August 5, 2007 – Sheepfold Ministries

Pastor Phil Roland

Breaking the Worry Habit

Matt. 6:24-34

"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness,   and   all   these things will  be  given  to  you  as  well.  Therefore  do  not   worry  about tomorrow,  for tomorrow  will  worry about itself.  Each day has enough trouble of its own."      Matt. 6:33,34

THE FOUR INCONSISTENCIES OF WORRY:

I.  WORRY IS INCONSISTENT WITH THE LORDSHIP OF JESUS

          A.  There is only ONE LORD - Ex. 20:4-6; Matt. 6:24-25

          "You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven

above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down

to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God,

punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation

of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who

love me and keep my commandments.”

"No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or

he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God

and Money. "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat

or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than

food, and the body more important than clothes?”

          B.  His Lordship supercedes family - Matt. 10:37

"Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me;

anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me;”

          C. His Lordship is above money - Matt. 6:24

"No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or

he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both

God and Money.”

          D. Resign immediately as Lord and Master of the Universe

                   1. Remind yourself as you slowly exhale, “God’s in control”

                   2. Repeat as often as you feel out-of-control

II. WORRY IS INCONSISTENT WITH MEANING

          A. Life's meaning not found in THINGS - Matt. 6:25

          "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or

about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the

body more important than clothes?”

          B. For a believer, meaning comes from RELATIONSHIPS

                   1. Relationship with God

                   2. Relationship with significant people

          C. Life's ultimate meaning is from time spent with and for God

                   1. Reflection and Meditation on His Word

                   2. Enjoyment with His people

III. WORRY IS INCONSISTENT WITH VALUE

          A. You are more valuable to God than His creation - Matt. 6:26

           “Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and

          yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?”

          B. If He knows about His birds, doesn't he know about you?

          C. Your life has value because Jesus died for you – 1 Cor. 15:3,4

“For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for

our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on

the third day according to the Scriptures,”

IV. WORRY IS INCONSISTENT WITH HUMAN ABILITY AND FAITH

          A. Worriers lose the connection between saving faith and living faith

                   1. Saving faith forgives our sins

                    2. Living faith empowers our present

          B. Paul though humanly frail, lived by God's power/might

          ”For to be sure, he was crucified in weakness, yet he lives by God's power.

Likewise, we are weak in him, yet by God's power we will live with him to

serve you.” 2 Corinthians 13:4

“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The

life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave

himself for me.” Galatians 2:20

TWO WAYS TO OVERCOME WORRY:

I. WORRY IS DESTROYED BY MENTAL TOUGHNESS

          A. Mental self-discipline guards against worry - Matt. 6:31

“So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or

'What shall we wear?'”

          B. Become aware of what happens psychologically/physically

                   1. What you THINK affects how you FEEL

                   2. Think on Godly things – Phil 4:8

                   “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right,

whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is

excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things.”

3. Pray with thanksgiving about everything – Phil 4:6,7

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and

petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace

of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and

your minds in Christ Jesus.”

            C. Reject worry/Refuse to allow worry to possess you

II. WORRY IS BANISHED BY LIVING IN THE PRESENT

          A. Be where your shoes are / Live in your own body and situation

          B. Faith is trusting God for the future/Obeying Him in the present

          C. Live with a faithful rage for life today

                    1. Sorrow looks back / Worry looks around / Faith looks up

                   2. "Faith is either a dull habit or an acute fever."

3. GET THE FEVER!

Breaking the Worry Habit, Text:

Matthew 6:24-34

"No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.

25  "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?

26  Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?

27  Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life ?

28  "And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin.

29  Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.

30  If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

31  So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?'

32  For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.

33  But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

34  Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

“HELLO GOD”

God’s Telephone Number:

 ‘'Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.'”  Jeremiah 33:3

“Hello God, I called tonight

To talk a little while.

I need a friend who'll listen

To my anxiety and trial.

You see, I can't quite make it

Through a day just on my own...

I need your love to guide me,

So I'll never feel alone.

I want to ask you please to keep

My family safe and sound.

Come and fill their lives with confidence

For whatever fate they're bound.

Give me faith, dear God, to face

Each hour throughout the day,

And not to worry over things

I can't change in any way.

I thank you God, for being home

And listening to my call,

For giving me such good advice

When I stumble and fall.

Your number, God, is the only one

That answers every time.

I never get a busy signal,

Never had to pay a dime.

So thank you, God, for listening

To my troubles and my sorrow.

Good night, God, I love You, too,

And I'll call again tomorrow!”

Send this to that special friend who needs to know that God is there for them, even when everyone else has betrayed and left them. God loves you and so do I. God is good... All the time.

WORRY

IS AN ADDICTION

THAT ARISES FROM THE

TEMPORARY

INSANITY

OF BELIEVING

YOU ARE THE

MASTER

OF THE UNIVERSE!

Courtesy of Sheepfold Ministries – Sharon, PA

Pastor Phil Roland