Worry Not!
Part 2
August 10, 2025
Scripture: Matthew 6:33, 34
One night, a group of thieves broke into a jewelry store. But rather than stealing anything, they simply switched all the price tags. The next shoppers were unaware of what the thieves had done. The expensive jewels had suddenly become cheap, and the costume jewelry, which had been virtually worthless before, was suddenly extremely expensive. Customers who thought they were purchasing valuable gems were getting fake ones. Those who couldn’t afford the higher priced items were leaving the store with treasures.
Our world is like that jewelry store. It’s like someone came in and switched all the price tags. In our world immense value is given to the accumulation of material wealth and the power that goes with it. Our world puts a high price on “toys,” comfort, beauty, and fame. As a result, many worry about such things. They often lose a proper perspective and balance of being a good steward for the Lord. Now, Jesus taught that the things of this world are virtually worthless in the only “jewelry store” that matters: the kingdom of God.
Jesus started teaching on putting on a proper kingdom perspective in Matthew 6:19 and following as he noted, Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth for these are temporary, but store up treasures in heaven as they last forever. Then he makes the point in verse 21, For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. He goes on to teach about worrying about the things of this world. Last week, we noted several principles from verses 25-32.
1: If you are going to overcome worry, then focus on eternal matters, not temporary ones.
2: If you are going to overcome worry, take to heart that the Lord values you!
3: If you are going to overcome worry, then realize that worry is worthless, even harmful!
Confess it as sin. Choose to obey God and depend on Him.
4: If you are going to overcome worry, increase your faith! Pray and think about what is true!
5: If you are going to overcome worry, then realize your Heavenly Father knows what you
need! He is in control!
Today, I want to add two more key principles to overcome worry. So, let’s look.
Matthew 6:33, But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
What does it mean, But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness? The word, “But” indicates rather than worrying, like those who have little faith (verse 30) and the pagans who run after the things of this world as mentioned in verse 32, we are to seek first His kingdom and His righteousness.
The word seek implies a choice. God does not force us to seek Him. The Bible says His Spirit draws us (John 6:44), but He does not force us. He loves us, but He does not make us love Him. Seeking is a deliberate choice. You must have the heart that says, “Open the eyes of my heart, Lord, I want to see You.”
His kingdom indicates the place where God reigns. It is the place where He rules! He is King! He is Lord!
His righteousness means, to put it simply, having the right relationship with the LORD!
So, seeking first His kingdom is to initially make the decision to make Him Lord of your life. It is the decision, the commitment, the wholehearted belief Jesus is the King of kings and the Lord of lords. It is taking self of the throne of your heart and having Jesus on the throne of your heart. He is your LORD!
Seeking first God’s righteousness is to do whatever it takes to have a right relationship with the Lord. You repent whatever sin you need to. Not only do you need to turn from your sin, but you also need to seek God’s righteousness, not self-righteousness. One needs to put their faith, their wholehearted belief in Jesus! In Matthew 5:48 Jesus said you must be perfect as your Heavenly Father is perfect to enter heaven. We can never be that righteous on our own. Romans 3:22 states, This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.
Now, there are two ways to heaven. One is to live a perfect, sinless life. Just to let you know, none of us are going to get to heaven this way!!! As Romans 3:23 states, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
The other way is to wholeheartedly believe in Jesus that he died for your sins and has paid for your sin before a Holy God. The prophet Isaiah prophesied hundreds of years before Jesus appeared as he stated in Isaiah 53:5, 6, But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. 6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
Jesus implemented the Lord’s Supper to remind us that his broken body and shed blood was for the forgiveness of sin (Matthew 26:26-29).
II Corinthians 5:21 states, God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
50 years ago, this month I made an initial commitment to Jesus Christ. I was 17 years old and attended a church camp in Indiana. If I remember correctly there were about 20 high school teenagers. Now, I was a professing agnostic for several years before this camp. I even said in a in a Sunday School class that I doubted God’s existence. The youth pastor, Jack Berghorst, who had a major influence in my life when I was younger, persuaded me to attend camp. The Lord began opening my eyes that week. I was taking a walk with a fellow camper. He mentioned the idea how God created such a beautiful area, the wonder of nature. I admit that I never really thought about the wonder of God’s creation and Him being the Great Designer! I had suppressed the truth as noted in Romans 1:18-20!
Another way the Lord spoke to me was through the song, Seek Ye First! It was a newer Christian song….
On Friday night of that camp, I silently decided to seek the Lord. As I look back, I see the promise of Jeremiah 29:13 working in my life. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. After I got home, I had a date with Kathy and shared about my experience. I remember her telling me, “It sounds like you experienced God’s peace.” I still did not really understand, but I agreed with her.
I started reading the Bible, The Living Bible translation. I began with Matthew and when I got to Matthew 13 and the Parable of the Sower, I sensed God speaking to me. As I read Jesus’ explanation of the parable (Matthew 13:18-23), I decided that I didn’t want to have a heart like the soil along the path, the rocky soil, or the soil with thorns. I wanted to have a heart where the seed/the gospel message falls on good soil. I wanted to hear and understand God’s word and then produce a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.
I also started attending the high school Bible study and prayer meetings. I came to understand that I needed to seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness in every area of my life. If I was going to apply seeking Him first, then I needed to learn what He wanted to me to do. He does this predominately through His word, the Bible. Prayer and fellowship are also important.
About 6 months after making an initial commitment to the Lord, I was prompted to pursue full-time Christian work. Even though I was excited for the Lord, I still struggled with certain areas in my life.
The following summer, 1976, I attended church camp in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. The high school group had grown to some extent. Kathy also attended that camp. It was at camp that Lord spoke to me about the importance of having daily personal devotions. On that Friday night, the Lord poured out his Spirit big time! I sensed God’s Holy Spirit fill me. Kathy made a commitment to follow Jesus. Many of the students were confessing sin to church leaders. Others were singing and praising the Lord. One young lady, who was not part of the camp, walked up to the campfire when the gospel was being presented and recommitted her life to Christ. She was simply driving by with a boyfriend planning to get drunk.
The Holy Spirit worked in my life! I realized that if I were to seek Him first in my life, I must start making decisions according to His will, to what He desires, not what I desired.
Jesus taught us to pray for thy will to be done (Matthew 6:10). Jesus prayed to do God’s will as he faced the cross. Paul writes in Galatians 5:16, 17, So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want.
Over the years, the Lord has taught me to seek Him first in so many areas of life. When I was a late teen, I had to apply/make the decision to honor/respect my parents, especially my dad.
I also knew that Kathy and I needed to break up if our relationship was to be honorable to the Lord. So, Kathy and I mutually broke up for a period.
When I was at UPS, it was a very physical job. The Lord used Colossians 3:23, 24 so I would put on the right attitude. Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, 24 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
My commitment to put Him first prompted me to turn down a lucrative career at United Parcel Service so I could continue to pursue a seminary education.
I learned that I needed to put Him first relating to money! I took to heart the principle of tithing 10 percent, saving 10% and living on the rest. One passage that spoke to me years ago and still does is Luke 16:11, So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches?
Seeking and applying His word has helped me to have a successful marriage. God’s word has also helped me to parent like the Lord parents his children.
I also learned how critical it was/is to develop emotional maturity so I can better manage such things as anger, fear, depression, or unfulfilled expectations. I encourage you to understand your temperament weaknesses and allow God’s Holy Spirit to transform you! Here is a key principle that I learned. One cannot be spiritually mature until one is emotionally mature.
Over the past 5 years, I have learned that cookies and candy really do not satisfy. It might be for a moment, but after I got on the scale, I came to realize that I was not treating my body as a temple for the Holy Spirit (I Corinthians 6:19). The Lord prompted me to change, to lose weight, to take better care of the body that He has given me.
Seeking first His kingdom and righteousness will prompt us to make worship a priority! Jesus said in John 4:23, 24 states, …true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”
As we seek to do His will, we will want to apply the qualities of the early church. Acts 2:42 notes that the early church devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. As a result, God blessed that church by adding to the number.
Seeking His kingdom and His righteousness should prompt us to advance His kingdom. We will want to see people come to know the Lord and grow in the Lord. One of my goals is what Paul states in Colossians 1:28, He is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ. That is my hope for each one of you. I want each of you to be fully mature in Christ!
So, Jesus is saying: Focus on ME. Focus on My Kingdom and my Righteousness! Don’t worry about money, the things of this world, pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, and gentleness. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called. (Please note I Timothy 6:6-12).
Sadly, there are people who think, “Well, if I become a Christian, I can continue to do my own thing.” So many have the version of Christianity in which one can keep on doing whatever you want to do and still be saved and go to heaven. That is not what Jesus teaches in His word.
Too many people are just watching out for themselves, not the Lord first! It is just like Paul wrote in Philippians 2:21, For everyone looks out for their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. Sadly, this can even happen in the church. It is all about our comfort, our program, our preference, our conveniences, or our tradition.
I encourage you to seek first His kingdom and His righteousness in your decision making! Remember the question is not “What do I want to do?” or “What do I feel like doing?” It is, “What does the Lord want me to do?
If you do, then you can take to heart Jesus words at the end of Matthew 6:33, and all these things will be given to you as well.
When God’s kingdom and righteousness are our priority, God meets our needs, which ultimately delivers us from fear and worry.
Isaiah 26:3, 4 states, You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. 4 Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock (ESV). God gives us a peace, a contentment, if we keep our mind on Him.
Now as we seek God first, we will walk in His Spirit. As we walk in His Spirit, then we the fruit of the Spirit will occur in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control (Galatians 5:22, 23).
Now please realize that Matthew 6:33 is not a “name it and claim it” promise for God to give you anything you desire. God promises to meet legitimate needs, not whatever you desire.
Principle 6: If you are to overcome worry, know contentment, then seek the LORD first!!
Jesus goes on as he says Matthew 6:34, Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
We worry about tomorrow by playing games such as “What if..?” What if the stock market crashes? What if the elevator stops working? What if there was a fire?
Many of us also worry about yesterday because of some guilt or failure. Did I offend them or not?
Linus was talking to Charlie Brown in the comic strip Peanuts and observed, “I guess it’s wrong always to be worrying about tomorrow. Maybe we should think only about today.” Charlie Brown replied, “No, that’s giving up. I’m still hoping that yesterday will get better.”
How we need to forget what is behind. Live in the present and design an action plan to lessen our worries in the future. Have an action plan in case there is a fire.
The key is to take one day at a time. Do the best you can and trust God for the rest.
Corrie Ten Boom stated, "Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow; it empties today of its strength."
Now, Christians are not exempt from hardship. In this world, we will have trouble (John 16:33). However, amidst the troubles, we need to take heart/hold onto the fact that Jesus has overcome the world (Note John 16:33).
Jeremiah amid affliction and despair writes in Lamentations 3:21-25, Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: 22 Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. 23 They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. 24 I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.” 25 The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him.
We put our hope in the Lord! We trust in God’s great faithfulness today. We do what the Lord wants us to do today.
Eric Sevareid, commentator and author, shared that the best lesson he ever learned was the principle of the “next mile.” This is how he learned this principle. During World War II, he and some others had to parachute out of a plane into the jungle. It was a mountainous jungle on Myanmar- India border. They were there for several weeks before the relief expedition found them. Then they faced a 140-mile journey to civilization through mountains, heat, and monsoon rains.
He injured his foot early on the journey and by the end of the first day was suffering from bleeding blisters on both his feet. Some of the other soldiers were in worse condition than he was. They didn’t think they would be able to make this long journey. Eric wrote, “We were convinced we could not. But if we could hobble to that ridge, we could make the next friendly village for the night. And that, of course, was all we had to do.” Eric Sevareid went on to apply this painfully learned “next mile” principle throughout his life. Eric Sevarid used the “next mile” principle many other times during his career, whether the task was related to his family, his vocation, or authoring a book or writing scripts for radio and television.
Principle 7: If you are going to overcome worry, then live one day at a time. Trust in the Lord and persevere in doing God’s will today!
Let me close with this story entitled, The Reverse Thread.
"We’ll be out until 10:30," said Chad’s parents as their friends, the Petersons, came by to pick them up for the banquet. "While we’re gone, stay home and finish your history paper."
"Can’t I use the car for just a little while? asked Chad. He had gotten his driver’s license just last month. "Um, I need to borrow a book from Todd. I’ll only be gone a while."
"Absolutely not," warned Chad’s father. "You have all the books you need for tonight. You stay home and work on that paper."
Chad really wanted to get together with his friends while his parents were gone. After all, his parents weren’t using the car, so why shouldn’t he be able to? It didn’t seem fair. He only wanted to be out for an hour or so. There would still be time to work on his history paper, he reasoned.
The phone rang. It was Todd. "Hey, come on over," he said. "All the guys are here."
Chad decided that he could go to Todd’s and get back early enough so that his parents would never know. He just had to be sure to put some gas in the car so nothing would look suspicious. He could work fast on his history paper when he returned.
He got in the car and took off. On the way to Todd’s, Chad had a flat tire. Oh great, he thought. He had never changed a tire before. Now he was going to not only have to change the tire, but also get it repaired quickly so that his parents would never find out. He needed to hurry.
He got out the tire jack and the wrench and went to work. But somehow all the lug nuts on the wheel were stuck. He couldn’t get the tire off. He turned the wrench as hard as he could, but to no avail. After what seemed like hours of trying to get the nuts off, he finally gave up and walked to the nearest gas station. He was exhausted.
It was after ten o’clock when the gas station attendant finally put the hydraulic wrench on the lug nuts and removed the tire. Chad couldn’t believe it. Why couldn’t he get those nuts off? Why were they on there so tight? Life wasn’t fair! Now he was going to be put on restriction for the rest of his life!
"Which way were you turning them?" asked the gas station attendant. Chad thought it was a stupid question. Of course, he knew how to unscrew a nut. You turn it counterclockwise. "Well," said the attendant, "the threads on this side of the car are reversed. To get them off, you turn them clockwise."
Suddenly Chad felt like a fool.
A lot of people in the world today have a challenging time finding happiness, contentment, and fulfillment in life because they are going about it in the wrong way. They are like Chad, disobedient and turning the nut in the wrong direction. When you do, life becomes harder.
Jesus teaches us to live is like a reverse thread—it’s just the opposite of what people naturally desire or think. The world says, “Do everything for yourself” The Bible says, “whatever you do, do everything for God’s glory.” The world says, "Get all you can!" Jesus says, "Give and it shall be given unto you." The world says, "Only the strong and powerful survive!" Jesus says, "The meek will inherit the earth." The world says, "If someone hurts you, get even!" Jesus says, "Turn the other cheek. Do good to those who treat you badly."
How about you? What issues are you facing on your journey of life? I encourage seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and take one day at a time trusting in the Lord!
