A Study of the commands from our Lord, Jesus the Christ


Week 5, December 28th

This week's tour stop is the LORD's command to his disciples of "Do Not Worry". The first time Jesus commands his disciples "Do Not Worry" is Matthew 6:25 (NASB). This verse is part of the Sermon on the Mount found in Matthew chapters 5 - 7.

The Greek word that Jesus used is "merimnaō" and occurs 20 times in 17 verses in the Greek concordance of the NASB and is used by Jesus as a command six times. I listed all six verses where Jesus commands "Do Not Worry" at the bottom of this page.

As I read each command and the particulars the disciples were told not to worry about, I found that in each instance the focus was on some future precieved inconvenience.

What shall I eat and drink? What shall I wear? What will tomorrow bring? What shall I say if someone asks me about my faith in Jesus?

The next time, you begin to "worry" about any of those topics; STOP. Open the word of GOD to Proverbs 3:5 (NASB) and recite verses 5 and 6. Out Loud, if necessary. Remember, your heavenly Father KNOWS you need all of these things (see Matthew 6:32 (NASB)).

Worrying is the misuse of your imagination and there is no benefit in worrying. Jesus asks, "And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life? (see Matthew 6:27(NASB)).

Instead of worrying, do something beneficial: change your focus to the LORD. Listen to Paul's advice to the Philippians in chapter 4, verse 6 (NLT): "Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and THANK HIM for ALL HE HAS DONE." I capitilized that last part to emphasize that YOU need to have an "attitude of gratitude" instead of the "angst of anxiety".

The tour continues next week with a look at "Do Not Be Afraid".

If you have any other questions or comments please send me an email.

The six "Do Not Worry" commands of our LORD.
Matthew 6:25 (NASB).
Matthew 6:31 (NASB).
Matthew 6:34 (NASB).
Matthew 10:19 (NASB).
Luke 12:11 (NASB).
Luke 12:22 (NASB).

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