Stop, Look, Seek!

Stop! Look! Seek!

Matthew 6:25-34

November 23, 2003

Big Idea: Do not worry because worry only adds stress onto your life. Look around and see the things God has provided and seek his provisions.

Introduction:

How Much does Prayer Weigh? READ STORY HERE.

Louise Redden, a poorly dressed lady with a look of defeat on her face, walked into a grocery store. She approached the owner of the store in a most humble manner and asked if he would let her charge a few groceries. She softly explained that her husband was very ill and unable to work, they had seven children and they needed food. John Longhouse, the grocer, scoffed at her and requested that she leave his store.

Visualizing the family needs, she said ’Please, sir! I will bring you the money just as soon as I can."

John told her he could not give her credit, as she did not have a charge account this store.

Standing beside the counter was a customer who overheard the conversation between the two. The customer walked forward and told the grocerman that he would stand good for whatever she needed for her family.

The grocerman said in a very reluctant voice, "Do you have a grocery list?

Louise replied "Yes sir."

"OK" he said, "put your grocery list on the scales and whatever your grocery list weighs, I will give you that amount in groceries."

Louise, hesitated a moment with a bowed head, then she reached into her purse and took out a piece of paper and scribbled something on it. She then laid

the piece of paper on the scale carefully with her head still bowed.

The eyes of the grocerman and the customer showed amazement when the scales went down and stayed down.

The grocerman, staring at the scales, turned slowly to the customer and said begrudgingly, "I can’t believe it."

The customer smiled and the grocerman started putting the groceries on the other side of the scales. The scale did not balance so he continued to put more and more groceries on them until the scales would hold no more. The grocerman stood there in utter disgust.

Finally, he grabbed the piece of paper from the scales and looked at it with greater amazement. It was not a grocery list, it was a prayer, which said:

"Dear Lord, you know my needs and I am leaving this in your hands."

The grocerman gave her the groceries that he had gathered and placed on the scales and stood in stunned silence.

Louise thanked him and left the store.

The customer handed a fifty-dollar bill to John as he said, "It was worth every penny of it." It was sometime later that John Longhouse discovered scales were broken; therefore, only God knows how much a prayer weighs.

POWER OF PRAYER

When you receive this, say a prayer. That’s all you have to do. Just stop right now, and say a prayer for the one who sent this to you. There is nothing attached. This is powerful.

It¡¦s Thanksgiving and many of us worry about how we will put enough food on the table each day to be thankful, let alone, a bounty on Thanksgiving day.

Listen to Matthew 6: 25 ¡V 34 to the words of Jesus as it pertains to worry and prayer..

READ SCRIPTURE HERE

25¡§Therefore I tell you, do not (STOP WORRYING) 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? 26LOOK 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? 27Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life„T?

28¡§And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31So do not worry, saying, ¡¥What shall we eat?¡¦ or ¡¥What shall we drink?¡¦ or ¡¥What shall we wear?¡¦ 32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But SEEK first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Three Points SERMON

1. Stop

2. Look

3. Seek