The Absolute Inability Of Worry To Improve Anything!

12 Mar 2025 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Matthew 6:27.        Which of you by taking thought (worrying) can add one cubit unto his stature (height)?

Who says our God isn’t good eh? Well for the third day in a row, my area is bright and sunshiny and fairly warm, and the computer says that temps are going to rise. Wow! It seems that spring is just around the corner, because birds are also chirping in joyful unison, giving thanks to their Creator for life and love! 

And as Jesus so rightly admonishes and encourages: ‘Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for (do not worry about) your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat (food), and the body than raiment (clothing)? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they.’ (Matt. 6:25-26) 

That’s for sure, because we are the ONLY creation made in God’s own image. The Bible tells us that in the Creation story: ‘And God said, Let us make man in our own image, after our likeness, and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing. So God made man in his own image, in the image of God created him; male and female created he them.’ (Gen. 1:26-27) 

Yuh see friends, God created us in His own image, that’s a spiritual image, because God is a Spirit, without a body, and Jesus only took on a human body when He came to earth to reveal the Father more fully to us. And please note, that God not only made us in His own image, but also gave us dominion over all the earth. That means we’re supposed to rule the earth in His name. So we can see what Jesus is saying in the scriptures at the beginning is absolutely true; we’re worth much more than the birds of the air. 

Then He continues with His teachings on worry, by saying: ‘Which of you by taking thought (worrying) can add one cubit unto his stature (height)? And why take ye thought for raiment (why do you worry about clothing)? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed (clothed) like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe(s) the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith.’ (Matt. 6:27-30) 

And yuh know what friends, we really can’t find anything wrong with Jesus’ argument. For if the Lord looks after the birds of the air and the lilies of the field, dressing them even more beautifully than Cousin Sol, the richest and wisest man ever, it’s logical that He will look after us, His greatest creation in even better manner. But we’ve got to believe it, before we see it come to pass. 

So Jesus continues: ‘Therefore take no thought (do not worry), saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or,  Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.’ (Matt. 6:31-32) Yes, my fellow believers, our heavenly Father knows we need food and clothing just like His other living creations, but we don’t need to kill ourselves worrying about them. 

Why? Jesus gives us the answer in spades: ‘But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.’ (Matt. 6:33) That’s the marvellous answer right there my people! If you put God first place in your life, then He will provide for all your needs. And Bruh Paul reiterated Jesus’ words to the Philippians when he wrote: ‘But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.’ (Phil. 4:19) So, if the Son of God and His most learned and zealous apostle say it’s so, then it’s obviously so. (smile) 

Consequently, Jesus ends this message of seeking God first, then depending on Him for all of our needs, with these wise and reassuring words. ‘Take therefore no thought for the morrow (do not worry about tomorrow): for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil (trouble) thereof.’ (Matt. 6:34) Ah mih people, it’s all of what our Lord and Saviour said, so it must be true, because He has no cause to lie. 

And we all know deep down that worry improves nothing, only makes things worse. So, though we must make some basic plans for the future, we need to concentrate more on the individual day that’s in front of us, for everyday has its own problems and challenges, which we need to handle responsibly, without worrying about the hypothetical troubles that could arise in the future.  

And having received God’s saving grace, then we must continue to seek it all of our lives, because the spiritual side of life is in the long run more important than the material side, for when the body dies, the spirit lives on. The problem though, is where will our spirit live on, in eternal life with Christ, or in eternal death with Satan?  And as the scholars say: ‘When our priority is spiritual, God will take care of the material, for where God guides, He provides.’ And that’s the gospel truth! 

So let’s go home now declaring (chuhhh!!!) our Wednesday Wail, letting the whole world know of our wonderful position in Christ Jesus. As one strong and sincere voice:  ‘Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: I’m so glad to be alive on this Wednesday! Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: Thank God the breath of life is still flowing through me on this Wednesday! I am halfway home. My hands are fixed securely on the plough, and I’m not turning back. I’m not looking back at the past, not focusing on what has gone before. But my eyes are fixed straight ahead, straight ahead to a glorious future with Jesus. Glory Hallelujah!’ 

Now hear this: it’s also been promised that if we endure to the end with Jesus, then the future will be even more glorious than we can ever ask or imagine. So please, let’s be wise and stick with Jesus right to the very end nuh! Looking forward to seeing you there! Much LOVE!

…God created us in LOVE…and will provide for all of our needs…if we sincerely return His LOVE…

Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien

Today’s Scrip-Bit   4 May 2024 Matthew 6:31.

04 May 2024 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Matthew 6:31.        Therefore take no thought (do not worry), saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

And what a beautiful springtime, lazy-day Saturday it is in my neighbourhood! The sun’s shining brightly, not a dark cloud in the sky, with temps in the high teens, with the birds singing their morning praise to their heavenly Father who looks after them with such tender, LOVING care that they want for nothing! Oh how I wish that we could be as grateful and give the plentiful amount of thanks that they give to the same heavenly Father who also takes of our every need! For He’s a Creator who LOVES, understands and looks after His creations. 

How did Jesus put it in His Sermon on the Mount, in his teaching on worry? ‘Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for (do not worry about) your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat (food), and the body more than raiment (clothing)? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns: yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? 

Which of you by taking thought (worrying) can add one cubit unto his stature (height)? And why take ye thought for (worry about? raiment (clothes)? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed (clothed) like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe (clothes) the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?’ (Matt. 6:25-30) 

Ah friends, in His usual forthright manner, Christ hit the proverbial nail right on the head! Our great God is not a wishy-washy, fly-by-night operator. No! He is a serious and concerned Creator, who looks after His creations like the wonderful Father He is. And if you dissect Jesus’ words, you’ll find that they are indeed the gospel truth. The birds neither sow nor reap, but they don’t ever go hungry, and they always seem to be happy, singing and dancing. Likewise the flora of the field all look beautiful in their time, more beautiful than Cousin Sol in all his finery, without either sowing or reaping. 

And the lilies do look loverly, as I can attest to because a few have grown up in the duchess’ front garden without help from her or anyone else…and they are indeed loverly shades of red and yellow. So, if the lower rungs of creation can find food, raiment and satisfaction from God, why can’t we eh, His most important creation? Because as Jesus said, our faith is small. 

Then I like how He puts the finishing touches to His argument. ‘Therefore take no thought (do not worry), saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.’ (Matt. 6:31-33) 

Yes mih bredrin, Jesus tells it like it is! If you claim to believe in God, then your priority must be seeking Him and His will above all else in this world. It’s as simple as that. It’s just like being a member of any earthly organization: you can’t claim to be a true member unless you follow the rules, go to the meetings and do what the organization is set up to do. Likewise you can’t be a true member of Christ’s church and not follow it’s rules and regulations and do the work it was set up to do. 

And if you so do, then your needs will be met by the heavenly Father. It’s a promise made by Christ and fleshed out by Bruh Paul, when he writes to the Philippians: ‘But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.’ (Phil. 4:19) And if we stand on that promise, then we can take Jesus’ next words with full belief. ‘Take therefore no thought for (do not worry about) the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the (trouble) evil thereof.’ (Matt. 6:34) 

Yes friends all of what we’ve read simply means that the first thing we need to do is to seek the righteousness of God’s kingdom, and then continue seeking it. We can’t ever stop. And if we seek the spiritual aspect of God’s kingdom, then He will provide the material aspects we need. As the scholars tell us: ‘When our priority is spiritual, God will take care of the material, for where God guides, He provides. We need not even worry about tomorrow, for sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. This means that each day has its own troubles and challenges to be responsibly handled, without worrying about the hypothetical problems that could arise tomorrow.’ 

Unfortunately though, especially in these uncertain and troubled times, too many of us still worry about what could happen tomorrow. And yes, we must make some provision and take some thought for the morrow, but not to the extent that so many of us do. And if you’ll think back through the years, I’m sure you’ll realize that many of the hypothetical problems that we’ve outlined for the morrow, either never happened, or not to the extent or degree that we supposed. And worst of all, when we worry about the past or the future, we end up not enjoying the present as we should. 

Remember today only lasts for today! And it’s a gift that we ought to enjoy to the fullest.  That’s why the psalmist wrote these most meaningful words: ‘This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.’ (Ps. 118:24) And you cannot do that if you’re worrying about yesterday or tomorrow. So let’s wake up and smell the roses and do as Jesus says nuh; stop worrying, for worrying improves nothing. And no, I have not forgotten our Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer, it just seemed more appropriate for the end today. (smile) 

So let’s offer it up in all sincerity and truth. ‘Lord, I want to be with You now. Please slow my thoughts and quiet my soul. Let my muscles relax, my breath deepen. You are here with me – Your peace and LOVE are present. I marvel to think You can’t be contained, that Your LOVE both surrounds and fills me. Thank You for this tenderness, Lord. I praise You for Your unceasing nearness. Increase my awareness of You today, that I may know You all the more. Amen!’ 

And if your words were heartfelt, then I know that you will enjoy a peaceful and relaxing lazy-day Saturday, for the Lord always answers prayers that seek Him and His righteousness! Much LOVE!

…God doesn’t cause worry…worry is fear invoked by the devil…

 Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ

Today’s Scrip-Bit 28 December 2014 Matthew 6:33

28 Dec 2014 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Matthew 6:33. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 

Aye mih breddren, it’s the blessed day of the Lord; Sunday, the Sabbath Day! The day on which our great God rested, took a break from His labour of creating the  universe and all therein. And in His Word, He specifically advises us to do the same.

‘Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maid servant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the Lord made the heaven and earth, the sea and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.’ (Ex.20:8-11)

Now that ought to wake some of us up, because we feel that we should be working all the time, everyday of the week. That’s obviously wrong, for work is not the panacea for our ills; Almighty God is! So today let’s put that idolatry behind us and get some rest, as well as darken the church doors, especially for those of you who seldom darken them. It never ceases to amaze me when I hear or read about those folks who only go to church at high times like Easter and Christmas.

Steups! Hope if any of you are reading this, that you went to church and fellowshipped with other believers this Christmas season. And from here on in, you will go to church regularly.

Remember Friends, we’re not doing God a favour by going to church, but ourselves, because church is where we’re supposed to come together as one in the body of Christ, to praise and worship Him and receive encouragement and uplifting of our faith, so that we can stand strong and face the persecution and unfairness of the evil and ungodly world in which we currently live.

That brings us to our Bit: ‘But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.’ And as with most things that have to do with faith and God, my people, we have to step up to the plate first, before the promises of God are fulfilled.

We have to first see the promises through the eyes of faith, believe that they will come, before they come. Otherwise faith would not be necessary for ‘faith is the substance (realization) of things hoped for, the evidence (conviction) of things not seen.’ (Heb.11:1) So if we see something, then there’s no need to hope for it, as Bruh Paul told the Roman church. (Rom.8:24-25)

Now hear are some timely and important explanations from the scholars, re our Bit. ‘6:33-34. This portion of the Sermon on the Mount is summarized by the statement seek ye first the kingdom of God. The disciples who have pledged their allegiance to the King must continue seeking the kingdom and its righteousness. The present imperative form of the verb (Gr. zeto) indicates a continual or constant seeking.

The contrast between the spiritual and material is again emphasized. The believer is to seek first the righteousness that is characteristic of God’s kingdom and then all these things (material things) shall be added to him. When our priority is spiritual, God will take care of the material, for where God guides, He provides.

We need not even worry about tomorrow, for sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof (v.34) This means that each day has its own troubles and challenges to be responsibly handled, without worrying about the hypothetical problems that could arise tomorrow.’

Yes Friends, glimpses into the past and the future are indeed necessary at times, but generally speaking we need to live in the present, seeking the righteousness that is found in the kingdom of God, and if we do so, the Lord will fulfill all our material needs. That’s a promise of Jesus, and we all know that Jesus doesn’t lie, cannot lie, therefore doing as He advises is common sense and sound wisdom.

And we have one of the best examples of the promise being fulfilled when upon ascension to his father, Bruh David’s throne, the Lord asked Cousin Sol what he desired. And Cousin Sol, instead of asking for wealth and power, wisely asked for wisdom and understanding. ‘Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?

And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing. And God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life; neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgement (justice); Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee.

And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches and honour: so that there shall not be any (anyone) among the kings like unto thee all thy days. And if thou wilt walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as thy father David did walk, then I will lengthen thy days.’ (1 Kin.3:9-14)

Oh Friends, yuh see how our God keeps His word! And He even goes overboard too, giving Cousin Sol the wealth and power that he had not asked for. He will act in the same manner towards us, if we sincerely seek the things of His kingdom and His righteousness.

And we’ll close with a word on the subject from Bruh Paul to Timothy. ‘For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.’ (1 Tim.4:8)

And the scholars explain that thus: ‘4:8. That verse may be paraphrased, “For physical exercise is of limited value, but godliness, the result of spiritual exercise, has unlimited values, since it brings blessings for both now and eternity.’And that’s the gospel truth my people! So please, let’s go out today and start seeking the righteousness of God and not the unrighteous things of the world. For that’s wisdom of the highest order. Much LOVE!

…true wisdom comes from sincerely seeking God…not from dallying in the lusts of the world…