Take no thought...ok

I'm writing while the kids are napping so the words will be short and to the point - go with me OK?!?

We've been studying where Jesus instructed us to take no thought. He said to take no thought for your life (soul in the actual translation), what you eat or drink, for your body, for what you wear, for tomorrow and for how or what you will speak.

The word "thought" drills down in the Greek with this string:

thought - to be anxious, troubled with cares
             - care, anxiety through the idea of distraction
             - to divide, be split into factions

The enemy provides anxious thoughts that would distract us, causing us to be split into factions. Peace means to be set at one again and evil means to be scattered, dispersed in order to ruin.

Jesus tells us in this passage to take no thought, but to seek first His kingdom. The original Greek for kingdom notes that it is not to be confused with an actual kingdom, but rather the royal authority of Jesus as the triumphant Messiah (the finished work of Christ and the authority it won for us). So seeking first His kingdom is seeking first - putting first in our mind the finished work of Jesus Christ.

Keep trekking with me!

Matt 6:25 notes "For this reason, take no thought..." For what reason? We need to look back before we go forward. Looking at verse 24, Jesus notes you cannot serve two masters.

Serve - to be a slave, to yield obedience

To whomever you yield your members, his slaves you become - to whomever you obey. [Rom 6:16]

So when we take the breakdown of Matt 6:24-28 it reads like this in the ARV (Arin Rentz Version):

Jesus says, "Arin, you can't yield your obedience to me and the enemy. So, take no thought, don't be split into factions through distractions via anxiety in your soul (the seat of your feelings, desires, affections) over the things you need. Continually seek (set your mind to) as the FIRST thing, the Royal Power (authority) of Jesus as the Triumphant Messiah and the fact that you are the righteousness of God in Christ.  When you make this choice, the things you need will be provided, added (to join your company, to be numbered as one of your companions) to you."

When the enemy pops up thoughts of lack, stress, upset - put Christ's finished work at the front of your mind.  Remember He finished the work of triumphing over the kingdom of darkness so you could rest in His work.

-Guest blog by Arin Rentz