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Let us begin by singing: Lord Of All Hopefulness
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Matthew chapter 6
Therefore do not worry saying, ‘what will I eat, what will I drink, what will I wear?’ For it is the Gentiles who strive for all of these things and indeed your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But strive first for the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well. So do not worry about tomorrow for tomorrow will bring worries of its own, today’s trouble is enough for today.
As we enter into a time of prayer let us sing; There is none like you
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Let Us Pray
Dear God, you know that when the enemy is given even a crack, he pushes the door open wide and brings with him thoughts that produce worry, anxiety, and fear. But I am thankful that no circumstance that confronts me ever takes you by surprise. I thank you that you promise to work all things together for my good. I thank you that you are good, your ways are good, and your love for me is everlasting. Thank you, Father, for repeatedly proving yourself faithful and that I can rest in the knowledge that you will supply all my needs in your perfect timing according to your perfect plan for my life. I choose to trust you rather than become anxious, because you, God, are in control. In Jesus’s name, amen.
Let us share together in the Lords Prayer
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done; on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
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Just before we go to the word let us sing; In moments like these
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Worry
Here’s a question for: how much of your brain time do you spend worrying about things that are out of your control? You might actually be shocked at the answer to that question.
One of the things that we’re all keen on these days is transformation, becoming a better person, ditching some of the baggage we’ve been carrying around, lightening the load and living a better life. Is there anyone who doesn’t want that in their lives today? I’ve tried the self help programs in the past, they work for a while but then you slip right back into the same old, same old and nothing ever changes for real, does that sound familiar?
I can honestly say that the most powerful changes that have occurred in my life over the years because of walking with the Lord. The changes have come when I’ve heard His Word taken into my heart and allow the Holy Spirit to do His thing in me. That and only that is what brings lasting change.
Matthew chapter 7 verses 28 to 29 Jesus said this.
When Jesus had finished saying these things the crowds were astounded at his teaching for, he taught them as one who had authority not as one of their scribes.
Jesus completely blows people away with the power of what He has to say. That’s what happens when you hear Jesus speak, it’s a work of power and a work of healing. So, let’s look at what Jesus has to say about all the worrying that so many people do. We worry about this, we worry about that, it never achieves anything except to make us feel miserable but still we worry about this stuff. Stuff that’s outside our control, stuff that we quite don’t understand, stuff that causes hidden fears.
Well let me ask you something, do you want to be set free from the scourge of all that worry in your life? Would you like complete healing from all that worry? Because that’s what I believe Jesus wants to do for you today. Remember Jesus speaks, Jesus heals and I believe in some mighty healing in your life today. What did Jesus say about all this worrying that we do, Matthew chapter 6 verses 25 to 34:
Therefore I tell you do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, about your body, what you will wear. Isn’t life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life? And why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow. They neither toil nor spin yet I tell you even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these but if God so clothes the grass of the fields which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you you of little faith. Therefore do not worry saying, ‘what will I eat, what will I drink, what will I wear?’ For it is the Gentiles who strive for all of these things and indeed your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But strive first for the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well. So do not worry about tomorrow for tomorrow will bring worries of its own, today’s trouble is enough for today.
The thing that we worry about most, not exclusively but mostly, is money. Somehow, we’ve been programmed haven’t we to believe that we need more and more of the ‘stuff’. But the truth of the matter is this; we were made to walk in the cool of the morning with God just as Adam and Eve did. We were made, you and I, to be with God and to trust Him but these days, just as our kids through their 24/7 connectedness to social media, are being influenced by forces outside the home, so you and I are being influenced by the world than by God.
In this scripture we have just looked at, Jesus is trying to refocus us back on what’s important. If you worship quicksand, of course you’re going to panic, and you are going to sink. But Jesus is telling us that life is about so much more than what we eat and drink what we wear or what we have.
I mean look at the birds of the air, they don’t labour and yet God feeds them. Aren’t you worth so much more than them? And look at the grass of the field, those beautiful lilies out there, not even Solomon with all his wealth was as beautiful as them. And yet God loves you so much more, you are worth so much more to Him than the grass of the field.
We’ve all been in that place in life where we don’t have enough, such as money, health, other times it’s love or nurture, whatever it is we’ve all been in that place and we’ve looked at the reality that we simply don’t have enough and so we panic.
Some people are in a constant state of worry, all we ever see is that we don’t have enough and so we churn that around and over and over and over again as though somehow that’s going to make things better. Well, let me bring you a revelation; it’s not going to make anything better. Who by worrying can add a single hour to the span of their life?
So come on, what’s Jesus’ answer, what are the words of healing that He has to bring into your life today, here and now? Here they are”
But strive first for the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well.
In other words, refocus, get your eyes off the things that you’re worrying about and focus them back on God, go hard after the Lordship and the reign of God in your life, focus completely back on Him and living your life for Him. Get your priorities back in order.
Remember God, the God with the power to create the whole universe, the same God who gave us all of Creation, the same God who loves you so much more than the birds of the air or the grass of the field both of whom He provides for abundantly. Get your eyes back on Him, worship Him, love Him, serve Him, live your whole life for Him.
Not the shallow stuff of this world, not the trinkets that will pass away, not all that rubbish that somehow, we’ve come to worship. No, focus on God and you know what’s going to happen when you take Jesus’ advice, when you accept His Word in your heart and start acting on them, I’ll tell you because I know, the worry just disappears.
When you experience the love of Jesus in your heart there’s no room for worry, it just doesn’t make sense anymore and right there in that place is the healing that you’ve always been looking for.
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Let us sing: Faithful one
The Lord bless Thee and keep thee
The make his face shine upon thee
And be gracious unto thee
The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee
And give thee peace
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