You Can Be Happier (Matthew 6:25-34)
Gary McManus, 03/27/2022Part of the God's Love; Beyond Belief series, preached at a Sunday Morning service
March 27, 2022 Matthew 6:25-34
We’ve looked at regret and sorrow and forgiveness. Always remember 2 Corinthians 7:10.
Today, we talk about happiness. All Americans want
to be happy, right?
But FIRST; bird-watching.
Bird-watching in America began as a conservation effort. Birds were killed for their feathers for fashion.
(Jesus said, “do not worry about what you will wear.”) So. . .better to look at birds than kill them; bird-watching
As a hobby, like most hobbies, it has benefits:
helps your brain, you can join a group and increase your
friend circle; it might get you outside or down the road to see more birds.
Jesus recommended bird-watching, right?
Matthew 7:26: “look”, “behold”, look at”,
. . .”CONSIDER”
(One of the more popular downloaded sermons is on birds.)
Consider this. The heavenly Father cares for all of His
creatures. HOW MUCH MORE SO. . .will our Heavenly Father provide for his valued own?!
ARE YOU NOT MUCH MORE valuable than the birds? The answer is, “yes, you are!”
W.D.Davies: “anxiety takes the Heavenly Father out of the picture.”
Do not wonder what might happen in the future.( Matthew 6:34).
KJV: “Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.”
Jesus recommended bird-watching and flower arranging, right?
Lilies? Any of the flowers of the fields of Palestine.
Matthew 6:28 . Cut flowers have always been a short lived joy.
(W.D. Davies) “If God lavishes infinite pains on these little flowers, brief though their span of life is. . .
HOW MUCH MORE will the Father work with you. . .
to make you worthy of His call upon your life?
to MAKE YOU to be the blessing the Heavenly Father intends? HOW MUCH MORE?!
Jesus: instead of focusing on your troubles. . .
get a hobby! Jesus suggested bird watching and/or flower arranging.
Psychologists and therapists recommend the same things. 2,000 years later! WHY should we be surprised at that?
Notice: Jesus is not shaming us for worry. . .it comes with being human. Thrown out of the garden of Eden? We have plenty to worry about. Amen?
But we don’t have to spend as much time worrying
as we do. Jesus recommended prayer and consideration—thinking about flowers, birds.
2015 DUKE UNIVERSITY study!!
Trauma in childhood can make it hard to feel happiness and joy in your adult life. But there is an exercise we can all do. . .an exercise that Jesus himself called us to. . .
consider the birds, consider the flowers of the field.
Start purposely looking for moments of happiness or
enjoyment in your day, each day.
Therapist Jonice Webb writes about The Three Things Exercise. It is a brain training exercise. Learn how to make yourself do things you should and stop doing something you shouldn’t.
Optimists and pessimists? No.
A literal translation of the word “consider” =
“consider the birds and consider the field flowers”
literally means “learn thoroughly”.
Remember, Jesus doesn’t want us to learn about birds or flowers but about how much God cares about you. How MUCH more does your Heavenly Father care for you.
Amen.
Earlier: | Same day: | Later: |
---|---|---|
« Godly Grief that Brings Repentance | None | We Can Be Happier Pt 2 » |