When you look to the future, what do you see? God wants you to have hope for the future, not worry. In this message, we look at what Jesus has to say about how a believer should approach the future and what promises God gives to us.
Future Hope
Messengers of Hope – Part 3 (Matthew 6:24-34)
Life Church St. Louis – April 22, 2012
Pastor Dan Walker
Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV) “For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
Matthew 6:24 (NIV) No one can serve two masters. 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 both God and Money.
1. Don’t ___________ about life’s basics
Matthew 6:25 (NIV) 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 important than food, and the body more important than clothes?
1A. God __________ even the birds
Matthew 6:26 (NIV) Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?
1B. Worry serves no ______________
Matthew 6:27 (NIV) Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?
2. Don’t worry about life’s ______________
Matthew 6:28a (NIV) And why do you worry about clothes?
2A. God ___________ even the wild flowers
Matthew 6:28b-29 (NIV) See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.
2B. Worry is simply ______________
Matthew 6:30 (NIV) If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
2C. Worry pursues the ______________ objectives
Matthew 6:31-32 (NIV) So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.
3. Seek God _____________
3A. Seek God’s _____________ first
Matthew 6:33a (NIV) But seek first his kingdom …
3B. Seek God’s ________________
Matthew 6:33a (NIV) But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness,
3C. ______________ God will take care of you
Matthew 6:33b-34 (NIV) … and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.