anxiety

Pray the Word Every Day

/ Clay D. / Leave a comment

Prayer should be an important part of every Christian’s life. It is our lifeline to God, the Holy Creator of the universe. 

Imagine having a direct line to God’s ear, to which He is always listening. No matter what we need, He’s always there.

Plus, He knows what we need even before we go to Him in prayer. What could be better than that?

He even promises that everything will work together for our good if we love Him and follow His will for our lives (Rom. 8:28).

How should we pray then? 

We can take all the small aspects of our lives to him—like looking for a good parking space, help for a conflict with a coworker, and a thousand other things).

However, we can go much bigger than that, as we can also take the promises we find in the Bible to Him. 

There is a unique angle behind this kind of prayer, because we’re literally praying God’s word and His promises back to Him.

Praying God’s promises is not a new concept, as there are many instances recorded in the Bible where God’s servants do this. 

Isaiah 62:6-12 shows us how, as a reminder of God’s word, the prophet proclaims God’s promise to protect Israel.

In verse 6 of this passage, we are told:

You who remind the Lord, take no rest for yourselves.

Another example is found in Exodus 32:13, where Moses comes to God in the face of His wrath and reminds God of His promise to give Abraham a vast number of descendants:

Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, your servants, to whom you swore by your own self, and said to them, “I will multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have promised I will give to your offspring, and they shall inherit it forever.”

King David often reminds God of His promises. Psalm 119:49-50 gives us just one example of this:

Remember your word to your servant, in which you have made me hope. This is my comfort in my affliction, that your promise gives me life.

If we’re going to pray God’s words and promises back to Him, how should we do this? 

There are an abundance of promises found in the Bible, and we can choose any of them that suit our needs.

Well known author Max Lucado says:

Find a promise that fits your problem, and build your prayer around it! These prayers of faith touch the heart of God and miracles are set in motion!

For instance, if you’re feeling anxious, you might turn to Philippians 4:6-7 and pray something like this:

Lord, thank You for promising that I don’t need to be anxious about anything and that I can turn all my concerns over to you. Thank You for guarding my heart and mind in Christ Jesus.

Even though you may have to repeat this prayer several times throughout the day as you encounter various trials, you can rest easy knowing that God has taken all the anxiety off your shoulders.

Another great verse for dealing with anxiety is 1 Peter 5:6-7. Here, Peter tells us to humble ourselves and cast all our anxieties on our caring God.

We can once again reference these verses and thank God for shouldering all our burdens according to His promises.

For general protection, we can always pray Psalm 91. 

In this chapter, God offers several promises for protection against evil, harm, and sickness. Pray these words back to Him and thank Him for all He’s done and is going to do for you.

Then, in Philippians 4:19, we read:

My God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

Whenever we’re dealing with financial pressure or feeling frustrated, we can go to God and thank Him for meeting all our needs.

Within the pages of the Bible, we find a huge number of God’s promises that can be prayed back to Him.

The next time life is getting you down, go to the Word, find a promise, remind God of it, and thank Him for His sufficiency.

Live In the Present

/ Clay D. / 1 Comment

Did you know that God wants us to live in the present? His wish for us is that we would focus on each day as it comes, savoring all the goodness in it that He has blessed us with.

He doesn’t want us overly consumed with either the past or the future, as it is the action we take today, in the present, that has the power to affect our lives. 

Too many of us focus on the past—what happened yesterday, last week, or last year. 

We live with regret over mistakes we made, over foolish things we said or did, or just over circumstances that didn’t go the way we wanted them to.

The Apostle Paul sums up God’s desire for us nicely in the book of Philippians:

But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on…

Phil. 3:13-14a

Jesus Himself tells us:

No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.

Luke 9:62

What He means, I believe, is that whatever task or project we find ourselves engaged in, focus on it entirely, without worrying about the past.

At the other end of the spectrum are worriers who spend much of their mental energy focusing on the what-ifs of the future. 

Well, what if such and such happens? Will I have enough money to meet all my expenses this month?

God lays out a pretty simple plan to combat this kind of debilitating worry:

But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things [clothes, food, etc.] will be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

Luke 6:33-34

God doesn’t want our minds turmoiled over what the future holds. In the verse just before the two above, Jesus says that it’s the pagans who chase after all the material things in life.

As a believer in Christ, we can count on God to provide everything we need, day by day. As the Lord’s Prayer emphasizes:

Give us each day our daily bread.

Luke 11:3

Just as God provided manna for the Israelites each morning during their time wandering in the desert, He will provide for us the things we need when we need them.

So, if we’re not supposed to spend time and mental energy regretting the past or worrying about the future, that just leaves the present.

And that is exactly where God wants us to be. This present moment is all that we have. The past can’t be changed, and the future isn’t guaranteed. 

Our lives are literally lived out moment by moment, and they are shaped by our decisions made each passing second.

As the psalmist writes:

This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Ps. 118:24

We need to focus all our energies on working and living for the Lord today, because that is all we have in our control.

Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.

2 Cor. 6:2b

So, what are we supposed to focus on every day? Paul tells us:

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

Phil. 4:8

If we spend our mental energy on the needs and concerns of today—while seeking God’s will for our lives—we’ll be much happier and have much less stress to deal with.

Can We Really Give God All Our Anxieties?

/ Clay D. / Leave a comment

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.

1 Peter 5:6-7

As you read the above verses, what stands out to you? I know that for myself, I am thrilled about the prospect of giving God all my worries. I could do with a lot less of those. 

So when I read this passage, my mind immediately begins focusing on how good it would feel to be completely worry-free, even if for a short period of time.

But then I inevitably begin to doubt what I’ve read. Can it really be possible to live without any anxieties at all? Is God really telling us He wants us to live in perfect peace?

As much as I believe in my heart that He does want us to be worry-free, I’ll admit it is quite difficult to wrap my head around this concept. 

My mind fights hard against the notion of relying completely on God and banishing all anxiety from my life.

I believe that the key to truly understanding these truths down deep in your spirit lies in the first part of the passage. 

Before Peter tells us to cast all our anxieties on the Lord, he says that we must humble ourselves before Him.

So what does it mean to truly humble ourselves before God? 

According to dictionary.com, to humble yourself means “to lower in condition, importance, or dignity; abase.” 

An alternate definition is “to destroy the independence, power, or will of.”

A third definition says the word means “to make meek.”

These definitions give us a lot to digest. One thing that is clear is that if we’re to humble ourselves to God we must give up our will and live by His will. 

We must understand, accept, and act on the fact that God is greater than us.

Fully submitting ourselves to God is not easy, as the flesh fights continually to insert its independence.

Let’s not overlook the fact that Peter tells us to humble ourselves under God’s mighty hand. 

When our lives are completely in submission to God, His hand will protect and guide us, making sure that everything works out for our good (Rom. 8:28).

There is no better and safer place to be than under God’s hand. He will take care of us as long as we humble ourselves before Him.

It is then that we can cast all our cares on Him, because we are completely in submission to His will. 

We can fully count on Him to take care of us, providing everything we need in life (Matt. 6:33).

Humbling ourselves can be difficult, but remembering that God is the all-powerful creator of the universe can help us remember who we are in relation to Him.

Then we will have His perfect peace.

Never Stop Trusting in God

/ Clay D. / Leave a comment

We all know we should trust God. After all, He is the Supreme Creator of the universe and we are His creation. We would not exist without Him and the love He showed when He chose to create us.

With that thought in mind, I’ve put together in no particular order a few verses about trusting in God. Several of these have been important to me when I’ve faced life’s struggles. Perhaps they will help you, too, as you meditate on them. You can easily search the Bible and discover others to add to this list.

Proverbs 3:5-6

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

Psalm 22:4-5

In you our fathers trusted; they trusted, and you delivered them. To you they cried and were rescued; in you they trusted and were not put to shame.

Isaiah 26:3-4

You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock.

Psalm 9:10

And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you.

Psalm 91:2

I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”

Jeremiah 17:7-8

Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.

Isaiah 12:2

Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the Lord God is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.

Psalm 18:2

The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

Proverbs 29:25

The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe.

Romans 15:13

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Relax, God’s Got It

/ Clay D. / 3 Comments

Recently I drove past a church that had the following message out front on their sign:

If you worry, then you are not sure God will get it right.

That truth really hit home with me, as I have struggled with worry for most of my life, even as a child.

I believe that many of us could stand to meditate on this church’s message. After all, if we trust God, we really have no need to worry or feel anxious.

There are many verses in the Bible that assure us God is taking care of everything in our lives. One of the best known and often quoted verses is found in Romans:

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

Rom. 8:28

Here we find that God is working ALL things out—not some, or even most things, but everything—for our good. Every trial, every circumstance falls under His control. There is nothing that He does not use for our eventual good when we seek to serve Him.

Another verse we can rely on when we’re tempted to worry is found in Philippians:

Do not be anxious about anything, 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 understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Phil. 4:6-7

God actually commands us not to worry. Do you think He would tell us to do something that is impossible to do?

If you’re one of the people who says, “Well, I’m just a born worrier. I can’t not worry,” then you need to focus on these verses in Philippians and make them an integral part of your everyday life.

Remember that God has everything under control and there’s nothing that catches Him by surprise. 

Besides, even if you do worry, most of the things you worry about you can’t change anyway. Just leave it up to God to take care of. 

Pray and listen to His instruction. He’ll speak to you through the Holy Spirit in a still, small voice, giving you direction in your life as you focus on Him.

In Luke, once again we’re told not to worry, as God will surely take care of us, just as He does the birds:

Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on… Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds!

Luke 12:22,24

Mankind is God’s most prized creation; He even sacrificed His son for our salvation! He will surely take care of all our needs if we will only trust Him.

So, don’t worry. God is more than able to handle anything that’s going on in your life. Just give Him all your cares and focus on serving Him each day.

Kick Worry to the Curb

/ Clay D. / Leave a comment

God doesn’t want you to worry. Really—He doesn’t.

Over and over in the Bible we read where God tells His people not to worry, not to have anxiety. Here is just one of many examples I could name:

Do not be anxious about anything.

Phil. 4:6a

This command is hard for us to accept in the hustle and bustle of our busy lifestyles. If you’re like me, you tend to feel guilty if you’re not worrying about something. 

It seems like you should be worrying, else you’re neglecting your responsibilities.

However, worrying doesn’t change anything—except maybe to make you feel less guilty. 

You don’t need to feel guilty in the first place. Guilt causes you to worry even more—and you can’t do anything about most of the things you worry about anyway.

So, how do we not worry?

First of all, you have to realize that defeating worry is not a one-time thing. Quitting worrying takes daily effort and a resolve to live in freedom in Jesus. 

Although you may feel like you’re in an uphill battle and that you’re not seeing any results—keep at it. 

Eventually, you’ll find yourself worrying less and living with more joy and peace.

On one of his excellent “In Touch” radio broadcasts, Dr. Charles Stanley lays out three steps to eliminating worry in your life. 

Pray over and meditate on these steps. Really think about them and let them sink into your spirit. 

Doing so will help you beat worry and guilt. 

Step #1 – Realize That God is With You

God knows and sees your situation. He is with you every step of the way. 

I will never leave you nor forsake you.

Heb. 13:5b

You are God’s child, and He loves you dearly. Just as you would never leave your own child, God will never leave you.

And how much more He loves you than you are able to love your child!

You don’t need to worry about God’s awareness of your situation. He is omniscient and has known that you would experience whatever trial you’re in even before time itself existed.

He has promised that He will always be with you, so take Him at His word.

Pray to your Heavenly Father and ask Him for help. He won’t let you down.

Step #2 – Maintain Proper Vision

View your situation in context of your faith.

God is Lord of the entire universe and can be fully trusted to help you through any problems you might face.

You can hold on to your faith that God is good and that His will is always in your best interest. As we are told in Romans 8:28:

We know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. 

When everything seems to be going wrong and all you have is God to fall back on, that’s when your faith is truly put to the test. 

God is all we need. And when He is all we have, we are presented with the opportunity to stand firm in our faith. God’s will WILL prevail.

Step #3 – Seek God’s Kingdom First

If serving God and following His will for your life are your priorities in life, He will make sure that you have everything you need.

Matthew 6:33 tells us:

But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

To put it another way, God takes care of His own. If you belong to Jesus and faithfully serve Him, your needs will be met.

Keep in mind, God’s provision might not always look like you think it should, but He will always come through. 

God wants to be your provider. His desire is for you to rely on Him and Him alone—not your job, your bank account, or even your own abilities.

Just Him.

When you know that God will meet your every need, you don’t need to worry about having enough. 

You’ll have what you need, when you need it. And you can count on that.

So, to sum up Dr. Stanley’s advice for overcoming worry:

  1. Trust God.
  2. Have faith in God.
  3. Seek God.

Here’s to a worry-free, joy-filled life pursuing God!

Do Not Be Anxious

/ Clay D. / Leave a comment

In the final 10 verses of Matthew 6, Jesus tells us three different times, “Do not be anxious.”

He must really mean it if He says it that many times. 

Yes, He truly wants His followers to live without anxiety and worry over the circumstances of their lives.

Let’s take a closer look at what Jesus says. The first occurrence of this command says,

Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on.

Matthew 6:25a

The words are plain and simple—don’t worry. 

However, we need to go back and look at the verses immediately before this one because of the word “Therefore.” Whenever we see this word, we need to see what it is said just before it.

Verse 24 says, 

No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.

In my opinion, this is one of the most important verses in the Bible, especially for those of us who have been taught that more is better and that having a well-paying career is what defines success. 

This verse shows us that we need to put God in His proper place in our lives. He must be #1—above everything else, including money and career.

When we make God the most important thing in our lives, then we can be assured verse 25 will be true for us—we can live life without worry and anxiety.

God will feed us and clothe us, just as he does the birds of the air and the lilies of the field. We are much more important to Him than they are, so He will surely take care of us, just as He does them. 

The next command not to worry comes just a few verses down:

Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?

Matt. 6:31

Once again, Jesus tells us not to worry ourselves unnecessarily over having enough to eat or drink. He even goes on to tell us in verse 32 that God already knows we need these things.

He will supply us because He wants us to have the necessities of life. He says that the people who don’t know God spend their time chasing after these things and worrying about them. 

As believers in Christ, we can be assured that God will supply our needs. That’s not to say that things will always be easy, as life is not always fun, but we can trust that God is taking care of us.

Finally, in verse 34 Jesus tells us for the final time not to worry:

Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

There’s that word “therefore” again, so we must back up a verse to find out what is stated there.

Verse 33 says,

But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

Each day, God will supply our needs for that day. We must simply live out our faith one day at a time, trusting God for His provision.

So, to ensure that God will look after our needs, we need to work to advance His kingdom and strive to live a righteous life that honors Him. 

Of course, no one can live a completely righteous life. The whole reason that Jesus died for us was to make us righteous in the Father’s eyes—we’re unable to achieve this on our own. 

We’re imperfect humans at best. However, that is a topic for another time.

In this important chapter, we have learned what to do to have our needs met and to live anxiety-free and worry-free lives:

  1. Put God in the highest place in our lives—over money, career, and even our own families.
  2. Seek God’s kingdom first, doing His work here on earth and trying to live our lives according to His commands and guidance.

While some may say this is an oversimplification of a complex theological discussion, I disagree.

I believe the Bible was written so that even a small child can understand it. After all, later on in Matthew, Jesus says,

Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

Matt. 18:3

It’s up to us to forget about all the “extras” that we tend to add to the Gospel, and approach it with the simple faith of a child. 

Trust God. Obey God. Make Him the most important thing in your life. Then, you’ll have everything you need and you won’t have reason to worry. 

You will have placed your life right where it needs to be—in His strong hands.

Turn Your Life Verse Into an Affirmation

/ Clay D. / Leave a comment

What is your life verse? 

You know, the one that every time you read it or think about it, it just speaks truth to you. If nothing comes to mind, ask God to give you one—a verse that He wants you to hold on to, to make it your own, during the good times and the bad.

I’ve had various verses that have spoken to me personally over the years. For at least 25 years, Proverbs 3:5-6 has been at the top of the list:

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

Long ago, It felt like God laid this passage on my heart, prompting me to hold it close because I would need it someday.

And, oh, how I’ve needed those words. I’ve had to remind myself over and over to trust God completely and not to rely on my own understanding or beliefs about the situation at hand.

Here lately, God has prompted me to keep in mind a different verse—Romans 8:28: 

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose

This verse reminds me every day that no matter what challenges I face, it’s all working out for the best in my life. It may not seem like it now, but God has a plan and everything is falling into place.

In fact, lately when I’ve felt stressed or overwhelmed, I just yell out (to myself), “Romans 8:28, baby!” That simple reminder is enough to reset my emotions, help me remember that God is in control, and keep me from spiraling into an abyss of doom, gloom, and depression. 

One technique I’ve used a few times is to take several key passages of scripture that truly speak to me and write them down in a personalized way on either an index card or small piece of paper that I can look at each day.

For example, using the two passages in Proverbs and Romans, I might write the following affirmation:

Today I trust in the Lord with all my heart and will not rely on my own understanding. In all my ways I’m acknowledging Him, and He is making my paths straight. In everything God is working for my good because I love Him and am called according to His purpose.

Philippians 4:4 and 4:6-7 are other powerful passages about God’s goodness and peace that I have often meditated on when life’s challenges feel overwhelming. I could personalize them as well and add them to my daily affirmation.

So, when I’m finished, I have the following written out:

Today I trust in the Lord with all my heart and will not rely on my own understanding. In all my ways I’m acknowledging Him, and He is making my paths straight. In everything God is working for my good because I love Him and am called according to His purpose.

I will rejoice in the Lord today. I will not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving I’ll let my requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard my heart and mind in Christ Jesus.

Prov. 3:5-6, Rom. 8:28, Phil. 4:4, 6-7

These are some of the verses that have greatly helped me over the years. Maybe they’re special to you as well. Or maybe you need to search the Bible and find your own verses that resonate with your unique circumstances.

Once you’ve personalized and written out your affirmation, take a moment first thing in the morning to read it, out loud if possible. 

Read it again while you’re eating lunch, and refer to it anytime during the day that you feel stress, anxiety, or depression creeping up on you. 

Bedtime is another fantastic time to read your affirmation and set your mind on God as you drift off to sleep.

Let God’s word soak into your spirit and drive out all the negative feelings and emotions that are trying to take root in your mind. Focus on God and His promises.

You’ll feel more joyful and hopeful if you do.

Try This Simple Trick to Free Yourself From the Shackles of Depression

/ Clay D. / 1 Comment

Would you like to feel more alive and in control of your life?

You can do so by separating yourself from your depression.

The first thing to keep in mind is that unwanted, negative emotions— depression, worry, fear, and anxiety—are not you. You don’t have to live under a cloud of these burdensome emotions. 

The key is to mentally compartmentalize your depression so that it’s not a part of you. 

Try this exercise the next time depression, anxiety, or another negative emotion tries to take over your mind. 

Picture yourself from outside your body, looking at yourself as if you were another person. You see yourself and notice that you’re visibly happy with a pleasant smile on your face. 

Then, imagine taking any negative emotions that have been plaguing you and physically pulling them out of your body. 

You then stuff them securely into a neat little box. Make sure in your mind that this box is separate from you.

You are you, and your depression and anxiety are not part of your mind or your body.

You can even personify the depression for more impact. Picture it with a face, but put a quizzical look on the face as if the depression is suddenly stunned it’s no longer part of you. 

Notice we’re not calling it “your” depression, but simply depression.

Depression has been relegated as it were to the peanut gallery of your life. All it can do is just watch—with awe and envy—as you continue happily living your life out from under its control. 

You’re happy now because you’re free from the shackles of depression, worry, anxiety, and fear.

Anytime any of those emotions start to creep their way back into your mind, stop what you’re doing and mentally divorce yourself from them again. 

Firmly place them back into that box, the one that occupies space that is completely outside of your body. 

Remember—depression and worry are not you. You are you, and you are choosing to live free, not under the control of those emotions. 

Here’s the Perfect Solution If You Want a Worry-Free Life

/ Clay D. / 1 Comment

No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?

Matt. 6:24-25

How many of us are guilty of the sin of worrying about our finances? (Yes, it’s a sin to worry—whether it’s about money or anything else.)

It’s so easy to slip into the old familiar pattern of fretting while looking over our monthly bills, or of getting discouraged when we’re trying to balance our household budget. 

However, God doesn’t want us to worry—at all. Over and over in the Bible, we find that truth.

In fact, right in this passage, He tells us how to avoid worry and anxiety about our everyday needs. 

You see, if money is what drives us, we’re naturally going to worry. If money is your chief goal, then there will never be enough of it to satisfy you. 

For example, if you’re short on money, you’ll worry about how to get more. And if you’ve got plenty of money to pay your bills, you’ll worry about losing your income and your standard of living. 

It’s a NO WIN situation when you serve money. 

On the other hand, if we’re serving God, we can relax free and easy. That’s right—we can go through life without money worries. He will provide us with everything we need—food, clothes, and shelter. 

As we’re told a few verses down the page, God already knows what we need anyway. By the time we get around to asking for help, He has already put His plan into action for our provision. 

But the key is to seek His kingdom first—you’ve got to give Him 100%. Not 90%…not even 99%…but all of you.

We have to put serving God and His purposes at the very top of our list. Everything we do must be geared toward living with God as the #1 priority in our lives. 

I, for one, have too often been guilty of trying to serve both God and money. I mean, surely it can be done, right? 

I’ve thought, I can put in these extra hours at work and still keep my focus on God. I can squeeze a little time in for God here and there during the day or just before bed. That will be fine, won’t it?

WRONG. There is no person on the planet who has the means to put both God and money at the top of their list of priorities. It will always be one of the two, to the exclusion of the other. 

It’s much wiser to take God at His word and make Him the priority, as you’ll receive all the rewards of serving Him AND have your needs met at the same time. 

However, try to make money the object of desire in your life and you’ll miss out on a fulfilling, enriching relationship with God, as well as many of the blessings He has in mind for you.

Our Father wants us to make the wise choice, so He lays it all out for us in these two wonderful verses. 

He tells us flat out that it’s impossible to serve both Him and money, so don’t even try. “Therefore…” He says (and this is a big “therefore”), we can live without worry and anxiety.

He’s saying first of all that it’s pointless to try to put Him and money at the head of our lives, AND as a result of this truth, we don’t have to worry about “things” because He will take care of all that—so long as we seek His kingdom first.

So, if you want a life that’s free from worry, anxiety, and stress, seek God first. Everything else will fall into place. 

He’s waiting for you to make the right choice.