.jpg)
Articles
Jesus' Promise
In Matt.6:33 we read, "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." Jesus is promising those who serve him and put him first and his righteousness; that he will provide their needs: the daily necessities of life, food and clothes. Just as God provides for the birds in feeding them, and clothes the lilies of the field, surely God will take care of his children in his providence of things! For we are indeed of greater value many sparrows. Thus, the anxious worries over having our necessities meet, food and clothes, is evidence of a lack of faith, vs.30, "Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?". These are the things that carnally minded Gentiles seek preeminently, vs.32, "(For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things." God expects us to work, Eph.4:28, "Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth." And he will within his providence provide the opportunities for us to work. But sometimes, he provides for us through the assistance of fellow Christians, 2 Cor.9:12-15, "For the administration of this service not only supplieth the want of the saints, but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God; Whiles by the experiment of this ministration they glorify God for your professed subjection unto the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal distribution unto them, and unto all men; And by their prayer for you, which long after you for the exceeding grace of God in you. Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift." But it is still God providing through his providence. The promise of Matt.6:33 is the same sort of promise that the Psalmist spoke about in Ps.37:25, "I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.." They both are talking about God taking care of his own. The Jews were the people of God, and we are the people of God today, under N.T. order.
