Worrisome Worry Matthew 6:25-34 Philippians 4:5-7 Isaiah 41:10 Joshua 1:5-9 07.29.15

WORRISOME WORRY

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25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? 28 And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”   Matthew 6:25-34 (NIV)

6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.  Philippians 4:5-7 (NIV)

10 So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.   Isaiah 41:10 (NIV)

7 “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. 8 Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”   Joshua 1:5-9 (NIV)

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“The English word worry comes from a German word meaning ‘to strangle or choke.’ This is exactly what worry does.  It chokes and prevents us from living victorious lives by stifling our godly potential.  On the surface, few of us would think that a little worry, doubt, or fear is enough to harm our devotion to God.  However, they can steal our joy and create within our hearts and minds a sense of distrust for the things of God.  God is merciful. He has the power to conquer doubt, fear, and worry.  When our lives are surrendered to Him, we don’t have to be anxious about tomorrow.  He provides all that we need perfectly and on time.”  Michael Youssef

“Worry is a form of atheism, for it betrays a lack of faith and trust in God.”  Bishop Fulton J. Sheen

“Regret looks back.  Worry looks around.  Faith looks up.”   John Mason

“‘There is no fear in love’, writes the apostle John, ‘but perfect love drives out fear…’ He goes on to point to the source of that perfect love:  ‘We love because He first loved us”.  In other words, the cure to fear is not a change in circumstances, rather a deep grounding in the love of God.  I ask God to reveal His love to me directly, or through my relationships with those who also know Him—a prayer I think God takes great delight in answering.  When I get depressed about my present failures, I ask God to remind me of my true identity: one who will be made perfect and has already been forgiven. ‘You’ve got to go deeper’, said the nun to my burned out pastor.  ‘Sink the well into a water table that never runs dry’…Thomas Merton conceded that everything in modern city life conspires against such surrender.  We worry (fear) about money, about what we need to have and to know, about whom to compete with and what is slipping out of our control…(he) found the secret to true freedom:  If we live to please God alone (the One who loves us), we set ourselves free from the cares and worries that press in on us.”  Phillip Yancey

“Worry is an intrusion into God’s providence.”   John Haggai

“God promises victory to those who endure, so He gives us enough strength – usually just enough so faith is still required – to keep us going.  He wants us to succeed and not give up.  In the walk of faith, we can’t afford to doubt, worry, fear, or complain – the very symptoms that kept a generation of Israelites out of their Promised Land.  All of these attitudes severely undermine God’s work on our behalf, not because He can’t do whatever He wants but because He has chosen to relate to us on the basis of our faith.  Negative attitudes and words undermine faith.  They devalue the very currency we have to use in God’s Kingdom.  Wherever God’s voice and your faith are leading you, do not be afraid or dismayed.”   Chris Tiegreen

HEART SAVOR

• ·        God desires for His children to be worry free.  5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.   Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV)
• ·        I am to pray with thanksgiving about everything.
• ·        It is God Who strengthens, helps me and upholds me.