‘“But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence. They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit.’ Jeremiah 17:7-8(NLT)
‘They told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he replied, “I won’t believe it unless I see the nail wounds in his hands, put my fingers into them, and place my hand into the wound in his side.”’ John 20:25(NLT)
‘“My Lord and my God!” Thomas exclaimed. Then Jesus told him, “You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me.”’ John 20:28-29(NLT)
‘Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take. Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.’ Proverbs 3:5-6(NLT)
‘Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.’”#7:37-38 Or “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. 38For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from the heart of anyone who believes in me.’” ‘ John 7:38(NLT)
Parable of the Vineyard Workers
‘“For the Kingdom of Heaven is like the landowner who went out early one morning to hire workers for his vineyard. He agreed to pay the normal daily wage and sent them out to work. “At nine o’clock in the morning he was passing through the marketplace and saw some people standing around doing nothing. So he hired them, telling them he would pay them whatever was right at the end of the day. So they went to work in the vineyard. At noon and again at three o’clock he did the same thing. “At five o’clock that afternoon he was in town again and saw some more people standing around. He asked them, ‘Why haven’t you been working today?’ “They replied, ‘Because no one hired us.’ “The landowner told them, ‘Then go out and join the others in my vineyard.’ “That evening he told the foreman to call the workers in and pay them, beginning with the last workers first. When those hired at five o’clock were paid, each received a full day’s wage. When those hired first came to get their pay, they assumed they would receive more. But they, too, were paid a day’s wage. When they received their pay, they protested to the owner, ‘Those people worked only one hour, and yet you’ve paid them just as much as you paid us who worked all day in the scorching heat.’ “He answered one of them, ‘Friend, I haven’t been unfair! Didn’t you agree to work all day for the usual wage? Take your money and go. I wanted to pay this last worker the same as you. Is it against the law for me to do what I want with my money? Should you be jealous because I am kind to others?’ “So those who are last now will be first then, and those who are first will be last.”
Jesus Again Predicts His Death
As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside privately and told them what was going to happen to him. “Listen,” he said, “we’re going up to Jerusalem, where the Son of Man will be betrayed to the leading priests and the teachers of religious law. They will sentence him to die. Then they will hand him over to the Romans to be mocked, flogged with a whip, and crucified. But on the third day he will be raised from the dead.”
Jesus Teaches about Serving Others
Then the mother of James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus with her sons. She knelt respectfully to ask a favor. “What is your request?” he asked. She replied, “In your Kingdom, please let my two sons sit in places of honor next to you, one on your right and the other on your left.” But Jesus answered by saying to them, “You don’t know what you are asking! Are you able to drink from the bitter cup of suffering I am about to drink?” “Oh yes,” they replied, “we are able!” Jesus told them, “You will indeed drink from my bitter cup. But I have no right to say who will sit on my right or my left. My Father has prepared those places for the ones he has chosen.” When the ten other disciples heard what James and John had asked, they were indignant. But Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Jesus Heals Two Blind Men
As Jesus and the disciples left the town of Jericho, a large crowd followed behind. Two blind men were sitting beside the road. When they heard that Jesus was coming that way, they began shouting, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!” “Be quiet!” the crowd yelled at them. But they only shouted louder, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!” When Jesus heard them, he stopped and called, “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus felt sorry for them and touched their eyes. Instantly they could see! Then they followed him. “Lord,” they said, “we want to see!” and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. ‘ Matthew 20:1-34(NLT)
“Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, and whose hope is the Lord. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes; but its leaf will be green, and will not be anxious in the year of drought, nor will cease from yielding fruit” (Jeremiah 17:7-8).
How many things during the day do you put your trust in? Do you trust your car to get you to work? Do you trust your chair to support you when you sit down? We put our trust in all kinds of things we can see in the natural. But trusting in something unseen takes faith.
The disciple Thomas said, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it” (John 20:25). Shortly thereafter, Thomas did see the Lord and Jesus encouraged him to touch His nail-scarred hands. Once Thomas did, he said, “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28) Jesus responded, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (John 20:29).
So what about you; do you trust in the Lord even though you have not seen Him in the natural? The evidence is everywhere that Jesus is the Messiah- the Son of God. Solomon tells us to “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:5-6). If you want to be the person God has called you to be, you have to give Him your whole heart; and to do that you must have faith that He is who He says He is.
Today, Thomas is forever labeled Doubting Thomas. So what will your legacy be? Will you dare to trust the Lord with all your heart? If you will trust Him completely, you will not have to fear a spiritual drought because you are connected to the ultimate life source!
Jesus said, “Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him” (John 7:38). “Therefore by their fruits you will know them” (Matthew 7:20). The living water flowing from within you will never cease yielding good fruit.
Prayer: Lord, I pray I represent You well by producing good fruit. May others see that in me and taste and see that You are good. I would rather be known for over-believing Your word than for under-believing it. May I never doubt You or Your word. In Jesus name, amen.
from Anxiety Not!