Faith For Provision

While worry is a popular pastime, faith is a better focus. Don't worry for what you need, instead, have faith in the one who provides.

Matthew 6:25-34 (New Living Translation)

25 "That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life--whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn't life more than food, and your body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds. They don't plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren't you far more valuable to him than they are? 27 Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?

28 "And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don't work or make their clothing, 29 yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. 30 And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?

31 "So don't worry about these things, saying, 'What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?' 32 These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. 33 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.

34 "So don't worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today's trouble is enough for today."

God's got it under control. Your worry does nothing for you other than distract you from greater things. So let it go. Watch carefully for the provision that surrounds you then be thankful for it.


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Evidence To Yourself

The difference between living by the Spirit, and living by sinful desires. It is not your opinion that is important but your actual choices. Which will you choose to follow? What fruit will your life bear?

Galatians 5:16-23 (New Living Translation)

16 So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won't be doing what your sinful nature craves. 17 The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. 18 But when you are directed by the Spirit, you are not under obligation to the law of Moses.

19 When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, 21 envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life WILL NOT inherit the Kingdom of God.

22 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

Can you think of a time that you were producing that kind of fruit? Which kind of fruit do you see more of in your life? We all have room to grow.


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Wealthy, But Low On Cash

You know, you don't need money to be wealthy. Here's what the apostle Paul wrote to his friend named Timothy.

1 Timothy 6:6-9 (New Living Translation)

6 Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth. 7 After all, we brought nothing with us when we came into the world, and we can't take anything with us when we leave it. 8 So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content.

9 But people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction.

You may be wealthy and not feel like it. Ask God today to show you how He's blessed you.


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Jealousy Bad. Wisdom Good.

Feeling jealous? Here's James with some advice.

James 3:16-18 (New Living Translation)

16 For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind.

17 But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere. 18 And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness.

Instead of getting mad about it, you know what you should do.


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Don't Be Afraid. Don't Be Very Afraid.

Do you know what the antidote to fear is? Here's a passage from 1 John to tell you.

1 John 4:16-19 (New Living Translation)

16 We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love.

God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. 17 And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world.

18 Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love. 19 We love each other because he loved us first.

Are you experiencing the love of God today? Only His love can drive out fear forever.


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Wide, Long, High & Deep

The way the world talks about love, it's no wonder people feel insecure. Here's what Paul has to say about God's love.

Ephesians 3:14-19 (New Living Translation)

14 When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, 15 the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. 16 I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. 17 Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God's love and keep you strong. 18 And may you have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. 19 May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.

Let God's love be the secure foundation you build the rest of your life on.


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Chosen

1 Peter 2:9-12 (New Living Translation)

9... you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God's very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.

10 "Once you had no identity as a people;
now you are God's people.
Once you received no mercy;
now you have received God's mercy."

11 Dear friends, I warn you as "temporary residents and foreigners" to keep away from worldly desires that wage war against your very souls. 12 Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbours. Then even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honourable behaviour, and they will give honour to God when he judges the world.

You are chosen. You have value. So how does that change the way that you live?


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Cool the Anger

So you think it's cool to get angry? That's what the movies show all the time. Here's the thing, your anger could destroy you.

James 1:19-22 (New Living Translation)

19 Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. 20 Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires. 21 So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls.

22 But don't just listen to God's word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.

How do you slow your anger? Exactly the way you're doing. Making time for God's Word every day and actually doing what it says.


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