What Are You Living For? : Luke 12:27-32 : What Jesus Did! : HEARTLIGHT®

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What Are You Living For? - Luke 12:27-32

"Look at the wild flowers. See how they grow. They don't work or make clothes for themselves. But I tell you that even Solomon, the great and rich king, was not dressed as beautifully as one of these flowers. God clothes the grass in the field like that. That grass is living today, but tomorrow it will be thrown into the fire to be burned. So you know that God will clothe you much more. Don't have so little faith! So don't always think about what you will eat or what you will drink. Don't worry about it. All the people that don't know God try to get those things. Your Father (God) knows that you need those things. The thing you should want is God's kingdom. Then all these other things you need will be given to you. Don't fear, little flock (group). Your Father (God) wants to give you the kingdom." (ERV) Full Text

Key Thought

What's the bottom line in these words of Jesus? Don't be afraid to live for the Kingdom as your highest and most primary concern. God takes care of things much less important than us in a way far finer than we could provide for ourselves. We're more important to God than those things. So let's give the Father the joy of giving us the Kingdom by making it our highest desire. Let him take care of the "little stuff" as we pursue the "Kingdom stuff."

Today's Prayer

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Holy Father, give me a passion for your Kingdom and your righteousness. Make that passion burn inside me until your Kingdom becomes my highest call. I know that my worries about other things will be driven out by the proper passion for what you long to give me. In Jesus' name. Amen.

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Today's Verses in Context

Jesus said to his followers, "So I tell you, don't worry about the food you need to live. Don't worry about the clothes you need for your body. Life is more important than food. And the body is more important than clothes. Look at the birds. They don't plant or harvest. Birds don't save food in houses or barns. But God takes care of them. And you are worth much more than birds. None of you can add any time to your life by worrying about it. If you cannot do the little things, then why worry about the big things? Look at the wild flowers. See how they grow. They don't work or make clothes for themselves. But I tell you that even Solomon, the great and rich king, was not dressed as beautifully as one of these flowers. God clothes the grass in the field like that. That grass is living today, but tomorrow it will be thrown into the fire to be burned. So you know that God will clothe you much more. Don't have so little faith! So don't always think about what you will eat or what you will drink. Don't worry about it. All the people that don't know God try to get those things. Your Father (God) knows that you need those things. The thing you should want is God's kingdom. Then all these other things you need will be given to you. "Don't fear, little flock (group). Your Father (God) wants to give you the kingdom. Sell the things you have and give that money to people that need it. The riches of this world don't continue. So get the kind of riches that continue. Get the treasure of heaven. That treasure continues forever. Thieves can't steal your treasure in heaven, and moths can't destroy it. Your heart will be where your treasure is.

— Luke 12:22-34 (ERV)

So when you give to poor people, give very secretly. Don't let any person know what you are doing. Your giving should be done in secret. Your Father can see the things that are done in secret. And he will reward you. "When you pray, don't be like the hypocrites. The hypocrites love to stand in the synagogues and on the street corners and pray loudly. They want people to see them pray. I tell you the truth. They already have their full reward. When you pray, you should go into your room and close the door. Then pray to your Father. He is there in that secret place. Your Father can see the things that are done in secret. And he will reward you. "And when you pray, don't be like those people that don't know God. They continue saying things that mean nothing. Don't pray like that. They think that God will hear them because of the many things they say. Don't be like those people. Your Father knows the things you need before you ask him. So when you pray, you should pray like this: 'Our Father in heaven, we pray that your name will always be kept holy. We pray that your kingdom will come, and that the things you want will be done here on earth, the same as in heaven.
Matthew 6:3-10 (ERV)

Brothers and sisters, I know that I have not yet reached that goal. But there is one thing I always do: I forget the things that are past. I try as hard as I can to reach the goal that is before me. I keep trying to reach the goal and get the prize. That prize is mine because God called me through Christ to the life above.
Philippians 3:13-14 (ERV)

I know what you do. You are not hot or cold. I wish that you were hot or cold! But you are only warm--not hot, not cold. So I am ready to spit you out of my mouth.
Revelation 3:15-16 (ERV)

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HEARTLIGHT^® Magazine is produced by Heartlight, Inc. HEARTLIGHT is a registered service mark of Heartlight, Inc. PO Box 7044, Abilene, TX, USA 79608-7044. Copyright © 1996-2009. Heartlight is supported by Westover Hills Church, Southern Hills Church, and loving Christians from around the world. Scripture quotations are taken from the Easy-to-Read Version copyright © 2001 by World Bible Translation Center. Used by permission. All rights reserved.