Seismic Shifts
Session 8 “From Anxiety to Peace”
RBW (inspired from “seismic shifts” book)
+ Video - Domino Intro (1min)
+ Video - Raising the Sail – Women of Faith video drama (15min)
Intro:
+ How many can relate to that video? Maybe it’s not an issue with your kids, or drugs, but we can all relate to things that worry us or cause us anxiety.
In this seismic shift we are asked to practice going from a place where our anxieties master us to a place where we find peace where God master’s us.
Stand and join me in our scripture reading today:
+ Philippians 4:6-7 (NIV)
6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Don’t be anxious or worried about anything! Wow, that’s good news! God is saying through Paul; don’t worry while on this planet. And you can’t worry when you’re in heaven.
Q: So, where is the time and place for worry? There isn’t one! There isn’t a place for worry, there isn’t a place for turmoil, and there isn’t a place for anxiety!
You may feel anxious, you may feel worried, you may feel turmoil, but this is not the standard in the Christian life.
+ Rick Warren says, "Worry is the warning light that God is really not first in my life at this particular moment." Because worry says that God is not big enough to handle my troubles.
+Jesus said,
Matthew 6:25-27 (NIV)
25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?
Notice that Jesus didn’t sit down on the hillside and teach the disciples how to develop an effective worry-filled life. Jesus never said in the Beatitudes, “Blessed are the anxious for they will have a heart-attack. Blessed are those who constantly experience worry and anxieties for they will see the emergency room.
But, He could have, because that is what worry and stress do to a person.
Because, we weren’t created to live that way.
+ A Recent poll in Time Magazine on parents of children ages 12 to 17. It revealed that 43% worry about their son or daughter getting shot at school. Drug and alcohol abuse are more common worries as nearly 60% of parents think about these possibilities. Even more (64%) fear their teenagers might get AIDS, but the biggest worry of all (67%) is that their teen may not be able to get a good job in the future.
+ Lynn Allison, author of “How to be Stress Free” writes, “Stress affects everyone. It’s the body’s way of coping with emotional and physical change and a very necessary part of our survival response. But in today’s society stress has gone overboard. Doctors and researchers say it is more responsible than anything else for almost every life threatening disease… Cancer, arthritis, heart disease, gastro intestinal problems, ulcers, drug and alcohol abuse. It’s linked to domestic violence, homicide and suicide. Over 25 million Americans have high blood pressure with 1 million more added to the list annually. 8 million people have stomach ulcers, 12 million are alcoholics, and 230 million tranquilizer prescriptions are filled annually.
Paul says, “Don’t worry about anything!”
Friends, anxiety is killing us! And worse than that, it’s making us feeble in our faith towards God.
+ Pass out dominoes. (John and Bobby come get in their boats)
Q: What do you worry about?
+ Drama: 2 boats. (5-7mins)
John: Hey bobby I haven’t seen you since I came to your door asking if you’d do a bible study with me. So, how’s it going?
Bobby: Awesome, I’ve been studying the bible and it’s becoming a part of my life. How about you?
John: I’m stressed over my exams. (puts on life jacket). (exams; girls, etc. )
How about you, how’s school going?
Bobby: It’s going great. I’m just putting my time into studies and letting Jesus take control.
John: how come you’re not stressed?
Bobby: because I’m not just reading the scriptures, that’s not enough. I’m putting them into practice in my life. I’m learning and living them. (pulls out his bible in the boat) Phil. 4:6-7 says…
Bobby gets out of his boat and prays with John to experience peace while he takes off all of John’s lifejackets and helps him out of the boat.
Bobby: Come on out, it just takes faith!
Q: Which boat are you in? How weighed down are you under the problems?
Q: How far are you on the Journey from Anxiety to Peace?
Look at just a few scriptures on this topic:
Our Creator says in…
+ Psalm 29:11 (NIV)
11 The LORD gives strength to his people; the LORD blesses his people with peace.
+ Psalm 34:14 (NIV)
14 Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.
+ Psalm 85:8 (NIV)
8 I will listen to what God the LORD will say; he promises peace to his people, his saints— but let them not return to folly.
Our Maker and Manufacturer says…
+ Proverbs 14:30 (NIV)
30 A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones.
+ Isaiah 26:3 (KJV)
3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.
+ Isaiah 32:17 (NIV)
17 The fruit of righteousness will be peace; the effect of righteousness will be quietness and confidence forever.
Our Lord and Messiah says…
+ John 14:27 (NIV)
27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
+ John 16:33 (NIV)
33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
Q: + Which boat are you in? This week make the decision to set your eyes, to set your mind, to place your trust in God.
Get out of the boat of worries and anxieties and put your trust in God who gives you the peace the passes all understanding.
+ 1 Peter 5:7 (KJV)
7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
(stand) This Weeks’ Prayer:
+ “Great and Mighty God, I give you all of my worries and cares. I choose to put my life in Your hands. I trust You completely.”
