Choose Peace Over Anxiety, Part 2

Today on the Fellowship in the Word pastor Bill Gebhart challenges you to become a fully functioning follower of Jesus Christ. He spoke like spiritual angels, human that God did all that I just you think is the capability of your you think you can possibly sell your always asking us to trust him… All things work together for the good.

I'll be honest I understand of things work together.

I discussed I can't possibly understand. I can trust joining us today on this additional fellowship of the word.

Pastor Bill Gebhart Fellowship in the Words the radio ministry of Fellowship Bible church located in Metairie, Louisiana Pastor Bill Gebhart now is again he shows us how God's word meets our want to say is this.

We appropriate the peace of God by praying honestly gratitude toward God and I'll explain it now as we go one notice verse six very short and sweet. Be anxious for nothing. There's no circumstance, you can go to God and say God I can react any other way.

You know I have to be anxious about is that you don't need to be anxious about anything, and as we go wanly becomes a little bit clear pieces. Be anxious for nothing, he says, but in everything, now what does that include that's everything right if that's everything I can imagine he says in everything by prayer. That's a common word for prayer is normal.

It means face-to-face literally think about that whenever you pray you go face-to-face with God.

This is important on how you approach God.

Remember the burning bush with Moses member God said take your sandals off. You remember why he said this is holy ground. You're my presence.

I'm holy whenever you pray face-to-face with God, your holy ground. She that's the important thing of what John writes in verse John 19 if we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Now all my sins been forgiven at the cross I'm justified. But in my relationship with God. I need to keep short accounts with my sins.

I need to confess or say the same thing home in the ghetto that God does about my sins. I need to be aware of my sin.

Why has a lot to do with my prayer life. In fact, in Psalm 6618 David writes, if I regard wickedness in my heart you will not hear me. There's a condition here if I'm in a come and pray to God that I'm holy ground face-to-face with God. Notice another thing at the end of that verse. He said make a request known to God. You don't pray to a saint. You don't pray to a priest you don't pray to anybody you pray to God we have a mediator between us and God. We have a high priest's name is Jesus Christ. The writer of Hebrews said, come boldly to the holy of holies you see where you may receive mercy and grace come boldly into the presence of God. He said you need to pray. You need to come boldly in everything he says you need to do that he says in everything by prayer and supplication. That's an interesting word is a pleading word.

It's a word that deals with a real special need. It is its main motive world word.

It means emotional a specific need. Some of the commentators and I have a tendency to agree with them say that it's what's behind my prayer, supplication, and that is what am I maybe never thought of this but whenever I'm praying for something. What is my spiritual prayer behind my prayer. You see, I want uncle Luis tested combat benign right and the question would be why you have a spiritual reason for you see that I'm going to be a better testimony for the Lord that uncle he may be exposed to the Lord and receive the gospel to. I have something more in mind than just simply that it's benign or something more behind this.

That's my supplication. I challenge you as you pray, to think, what's the spiritual thing that I'm praying for your it's a good challenge for all of us. He then says after that in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving. When that's the key notice he said you need to be thankful when you pray when are you thankful when he answers what you want right now I'm thankful is in Jesus. Good.

Be careful with that.

Anybody who gets what they want. Believer unbelievers are pretty happy thankful person.

They got what they wanted. He says no, no, you need to be thankful when you pray, you need to give thanks up front how you do that, let me ask you some questions. Is God sovereign what you sovereign over everything okay. Is God loving as love infinite. Is he just okay is he for you or against you all now you put those together. Can you trust him, but do you soon as you sleep, anxiety, and you're not trusting them anymore. If you're not trusting it says look I'm sovereign I'm loving I'm just him for you. I'm not against you, and a lot of other good things.

You see, thank me now. You see, that's the way this thing works. Thank me now don't like me afterwards thank me right now. He said that the way I view it is sort of three stages. The first day just remembrance of God supply in the past. This is just something I do for myself. Try to remember what God is done for me in the past and by the way, it's worked out. How do I know I'm here right so I'm still here so you see I want remember that sending me. I want to submit to God's sovereignty. In the present.

Romans 828 says all things work together for good, right that's true right so is this one of those things that you're anxious about is this one of the things that you're anxious about this going to work together for your good.

Are you anxious about something that's going to work for your good.

See you happy answer yes I'm anxious about something that I knows going to work for my good. Just call it what it is that's what anxiety does notice build into anxiety as a distrust for God. Either God can't do something where he doesn't care enough to do something. Therefore, I feel this anxiety I feel all this anxiety so remember to what is on the past submission to what God's sovereignty's doing in the present and trust in God sufficiency for the future.

John Piper because of future grace.

Can I count on future grace. Yes. Can you guess that's the nature of God see that builds right in the hope counting on the future grace of God illustrate this back in the book of Jeremiah.

Jeremiah is a prophet and a he's prophesying to Israel got to Judah, and God told him up front by what you get to be a prophet your whole life and no one's gonna believe in and you say it's quite a calling when you think about that one is called the weeping prophet, he finds himself in the middle of Jeremiah in prison not only see in prison. But Nebuchadnezzar's right at the gates of Jerusalem and Nebuchadnezzar's going to come in and ransacked Jerusalem and the temple is going to carry off the best of the Jews back into captivity in Babylon and in Jeremiah is in prison and while he's in prison. God says Jeremiah there's something I want you to do his head. I want you to buy a field from your uncle know what yet when you buy a field from your uncle know I'm not a real estate agent. Most of you are neither, but would you biofuel from somebody when another nation's going to commit and conquer you and carry off and take possession of the land doesn't make any sense to you at all. He says the Jeremiah know you by the field. Now it's interesting as you read on chapter 32 it says this it says that God wants to show the people then he said houses and fields and vineyards shall again be bought in this land.

That's why want you to buy it now. Jeremiah response and says this Lord God, behold, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm. Nothing is too difficult for you. You created everything know what you think about that for just a moment God spoke in the universe began, everything that exist in the universe. Now we know it's so big and so one unimaginable to us. He spoke in lifeless form spiritual life Angels humans. This book that God, who did all that by just speaking. Do you think he has the capability of doing with your problem. You think you can possibly deal with it. You see, that's what you sow in Jeremiah look out. There was a you see out there with it is always asking us as the trust when it says all things work together for the good. I'll be honest, I understand all the things work together, no I just trusting.

I can't possibly understand everything I can trust him.

You see, that's a very important thing. That's why said Isaiah. My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither my ways your ways as high as a heavens are above the earth. So my thoughts always ignores I say I got it. I trust you see that's a very important thing. So after we say and do all that. Notice what happens next.

It says, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. Be specific as my request after unthankful about the greatness of God orders my request is going tell me here's what we get in trouble little bit you know every once in a while. Maybe you've got this way and I don't want to bother with some of mine to just little things just little things you know something about anxiety. Though it's like the Old Testament says foxes in the vineyard.

If you get enough of them little things going together just what it becomes a big thing and you become anxious, it's just a whole lot little things I just need to talk to a whole lot of little things. Please don't ever use the word little and big with God. I heard this before. I love the story. G. Campbell Morgan, the great British Bible teacher, a woman came up to him.

A conference and said do you think that we should pray about little things in our lives or just the big things. He looked her in the eye and said Mme., can you think of anything in your life.

It's big to God. Is there anything in your life. It's big to God. Everything is the same to God. It's all little things that God there's no such thing as a big thing to God. He just thinks it's done. The question is are you going to trust them with that notice. If I do this verse seven. The results in the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. There is S the result you want peace. The peace of God. Notice is not peace. As the world gives.

This is the peace of God is the peace of Jesus. I'll give you my peace is a limit me to find it more is surpasses all comprehension you imagine how many people that were held as prisoners of the Nazi when they would by the Nazis would say together when they were alone. Do you understand why Baja for so happy every day. Do you get it wise he acted like that how can you see joy in all this.

You see, that doesn't make sense to me. You should be worried. Right now we should be anxious right now. That's the way the world thinks it's beyond all comprehension, but never said I'm fine.

The apostle Paul at the same piece that's what they could do anything member they were trying to threaten by taking his own life. And Paul said don't push me there because if you have me make a choice, I'd rather go home and be with the Lord today. So don't threaten me with death I viewed as a big advantage.

You see, I believe, all things been work together for good, including this and the rest of us and how they do that just tell me how they do that I don't understand how they do that, that's our flesh, speaking surpasses all comprehension. That's what he says it surpasses all comprehension and notice what it does, it will guard your heart and it will be the century over your mind will not only give me peace now, but to protect me in the future if I do this now understand this is a process I have to do this every day.

I have to pray every day was what I have to thank God every day.

I can see why dinner on Monday I'm good for the next year.

I'm not you have to do this on and on and on. I have to be trust in him all the time and not only in my prayer life but also I am a big responsibility.

Even in my thought life are the summers roach had a really insightful things ain't talking about anxiety said this anxiety is a thin stream of fear trickling through your mind. If encouraged, it cuts into a channel into which all your other thoughts are drained. Once you start with anxiety. And I know some of you almost every thought you have as anxious almost every thought is worrisome and it just goes on and on and on. It becomes a defining factor in your life and only thing I can tell you for sure.

You never have peace when you begin to think in that way. He said really you have to change yet to think about it in a different way.

Notice finally, brethren, peace, and whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute. If there's any excellence and if anything worthy of praise dwell on these things, not when you look at those what you think of you see it first in your first week you think so I think butterflies and unicorns knows that what he wants me to do. Just think about those kinds of things he wants you and I to think about him and read it again.

Is God true is he honorable. Is he right is your is a lovely season of good rep great reputation and is there any excellence. Is there anything worthy of praise. When I think of God, yes. See, this is another key element to me is I have to. I'm responsible for how I think and so are you. I fungus this week.

I love this Maxim Cato said this, you probably know this but in case you don't, I am so thrilled to give you the good news.

You can pick what you ponder. He says you can select your birthplace or your birthday. You didn't choose your parents or siblings you will determine the weather or the amount of salt in the ocean. There are many things in life and what you have no choice but the greatest activity of life is well within your dominion.

You can choose what you think about you can be the air-traffic controller of your mental airport. You occupy the control tower and can direct the mental traffic of your world thought circle above coming and going. If one of them lancets because you gave it permission if it leaves it's because you directed to do so. You select your own thought pattern. It turns out that our most valuable weapon against anxiety weighs less than 3 pounds and it sits between our ears. He says think about what you think about the writer of Proverbs said as a man think so.

We use well is at scriptural.

Isaiah 26 three you will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on you, because you trust. You same idea even look at the next verse he says the things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me practice these things in the peace of God will be with you. I love that it means that if you experience the abundant life, and you have a life of peace ministered other people. This is what every parent should be able to tell their child instead of creating a child with a whole pattern of anxiety in her life.

So just watch me as we go through life. Watch me see if I have peace or anxiety.

Paul just says his decision to the whole church. He says all of you. You know I have peace he's writing this in prison. By the way, and the theme of the whole book of Philippians is his joy and how do you have joy and peace in prison. Lord, I have the peace of God is a what you see in me practice for yourselves so Jesus said, have come that they may have life and have it abundantly. And for this to happen.

You and I have to make fundamental choices. I know that we have peace with God. Jesus is offered us the peace of God.

I appropriated the peace of God by praying honestly with gratitude and thanksgiving to God. And I need to fill my thought life with the good things God.

If I do that I begin to experience peace instead of anxiety for me simply close by reading the story that I found this week to story of a man who was on a long haul flight when the voice of the captain came across the speakers, ladies and gentlemen, please fasten your seatbelts amassing flight attendants to be seated and were suspending beverage service because were expecting turbulence ahead. Turbulence is what they got within minutes the plane was trembling, then quaking from the storm. Cracks of thunder could be heard above the roars of the engine, lightning lit up the darkening skies a plane jolted like a court tossed around in the heavenly ocean. One moment the airplane was lifted. What a terrific current of air. The next to drop as I was about to crash. The man was terrified, as were the other passengers. Only one person seem perfectly calm little girl.

She and her feet tucked beneath her as she curled up reading a book amid the mayhem, sometimes even close arises as if she was napping.

Gradually the plane escape the storm and finally flew peacefully on to its destination when they were waiting to disembark. The man couldn't help asking the girl I want you worried. She said my dad is the pilot he told me he's taking me home. I didn't worry because I knew he was in the cockpit that is the pilot that is the pilot could take all his home is he that provides peace to us. The spring father. I know that anxiety threatens all of us. I know it's addictive and I thought pattern. I know we become so preoccupied with anxious thoughts that we have no means no others but father, we don't have to live this way is one of the great things that Jesus Christ has done for us. He is given us peace with you, but he also has the potential of giving us his peace. The peace of God. Father I pray for every one of us that we are able to experience this in our lives. I challenge us just like what Paul said that in everything in our life we go to you with prayer and supplication with thanksgiving because of your love and your compassion and your sovereignty in your goodness and your justice that your force is not against us that from that we control this tremendous sense of peace.

That's beyond all understanding that a supernatural carry the day in our lives. Father I pray this not only for our good Christ and pastor Bill Gebhardt on the radio ministry of fellowship, nor if you ever missed one of our broadcasting or maybe you just like the message one more time. Remember that you can Google a great website called one place.com that's one place.com and you can listen the fellowship and the word online event website you will find on today's broadcast. So many of our previous audio programs as well have Fellowship in the Word. We are thankful for those who financially support our ministry and make this broadcast possible. We ask all of our listeners to prayerfully consider how you might help his radio ministry continuous broadcast on this radio station by supporting a monthly fourth is the one-time gift support for ministry can be sent to Fellowship in the Word. 4600 Clearview Pkwy., Metairie, LA 7006 if you would be interested in hearing today's message in its original format that is is a sermon, the pastor will deliver during a Sunday morning service at Fellowship Bible church visit our website FVC Nola.org that SBC and LA.O RG at our website you will find hundreds pastor Bill sermon you can browse through our sermon archives defined sermon series are looking for, or you can search by title. Once you find the message you're looking for. You can listen online or if you prefer, you can download the sermon on listening and remembering all this absolutely free of charge. Once again our website is FVC Nola.org for pastor Bill Gebhardt and Jason Denhardt. Thank you for listening to fellowship in order