Speaker: Rev. Mikha Sanda Toding
Matthew 6:25-34
6:25 "Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?
6:26 "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?
6:27 "Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?
6:28 "So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin;
6:29 "and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
6:30 "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, O you of little faith?
6:31 "Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?'
6:32 "For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.
6:33 "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
6:34 "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
It is the seventh law, namely the law of faith.
We have the faith through believing in God and entrusting ourselves to Him, especially in countering anxiety.
There are three kinds of anxiety as follows:
13:11 And behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bent over and could in no way raise herself up.
The anxiety is caused by the spirit of antichrist or Satan, or false prophet.
"18" = 6+6+6, referring to the mark of antichrist.
Proverbs12:25
12:25 Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression, But a good word makes it glad.
2 Timothy 1:7
1:7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
The spirit of God will never give us fear but the anxiety coming out of the spirit of antichrist, Satan, and false prophet which results in these things:
Matthew 6:26
6:26 "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?
"looking at the birds of the air…" indicates a spiritual sight.
John4:35
4:35 "Do you not say, 'There are still four months and then comes the harvest'? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest!
We can look at the field of God, whose activities are as follows:
Matthew 6:25-34
6:25 "Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?
6:26 "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?
6:27 "Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?
6:28 "So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin;
6:29 "and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
6:30 "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, O you of little faith?
6:31 "Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?'
6:32 "For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.
6:33 "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
6:34 "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
It is the seventh law, namely the law of faith.
We have the faith through believing in God and entrusting ourselves to Him, especially in countering anxiety.
There are three kinds of anxiety as follows:
- Anxiety about the need of our body or physical matters (verse 31).
- Anxiety in soul, related to marriage.
1 Corinthians 7:32
7:32 But I want you to be without care. He who is unmarried cares for the things of the Lord--how he may please the Lord. - Anxiety about the need of spirit or spiritual matters.
Luke 10:40-41
10:40 But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, "Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me."
10:41 And Jesus answered and said to her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things.
It happens because of not living in the teaching Word. Besides, it may happen that one has already lived in the teaching Word but still has anxiety.
13:11 And behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bent over and could in no way raise herself up.
The anxiety is caused by the spirit of antichrist or Satan, or false prophet.
"18" = 6+6+6, referring to the mark of antichrist.
Proverbs12:25
12:25 Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression, But a good word makes it glad.
2 Timothy 1:7
1:7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
The spirit of God will never give us fear but the anxiety coming out of the spirit of antichrist, Satan, and false prophet which results in these things:
- Fear and doubt to make one sink.
Matthew 14:31
14:31 And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?" - Being bent over, meaning imperfection.
- Disability to reach New Jerusalem.
Revelation21:1
21:1 Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea.
Anxiety is as the wave of sea that makes us disable to reach New Jerusalem because there is no more sea in New Jerusalem.
Matthew 6:26
6:26 "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?
"looking at the birds of the air…" indicates a spiritual sight.
John4:35
4:35 "Do you not say, 'There are still four months and then comes the harvest'? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest!
We can look at the field of God, whose activities are as follows:
- Sowing.
John4:36
4:36 "And he who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life, that both he who sowsand he who reaps may rejoice together.
It is the first work, namely the revival of Holy Spirit at the first rain in Gospel.
We have to observe these two things in the work of sowing:- the ground.
The ground of our heart must be good, namely meek heartwhich is conquered by Holy Spirit to receive the Word of God.
Luke8:15
8:15 "But the ones that fell on the good groundare those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience.
James1:21
1:21 Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. - the seed.
Deuteronomy22:9
22:9 " You shall not sow your vineyard with different kinds of seed, lest the yield of the seed which you have sown and the fruit of your vineyard be defiled.
It must be right, namely the right seed of the Word which is written in Holy Bible, a verse explains another verse in it.
Do not sow with different kinds of seed.
We have to hear, to understand, and to believe in the Word of God solemnly until we can practice it, repent, be renewed, and be justified before God.
It is the process of sowing.
- the ground.
- Reaping.
John4:36
4:36 "And he who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life, that both he who sows and he who reapsmay rejoice together.
It is the last work, meaning the revival of Holy Spirit at the last rain, in teaching Word.
Joel2:23
2:23 Be glad then, you children of Zion, And rejoice in the LORD your God; For He has given you the former rain faithfully, And He will cause the rain to come down for you--The former rain, And the latter rainin the first month.
There are two things we must observe in the work of reaping as follows:
James5:7-11
5:7 Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain.
5:8 You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.
5:9 Do not grumble against one another, brethren, lest you be condemned. Behold, the Judge is standing at the door!
5:10 My brethren, take the prophets, who spoke in the name of the Lord, as an example of suffering and patience.
5:11 Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseveranceof Job and seen the end intended by the Lord--that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful.- perseverance in committing three main services in shepherding.
Acts2:42
2:42 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.
It is as a branch attaining to the True Vine to be sanctified by the true teaching Word sharper than any two-edged sword.
John15:1-4
15:1 "I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.
15:2 "Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.
15:3 "You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.
15:4 "Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.
We are sanctified from all sins, including three roots as follows:- Root of bitterness.
Hebrews12:15
12:15 looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitternessspringing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled;
It begins with uncomfortable feeling to other people, envy, hatred, and jealousy.
Such conditions are caused when other people are being blessed both with physical blessings and spiritual ones or the employment of God.
Genesis4:6-9
4:6 So the LORD said to Cain, "Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen?
4:7 "If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it."
4:8 Now Cain talked with Abel his brother; and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him.
4:9 Then the LORD said to Cain, "Where is Abel your brother?" He said, "I do not know. Am I my brother's keeper?"
Genesis37:4
37:4 But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peaceably to him.
The envy and jealousy happen much more in the field of God and marriage.
Matthew20:13-15
20:13 "But he answered one of them and said, 'Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius?
20:14 'Take what is yours and go your way. I wish to give to this last man the same as to you.
20:15 'Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things? Or is your eye evil because I am good?'
Keeping such sins, one cannot be in the work of reaping.
Besides, there is death in the root of bitterness.
1 John 3:14, 15
3:14 We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death.
3:15 Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.
If the hatred happens continually, it will become hatred without a cause.
John15:25
15:25 "But this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law, 'They hated Me without a cause.'
On the other hand, if we are sanctified from the root of bitterness, we will be able to love other people even we can pray for the goodness of our enemies. - Root of evil, namely the love of money.
1Timothy6:9-10
6:9 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition.
6:10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
We are permitted to have money but do not love it.
Loving money happens through these things:- Seeking money until leaving service and ministry.
- Committing service and ministry in order to seek money like Judas has done. Consequently, he cannot enter the building of Christ's body.
- Seeking money in illegal ways.
- Being stingy or disable to give to God (tithes and special offerings), and to other people, and being greedy.
- Seeking money until leaving service and ministry.
- Root of rottenness, namely uncleanness and hypocrisy because of rejecting the teaching Word or receiving other doctrines.
Isaiah5:24
5:24 Therefore, as the fire devours the stubble, And the flame consumes the chaff, So their root will be as rottenness, And their blossom will ascend like dust; Because they have rejected the law of the LORD of hosts, And despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.
After being sanctified, we will be employed by God until we may bear ripe and sweet fruits, one of which is sweet saying.
Exodus 29:1
29:1 "And this is what you shall do to them to hallow them for ministeringto Me as priests: Take one young bull and two rams without blemish,
James1:4
1:4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
Afterward, the reaping can be done.
We are reaped to be kept and blessed by God.
- Root of bitterness.
- Patience
Romans12:12
12:12 rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer;
We must be patient in facing tribulation, and in waiting the time of God's help to come to us even we can wait the time of Jesus' second coming.
James5:8
5:8 You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.
- perseverance in committing three main services in shepherding.
- Reaping the grapes of wrath.
Revelation14:14-16
14:14 Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and on the cloud sat One like the Son of Man, having on His head a golden crown, and in His hand a sharp sickle.
14:15 And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud, "Thrust in Your sickle and reap, for the time has come for You to reap, for the harvest of the earth is ripe."
14:16 So He who sat on the cloud thrust in His sickle on the earth, and the earth was reaped.
The negative meaning is the judgments or something bad a person may get because of sowing something bad.
Genesis9:18-21
9:18 Now the sons of Noah who went out of the ark were Shem, Ham, and Japheth. And Ham was the father of Canaan. 9:19 These three were the sons of Noah, and from these the whole earth was populated.
9:20 And Noah began to be a farmer, and he planted a vineyard.
9:21 Then he drank of the wine and was drunk, and became uncovered in his tent.
Consequently, there is wage of sin, namely death or perdition.
Romans6:23
6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
On the contrary, if we sow something good, we will get something good, even the wage of eternal life that we can get entry into the second reaping as follows. - Reaping the wheat.
Matthew13:30
13:30 'Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, "First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn."
It is the positive reaping.
The wage of eternal life is more valuable than much money.
John6:27-33
6:27 "Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him."
6:28 Then they said to Him, "What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?"
6:29 Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent."
6:30 Therefore they said to Him, "What sign will You perform then, that we may see it and believe You? What work will You do?
6:31 "Our fathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written, 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat.'"
6:32 Then Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven.
6:33 "For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world."
This work of reaping is related to the food or bread from Heaven that gives us life as follows:- The bread of angel or shepherding Word.
Acts27:21-24
27:21 But after long abstinence from food, then Paul stood in the midst of them and said, "Men, you should have listened to me, and not have sailed from Crete and incurred this disaster and loss.
27:22 "And now I urge you to take heart, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship.
27:23 "For there stood by me this night an angel of the Godto whom I belong and whom I serve,
27:24 "saying, 'Do not be afraid, Paul; you must be brought before Caesar; and indeed God has granted you all those who sail with you.'
It is able to give us life although we are in the middle of stormy seas so we may not doubt or be disappointed. - The bread of Holy Communion and Jesus' blood.
Acts27:33-36
27:33 And as day was about to dawn, Paul implored them all to take food, saying, "Today is the fourteenth day you have waited and continued without food, and eaten nothing.
27:34 "Therefore I urge you to take nourishment, for this is for your survival, since not a hair will fall from the head of any of you."
27:35 And when he had said these things, he took breadand gave thanks to God in the presence of them all; and when he had broken it he began to eat.
27:36 Then they were all encouraged, and also took food themselves.
They give us strength and guarantee for eternal life.
- The bread of angel or shepherding Word.