November 2 Daily Devotional

Bible Reading

Matthew 6:19-34:

¹⁹Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
²⁰But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
²¹For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
²²The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.
²³But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!
²⁴No 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.
²⁵Therefore 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?
²⁶Behold 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?
²⁷Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?
²⁸And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:
²⁹And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
³⁰Wherefore, 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?
³¹Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
³²(For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
³³But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
³⁴Take 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.

Devotional

God has established a kingdom. All other kingdoms shall perish, but God's kingdom shall abide for ever. All God's enemies shall be made his footstool. In God's kingdom righteousness and peace reign. These two go together. "The mountains shall bring peace to the people, and the little hills, by righteousness." "Right­eousness and peace have kissed each other." "And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quiet­ness and assurance for ever." That condition can be realized only through Christ, the Prince of Peace. He is both our peace and our righteousness. Where Christ reigns by his Word and Spirit, there is the kingdom of God. But except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. "Therefore being justified by faith (that is, being declared righteous), we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." Then we enjoy all the blessings of the kingdom. How foolish then to worry about food and clothing; since Christ has promised us all these outward necessary things, if we seek his kingdom first. Then we need not to be anxious for anything. We may "cast all our cares upon him, for he careth for us." So, "be careful (anxious) for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." What a blessed condition!

Prayer

Our Father, Thou knowest what things we have need of before we ask Thee. And Thou art willing to bestow Thy blessings upon us, much more willing than an earthly father is willing to give good gifts unto his children. We pray Thee awaken in us that filial reverence and trust toward Thee that children should have toward their heavenly Father. May we not doubt when we pray, but ask of Thee in faith, knowing that Thou wilt fulfil Thy promises. Help us always to seek Thy kingdom first, and then be anxious for nothing, knowing that Thou wilt give us all things needful for body and soul. For Jesus' sake. Amen.

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Scripture in Devotional: Ps. 110:1; 72:3; 85:10; Isa. 32:17; Eph. 2:14; 1 Cor. 1:30; John 3:3; Rom. 5:1; 1 Pet. 5:7; Phil. 4:6, 7.

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