Overcoming Emotional Hurdles: Pt. 4 — A ‘Time With God’ Audio Devotion

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Transcript

We take some time with God today.

Let’s just stop and say, Lord, what do you have to say to us? Because God wants to speak into your life today.

He wants these few minutes together to have an impact on the way you approach life, the way you think of yourself, the way you think of Him, the way you respond to Him. He wants to reshape your life.

We’re looking this week at the topic of overcoming emotional hurdles, and we’ve looked at the importance of recognising who we are in Jesus Christ, that if you have come to know the Lord Jesus Christ, God sees you in Him.

And you have enormous value to God because of who you are in Christ. God loves you so much. We looked yesterday at this idea of the potter with a piece of clay on his potter’s wheel and the clay gets messed up, so He makes a different vessel out of it, and God gives us that picture in Jeremiah 18 and says, I can do that with your life too. It doesn’t matter how messed up your life is, if you will put it completely in my hands. I can remake it.

Today we want to look at Matthew chapter 6.

And in this passage, Jesus is teaching and telling his disciples it’s useless to be anxious about the issues of your life. What you need to do is put God first and allow Him to meet your needs.

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He says in verse 28, Why are you anxious about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow. They do not toil, nor do they spin. Yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory did not clothe himself like one of these. But if God so arrays the grass of the field which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will he not much more do so for you, O men of little faith? Do not be anxious then. Saying what shall we eat or what shall we drink or with what shall we clothe ourselves for all these things the Gentiles eagerly seek, for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things, but seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore, do not be anxious for tomorrow, for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Well, do you see what He says? Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

Granted, this passage is talking about trusting God with your financial needs and with the provision of the things you need for life, food, clothing, things like that. But it also is true for your inner, emotional life.

You can get so anxious, so worried about the things that you cannot change, and the answer is not to try and make a bargain with God. If you do this for me, then I’ll do this for you. No.

God is not a person who accepts bribes. He’s not looking for good works from you in payment for favours from Him.

What God asks is for you to first, put your trust in Him. Seek first the kingdom of God. Put the things that matter to God first in your life, and then trust Him. He will provide your needs, your inner needs, and your outer needs.

I’m John North.

To go deeper in your faith, visit AFCI.com.au.

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