How To Relax

• IF YOU ARE A BOSS, AN EMPLOYEE, A PARENT, A STUDENT, A CITIZEN, A VOTER OR A SPOUSE, IF YOU KEEP UP WITH THE NEWS, IT MAY BE HARD FOR YOU TO RELAX. FROM MSN NEWS THIS WEEK…

• A DRIVE BY SHOOTING OCCURRED IN HATTIESBURG MISSISSIPPI OUTSIDE A MILITARY FACILITY.

• 8 PEOPLE IN NYC DIED FROM LEGIONARIES DISEASE.

• THE CDC REPORTS A POSSIBLE OUTBREAK OF THE EBOLA VIRUS IN BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA.

• A GUNMAN FIRED SHOTS AT THE WASHINGTON MALL.

• EGGS COULD REACH $6 A DOZEN BY THE END OF THE YEAR.

• NOT TO MENTION ISIS IS STILL AROUND.

• AND NORTH KOREA AND IRAN ARE STILL IN PURSUIT OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS.

• ALL THE CRIME, CHAOS AND CONFLICT IN OUR WORLD TODAY AND THE BIBLE STILL SAYS IN PHILIPPIANS 4:6-7

BE ANXIOUS FOR NOTHING, 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 MINDS THROUGH CHRIST JESUS.

• WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO RELAX?

• MY IDEA OF RELAXATION IS SITTING DOWN TO READ A GOOD BOOK.

• SOME OF US LIKE TO RELAX ON THE LAKE.

• SOME WITH THEIR GRANDKIDS. OTHERS RELAX BY TAKING A DRIVE OR A VACATION. SOME GO FOR A WALK ON THE BEACH.

• RELAXING DOESN’T MEAN THAT YOU DON’T CARE OR THAT YOU’VE BECOME COMPLACENT.

• RELAXING MEANS YOU TRY TO BECOME LESS TENSE AND ANXIOUS.

• BECAUSE IF YOU’RE NOT ANXIOUS, YOU’RE NOT FEARFUL.

• IF YOU’RE NOT FEARFUL, YOU WORRY LESS.

• ONE OF THE EASIEST WAYS TO RELAX IS TO JUST TURN OFF THE NEWS.

• IT HAS BEEN ESTIMATED THAT THERE ARE MORE THAN 100,000 COUNSELING TECHNIQUES IN USE TODAY TO HELP PEOPLE DEAL WITH STRESS AND ANXIETY.

• MILLIONS OF WORDS WRITTEN AND DEVOTED TO HELP PEOPLE COPE WITH THE STRESSES OF LIFE.

• THERE ARE COUNTLESS SELF HELP BOOKS THAT CAN ACTUALLY HELP A PERSON TO RELAX.

• GOD HIMSELF HAS DESIGNED SEVERAL WAYS TO MAKE US LESS TENSE. TO HELP US TO RELAX.

• HE HAS GIVEN US REST AND RECREATION. “DOWN TIME.”

• THERE ARE HYMNS THAT HE HAS HELPED MEN TO CREATE THAT REMIND US TO BE LESS TENSE.

• “IT IS WELL WITH MY SOUL”, OR “COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS” FOR EXAMPLE.

• BUT TRULY, THERE IS NOTHING MORE HELPFUL TO MAN’S RELAXATION THAN THE WORD OF GOD.

• THE APOSTLE PETER TELLS US THAT THROUGH THIS WORD WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN EVERYTHING FOR LIFE AND GODLINESS, THROUGH THE KNOWLEDGE OF HIM WHO CALLED US BY HIS OWN GLORY AND VIRTUE. 2 PETER 1:3

• IF THIS IS TRUE, AND IT IS, THEN GOD HAS ALSO GIVEN US INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO RELAX.

• SO, TODAY, LETS LOOK AT THE SCRIPTURES TO SEE GOD’S SUGGESTIONS FOR RELAXING IN THIS CRAZY WORLD WE LIVE IN.

• BUT, BEFORE WE START THAT PART OF THE LESSON, LET’S PRAY.

• PLEASE OPEN YOUR BIBLES TO PSALM 46.

PSALM 46:1 – GOD IS OUR REFUGE AND STRENGTH, A VERY PRESENT HELP IN TROUBLE.

• ONE OF THE MOST COMMON CAUSES OF A LACK OF RELAXATION IS THE FEELING OF INSECURITY. THAT’S WHAT TROUBLE IS.

• THINK ABOUT SECURITY FOR A MOMENT. WE DON’T IMAGINE GUARDS WITH UNIFORMS OR EVEN GUNS. THOSE ARE FOR OUR PROTECTION.

• SECURITY IS A QUIET SAFE AND RESTFUL PLACE. THE STATE OF BEING FREE FROM DANGER OR THREAT.

• THAT SAFE PLACE IS IN GOD. THE SECURE PLACE IS IN GOD. THE PSALMIST DECLARES THAT “GOD IS OUR REFUGE.”

• THE HEBREW WORD FOR REFUGE IS DEFINED AS A PLACE OF SAFETY.

ISAIAH 4:6 THERE WILL BE A SHELTER TO GIVE SHADE FROM THE HEAT BY DAY, AND REFUGE AND PROTECTION FROM THE STORM AND THE RAIN.

• ALL THROUGH THE SCRIPTURES WE SEE THAT GOD IS THE DIVINE PROTECTOR.

• HE IS A GOD OF BATTLES. A MAN OF WAR. A SURE DEFENSE.

PSALM 71:1 – LORD IN YOU I HAVE TAKE REFUGE. LET ME NEVER BE ASHAMED.

• GOD IS A HIDING PLACE FOR THE RIGHTEOUS.

• HE IS A SURE PROTECTION FOR THE WEAK WHO WILL ALWAYS BE AVAILABLE.

• HE IS A SHIELD. HE WAS WITH US IN THE BEGINNING OF LIFE. WHEN WE WERE PURE AND INNOCENT AND HE WILL BE WITH US ALL THROUGH LIFE IF WE ALLOW HIM TO BE.

• SATAN’S MISSION IS TO DISTRACT US FROM THAT TRUTH TO THE POINT WHERE WE CAN LOSE SIGHT OF A ND FAITH IN GOD.

• THE WORLD, THE TIME, THE PLACE THAT WE LIVE IN CAN CAUSE US TO BE DISTRACTED AS WELL F WE ARE NOT FOCUSED ON THE LORD.

• BUT THROUGH ALL OF THE STRESS, PRESSURE AND ANXIETY, WE WILL BE ABLE TO RELAX IF WE FULLY RECOGNIZE THAT GOD IS OUR SECURITY.