Plagued by Worry and Anxiety

Our society is plagued by worry and anxiety were anxious about our health, our kids are school exams money aging. Aging parents. Unemployment relationships nuclear attacks. Terrorism's and a host of other things. Jonathan hate is professor of ethical leadership at New York University Stern school of business is one of the world's leading experts in moral psychology and he states never before have the mental health statistics just gone haywire for generation so quickly. So whatever we're doing kids born after 1995 have really high rates of anxiety. Staggering is high rates of anxiety, depression, self-harm and suicide.

He states that while bodies hierarchy is based on athletic ability and toughness or the ability to dominate and insult competition and teasing things like that for girls the regression is a relational they damage each other's relationships and so when smart phones come in and social media, especially this multiplies that ability to damage each other's relationships enormously, by Jonathan hate is a great writer. I respect him is not a follower of Jesus Christ. When I think what he says, sadly, neatly summarizes so much of what's going on in our society. Many people live in. Obviously, according to Jonathan hate many children and young boys and young girls live with a high degree of anxiety and worry. Incidentally, hate believes his belief is that children should be limited to two hours a week of screen time, not counting homework and he says no social media until high school. Well, let's face it, when facing the real world. Many of us feel stressed only feverish anxieties, stress, tension these little worms of knowing worries attack all of us in research is showing that anxiety and stress contribute to heart disease, ulcers, loss of memory, blood pressure, sexual dysfunction, diminished immune function, disturbed sleep patterns and the list goes on. There's a huge industry is there and sleeping pills, antidepressants, tranquilizers, therapists, counselors, all designed to help people cope with anxiety and worry and the worst part of worry is that we inflicted on ourselves only experts are by no means agreed as to the cure for worry and anxiety.

Experts say that exercise, meditation, the massage may provide some temporary relief, but there's no cure. Is there. Is it possible to experience peace and tranquility. When we live in a society where there's so much stress so much worry so much anxiety so much depression would you think today were going to learn. This is a bold statement on but I'm going to make it today were going to learn the spiritual cure to your anxieties still worries because the gospel of Jesus Christ speaks directly to this very very important subject that impacts every single one of us if you have your Bible want you to open it to Matthew chapter 6 and I might delete from the Scriptures from part of what is called the sermon on the Mount, here is the teaching of Jesus writing 2000 years ago in this brilliant passage and we can then summarize it by saying bring all of your anxieties, all of your worries to the Lord as we think of the subject. First, there is something that we must not do according to the teaching of Jesus is telling us something which perhaps are going to give a cynical laugh when you get it, but he's telling us to not be anxious. Matthew six verse 25 therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life what you will eat what you will drink, nor about your body, what you shall put on.

Is not life more than food on the body more than clothing. Verse 31 therefore do not be anxious. Verse 34 therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow is Jesus in us and summarizes his teaching here at the end of Matthew chapter 6 do not be anxious about tomorrow. This is a very challenging commands in the do not be anxious is what anxious originally meant to rip something or tear something into we can identify that with that because my mother, anxious work we say up and torn up about this. Something is churning within us. We feel the emotion, we may actually feel a physical pain in her stomach. I we feel the tension in our head and this worry that there's getting to us� Up what's going on, anxiety, feverish worries, but here is the command the listing. Jesus is speaking to today leasing do not be anxious about your life.

Some of you as you sit here are anxious or thinking about tomorrow difficult situation at work waiting results of a medical exam concerned about your children concerned about that exam that you're about to take good breaths. I was on the one thing he couldn't. It it is a command from Jesus did not be anxious and Jesus gives us several reasons why were not to be anxious in this passage are going to deal with five of them first � 26, your heavenly father is watching over you listen to verse 26 look at the birds of the air to learn from the birds of the air, they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them goblets after the birds and says Jesus, are you not of more value than they. The argument is simple 11 that we can understand God takes care of the birds to make sure that there provided for the certainly going to take care of you. Here's a first reason then what were not to worry, your heavenly father is watching over you. Your of greater value to your heavenly father than birds said the Robin to the spiral. I should really like to know why these anxious human beings rush about and worry so said the spiral to the Robin friend. I think that it must be that they have no heavenly father such as, cares for you and me. I don't know birds speak like that but I'm sure they must think what is it with these human beings with all of their worry with all of their anxiety. We are fine we should be fine gently to notice that we have your circumstances today may be very very difficult times.

I'm not minimizing them that we have a heavenly father who watches over us. That is, if, through faith in Jesus Christ we know God. John tells us that it is to those who receive Christ that he gives the right to become children of God that we are born into the family of God, not through our baptism not through church membership, but through a personal faith in the living Christ and theirs. I come to Jesus Christ and I know them as my Savior and I realize that I'm in the family of God, and that this great eternal God was all-powerful, who in the beginning made the heavens and the earth. This great God is also my father and he is watching over me and you is a second reason worry produces absolutely nothing. Verse 27. Which of you by being anxious can I add a single hour to his span of life. Milken James says which one of you by being anxious I can add attribute to your heights. Whatever height you are you can be anxious about it even further by that does me no good girl anymore.

What's abides you can worry and worry and worry and know that accomplishes it accomplishes absolutely nothing other than more pain, more anxiety for yourself. Someone said what is like a rocking chair. It gives you something to do, but it goes nowhere is it will enjoy my rocking chair that may be. But when you are a you have to understand is a pointless exercise. In fact, it is counterproductive. The more you operate a motor going to worry Seneca said very wisely, he suffers more than necessary. Who suffers before it is necessary for what he does what he is thinking of something bad is going to happen to us and is causing us pain before that event even comes it's absolutely pointless. We must humbly accept in life that there are things we can change if you're happy with your heights you can change it is Jesus you can add the extra years life to yourself.

There are things totally beyond our control. Worry secondly produces absolutely nothing. Third, your heavenly father knows all your needs you watches over your body knows all your needs. Verse 28 and why are you anxious about clothing. Consider the lilies of the field as they grow, they neither toil nor spin lesson from the birds lesson from the flowers. Yet I tell you that even Solomon in all of and all of his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, all ye of little faith in the arguments apart from one you look out at the start of the start of the year in North Carolina, but what I was recently in Scotland using the magnificent green grass produces the grass. God takes care of the grass usually take care of your what you worried about, all ye of little faith. That's the argument, verse 31 therefore do not be anxious, saying, what shall we eat, what shall we drink, or what shall we wear for the Gentiles, that is, the pagans, unbelievers, seek after all these things there materialistic and your heavenly father knows that you need them all. Think of the fathers. The five fathers that stood here they know what's best for the children. What would they think will father think if it is 345-year-old daughter or son was worrying what they would each if they would've enough close to where the father would say stop this, I'm your father.

I'm going to California. I love you something to protect you. I'm gonna do all I can and an earthly father is limited in his resources, but our heavenly father is unlimited and he knows our needs and he loves us. Fourth reason, your heavenly father provides all the needs of those who seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness. This is what I guess a little convicting verse 33 but seek first. Not your personal comfort. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added to you is numbing the risen, that is, as we follow Jesus Christ. We put Jesus Christ first.

I do seek first the kingdom of God, not a comfortable life, not success, I'm to seek first the glory of God. Seek first the kingdom of God, says Jesus. When you do that don't need to worry about all of the rest. I will take care of it. All of these things. Things are you are you and your friend about I'm going to take care of whether great way to live with her way of security. Heavenly father provides for us who are the most uptight people who are the most anxious people, people who try to control everything. People who hold on to what they have. I found over the years that the most. The more generous you are.

The tension goes grade of the piece. Who do you think gave the most generously this morning of the offering, the uptight person living in fear and I don't know if I've enough money for next month. No, the person who is at peace realizes everything they have comes from the hand of God, that the Lord gives and the Lord takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord. But if you're trying to control everything and hold on to everything without grip. No wonder you're tense. No wonder you're anxious realized seek first the kingdom of God and God, your heavenly father will take care of everything else is the fifth reason I'm not to be anxious.

Verse 34 God gives you this marvelous God gives you all of the strength of all of the wisdom and the grace that you need for today. Therefore, verse 24 is a conclusion as it would therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day's is on trouble what you worrying about you when we worrying were always thinking of tomorrow the next day. The next week. The next month.

The next year is always in the future is in the Jesus don't do that.

Do not be anxious about tomorrow. God doesn't give you and me the strength, the wisdom and the grace that I need for tomorrow is promised, we saw this last week that we with an answered prayer. God has promised that he will give me and he will give you all of the grace and all of the strength that you need for this moment God takes care of you today.

Don't worry about tomorrow. Give us this day our daily bread as part of the Lord's prayer is not not tomorrow number the children of Israel. Going through the wilderness, God sent them the manna from heaven.

It came to them each day and there were people who vetting were very greedy and they took more than they supply for one day and they find that the next day that the bread have become all moldy God was teaching them know just trust me today.

Today, tomorrow is totally difference being anxious about tomorrow robs us of the joy and the strength of today. You realize that the future doesn't belong to you, but to God you trying to control your future. That's pretty silly. Don't do that Jesus is saying stop worrying the future does not belong to you. It belongs to God. So Jesus is saying verse 25. Do not be anxious about your life. Verse 31 therefore do not be anxious. Verse 34 therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow lot of anxious people out there today under was Jesus into your stop stop.

Don't be anxious using well is not all I have to do know negative. Don't be anxious, positive terms of Philippians chapter 4 positive what my going to do with my waterways and my anxieties just pretend they don't exist play some kind of psychological trick of myself.

No no no wonder that is the powder positive thinking is not that some of the Scriptures are saying. I do acknowledge my worry, I'm to acknowledge my fear. I'm to acknowledge before God that this is in my own strength of any wedding situation but I'm to bring all of my waterways and all of my anxieties to the Lord. Philippians 4 verse six Paul is writing. Do not be anxious about anything, as a word of the Lord years that Matthew six.

Don't be anxious about anything, anything, but is a positive in everything not to be anxious about anything but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Bring all of your worries and anxieties to the Lord so you didn't sleep very well last night. Your worrying some of you come through very very stressful week with your fears which are worries which are anxieties, name them, name them one by one and everyone what you want to write and done without collection would have this morning when we would fill volumes all of her worries all of her fears all of anxieties was pulsing the way to be anxious about nothing is to be prayerful and everything all. No exceptions.

All of my cares all of my worries. All of my anxieties, all of my fears are to be brought to the Lord in prayer and when you do that, the power of the worry is broken and Paul's that something remarkable which is kind of intuitive but when you think about, you realize this is very very true that as you pray about your worries and your anxieties give thanks that when you're worrying we are anxious, perhaps being thankful is the last thing you feel but Thanksgiving is an essential and often forgotten spiritual key in dealing with anxiety and worry what happens when were anxious we get a little self-pity during we start complaining we start whining, we may become very bitter about her circumstances bitter, even against God with against their families.

If we think they're not performing well but there again so Dr. bitter against our boss or employees that comes in, doesn't it, and some of you here. You have been treated very badly. Your problems are huge. It's true you don't desire what was happening to you, but bitterness and anger, frustration, and resentment not only stop you from being thankful they increase your worry, anxiety, and stress is not true. The more bitter you are, the more resentful you are, the more angry you are that circumstances out of your control, the greater your worry when were thankful what we're doing, but acknowledging God's goodness and grace to us in the past. Sister I know there's a problem in your life with. Think back over your life.

Think a good God has been to and as we give thanks. There's also an acknowledgment of our dependence on God for the present and the future. My life is in the hands of my heavenly father.

Underneath are the everlasting arms ball is said here enveloping photographs three. Your names are in the book of life. I'm saved by God's grace.

Whatever happens, whether there's a nuclear holocaust whether terrorism, terrorist attack Charlotte.

Whatever happens, whether you have a terminal illness whether the worst thing imaginable happens in your life that is nothing in the whole universe which can remove my name from the book of life. I'm saved by the grace of God, not wonderful to know my name is in the book of life. Therefore, says Paul, rejoice, rejoice when you're worrying this can't your many blessings will my to do and to bring all of my worries. All of my anxieties to the Lord and died to pray with thanksgiving or suffer going through the book of Psalms and Wednesday mornings and if you up to three weeks ago were in Psalm 106 where Israel there.

The psalmist is recounting some of the history of Israel in the wilderness and the psalmist says in Psalm 106 verse 12 he believed his word. They saying his prayers to verses nine it says they didn't believe his word with a deadly murmur than the tents.

Isn't it true that the more you trust God, the more you're in this book, the more you're on your knees. The more you saying the praises of God. But when your claim are characterized by unbelief, then we start murmuring, then we start complaining then there's the anger. Then there's the frustration. Then there's the resentment against people under difficult circumstances. What my to do so is Paul cast all your cares on the Lord.

First Peter 57 casting all of your cares are anxieties say more tear casting all of your anxieties on the Lord because he cares for you and ask you why are you insisting on counting these anxieties. These worries these problems and cares for you to carry. They belong to the Lord, you can handle that problem.

Why are you holding on to its I know someone who can deal with it, give it to the Lord. He easily handles our burdens on their worries.

Psalm 55 verse 22. Cast your burden on the Lord and he will sustain you. You will not permit the righteous to be moved.

You've got the infinite resources of God to carry your worries and your problems and your insisting on counting them yourself.

Earlier this year when your wife is many of you know how the knee replacement so was I think of the Friday Saturday I'm bringing her home and the nurse or someone there said to me well how we go together into the house and really thought about it because we have got steps of the front and got a few steps from the back from the garage into the house and that she said you know she say come how many stairs are there in the good night of this agreement about that. How many steps there were. I just happened to be right, I thought I'd mention that, as I'm driving home the how my going to get my dear wife up the stairs. The debate that she stay another day in hospital and once you know the cost I felt none. I think we can manage this much as I love my wife.

I don't want to go into bankruptcy over this so we're heading home and in the kind of thinking can help make these stairs which is druggies is by that bid item. It together in the car. We come back open up the garage door on your car and then I thought, I can't lift my wife made her look strong but I thought and if I try and pick her up and let her drop were going to have more than a broken knee here. My son comes as a Christopher morning her to get mom up the stairs. He says no problem. This is what you meant. He goes a 6 foot to better little buffer than is that pics couldn't help no problem into the house. Something I'm struggling with something I can do someone else comes and carries my burdens.

You've got that situation and you've thought about it and is kept you awake at night and for the life of you. You cannot solve this and therefore there's worry therefore there's anxiety here is our magnificent Lord Jesus Christ who loves you.

Who cares for you and he saying to you, give me that burden casted upon me. I care for you, so your circumstances change. But God changes not God so powerful that the biggest burden is absolutely microscopically tiny compared with the poet of God in this series with wings of Eagles. We've been learning that we are to be God centered, not problem centered. We've been learning that most of us have a very very small. God, a God that we just want to use occasionally rather than being God centered on the understanding the pilot in the my needs and the grace of the love of this huge God that God is so vague that he fills the whole universe and more besides the infinite size infinite in his power, infinite in his love. And here we are on this earth struggling with these feverish worries.

These nagging anxieties and here is our magnificent Lord Jesus Christ and say give it all to me about, your burdens to the Lord can be absolutely trusted you trust the Lord. We worry when we think is the one we can trust the guy that the site of the situation. We don't trust ourselves when we feel inadequate. We don't really trust anyone else in the circumstance that help us resolve worry and anxiety take all of your worries all of your feverish anxieties, all of your cares to the Lord. He loves you want the best for you and he can be absolutely trusted. We seen this in the series with wings like eagles, but God is all-powerful. He's the creator of the ends of the arts. We were singing of his magnificent name. There's no higher name. There's no greater power than the power of the gospel. The power of the cross of Jesus cries so I have to ask your brother sister and challenge you. Are you trusting the Lord in that circumstance. Is it were my life very difficult. John these insuperable obstacles.

I'm not denying that stop focusing on the storm something focus on the size of your problem focus on the might of God to whom you're now bringing all of your cares all of your worries all of your problems and your casting your cares on him when you do that is all-powerful is a God who can move my attorney and loves us with an ever lasting life where my saying obey the command claim the promise and exchange all of your worries for the peace of God.

Verse seven. Again you do that exchange all of your worries for the piece of God. Verse seven.

Philippians 4 the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

What a deal, God receives all of my cares all of my worries and I receive his peace think that worry take that care and rule it on the Lord and in the midst of the storm.

In the midst of the stress in the midst of the uncertainty and confusion and problem and heartache of life.

The promise of the Christian gospel is that you will receive as you do this, as you obey the command you will receive a supernatural peace, a divine piece.

Jesus spoke in John 14. He says peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you.

He said that the disciples who were troubled. He said that the disciples who were confused.

Peace I leave with you, and then glad he says my peace not just please, but the peace of Jesus I give to you not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, you listen to this brother. Don't let your heart be troubled, neither let them be afraid no trouble, no fears, no anxiety and says Paul this piece surpasses all understanding is humanly inexplicable. It surpasses human intelligence is beyond human comprehension is the tranquility and peace of God in our hearts ever experience that I know many of you have known in the years I've been here at Calvary of some of you in extremely extremely difficult and anxious situations. And as you pray, then as we prayed with you. You have received that super natural taking all of my anxieties from my shoulders and handing them over to the Lord and when you do that, says Paul, this piece will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus to these worries and anxieties attack your that they attack you in your heart you you feel upset you your entire motto and to get into your mind. Don't say that night is you're trying to sleep there there there and and they play tricks in your minds, says Paul know if you do this to take your worries to give thanks to God. You commit these to the Lord you're going to know the supernatural peace.

This can be like a guard keeping hurts and fears and anxieties and giving you his supernatural priests each day. Then I'm to take that worry, I'm to take the anxiety and to bring it to the Lord in prayer and when we wondered if we can put 1 foot in front of another and when we wondered if whatever's going to get through this terrible day of our lives. We claim this glorious promise peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. We claim the promise my notice the challenge and the promise are to those who are in Christ Jesus. Verse seven it will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus to the promise of the supernatural peace is not for everyone. It's for those who are in Christ Jesus is a dog. What does it mean to be in Christ Jesus. It means that your faith in your trust in Christ, if you're not a follower of Jesus Christ. I can tell you your biggest problem isn't anxiety and worry that you're presently experiencing your greatest problem is your sin separates you from God and there's no way out by yourself, you cannot get rid of that by yourself. It's too big a burden and it will separates you from God, but this is why our Lord Jesus Christ came into this world, he came as the burden better. So John the Baptist look to Jesus and says behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world there is hope for me as someone who has failed and broken the law of God. I look to Christ and I see him.

No longer is my judge but I see him as my Savior as one who takes my burden and has carried my burden and has paid the price for my sin at the cross and I receive Christ and this was sometimes saying the burden of our sin rolls away you've ever read Pilgrim's progress. You know the magnificent scene where Christian is at the cross is got this terrible burden on his back, a symbol of the same entity comes to the cross. The burden of the sin rolls away and it says bunion say so wonderfully, and you'll never see it again is gone completely.

God you in Christ Jesus before you experience the peace of God, you must experience peace with God, we saw that were moving through Romans Romans five verse one therefore being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. How can I receive peace with God when I know Christ as my Savior when I humble myself as a sinner and cry out to Christ for salvation. Have you done that. Do you know Christ if not, get on your knees before God and ask him to come in to save you many of you are here this morning with burdens, cares, anxieties and worries that when you're done robbing you of the joy of the Lord was with chamber says absolutely refuse to worry is what Jesus is saying. Do not be anxious, absolutely refuse to worry. Trust the Lord who loves you someone. I said I can't grasp God's plans and purposes, but with my whole heart. I trust his love that thing that you're worrying about that problem in your life you can't understand that you don't know why God is alive that we dealt last week with an answered prayer. I understand that you can't grasp the situation you can work it out with a follower of Christ, we can say in God's grace with my whole heart. I trust his love. This piece is experiencing. When we ordered our life according to the order of God as we seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness this morning as we close them inviting you to come with your worry with your anxiety and Rowlands on the Lord we obey the commands don't be anxious.

We claim the promise peace of God, will you exchange that anxiety for God's peace in the Bible says in the God of peace will be with you. What a way to live peace with God experiencing the peace of God in my heart and knowing that whatever I go in life.

Whatever the circumstances, the God of peace is with within a close with a wonderful him burdens are lifted at Calvary. Many of you know, it's and as we sing it with understand and second, can you just come without burden. You may want to come and stand here O'Neill here you're taking decisive action that you are in fact with this burden that's on you of anxiety, a burden of worry and that you're rolling it over to the Lord. And if you've never come to Christ. I invite you to come because burdens are lifted at Calvary. I do not know enough to not hurt the Lord is the everlasting God the Creator of the ends of the RC does not faint or grow weary. His understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength even use shall faint and be weary, but they who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint. You take that worry I'm asking you to do not think that worry take that anxiety ruler on the Lord casted on the Lord and ask him to give you that piece which passes all understanding. Let's stand as we sing burdens of life that Calvary father, thank you for speaking to us, may we respond with humble hearts or pray for many here, my brothers and sisters are way down in the sum of heavy heavy loads, heavy burdens may bring them to Christ, we thank you for your God who loves us and cares for us there so powerful that the most difficult situation that we can imagine is one. You can handle because you're the Almighty God, the creator, the ends of the earth speak to his father. Granted, should peace in Christ name