Snakes and Ladders 2
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Warren Wiersbe wrote “Most Christians are being crucified on a cross between two thieves: Yesterday's regret and tomorrow's worries.”
The Snake of Worry
The Snake of Worry
22 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat, or about your body, what you will wear.
23 For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes.
24 Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storehouse or barn; yet God feeds them. How much more valuable you are than the birds!
25 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?
26 So if you cannot do such a small thing, why do you worry about the rest?
27 Consider how the lilies grow: They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his glory was adorned like one of these.
28 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith!
29 And do not be concerned about what you will eat or drink. Do not worry about it.
30 For the Gentiles of the world strive after all these things, and your Father knows that you need them.
31 But seek His kingdom, and these things will be added unto you.
32 Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom.
33 Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide yourselves with purses that will not wear out, an inexhaustible treasure in heaven, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys.
34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Worry is a sin.
To worry is to be disobedient to Christ.
This probably makes worry the most common sin in the Church!
Let us look to God:
The Good and the Bad
The Good and the Bad
If we are going to have victory over worry then we must know what it is we are fighting against.
There are 2 kinds of worry: Good worry and bad worry.
The bible uses 2 Greek words to make this distinction:
“Thro-neo” means concern - it is motivated by love.
“Merim-nao” means worry and it is motivated by fear.
We need the good kind of worry, we need to be concerned. Being concerned about something is what motivates us to do something about it.
Concern gives you motivation, drive and focus.
God actually rejoices in our loving concern!
10 Now I rejoice greatly in the Lord that at last you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it.
Concern is good because of what it GIVES you; Worry is the exact opposite: It TAKES your motivation, drive and focus.
So we immediately need to practice discernment: When does godly concern become sinful worry?
25 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?
What a strange thing for Jesus to say, but what is Jesus actually saying?
If there is something that concerns you and there is something you can do about it, then you are indeed concerned.
BUT if there is something that concerns you and you CANNOT do anything about it, then you are indeed worried.
The difference between holy concern and sinful worry is whether or not you can actually do anything about the issue.
If you can: Fix it.
If you cant: Have Faith.
Why do we worry?
Why do we worry?
Worry is a kind of fear, so if we are going to find the source of our worry then we have to find the source of our fear.
So when was the first time humanity ever felt fear?
When Adam disobeyed God in the garden by eating of the forbidden tree, what did Adam feel for the first time?
10 “I heard Your voice in the garden,” he replied, “and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid myself.”
Ok so why was Adam afraid?
Because he was naked. But he was always naked, what changed?
6 When the woman saw that the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eyes, and that it was desirable for obtaining wisdom, she took the fruit and ate it. She also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate it.
7 And the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; so they sewed together fig leaves and made coverings for themselves.
The condition of being naked in the bible is an image of being vulnerable, weak, exposed -
So Adam became totally aware of your shortcoming, failings and helplessness.
And when you are aware of this the only normal response is FEAR.
And in this fear of the now also comes a fear for tomorrow.
And fear about what will happen tomorrow is simply called worry.
So why do you worry?
Because you are aware of your weakness and vulnerability and know that you have zero power over what will happen and that fact is terrifying.
Worry is destructive.
Worry is destructive.
Merim-nao means “to be torn apart,”. A person who worries is like a person who is being manhandled by a mighty lion.
Our English word worry comes from an old Anglo-Saxon word that means “to strangle.”
“Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow,” said Corrie Ten Boom; “it empties today of its strength.”
Just like Covertness which we looked at last week, worry has the power to choke the Word of God!
14 The seeds that fell among the thorns are those who hear, but as they go on their way, they are choked by the worries, riches, and pleasures of this life, and their fruit does not mature.
This is actually very important!
The cure for worry is faith.
But the problem there is:
17 Consequently, faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.
But if worry has reached the point where the words of Christ are chocked, you end up stuck in a terrible cycle.
Victory over Worry.
Victory over Worry.
What words of comforting truth does Jesus say to us regarding worry?
24 Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storehouse or barn; yet God feeds them. How much more valuable you are than the birds!
Worry blinds us to the world around us and the way God cares for His creation.
God makes the flowers beautiful, and He even feeds the unclean ravens who have no ability to sow or reap.
He ought to be able to care for men to whom He has given the ability to work.
DO NOT MISUNDERSTAND THESE WORDS!!!!
Jesus was not suggesting that we sit around and let God feed us, for the birds themselves work hard to stay alive.
Rather, He encourages us to trust Him and cooperate with Him in using the abilities and opportunities that He gives us.
What was Adam’s consequences or judgment because he now knew of his naked vulnerability?
17 And to Adam He said: “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat, cursed is the ground because of you; through toil you will eat of it all the days of your life.
Adam’s judgment was that because he is now aware of his weakness and vulnerability - he will now work and work and work so that tomorrow is less terrifying!
If you won the lottery would you still go back to the abuse of work? Of course not!
So why do you tolerate the abuse from your work now?
Because your concern for tomorrow is greater than your contempt for work!
Yes the Ravens do not worry about tomorrow, BUT they also do not waste today.
while you are beholding animals Dont forget to humble yourself bow down low and:
Go to the ant, you lazy one,
Observe its ways and be wise,
Which, having no chief,
Officer, or ruler,
Prepares its food in the summer
And gathers its provision in the harvest.
This is the core issue!
Worry is overcome by working on the things you can change and trusting God for the things you cannot change.
Summery:
Summery:
So how can we have victory over worry?
SLIDE
1: Acknowledge our dependence on God for all things.
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2: Discern whether or not you can actually do anything about the issue.
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3: If not, Faith is all that is needed. If yes then:
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4: In prayer, with advice and in conjunction with your spouse figure out what you can do to counter the issue.
17% electricity hike. Can i change that? No.
BUT can i change myself in response to that? YES!
I can switch off plugs at the wall so the power bricks don't draw.
I can set up a timer on my geyser so that 50l of water is not kept at the boil for 24 hours a day!
Cholestrol - OK, basic and healthy lifestyle changes can solve this concern.
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AND FINALLY:
5: ALWAYS REMEMBER THAT GOD CARES FOR YOU!
7 Cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.
I once was young and now am old,
yet never have I seen the righteous abandoned
or their children begging for bread.