Sunday 29 Dec 2024 "God's Grace For His Anxious Children"

This morning's reading comes from Luke 12:22.

He sent his disciples. Therefore I tell you do not be anxious about your loss. What you will eat know about your body what you were put on. But life is more than food and the body more than climbing consider the Ravens. They need a snug so they have made a store has no bond and it tastes of how much more value are you than the buds? And we should be able to being anxious can add a single out so he's available off. If then you want what I want to do, a small thing as that why you're anxious about the rest consider the lilies have I cry? They need a toil, most Bean. Tell you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But of course I close the grass which is a lot in the field to die and tomorrow is thrown into the oven. How much more will he Clyde? You of little faith? And do not seek what you want to eat and what you want to drink. No, be worried for all the nice things of the world. Say God for these things and your father knows that you need them instead seek the kingdom. And nice things will be added to you. Feeling a little flock for it is your father's. Good pleasure to give you the Kingdom. So your possessions and give to the needy provide yourself with money bags that do not grow old with a treasure in the heavens. That does not file. When I say for prices and I'm off destroys for where your treasure is there. We will have people say this is the word of the Lord.

good morning, all

This is that of course out last Sunday, we meet in 2020 for this coming week and a topical sermon on anxiety and worry and we know that we are committed here to albritten bought her being exposed to be preaching when we work through books of the Bible because God gave us his word and books. The Bible is how we we should read and study the Bible study at particular topic. And look at what scripture says we come to the end of the year. It's been a very strange year has no we're all going through different seasons where we're in different ages in different parts of life in general dollar 2024. I think most would agree especially on the global scale, the international scale, the national level hasn't been a very encouraging year It's been a difficult year. Wait, wait, you say terrible. Terrible was the year of suffering terrible, Wicked suffering, and wickedness and suffering and Israel. Terrible terrible inhumanity and suffering and the ravages of war in Ukraine. Wait, wait to see a government just allowing an eyeblink shameful anti-semitic behavior in Australia, regardless of your political views, are we would? It would agree that there's been an outbreak of anti-Semitism in the Jews being traded with great disgraceful, shameful height in LA and uncertain to you. If you read the news, if you want to just destroy your mood for the day, been half an hour rather than use our breakfast and it's the same news everyday it, if you made the Australian this year, are you could just read one paper. That's the same type of Avery died. Nothing is much has changed. Its really, just discouraging and distressing time. We live in an anxious time.

Anxiety, just went to the roof during covid and it with the benefit of hindsight. We now know that the government's made certain decisions many, which I didn't think about the impact, especially on the young ones, I'll just lucky and white people in their homes. Cruelly, in many cases, especially in places, like Victoria for a long. Of time, with this being an absolute pandemic, none of cars. But of all things, I especially in our young ones. If you want to get into the greatest growth industry in Australia, Its mental health care. It's saying it's psychology, a whole this for years or just uncertainty and at times, cruel Behavior, by governments, people locked away and not able to go to funerals. Have loved ones. We come out of this. Not. So I will have we

Bring us through this and it just didn't happen. The church. Lots. Are you just going to talk to his head down with into a very strange time and we have already, and it didn't take Leah. Ward has yet. We going through. Now, I would say a lot of people in Australia. Now struggling terribly, we read about elderly folks, who can't buy medication, or they can eat at children. That hole that they are nothing more than just Advance protoplasm with no meaning or purpose in life. Is The HAARP already pressed about with terrible government policy and and terrible International in humanity. And the final solution of this column was a cop beep, beep, beep, positive is he's strong and why That's cool. Building a life on sandwich. Jesus warned us against do we have reasons for heart? Do we have a cure for anxiety? And the answer is absolutely. If we are in Christ, the Bible says so much about God's comfort for us in our anxieties and anxiety, is a part of life. Symbol is off of North Pole fit into Corinthians. I have daily pressure of my anxiety for all the churches anxiety that can at times. Be seen for when we forget that Al God is sovereign And that God loves us and God is working all things together for his glory and for the good of those who love him. So this morning, I want to get to look at for reason why we should be less anxious. We should not be so anxious. As people around us, we should have a heart, a comfort, I Pace, even in seasons of wire, a season has already because we have a wonderful god, let's pray. And then we going to look at a few different readings together and see God's grace God's Comfort to us in our worries and anxieties, let's try the Apollo. But you helped us now just a really fate upon you or Hollywood help me to explain it faithfully and truly that we would say the word value, a Wonderful Grace, your mercy, you're sure until I saw it in all of our frailties, help us Lord God to be able to leave here this morning with a greater sense of hope a greater sense of pace. Nine more that you've got this. And we don't have to worry, Lord, because Al loving heavenly father is all-powerful is All-Seeing, he he wishes us. Well, and is working all things together for now. Could you pray this in his name? I mean,

When I was a young man, especially Rose climbing, the corporate ladder in the media, every year I'll come to the end of the year and I used to take a diet, just paused and Rod at my goals for the new year and you're all that career goals, family goals, spirituality Faith, goes running any goals at Frankfurt. A friend. That's right. Staff, at South African. Pasta was off. What's your goal for the church? You sound like, if I have one goes to get to heaven and to take as many as I came with me, that's kind of how I feel after a very tiring. And exhausting hear about a sandwich Grace, hear about them individually. But praise God for his grace, that sustains us, but maybe you like me, you're feeling a little bit to eat a little bit anxious at times. It's good to read about God's comfort for us. And we can look at for things. We going to concentrate on the gifts that God gives us so wonderful. Why God gives us comfort in our sufferings and in their anxiety. Good plans for us and we got to be reminded that we have cold to trust and Obey. And finally we got to be reminded that we are called to comfort others will firstly. The point one is this anxious till God all about it just want to read it. A couple of verses from Philippians chapter 4 from Goods. Pull rights. Rejoice in the lord. Always again, I will say rejoice, let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand, do not be anxious about anything. But in everything by prayer and supplication with Thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Wonderful words of exhortation right there. Paul says, be anxious that he has anxiety for all the churches is essentially when you get anxious, don't be like the world. Just you and rim, and I didn't worry and well, and got her, those spirals of kind of toxic wiring and anxiety, and adrenal. Eyes can soon take all your requests to God. Take your anxieties to God. And is this a promise? When we do this, the pace of God, which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Police saying, take your anxieties to God. We are going to get anxious. You are a parent and your daughter is out with friends and Promises behind with tenants while I am anxious. Should you be anxious? Looks simple that's called. Love you going to get anxious. We're living in a foreign and dangerous world but we can see him. When we forget that we have a loving heavenly father and if you are in Cross, you are invited to approach. The throne of grace pulse is take all of your anxieties, all of your requests to God.

Today, one of Thanksgiving, see, when we get anxious, we can very easily lose perspective, we lose perspective. When you have a raging headache, what do you think about your raging headache? And what do you think? Why may this is not fair? Why do I stop world? You lose perspective when you're anxious, you lose perspective. We are reminded that God has given us everything. One of the great remedies for our anxieties, used to go to God's work and read about all that he is giving us all. He he's getting us and all he will give us James 1:17 for every good gift. And every perfect gift is from above coming down from the Father of Lights with whom, there is no variation or Shadow Jutsu change. Remember, God has given you so much Even Boiled Owl complaining, all about grief about the Way of the World Is Gone. The they cut of the docketing in the west, the rejection of Christ, and we sing in the west even as Christ is being received, more more in places like the East and South America and Africa in the west, there is kind of a rejection to be at least a cross. Of course, Christ is still growing his church. That we fix gas. God is Sovereign. God has given us everything. And the fact is we live in one of the most affluent countries, in one of the most affluent times in history. How many was he a warrior that a meal? Jesus preached to in in The Sermon on the Mount worried about the next meal, we have such a loss of that one. I bet his spiritual thread is not persecution. Its apathy is falling in love with Babylon. It's being so comfortable. He would only even prime to heaven. What are the great spiritual get written during times of suffering in the church? Because when wife hurts heaven looks a lot sweeter, sometimes for us, life is just too easy. That we need to remember that. Everything we have is from God. Of the Apostle pay to ride. All your anxiety on him. That is Jason, because he cares for you. 1. Peter 5:7 and pray with thankfulness, pray with thankfulness Wacoal also to dwell on the good things that God has done for us. Pull exhorts us to send out mines Romans 8 on the things of the spirit and not the things of the flesh. Look up. I love her King Solomon. Write is one of the key verses in Proverbs phone and watch this watch. I wear that your heart with all diligence, for from it flow, the Springs of Life. A huge cure for anxiety. Is this watch over you have, it's a cliche but it's true garbage. In garbage out, we are living in a time when 91 is is cutting out all the world of Filth and evil and sexual slavery coming with your smartphone's, from slave Traders, all over the world. No one is even doing the right thing and cutting out all this evil. We have a world of evil in your home right now. Anyway, what you have the internet we have never had his exposure to evil in human history. Guard your heart. Guard your eyes gajary is do you expect to walk in joy and paste? If you are taking in a rubbish and filling your mind with the toxic evil of this world? We must guard our hearts for, from it flows. The Wellspring of Life, turn off the news feed more often. Look at 1, give you a Dunkman, hit you and you stayed your social media is designed to create a diction. That's why they created Infinity. Scroll Doom, scroll through Facebook. You don't pay for Instagram for free and why they make they money by keeping you on there for hours. But by feeding you more of what you're looking at, while giving you a constant direct main hits by creating the exact same addiction as heroin, turn off your phones. We have to fight it because we have never encountered this kind of evil before in human history, and you weren't walking Joy. You were warm and anxiety, and guilt you or walking besetting sin. If you spend your time taking in garbage, Read God's word. They want to give you a document here. You need to starve yourself to wean yourself off. The Darth, meaning of your smartphone's read times that you just had a pray to God to pry or anxieties to God. If you are too weary to read the Bible, listen to the Bible on your phone or call like Christian rock.

I need prayer. Impatient, I'm struggling with anxiety where cold to walk together. Following Jesus is not a solo Endeavor. We are cold out of the world out of the kingdom of darkness into the Church of Christ. The Bible has no category for a solo Christian. Yes from time to time to do things like sickness or infirmity. We talk at the church we can watch online now. Thanks to technology by God's plan for us. In general is to join the church to walk together. At times we will grow faint and we are cold through to take the fight Brother, The Faint sister and lift them up. Pray with them and encourage them. A point to remember that God is in charge. I just one reading here but it's very, very important if I wanted really have to, really listen and feed upon these words when you're worried or anxious is a fusion of me looking out there the world around us, consider the words. I buy Zara 46 verse 9. God says, remember the former things of old for? I am God and there is no other. I am God and there is none like me declaring the aim from the beginning. And from ancient times things not yet done saying my counsel shall stand and I will accomplish all my purposes. Isaiah 46 9 through 10 when you read that and reread it and pray through it and then you have to ask yourself what do I have to worry about? God says that I am God. There is none like me. I have declared the end from before. The beginning of all things have been playing golf is my counsel shall stand number for. I will accomplish all my purpose. What have we to worry about? A loving heavenly father is all-powerful, All-Seeing has ordained all things and is working all things together for he's good purposes. What are we worried about? Romans 8 verse 28. Paul says we know that for those who love God. All things work together for good. Awfully powerful. Promise for those who love God, all things work together for good. It doesn't mean you're going to understand at the time, have an idea, Christian friend, who lost her husband? And she say to you Eli. I'm still trying to work out what God is teaching me through this. I know it, get it. I said you might not get it in this life. That hurts. Yes, you do. Your husband is with the Lord but there's still a separation. Jesus went to the tomb of Lazarus. Death is not good. It came as a result of scene. When we lose a loved one, even if they're in the Lord by go on ahead of us. We wait, but we don't wait like those who have not heart because God has promised and things work together for the good of those who love him. We ought to trust God. We are to trust God. We are also. Remember, what is ahead of us? So you can spend too much time reading, the secular theorists the Philosopher's. I'll say all what is cyclical, things are just going in circles, nothing, ever changes, everything, just repeats, that's not true.

God has ordained all things. He has playing the end and at the end, this is our destiny. We read in Revelation 21, verse 3, John Ross, I heard a loud voice from the throne saying the whole The Dwelling Place of God is with, man. He will dwell with them and they will be his people. And God himself will be with them as a God, that let this he will walk away every tear from their eyes and there shall be no more neither shall there. Be mourning nor crying nor pain anymore for the former things have passed away. That's what I'm making for. That's not poetry. That is truth. That is out. Future is not wonderful. Play me Tom and God himself will wipe away at. He's he promises us normal morning. No crying, no more pain, for the former things are passed away. Is that sell future? What have we to worry about? What point phrase is anxious trust that God will care for you.

August 31st from Matthew 6:34 Jesus says, therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its time travel. He signed God gives us the grace of God in Palace us to face today. Not to worry about tomorrow in the day off. Yes. We playing a course and we should plan that we not suspended today, wondering about the future. God gives us Grace for the day and Luke 12, you say, is that the nations of the world worry about things that we shouldn't be like that. He says, your father knows that you need these things, all of your physical made, instead seek his King and all these things will be added to you. She's assigned a great, a great remedy for wiring for anxiety, is to look to Jesus to seek first. The kingdom, God, trusting God to give you what you need for today. Often do a loyal. Why could not wiring? We have a thing called a circadian rhythm in a Brian. So we are tuned into the sun. If you a shift work out, you'll never sleep properly during the day because you actually, why do we turn into the Sun and the Moon? That's why we get jet lag. And it part of the Circadian rhythm is that we will use the full of sleep. Usually, hopefully, before midnight, if you want good sleep. And then very often, especially when you get all the kids about 3 in the morning, you get an adrenaline dump where they know why we need an adrenaline dump at 3 in the morning. And suddenly, you wake up and worried, and my dad used to call 3, a.m. the witching hour, cuz your wife and worry about everything that you can worry about. And if it's know why, if you find something else to worry about, Or even the light bright RC, Sproul worried, be right there. She says, I do worry about tomorrow and I'll repaint of that. Jesus says, we have enough on our plate today without worrying about tomorrow. He's not sign that we do not need to study for the upcoming exam or prepare soon or budget that we are to make preparation but not with anxious. Now, a few things here to just annoyed that we are, we are embodied Spirits. We are Bonnie, we are Spirit, we are not Spirits. Trying to escape their bodies which is platonic thought. I gave us bodies a good things and bodies breakdown in this life. I don't list uses comes in a long time and I really hope he does going to go be with the Lord, but part of that body is breaking down at various times. We get sick, Parts about bodies, do not work and that includes so many of us about brain, can we can get sick? That's part of living in a fallen World. There are people here this morning could have been through terrible trauma and, you know, you're keeping through prolonged, Shawarma, especially as a child. You can develop all kinds of hurt and terrible stress responses purse. MedExpress disorders, that can haunt you for life. You might have a hard way to anxiety in your brain doesn't make you a super Cena. You have sinned against when you went for that terrible trauma. As a child, especially that if it was ruled On You, by people, who should have been caring for you,

We are cold to love our children to know each of them, but many of us sitting here this morning have suffered terrible Thomas and it affects the why wait, go through life and it can mean that you are prone to anxiety. You might find certain things trigger terrible Hood, as it's going to triggers his old off and even buried traumatic memories done. Add guilt to your anxiety. God knows we are frail. Yes, we are finished. That were also victims of sin and God has insurance for those who have been hurt as well. Psalm 34 Verse 18. The Lord is close to the Brokenhearted. And saves those who are crushed in spirit. Psalm 103 verse 14. He knows a frame. He remembers that we are dust. He knows, we are dust. He knows we are frail. And for those sitting here this morning, who a broken hearted who are working through trauma. God knows, he loves he cares for you. That's why I gained we walk together. We need to encourage those who are fighting Spirit to to, to walk with those who are hurting. And know that God is your ultimate strength even and especially in your hood. Psalms 28 verse 7, the Lord is my strength and my shield, my heart trust in him and I am help my heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to Human song. Sorry 3 a.m. the witching hour, you start to feel anxious to start to worry, what do you do? Try it to God, take it to him in prayer. God says, bring everything to him in prayer. Read the Psalms during the day, they are honest. David pulls out his anger, he's hurt his worries, his anxieties, his prostrations Sanctified, sounds like all things to God In Prayer. It's good to pray, your worries to God because God loves you. And in case you especially in yours, 0.4 at last point, is this. As people who are walking in Christ, we have the spirit of God dwelling within us where old broken Jars of Clay. But as God Comforts us, where coal to comfort. Others, you'll blessing here. When you walk alongside I hurting brother or sister, you can be a blessing to them by giving them in Activia, by entering into this Sorrow by listening to them, really being present and listening and it also blesses you, I guess you outside of yourself, God made us to walk together. God made you to use your spiritual gifts to bless others. When we only look inside when we come to church as consumers, we are not walking as effective followers of Jesus. Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 1 verse 3. He said, firstly blessed be the God and father of our Lord. Jesus Christ, the father of mercies and God of All Comfort, who accompanies Us in. All our Affliction, that we may be able to come, but those who are in any Affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. God Comforts us and we are to comfort others. I lured to the greatest commandment to love the Lord. Your God, the second is to love your neighbor as yourself. Going with lots of very much. We have to be agents of love and mercy and comfort. We are to love and careful and comfort others. In their Affliction, pulled on this Australian commentator right. Sis God and courage is Us by his word and through his Spirit. But sometimes he uses other believers to give us the encouragement. We need how wonderful it would be if we all had the nickname, Barnabas the son of encouragement.

Is a story I made mention before, but it's worth repeating many years ago. My dad was posturing here and in the middle of night, Saturday, the whole church burnt down. It was an awesome attack, started in the kitchen and dad came to church at dawn and Hall church with his great blazing smoldering. Miss every Sunday morning the worst possible time. And we had to try to look at how to have a service and and phone calls are being mad and were able to in the end. Meet Matthew Flinders in the electrical, we had a service said, we have the TV cameras and Sunday afternoon. Dad said he got home, finally stopped and just started crying. and he said, For the first and only time in my life God I need you now to say you love me. Is it just too much? And the phone rang and it's a block from church today. I don't even know why I love you. And I just started crying and he needed that word of comfort and that is exactly how we are cold to walk together. Paul says, Romans 12:15 Rejoice, with those who Rejoice mourn, with those who mourn, one of the greatest gift, you can give us suffering brother, or sister is a listening ear to sit down with him and maybe spend some serious time listening. Don't come in with a cute little bobble, head straight away and we can just add to the herd always wonderful, winter, or is in terrible pain and just listen. And then when it's time for a, that's how we Comfort others in this soft drinks. But we've had four things this morning, when we have anxieties and we will in 2025, we will have troubles. Jesus says, in this world, you will have troubles, but take heart, I have overcome the world, but firstly, remember all the gifts God has given us with the best being. Yes, to come second layer. Remember God is Sovereign, he is in perfect. If it was control, no one nothing and for his his plans and he even promises to work all things together for the good of those who love him. Thirdly, remember we are called to trust and obey the Lord trust him. When you don't know, when you don't understand why things that happen. Not understand. Why did I get that diagnosis? Trust the Lord, he knows. And he loves you and forth. When finally come put others with the Comfort, we have received their cells from God when we walk in this, why? When we listen to these wonderful, Holy Spirit, breathe scriptures. We will shine very, very broadly as a church. But remember this troubles are anxieties after suffering a short and momentary. This life is a Morning Mist, we have any turn, a, a turn C to spend before God in a world with no pain, no morning, nurse offering full rights and 2 Corinthians 4:17. So, this is why momentary Affliction light and momentary. He's preparing for us an eternal weight of Glory beyond all comparison. The things that have seen a transient I have passing for the things that are unseen are Eternal. Let's remember these words of comfort. As we say goodbye to an interesting. Yeah, I could pay for another following Jesus. Let's, let's pray together. The father we thank you so much that you know, we are frail, you would know we at we are prone to be faint.