December 15, 2013 – Pastor Tim – “Worriers, Come Out and Pray”
Matthew 6:25-34, “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? 28 “So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; 29 and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?31 “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
In an article in Focal Point, a publication of Denver Seminary, Paul Borden gave a good action suggestion for worriers:
- Start a worry list. That’s right, when you’re worried about something, write it down. Perhaps it’s the health of your aging mother, replacing the refrigerator, your children or grandchildren, your health or your future. Write it down. It will help you when you see that specific worry in black and white.
- Is to Turn our worry list into a prayer list. Ask the Lord to work in those situations you’re concerned about. Philippians 4:6-7, Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Pray specifically for your needs and depend on Him. You’ll be pleased at how much that will help keep those worries from crippling and controlling you. Bring your worries to the One who has the power to do something about them. When you wake up at night worried about your brother or sister, your parents, your grandparents your children, or your job—pray. Train your mind to stop and redirect all the energy from worry, which is destructive, to prayer, which is constructive.
- Ask God to help, to intercede, to convict, to open a door, to work the kind of miraculous change only He can work.
1 Peter 5:6-8, Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, 7 casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
The devil wants to distract or weigh us down with worry. When you’re overwhelmed by the frightening prospects of the future, pray. Express your apprehensions to the Lord. Turn them over to Him. While you’re waiting for a traffic light and you’re worrying about paying the bills, pray. Ask God to provide, then move on. God hears your prayers. 1 John 5:14, Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.
- Turn your prayer list into an action list. James 1:23-25, For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; 24 for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. 25 But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does. Do not forget you are a man or woman of faith. As God gives you insight and confidence, do something about those cares. Even if you only do a little, step out in faith.
Are you worried? Pray. If you’ve done that, pray again. Use the energy of worry to pray instead.
Why not start right now? Use the note section in your bulletin and start writing.
- What you have made a matter of prayer should cease to be a matter of care.
- Let’s begin today to turn our worries into prayer and action.
James 2:17-18 (NLT), So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless. 18 Now someone may argue, “Some people have faith; others have good deeds.” But I say, “How can you show me your faith if you don’t have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds.”