guidance of the Holy
Spirit. We are to trust when our obvious needed resources are not evident. GOD
knows what we, as humans, need to sustain life upon earth. JESUS stated “don’t
worry,” which is an ongoing command to “stop worrying.” JESUS used a verb tense
in our next scripture that carries the idea of “don’t start worrying.” Worrying
can be off and on. What is the cure?
Let’s
read Matthew 6:31-32:
31 So don’t worry, saying,
‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’ 32 For
the idolaters[p] eagerly seek all these things, and your heavenly Father knows
that you need them.
Trust in GOD’S provision
to provide for our needs in life, therefore “don’t start worrying” because GOD
knows what you have need of and HE provides for HIS children. JESUS was saying
let your trust in GOD be a witness to the pagan or non-Christian world around
you.
The pagans did all sorts
of rituals to cajole their false gods to provide for their needs but you are
different. Reveal your difference by your trust and relying upon the One True
GOD, Yahweh. Trust in GOD through faith
in JESUS. Doing so is a witness to those who do not have the right relationship
with JESUS. It does not mean that Christians are opulent but rest in the sweet
assurance of being in right relationship with GOD and trusting HIM for our needs.
JESUS taught that
Christians are not to worry or start to worry about their needs. Our focus as
Christians is to build the right relationship with GOD through faith in JESUS?
Let’s read on -----
Let’s
read Matthew 6:33-34:
33 But seek first the kingdom
of God[q] and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided for
you. 34 Therefore don’t worry about tomorrow, because
tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
So, what is the key to
building the right relationship with GOD?
First, as born-again
believers in JESUS, we are to seek the right relationship with GOD. Salvation
is ground zero and it is the foundation upon which all Christians build their
relationship with GOD.
Do you recall our study of
King Asa? He physically cleaned out the pagan worship symbols in the land for
which he was responsible. Salvation could be the beginning process of allowing
the Light of the Holy Spirit to shine deep within to reveal that which we need
to confess and either remove from our lives or ask JESUS to help us remove.
All who place their faith
in JESUS are made righteous as revealed in 2 Corinthians 5:21 – 21 He
made the One who did not know sin to be sin[l] for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God
in Him. But there is a process for removing the shackles that hold us back.
Who are we as born-again Christians?
As GOD’S Child through the miracle of rebirth we
are citizens of the Kingdom of GOD. Second Corinthians 5:20 - 20 Therefore,
we are ambassadors for Christ, certain that God is appealing
through us. We plead on Christ’s behalf, “Be reconciled to
God.”
Philippians 3:20 tell us - 20 but
our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for a Savior, the
Lord Jesus Christ.
As Christians, we seek to
obediently serve in the Kingdom of GOD. Once we are born-again and are citizens
of the Kingdom of GOD, we seek to obediently serve GOD and in obediently
serving we build faith and trust in GOD to meet all of our needs. Therefore,
GOD provides.
I heard/read a story many
years ago regarding the faith of George Mueller. George Mueller established an
orphanage. George decided to live by faith, thus the title of the article
below:
No Salary for George
George Mueller had joyfully dedicated his
"whole life to the object of exemplifying how much may be accomplished by
prayer and faith." When he had moved to Bristol in 1832 to take the pulpit
of Gideon chapel, he and his wife Mary decided not to accept a salary from the
congregation. They wanted to daily depend upon the Lord for their needs, and
they accepted only unsolicited freewill offerings. Mueller's journal is full of
the amazing ways the Lord directed funds to them throughout his sixty-six years
of ministry.
The orphan children all had their dinners and were ready for
bed. They always felt loved and cared for in the Bristol orphanage; little did
they know that the orphanage had no money and there was no food for breakfast
the next day. Though he did not know how, George Mueller was confident the Lord
would provide for the orphans--after all, wasn't he a "Father to the fatherless"
(Psalm 68:5)? Mr. Mueller went to bed, committing the care of the orphans to
God. The next morning, he went for a walk, praying for God to supply the
orphanage's needs. In his walk he met a friend who asked him to accept some
money for the orphanage. . . Mr. Mueller thanked him, but did not tell the
friend about the pressing need. Instead, he praised God for the answer to
prayer and went to the orphanage for breakfast.
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Another story published in Guideposts: Pray
Like George Müller
What if you really expected God to answer your
prayers?
by Bob Hostetler Posted in Answered Prayers, Feb 26, 2018
Another time, Müller and the children sat down
for a meal, even though there was no food in the house. Nonetheless, they bowed
their heads and prayed and, as the prayer ended, someone knocked on the door.
It was the baker, with fresh bread. As if that wasn’t enough, the milkman’s
cart broke down—in front of the orphanage—so he supplied them with fresh milk.
GOD provides when we trust in HIM. But it may mean that we
stare a great need in the face but with confidence. When we trust and GOD provides
it builds our faith and confidence in HIS provision.
We must be careful not to test GOD by avoiding what we can do
to meet our needs so we can watch GOD work. What is wrong with that picture? That
is testing GOD.
JESUS stated in John 15:5 - 5 “I am the vine; you are the
branches. The one who remains in Me and I in him produces much fruit, because
you can do nothing without Me.” Christians abide in JESUS. This means we
are totally dependent upon HIM for our care and growth.
Trust and obey for there is no other way to be happy in JESUS
but to trust and obey. Rest in HIM knowing that all of our needs are taken care
of.
Think back to George Mueller. He prayed the night before trusting
that GOD would provide. The next morning, he walked along a street trusting
that GOD would provide. A man happened to be walking on the same street and
gave him the funds he needed to provide breakfast for the orphanage. Often, we
have to take the action GOD leads us to take to meet our needs through others.
George took a walk. Then there are times HE sends others to us to meet our
needs as in the story of the baker who brought bread and the milk wagon
breaking down at the orphanage when the baker delivered the bread. Coincidence?
No! GOD was at work.
Blessings!!!
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