"BE ANXIOUS FOR NOTHING"
I. BE ANXIOUS FOR NOTHING.
A. The Jews have a word, lolidog which means "Not to worry."
1. That is what the Lord is telling us here, "Not to worry."
2. There are many places where the Lord gives to us the same instruction.
3. In the sermon of the mount Jesus said, "Don't worry about tomorrow, what you will drink, what you will eat what you should wear."
a. He told us to consider the birds, how they do not plant their crops and reap the harvest to store in their barns "Your Father feeds them."
b. You who are worried about your clothes, consider the lilies of the field, they do not toil and spin, as He referred to their spinning their yarn to make the material for the clothes. Solomon in all of his glory and royal robes was not clothed as beautifully as they.
c. Again He repeated to them not to worry about their drink, their food, or their clothing, He said that the heathen worried about these things. The answer was for them to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all of these things would be added to them.
d. He spoke of the futility of worry, "Which of you by worrying can change the situation?"
B. There are many things that can create anxiety in our lives.
1. The uncertainty of the future.
a. Though we face the uncertainty of the future, we have the certainty of the past.
b. Paul said,
2CO 1:10 Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver [us];
a. There you see the past, the present and the future.
b. He delivered us, He is not delivering us.
c. This should give us the confidence that He shall deliver us.
C. The word in the King James is be careful for nothing. The word means full of care.
1. For nothing, "How much is nothing?"
2. The witness of Mrs. Berg. "The last time I looked, God was still on the throne."
3. As long as He is on the throne, I do not need to worry.
II. WHAT TO DO WITH MY WORRIES? "IN EVERYTHING, BY PRAYER AND SUPPLICATION LET YOUR REQUEST BE MADE KNOWN UNTO GOD."
A. How much is everything?
1. "Oh what needless pain we bear, all because we do not carry everything to God in prayer."
2. Care does not bring the solution, prayer brings the solution.
3. Thus turn your cares into prayers.
a. I'll bet that Schuller would like that one.
b. Turn your scars into stars.
B. I left out with thanksgiving.
1. Our prayers and supplications should be with thanksgiving.
2. The thanksgiving is the exercise of faith.
3. Abraham gave glory to God for the promise, before there was any evidence of fulfillment.
4. Learning to praise God for His promises, for they are as sure as the fulfillment.
5. With Him all is yes and amen for in Him there is neither variableness or shadow of turning.
6. God is not a man that He should lie, nor the son of man that He should repent. Has He not spoken, and shall He not make it good?
III. THE RESULT, "THE PEACE OF GOD, WHICH PASSES ALL UNDERSTANDING, SHALL KEEP KEEP YOUR HEARTS AND MINDS THROUGH CHRIST JESUS."
A. What tremendous opportunities you are going to have to witness for Christ in the next few months.
1. As rumors will continue to fly about what may happen in the future, as you show no fear or anxiety, people will begin to ask questions.
2. It is in death that faith in God shows it's true worth. With corporate decisions being made that you have no control over and possibly will mean the death of your job, we have a peace that passes understanding, and surely those on the work place near you will not understand your peace, but what a great time to share with them the reason for your peace. "My life is in His hands, and He is big enough to hold me up."
Verse-Reference
Square — [Jhn 1:1 KJV]
Abbreviate Books
Use SBL Abbrev.
