Why be Anxious When You Cannot Do It!

 Luke 12:22-32 

We can only do the things which we have control over. Other things which are beyond our control cannot be changed by us, so why do we worry. In Luke 12, Jesus warns us to avoid greed and not to be anxious in our lives over things we cannot control. In fact, Jesus tells us that we should seek the Kingdom of God and our needs will be met. 

In the Bible, anxiety means unduly worry about things that are beyond your control. Believers of Christ are not to live with anxiety. As human beings, we will have worries, but Jesus warns us about worries that are not spiritual. Some worries are important and need our attention, such as worry about being obedient to God. There are other worries that occupy our minds, and we do not involve God with those worries.

We need to bring all our worries to God. Jesus also warns us not to worry about what is beyond our control. We worry about things that are not essential. (Luke 12:22-23) When we do this we start not to appreciate the things that God has given us. Jesus also warns us not to worry about the things we have no control. (Luke 12:25-26) If we cannot do anything about these things, than why worry. We cannot go beyond our capacity, but we can maximize our potential (Luke 12:24).  

A heart that falls into anxiety cannot appreciate what God has given us or what is at hand. Much the same a heart that falls into anxiety does not have faith and that faith cannot grow. 

How can a believer avoid falling into anxiety?

We will find ourselves in situations that ate beyond our control. This is life. Therefore we need to have a heart that fears God.  A heart that fears God acknowledges that God is in control and is able to understand God's sovereignty. Although we may lack, we will know God is in control and give what is needed to meet His purposes. Acknowledge the Lordship in your life and you will guard your heart from anxiety. 

We must also seek the kingdom of God daily. We need to seek His ways. In other words, we must make an effort not to be anxious. We need to refuse to fall into anxiety. Speak what Jesus has spoken to your life. Master your fears, your emotions. 

The enemy wants you to be afraid of those things you cannot control and to become powerless towards the things you can do. Do you what you can and leave the rest to God.

"The Shepherd and His Sheep"(John 10:1-15)

John 10:1-15

In John 10:1-15, we read of how Jesus is speaking to the Pharisees. Before this parable was given, Jesus had healed a blind man on the Sabbath. The Pharisees tried to use this to make Jesus look unfavorable. So Jesus rebukes the Pharisees through the parable of the sheep and the shepherd. Jesus was trying to make the point that the Pharisees did not guide people to a personal relationship with God. In fact, the Jewish leaders just added burdens to the people. The main funtion of the religious leaders was to bring the people into a personal relationship with the creator. These same leaders had failed whereas Jesus fulfiled that function to bring people closer to God. 

We are the sheep and we need a good shepherd. We need a good shepherd who would call each sheep by its name. Jesus also makes the point that the sheep know the voice of the shepherd but not the voice of the enemy. Moreover, the sheep will flee from the stranger's voice. It is the desire of Jesus to instruct us like friends. 

Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.  You are my friends if you do what I command you.  No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. 

John 15:13‭-‬15 ESV 

Jesus guides us, but he has also chosen us to do good works. 

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. 

John 15:16 ESV 

Have we ascended to that personal level that we can say we are friends? Are we still struggling with listening and obeying His voice?   Jesus desires us to have a personal relationship with Him. Although the parable was originally given to the Pharisees, it is also meant for us. 

The membership of the flock was made possible by the shedding of His blood and sacrifice. Because Jesus sacrificed His life, he is the true owner of the flock. He will never leave us and if Jesus gave up His life for us, than how much more will Jesus give us to meet our needs.  Jesus went through every kind of test that we might go through.  

Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. 

Hebrews 4:14‭-‬15 ESV 

Jesus leads us by his spoken word. He calls us out by our names and knows all our weaknesses and faults. We can go to him honestly and hide nothing. However, our first responsability is to know the shepherd's voice. We need to listen for Jesus' voice. Jesus has taken the initiative to make his voice heard by us, and He has done this by His spirit. 

For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, "Abba! Father!" The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. 

Romans 8:15‭-‬17 ESV 

We are not left alone to seek Jesus. We have His spirit to help us to know him. But we must be willing to listen and to suffer through obedience. We often fail to the will of the Shepherd because we fail to listen. 

Thus it is written, "The first man Adam became a living being"; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. But it is not the spiritual that is first but the natural, and then the spiritual. The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven. As was the man of dust, so also are those who are of the dust, and as is the man of heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. 

1 Corinthians 15:45‭-‬48 ESV 

We have a role from turning away from sin and disobedience. The sheep will not follow but rather will flee from the stranger. We need to deliberately turn away from other voices. The enemy will not give you an easy game. There are some voices that are too much for us that we need to flee. They will not go away automatically or easily. There are others which need much more deliberate action to run away. Let us listen and accept His voice which has good purpose for us. 

A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers." 

John 10:5 ESV 

What to Do When the Lord Seems Withdrawn at the Hour of Need Part II

1 Kings 19:10-14 

In last week's sermon we learned how Elijah was a prophet whom God used mightily. Elijah tells King Ahab and Queen Jezebel that there would be a drought because of the wickedness of their kingdom. Then after the three-year drought, Elijah defeats and kills the 850 prophets of Baal.  Very soon after Elijah's victory, Jezebel orders Elijah's execution. Elijah becomes distraught over this declaration. 

Like Elijah every Christian has a purpose. Jesus chose us to bear fruit, and we have specific fruit to bear. This purpose is made to each one of us differently. We all need the grace of God to produce this fruit. In John 15:16, we read that all Christians are called for a purpose. If you do not do your calling, no one else will do it. Your purpose could be raising your children, or witnessing in your workplace.  

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. 

John 15:16 ESV 

In Elijah's time there were few faithful people. We need to become an Elijah when there are few faithful people. Just like Elijah, we need to ...

1. 1. See our hidden self-realization 
2. 2. Develop our spiritual muscles 
3. 3. Remind ourselves of God's character 
4. 4. Achieve God's greater purpose 

If this is what God is up to, then what should I do when God is far away? We can look at Elijah's example. He goes before the Lord and shows his true heart. This is the best example of what to do. Go back to God.  

For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, "Abba! Father!" 

Romans 8:15 ESV 

This allows God to work on Elijah's heart. Elijah has an image of God, who is a military power that has never been defeated. We see this when Elijah addresses God as "the Lord of Hosts". Yet, God does not rebuke Elijah. God listens to Elijah's complaints and then God responds and responds in different ways to Elijah. 

In one way, God can respond and give the solution. We saw this with the Elijah and the widow's son in 1 Kings 17:17-24. God brings back to life the widow's son after Elijah prays to God to restore the boy's life.

Another way God may respond is to give an interim solution. In other words, God gives sustaining grace. God may not completely or immeidtely resolve our dilema, but provide enough for us to overcome. This is an example with Elijah being fed by the ravens in 1 Kings 17:1-7. Elijah is further shown how God is supporting Elijah as we read about Obadiah hiding and feeding the 100 prophets of God in 1 Kings 18:7-15. Paul understands the God's interim solution is sometimes necessary and will be better than an immediate solution.

But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 

2 Corinthians 12:9 ESV 

We must remember to bring relentlessly our prayers and petitions to God. We must establish the understanding of God's presence which is always there. Jesus will never leave you. His spirit in us guarantees those moments which are difficult.

teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age." 

Matthew 28:20 ESV 

 Some advice:

3. 1. Seek and utilize the provided grace. When we confine ourselves to the problem we don't always take advantage of the grace provided. 
4. 2. Reflect on our growth. God is trying to show us our virtues and vices. 
5. 3. Learn to read what God is telling you. Objectively learn what God is revealing to you. 

God's presence is there and He has a purpose for us. Even in the low moments, God will never leave us. We need to be postive in Christ.