Thursday Devo
Scripture:
Matthew 6:19-33
19 “Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. 21 Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.
22 “Your eye is like a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is filled with light. 23 But when your eye is unhealthy, your whole body is filled with darkness. And if the light you think you have is actually darkness, how deep that darkness is!
24 “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money.
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.
19 “Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. 21 Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.
22 “Your eye is like a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is filled with light. 23 But when your eye is unhealthy, your whole body is filled with darkness. And if the light you think you have is actually darkness, how deep that darkness is!
24 “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money.
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.
Commentary:
If anyone seeks God and his kingdom first, God promises to meet his or her needs. This is not a deal—devotion given, provision received—but a promise. If anyone seeks God first, God will relieve him or her of worry. The promise does not explain how to seek the kingdom; the rest of Scripture fills that in. To seek the kingdom is chiefly to love and seek the King, to pray for his kingdom to come, to submit to his reign in every sphere of life, to declare his reign and gospel widely, and to aim for his righteousness socially as well as personally and to seek it locally, nationally, and internationally. God’s reign and righteousness are as intimate as a desire to speak with love and as global as joining an organization that cares for widows, orphans, and the defenseless in the globe’s darkest places.
Jesus concludes with a summary: “Therefore,” since the Father will provide, “do not be anxious about tomorrow.” He then adds a striking personification, “for tomorrow will be anxious for itself.” He then closes with a commonsense dictum: “Sufficient for the day is its own trouble” (v. 34). For believers, there is no reason to worry and no benefit in worry. Every day has its own evils, unique and beyond anticipation. So why worry about tomorrow? Each day has its troubles, and each has its provisions, so why not stick with the issues of the hour?
Daniel M. Doriani, “Matthew,” in Matthew–Luke, ed. Iain M. Duguid, James M. Hamilton Jr., and Jay Sklar, vol. VIII, ESV Expository Commentary (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2021), 116.
Jesus concludes with a summary: “Therefore,” since the Father will provide, “do not be anxious about tomorrow.” He then adds a striking personification, “for tomorrow will be anxious for itself.” He then closes with a commonsense dictum: “Sufficient for the day is its own trouble” (v. 34). For believers, there is no reason to worry and no benefit in worry. Every day has its own evils, unique and beyond anticipation. So why worry about tomorrow? Each day has its troubles, and each has its provisions, so why not stick with the issues of the hour?
Daniel M. Doriani, “Matthew,” in Matthew–Luke, ed. Iain M. Duguid, James M. Hamilton Jr., and Jay Sklar, vol. VIII, ESV Expository Commentary (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2021), 116.
Questions:
Have you ever buttoned a shirt and realized halfway down that you started with the wrong button? Everything looks fine at first, but by the time you reach the bottom, the whole shirt is out of place. If we get the first button wrong, everything that follows is affected.
Jesus gives us a clear starting point in Matthew 6:33. He tells His followers to seek God's Kingdom above everything else, trusting their Heavenly Father to provide what they need. He knows how easily our attention gets pulled toward the things we want, the responsibilities we carry, and the security we're trying to build. Before long, we can fill our lives with so many good things that God gets whatever time and energy we have left.
This happens with our schedules. We make room for work, school, family activities, hobbies, and the things we enjoy. Then we try to squeeze in time with Jesus when everything else is finished. It can happen with our money, too. We pay our bills, cover our expenses, buy the things we want, and then see what's left to give. We may sincerely want God to be first, but our habits can tell a different story.
Giving first requires us to plan ahead. When generosity depends on whatever happens to be left over, it can get pushed aside by the next expense or something else we'd like to buy. Putting aside money to give before spending it elsewhere requires us to make a decision about what matters most. The same is true of our time. If we want to spend time in God's Word and prayer, we have to make room for it before our days are filled.
And giving our best will require some sacrifice. There may be things we choose not to buy, activities we have to rearrange, or comforts we decide we can live without. That can be difficult, especially when we're trying to make our money stretch or already feel like our schedules are full. But generosity is an opportunity to trust God with what He's given us. We can give freely because our security rests in Him, not in how much we manage to keep.
Jesus gives us a clear starting point in Matthew 6:33. He tells His followers to seek God's Kingdom above everything else, trusting their Heavenly Father to provide what they need. He knows how easily our attention gets pulled toward the things we want, the responsibilities we carry, and the security we're trying to build. Before long, we can fill our lives with so many good things that God gets whatever time and energy we have left.
This happens with our schedules. We make room for work, school, family activities, hobbies, and the things we enjoy. Then we try to squeeze in time with Jesus when everything else is finished. It can happen with our money, too. We pay our bills, cover our expenses, buy the things we want, and then see what's left to give. We may sincerely want God to be first, but our habits can tell a different story.
Giving first requires us to plan ahead. When generosity depends on whatever happens to be left over, it can get pushed aside by the next expense or something else we'd like to buy. Putting aside money to give before spending it elsewhere requires us to make a decision about what matters most. The same is true of our time. If we want to spend time in God's Word and prayer, we have to make room for it before our days are filled.
And giving our best will require some sacrifice. There may be things we choose not to buy, activities we have to rearrange, or comforts we decide we can live without. That can be difficult, especially when we're trying to make our money stretch or already feel like our schedules are full. But generosity is an opportunity to trust God with what He's given us. We can give freely because our security rests in Him, not in how much we manage to keep.
- Look at your schedule and spending over the past week. What received your time, attention, and money first? Where did God fit into those decisions? Are your priorities actually reflecting what you say is most important?
- Is your giving something you've planned intentionally, or do you tend to give whatever is left after everything else is paid for? Have you considered a specific amount or percentage you could set aside regularly? What might you need to adjust or give up to make giving a priority?
- What is one area where you need to put God's Kingdom first in a more intentional way? Identify a specific change you can make in your schedule, spending, or use of your resources this week. What will you have to say no to in order to follow through?
Prayer Topics:
- Confess the ways you've allowed other priorities, purchases, and responsibilities to crowd out time and resources that belong to God.
- Thank God for providing for your needs and giving you the opportunity to use what He's entrusted to you for His Kingdom.
- Ask God for wisdom to plan your time and finances around what matters most rather than simply reacting to whatever comes along.
- Ask the Holy Spirit to grow generosity in your heart and give you the faith to offer God your first and best.
This Week's City 7:
Try to commit to memory!
2. Are there sources outside the Bible that confirm the Biblical account of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead? Many Roman and Jewish historians have confirmed that the apostles died as martyrs for preaching that they saw Jesus risen from the grave. No one dies for something they know to be a lie.
(Luke 1:1-4; Acts 26:26; 1 John 1:1-4, Josephus, Clement, Hegesippus, Tertullian, Origen, Polycarp)
(Luke 1:1-4; Acts 26:26; 1 John 1:1-4, Josephus, Clement, Hegesippus, Tertullian, Origen, Polycarp)
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