Anxiety

Today on Senate life with Jeannie Greer, our God father is a good blessing and a prospering God that makes sure somehow birds to take care of and cares about the beauty of flowers that don't last more than a few months isn't he going to care about security and beauty for you since you are his child. As always, I'm your host Molly benefits okay so what brings you most worry and anxiety.

Your kids, your job, your finances, I think it's safe to say that we usually worry most about what we are devoted to the most. Thankfully, Jesus talks about difficult emotion anxiety by first challenging what we are most devoted to pastor Jenny continues our new series called smoke from the fire and as always, if you miss the first message in this teaching always catch up online@jeannie.com right now. Here's pastor Jenny with a message about the mouth and you will open them turn them on and scroll down to Matthew chapter 6 is where we are going to be today met chapter 6, verse 24 we are in our second week of a series on emotions we are hauling smoke from a fire.

The basic idea in the series is that our strongest and our deepest emotions function something like smoke from a fire in which you could trace the trail the smoke back down to see what is on fire in your heart. The wise thing to do you smell smoke in your house is never without a way not turn on a fan or try to get the smoke out of your house. The wise thing to do is to figure out what is on fire in your house when the same way when you experience these emotions before you just focus on managing them or even on medicating them what you ought to do is look at what they are telling you about the condition of the state of your heart so that you can understand what's going on down there this weekend I want to talk about an emotion that we've all dealt with to some degree in very degrees. At some point in our life and that emotion is anxiety posted a question on Instagram. The question was, what makes you anxious. I got a number of interesting responses back to that question. One response was looking at Instagram makes me anxious well just get off of it. Stop responding to me.

Then there was this one.

The thought of you preaching a sermon on anxiety makes me anxious mom.

If you would please stop posting on my and ceramic out. I would appreciate that one was when your countdown clock hit 000 and it still sounds like you are in the middle of your introduction. That was from some of our program people there in the back. I think the more serious responses that we got wordlessly on money was one that usually was expressed as I'm worried that I'm not to be able to have enough to buy for my kids or to be able to cure my aging parents being alone actually was the number one most repeated responses I got on this little mini survey in the future that I came a few times to be accepted by others going to the doctor is and how evil those people are whether I am truly living out God's purpose for my life was when I came in. I never meeting. It was Cajun person I must slip out and there are no losing control been able to find the right spouse be able to have a child losing a spouse or a child losing another child or failing as a parent I to be honest, simply the number of responses I got to that question was telling.

Usually when I put stuff like that out there. I'll get you a couple dozen responses or whatever but just the sheer number of people that were spotty say hey this is where anxiety comes from. My life was was pretty overwhelming anxiety is one of his problems in our hearts that gives birth to all kinds of other problems.

Think of it like one fire that quickly spreads all over the house of your life. A Bible teacher named John Piper says he says think about how many other sins in your life are connected to the root Sam of anxiety. Anxiety about money. For example will cause you to hoard or to steal anxiety about succeeding will make you irritable and impatient with those around you.

Anxiety about relationships can make you withdrawn her feel indifferent toward other people. Anxiety about what others think about you and make you lie or stretch the truth or cause you to do things that otherwise you may not do. If anxiety could be conquered. A mortal blow would be struck to many other sins. So today we are going to try to strike a mortal blow to anxiety and working to do that by looking at what Jesus says about anxiety. It is, I believe one of his most profound and insightful teachings.

It comes at the end of Matthew chapter 6, which is right in the middle of Jesus's famous sermon on the Mount, Jesus is going to explain that anxiety is a divine invitation for you to trust God and for you to leave in more on God by the way. Matthew six is such a favorite passage of mine that I constantly refer to bits and pieces of it and other sermons that I am preaching and so when it came time to choosing a passage for this emotion. I wondered if maybe Matthew 6 Was Way too familiar as it not been doing too many times. But when I went back and actually looked the last time I preached all the way through this passage was 2003. Like half of our worship team was still in diapers. At that point so I felt like it was time for me to do it again. Okay, so we good this still fresh.

Everybody right now. One quick caveat, why jump in your like that you like, a thousand introductions, I know, but I'm just here me out of this before we jump it. As with all these emotions, there can be a lot going on when you experience anxiety last week. I explained that our bodies and our souls are integrated. What that means is that what happens in one invariably inevitably affects what happens in the other and the essay that because there are some of you that you experience anxiety. There are other factors going on that have to do with your physiological makeup that have to do with past traumatic experiences that you want.

It may have to do with relationships.

You are in or not in in the present and I don't want to in this message imply that I'm collapsing all of our anxiety problems just into the spiritual bucket. I am dealing up here in Matthew chapter 6 primarily with the spiritual root causes of anxiety by Matthew 60 minutes read the passage to you in its entirety beginning in verse 24 because it is such an important and incredible teaching Carnegie 624 no one can serve two masters.

Jesus says, for either he will hate the one I love, the other will be devoted to the one and despise the other.

Simply cannot serve God and money. That's an odd thing to start with is you gonna talk about anxiety, great question put to him that will come back to it. Verse 25 therefore I tell you, don't worry about your life what you eat, what you will drink or worry about your body, what you will wear it in life more than food, and then in the body more than clothing. Verse 26.

Consider the birds of the sky, so her reaper gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren't you worth more than a bunch of birds did any of you add one single moment to his lifespan by worry, why do you worry about close observable wildflowers of the field grow dental labor or spin thread or cut coupons or go shopping yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was adorned like one of these beautiful creations will see.

That's how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and trample down cut down thrown in the furnace tomorrow will he do much more for you. You of little faith, verse 31, so don't worry saying what we can either order your drink order you where for the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things, but we Gentiles there, and I contact these pagans are people that are totally separate from religion. People who have no concept of God at all but you, your heavenly father, your heavenly father and he now coos that you need those things because he created you with those needs. Verse 33 you.

You should seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things will be provided for you as you need them. Verse 34. Therefore, don't worry about tomorrow is tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day you see has trouble of its own.

In this passage I believe Jesus makes primarily three points about anxiety, they are 1 anxiety Jesus explains things too little about God, anxiety things too little of God.

This might be the most profound most counterintuitive point that Jesus makes in this passage because you see most of us think of anxiety as a motion that just naturally arises from the uncertainties of life. But Jesus says listen to this. Jesus says it is an emotion that is intimately connected to our deepest desires. We worry most about what we are devoted to most if you want to see what you are most devoted to simply ask yourself the question, what you have the most anxiety over because what you are most devoted to is what you worry about most. Let me prove that to you really quickly. I don't worry much about your kids grades right. It's not that I don't care about you or your kids. It's just that it's I don't worry about your gonna go.

I don't like that and I like or whatever schedule made in order to graduate high school and I can barely get a job in the lives can be bad. I don't think that right what because I'm a devoted to your kids and I love your kids. I love your billboard is a jerk but I'm not devoted to them and you not devoted to Monsanto worry about them and you tip a little more about my I don't worry about how your bosses can respond to that assignment.

You journey last week you come up to me like a let's pray about this were to pray about it together and I genuinely care, but I promise you 15 minutes from now. I'm not going to think about it, but you probably still are because you devoted to your job and so what you worry about is always connected to what you're devoted to, which is why Jesus starts this discussion on anxiety. Listen by challenging what we are most devoted to using the word therefore verse 25. Anytime you see the word therefore the Bible you should always look and see what it's therefore I was worried that you were in it a joke. So therefore I tell you what's therefore going back to verse 24 in verse 24 is where you challenge for most devoted to write. He is saying the reason you're so anxious about money is you are devoted to money because you believe, listen, you believe that money is the one indispensable ingredient in the good life you think that money determines whether or not you could have everything else that you think you need the point of this passage is not money.

The boys anxiety money is simply Jesus is number one illustration because he knows when it comes anxiety. This is where it's going to the rubber meets the road for most of us if you think that money is essential to good life, then you're going to spend most of your life worrying about getting it about keeping it about hanging onto it about not losing it about who's got more of it than you do about whether or not you disappointing your parents is not have more than you thought that they would how or whatever it is worry about. And then Jesus asked a series of questions that challenge our devotion to money, he says, verse 25 in life more than food and the body more than clothing.

In other words, is money really what determines the good life even as they illustrate why that's not true. With two examples. First, he says, you should consider the birds of the sky.

The birds of the sky, don't so her reaper gather into barns or savings accounts are open on 401(k)s yet your heavenly Father feeds them. They don't spend much time saving it. They always have their needs provided for because God takes care of them. Second, he says, you should consider the wildflowers of the field. Verse 28, labor or spin thread. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon, who was the richest man in his generation and the most stylish man in his generation, not even Solomon in all the splendor was adorned like one of these beautiful creations. Flowers don't spend any of time anxious about looking pretty yet they're beautiful because God takes care of them, and God beautifies their lives they'll listen the point of Jesus saying that is not that we shouldn't say it's not that we shouldn't pick out stylish close or is not that we should never use money to buy nice things for ourselves is simply that we should not be devoted to money is the primary source of security and beauty because our heavenly father will take care of those things for us.

So what's the conclusion he comes to the point, verse 33 Jesus says you should seek first the kingdom of God.

You should be devoted first and foremost to God.

And when you do that than all the rest of these things you're worried about the security. The beauty of the joy all that stuff God, your heavenly father is going to provide that for you. Whenever I think of this verse always think of one of my favorite passages by CS Lewis that I hope is very familiar to you as it is one of my favorite something is very important. CS Lewis thinking about Matthew 633 said what Jesus is saying here is that in our lives.

There is a first thing and then their second thanks. The first thing is God in obedience to him.

The second thing is everything else that we worry about money, relationships, marriage, career kids, all that stuff is and here's what Jesus is saying when we put first things first. We put God first then God promises that he will take care of second. Thanks. But when we put second things first.

Not only will we lose contact with the first things will also lose our ability to enjoy and rest in the second things you see when it comes to worrying about money. People typically fall into one of two personality types both of which Jesus in my opinion brilliantly addresses these two illustrations for some money is their source of security. That's what money does for you is it makes you feel secure about the future.

You're to be able to face tomorrow as you got money so your favorite thing to do with money when you get it is to save it. You get an extra bonus at the end of the year and your put not the bank and you're going to hold onto that for other people money is primarily their source of beauty. Their source of enjoyment their source of significance and so when they get an extra bonus.

They spend that they upgrade the car that read the wardrobe the bread the lifestyle they go on vacation.

Add some joy into their lives so you got people for whom money is security their savers people for whom money is beauty, enjoy their spenders and I've explained you letting God's wonderful sense of humor. These two kinds of people always get married to each other. You never marry somebody of your own time. You always marry somebody the opposite side, and here's what I am not a marriage counselor. But here's what I discovered in the marriage counseling I've done. Each of these people always think the other one has the problem with money right because if you're the same or you think the spenders is irresponsible and if you're the spender you think the saver is his word about about 70 never really can happen anywhere in the way too uptight. Jesus is telling both of you the saver and the spenders.

Elbowing each other.

These diplomas say grandma spender that both of you got the same root problem with money you just got it in different directions. Both of you were devoted to money as necessary for some aspect of the good life you savers think of money is necessary for security and Jesus addresses you there was illustration of the birds personal saving are fine.

The addresses you spenders you think the money is your joy through the wildflower illustration the labels when the money on clothes and their gorgeous details about the saver and the spender you should devote yourself instead to God and let God be the primary source of your security in the primary source of your joy and just let God take excellent care of the birds of the air, the flowers of the field. It will take excellent care. You get. He is not saying that you shouldn't say for the future is not saying that you should buy nice things for yourselves that your primary devotion.

Your primary concern with your money should be about God will me to do it.

What is God told me to do it and I did in the first and the best to him. Am I spending the rest of in a way that honors him and when you do that he promises to worry about all of his other things that you think money is necessary for one quick caveat, some of you are anxious about money because you have terrible spending and saving habits. But even beyond. Never.

Some of you after you developed all the right habits are still really anxious about money and that's because money is in the place of God is what you see is the key to the good life to security and to beauty and so you're devoted to it. Money is your first thing she says my God your first thing a doll at all these other things. Security enjoyed everything else you look aboard glad that it's your life and life their first things in their second things you make sure you keep the first thing person. God promises they could say thank you.

Put second things first and only we losers first things are gonna lose your ability to have joy. The second thanks now Jesus applies it to money because money is a big one for us, but you could just as easily apply that principle all the other things in our lives that we worry about as well.

Don't worry about parenting, Jesus committed to stroking a group of parents of teenagers. He could've said hey don't worry about parenting door but the birds of the field worry about their parenting is put your kids out of the masses. They fly their kids turn out a fine cry because God make sure that their offspring knows what they need to know. Just like with money that wouldn't have meant that we don't need to put time and energy in the parenting just we should be anxious about it got to be primarily devoted to God in our parenting and let him worry about the results of it out. Ask every day have I done what I think God wants me to do and I'm putting first God's kingdom and obeying him than I can trust that he's taking care of all the ways that I lack has apparent when I'm seeking to obey him in parenting or in any area is promised he will take responsibility to make sure all those of the second things work out you following Jesus is thought pattern here when it comes to money, parenting, marriage, education, career, any of the other litany of things we worry about God is not telling us to sit back and do nothing you say what we need to do. We need to do in obedience to God, to the best of our ability and we can trust him with the results and not stress out about a will me desiderata stress out about all that I handle that conversation exactly right. Did I say everything I was supposed to say my conversation that I make the right decision and I really handle. He must am I putting myself in a place where I can meet people so that I can get married what other people really thinking about me know what you want what you think about is am I doing what I think I want me to do am I doing to the best of my ability so that I'm seeking first his kingdom and he promised he promised that if I would devote myself to his kingdom. Take care of all those other second things because he's a good good father.

Anxiety think you see too little about God because it elevates the obtaining of other things besides him as the most essential element in the good life. Jesus says in the good life is in a consistent a lot more than the possessions that you have. Oh yes it does it consist in knowing the heavenly father trust in heavenly father and trusting that the good father will provide for you what you need when you focus on him. So, anxiety think too little about God, which leads me to the second observation. Anxiety also minimizes Jesus said how much God thinks about me. Anxiety minimizes how much God thinks about me. After Jesus tells them to consider how well God takes care of the birds of the field. He says now she was more than they once birds and after he tells them to think about the wildflowers. He says to me think about it seriously growled as grass and flowers last year, a month to month, three months and then it gets you it dies and they will more. They walk over to don't you think it listen, you have a God who cares about grass and cares about how pretty flowers look if that's the nature of your heavenly father, don't you think you'll take care if you think you're his child the best of all his creation. This is an argument from the lesser to the greater is built on the character of the heavenly father that gets revealed in creation. Jesus is saying if our God. If the heavenly father is a good a blessing and a prospering God that makes sure somehow birds get taken care of and cares about the beauty of flowers that don't last more than a few months isn't he going to care about security and beauty for you since you're his child. That is the argument from the lesser to the greater of God cares about birds and begonias. He cares about you right now. One of the other Gospels gospel loop were Jesus teaches the same thing.

He ends that teaching by switching and going from the greater the lesser Luke 1232 Jesus instantly to the same thing the same will be for a little flock, for your father has been pleased to give you the kingdom of God. Did you kingdom course can take care of your day-to-day needs help. Pleased was the father to give you the kingdom will please enough that he would send Jesus to die on the cross in your place and Jesus is like God loved you enough to give you the kingdom by pouring my blood out for you, don't you think he is trustworthy enough to take care of your day-to-day needs. Charles Spurgeon, who dealt with. Like I said last week a lot of anxiety himself said it this way. Listen to the voice of the Lord speak help you. It's a small thing for me your God to help you to consider what I've already done what not help you much with my blood. What not help you I die present on the greater, why not also do the lesser things for you as an argument from the greater the lesser of God in Jesus. Of course you take care of your day-to-day needs would make any sense otherwise.

According to the Bible. This should be so obvious is beyond question. Surely God cares enough rest of the cross to die.

We can trust him with her bills or spouses in the future of our feelings right there listening to Senate life if you like to hear this message again or share with a friend visit us@judygreer.com JD, this weekly released a new companion resource that goes along with our new teaching series. How are we hoping that listeners will use this new devotional and Scripture guide Molly I would like to to believe that everything we teacher and some of life coming from the Bible is relevant to all of us all the time, but there are a particular series like this one that I think are relevant to us in a very unique and, dare I say even intimate way, and that is when in deal with the emotions that come from our hearts that indicate the state of our hearts rather than try to suppress her emotions are managed and we really got diagnosed that's the idea of smoke from a fire is that I'm following the trail smoke back down to the flyer so I can see the altar that I'm worshiping at what were doing is in addition to the teaching were wanting to give a tool smoke from a fire, a study guide that will help you study some of the same passages and press into what's going on in your own heart is creating these emotions, your faith starts with honesty before God. But it didn't end there. And it's got a press into the word of God in this God will help you be honest about yourself before God, but also look at what the Bible has to say about about what's going on in your heart.

We love making all of these resources available because there helping people around the country deeper into God's word with the life-changing power of the gospel is only possible by listeners like you get today or join the team of monthly supporters, gospel partners and remember to ask for the smoke from a fire devotional work but this resource devotionals into Scripture guide is that this series will help guide his really good let us get it to you today. I promise it will be something you will continue to come back to again and again give us a call at 866-335-5221 more time at eight 665-5220 or you can request the work that when you donate online. JD Greer.com JD G. Harding, R.work. It's easier to mail your donation right to JD for your ministry. PO Box 122, Jeremy with Carolina 277 09 and remember to include in your devotional and Scripture guide don't want to forget, Pastor JD on more I Molly I need to join us next patient seen Friday on the