OVERCOMING WORRY
Notes
Transcript
INTRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION
We are living in a time that many refer to as an “Age of Anxiety”
We are living in a time that many refer to as an “Age of Anxiety”
It seems that worry is the watchword of our world today
No job ... we worry
Job ... we worry
No money ... we worry
Money ... we worry
Sick ... we worry
Not sick ... we worry
One worrier said to another, “I have so many troubles that if anything happened to me today it would take me two weeks before I could get around to worrying about it.”
Now, we know that life cannot be lived free from all sense of anxiety and concern
Now, we know that life cannot be lived free from all sense of anxiety and concern
For example, being concerned about having an automobile wreck will cause us to practice rules of safety.
Concern over becoming ill will cause us to practice rules of good health
Concerns over finance will cause us to be good money managers
However, the problem is this: “It is easy to let our CONCERNS becomes our CARES, and our FORETHOUGHTS to become our FEAR-THOUGHTS.”
However, the problem is this: “It is easy to let our CONCERNS becomes our CARES, and our FORETHOUGHTS to become our FEAR-THOUGHTS.”
DISCUSSION
DISCUSSION
THERE ARE DIFFERENT KINDS OF FEARS
THERE ARE DIFFERENT KINDS OF FEARS
People worry about things that have already happened
People worry about things that have already happened
This is very futile!
Worrying about that which has already happened is like trying to saw sawdust!
Worrying about the past is like trying to put toothpaste back into the tube
Past deeds cannot be undone, or past words unsaid
If the past involves sin, obey the conditions of pardon and God will abundantly forgive
6 Seek ye Jehovah while he may be found; call ye upon him while he is near: 7 let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return unto Jehovah, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
When God forgives you, forgive yourself
Lloyd George, former Prime Minister of England, once said, “I have made it a practice of my life always to close the gate behind me.”
And that is what we need to do with things that have already happened!
People worry over things that will inevitably happen
People worry over things that will inevitably happen
Some worry that their children will marry
Marriage is honorable
4 Let marriage be had in honor among all, and let the bed be undefiled: for fornicators and adulterers God will judge.
Men & women were created for marriage
24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.
Some worry about dying - but we will al die
27 And inasmuch as it is appointed unto men once to die, and after this cometh judgment;
Some worry about growing old - but we grow old…
Some people worry about things that will never happen
Some people worry about things that will never happen
Mark Twain once said, “I have worried over a great many things in life, the most of which never happened.”
Surveys have shown that 80% of the things we worry about never happen
THE LORD'S CLASSIC TEXT ON WORRY
THE LORD'S CLASSIC TEXT ON WORRY
24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. 25 Therefore I say unto you, Be not anxious 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 the food, and the body than the raiment? 26 Behold the birds of the heaven, that they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; and your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are not ye of much more value than they? 27 And which of you by being anxious can add one cubit unto the measure of his life? 28 And why are ye anxious concerning raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: 29 yet I say unto you, that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God doth 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? 31 Be not therefore anxious, 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. 33 But seek ye first his kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 34 Be not therefore anxious for the morrow: for the morrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
Worry is unnecessary
Worry is unnecessary
Why? Because our heavenly Father knows our needs
32 For after all these things do the Gentiles seek; for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
God is sensitive to our needs - so why worry?
Worry is cruel
Worry is cruel
26 Behold the birds of the heaven, that they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; and your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are not ye of much more value than they?
It is cruel to think that God would care more for birds than He would for us
Any father would feed his children before he would feed the birds
Worry is prohibited
Worry is prohibited
25 Therefore I say unto you, Be not anxious 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 the food, and the body than the raiment?
31 Be not therefore anxious, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
34 Be not therefore anxious for the morrow: for the morrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
“Be not anxious” (ASV), “Take no thought” (KJV), “Do not worry” (NKJ)
The meaning in the Greek is “do not be unduly concerned”
Brethren, the same Lord that made belief and baptism essential to salvation (Mk. 16:16), is the same Lord who said don't worry!
Worry is futile
Worry is futile
27 And which of you by being anxious can add one cubit unto the measure of his life?
Worry is like a rocking chair - it gives you something to do, but it won't get you anywhere
Worrying solves nothing - it accomplishes nothing
Worry is heathenish
Worry is heathenish
32 For after all these things do the Gentiles seek; for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
Jesus is saying that worry is not characteristic of a child of God
Worry shows a lack of faith
Worry shows a lack of faith
30 But if God doth 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?
Human reasoning produces doubt, doubt produces fear, and fear produces anxiety
1 Let not your heart be troubled: believe in God, believe also in me.
WHY WORRY LEADS TO SIN
WHY WORRY LEADS TO SIN
Worry is a disregard for the commands of God
Worry is a disregard for the commands of God
6 In nothing be anxious; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
... or, Don't be troubled
13 Wherefore girding up the loins of your mind, be sober and set your hope perfectly on the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
… We are commanded to control our thinking - “girding up the loins of your minds”
We are concerned about obeying the others commands of God - why not this one?
Worry deters from duty and a is futile waste of time
Worry deters from duty and a is futile waste of time
Studies have shown that only 8% of what we worry about are legitimate things to worry about
Energy spent in worry could be better spent elsewhere
16 redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
Worrying is a waste of time that the Lord has given us - let’s use our time wisely for the Lord
Worry impairs health
Worry impairs health
“He worried himself sick” can certainly express the truth
Excess worry causes high blood pressure, fatigue, hives, ulcers, mental disorders, insanity and even suicide
The field of psychiatry is flourishing as never before because of worry and anxiety
Scripture teaches us not to harm the body
15 Know ye not that your bodies are members of Christ? shall I then take away the members of Christ, and make them members of a harlot? God forbid. 16 Or know ye not that he that is joined to a harlot is one body? for, The twain, saith he, shall become one flesh. 17 But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit. 18 Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body. 19 Or know ye not that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit which is in you, which ye have from God? and ye are not your own; 20 for ye were bought with a price: glorify God therefore in your body.
Don’t worry yourself sick!
Worry is a robber, robbing one of joy, happiness and peace
Worry is a robber, robbing one of joy, happiness and peace
“Worry” originally meant to strangle, a continual snapping or biting, to shake & mangle with the teeth
Worry grasps us by the throat and prevents happiness
And yet, the Bible tells us of the need to rejoice
4 Rejoice in the Lord always: again I will say, Rejoice.
16 Rejoice always;
Don’t rob yourself of happiness through worry!
Worry is a prohibitive against our prayers being answered
Worry is a prohibitive against our prayers being answered
For prayers to be answered we must be asked in faith
5 But if any of you lacketh wisdom, let him ask of God, who giveth to all liberally and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. 6 But let him ask in faith, nothing doubting: for he that doubteth is like the surge of the sea driven by the wind and tossed.
24 Therefore I say unto you, All things whatsoever ye pray and ask for, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.
Worry is distrust in God - it shows a lack of faith in God
We must not be like the man who prayed for protection throughout the night; and, then, stayed up all night to see if God would do it.
Don’t allow worry to hinder the benefit of prayer in your life
HOW TO OVERCOME WORRY
HOW TO OVERCOME WORRY
Make up your mind that you are going to conquer it
Make up your mind that you are going to conquer it
We must not allow our thoughts to push us around
We are what we choose to be
We think what we choose to think
We worry is we choose to worry
Abraham Lincoln said, "I have been as happy as I have made my mind to be."
Remember the words of Paul…
13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
So, make up your mind “I will not worry”
Form the right relationship with God
Form the right relationship with God
7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus.
The closer we are to God - the fewer worries we have
7 casting all your anxiety upon him, because he careth for you.
Lets put our full trust and faith in God
Develop the right attitude of mind
Develop the right attitude of mind
13 Wherefore girding up the loins of your mind, be sober and set your hope perfectly on the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
First, look at the silver lining
Second, count your blessings
Don't concentrate on the bad to the neglect of the good
Lets get our thinking right
Do what you can and turn the rest over to God
Do what you can and turn the rest over to God
Do what you can - leave the rest to God
We must trust God!
3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee; because he trusteth in thee.
28 And we know that to them that love God all things work together for good, even to them that are called according to his purpose.
Lets trust God that He will do what He says!
Live one day at a time
Live one day at a time
Yesterday is buried and tomorrow unborn
The best way to prepare for tomorrow is to fulfill the duties of today
34 Be not therefore anxious for the morrow: for the morrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
Don’t ruin today by worrying about tomorrow!
Engage in purposeful work
Engage in purposeful work
Even in Eden, God saw the need for employment to insure man's happiness
15 And Jehovah God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.
He was a wise man who said that "he had no time for worry, for in the day time he was too busy and at night he was too sleepy."
Be busy with the Lord’s work so you do not have time to worry
CONCLUSION
CONCLUSION
Some will say, “But Tom this is easy for you to say. You do not know what I’m going through.”
Maybe I don’t know what you are going through.
And you probably don’t know what I have gone through throughout the years.
But after this sermon this morning we know what God has said on the subject - and that’s all that really matters
If we have enough faith in God - we must not, we need not, and we will not worry.
So, it comes down to this: How strong is your faith in God?
