Overcoming Worry and Anxiety

Harvest podcasts between Pastor Greg Laurie are brought to you by harvest partners to receive Pastor Greg free online daily devotions or to become a harvest partner, please visit us online@harvest.org today I want to talk about the biblical worldview on worry and anxiety.

Alright, so how many were rewards that we have out there.

Do you struggle with worry rays of your hand worry how many of you worry a lot raising it's okay I'm not going to make fun of you. How many of you never worry at all. You never worry raise her hand really get out, no. While we should probably have you appear free to let her know what your secret is. I think most of us worry in some way. See, or form, you know you get into that. What if game is something happens in in your mind, it begins to escalate. Sometimes nothing this company that all people worry over nothing, but there is a lot to worry about in our culture today. I mean just open up the newspaper in the morning to go to when news website and look at all that's happening nations like North Korea having nuclear weapons and threatening to use them now. Iran is right on the verge of getting their own nuclear weapons. And they have already threatened to use them against the United States in a multiple of occasions up threatened to wipe Israel off the face of the map and then there's the continued bad news about the economy, despite our governments reassurances, things don't really seem to be improving at all, and there are those concerns that you could lose your house or your savings would be diminished even more. Then there are those personal worries her own help your family and much much more. So here's the interesting thing a poll was taken and people were asked what you worry about the most in the number one response in this poll taken among Americans was my appearance. I love that I may lose my health, my life savings I begin wiped off the earth in a nuclear blast. But how do I look in this outfit.

Things don't change much do they 2000 years ago Jesus said don't be like the nonbelievers only worry about what they can eat what they're going to drink and what they're going aware.

Fast-forward number one concern my appearance those outward things.

Among other things that made the top 10 list were worries were having your credit card declined in public. How many of you had that happen just told what to do if it also being audited by the IRS and I want to set and finally having to speak publicly. So let me ask you what you worry about the most. What causes you the greatest stress. There's an old fable that is told about Amanda came face-to-face with the dangers of worry as a story is told death was walking toward his city one morning and the man asked what are you going to do. That said, today I'm going to take 100 people. That's horrible. The man said in response to says well that's what I do. That's the way it is. And so the man ran ahead of death and warned everyone about deaths plan.

That evening he met death again.

He said you told me you were only going to take 100 people whited a thousand.

I kept my word death responded. I only took 100 people worry took the others. That's a lie can often work this interesting tale portrays so well the fact that half of all of the people in America's hospital beds today are constant warriors, 43% of all adults suffer health effects due to worry and stress and researchers found that 75% to 90% of all visits to primary care physicians are stress related complaints or disorders you could write on countless American gravestones. This epitaph hurried worried bearing. We spend our lives full of anxiety and frustration and worry.

And here's the thing you need to think about most of what you worry about actually never happened. Dr. Walter Kolber did some research on this and discover that only 8% of the things that people worried about were legitimate matters of concern. The other 92% were either imaginary never happen or involve matters over which people had no control anyway so in the sermon on the Mount, Jesus gives the biblical worldview on anxiety and worry. The series is called worldview because we are learning to think and live biblically so here now. Jesus takes this topic had on just for contacts. It's important to note that prior to the words were about to read. Jesus said lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven were neither moth or rust can corrupt nor can thieves break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. So the Lord reminds us that our true treasures. If laid up for us in heaven will never be threatened by theft or a changing economy are treasures will also be waiting for us. So with that in mind you now proceed to tell us why we should not worry and what we should do that. So let's read Matthew chapter 6 verse 25 to 33.

Therefore, I see you to not worry about your life what you will eat or what you will drink her about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing will the birds of the air, they neither sow nor reap or gathering the bards, yet your heavenly Father feeds them.

Are you not of more value than they in which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature.

So why do you worry about clothing look of the lilies of the field, how they grow, they neither toil nor spin.

Yet I say to you that even Solomon in all of his glory was not arrayed like one of the now, if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today isn't tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you. Oh you of little faith therefore do not worry same what shall we eat or what shall we drink, or what shall we wear a bra for all these things the Gentiles seek.

For your heavenly Father knows what things you have Nita and I love this concluding statement verse 33 but seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added on to you spray together now Lord as we read your words on worry and anxiety help us pay attention. We live lives that are filled with trouble and there are so many things to get stressed about. So help us to get a biblical perspective on all of this the Lord help us to put all of our concerns and worries in your hands now speak to us as we consider your word for. We ask this Jesus name, amen. Alright, so what we learn from these words of Jesus about anxiety and worry number one the believer should not worry the Christian, the follower of Jesus Christ should not be filled with anxiety now, let me offer a word of clarification.

Jesus was not saying that a Christian should not think about or be concerned with the needs of this life like food or clothing. Jesus did not say don't think about food.

Don't concern yourself with clothing. No doubt he said told worry about those things all yes you need to concern yourself with them all. Yes, you need to think about a roof over your head and clothes on your back and food in your stomach that is important and that's something that we all need to consider. In fact, the Bible has many admonitions about saving our money and investing wisely and working hard for a living. So Jesus is not safe.

Don't think about these things.

What he is saying is don't be obsessed with these things don't have anxiety about the things wife because Maureen doesn't make anything better. It just makes it worse. Worry is a completely worthless activity. It's like a rocking chair.

You're always moving, but you're never getting anywhere. You worry doesn't empty today of its sorrow.

It empties tomorrow of its strength diminishes you it hurts you.

It chokes you else and that is why he warns us against us. A classic example of someone that was overly anxious, is Martha no Martha and Mary and Lazarus were friends of Jesus. They lived in Bethany, he often visited their home. Can you imagine how hard it would be to not brag about the fact that Jesus came in, hung around your house will just last night when we were with Jesus Christ, the creator of the universe. He said these words to us, but it was true. Jesus was a friend to this family. In fact, without Lazarus was ill. They sent the word, the one that you love. You said, Lord, your body's not feeling well. He was a friend of these people.

I would often show up at their house unannounced, with 12 of his hungry buddies. And so it's understandable will read that when Jesus arrives at Martha goes into the kitchen to prepare a feast fit for a king. Because after all, this was the king of kings and the Lord of lords, but on one particular occasion Walmart.

There is slaving away in the kitchen.

Mary decides this is a great opportunity to sit at his feet and Martha gets frustrated because she feels that Mary her sister is just being idle and lazy, so she comes in from the kitchen. You consider she's got her apron on food splattered everywhere. Jesus is Lord, tell my sister to help me, Jesus looks at her nieces. All Martha Martha your troubled and agitated and worried about many things, but Mary has chosen the better part. In other words, there is a time for work and there is a time for worship Mary recognized the creator was in her house and she wanted to sit at his feet.

Martha thought this might be a good time to make meatloaf and you know what Jesus said Martha you just got it wrong you need to just relax and take advantage of me being here with you right now and a lot of times we are like frenzied markers running around in circles were like chickens with our head cut off.

How many of you ever seen a chicken get its head cut off. Interesting.

There were a lot more hands in the first service I don't know how to react to that. I think there's something wrong with the people in the first service. I'm not sure but I I saw this when I was a boy of five and I was living with my grandparents who were from another generation.

Another time up in Yucca Valley and my grandmother couldn't go to the market like any normal person by a frozen chicken breast when it was time to get fried chicken which she made which is incredible.

It had to be fresh so she sent my grandfather daddy Charles out to chop the head off of a chicken, so he thought this would be a good thing for a five-year-old boy to witness so I walked out and I'm standing there. I don't know it's happening. He takes chicken, puts it on the chopping block brings down the hatchet. The body rolls off, it still flapping its wings. Blood is pretty and I'm like you know I still break out in a cold sweat whenever I walk by Kentucky fried chicken or a boy look like traumatic no but time and the bizarre thing is a headless chicken body was running toward me, but a lot of us are like that are like ridges running around we don't even know what were doing were just friends were agitated or uptight. As I said earlier hurried worried very and then yet we justify worryingly say well it's because I care that I worry.

You know what worry is not a virtue and effectively take it a step further. Worry can actually be a sin.

Listen to the words of Jesus. Verse 25 to not worry about your life in the Greek this can be translated stop worrying about your life because they were already worry other words, alerting you been worrying a lot and I'm Savior. Right now, stop at stop doing that.

It's not good for you why because the word worry comes from a word that means to choker strangle and not suitable do to you, it won't help your situation will only aggravated and make it worse. Martin Lloyd Jones said and I quote the result of worrying about the future as you are crippling yourself press the great theologian Charlie Brown of peanut's fame. One said, I've developed a new philosophy. I only dread one day at a time you note.

The Bible says sufficient for the day is the evil thereof. In other words, there's enough troubles waiting there tomorrow and the day after and the day after. Don't even think about those right now.

Just take the troubles of today and put them in the hands of God. Listen, I know we live in a world filled with trouble and I know there are things that cause you great anxiety because I face them as well.

No one is exempt from these things so it's not an issue of what we have trouble. The question is, what will we do with that trouble Jesus is. I'll tell you what you should not do. You should not worry about it.

Why can worried be a sin because it's a lack of trusting in God you're not trusting in the providence of God. What is the providence of God.

It is the belief that God is in control of the universe.

God is in control of your life and specifically as a Christian. It means that I believe that there are no accidents in my life. Nothing touches me. That is not first past his hair is a classic example of a guy who trusted in God's providence, the prophet Daniel remember that the Israelites were overtaken by the Babylonians and taken into captivity for 70 years. During that time Darius came into power after Nebuchadnezzar and Daniel, one of the Hebrew prophets had ascended to a place of influencing this king, so much so that the king really liked Daniel. He relied on his wise and insightful counsel with our other counselors there that it liked Daniel one bit.

They wanted him removed, but they couldn't find any skeletons in his closet was a man of integrity with no weak spots no scandals no sins that they could identify so they got the Kindle foolishly signed a law that declared that no one could predict any God except him.

Or they would be thrown into a den of lions because they knew Daniel had a habit of praying openly every single day was. Sure enough, Daniel prayed as he always had and the king had to enact this law and the frustration for the king was as powerful as he was. He couldn't change a lot. He himself had said in the motion and so Daniel was sent to a dental appliance. He certainly was not going to survive the night. He would be killed because we read in that story that that night Daniel slept all the king was up all night.

Interesting, the child of God in the den of lions sleeps peacefully and the man who doesn't have faith in the palace with all of its luxuries is up and worried and stressed out. The Bible says in Psalm 127 verse two he gives to his beloved sleep and so it is for the person who put their trust in God. So trust in the providence of God, and what I'm worried. I'm really think God is in control, God's not paying attention know he is so believe that why should I not worry not Jesus gives them illustrations he says will look at the birds is outdoors when he is giving this message, the sermon on the Mount there near the Sea of Galilee probably gestured to some birds fly by these birds right now those birds look worried to you ever seen a bird in a little bottle of bird Valium pop in the Littleton are you know maybe biting his fingernails or his challenge, or in a little couch you know getting psychology counselor some psychological counseling from a towel or something. I don't know how things very wise. He just keeps asking the same question over and over who birds don't do that yet birds don't have the promises that we have birds are promised eternal life. Birds are not created in the image of God.

But every morning like clockwork thereof at the break of dawn singing away and Jesus is say no you see the birds are fine. You can be fine for God takes care of birds wanting take care of you.

That doesn't mean the birds in God and get their food in a birds of God semi-vegetation other EC semi-fish. The rest paying out of McDonald's away for you to drop your fries.

Then there are those feeding birds the Seagull that hang out at the beach is a way for you to go on the water. They fly off with your lunch in your chairs and sometimes small children you notice, but the birds will take care of business, but they don't worry about it and that's the point Jesus is making it's like little poem that says said the Robin to the sparrow. I should really like to know why these anxious human beings writes about in worry so said the spirit of the Robin friend. I think that it must be that they have no heavenly father such as cures for you and me. So here's the point of Jesus thought of God takes care of the birds, will he not take care of you as well that he shifts gears and talks about flowers. Flowers, don't worry. Why should you first 2820 worry about clothing. Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow, they don't toil or spin. Yet I see the you that even Solomon in all of his glory was not arrayed like one of the pay even Solomon in his royal robe, surrounded by his lavish furniture encrusted in goal was not as beautiful as a simple flowering you probably pick one up one of the wild flowers growing therein, limited the beauty of this flower. They don't worry they don't stress out and get will be so concerned about what were going to wear your assistance style does this look good. Do I look fat in this sadly that's what I said to my wife this morning. All three of those. No I didn't but you know were so concerned about our appearance were in a culture that is obsessed with appearance and now we've taken this into changing our bodies with plastic surgery and billions of dollars are spent every year people want to look like someone else you know they want to look like a movie star. Sometimes I'm not sure what they're trying to look like in I'm not sure what they do look like but then they change their appearance dramatically. I read an interesting article about this some in the paper.

The title of the article was about people that are obsessed with their appearance and of the title actually was beauty junkies examining the society obsessed with appearance and the author of the article interviewed surgeon plastic surgeon from LA and this doctor said you know the women in Los Angeles live in a world it's all about. Look in one season begin to fade and their husbands trade them in for younger women, things get especially ugly. He says it gets desperate. On a deeply metaphysical level. He says they wake up and realize are nothing but a shell of the skin. They didn't do anything on the inside and I don't care how many yoga classes you go to won't be able to call your not equipped and you don't know why." That was pretty insightful. You know the work on the outside but they've done nothing for the inside. That's what Jesus is saying that's the emphasis of the Bible. The Bible is nothing.

Don't be attractive. 15 don't be obsessed with your love. Frankly some people to think a little bit more about their looks. There is a place for that to you can go too far. Either way can shoot well I just don't care. While we have to look at you.

We do nothing wrong with a girl wanting to look you nothing wrong with a guy wanting to look good. Those are not sinful things, but if that becomes more important you in your spiritual life and you spent all your time in the outward and completely neglect the inward in your life is out of balance. That's what this is. The Bible even says two girls in first Peter three. What matters is not your outward appearance and styling of your care. The jewelry you wear the cut of your clothes but your inner disposition. Cultivate inner beauty general, gracious, kind, that God delights in C so wise and important because one day this body will be gone, but the soul will live for ever was Irma Bombeck who once said, quote, sooner or later dust when but the real you and me will live, so if the greater thing is in this control I can leave the lesser to him as well.

Don't stress out about that stuff.

So don't worry number two worry will not make your life longer. It'll just make it more miserable worry will not make your life longer. It will just make it more miserable. Look at verse 27. Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature.

The Greek word used here for stature means links or duration of life so effectively.

Jesus is saying how many of you through worry and anxiety can extend the length of your life. Answer no one if that worry can shorten your life, or at least make it harder yet, were in a culture today that's obsessed with trying to lengthen life we exercise regularly. We eat the right foods. We supplement our diets with vitamins and minerals and we get our physical checkups in the hope of extending our life for a few more years know I'm not making light of this, I think it's really a good thing to take care of your body because you want to live as long as you can in this healthy of the ways you can. I mean II exercise regularly.

I do 100 crunches everything.

I really do hundred crunches everything nestlings you should try them, the very good.

That was a joke.

You missed it. I don't know that's first service the one the one to see more chickens with their heads cut off on the more amusing than you this guys walking out I offended you, I hate it when people make one of Nestlé's crunches right now that's what I wore a blue shirt today just to see, so there is a place for taking care of yourself physically. We don't want to neglect that fact. The Bible says in first Timothy 48 physical exercises some value, but spiritual spiritual exercises.

More important for a promise is a reward in this life and the next go too far.

Either way, you can put too much emphasis on the physical neglecting the spiritual, but so much emphasis on the spiritual you completely neglect the physical part God is put your soul in the human body. So take care of it.

But understand, you will not link in your life you live as long as God wants you to live, not less, or more, you will determine your date of birth or your date of death, but you have a lot to say about that little – in the middle. That's why some 90 says spend your life and number your day that you may gain a heart of wisdom. Live your life carefully and prayerfully and recognize anxiety and worry will not lengthen your life. Number three. Worry is an indication of a lack of faith worry is an indication of a lack of faith, verse 30, not God. God clothes the grass of the field, which today is tomorrow sewn into the other, will he not much more clothe you.

Oh you of little faith know understand the sermon on the Mount was given to Christians to believers and these are words of those will put their faith in Christ Jesus did not say you have no faith.

He said you have little faith in other words, there are people today that believe that God will save their soul, but they have a hard time believing that God will provide their needs are that God will resolve their problems or that God will answer their prayers. They believe in Jesus for salvation, but they have a hard time believing him for other things. Martyn Lloyd Jones said, quote to be of little faith means we are mastered by our circumstances. Instead of mastering them." So when the challenge comes their way, or a test there just pulled over by we need to grow in our faith grow up. Don't be a spiritual light weight. Oh you of little faith, have morphing how do you get faith while you get it from doing what you doing right now sleeping like this guy. Right now, hearing the word of God because the Bible says faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.

But it's not just hearing it its attention with intention is different ways to listen, you can listen and let your mind wander by me right now as I speak.

Here's what it sounds like to you, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah joke blah blah blah generally listening that all but if you hear God's word and internalize God's word, your faith will grow and then your faith grows by using that by taking God's word and applying it. You know sometimes we treat faith like it's a fragile little egg when really it's like a muscle that grows stronger through use.

In fact, this very phrase little faith is used to describe Simon Peter will remember the story of when Jesus was walking on the water.

Peter was on the boat and he said Lord of it. You bid me to come.

Sometimes people criticize Peter for walking on the water and sinking, but the fact of the matter is, no other disciple dared to take that kind of step of faith, except Peter it was a bad idea.

Jesus would've told Lord Peter set up a Jew bit me to come Jesus to the said no it's stupid. Stay in the boat.

But Jesus said, yeah, it's me, Peter given permission and for a few moments. We don't know how long exactly Peter did the impossible and walked on the water, but anxiety and fear and worry kicked in and he started to sink and immediately he cried out, Lord save me and Jesus picked them up and said oh you of little faith, why did you pay Peter you were doing so well you were really doing great.

I was so proud of you made it, but don't you know that there was great that Peter took that step of faith and were like that would little faith we have our labs will get up and try again. So faith can bring a lot of anxiety in our life and worry is in the lack of faith can bring anxiety in our life and worries an indication of a lack of faith so we should trust God number four instead of worry. Put God in his will. First in your life again instead of worry, put God and his will.

First in your life.

I love verse 33.

Every Christian should commit it to memory. But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you. So what is it me to seek first God's kingdom.

Let's first define what God's kingdom is God's kingdom is the rule and reign of Christ in your life. Jesus taught us to pray, thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven and their prayer. We are praying for a day when the Lord will bring heaven to earth his rule on this planet. God still has a plan for planet Earth and then he'll rule and reign here and will rule and reign with him.

So that's in the future.

But when I pray, thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. I also pray for the rule and reign of the kingdom of God in my life. What is the kingdom of God.

When Jesus is in charge.

On one occasion Jesus said the kingdom of God is in the midst of you, he was speaking of himself and when you're under his Lordship and he is in control of your life. That's the kingdom of God is not rules and regulations, but the Bible tells us it's righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit's and so we want that rule in our life. Seek first, God's rule and reign in your life have you surrendered your life to Christ. I'm asking you this is a Christian of you said, Lord, I want your will more than I want my own will I be willing to surrender to you. Now, because you cannot pray, thy kingdom come and see you first pray my kingdom go. Have you done that yet. Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you, that brings us to point number five. When I put God in his kingdom.

First, my life will find its proper balance when I put God in his kingdom. First, my life will find its proper balance of diverse 33.

All these things shall be added on the one thing in context what you can aware what you're going to drink what you can eat. Let me take it a step further, where you were waving to live if you're single.

We're going to marry the basic issues of life will be taken care of by God.

We put him first classic example of this is a story of Solomon the son of David and Bathsheba who ascended to the throne after his father died.

Solomon still young boy was overwhelmed by the task at hand and he prayed, he prayed to God and the Lord came to him and said ask me whatever you want and I will give it to you can imagine, God came to you tonight said what you want whenever you want I'll give it to you right now. What would you pray for anything yet. Anything, anything, all who might give a story together was walking down the beach and he saw something embedded in the sand. He reached out and picked it up. It was some kind of a lamp.

He rubbed up the salmon a genie appeared to story and the probably heard this one is only so many genie jokes. You know, and the genie appeared all thank you, Master, for letting me out of the lab and because you've done this, I will grant you one wish the man said one Westwood up in the three genie several times are hard.

Economy, we've got back okay one wish the genie said I will give to you men thought about it for a moment.

He said you know I've always wanted to go to Hawaii but I've never been able to go because I'm afraid of flying the ships make me ill. I get seasick very easily. So I wish genie you would build a bridge from California to Hawaii so I could drive over and visit you thought about it for a moment said that's ridiculous. Can't do that then the expense involved in such a project in the pilings they would have to hold up the highway and go all the way down to the depths of the ocean. This is too much. You need to come up with something else does it well. You have always wanted to understand women.

The genie said no that bridge is out two lanes or four so God comes a Solomon what he wants you then say Lord I want to understand women. Fortunately, he said, Lord, I need wisdom to rule your people God said you know what Solomon because you did not ask for riches and honor, and length of life. I'm in a give you what you pray for the wisdom to rule you be the wisest man whoever lived + to give you the riches and the honor and a long life. So the fact is, Solomon had his priorities in order. Decide first the kingdom of God and all those things were added on to him. This brings us to our last point number six.

The best antidote to worry is prayer.

The best antidote to worry is prayer that's based on Philippians 4 verse six it says don't be anxious about anything but in everything by prayer and petition with Thanksgiving present your request to God. In other words, don't worry. Pray listen like to silver trouble right. We can't control that all how we try, but trouble is going to come your way. So it's not an issue of will, hardship, it's an issue of what you going to do our natural inclination is to stress out over it to freak out about it to worry and that doesn't help and actually makes it worse.

So here's what we need to do.

Instead, we need to pray. You see we have a we might describe as a natural reflex and condition reflect a natural reflex is just what you do. You don't have to teach a child a reflex like of a chocolate to something hot. The recoil they don't leave their hand. There you know they pull back from.

That's a natural reflex. Monday was terrific guy who was ironing one day in injured himself and went to the doctor. He had to severely burned ears. The doctor said it's how you do that both.

Here's a guy says why was ironing and talking on the phone with the same thought really tell me about it. Well the guy called and I answered the iron instead of the phone. Okay, that takes care of one year.

How did you bring the other will he call back limits and I do 100 crunches every day see we have the natural reflex to recoil from something but then there's a condition reflect how we learn this through time, we learned how to do certain thing.

For instance, when you learn to drive a car that that was not easy at first you remember the first time he got behind the wheel of a car. You were conscious of everything you are doing like okay, let's see. You look in the rearview mirror and in the look forward and turning signal have to turn the attorney to turn the signal off yellowcake now all you and then you get a stick shift. It was even more confusing. You might hit the accelerator instead of the clots are the break and you know and so so many things to learn, but after a while it's easy and before you know it you just pop in the car and off you go driving away in the same way we have to have a condition reflex. Okay, so here's a natural reflex that is on the whole anxiety, worry, stress what of the seventh. What would you don't do that we do. Instead, pray on the spot Vogel comes to let's pray pray Lord, I commit this to you. Anxiety gets Lord I pray hardship for Florida put it in your hands. Problem said God this is too much for me you pray about it when worry comes your way. Don't embrace it. Pray about it when your knees start knocking Neil on them. I don't know where you turn in times of trouble. Some turn to people.

There's a place for turning the people we all have friends and family, but you know what people can let you down camping.

Sometimes a person you trusted is the source of your problem.

All of a sudden that one that was your great confident now is become your opponent in some way shape or form. There's a place for people, but ultimately they can't meet all of your needs. No man, no woman is going to be able to do that for you. Others turn to drink. That doesn't solve anything.

In fact, that only creates new problems.

Others tune it out and pretend it's not happening. What you need to do is turn to God.

Realistically take it and put it in the Lord's hand, but understand enclosing these promises that we been looking at these are for believers only. I really don't know how a nonbeliever quotes I don't understand when crisis hits their life and hardship comes one of the two word of the I'm so glad that God is there.

I don't know how I could have gotten through so many things I've had to face in life without the Lord if he wasn't there. I would've just collapsed.

But God is been with me and with and walk with me through the hardest times of life, and I know he will do the same for you.

I didn't say it was easy.

I didn't say it was a cakewalk. I'm not even sure what a cakewalk is what I'm saying it's not one there's also that related statement which is some you can't have your cake and eat it too. I've had cake and eat it anyway. That just is of these word things that we call we don't really know where they came from or what they mean that the Mexican life is always finding gain. But I'm saying that no matter what comes your way in life. God will be there for you. If you're a believer, but if you're not a believer, you kind of on your own.

And that's why hope you become a believer today if you want one yet we talk about the kingdom of God. How do you enter the kingdom of God through faith in Jesus.

There was a religious guy named Nicodemus that came to Jesus at night. Years ago, and Jesus said, unless you are born again, you will not enter the kingdom of God.

You have to be born again or born from above is a literal definition of that statement that Jesus gave to Nicodemus, spiritually born made spiritually alive. You see when you put your faith in Christ. The Bible says you turn from darkness to light from the power of Satan, of the power of God. You enter into his kingdom, so to speak, though I'm still alive in this earth that I'm in the human body. I now am a member of God's kingdom in a follower of Jesus Christ with God firmly in control of my life. Do you have that hope. If not, you can have it today if you've not asked Jesus to come in your life, why don't you do it now as we close in prayer.

Let's all of our heads. If you wouldn't father I pray for any that have joined us today who may not yet know you may be Lord they're facing some big crisis and some huge troubles there, filled with stress and anxiety. And here you are in your saying to them, cast all your care upon me, for I care for you help them Lord to turn to you now in faith. Help them to believe in you and receive your forgiveness.

We asked our heads about her eyes are closed and work praying together. How many of you would say today. Greg pray for me. I want Jesus Christ to come in the my life. I want him to forgive me of my sin.

I want to know that when I die I will go to heaven. Pray for me. I'm ready to say yes to Jesus.

I wanted turn to him now affect your desire. If you want Christ to come in your life if you want them to forgive you of your sin if you want to go to heaven when you die but you just stand your feet wherever you're sitting, lead you in a prayer of commitment to Christ to stand your feet if you want this forgiveness today.

God bless you stand up wherever you are up in the balcony stand up outside in the courtyard area on the amphitheater you stand up in the overflow courtyard you stand this well. You need God's forgiveness today.

Anybody else is more.

I know that need to stand stand now, lead you in a prayer of commitment.

Anybody else stand up, bless you up there in the balcony.

God bless you two got bless you, bless you to stand your feet now and I'm a lead you in a prayer of commitment to Jesus Christ. This final moment anybody else stand now again you outside of the amphitheater. There you in the court building.

Stand your feet. Anybody else now.

Are you that are standing just pray this prayer after me again just pray this out loud right where you stand, Lord Jesus, I know that I'm a sinner but you died on the cross for my sin and I turn from that sin.

Now I put my faith in you. I cast my anxiety and my worry on you. I believe in you.

Thank you for loving me and calling me and accepting me today.

In Jesus name I pray. God bless you that pray the prayer