God Wants to Help

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” (Philippians 4:6 NIV)

“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7 NIV)

‭‭“Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken.” (Psalm 55:22 NIV)

Worrying is Unproductive

We can’t focus on the present and fully see God when we’re so focused on the future.

“You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before you. Everyone is but a breath, even those who seem secure. “Surely everyone goes around like a mere phantom; in vain they rush about, heaping up wealth without knowing whose it will finally be.” (Psalm 39:5-6 NIV)

“I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that people will fear him.” (Ecclesiastes 3:14 NIV)

Try not to be a worrier. Instead, trust in God because He loves you!
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“This, then, is how you should pray: “ ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. ’

For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” (Matthew 6:5-15 NIV).

How you should pray

Have you ever hung out with a friend from far away and you end it by saying something like “stay in touch.”? In these verses, Jesus is telling us how to pray. Why would He tell us how to pray if He didn’t want us to stay in touch?

In verses 5-8, He tells us how to pray. We don’t need to boast and be prideful when we pray, we don’t need to have long, drawn out, and meaningless prayers. We DO need to have privacy and to the point prayers.

What you should pray

Firstly, we must honor and recognize who God is. God is the creator and therefore center of ALL things including prayer. Secondly, we ask that His will be done in our lives. We must prioritize growing His kingdom. Thirdly, We asl Him to supply our spiritual and physical needs. God knows our needs and wants us to trust Him with them. Fourth, we ask for forgiveness. We humbly ask for forgiveness so that we can show that same forgiveness to others. Lastly, we ask for deliverance. Jesus’ blood has washed us white as snow in redemption.

Forgive

We must forgive others in order to be forgiven. Try not to be out of touch. Instead, try to communicate daily with the Father because He wants you to stay in touch.

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“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Matthew 5:38-48 NIV).

Jesus is telling us to be patient! Walk the extra mile, give an extra coat, pray for those who hurt you, and love those who hate you! These eleven verse can be summarized into two words, Love Everyone!

Our reaction matters

Jesus tells us to react out of love and kindness when someone wrongs us. Paul says something similar in 1 Thessalonians. “Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and everyone else.” (1 Thessalonians 5:15 NIV). Just because someone doesn’t like you or doesn’t believe what you believe, does not make it right for you to hate them.

Strive for perfection

As Christians, we all should have the same goals. To spend eternity in heaven and bring as many people as we can to know Him. Verses 45-48 show how important it is that we reach out, pray for everyone, and love everyone. What good do we do the kingdom if we don’t teach the gospel to those outside the church? What’s the point if we’re just going to sit and judge everyone for their mistakes instead of loving and helping them? We are not anymore human than them. No one is perfect, but Jesus says we should be striving to be perfect like our father in heaven. Mistakes are inevitable not acceptable. Try not to be hateful, instead strive for perfection by showing love and compassion to EVERYONE!

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Jesus calls us to be a giving people. Not so other people will see us and think we are so great, but because we are so full of Jesus and His love that we WANT to give.

Why should I do good?

When we do good SO THAT we will be noticed, we lose our reward. “Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” Our obedience should not highlight ourselves, it should glorify God! We should do good knowing God is omnipresent and knowing that He knows our hearts and our true intentions. We don’t do good out of fear, we do good out of humility and love.

What do I have?

Jesus asks that we give out time and resources humbly. God has given all of us unique gifts and talents that we use and give to others. It is ok to give in public, it is ok to use your gifts and talents in public. The most important thing as that when we do, it is not for attention. It is to humbly glorify God and to glorify Him alone! Try not to be recognized, instead glorify God!

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We talked about being made in the image of GOd. Everything we do should reflect who God is. When we lie or break promises, we are portraying God as a liar. “God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?” (Numbers 23:19 NIV).

In Matthew 5:34-36, Jesus not to swear at all but especially not by heaven, earth, Jerusalem, or our own heads. This is because, heaven is God’s throne, the earth is God’s footstool, Jerusalem is home to a Great King, and we did not create ourselves.

”Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. Where is the house you will build for me? Where will my resting place be?” (Isaiah 66:1 NIV)

”Exalt the Lord our God and worship at His footstool; He is holy.” (Psalms 99:5 NIV)

”But now I have chosen Jerusalem for my Name to be there, and I have chosen David to rule my people Israel.” (2 Chronicles 6:6 NIV)

”Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life?” (Luke 12:25)

Simple Response

Jesus wraps up this portion in verse 37 saying that a simple yes or no should be all we need. James and Paul both touch on this.

”Above all, my brothers and sisters, do not swear – not by heaven or by earth or anything else. All you need to say is a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no.’ Otherwise you will be condemned.” (James 5:12 NIV). Here James repeats what Jesus said in Matthew. He points out that a simple honest answer is the best answer.

”Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasons with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.” (Colossians 4:6 NIV). Paul tells us to speak graciously and kindly. If we speak like this, then we will know if our answer should be yes or no. Try not to be unreliable, instead, be gracious by giving simple and honest answers!

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“Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.

“Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still together on the way, or your adversary may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. Truly I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.”
‭‭(Matthew‬ ‭5‬:‭21‬-‭26‬ ‭NIV‬‬)

Brothers and sisters

We are all children of God and made in His image! “The God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” (Genesis 1:26 NIV). We are all brothers and sisters in Christ. So when He says that if we remember that we have something against a brother or sister (any child of God), to go and reconcile with them before we reconcile with God.

Try not to be selfish saying “I am right” or “I can’t forget what you did.” We need to be selfLESS, loving our brothers and sisters by forgiving hem and seeking their forgiveness. We need to be humble enough to say “You were right” or “I forgive you so I will forget.”

Do Not Stay Angry

“Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body. “In your anger do not sin.” Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry.” (Ephesians 4:25-26 NIV). Paul tells the church in Ephesus to speak truthfully to their brothers and sisters and to reconcile with them before the sun goes down. That is how quickly we must forgive each other. “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you ay be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” (James 5:16 NIV). James tells us that we must confess to each other as well as pray for each other. This is how issues should be resolved. They should be resolved peacefully and quickly. Try not to be selfish, instead try to be selfless in love!

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We are called to reflect Christ! In John 8:12, we see Jesus saying that He is the light of the world. “When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”” (John 8:12 NIV). We are called by Jesus in Matthew 5 to also be the light of the world. This does not mean we become Jesus or that we become perfect like Him. It means we are to mirror and reflect Christ in our thoughts, words, heart, and actions. By reflecting Christ, the light of the world, we then fulfill our calling to be the light of the world.

Sons and Daughters of Light

”Then Jesus told them, “you are going to have the light just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you. Whoever walks in the dark does not know where they are going. Believe in the light while you have the light, so that you may become children of the light.”” (John 12:35-36 NIV). Mirrors cannot reflect something that is not in front of them. If we are to mirror and reflect Christ, we need to be walking with Him as sons and daughter of light. “Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky.” (Philippians 2:14-15 NIV). When we are different than the world around us, we reflect who our Father is. We reflect Christ! Try not to be unreflective, try to be Christ’s mirror!

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In the early centuries, salt was used not only to flavor foods, it was used to preserve them as well. As Christians we should try not to be salty, rather, we should be the salt used to preserve God’s word. When we eat salty things, we become thirsty for water. We need to be preserving God’s word with so much joyous contentment that comes from the Father. This is so that people will see us and thirst for the living water.

Living Water

“On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.” (John 7:37-39 NIV) As we see here, the living water is His Spirit that lives in and flows through us. We need to try not to be salty. Instead we should be preserving God’s word and quenching people’s eternal thirst with His Spirit.

In Mark 9:50, Jesus tells us Christian’s to “Have salt among yourselves, and be at peace with each other.” In order to be the salt of the earth and preserve His word, we much first encourage one another and preserve His word among ourselves. We must first fill each other’s cups and be overflowing with His Spirit. So that we can share with the world and not run dry. Try to be a preservative!

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