Scripture
“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? 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? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?
“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers 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. 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—you of little faith? 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. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, 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. – Matthew 6:25-34
This week, we’re walking through a series of teachings and discussions to help us navigate how to trust God in every area of our lives, rather than give into fear and anxiety.
In today’s teaching, Marc helps us understand the context of the fear that the disciples experience when they are navigating through a storm on the Sea of Galilee. The storm was serious, and their fear was real. Yet Jesus compares His worried followers to pagan Gentiles: “The pagans worry after these things, but not so with you. Why? Because your God is your Father, and He’s going to take care of you,” (Matthew 6:32-34, paraphrased).
Question:What are you worrying about? Can you trust that God’s got you? Can you relax? Can you live in a state of staying relaxed, not worrying or being anxious?
Family Chat: Can you think of an example of what it looks or sounds like when someone is scared, unsafe, or out of control? Can you give an example of what it looks or sounds like when you see someone trusting God?
Take Action: Confer with your life group or accountability partner(s) about the things you are facing this season that are causing undue stress and anxiety.
Family Challenge: Place a jar labelled “Trust Fund” in a common area of your home. Each time you notice you or someone else in your family feeling anxious about something—whether it’s real or imagined—discipline yourself to write a note and place it in the jar that starts with something like this, “Jesus, I choose right now to give You what I’m worrying about, ______________, and I trust You with the outcome.” Sign and date it. When the jar is full, take some time as a family to read the things on the notes and talk about how you felt about the situation at that point in time—and how you are feeling currently.
Modified Challenge: If you want, place a monetary value on the note, $1 or 25 cents or whatever would be appropriate, and add money to the jar each time you catch yourself worrying about something. On the day you take account of what’s in the jar, use the money in a way that will bless someone else. For example, if there’s, say, $10 in the jar, use it to make or buy cookies, and deliver them to a neighbor.
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Scripture
“Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?”
—Matthew 6:27
Marc asks a hard question for some of us today: “How does your anxiety and worry affect those around you?” We live in a world that is consumed with anxiety, so if we show the same anxiety that the world around us does, what’s the basis of our faith?
The paganism of our worry could be screaming so loudly in the faces of those around us that others cannot interact with or come to a knowledge of the true God of the universe.
Therefore, don’t worry! God has you, so choose to be people who are following Him—not characterized by anxiety and worry, but truly submitted to the God of the universe, trusting Him even in the darkest moments.
Question: Is your worry hindering others from trusting God, from having faith in Him?
Family Chat: Does anything bother you that makes you feel afraid sometimes? How do you think you can trust God in this?
Take Action: Dare to ask people you work with, “How are you experiencing me? Do I worry or carry anxiety?”
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Scripture
”But seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you as well.”—Matthew 6:33
In today’s teaching, Pastor Hunter Bezet shares how the Lord used a health challenge this year to remind him—and to remind you and me—the importance of making sure that we are seeking God’s Kingdom first, not our own.
No matter where you are or how successful you may be, when you feel under attack, everything in life can come into question. But God asks us to keep it simple and seek Him first in every area of our lives.
If we can submit to God as the center of everything we do and every battle we face, we’ll be strong in this season and in every season.
Question: Whose Kingdom do you pursue on most days, and how are you measuring that?
Prayer Starter: Jesus, thank You for showing me that I’ve been thinking about ________ more than I’ve been thinking about You, praying to You, or meditating on what Your Word has to say.
Family Chat: Parents, be open with your kids about times you have felt afraid or worried, or even things that you have struggled with feeling worried about now. Let them into your world to watch how you process moving from fear about things to trusting in God.
Take Action: Mail an encouraging, handwritten note to someone in your life.
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Scripture
“Give us today our daily bread.” – Matthew 6:11
Today, Pastor Bronson Duke reminds us that the thing that robs us of peace and rest is when we start wondering whether God will really provide for us what we need.
The daily bread we pray for can be compared to the daily bread that God provided to the nation of Israel, manna in the wilderness. He provided for them every day, and they had to trust Him for their provision—every day.
We face the same challenges today, to trust God every day in our hopes and dreams, in the economy, our careers, and our relationships. He explains that what we worry about shows what we’re putting our faith in.
Question: In what area(s) of your life are you striving to find security and peace, but outside of God’s provision?
Family Chat: Discuss with your family how YOU as a parent have relied on the Lord as your security, to take care of your family, even to give you wisdom in parenting.
Take Action: In that area you don’t really believe God will take care of you, picture yourself handing it to God, and rest that He will provide for you.
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Scripture
One day Jesus said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side of the lake.” So they got into a boat and set out. As they sailed, he fell asleep. A squall came down on the lake, so that the boat was being swamped, and they were in great danger.
The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Master, Master, we’re going to drown!”
He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm. “Where is your faith?” he asked his disciples.
In fear and amazement they asked one another, “Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him.”—Luke 8:22-25
On the lake of Galilee in the midst of the storm, Jesus was able to sleep while his disciples were terrified. He challenged them with the fact that God was with them even in the midst of the storm.
Storms are tangible, and those who have survived a hurricane or tornado can attest to the awesome power of nature. The storms in our lives are also just as real and legitimate—a diagnosis, a failed marriage, parenting.
God can be trusted to be intimately a part of every day, every action, and every part of our lives. The God we are called into relationship with is intimately involved in our lives. Storms present real threats to our lives, but you will never be afraid of the storm when you encounter the God who calms the storm.
Question: What storm are you going through right now? How are you handling it? Be honest! Pray through the storms you are facing together with your life group or accountability partner.
Family Chat: What’s been bothering you this week? (Parents, make it safe for your kids to talk about anything with you. Let them know that you are there to help them think through things as things come up).
Take Action: Today, serve someone in need or give to support someone else in a storm.
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Scripture
Now great multitudes accompanied Him, and He turned and said to them, “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after Me cannot be my disciple.” – Luke 14:25-27
This can be a confusing passage! How can Jesus be telling us to love others as we love ourselves, then turn around and command us to hate others? But the word “hate” in Hebrew doesn’t mean animosity or anger; it means to prefer something over something else.
Jesus is challenging us in this passage to prefer Jesus over everything else. Furthermore, Jesus doesn’t want to just be the first priority, then other things. He wants to be first priority in everything.
We’re not called to hate other people. Rather, when we give Christ preference or preeminence in our lives, we love others more, not less.
Question: When others see how we live our lives, what we sacrifice, and what we’re willing to suffer for, would they say, “Wow, he or she must surely love Christ, to give up so much!”?
Family Chat: How would your friends know that you love Jesus?
Take Action: Call your accountability partners and ask them to honestly answer this question about you: “What is the first thing you would say to someone if you were to describe my first priority, my primary identity?” When they answer that question, follow it up with this one, “Do you believe that everything else in my life pales in comparison to my devotion to God, or do you see something standing in the way of that?”
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