Don't Be Such Worry-Warts!!!

I would like to welcome everyone here this morning. The Lord has blessed us with a phenomenal day! All the blessings that he has given us, all that he has blessed this Church with. Praise God!

This morning I would like to talk to you all about something that seems to have a hold on each and every one of us from time to time. Worry. Stress. Anxieties. They effect everyone at some point.

Money, health, family, friends, and so many other issues cause a very negative impact on our lives.

In this mornings scriptures, Jesus is telling us that we have no reason to worry! None at all! And he says that is for a good reason. He points out that God the Father already knows our every need. That he will apply all that we need!

Actually, Jesus is commanding us not to worry! We all know that is so much easier to say than to do. We all worry. Isn’t it a fixed part of life? I would bet that there are some kids that have seen their family worry so much, they think that it is a real part of life! We worry about our finances, we worry about our health, our friends, our homes. our cars etc….. We worry about so much! I bet that our lack of faith is a real letdown to the Father!

You see, he promised so many times that he would take care of all of our needs. And yet we still fret! Why? Why do we lose sleep over such things as our finances? Why does our health scare us so much?

I believe that people should focus more on his promises. We need to put our concerns into his hands. They can handle them much better than we can.

In fact, I believe that only through faith in him and his promises can we find freedom from stress. You see, Anxiety is caused by greed and by covetousness. We need to plan and work responsibly. It is detrimental to focus on the things that can go wrong. We need to focus on what God has in store for us.

Can anyone here remember having any of their needs fulfilled by worrying? Worrying guarantees you to make any situation even worse.

Fact is, the Mayo Clinic claims 80-85% of total caseload due directly to worry and anxiety. Many experts say that coping with stress is the #1 health priority of our day. One leading physician has stated that, in his opinion, 70% of all medical patients could cure themselves if only they got rid of their worries and fears.

- We know that medical science has closely tied worry to heart trouble, blood pressure problems, ulcers, thyroid malfunction, migraine headaches, a host of stomach disorders, amongst others. For example 25 mill Americans have high blood pressure due to stress/anxiety; 1 million more develop high blood pressure each year. 8 million have stomach ulcers every week 112 million people take medication for stress related symptoms.

Kind of scary how they connect isn’t it?

Worry ahs blinded us to the truth so many times in our lives. See, when we spend our time worrying, we don’t notice when our needs have already been filled. We spend way too much time worrying, when we should be trusting his word!

Worrying is complete and utter foolishness. God the Creator of all the Universe both loves us and knows our every need! Sometimes, we think that what we desire is what we need! He promises to us that he will meet our every need if we have faith in him to do so. We must turn our very lives over to him. Every aspect of our lives. Then he will fulfill our needs, not our desires! It has to be in his will, otherwise, “Dear Lord, I think I should be a millionaire!” “ I want to buy a car that I cannot afford, live in a mansion on pauper’s earnings!” Just because we want does not mean we need!

He does however fulfill some desires. Ones that are in his plan. We have to have faith in what he has planned for us. Ands we must accept it when we do not get what we want. In fact, there are many prayers that are unanswered that we should be thankful for.

Country singer Garth Brooks sang a song that tells a good story about this. I am by no means a Garth fan, but this song is a powerful message to all Christians.

It is called Unanswered Prayers, and it’s chorus is :

Sometimes I thank God for unanswered prayers,

Remember that when you’re talking to the man upstairs,

That just because he don’t answer don’t mean he don’t care,

Some of God’s greatest gifts are unanswered prayers!