Don't Worry, Be Happy Series

Cornerstone Church 02/10/08

“Don’t Worry, Be Happy!”

Matthew 6:25-34

This morning we begin a New Series

Propelled by Prayer

“Where the power to carry on comes from”

a 7 week walk with Jesus

In the weeks to come my distinguished colleagues will all be teaching on prayer.

In discerning who should go first we drew straws.

Guess which one I picked?

That fits! I’m the guy no one knows what he does!

I’m often the one holding a camera or video camera!

We hear a lot about change these days!

But the biggest change needed is

for Christians to begin to pray…

We need to be propelled to pray!

“If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink.

Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said,

streams of living water will flow from within him.”

John 7:36b-37 NIV

We do not need a workshop on prayer!

We do not need to read a book on prayer!

Most of us do not lack knowledge on prayer!

We lack accountability to pray and a will to pray!

Prayer

Just Do it!

We need to stop giving ourselves to lesser priorities…

Stuff that does not matter!

The LORD of the Universe wants us

to spend time with HIM!

Does it get any better than that?

Something needs to change!

Our world needs to see God’s people, believers who are born again, who were set free from sin because the LORD Jesus Christ gave HIS life for us, living distinct and different lives for HIM!

“For it is time for judgment to begin

with the family of God…”

1 Peter 4:17 NIV

Introduction/Illustration

There once was a man who read a pamphlet about vacationing on a cruise ship. The thought of taking a cruise excited him. Because he was not a well-to-do individual he decided to save all of his money so that someday he might be able to take a cruise. He saved for years, denying himself to reach his goal. It was a great sacrifice and effort. After many years, however he achieved his dream. He purchased his ticket for his trip. Unfortunately, he had no money left for food. He wondered if he should go. He decided that he would take bread and peanut butter. Certainly the environment would be worth his effort. During meal time he hid away in his cabin eating his bread and peanut butter. All around him was an abundance of food. All sorts of food. As time wore on he could hardly stand seeing people eating all the time. Food on deck, people ordering room service. Finally he could not stand it any more. His food no longer satisfied him. Finally he asked a porter, “How may I obtain some food?” “Sir, do you have a ticket?” the porter replied. “Yes, I do,” said the man. “Than eat all that you want, your food is included in your ticket,” said the porter.

Sounds humorous doesn’t it? Maybe even sad?

However, in many ways, aren’t we like the man in the story when it comes to understanding and living life by God’s grace?

People in our society today are worried about everything.

Fear has gripped people’s hearts and paralyzed them.

Many shut themselves in their homes trying to insulate themselves from the world around them venturing out only to work or to accomplish other necessities.

People are anxious about:

How they look

What they are wearing

How much money they have in the bank

Rising gas prices

Falling stock prices

Foreclosures

Are their children going to turn out right

They worry about:

About the election - which political party will win

Their Health

Whether their job will be eliminated due to downsizing

Who they will marry

If they are married, how long it will last

If that weren’t enough…

Starbucks Corp said on Wednesday it is closing 100 underperforming U.S. stores and slowing domestic openings in the face of a likely consumer recession and "cannibalization" from overbuilding. "Their outlook is pessimistic for 2008. It’s going to be a tough year," said James Walsh, an analyst at Coldstream Capital Management in Bellevue, Washington.

This has led to all sorts of health issues:

Sleeplessness

Tension headaches

Irritability

High blood pressure

Ulcers

Heart disease

Inability to relax

How unfortunate that Christians have joined the ranks of those who worry and fret about everything.

We have taken our cue from the world around us.

We have allowed Satan to defeat us and cause us to stumble.

Instead of trusting in the power, provision and protection of our sovereign God we have grown use to living anxiety plagued lives.

James makes it clear that this anxiety, want and lust is the major source of divisions within the body of Christ.

James 4:1-3 NIV What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? You want something but don’t get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.