Our Favorite Sin, Part 1

Today from Chuck Swindoll worry about nothing, pray about everything I'm talking about a prayer that says all God.

This has to be stopped, I'm crippled in my walk I'm preoccupied with concern. I can't solve it. You are a master at solving impossibilities. I give it to you. I trust you with. Have you ever stopped to consider this. Of all the ways you stumble in the Christian life.

What's your favorite sin, which will give you more trouble services more frequently than all the others scary question right well today on Insight for living. Chuck Swindoll continues teaching from Jesus famous sermon on the Mount will be relieved to learn that Jesus answers this question for us and is eloquent in convicting message to those gathered on the hillside. We begin today by reading from Matthew chapter 6 titled his message. Our favorite sin that I want to talk about your favorite sin and mine. I give you a little head start. I wanted dedicated to all who have worried in the past, all who are worried right now and all who are planning this afternoon to continue to worry that pretty well reaches all of us paid attention to what you're saying in the song like a river glorious, not a surge of worry you sang no shade of care. You saying and to so sweet to trust in Jesus, just to take him at his word, so resetting of trusting we sang over not worrying. Now we have the opportunity to hear Jesus words regarding the subject is recorded in his magnificent sermon on the Mount, if you did not know before. Now it's contained in the fifth and sixth and seventh chapters of the gospel by Matthew.

He has a gathering of people around him, not far from the Sea of Galilee on the gentle slope that leads up from there. Most likely on the north side to travel to Israel you will walk or they set. He sat among them to talk about what it means to follow him with the right mindset which is different from those around them and certainly contrary to the way they had been taught all their lives by priests, rabbis, Pharisees and scribes. Jesus words in chapter 6, verse eight gives us the give us the theme of the sermon. Do not be like them. Throughout my growing up years eyes can still hear my father telling me you be different.

Don't be like those around you. You gotta think differently. You gotta respond differently. You gotta live differently for you to make a difference and I'm grateful for that kind of training quite possibly you heard the same as you were growing up. That's what these people are hearing from Jesus. So when he gets to the subject of worry. He doesn't mess around with a look at verses 25 through 34 found Matthew six verse 25 Jesus words. For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life as to what you will eat or what you will drink, nor for your body as to what you will put on.

Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing. Look at the birds of the air that they do not sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they do.

If you by being worried can add a single hour to his life and what are you worried about clothing. Observe how the lilies of the field grow.

They do not toil nor do they spin. Yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will he not much more clothe you, you of little faith, worry, then saying what will he eat or what will we drink, or what will we wear for clothing for the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things, your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things, but seek first his kingdom and his righteousness and all these things will be added to you.

So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will care for itself.

Each day has enough trouble of its own. Amen. Study the book of Matthew with Chuck Swindoll. Be sure to download his searching the Scriptures. Studies going to Insight world.or/study another message from Chuck titled our favorite sin worry does not empty tomorrow of sorrows. It empties today of strength so said the late Corrie 10 boom will believe that theoretically we would agree that it is true when you're worrying you are filled with fear, rather than the strength to handle the things of the day, even though we know in our minds what peters promised the readers in first Peter chapter 5 verse seven casting all your anxiety on him because he cares for you is a concern for you, what we know. The promise is there an yet we have these worries and we will look at them.

We pray about them and we give them to God, only to pick him up and carry them with us to the next hour or two of the day. It's like there are our best companions. Aunt Edith lived in Darlington, Maryland, and she was a mother of a house full of kids and one afternoon she came home after shopping and she got inside, she saw five of her youngest children huddled together in income of a circle concentrating on something that had their attention. She tiptoed up nearer and when she did she saw and was aghast to see that they were playing with a number of baby skunks right there and she screamed children. Ron each child grabbed the skunk and ran exactly what we do with our worry exactly what we do when you leave them there. We pick up those stinking little things and we carry them with us as if they are companions. How wrong. Oh what what is worry anyway.

The term worry as translated here in Matthew six and often in the New Testament is the Greek word Marion not owe MER.

I am in a oh from two words married so to divide and loose for the mind thinking receiving to divide the mind when we are worried we are divided in our mind between what we know we should be doing and yet captured by the habit we have been doing all our life and were delighted our trust is divided we could say we are pulled within struggling with this nagging concern were churning on the inside over this worry.

Why is it wrong. Think about where he is simply distrusting the promises of God would say that to a person who doesn't have a God or doesn't have a Savior but I spend most of my life dealing with those of us who do and therefore I can say it is wrong because you are by your worrying about my worrying saying to God I don't trust and I know you're in charge. But you've obviously somehow distance yourself from the situation and I must give myself to it. You know what happens when we do that we not only turn we block the entrance of truth we gag on it but I say that over in Mark four verse 19 Jesus is telling the parable of the sewer talking about different kinds of soil. When the guests of the Forney soil. He interprets that that your soul your heart is often like the Forney soil and he named the thorns the cares of this age, the deceitfulness of riches and the lust or that evil desire for other things, choke the word you hear that word choke the Germans every word Bergen WR GEN I spoke with Mike Spiegel, who was German and his wife Stephanie also German theology department at Dallas seminary in. I asked Mike for help on this word because I read somewhere that it was cognate of that German word are word worry is it true doesn't literally mean to choke his response was today it means to rich to gag to throttle doesn't mean worry as much as it means to have a gag reflex to achieve to rich the old idea of choking is a great image he said of our attitude toward things that trouble us and what God's word could do to settle that rich.

We we we gag on so to put simply, what you're hearing right now. You won't digest if you're worried it will land in your head and you will hear words being spoken and you may even write something down that you think is of interest in might be helpful but if you stay worried you will find the word of God is true doesn't find its way into your life to take root to bring growth and maturity. That's what's wrong how the conquered that this is no great insight. You know before I tell you prayer releases you from worry, I really mean prayer Philippians 4.

Stop worrying about anything and now the anecdote, but in everything by prayer and supplication let your requests be made known to God. Worry about nothing, pray about everything say that with worry about nothing, pray about everything again worry about nothing, pray about everything that you said it. The real issue is would you do it. I will be like a livid Denali me down to sleep I pray the Lord my soul to keep, prayer or godlessness food make about as strong and free, that we may use. I hope the strings are Lord of the past potatoes, prayer talking about a prayer that says all God.

This has me stumped. I'm crippled in my walk I'm preoccupied with concern breaking out in a sweat at night I'm bothered about this. I been struggling with it for X number of days it's time for me to stop and I give you this concern right now that I've been nursing all this time I can't solve it is impossible for anyone on this earth to solve it.

You are a master at solving impossibilities. I give it to you.

I trust you with that, prayer, where you turn your fear into trust that what you prove you have a master that you were leaning on. Remember our last closing words in the previous message.

You cannot serve two masters. Verse 24 Matthew six you serve one of the other. In this case it was wealth. Now he gets in the subject of worry.

That's why he says, for this reason as he connects verse 24 with verse 25. Remember, Jesus is speaking is not giving them versus so Matthew records. All of this in many, many years later, those who helped with the Bible together added numbers and gave us versus but all of this ran together into a sermon into one sentence following another, and so he says in the sentence that follows. You can't serve two masters. For this reason.

For this reason I say to you, and now he gives repeated commands you haven't marked them yet. Get out your pin. I really mean it and be ready to mark for times in this passage the very are virtually the same words that Jesus gave look, if you will.

Adverse 25 I say to you, do not be worried at the command not a suggestion, I thought a nice option, not a multiple-choice this or six other ideas.

This is the single command and he means it so seriously. He repeats it yet again yet again. Verse 31 do not worry. Then verse 34 do not worry.

So, if you will allow me I think this will drive it home. He is saying stop it, stop it, stop the worry quit at the serious he is, but never heard preaching like this in their life. What about relevant about stunning book about convicting. Do not worry do not worry stop it. It corrodes your inner peace. You are obsessed with things that you have no business dealing with are spending your energy on things you can eat your things you must drink or the clothing you must wear Spurgeon calls that the the world's trinity of tears and even ads tomorrow when you get down to verse 34.

Do not worry about tomorrow.

What a waste. His hat you even seen the sunrise or the rainfall, whichever may Mark tomorrow. Something about it. All through our lives.

We've heard things like this and we have the evening used to think a mild recession is sure to come worry about. We are entering into another Great Depression worry about the job market is the lowest it's been in our history worry about the big quake is soon to get now you don't hear that here in Texas, but when we lived in California. Those 23 years, was hardly a month at present we didn't hear the big quake is coming. The big Quaker kids were raised with the big quake fear. The big quake is still is in it. Then I got a movie out on a swatch of the template my feet up and going to get wet while what's all the water from the Pacific pouring into California. The big quake is coming.

You know what died, contentment died. Please died in all your time worrying and worrying and therefore you're not really satisfied with anything you notice came across an interesting piece written by man, not that old. I'm impressed with his wisdom as he writes a PC title present tense. Listen to it story of our lives.

He right it was spring, but it was summer I wanted the warm days in the great outdoors. It was summer, but it was fall. I wanted the colorful leaves in the cool dry here. It was full but it was winter, I wanted the beautiful snow in the joy of the holiday season.

It was winter, but it was spring I wanted the warmth of the blossoming of nature I was a child, but it was adulthood.

I wanted the freedom of the respect I was 20. But it was 30. I wanted to be mature and sophisticated I was middle-aged, but it was 20.

I wanted you that the free spirit I was retired but it was middle-aged. I wanted the presence of mind without limitations. My life was over and I never got what I wanted when he wastes I'll see what a shame to live our lives like that.as you are, lie your life and mine. One day at a time reality one minute at a time and we mess it up by worrying out the hours of the day and tomorrow and the next weekend.

This concern and that women virtually anyone I could name you cannot change a bit of it and it's all food with mystery and and even when he does give an answer. We don't like the answer without repairing his roof and he starts to slide besides to the edge and he finally grabbed the gutter. It is swinging out couple stories above the ground. He goes how is everyone up to help me and hears his voice. I can help you.

Why cannot you just wanted to let go get help me when you don't want to let go what that answer we we like these were really liking these stinking little things that drain our energy make us so pathetically negative. Let go the one who tells you that will catch. Trust me in the one who says that is trustworthy now me quickly add he will do what you expect.

I found two things about the will of God. First of all, it is often a mystery. I can't figure it out. The second is surprising.

I would never have guessed the answer would've come as it came or came at the time he planned for it to come so I realize when I say to you, do not worry actually I'm not saying it I'm just quoting our master I'm acknowledging that there is mystery and trusting him their surprise, your wife was taken but your neighbor's wife wasn't.

I don't know why your child and live to adulthood in our children of all live to adulthood.

I don't know why I can explain that are one of our children needed back surgery in your child and I don't know why she had to go through that terrible pain all connected with. We lost two babies that we wanted to have it.

And God chose before their birth to take them. Why, I don't know why but I worrying over losing them would not solve losing them would not give us contentment listening to the Bible teaching of Chuck Swindoll on Insight for living. There's much more on this topic, Chuck needs to address in a passage that contains Jesus renowned sermon on the mount.

Chuck is teaching from Matthew chapter 6. Today's message is titled our favorites in and to learn more about this ministry or these messages, please visit us online@insightworld.org. If you're prepared to dig deeper into Jesus teaching of remind you Chuck has written a book on this passage is our featured resource today on Insight for living as students of the Bible. Sometimes we complicate what it really means to follow Jesus while in his book called simple faith Chuck shows us how to replace legalistic performance-based religion with the kind that Jesus described one that offers genuine peace, freedom and rest to purchase a copy of Chuck's classic book simple faith. Call us if you're listening in the United States dial 1-800-772-8888 or it may be quicker if you go directly to Insight.org/store and then as God leads you. Please remember the influence of your donation to Insight for living our website and our email inbox are filled with affirming notes from grateful listeners. They often describe God's faithfulness as they learn to activate the power of God's word. People from all walks of life are benefiting from the gifts you send. So thank you for your donation Chuck delivers the sermons. Our staff puts together this program, but is people like you who give flight to Insight for living to give a donation right now. Call us if you're listening in the US dial 1-800-772-8888 also go online.

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The preceding message. Our favorite sin was copyrighted in 2015 and 2021 and the sound recording was copyrighted in 2021 by Charles R.

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