''Why worry,why worry,worry gets you no where at all'',so goes the words of an old song.Its a good question,as to why we worry,after all many of the things we worry about don't happen.Also when things do happen,we manage to work things out,but of course that is only part of the answer,yet we will still worry.As I read the word of God I read of people like you and me,will God reject us because we worry?,no[Romans 8v33-39].The fact is we are not perfect,He knows this,as to this life we will always be imperfect,
but are aim by Gods grace is to overcome,those imperfections.The word for worry comes from the German tongue and means to strangle,when worry takes control of us it can have that effect upon us,in its extreme form it can cause panic attacks .So what is the remedy,that can stop this happening,it must be faith in God and his word.There are many words from God that
can help us cope with the worry,take the best known Psalm which is the 23rd ,read it ,set your mind on it,I quote v4,''I will fear no evil for thou art
with me''.What ever evil you are faced with,whatever difficulty imagined or
real,consider those words from that Psalm.
A prayer.
Dear God help us to focus on You, and your word,and rest upon it, in Jesus name Amen.
Sunday, 17 April 2016
Saturday, 16 April 2016
Worry [ Matthew 6 v19- 34]
People often ask is it a sin to worry?,I don't think so,but it can lead us to loose sight of God.That is what our Saviour is getting over in the sermon on the mount,keep focused on God,let nothing divert us from Him,when we focus on money or whatever,then we entering into that place of insecurity.Our Saviour tells us you cannot serve God and money,the word serve can have the meaning of bondage,consider how many people are in bondage to money,and what they will do to accumulate it.But we may say,I need money,true,and so Jesus goes on to say,''do not worry about what
you will eat or drink,or about your body[how many people worry about their body in a wrong way]and what you will wear.Is not the life more important than food,and the body more important than clothes.Now He stressing the importance of not making them a focus of worry,worry will not change anything.The answer is not worry but a trust in God who looks after the tiniest of creatures,but not only trust, but put God first,and leave Him to look after you,live one day at a time[Matthew 6 v19-34]
A prayer.
Dear Lord help us to put you first and trust you to look after us Amen.
you will eat or drink,or about your body[how many people worry about their body in a wrong way]and what you will wear.Is not the life more important than food,and the body more important than clothes.Now He stressing the importance of not making them a focus of worry,worry will not change anything.The answer is not worry but a trust in God who looks after the tiniest of creatures,but not only trust, but put God first,and leave Him to look after you,live one day at a time[Matthew 6 v19-34]
A prayer.
Dear Lord help us to put you first and trust you to look after us Amen.
Friday, 15 April 2016
Worry [ Psalm 31 v 15 ]
I want to leave you with some of the things that Charles Swindle says in his book ,Perfect Trust,as it will hopefully help us in relation to worry.
''When we embrace Gods sovereignty, we find that confidence increases,
insecurities fade,worries decrease and calmness replaces striving''
CS goes on to stress why focusing on Gods sovereignty will help us,''Our
all-wise,all knowing God reigns in realms beyond our comprehension, to bring about a plan that is beyond our ability to hinder,alter,or stop.his plan would include,all promotions and demotions,occupations.It includes
prosperity and adversity,tragedy and ecstasy,joy and sorrow,gain and loss. It envelops illness as well as good health, healing as well as disease,perilous
times and comfortable times,safety and ease as well as disasters and calamities. It would enclude all handicaps, heartaches,helpless moments,
disappointments as well as significant accomplishments and amazing discoveries.....Being sovereign,He is in charge of life.....we are not in the hands of blind fate,we are in the hands of God.''
A prayer.
Sovereign God help to rest in the reality of the truth that we are in your hands,and to trust your purposes for our lives in Jesus name Amen.
.
''When we embrace Gods sovereignty, we find that confidence increases,
insecurities fade,worries decrease and calmness replaces striving''
CS goes on to stress why focusing on Gods sovereignty will help us,''Our
all-wise,all knowing God reigns in realms beyond our comprehension, to bring about a plan that is beyond our ability to hinder,alter,or stop.his plan would include,all promotions and demotions,occupations.It includes
prosperity and adversity,tragedy and ecstasy,joy and sorrow,gain and loss. It envelops illness as well as good health, healing as well as disease,perilous
times and comfortable times,safety and ease as well as disasters and calamities. It would enclude all handicaps, heartaches,helpless moments,
disappointments as well as significant accomplishments and amazing discoveries.....Being sovereign,He is in charge of life.....we are not in the hands of blind fate,we are in the hands of God.''
A prayer.
Sovereign God help to rest in the reality of the truth that we are in your hands,and to trust your purposes for our lives in Jesus name Amen.
.
Worry. [Matthew 6 v19 -14]
The people in the Bible no matter who they are,are people who felt fear,
who worried,about this and that.So it is continually,we have words of
encouragement,this especially applies to worry. In that message our Saviour gave called the sermon on the mountain,He tells us about ,the danger of living with a wordly mindset,laying up treasures on earth,the danger of setting our hearts on our treasures,when all the time our hearts should be fixed on God.Remember what Jesus said to Peter,'' Do you truly love me more than these ?,[John 21 v15]Jesus asks all of us to face these challenging words.He speaks of laying up treasure in heaven.[Matthew 6 v20] .Now lets be honest having money in our bank account gives us a feeling of security.There is nothing wrong with having money as long as money does not have a hold on us. The laying up of treasure in heaven challenges us to be generous,to gave to those in need,and to trust God instead of our money.There were times in my life when to give was a challenge,because I had so little,but God provided, it still is a challenge ,but Jesus said don't worry,you have a heavenly Father who will provide for you.
A prayer.
Dear heavenly Father we thank you ,for assuring us that you will provide
help us to be generous,help us be like you the giving God,in Jesus name Amen.
who worried,about this and that.So it is continually,we have words of
encouragement,this especially applies to worry. In that message our Saviour gave called the sermon on the mountain,He tells us about ,the danger of living with a wordly mindset,laying up treasures on earth,the danger of setting our hearts on our treasures,when all the time our hearts should be fixed on God.Remember what Jesus said to Peter,'' Do you truly love me more than these ?,[John 21 v15]Jesus asks all of us to face these challenging words.He speaks of laying up treasure in heaven.[Matthew 6 v20] .Now lets be honest having money in our bank account gives us a feeling of security.There is nothing wrong with having money as long as money does not have a hold on us. The laying up of treasure in heaven challenges us to be generous,to gave to those in need,and to trust God instead of our money.There were times in my life when to give was a challenge,because I had so little,but God provided, it still is a challenge ,but Jesus said don't worry,you have a heavenly Father who will provide for you.
A prayer.
Dear heavenly Father we thank you ,for assuring us that you will provide
help us to be generous,help us be like you the giving God,in Jesus name Amen.
Thursday, 14 April 2016
Worry [ Psalm 23 ]
Let me ask you a question ,do you worry?,well join the club,for everyone
worries.The very nature of life,will always bring uncertainties into our lives,
no matter if you are billionaire,even if you are famous,and idolised.No one
escapes those things which can cause us to worry.Our Lord did not worry,not because everything in the garden was rosey,but he had a perfect trust in his heavenly Father.Consider the story of the disciples crossing the
sea in a storm in,[Mark 4v 35ff],everyone was in danger of drowning,but Jesus was fast asleep,everyone else was fearful.Is it possible to reach that
degree of freedom from a lack of worry,to smile at the storm,to know
a totality of peace.?.It is a challenge,to aim at,that in a world of full of
uncertainties, we may enter into the peace of God that transcends all
understanding. The first thing we must focus on is what scripture has to say,for it has so much to say ,that can help us.I want you read something
,but not just to read it,but think about it,pray about it as you read it,it is Psalm 23.Tomorrow we will think more about worry and how we can overcome it.
A prayer.
Dear loving Heavenly Father, you know that we worry,we bring those things that are causing us fretful,and fearful thoughts,and ask that like our Saviour Jesus we may your peace.Amen
worries.The very nature of life,will always bring uncertainties into our lives,
no matter if you are billionaire,even if you are famous,and idolised.No one
escapes those things which can cause us to worry.Our Lord did not worry,not because everything in the garden was rosey,but he had a perfect trust in his heavenly Father.Consider the story of the disciples crossing the
sea in a storm in,[Mark 4v 35ff],everyone was in danger of drowning,but Jesus was fast asleep,everyone else was fearful.Is it possible to reach that
degree of freedom from a lack of worry,to smile at the storm,to know
a totality of peace.?.It is a challenge,to aim at,that in a world of full of
uncertainties, we may enter into the peace of God that transcends all
understanding. The first thing we must focus on is what scripture has to say,for it has so much to say ,that can help us.I want you read something
,but not just to read it,but think about it,pray about it as you read it,it is Psalm 23.Tomorrow we will think more about worry and how we can overcome it.
A prayer.
Dear loving Heavenly Father, you know that we worry,we bring those things that are causing us fretful,and fearful thoughts,and ask that like our Saviour Jesus we may your peace.Amen
Wednesday, 13 April 2016
The church not perfect. [Ephesians 5 v26-27]
As I finish my study on 2 Corinthians,one can come away with a negative
impression of local church ,but we must get balance.In Philip Yancey's book ,Vanishing Grace,he deals with the church,and there is much one can see that is far from what it should be.On the other hand there are many in Gods church who are making a difference for the better in this needy world.
Philip quotes Eugene Peterson,,''When Christians believers gather in churches,everything that can go wrong sooner or later does.Outsiders,on observing this,conclude that there is nothing in this religion business except,perhaps business- and dishonest business at that. Insiders see it differently. Just as a hospital collects the sick under one roof and labels them as such, the church collects sinners.Many people outside the hospital
are every bit as sick as the ones inside,but their illnesses are either undiagnosed or disguised.It's similar with sinners outside the church.So Christian churches are not,as a rule,model communities of good behaviour. They are,rather ,places where human behaviour is brought out in the open and dealt with.''
The church is like us as individuals,a work in progress,but the Lord of the church will one day present her to himself, as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle,or any other blemish,but holy and blameless.[Ephesians 5 v27]
A prayer.
Dear Lord perfect your church that it may more reflect you ,help us to love
your church,as you love it Amen.
impression of local church ,but we must get balance.In Philip Yancey's book ,Vanishing Grace,he deals with the church,and there is much one can see that is far from what it should be.On the other hand there are many in Gods church who are making a difference for the better in this needy world.
Philip quotes Eugene Peterson,,''When Christians believers gather in churches,everything that can go wrong sooner or later does.Outsiders,on observing this,conclude that there is nothing in this religion business except,perhaps business- and dishonest business at that. Insiders see it differently. Just as a hospital collects the sick under one roof and labels them as such, the church collects sinners.Many people outside the hospital
are every bit as sick as the ones inside,but their illnesses are either undiagnosed or disguised.It's similar with sinners outside the church.So Christian churches are not,as a rule,model communities of good behaviour. They are,rather ,places where human behaviour is brought out in the open and dealt with.''
The church is like us as individuals,a work in progress,but the Lord of the church will one day present her to himself, as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle,or any other blemish,but holy and blameless.[Ephesians 5 v27]
A prayer.
Dear Lord perfect your church that it may more reflect you ,help us to love
your church,as you love it Amen.
Tuesday, 12 April 2016
Free at last. [ 1 Corinthians 6 v 9-11]
''The Achilles heel of man is his mind, since he is so prone to intellectual pride, especially in matters to do with religion.It was with unerring judgement about human vulnerability,therefore, that Satan blinded, not the
emotions,or the will,but the mind of man''[Paul Barnett][1 Corinthians 8 v1-2] One of the great and wonderful changes that come into our lives when we come to Christ,we begin to think different.No longer do we believe the lies of Satan,or society,we begin to have a new mind set.We begin to evaluate things differently,we see wonders of creation,we see the danger of riches,we who were once blind, now can see. Before we became a Christian our minds were full of sinful imaginations,these imaginations are strongholds.[2 Corinthians10 v5]In Romans 1 v16, we read that the gospel
of Christ is the power of God unto salvation,to everyone that believeth.
Writing to Christians at Corinth,Paul declares'' that the wicked shall not
inherit the Kingdom of God. Do not be deceived; Neither the sexually
immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers,nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders, nor thieves nor the greedy, nor drunkards nor slanders ,nor swindlers ''But he goes on to write that they had ceased from these things,when they trusted Christ[1 Corinthians 6 v9-11]Whatever bondage
we are in,Christ can deliver us from mind sets,that are destroying us.
A prayer.
Dear God we thank for Jesus your son,who died to forgive us,and to set us free,Amen.
emotions,or the will,but the mind of man''[Paul Barnett][1 Corinthians 8 v1-2] One of the great and wonderful changes that come into our lives when we come to Christ,we begin to think different.No longer do we believe the lies of Satan,or society,we begin to have a new mind set.We begin to evaluate things differently,we see wonders of creation,we see the danger of riches,we who were once blind, now can see. Before we became a Christian our minds were full of sinful imaginations,these imaginations are strongholds.[2 Corinthians10 v5]In Romans 1 v16, we read that the gospel
of Christ is the power of God unto salvation,to everyone that believeth.
Writing to Christians at Corinth,Paul declares'' that the wicked shall not
inherit the Kingdom of God. Do not be deceived; Neither the sexually
immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers,nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders, nor thieves nor the greedy, nor drunkards nor slanders ,nor swindlers ''But he goes on to write that they had ceased from these things,when they trusted Christ[1 Corinthians 6 v9-11]Whatever bondage
we are in,Christ can deliver us from mind sets,that are destroying us.
A prayer.
Dear God we thank for Jesus your son,who died to forgive us,and to set us free,Amen.
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