Learn From The Lillies

Mat 28-30 28 “So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; 29 and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

The question why you worry? Is a loaded question with much teaching. First is the obvious message about worrying, anguish, anxiety seen by our Lord as something undesirable. In other words, God tells us that anxiety is not convenient, peace is the opposite of anxiety, and we know that God is a God of peace. The peace that we are talking about at the moment is not the opposite of war. We refer to the peace that is synonym of tranquility, serenity. Anxiety and worry are accompanied by pain of the soul and despair. When we act in anxiety or despair, we do not calculate the effects of our actions, and we take very hurried decisions. Anxiety can lead to spending too much, eating fast foods, separations, divorces… and to calm down the anxiety we tend to look for things that would bring relief albeit for a short time. However, when acting in peace, we can take the time to make things easy, we enjoy the moment and do not suffer the consequences of decisions taken in haste. So when Jesus asks you why do you worry? He is letting us know that the anguish and despair are not favorable attitudes. But He is asking: Why? Why do you worry? By asking us why, Jesus is asking you to examine yourself and tell yourself what is the reason for your anxiety. It is not just the clothing that you care about. Clothing is the excuse that you use at this time to worry. The question is what is causing you to get anxious and worried. Will it be because you doubt that God is your provider? Have you not incorporated the Word of God in the 23rd Psalm that says The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want? Do you not believe God? In whom have you put your trust? Do not be anxious; learn to find peace waiting for the Lord. We tend to worry about material things, but He said, “Do not be anxious”. He does not tell us to take a Xanax, He tells us to be still and know He is God. He tells us to learn from the lilies of the field. They do not rush to do things, instead, they completely trust in God and He has provided a most excellent outfit. What He means by worrying about clothes and food, is not to worry so much about where the money is coming from or what is going to happen next, or worry so much about the daily things that interferes with our worship and our praise and our communion with Him. He has many examples in the Bible of learning to trust God for our daily provision.  A widow was ready to die, after helping God’s prophet; God provided oil and flour to sustain her and her son for the rest of their lives. Also the prophet Elijah was fed daily by the raven. In the worst environment, the desert, the Hebrews were provided with bread from heaven and water from the rock and lacked nothing for many years. What makes us thing that God is going to forget about us?He tells us to learn from His creation, the lilies of the field, a beautiful sight adorned by God’s grace. Not even the richest man could equal the heavenly clothing of the flowers. Not even Bill Gates can buy a suit like the garment God is going to clothe you with, an outfit of holiness, a white robe of sanctity that shines like the light in which He wraps himself. He will let you sit in His throne with Jesus, your feet will be protected with the shoes of readiness to deliver the gospel. Learn to trust in God and not in your own efforts. God trusts you to be faithful and obedient. Jesus said, learn from the lilies. He is telling you from the simplicity of life, learn humility. Learn from the lilies, they are fragrant offerings. The lilies are in constant praise, offering their lives as living sacrifice. He said learn from the lilies and watch them grow. If we observe the handy work of God in His creation, when we begin to truly appreciate God’s daily mercies, we stop to look for the miracle of life; we notice that God is working on the lilies. He did not just plant them there in the field. He made them grow. In our lives, we also will grow. We will age, and at each stage of life we must evolve into a more independent and productive person. If we as individuals are not growing, we are not learning and we are not letting God unfold His will upon our lives. Grow like the lilies. Learn from the lilies... And Jesus is telling us to learn and to grow. and to trust in God as we look at the lilies in the field. What can you do to make your way in to heaven? What can you give God that he needs? The answer is nothing; it is by grace that we are saved not by works so that nobody boasts about it. It is only by God’s gift that we can enter into His presence; Jesus is the gift of God. The Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Christ is the gift of God. Receive the Spirit today; it is His gift to you. Now when Jesus points out that the lilies don’t work, He is not saying that you should not work either. He is saying, how much more God will do for you His faithful servant; you are the apple of God’s eye. He has so much more for you who will live in eternity with Him. The grass will wither and die, but you faithful church, you are so loved; you are so much more than grass and flowers. You are God’s heir. He created the Garden of Eden for you. You go ahead toil and spin, but not for your own riches, toil and spin but for the kingdom of God. And when you toil and spin, that’s is, when you go to work every day for God , when you share your testimony with others, do not suffer this work as a burden, but count your suffering for joy. Toil and spin, learn from the lilies, grow like the lilies. Trust God. Work for God. God loves you so much.

Peace/Shalom a blessing

Job 22:21;Psalm 4:8; Psalm 29:11;Psalm 34:14;Isaiah 9:6-7;Proverbs 14:30; Psalm 122:6-8;Psalm 37:11;Isaiah 26:2-4; Isaiah 48:22;John 16:33; Acts 10:36;Romans 8:6;Romans 5:1;Romans 8:6;Romans 12:18; Romans 14:17;Romans 14:19;Galatians 5:21-23; Philippians 4:7; Colossians 3:15;

Jonah's Anger Jonah 3:10-4:4

When things don’t go our way, one of the most natural responses is anger. But Anger, can be a very destructive emotion if not controlled. It can destroy you and those around you. Anger blinds common sense and cause people to say and do things they later regret. However some anger can move you to act courageously against injustice. So why do we get angry?  The Bible tells us the story of a man who became so angry at God that he would rather die. Jonah, also known as the reluctant missionary, became mad at God. When God told Jonah to go to Nineveh and announce the impending destruction that was coming upon that city, Jonah avoided God’s instructions and encountered some serious vicissitudes as a result of his walking away from God. Eventually, Jonah went to Nineveh and preached repentance. God forgave the people of Nineveh and their lives were spared. Now Jonah became angry, so angry he wanted to die. He was mad at God because God changed his mind and did not do what Jonah said God would do. In other words, Jonah was mad at God because God did not do what Jonah wanted God to do. Jonah was more concerned about what he wanted and what others would think of him, that he did not care about the people he was preaching to. He was concerned about looking good before the people, he was concerned about been right, he was the prophet. Pride in Jonah’s heart caused him to create an unrealistic expectation of God. He said, I knew you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity”. Even after seeing the amazing results of his work, the entire city of Niniveh repented and God relented from the threat of punishment, Jonah still sat outside the city to see their destruction. Why did he not packed and left, and sang a song of thanksgiving for God’s mercy upon that city? Instead he was stubborn and stayed there angry hoping for the destruction of the city. But God taught him a lesson about forgiveness.

Sometimes, we get angry at others, or at God or at ourselves. This anger can be traced to our creating unrealistic expectations of others, or of God or of ourselves. When we expect others to do certain things and they don’t do them, we get angry at them. When we expect God to do something for us, and he doesn’t, we get angry at Him. Sometimes we get jealous of other peoples’ blessings and we ask God, where is my blessing? It is frustrating when we don’t get what we want, and when this happen, we turn to anger. But God asked Have you any right to be angry? The answer is no.

How do you prevent from getting angry? Examine yourself. What are you angry about? To whom are you directing your anger? Consider that maybe the source of your anger is not really the other person, but what you wanted the other person to do for you? Did you consider that when you placed this expectation to the other person, you were perhaps, too demanding? Did you consider the ability of the other person to do what you wanted? Finally, did you consider that sometimes, there can be a change of plans? Is it your pride that is getting in the way of our accepting others the way they are?

A good exercise would be to begin our day with thanksgiving. Be extra aware of God’s mercies and grace. Think about what an amazing job He has done in creation. Consider the lilies of the field. Lift up your eyes and delight in God’s handy work. Practice watching God’s amazing work in others. See what a great God is He when he blessed so and so. Be glad for what God gave you and for what God does for others.