LUKE 12:29-34 PRIORITIZE PRINCE OF PEACE: MINIMIZE MELTDOWNS

PRIORITIZE PRINCE OF PEACE:

MINIMIZE MELTDOWNS

LUKE 12:29-34

(See also Matthew 6:26-33)

Luke 12:29-30 And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind.  For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things.

Susie: In this passage, Jesus is describing not luxuries but basic needs.

Susan: This reminds me of the song “The Bare Necessities” from Jungle Book. Only, they don’t just “come to you:” they are provided by our Heavenly Father.

Susie: People of every nation, every religion, seek food, clothing, and shelter. However, we as Christians have the advantage of knowing God will provide them.

Luke 12:31 But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Susie: Matthew clarifies this by saying to seek God’s kingdom first. In other words, make the pursuit of God’s kingdom your top priority.

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

Susan: We asked ourselves, “Exactly what is this Kingdom we are seeking?” When we seek relationship with God, everything else necessary for life will be ours.

Susie: Therefore, the Kingdom of God is His sovereign reign in our hearts and over our lives. In this way, the Kingdom of Heaven is here and now, and by seeking that relationship to Jesus as our Savior and Master we will eventually dwell in the physical Kingdom of God eternally.

Susan: Meanwhile, we do not need to worry or fret about our basic needs.

Philippians 4:6-7 (NASB) Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

1 Peter 5:7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

Luke 12:32 Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

Susan: Jesus is our Good Shepherd. He will protect us, provide for our needs, and usher us into the forever home He has prepared for us.

John 10:27-29 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.

John 14:2-3 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

Luke 12:33-34 Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Susie: King Solomon, famous for his wisdom and wealth, realized the futility of amassing worldly riches.

Ecclesiastes 2:9-11 (MSG) Oh, how I prospered! I left all my predecessors in Jerusalem far behind, left them behind in the dust. What’s more, I kept a clear head through it all. Everything I wanted I took—I never said no to myself. I gave in to every impulse, held back nothing. I sucked the marrow of pleasure out of every task—my reward to myself for a hard day’s work! Then I took a good look at everything I’d done, looked at all the sweat and hard work. But when I looked, I saw nothing but smoke. Smoke and spitting into the wind. There was nothing to any of it. Nothing.

Susan: We are not necessarily required to sell everything we possess. However, we must use what God has given us in such a way that God is glorified and exalted.

1 Timothy 6:17-19 Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.

Susie: In reality, all that we think we own was given to us by God and belongs to God. We are merely stewards, managers of God’s riches. I, for one, want to found managing God’s wealth wisely!

Ponder this and Apply it: As Susan and I have been working on Luke chapter 12, we have had an unexpected disappointment. As soon as I received the “bad” news, the announcer on the radio was reminding his listeners that “God has it under control.” When I arrived home, Susan was on the phone with one of our prayer warrior friends who was asking how she could pray for us. This compelled me to immediately turn our needs over to the Lord rather than become anxious about them. Have you had a financial situation that stressed you out? Continue seeking the Lord while you are seeking solutions and trust Him to provide answers. Easier said than done. Believe me, we know. Even though we place our cares on the Lord’s shoulders, we often try to pick them back up and carry them ourselves. We need to prioritize our relationship with Jesus and minimize our worry.