How often do we worry and fret over things that somehow seem to get worked out?

Matthew 6:25 "Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink, nor about your body, what you shall put on.  Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?

26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?  27 And which of you by being anxious can add one cubit to his span of life?  28 And why are you anxious about clothing?  Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin; 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.  30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O men of little faith?

31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?'  32 For the Gentiles seek all these things; and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.  33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well.  34 "Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Let the day's own trouble be sufficient for the day. (RSV)

(AS) Mat 6:25 (")Because of this-same thing, I instruct to yous, be not anxious for you all's breath, what yous shall eat and what yous shall drink, yet-neither for you all's body, what yourselves shall sink-from-within.  Is not you all's breath greater than nourishment, and the body than sinks-from-within?

26 (")Be discerning-by-within the flying creatures of the expanse, certainly-of-which they sow not, yet- reap -not, moreover-neither bring- they -together into placements-down-of, and your celestial father nurtures them.  Is you not more borne-throughout, a bearing-throughout than they?  27 (")Furthermore, out of which of yous caring, is yourself being able to put- one cubit -to your stature?  28 (")Also why be yous anxious about sinks-from-within?  Be learning-thoroughly of the lilies of the field, how they grow, they fatigue not, moreover- spin -not.  29 (")But I instruct to yous, certainly-of-which yet-not Solomon from-within all his splendor, put- moreover-neither -around himself as to one of the same-as-these.  30 (")Then if God the same-as-this, puts clothes-around the grass of the field, this-day being and by the morning breeze is being cast into the furnace, will he not much more yous, yous little-in-confidence?

31 (")Therefore, yous shall not be anxious speaking out, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we put-around ourselves?'  32 (")For all these-same things, the custom of the peoples seek-for, for you all's celestial father has perceived, certainly-of-which yous need all-together the same-as-these.  33 (")But be seeking first the rule of God and his virtuousness, and all these-same things will be put-to yous.  34 (")Therefore, yous shall not be anxious for the morning breeze, for the morning breeze will be anxious for that of itself, sufficient for the day is the perniciousness of it. (AS)

Many who follow the doctrine of prosperity use the verse “33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well” from above to suggest that “all these things” means prosperity.  I ask you to look more closely at the entire passage.  He says that all these things that you need will be provided for you.  If missionaries in foreign countries endured hunger and were deprived of shelter and proper clothing and suffered harsh conditions, would we say that it was because they were not first seeking God’s Kingdom?  I would not say that mega-rich, mega-church preachers are not saved, because I don’t have an understanding of what is deep within them, but they sure don’t appear to me to be letting go of too much of the materialism of this world.  That’s not saying they are not saved, only an indication of a lack of perfectness in using all they have in this world to serve God.  So that reduces the appearance that they are seeking God first, to have so much added to them.  Am I to extol them above those poor missionaries who suffered so much.  I think that compared to those missionaries who suffered so much, the mega-rich, mega-church preachers are a disgrace.  That is why the Bible (in my understanding) teaches us not to listen to people who get wealthy panhandling God’s precious Word.  I would love to see all preachers living in very well-to-do circumstances, but unfortunately this doesn’t always come about.

Many times people feel that they need much more than they really do (I do myself).  Earlier in this sermon (this passage is in the middle of the Sermon on the Mount) Jesus had taught that we were to live in love, even of our enemies, and to give freely.  Do we see the hungry and give freely.  The Scriptures teach to be content with such as we have, and this world is not our home.  Jesus taught that we are to not relish this life in this world, but to lay up store in Heaven.  This world is not our home, and we are to work for treasures in Heaven.  People were cast to lions and hung on crosses professing Jesus.  So to say that He will supply all our need, did those in the arenas expect Him to supply deliverance from the lions or gladiators?  If we were to feel the pangs of hunger, could we not say that He will supply what we need?  What we really need is that longing for the time when we can be with Him, and know that while we are here, He has a purpose for us, and we should seek that purpose, and He will supply all we need to accomplish His service.  A lot easier said than done, but I think it is still something to meditate on.