LESSON #1: LIFE IS MORE THAN FOOD AND THE BODY IS MORE THAN CLOTHING
The Gentiles are the people who do not know God. They think life is only about eating, drinking, and having clothing on their bodies. Therefore, they seek these things. They worry about the things of this life. We are the people who know God. The Lord Jesus told us not to worry about the things of this life, what we will eat or what we will drink; nor about our body, what we will put on. Life is more than food and the body is more than clothing. He said, “Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?” (Matthew 6:25)
LESSON #2: DO NOT WORRY ABOUT THE THINGS OF THIS LIFE!
In seeking the things of this life, such as food, drink, and clothing, the Gentiles are full of worries. Why? It is because they are afraid that they will not have them in their lives. The Lord Jesus said that we should not be worry about these things, because our heavenly Father knows that we need them. He will feed us more than He feeds the birds of the air and He will clothe us more than He clothes the grass of the field. The Lord Jesus said, “Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you?” (Matthew 6:26,30)
LESSON #3: FED AND CLOTHED SUPERNATURALLY
The birds of the air do not sow nor reap nor gather into barns, yet God feeds them. The grass is today in the field and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, yet God clothes them. We are of more value than the birds of the air and more useful than the grass of the field. Therefore, God will surely feed us more than the birds of the air and clothe us more than the grass of the field. It means God will feed and clothe us supernaturally. We do not have to work or save or be useful before God feeds us and clothes us. We just have to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to us (Matthew 6:33).
LESSON #4: FREEDOM FROM WORRY
As the people who know God, we should not live in the manner of the Gentiles who seek the things of this life. Life for us should be more than food and the body more than clothing. Life for us should be about the kingdom of God and His righteousness. If our lives are only about food and clothing, then we will be full of worries. Why? It is because we can never be sure that we will have those things in our lives. But, if our lives are about the kingdom of God and His righteousness, then we will be free from worry. Why? It is because we will be sure that we will have food and clothing in our lives. God knows that we need these things and He will supernaturally bring them into our lives.
LESSON #5: SEEKING THE KINGDOM OF GOD AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS
The Lord Jesus told us to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness in our lives. What does it mean to seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness? The kingdom of God is the realm where God rules as King and His righteousness is actually the laws of His kingdom. Although God can do all things easily because He has absolute power, He will only do the right things because He is righteous. Thus, to seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness means to seek the realm where God rules according to His righteousness.
LESSON #6: PUTTING THE KINGDOM OF GOD AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS FIRST
If we seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness, it means we want our lives to be ruled by God. We do not want to live according to what we like but according to what is right to God. We do not want to be independent, but we want to submit to His government and obey His laws. We want to be law-abiding citizens as well as faithful servants of His kingdom. If we seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, it means we consider all these things as the most important things in our lives, far more important than the things of this life, such as food and clothing. They are our top priority.
LESSON #7: THE KINGDOM OF GOD WITHIN US
The Lord Jesus said, “The kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’ For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.” (Luke 17:20-21) What is the nature of the kingdom of God? It is spiritual, hence invisible. Where is the location of this kingdom? It is within us. When we are born again, God puts His kingdom in our spirit. Therefore, we should seek the kingdom of God there. As we seek this kingdom within us, the Holy Spirit will reveal God’s righteousness to us. He will enlighten us so that we can understand His righteousness according to the Holy Scripture. Paul the apostle wrote, “For in it (the gospel) the righteousness of God is revealed...” (Romans 1:17)
LESSON #8: LIVING TODAY WITHOUT WORRYING ABOUT TOMORROW
If we seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, we will truly be able to pray according to what the Lord Jesus taught us to pray, “Give us this day our daily bread.” (Matthew 6:11) We will be able to live today without worrying about tomorrow. Why? It is because we will know for sure that God will answer our prayer. He will feed us as well as clothe us tomorrow. The Lord Jesus said, “Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” (Matthew 6:34)
