Trusting in the Lord’s Provision
Our gift of faith of the Lord Jesus Christ is what turns us into sons of God, being remade in the likeness and image of our Lord. Our faith is not our own; it is a gift, given by measure to all of God’s Elect as ordained before the worlds were formed. The Commandment to seek first the Kingdom of God has us seeking to obey the Lord in everything we think, do, and say. If we do this, we are promised to be blessed, prospered, and given what is needed both physically and spiritually to abide in this world.
Mat 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
The Kingdom of God is the Gospel, it is the Commandments, another name for the Promise, the Living Christ who comes to dwell in us. When we look to Christ, first, in all our thoughts and behaviour, we are seeking the Kingdom of God and doing what is pleasing in our Lord’s and Father’s sight. The Lord showed us the way to follow.
Joh 5:19 Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.
Joh 5:20 For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth: and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel.
Joh 8:28 Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things.
Joh 8:29 And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.
Seeking God first is doing nothing of ourselves, as we are now bond servants, redeemed with a price, who belong to the Lord. Our life is sacrificed unto the Lord’s purposes, which is our reasonable service. Few are given the mercy and grace of God to enter into and abide in this calling.
Rom 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
Rom 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Entering the Kingdom of God is entering into the true Sabbath, that is, the Lord’s rest promised from our carnal works. This is also our obedience to the first and great Commandment, on which all others hang. Seeking first the Kingdom of God is putting the Commandments first, which our eyes and minds are always focused upon. There are many overlaps with this Commandment and many others that all lead back to seeking first the Kingdom of God. A sample of only a few is these.
- Do not be anxious
- Do not worry about tomorrow
- Build your house on the rock
- Let your light shine before men
- Come out and be separate
- Love your enemies
Seeking the Commandments first is making the Most High, which is the Father’s Commandments, our habitation. The angels, which are messengers, are also these Commandments, that are alive and which quicken us to newness of life, protecting us, delivering us, and keeping us in God’s way. When we do this, we are immensely blessed and prospered with salvation, rising above the carnal mind and trampling the dragon underfoot.
Psa 91:9 Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the Most High, thy habitation;
Psa 91:10 There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.
Psa 91:11 For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.
Psa 91:12 They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.
Psa 91:13 Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.
Psa 91:14 Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.
Psa 91:15 He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him.
Psa 91:16 With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.
The Lord used the examples of sparrows, ravens, and lilies to rebuke the weak in the faith who worry about tomorrow and seek not the kingdom of God first.
Mat 6:28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:
Mat 6:29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
Mat 6:30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?
James calls this a double-minded man who does not reap the blessings of God because they waver in their carnal reasonings of unbelief.
Jas 1:6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
Jas 1:7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.
We are far more valuable than the birds and flowers of the field, which the Lord provides for their every need. As God’s Elect, we are the apple of His eye, and our Maker knows what we need physically and spiritually and is providing them. None of our worrying or stressing over these needs adds one iota to our lives, as all things have long ago been declared.
Mat 6:25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?
Mat 6:26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?
Mat 6:27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?
We trust Him as we grow in faith and enter into His rest, ceasing from our carnal works and the worries which had previously occupied us our entire lives. We seek Christ first, and this is how we are shaped and molded through the trials the Lord brings us every day. We are alert and awake, focused on today and the evils and related trials the Lord is bringing to mold and shape us unto maturity.
Mat 6:31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
Mat 6:32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
Mat 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Mat 6:34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
Trusting in His precious promises through faith in His Commandments, we look and trust in the Lord to provide our needs. Our sufficiency is in God and not in ourselves. All of our knowledge and trust beyond the Commandments is dung and brings about spiritual death when we seek it instead of the pure and sincere Word of God.
2Co 3:4 And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward:
2Co 3:5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;
2Co 3:6 Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.
The Commandments are the Father’s Commandments, the Living Word, the Son of God, for which purpose Christ was created and sent forth to speak and witness on the Father’s behalf. We are raised with Christ for the same purpose to preach the Gospel and be the light unto the world. We are becoming the Living Word. When Christ is seen, the Father is seen as they are One Spirit. We are often reminded, told again, that we are sent as the Father sent Christ because we are Christ in the world.
Col 1:15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:
Joh 20:21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.
Joh 14:12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
Christ trusts fully in the Father’s provision and spends no time worrying about the things his body of flesh needs. All things were put into subjection to the Father’s Commandments, leaving the world and its ways and customs behind. That is seeking first the Kingdom of God.
When the Lord is not first in all our deeds, one remains a fornicator and an idolater and does not enter into the Kingdom and remains outside.
1Co 6:9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
1Co 6:10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
To seek the Kingdom of God first, we sell all we have, meaning giving up all of our carnal reasonings and the trust in ourselves, and seek to obey the Commandments, trusting in the Lord’s provision. Hardly can a rich man enter into the kingdom, and the rich young ruler is unable to forsake all to follow Christ
Luk 18:22 Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me.
Luk 18:23 And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful: for he was very rich.
Luk 18:24 And when Jesus saw that he was very sorrowful, he said, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!
As the blessed seed of Christ the Lord promises to make provision for all of our needs. Our worries about having these things are not of faith and add nothing to our lives, and we know He is working all things according to His counsel. The righteous who walk by faith are not forsaken or found begging for bread. Our spiritual needs and physical needs are provided for as the Lord works all things according to His counsel and purposes.
Psa 37:25 I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.
Psa 37:26 He is ever merciful, and lendeth; and his seed is blessed.
We are taught by the Spirit to fear not anything of the world, trusting fully in the Lord’s provision. It is the Father’s good pleasure and purpose to give us the Kingdom, and we learn patience and tarry for it to come, yet we seek it earnestly.
Luk 12:28 If then God so clothe the grass, which is today in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith?
Luk 12:29 And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind.
Luk 12:30 For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things.
Luk 12:31 But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Luk 12:32 Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
Before faith comes, we act in unbelief, storing up treasures on earth, trusting in our riches, knowledge, money, and abilities rather than the Commandments. Those who do so are not rich towards God. The parable of the rich fool who trusted in himself exposes all of us who focus on building bigger barns to store our own riches. The story told in Luke 12 is a warning for those not ready for the coming of the Lord, who comes suddenly with the trials that test our faith.
Luk 12:21 So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.
Building bigger barns, trusting in ourselves, is all vanity that is instantly made so when the trials come, and our fleshly riches are of no use to save us from our sins and deliver us from our enemies. We cannot serve God and mammon, which is disobedience, spiritual idolatry, and fornication.
Mat 6:24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
Luk 12:34 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
Thus, the Commandment to seek ye first the Kingdom of God is a big one upon which many other Commandments fall under. It always comes back to the first great Commandment of loving the Lord thy God with all our hearts, minds, and strength. Anything else is idolatry and corruption of the Commandments, seeking to serve God and our flesh. We have died to those desires and instincts when Christ comes in our flesh and the Kingdom of God dwells in us.
Col 3:3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
Col 3:4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
Col 3:5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:
Blessed are the poor in spirit, who are those having laid down their lives unto the Lord, selling all they had for the Kingdom of Heaven’s sake.
