God's Answer to Fear, Anxiety & Worry, Part 1 - I

The following message from Pastor Greg Laurie is made possible by harvest partners, helping people everywhere know God, to find out how to know God personally go to know God.org K NOW know God.org it would you do me a favor sure this message was someone who needs to hear God is bigger than your problem you ever gone to a relatively small problem problem. Do you realize your God, and actually we should call out problems overwhelmed.

Pastor Gregori reminds us how God can overwhelm our problems. It's okay to call my anger so our majesty and greatness of God puts your problems in perspective. The bully is often bigger demeanor is a force to be reckoned. Well, when your new best friend happens to be the linebacker of the school football team. Amazing how the bully is so threatening problems or bullying you write today on a new beginning. Pastor Greg Laurie shows us how God stands ready to meet us at our point of need. His problem-solving resources are limitless and reassuring child is afraid of the dark. They need someone to reassure them. The best thing to do is turn on the lights so they know there's actually not a monster under the bed that there is no bogeyman. There is no threat to them. They need the reassuring words of an adult that can help them get a proper perspective while in the same way like little children were frightened and were scared. We need the reassuring words of our heavenly father to help us in times of anxiety. So let's read some words from Scripture John chapter 14 the very familiar passage, one that I really love Jesus says and let's get the context of who he was saying that to. He said this to his disciples in the upper room of this is after it had become known to them that he was going to be crucified that he was going to be leaving them. So needless to say they were very stressed. There were filled with fear and deep anxiety. So with that backdrop. Jesus says these words, let not your heart be troubled you believe in God believe also in me. In my father's house are many mansions ever were not so I would've told you. I go to prepare a place for you if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself. There were I am you know and you may be there also.

Where where I go you know in the way you know. There the word that Jesus uses here for troubled is a picturesque word means. Don't let your heart shutter. Ever had your heart shutter just really bad news, something that just was a shock to your nervous system.

He says don't let your heart shutter.

Jesus did not say worry and get super stressed the mole over your problems. Rather, he said don't be troubled and pay. Life is full of troubles, no matter how much money you make, or where you live or what you do for a living. You'll never be able to create a trouble free life. Job says in chapter 5 or seven people are born for trouble as readily as sparks fly up from a fire. I hate to break it to you but it's always good to be something it's always going to be something just when you get to that one conflict of that one difficulty that one hardship for that one trial and another one is coming.

I don't say that to the press you I say that to prepare you so you understand the troubles may come, and what you need to do when those troubles do come there's big things that seem to overtake us in their small irritating things. But know this, while there are reasons to be trouble. There is a greater reason not to be.

Jesus says in verse 10 from the new living translation trust in God, trust also in me. In other words, Jesus is a look I am abroad to this far to abandon you now I know what I'm doing.

So I'm asking you to believe I'm asking you to trust me there's something to consider.

What I don't understand what is happening fallback in what I do understand. Let me say that again and directed toward you when you don't understand what is happening fallback in what you do understand so what don't you understand what whatever it is you're facing whatever hardship difficulty why why why we asked okay fallback in what you do understand what wino well if I'm a Christian. I know my sin is forgiven right if I'm a Christian. I know that one day I'll go to heaven if I'm a Christian. I know that God is in control of my life. And if I'm a Christian.

I know that God loves me and if I'm a believer. I know that all things work together for good to those who love God. Another called according to his purpose.

So though I don't understand these circumstances, the fallback know what I do understand and I have found the Windows what if questions start rolling through your mind. I like to go back to what I do understand what I know is true, so here's something to consider. I love this little verse so much packed into one verse of Scripture. Luke 1232 Jesus said, fear not, little flock, it is your father's good pleasure to give to you the kingdom.

We learn a lot from outburst number one turn out little flock, so my point is this God is our shepherd and we are his sheep unite. I don't know how much you know about sheet. I don't know a lot about what I've read some things in the held them occasionally, but I'm not real familiar with them, but I know they're basically pretty defenseless creatures. She don't bite sheep can't run very fast.

She don't even have claws. Honestly, I CAD has more going on in the sheep does, but we have this old cat that walks around her neighborhood. I actually like this cat.

He's like the exception the cats for me because he's just kind of his own little cat and he was standing in the middle of the street who does this is Succumbing to sit here care everyone go around. He's just sitting there and a dog is yapping out of extended coming toward me just like, bring them, you know that I like that Cats have more going on then she because Alisa CAD can claw her a cat can climb a tree and run about sheet there just like leg of lamb for the taking got to just carry mint sauce around with them like here I am beat me now.

I'm delicious. Yeah, that's with the cheapest sheep is totally dependent on it. Shepherd wife. Let's be kind and just put it this way delicately.

The really stupid. They run in flocks.

They do with the others she do your easily frightened or skittish and there been more than one occasion were one sheep goes off a cliff and the other sheep follow him off the cliff so no one of the Bible says all we like sheep have gone astray big picture your defenseless big picture.

You can't really defend yourself ultimately you need the shepherd's care.

That's why David was sitting around one day when he probably wrote some 23 and you know he was a musician as well as a warrior and ultimately attain and these may be just Connie and us from and some chords G CD look around is a cannot is flock amazing to know what these cheaper dependent on me in the Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul he prepares a table for me in the presence of my enemies and my cup runs over and yeah goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life and I'll dwell in the house of the Lord forever. And even though I go through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil because he's with me. That was a picture he was painting for us that just as those sheep need me. I need God. Fear not, little flock, it is your father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom of God is our shepherd and we are sheet number two God is our father who loves us and cares for us.

Notice he says that your father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. So why should I not be afraid because he is my shepherd watching over me, but is also my father caring for me and I can approach it with any time with whatever is troubling me and he will listen, but not everybody can call God father people will say today will I believe in the brotherhood of man, a world, children of God sons and daughters of God. Actually that's not true at all. Were not all children of God were all created by God were all made in the image of God were all separated from God by our sin, but the only way to become a child of God is. You must be adopted into the family. The Bible says, for as many as received him, he gave them the power to become sons of God. But once you believe in Jesus you can call God father after Jesus died on the cross and rose again from the dead. He appeared to Mary Magdalene and he says to her don't cling to me some translation supported don't touch me, but I think she was holding onto them so tightly and he says bribe not yet ascended to my God and be your God in the my father and your father. That was a revelatory statement that I was a radical thing to say to a first century Jewish person and especially a Jewish woman because women were looked down upon that culture you people like to say, Christianity oppresses women, nothing could be further from the truth.

Christianity and the Bible elevated women to their proper place made in the image of God. So he says to this woman who was once possessed by many demons. I'm going to my God and your God. I'm going to my father and your father Mary.

Guess what, he's your father now you can call him father now not just me.

We get the fact that Jesus calls God father.

Now we can because of what he did to Greg Laurie will have the second half of this message in just a moment. We enjoy hearing when Pastor Greg's teachings on the radio touch lives, my name is Noah and I live in Chicago. I listened to Greg at 11 AM well backing but I went through a very dark period and in my life got so bad that I need and want to listen to the radio anymore, so I would drive to work in the morning just getting total silent when dad turn on the radio wanted to start flipping channels and digital have been met. As to Greg show came on and I started little gave me hope gave me strength brought me back to the Lord and started going to church and I still listen to him in the morning to get me from my front door my house to the front door word harvest partner and little joy and I actually enjoy going to church. I enjoy listening to Dragon. I like his alleged humor and the blessing at a time in my life where I needed some intercession. I believe God sent to Greg in my life so thank you very much.

What an encouraging story.

These daily studies minister to you and your family. Would you let us know tell us your story by emailing Greg his email address is greg@harvest.org that's great@harvest.org will today. Pastor Greg is pointing out how God's children have a special relationship with God the father and how that should bring us comfort during our times of worry calling God father it's us in different ways because a lot of it depends on what kind of an earthly father you had right. I never had a father really growing up so when I thought of God as father, I just had a big blank like I don't even know what that is to have a father. Some of you I had fathers that were cold and distant.

Others of you had fathers and maybe left you when you were young.

Some of you maybe even had fathers who were abusive and harsh with you or maybe uncommunicative but it was not a loving image of a father than others of you had a warm loving hands-on involved dad, how many of you had a really good dad growing up. Will God bless you for that. How many of you did not have that experience is your get the okay so I understand what that's like my wife Kathy are her father, Richard Martin lived to be 95 years old. It was a very, very good father, and I think because of that when Kathy and her three sisters and her brother heard the gospel. They were there very quickly embraced God as their father. They had such a great father figure and so the this is this family that they lived in the Far East.

Richard Martin was very educated, very smart guy, very successful guy and does so there it is a very cultured family great manners and then one day Kathy brings me home to meet the parents look like something the cat draw again right. I had long hair, past my shoulders, thick red beard you know and like. Here's my new boyfriend dad and he didn't take me very well but noted his wife of Pilar, but so finally we decided we wanted to get married and so I I took a walk with him. I Sybil Mr. Martin, I want to marry your daughter. I wanted ask your blessing, and he looked at me and said well know this very easily, no, no, and can ask why Mr. Martin he said well you don't have a stable income and and day were concerned about that sin and concern for the welfare of her daughter and reassured him a deal can. He said no again but so but ultimately when we got married. He gave his daughter away, but interesting experience happened when Kathy was younger she is the middle daughter is her older sister Mary and then there was Dodi and then there's Kathy and then her younger sister Jackie and then finally your brother Ricky.

So what. So she had an uncle.

This was the brother of Richard Martin's wife Pilar and he was not able to have children with his wife and so he came to up Laura's sister Wendy and said you know you already have two daughters now you have 1/3 one, can we just have your daughter and interesting request and so she said let me talk to my husband about it. This shot Kathy like you want to talk to dad about this like this was on the table but fortunately Richard dad said no – but eventually gave her away to me on our wedding day and I'm thankful for that. But here's the good news. What when you are a child of God. No one is going to take you out of his protective care and were afraid of what if I lose my salvation.

A word of the devil gets me are you kidding me you're a child of God and Jesus said in John 1029 I will give them eternal life will never perish, and no one can snatch them away from me.

God is your shepherd God is your father and finally he is your King because Jesus said turn off little flock, it is your father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

Notice he says it's his good pleasure. I think sometimes we think of God is stingy. God doesn't want to give you that God doesn't want to bless you. God wants old all the good stuff back just to make your life are nothing could be further from the truth. It's his pleasure to give to you the kingdom, but also when we think of God's kingdom remind us of the sovereignty and the power of God. So when you're filled with anxiety and fear and worry because of a problem you're facing. Consider this, God is bigger then your problem and if you have a big God, you have a relatively small problem. If you have a big problem.

Do you realize how big your God actually is. That is why the Lord's prayer, Jesus taught us to pray our father who art in heaven how would be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. And then ultimately we get to the requests.

Give us this day our daily bread but effectively crisis saying when you pray just contemplate the awesomeness and the greatness of God before you start firing off your petitions. It's okay to ask God for things you should. It's okay to call out to the Lord for help but remind yourself of the power, majesty and greatness of God, and it puts your problems in perspective. If you ever wondered why when you leave church a lot of times you feel better than when you came in. The reason is because of amazing preaching by other pastors here at harvest. No, I think the preaching plays into it, but I don't think it's any person. I think what is it all about I give in.

Waterway spent a good part of my time doing magnifying God and so's I'm thinking of God's glory. This power and I'm serve casting my problems aside night. I'm worshiping him. Then I hear a message. Hopefully, that reminds me of God's love, and this summer Tina's power and all the things I need to be reminded of an eye. I leave a note that I have the same problems leaving that I had coming in, but all of a sudden I don't see them in the same way. It's all about perspective is an and so he's your King is in control of your life.

Greg Lord Gray perspective today on how we should view the challenges we sense in light of the God we serve. And there's more to come in this message here on a new beginning called God's answer to fear, anxiety and worry. Part one. If you missed any part of today's inside. You can always log on for an instant replay@harvest.org or to get a permanent copy on CD. Call 1-800-821-3300. That's 1-800-821-3300 and let me also point out Pastor Greg has a book on the same subject for information. Just search for the title God's answer to fear, anxiety and worry when you go to store the harvest.org and then we have a great set of children's books that we want to make available great news for parents and grandparents.

Here's Pastor Greg to talk with our special guest everybody now were going to have a lesson on how to speak like a British person because I think that when British people say it, it always sounds better so I agreed out and I with Sally Lloyd Jones is an expert because she is indeed British aren't you, Sally. Yes I am I I'm very very pretentious yes and as I get more pretentious eyes right time to do my best version of speaking like a British person. Are you ready I'm ready.

Pray since our IP put it out top of the date. She is in all that I'm being a bit top-flight now know I'm going to go over to more of a liver pulley that said hello up with her. Talk to you you an awful couple of birds over the wheel the day in the thumb of the Dragon.

So how did I do Sally. I went wide spread to a little Wesleyan. I thought it was brilliant and I think you're very good at doing that yes you did get a bit posh. Then he went to Lesbos and then he went to a party and thank you very much, so now define the following terms. Does that confuses as Americans we traveled in England okay.

What is a windscreen windshield went to windshield. What is a bonnet where it could be a hat. Yes, all might be and when the engine as of yet bonnet and porridge is porridge is is like a male, but it's better so there's your lesson on speaking like a Brit. And speaking of speaking like a Brit. She writes like a Brit to because she is one, and she's written two books for children because she is a prolific children's writer and it's a set that were offering right now to all of our listeners.

It's called found and loved by Sally Lloyd Jones you just heard from and it includes an original keepsake print it's illustrated by a fantastic artist named jog a really really good.

As an artist I can tell you I really appreciate of the design and art in these books and then written just perfectly by Sally.

In fact, here's a little sample of what you will find in one of these books God is my Head and I and his little lamb he feeds me he guides me next to me. I have everything I need inside my heart is very quiet as client is lying still in soft green grass and imagine management stream even when I walk through the scary lending places I went be afraid because my ship it knows where I am. It keeps me safe. He rescues me he makes me strong and brave. He's getting wonderful things ready for me, especially for me. He fills my hot surfeit of happiness can't hold a to inside whenever I can. I know God is never stopping navigating up on breaking always have enough okay to Sally Lloyd Jones special guest who's just written a great picture book said that we want to make available to parents and grandparents is called found and love found is a look at the 23rd Psalm, and love. Look at the Lord's prayer, the commas are two books sent in an attractive storage box and your kids will love the illustrations and we want to send this your way to say thank you for your partnership and keeping the studies coming your way.

In fact, if you can help us on a regular basis. We hope you'll ask about becoming a harvest partner. These are special friends who invest in this outreach each month, but with your first gift as a harvest partner would like to send you found and loved. You can writer said a new beginning.

Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514 or go online to harvest.org or give us a phone call at 1-800-821-3300.

That's 1-800-821-3300 Pastor Greg provides more helpful insights on keeping our eyes on the Lord when our fears and anxieties walk of faith. Join us here on a new beginning regulatory possible by harvest partners, helping people everywhere know God sign up for pastor grades free daily email, devotions at harvest.alert