WEBVTT 00:00:38.229 --> 00:00:45.429 It's also just man. Y 'all did great. Thank you. 00:00:47.409 --> 00:00:48.950 If you've never been here on a Wednesday night 00:00:48.950 --> 00:00:54.030 with our worship band, youth worship band, you 00:00:54.030 --> 00:00:58.850 just experienced it and I'm just incredibly proud 00:00:58.850 --> 00:01:00.469 of all of you and how the Lord is using you in 00:01:00.469 --> 00:01:04.670 this place. We also want to make an announcement 00:01:04.670 --> 00:01:09.170 that it's graduation season. And we have these 00:01:09.170 --> 00:01:11.750 forms or these pieces of paper on the welcome 00:01:11.750 --> 00:01:15.530 center. Some people also call this pulled pork 00:01:15.530 --> 00:01:21.489 season. And so we have eight graduating seniors 00:01:21.489 --> 00:01:25.290 this year, which makes me sad. But we also want 00:01:25.290 --> 00:01:29.730 to invite you and encourage you to come celebrate 00:01:29.730 --> 00:01:34.290 them and their parties. Just bless them abundantly. 00:01:34.349 --> 00:01:36.590 And so please make sure you grab one of those 00:01:36.590 --> 00:01:39.310 We'll also put that on our church app here this 00:01:39.310 --> 00:01:40.890 week just so you know because there's a lot of 00:01:40.890 --> 00:01:42.930 them Just so you know where they are if you have 00:01:42.930 --> 00:01:45.629 your Bibles Matthew 6 is where we will be this 00:01:45.629 --> 00:01:48.609 morning We're going to finish Matthew chapter 00:01:48.609 --> 00:01:53.739 6 the words of Jesus that we are looking at this 00:01:53.739 --> 00:01:56.260 morning are probably applicable to all of us. 00:01:56.400 --> 00:01:58.659 I know it's Mother's Day, but these words are 00:01:58.659 --> 00:02:01.959 applicable to all of us. Jesus is going to get 00:02:01.959 --> 00:02:05.659 to the heart of our struggle this morning as 00:02:05.659 --> 00:02:09.219 He teaches us about anxiousness and as He teaches 00:02:09.219 --> 00:02:12.180 us about worrying. And I believe we can all relate 00:02:12.180 --> 00:02:15.159 to that. We all worry about something sometime. 00:02:15.639 --> 00:02:17.919 But you mothers in particular there's this old 00:02:17.919 --> 00:02:20.139 saying about mothers that that you hopefully 00:02:20.139 --> 00:02:22.979 or maybe you can relate to It says that it's 00:02:22.979 --> 00:02:26.379 a mother's job to worry right like that's your 00:02:26.379 --> 00:02:29.860 responsibility But but but the reality is we 00:02:29.860 --> 00:02:34.060 all worry about something or someone Some of 00:02:34.060 --> 00:02:37.879 you struggle with crippling anxiety Some struggle 00:02:37.879 --> 00:02:41.939 with panic attacks and your whole life is spent 00:02:41.939 --> 00:02:47.509 in a constant state of worry Several years ago, 00:02:47.750 --> 00:02:53.090 when we just had two kids, Sina went to a conference 00:02:53.090 --> 00:02:54.949 out of town. I don't remember what it was, but 00:02:54.949 --> 00:02:57.469 she was gone for the weekend, and she took Asher 00:02:57.469 --> 00:03:00.050 with her, because Asher was still nursing at 00:03:00.050 --> 00:03:03.129 the time, so it was just me and Adélie for the 00:03:03.129 --> 00:03:06.669 whole weekend. Now, I don't do well just sitting 00:03:06.669 --> 00:03:09.689 around the house doing nothing, trying to entertain 00:03:09.689 --> 00:03:12.750 a two -year -old. And so I was like, we got to 00:03:12.750 --> 00:03:15.259 go out and do something. We can't just sit here 00:03:15.259 --> 00:03:18.599 and do nothing. And so Sina was gone. It was 00:03:18.599 --> 00:03:21.580 my job to entertain a two -year -old for a few 00:03:21.580 --> 00:03:25.199 days. And so I began to make plans. And Adelie 00:03:25.199 --> 00:03:27.780 was always up for an adventure. She was always 00:03:27.780 --> 00:03:31.039 just a really fun baby to be around. And so she 00:03:31.039 --> 00:03:32.319 was always up for it. And I thought it would 00:03:32.319 --> 00:03:36.340 be a good idea to take her to the lake for the 00:03:36.340 --> 00:03:40.460 day. And so the night before, I'm thinking through 00:03:40.460 --> 00:03:44.150 all the things that could go wrong. Me taking 00:03:44.150 --> 00:03:47.069 my daughter to the lake. And so I began to make 00:03:47.069 --> 00:03:48.669 a list of all the things I need to make sure 00:03:48.669 --> 00:03:50.889 I bring and all the things that could possibly 00:03:50.889 --> 00:03:53.370 go wrong. And I was a little frustrated because 00:03:53.370 --> 00:03:55.789 honestly, Adley wasn't even contributing at all 00:03:55.789 --> 00:03:58.400 to this. trip that we were planning together, 00:03:58.400 --> 00:04:01.680 right? And so I got food together. I got the 00:04:01.680 --> 00:04:03.860 diapers together. I got a couple changes of clothes 00:04:03.860 --> 00:04:07.060 because I made that mistake in the past. I made 00:04:07.060 --> 00:04:08.819 sure the lights on our trailer were working. 00:04:08.900 --> 00:04:11.460 I made sure the tires were in good shape and 00:04:11.460 --> 00:04:14.139 everything was secure. I remember I had my wallet 00:04:14.139 --> 00:04:17.220 and I had a bunch of cash because you never know 00:04:17.220 --> 00:04:20.100 if you will end up at a place that didn't take 00:04:20.100 --> 00:04:22.259 cards at the time. Like this was before Venmo. 00:04:22.800 --> 00:04:25.560 You couldn't just pay whatever. And so we made 00:04:25.560 --> 00:04:29.040 it to the lake. I get our jet ski into the water. 00:04:29.160 --> 00:04:31.560 I get Adelie out and make sure she has a clean 00:04:31.560 --> 00:04:33.899 diaper Because we don't want that stuff floating 00:04:33.899 --> 00:04:36.899 around the lake, right? So make sure she's clean 00:04:36.899 --> 00:04:38.920 and then we just go out on the lake We have a 00:04:38.920 --> 00:04:40.519 great couple hours on like do you remember this 00:04:40.519 --> 00:04:45.680 trip? anyway It's bad when she remembers it, 00:04:46.120 --> 00:04:49.220 right? So we just have a great day on the lake 00:04:49.220 --> 00:04:51.480 and she was just giggling the whole the whole 00:04:51.480 --> 00:04:54.339 day is a great day So we get back to the shore. 00:04:54.560 --> 00:04:57.079 I get everything back, put on the trailer, secure 00:04:57.079 --> 00:05:00.459 it. I get Adley in her car seat, change her dry 00:05:00.459 --> 00:05:03.100 clothes, all that stuff. And everything just 00:05:03.100 --> 00:05:05.639 went really great. And I was just really proud 00:05:05.639 --> 00:05:12.720 of myself. We began the journey home. And I began 00:05:12.720 --> 00:05:15.360 to think, man, I'm worried about nothing. I don't 00:05:15.360 --> 00:05:20.220 need no woman in my life telling me how to raise 00:05:20.220 --> 00:05:25.250 my kids, right? I'm responsible. I can take care 00:05:25.250 --> 00:05:27.509 of Adily without Cena. Like look at me growing 00:05:27.509 --> 00:05:30.110 up, right? Like these are the things I had going 00:05:30.110 --> 00:05:33.230 through my head. And I pull up to the gas station 00:05:33.230 --> 00:05:34.889 because we didn't have any, you know, we were 00:05:34.889 --> 00:05:36.589 on empty, we didn't have enough gas to get home. 00:05:36.610 --> 00:05:40.589 So I pull up to the gas station to get some gas 00:05:40.589 --> 00:05:45.810 and I realize I don't have my wallet. And I know 00:05:45.810 --> 00:05:47.670 I had it when we got to the lake because I did 00:05:47.670 --> 00:05:49.310 the pat down, right? We all do the pat down. 00:05:49.610 --> 00:05:51.329 Make sure we have our stuff with us. I know I 00:05:51.329 --> 00:05:54.399 had it. But I assume, while we were bouncing 00:05:54.399 --> 00:05:57.399 on the water, my wallet fell out of my shorts 00:05:57.399 --> 00:06:00.939 and is at the bottom of the lake somewhere. I 00:06:00.939 --> 00:06:03.740 mean, I had nothing. I was an hour away from 00:06:03.740 --> 00:06:07.459 home. I'm with my two -year -old daughter. My 00:06:07.459 --> 00:06:10.519 wife's out of town, and we are stranded. I mean, 00:06:10.660 --> 00:06:13.519 we have cheese sticks and applesauce is all I 00:06:13.519 --> 00:06:17.199 have to make it through this night. All of that 00:06:17.199 --> 00:06:20.500 worrying, all of that planning. to make sure 00:06:20.500 --> 00:06:22.459 that all of my bases were covered and something 00:06:22.459 --> 00:06:27.139 still went wrong. For those of us that worry, 00:06:27.160 --> 00:06:30.579 Jesus has a lesson for us this morning. And I'm 00:06:30.579 --> 00:06:33.079 going to invite Matthew up here this morning 00:06:33.079 --> 00:06:37.000 to read our text and then we will dive in. Matthew 00:06:37.000 --> 00:06:41.000 is filling in for Jordy who is apparently sick. 00:06:41.579 --> 00:06:44.519 So if you will stand as we honor the Lord's word 00:06:44.519 --> 00:06:46.740 together. Matthew is going to read verses 25 00:06:46.740 --> 00:06:49.879 through 34. Therefore, I tell you, do not be 00:06:49.879 --> 00:06:51.839 anxious about your life, what you will eat or 00:06:51.839 --> 00:06:53.879 what you will drink, nor about your body, what 00:06:53.879 --> 00:06:56.699 you will put on. It is not life more than food, 00:06:56.959 --> 00:06:59.060 and is the body more than clothing. Look at the 00:06:59.060 --> 00:07:01.360 birds of the air. They neither reap nor sow nor 00:07:01.360 --> 00:07:04.519 gather into barns, and yet your Heavenly Father 00:07:04.519 --> 00:07:07.069 feeds them. Are you not more value than they? 00:07:07.410 --> 00:07:09.709 And which of you, by being anxious, can add a 00:07:09.709 --> 00:07:12.050 single hour to the span of life? And why are 00:07:12.050 --> 00:07:14.129 you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies 00:07:14.129 --> 00:07:16.290 of the field how they grow. They neither toil 00:07:16.290 --> 00:07:19.110 nor spin. Yet I tell you, even Solomon in all 00:07:19.110 --> 00:07:21.009 of his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 00:07:21.780 --> 00:07:25.040 But if God so closes the grass of the field which 00:07:25.040 --> 00:07:26.860 today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the 00:07:26.860 --> 00:07:31.079 oven He will not much more clothe you. Oh you 00:07:31.079 --> 00:07:33.939 of little faith Therefore do not be anxious saying 00:07:33.939 --> 00:07:36.040 what shall we eat or what shall we drink or what 00:07:36.040 --> 00:07:38.180 shall we wear? For the Gentiles seek after all 00:07:38.180 --> 00:07:40.759 these things and your heavenly Father knows that 00:07:40.759 --> 00:07:43.060 you need them all But seek first the kingdom 00:07:43.060 --> 00:07:44.779 of God and His righteousness and all these things 00:07:44.779 --> 00:07:47.060 will be added to you Therefore do not be anxious 00:07:47.060 --> 00:07:49.259 about tomorrow for tomorrow will be anxious for 00:07:49.259 --> 00:07:51.939 herself sufficient for the day is its own trouble 00:07:51.939 --> 00:07:54.279 Amen, let's pray father. Thank you for Matthew 00:07:54.279 --> 00:07:56.800 Just thank you for the spirit that you've put 00:07:56.800 --> 00:07:59.079 inside of him Thank you for how you're using 00:07:59.079 --> 00:08:01.620 him in this place I pray God that you continue 00:08:01.620 --> 00:08:03.759 to give him a deep desire to know you in your 00:08:03.759 --> 00:08:07.000 word. I pray father that as we look at this text 00:08:07.000 --> 00:08:10.300 I pray God that you'll speak to our hearts through 00:08:10.300 --> 00:08:14.180 it. I pray that you will remind us that you hold 00:08:14.180 --> 00:08:16.569 us in your hands We ask all these things in Jesus' 00:08:16.769 --> 00:08:23.709 name. Amen. Now, I think it would be fair to 00:08:23.709 --> 00:08:26.810 say, I think it would be a fair statement to 00:08:26.810 --> 00:08:29.129 say that all of us worry about something. Is 00:08:29.129 --> 00:08:31.689 that a fair statement? We all are worried about 00:08:31.689 --> 00:08:34.610 something. We worry about money. We worry about 00:08:34.610 --> 00:08:36.990 our kids. We worry about our health. We worry 00:08:36.990 --> 00:08:40.269 about relationships that we have. We worry about 00:08:40.269 --> 00:08:43.649 the future, right? We can acknowledge that we 00:08:43.649 --> 00:08:47.350 worry about things. And so and so Jesus in this 00:08:47.350 --> 00:08:50.169 text acknowledges the reality that we are going 00:08:50.169 --> 00:08:53.889 to worry. We have a tendency to worry. He knows 00:08:53.889 --> 00:08:57.470 we are going to worry. He knows our hearts. He 00:08:57.470 --> 00:09:01.169 knows the temptations. But here he also challenges 00:09:01.169 --> 00:09:04.850 the ineffectiveness of it, that it doesn't work. 00:09:05.149 --> 00:09:07.590 So he tells his followers, he's telling you and 00:09:07.590 --> 00:09:12.259 I don't be anxious about your life. He then lists 00:09:12.259 --> 00:09:15.820 some essential elements of our lives that we 00:09:15.820 --> 00:09:20.100 tend to worry about. Now in this culture, in 00:09:20.100 --> 00:09:22.960 our country, in this area, maybe we don't worry 00:09:22.960 --> 00:09:27.220 about our next meal. We all have access to water 00:09:27.220 --> 00:09:31.240 anytime we want it. We have closets full of clothes. 00:09:32.940 --> 00:09:35.139 I really expected an amen from some of you men. 00:09:37.320 --> 00:09:39.360 But I want to be careful that we don't miss the 00:09:39.360 --> 00:09:43.289 heart of this text. We might not worry about 00:09:43.289 --> 00:09:46.950 those things, but we do worry about what we can 00:09:46.950 --> 00:09:50.009 control when it comes to the essential things 00:09:50.009 --> 00:09:53.929 in our lives. What would you consider to be essential 00:09:53.929 --> 00:10:01.350 in your life? Your home? Your car? Clothing your 00:10:01.350 --> 00:10:03.509 children because they keep out growing things 00:10:03.509 --> 00:10:07.330 every three months? I mean, when we worry, it 00:10:07.330 --> 00:10:10.679 steals our... peace in who God is. It steals 00:10:10.679 --> 00:10:14.919 our peace because He cares for us. It distracts 00:10:14.919 --> 00:10:19.419 us and it forces us to take matters into our 00:10:19.419 --> 00:10:23.399 own hands. We begin to do things like work overtime 00:10:23.399 --> 00:10:27.000 because we need to make a little extra in order 00:10:27.000 --> 00:10:30.740 to pay for our lifestyle. We begin to worry about 00:10:30.740 --> 00:10:33.120 the types of clothes we wear because we want 00:10:33.120 --> 00:10:37.460 to impress others. peer pressure doesn't stop 00:10:37.460 --> 00:10:41.860 after high school. Now, back in the time that 00:10:41.860 --> 00:10:45.820 Jesus walked the earth, the majority of the people 00:10:45.820 --> 00:10:48.620 only had a couple options when it came to eating. 00:10:49.159 --> 00:10:52.840 They had bread, and they had fish, and they had 00:10:52.840 --> 00:10:56.639 fruit. But even worse, in the wilderness, they 00:10:56.639 --> 00:10:59.480 didn't even have those options. They got bread 00:10:59.480 --> 00:11:02.649 from heaven. That was the option. For 40 years, 00:11:02.990 --> 00:11:06.190 that's what they had. Today, in this culture, 00:11:06.529 --> 00:11:10.330 in our life, we have so many options which makes 00:11:10.330 --> 00:11:14.090 it difficult to choose what to eat and that alone 00:11:14.090 --> 00:11:16.370 creates problems. I mean, how many of you have 00:11:16.370 --> 00:11:17.970 gotten into an argument with your spouse because 00:11:17.970 --> 00:11:20.350 you can't decide where to eat? You can't decide 00:11:20.350 --> 00:11:23.450 which restaurant to go to. Do you want pizza 00:11:23.450 --> 00:11:26.009 or do you want a steakhouse? Do we want Mexican 00:11:26.009 --> 00:11:28.759 food or do we want Asian food? And then when 00:11:28.759 --> 00:11:31.419 you finally decide one of those, they put a menu 00:11:31.419 --> 00:11:33.519 in front of you and you have 25 more options 00:11:33.519 --> 00:11:38.240 of trying to decide what to eat. Options are 00:11:38.240 --> 00:11:41.820 a part of what is killing our dependency on God 00:11:41.820 --> 00:11:46.370 providing for us. Because we have so many options, 00:11:46.549 --> 00:11:50.590 we fail to rely on God. If we can't afford to 00:11:50.590 --> 00:11:52.730 go to a steakhouse this week, that's okay. We 00:11:52.730 --> 00:11:54.809 don't need to rely on God. We can go to the grocery 00:11:54.809 --> 00:11:56.809 store and pick up a rotisserie chicken for six 00:11:56.809 --> 00:12:01.350 bucks and feed the family. Now my kids have never 00:12:01.350 --> 00:12:05.500 gone without shoes. Now maybe they've gone without 00:12:05.500 --> 00:12:07.399 enough shoes depending on which kid you ask, 00:12:07.399 --> 00:12:10.860 but they've never gone without shoes But recently 00:12:10.860 --> 00:12:16.980 one of my kids has decided That he can only wear 00:12:16.980 --> 00:12:23.740 Air Jordans Now if you're unaware Air Jordans 00:12:23.740 --> 00:12:28.879 are not the cheapest shoe and I have a hard time 00:12:28.879 --> 00:12:34.799 buying a pair of $150 shoes that he is going 00:12:34.799 --> 00:12:42.259 to destroy in a month because he's eight. But 00:12:42.259 --> 00:12:47.279 somehow, somehow he's gotten it in his head that 00:12:47.279 --> 00:12:52.000 those shoes bring him value. He didn't get that 00:12:52.000 --> 00:12:55.210 from us. He didn't get that from us. He's getting 00:12:55.210 --> 00:12:57.909 it from the culture in which he interacts with 00:12:57.909 --> 00:13:00.509 every single day. He can look at a pair of shoes 00:13:00.509 --> 00:13:03.350 from Walmart sitting next to a pair of Air Jordans, 00:13:03.490 --> 00:13:06.250 and he's going to think that the Air Jordans 00:13:06.250 --> 00:13:09.850 are what he needs. I mean, how many of us are 00:13:09.850 --> 00:13:14.850 the same way? What Jesus is doing in this text 00:13:14.850 --> 00:13:18.429 is reminding us of the reality of our worry, 00:13:18.450 --> 00:13:21.710 and he's inviting us to see the value that we 00:13:21.710 --> 00:13:24.590 have through his eyes. He's inviting us to see 00:13:24.590 --> 00:13:28.750 that we are worthy because we are His. But why 00:13:28.750 --> 00:13:32.730 do we worry? Because I think the reason that 00:13:32.730 --> 00:13:35.950 we worry is much different than why the disciples 00:13:35.950 --> 00:13:39.789 worry. They would worry out of their scarcity, 00:13:40.909 --> 00:13:45.169 where we worry out of our abundance. There's 00:13:45.169 --> 00:13:47.750 this old saying from the famous philosopher, 00:13:49.610 --> 00:13:58.220 notorious B -I -G. where he says, mo money, mo 00:13:58.220 --> 00:14:03.600 problems. Now we don't worry about where our 00:14:03.600 --> 00:14:07.019 next meal is going to come from. We have access 00:14:07.019 --> 00:14:10.940 to water anytime we want it. Clothing isn't really 00:14:10.940 --> 00:14:13.840 an issue because even if we don't have money 00:14:13.840 --> 00:14:16.919 to buy clothes, there's clothes closets all around 00:14:16.919 --> 00:14:19.519 us that will give you free clothes if you need 00:14:19.519 --> 00:14:24.529 it. But somehow, we are the most anxious generation 00:14:24.529 --> 00:14:30.990 that has ever existed. Since COVID, anxiety medication 00:14:30.990 --> 00:14:36.649 has been prescribed 66 % more than ever. That's 00:14:36.649 --> 00:14:39.629 just in the last five years. Emergency room visits 00:14:39.629 --> 00:14:42.549 for mental health issues has increased nearly 00:14:42.549 --> 00:14:47.970 20%. Suicide rates amongst teenagers has nearly 00:14:47.970 --> 00:14:52.899 doubled. over the last five years. At the same 00:14:52.899 --> 00:14:57.320 time, home sizes have nearly tripled over the 00:14:57.320 --> 00:15:02.700 last 30 years. The percentage of income to transportation 00:15:02.700 --> 00:15:06.059 expenses, which includes your car payments, has 00:15:06.059 --> 00:15:10.419 nearly doubled in the last 12 years. While all 00:15:10.419 --> 00:15:12.820 of this has been happening in the culture around 00:15:12.820 --> 00:15:15.700 us, we're seeing a decrease in church attendance 00:15:15.700 --> 00:15:18.730 across the country. Now I'm no mental health 00:15:18.730 --> 00:15:22.309 professional, but when I look at those statistics, 00:15:23.289 --> 00:15:26.970 I become concerned because we have more stuff 00:15:26.970 --> 00:15:29.750 than we've ever had before and yet our mental 00:15:29.750 --> 00:15:34.610 health is declining. Worry and anxiety are prevalent 00:15:34.610 --> 00:15:37.110 throughout the church. in the world. You can't 00:15:37.110 --> 00:15:39.610 tell the difference. What I see happening is 00:15:39.610 --> 00:15:43.809 our worry has shifted from worrying about essential 00:15:43.809 --> 00:15:46.370 things like are we going to eat today or are 00:15:46.370 --> 00:15:48.330 we going to drink today or do we have clothes 00:15:48.330 --> 00:15:51.970 for our back to worrying about making sure that 00:15:51.970 --> 00:15:55.909 we keep the stuff that we have accumulated. I 00:15:55.909 --> 00:15:57.870 read a story about a successful businessman who 00:15:57.870 --> 00:16:01.000 had it all. He had a thriving company, a beautiful 00:16:01.000 --> 00:16:04.879 home, garage full of cars. He lived what many 00:16:04.879 --> 00:16:07.600 of us would call a life of abundance. He needed 00:16:07.600 --> 00:16:11.700 for nothing. But every night, he'd pace his office 00:16:11.700 --> 00:16:16.899 worrying. What if the market crashes? What if 00:16:16.899 --> 00:16:20.799 I lose a big client? What if somebody breaks 00:16:20.799 --> 00:16:26.240 in and steals my stuff? He had so much to lose. 00:16:28.909 --> 00:16:34.990 And his abundance became a burden. One day his 00:16:34.990 --> 00:16:36.750 young daughter saw him pacing around and asked 00:16:36.750 --> 00:16:40.110 daddy, why are you so scared when we have so 00:16:40.110 --> 00:16:45.230 much? Her question stopped him cold. He realized 00:16:45.230 --> 00:16:49.250 he was worrying out of his abundance. His fear 00:16:49.250 --> 00:16:53.470 of losing what he had was stealing the joy of 00:16:53.470 --> 00:16:55.669 what God had given him. He couldn't even enjoy 00:16:55.669 --> 00:16:58.610 the stuff that he had because he was so concerned 00:16:58.610 --> 00:17:02.789 about losing it. How often do you and I do the 00:17:02.789 --> 00:17:09.009 same? Where we let our blessings become the very 00:17:09.009 --> 00:17:12.089 source of our anxiety instead of trusting God 00:17:12.089 --> 00:17:16.170 with all that we have. Are your things robbing 00:17:16.170 --> 00:17:21.700 you of joy? We are the most technologically advanced 00:17:21.700 --> 00:17:24.640 generation that has ever lived on the face of 00:17:24.640 --> 00:17:28.519 the earth. We have more money than ever before. 00:17:29.819 --> 00:17:33.539 We have smaller families than in the past. We 00:17:33.539 --> 00:17:37.539 have larger houses than in the past and yet we 00:17:37.539 --> 00:17:42.259 are increasingly more anxious. I spoke with a 00:17:42.259 --> 00:17:45.519 mental health professional yesterday and she 00:17:45.519 --> 00:17:50.119 said that if she works 80 hours a week until 00:17:50.119 --> 00:17:53.900 she was 90, so about 20 more years or so. Oh, 00:17:53.920 --> 00:17:57.940 more than that. If she worked 80 hours a week 00:17:57.940 --> 00:18:02.700 for the next 20 years, she wouldn't even be able 00:18:02.700 --> 00:18:05.960 to make it through the waiting list of people 00:18:05.960 --> 00:18:09.900 that needed help. You and I are not worried about 00:18:09.900 --> 00:18:14.079 our next meal. We are worried out of our abundance. 00:18:14.490 --> 00:18:18.029 And because we have so much abundance, our mental 00:18:18.029 --> 00:18:23.470 health as a society is crumbling. So Jesus says, 00:18:23.470 --> 00:18:25.569 I know you're prone to worry. You have this tendency. 00:18:27.069 --> 00:18:29.250 And so if we know that we're prone to worry, 00:18:29.490 --> 00:18:31.910 and we know that worry isn't always out of need, 00:18:31.930 --> 00:18:33.970 but it's actually out of abundance, how do we 00:18:33.970 --> 00:18:37.650 fix that? How do we fix it? Jesus tells us in 00:18:37.650 --> 00:18:41.200 verse 33, we are to seek his kingdom first. We 00:18:41.200 --> 00:18:44.140 are to seek His righteousness first. And so let's 00:18:44.140 --> 00:18:46.660 look at what that looks like practically. Now 00:18:46.660 --> 00:18:48.279 we've been talking about this for several weeks 00:18:48.279 --> 00:18:51.339 already, but it's always good to be reminded. 00:18:51.980 --> 00:18:56.519 Now real quick, a good litmus test for you. To 00:18:56.519 --> 00:18:59.339 understanding where your priorities are is by 00:18:59.339 --> 00:19:02.400 asking yourself, what is the first thing that 00:19:02.400 --> 00:19:05.039 I think about in the morning? What's the first 00:19:05.039 --> 00:19:08.220 thing that crosses my mind? Is it the things 00:19:08.220 --> 00:19:11.720 that need to get done that day? Is it your to 00:19:11.720 --> 00:19:16.180 -do list? Or do you wonder what does God want 00:19:16.180 --> 00:19:20.920 to do through me today? Is it what can I accomplish 00:19:20.920 --> 00:19:23.680 or what does God want to accomplish through me? 00:19:23.940 --> 00:19:26.119 If it's on what we want to accomplish, if it's 00:19:26.119 --> 00:19:28.059 on our to -do list, if it's on the things that 00:19:28.059 --> 00:19:29.619 we want to control, we're not seeking his kingdom 00:19:29.619 --> 00:19:32.279 first, we're seeking our kingdom first. Do you 00:19:32.279 --> 00:19:35.859 have any margin built into your day that allows 00:19:35.859 --> 00:19:38.769 the Lord to move? Do you have that flexibility? 00:19:39.130 --> 00:19:42.049 Do you start your day in prayer by giving God 00:19:42.049 --> 00:19:45.529 praise and asking that his will be done in your 00:19:45.529 --> 00:19:48.890 life? So if you want to understand the heart 00:19:48.890 --> 00:19:51.250 of God, if you want to seek his kingdom first, 00:19:51.369 --> 00:19:56.549 you need to spend time in his word. There isn't 00:19:56.549 --> 00:19:59.509 a set amount of time that you need to spend, 00:19:59.670 --> 00:20:01.769 and there isn't an amount of verses that you 00:20:01.769 --> 00:20:03.730 need to go through each and every day in order 00:20:03.730 --> 00:20:06.099 to make that happen. I think sometimes we get 00:20:06.099 --> 00:20:08.299 burdened by, well, I got to spend an hour long 00:20:08.299 --> 00:20:10.500 time in prayer. I got to read through two or 00:20:10.500 --> 00:20:13.539 three chapters of God's Word in order to understand 00:20:13.539 --> 00:20:16.200 his heart. But I'm going to challenge you on 00:20:16.200 --> 00:20:21.880 that. What if, what if for the next week, you 00:20:21.880 --> 00:20:28.339 just focused on and prayed over verse 33. But 00:20:28.339 --> 00:20:31.900 seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness. 00:20:32.509 --> 00:20:40.490 What if you prayed over that every morning? God, 00:20:40.490 --> 00:20:43.769 help me seek your kingdom first today. In everything 00:20:43.769 --> 00:20:47.309 I do, help me seek your kingdom first. As you 00:20:47.309 --> 00:20:50.150 walk into a meeting, just pray over that. God, 00:20:50.150 --> 00:20:53.269 let my righteousness be yours as I have this 00:20:53.269 --> 00:20:55.609 conversation. As you make a big decision, God, 00:20:55.650 --> 00:21:00.630 show me how this fits into your plan for my life. 00:21:02.309 --> 00:21:07.509 Now yesterday, my phone, because we're the most 00:21:07.509 --> 00:21:10.650 technologically advanced generation ever, my 00:21:10.650 --> 00:21:14.950 phone told me that I picked up my phone 63 times. 00:21:16.589 --> 00:21:20.470 Now don't judge me, look at yours. Don't be judging 00:21:20.470 --> 00:21:25.470 me. So every time I pick up my phone, I would 00:21:25.470 --> 00:21:29.500 see a picture of my children. And I'm not saying 00:21:29.500 --> 00:21:32.000 it all like for 63 times, I was like, oh, just 00:21:32.000 --> 00:21:33.619 great, you know, praise God for my children, 00:21:33.680 --> 00:21:36.279 or I was praying for my, but for sure, several 00:21:36.279 --> 00:21:38.240 times throughout the day, I'll look at my phone 00:21:38.240 --> 00:21:39.680 and I'll see my children, I'll just give God 00:21:39.680 --> 00:21:42.059 praise for them. And so I was thinking about 00:21:42.059 --> 00:21:45.000 this last night, and so I changed my home screen, 00:21:45.039 --> 00:21:48.920 if you will, and it just says, seek first the 00:21:48.920 --> 00:21:51.740 kingdom of God. Just seek first the kingdom of 00:21:51.740 --> 00:21:54.380 God. And so hopefully, 63 times today, that just 00:21:54.380 --> 00:21:58.589 counted as one. Hopefully, I'll be reminded 63 00:21:58.589 --> 00:22:02.029 times at least, seek first the kingdom of God. 00:22:03.309 --> 00:22:05.529 So when I wake up, when my alarm goes off in 00:22:05.529 --> 00:22:08.190 the morning, before I open any app, before I 00:22:08.190 --> 00:22:10.470 make any phone call, before I check any email, 00:22:10.769 --> 00:22:14.589 I'll be reminded, seek first his kingdom. I encourage 00:22:14.589 --> 00:22:16.589 you to do the same because I need that reminder. 00:22:17.490 --> 00:22:20.829 We need to be reminded because the enemy is so 00:22:20.829 --> 00:22:24.849 crafty in how he tricks us. Or maybe verse... 00:22:26.640 --> 00:22:28.779 33 is not for you. Maybe you need to just focus 00:22:28.779 --> 00:22:32.839 on verse 25. Where Jesus says, don't be anxious 00:22:32.839 --> 00:22:34.299 about your life. Maybe your life is just full 00:22:34.299 --> 00:22:36.579 of worry and you need to be reminded, do not 00:22:36.579 --> 00:22:38.839 be anxious, just trust him. God, help me trust 00:22:38.839 --> 00:22:41.279 you through this situation. Or maybe you don't 00:22:41.279 --> 00:22:42.779 need to be reminded of any of those. Maybe it's 00:22:42.779 --> 00:22:46.819 Psalm 46 10 that says, be still and know that 00:22:46.819 --> 00:22:50.220 I am God. Because you spend your day, every single 00:22:50.220 --> 00:22:53.480 day just chasing your tail. And you need to be 00:22:53.480 --> 00:22:57.920 reminded that God speaks in the quiet. You need 00:22:57.920 --> 00:23:00.880 to be in His Word. Not necessarily a chapter 00:23:00.880 --> 00:23:03.400 a day, but how can you dwell on the Word of God 00:23:03.400 --> 00:23:05.859 and understand His heart better? We can also 00:23:05.859 --> 00:23:07.700 put God's kingdom and righteousness first by 00:23:07.700 --> 00:23:12.640 serving others selflessly. When we take the focus 00:23:12.640 --> 00:23:15.859 off of us and we put it on others by serving 00:23:15.859 --> 00:23:19.000 them, we soon realize that our problems are minimum 00:23:19.000 --> 00:23:21.519 compared to others. I mean, mothers are a great 00:23:21.519 --> 00:23:24.460 example of this. Mothers are a perfect example 00:23:24.460 --> 00:23:28.500 of this. I hope that my children see in their 00:23:28.500 --> 00:23:32.279 mom the sacrificial love that she pours out on 00:23:32.279 --> 00:23:35.019 all of us every single day. Sena is the one who 00:23:35.019 --> 00:23:37.579 gets up in the middle of the night when River 00:23:37.579 --> 00:23:41.440 has low blood sugar. And she sits up and worries 00:23:41.440 --> 00:23:43.980 about him. She's the one that gets up at 4 .30 00:23:43.980 --> 00:23:47.400 in the morning to take Asher to the Y so that 00:23:47.400 --> 00:23:50.920 it can work out. What's funny about all that 00:23:50.920 --> 00:23:52.920 is Asher's never once asked me to go work out. 00:23:53.859 --> 00:23:55.940 He's like he knows that's not gonna happen, right? 00:23:56.420 --> 00:23:59.460 But Cena sacrificially gets up and takes him. 00:23:59.799 --> 00:24:02.740 Today she's spending her day at the ballpark 00:24:02.740 --> 00:24:05.759 loving on other moms and letting them know that 00:24:05.759 --> 00:24:08.460 they are seen and not taking it for herself. 00:24:08.819 --> 00:24:11.700 And the fact of the matter is she never once 00:24:11.700 --> 00:24:14.099 complains about any of it. She just does it with 00:24:14.099 --> 00:24:17.309 joy. It just all comes natural to her. Her joy 00:24:17.309 --> 00:24:20.769 comes from serving. Jesus says in Matthew 25, 00:24:20.950 --> 00:24:24.230 he says, and whatever you do for the least of 00:24:24.230 --> 00:24:28.490 these in the kingdom, you do it for me. If you 00:24:28.490 --> 00:24:33.650 want to be kingdom focused and you want to put 00:24:33.650 --> 00:24:37.089 that first in your life, serve others. Serve 00:24:37.089 --> 00:24:39.250 others that might not ever be able to pay you 00:24:39.250 --> 00:24:42.109 back. Serve others that might not ever say thank 00:24:42.109 --> 00:24:46.750 you. Quiet sacrifices are a way to love loud. 00:24:47.650 --> 00:24:49.809 Serve others. The last way I would encourage 00:24:49.809 --> 00:24:52.509 you to put the kingdom of God first in your life 00:24:52.509 --> 00:24:58.369 is to worship regularly. Worship shifts our focus 00:24:58.369 --> 00:25:00.549 from ourselves and it puts it where it needs 00:25:00.549 --> 00:25:04.880 to be. It's taking the command that we see in 00:25:04.880 --> 00:25:07.119 Hebrews chapter 10 seriously, where the writer 00:25:07.119 --> 00:25:10.440 says to not neglect the gathering of the saints. 00:25:11.740 --> 00:25:14.299 There's something holy that happens when we all 00:25:14.299 --> 00:25:19.420 gather together to worship the Lord. I have this 00:25:19.420 --> 00:25:21.619 friend back home in Texas. His name is Ricky. 00:25:23.519 --> 00:25:28.039 He's a farmer, but he's also a former. In fact, 00:25:28.640 --> 00:25:31.240 he was actually the previous pastor of the church 00:25:31.240 --> 00:25:35.960 that I came from. His ministry did not end well 00:25:35.960 --> 00:25:40.880 for him. And for four years, he thought that 00:25:40.880 --> 00:25:42.940 he could manage his walk with the Lord on his 00:25:42.940 --> 00:25:47.279 own. He was faithful to study God's word. He 00:25:47.279 --> 00:25:49.980 was faithful to seeking after God in prayer, 00:25:49.980 --> 00:25:52.730 but he isolated himself. He'd work in the field 00:25:52.730 --> 00:25:54.769 all day trying to grow a crop, and then he'd 00:25:54.769 --> 00:25:58.750 come home, just him and his family. But over 00:25:58.750 --> 00:26:02.750 that four years, life got hard. Difficulties 00:26:02.750 --> 00:26:05.390 happened. His wife left him for another man, 00:26:05.549 --> 00:26:09.549 and he found himself home alone raising four 00:26:09.549 --> 00:26:13.730 little kids by himself. The rains have not come, 00:26:13.849 --> 00:26:17.109 and he found it very difficult to grow a crop 00:26:17.109 --> 00:26:20.630 with no water. And through all that, he started 00:26:20.630 --> 00:26:25.609 to doubt God's presence. He started to doubt 00:26:25.609 --> 00:26:29.609 if God really cared for him. Another friend of 00:26:29.609 --> 00:26:32.609 mine invited him back to church, back to the 00:26:32.609 --> 00:26:35.849 church where he used to preach, back to the church 00:26:35.849 --> 00:26:40.329 that left him not wanting to be in church again. 00:26:41.470 --> 00:26:45.349 But he came. And he told me on so many occasions. 00:26:45.819 --> 00:26:49.460 So many occasions that he didn't realize how 00:26:49.460 --> 00:26:53.299 much he missed the community of faith until he 00:26:53.299 --> 00:26:58.240 came back Coming to church is never about you 00:26:58.240 --> 00:27:02.740 It is always about something bigger it's being 00:27:02.740 --> 00:27:06.099 a part of something that has eternal ramifications 00:27:06.910 --> 00:27:10.089 I've experienced that sometimes God doesn't speak 00:27:10.089 --> 00:27:12.410 to me through worship songs. God doesn't speak 00:27:12.410 --> 00:27:15.730 to me through sermons or Bible study. Sometimes 00:27:15.730 --> 00:27:18.630 He speaks to me through conversations that I'm 00:27:18.630 --> 00:27:22.329 able to have with other people. It lifts my spirits 00:27:22.329 --> 00:27:26.230 and it helps me keep me focused on what God is 00:27:26.230 --> 00:27:28.769 doing around me. Listen, I've been in church 00:27:28.769 --> 00:27:31.990 my whole life. There's a saying, I've been in 00:27:31.990 --> 00:27:34.009 church nine months before I was born. That's 00:27:34.009 --> 00:27:36.740 my testimony. And because I've been in church 00:27:36.740 --> 00:27:39.400 my whole life, I've been hurt by people in the 00:27:39.400 --> 00:27:43.200 church. There have been days that I did not want 00:27:43.200 --> 00:27:46.099 to be here. There have been seasons where the 00:27:46.099 --> 00:27:50.079 church has been a burden to me and my family, 00:27:50.240 --> 00:27:53.759 but I wouldn't trade it for the world. I can 00:27:53.759 --> 00:27:57.960 honestly say that if it wasn't for the church, 00:27:58.259 --> 00:28:00.859 if it wasn't for the people inside the church 00:28:00.859 --> 00:28:03.339 throughout my life, I wouldn't be married anymore. 00:28:06.860 --> 00:28:09.319 I don't know that I'd even be walking with the 00:28:09.319 --> 00:28:13.240 Lord anymore. I know I wouldn't be a minister 00:28:13.240 --> 00:28:21.000 anymore. And I'm not talking about sermons and 00:28:21.000 --> 00:28:25.160 worship songs when I say the church. I'm talking 00:28:25.160 --> 00:28:28.079 about couples that cared for us when we were 00:28:28.079 --> 00:28:31.619 struggling. I'm talking about men that called 00:28:31.619 --> 00:28:35.099 me out on my sin. and held me accountable and 00:28:35.099 --> 00:28:37.539 held me to a higher standard than the rest of 00:28:37.539 --> 00:28:40.940 the world. I'm talking about women throughout 00:28:40.940 --> 00:28:43.299 my ministry who just showed me an unbelievable 00:28:43.299 --> 00:28:46.220 amount of grace and love that I didn't deserve. 00:28:46.779 --> 00:28:49.859 When you think of church, I don't want you to 00:28:49.859 --> 00:28:53.099 think about the music or the preaching. When 00:28:53.099 --> 00:28:55.000 you think of the church, I want you to think 00:28:55.000 --> 00:28:58.759 about the body of Christ coming together and 00:28:58.759 --> 00:29:01.339 using their gifts for the encouragement of the 00:29:01.339 --> 00:29:05.589 saints. There are times when my gifts are used 00:29:05.589 --> 00:29:07.910 for the building up of the body of Christ, and 00:29:07.910 --> 00:29:09.650 there are so many other times where your gifts 00:29:09.650 --> 00:29:13.990 are needed to lift me up. What we do here on 00:29:13.990 --> 00:29:17.069 Sunday morning is a small part of what the church 00:29:17.069 --> 00:29:19.490 is. And if all you're doing is showing up on 00:29:19.490 --> 00:29:21.430 a Sunday morning and then heading out right away, 00:29:21.630 --> 00:29:24.190 you are missing out on the abundant life that 00:29:24.190 --> 00:29:27.990 God wants to show you. Seek first His kingdom. 00:29:29.210 --> 00:29:31.150 Jesus sends this passage by giving us a promise. 00:29:31.819 --> 00:29:34.480 It says tomorrow will worry about itself. That's 00:29:34.480 --> 00:29:36.859 the promise. Tomorrow's gonna worry about itself. 00:29:37.740 --> 00:29:41.420 That promise helps keep us focused. Now I don't 00:29:41.420 --> 00:29:45.160 know if you know this or not, but most days... 00:29:44.940 --> 00:29:48.160 have enough troubles that I don't need to add 00:29:48.160 --> 00:29:50.759 any more troubles. But by thinking about what 00:29:50.759 --> 00:29:52.279 tomorrow is going to happen, what's going to 00:29:52.279 --> 00:29:54.779 happen tomorrow, there is always a deadline. 00:29:55.099 --> 00:29:57.279 There are always going to be things that have 00:29:57.279 --> 00:29:59.200 to get done today. There's always going to be 00:29:59.200 --> 00:30:01.720 that element of unpredictability where we just 00:30:01.720 --> 00:30:05.059 have to pivot and make some decisions. But here's 00:30:05.059 --> 00:30:08.359 what has helped me as I've grown in my walk with 00:30:08.359 --> 00:30:12.420 the Lord. I have to remind myself to be grateful 00:30:12.420 --> 00:30:17.259 for what I have. today. I remind myself to be 00:30:17.259 --> 00:30:19.200 grateful for what I have today. I'll give you 00:30:19.200 --> 00:30:21.960 an example. Now, I've spoken about this car many 00:30:21.960 --> 00:30:26.160 times up here, but we have this car and we call 00:30:26.160 --> 00:30:29.720 it glitchy. We call it glitchy because some days 00:30:29.720 --> 00:30:36.039 the doors unlock and some days they don't. Some 00:30:36.039 --> 00:30:40.200 days the car starts, some days it doesn't. Some 00:30:40.200 --> 00:30:42.319 days the radio works good and other times I hit 00:30:42.319 --> 00:30:48.539 a bump. And it just shuts off. It's not a good 00:30:48.539 --> 00:30:51.960 looking car. My kids have ruined that car. There's 00:30:51.960 --> 00:30:55.720 carpet stain. There's this weird smell that we 00:30:55.720 --> 00:30:58.819 can't seem to figure out. There's molding that 00:30:58.819 --> 00:31:00.700 has been just peeled off the sides. The paint 00:31:00.700 --> 00:31:04.680 is chipping. But that car, we've had it for a 00:31:04.680 --> 00:31:07.059 long time, that car has been good to my family. 00:31:07.680 --> 00:31:10.980 It has taken us all over the country safely. 00:31:11.259 --> 00:31:15.000 It has taken my children to school safely more 00:31:15.000 --> 00:31:17.920 times than I can count. It's cold in the summer, 00:31:18.220 --> 00:31:21.019 and it's warm in the winter. But currently, as 00:31:21.019 --> 00:31:25.220 of right now, I have this list here. The check 00:31:25.220 --> 00:31:29.440 engine light is on. The oil pressure fluctuates 00:31:29.440 --> 00:31:31.319 and starts beeping at me if I accelerate too 00:31:31.319 --> 00:31:34.240 fast. The tire monitor sensors tell me that all 00:31:34.240 --> 00:31:37.140 the tires are low even when they're not. It tells 00:31:37.140 --> 00:31:40.880 me that I need to service my suspension, I need 00:31:40.880 --> 00:31:43.359 to check my battery charging system, and I got 00:31:43.359 --> 00:31:45.059 a call the other day, somebody was behind me 00:31:45.059 --> 00:31:47.720 and my brake lights aren't working. It's glitchy, 00:31:47.779 --> 00:31:52.180 it's what it is. Now, I could easily become overwhelmed 00:31:52.180 --> 00:31:56.339 by all that needs to be done to that car. It's 00:31:56.339 --> 00:31:57.859 one of those situations where it isn't quite 00:31:57.859 --> 00:31:59.900 worth the money that I think it's gonna take 00:31:59.900 --> 00:32:02.460 to fix all of these things, so I just try to 00:32:02.460 --> 00:32:04.660 make it through the day. That's my goal every 00:32:04.660 --> 00:32:06.420 day with that car. Just make it through the day. 00:32:06.559 --> 00:32:09.440 Because if I began to worry about it and not 00:32:09.440 --> 00:32:12.480 be grateful for it, it would become overwhelming. 00:32:13.319 --> 00:32:15.259 How in the world are we going to afford another 00:32:15.259 --> 00:32:19.319 car right now? What happens if I get stranded 00:32:19.319 --> 00:32:22.119 in the middle of nowhere somewhere and seen as 00:32:22.119 --> 00:32:24.720 not around? All those questions that come with 00:32:24.720 --> 00:32:27.819 those kinds of situations would cause me to stress 00:32:27.819 --> 00:32:32.829 out. But every day I get in it. I'm thankful 00:32:32.829 --> 00:32:36.089 for another day with it. I think I will genuinely 00:32:36.089 --> 00:32:40.890 be sad when we no longer have glitchy Now my 00:32:40.890 --> 00:32:43.730 kids won't they'll be they'll be ecstatic, but 00:32:43.730 --> 00:32:48.789 but I will be sad So I want to be thankful. I 00:32:48.789 --> 00:32:51.750 want to be thankful for what the Lord has provided 00:32:51.750 --> 00:32:54.990 And every day that car gets me to where I need 00:32:54.990 --> 00:33:00.500 to be it reminds me that he is provider If I 00:33:00.500 --> 00:33:02.859 had an abundance of cars, just cars everywhere, 00:33:03.500 --> 00:33:08.279 I don't know that I would be as grateful. And 00:33:08.279 --> 00:33:11.960 I've realized that worrying, worrying does absolutely 00:33:11.960 --> 00:33:16.180 nothing except tempt me to take matters into 00:33:16.180 --> 00:33:19.079 my own hands, to try to control the situation. 00:33:19.759 --> 00:33:22.839 It's when I'm desperate, it's when I'm desperate 00:33:22.839 --> 00:33:26.819 that I realize that God takes good care of me. 00:33:27.970 --> 00:33:31.269 Now back to my story at the lake I'm an hour 00:33:31.269 --> 00:33:34.250 away from home. I got a two -year -old girl, 00:33:34.250 --> 00:33:38.730 and I have absolutely no gas to get home Now 00:33:38.730 --> 00:33:40.170 I don't know how the gas stations around the 00:33:40.170 --> 00:33:42.170 lakes here are haven't been to very many of them 00:33:42.170 --> 00:33:47.430 But typically around the lakes where I was at 00:33:47.430 --> 00:33:51.269 the time are Those gas stations tend to be pretty 00:33:51.269 --> 00:33:53.809 shady There are the kinds of gas stations that 00:33:53.809 --> 00:33:56.369 I would just drive by because I'd worry about 00:33:56.369 --> 00:33:58.910 getting robbed at these places, right? So this 00:33:58.910 --> 00:34:01.609 is where I find myself in this situation. I'm 00:34:01.609 --> 00:34:04.309 at a shady gas station with no gas, no money, 00:34:04.470 --> 00:34:08.170 no ID, and a two -year -old little girl who's 00:34:08.170 --> 00:34:11.269 in a pretty decent mood for the most part. So 00:34:11.269 --> 00:34:13.570 I go inside and I tell the cashier my story. 00:34:13.670 --> 00:34:15.889 I tell him I have nothing to offer you. I mean, 00:34:15.909 --> 00:34:18.429 I can't even leave you my ID as collateral. I 00:34:18.429 --> 00:34:22.289 have nothing that I can offer you. I took Adelie... 00:34:22.739 --> 00:34:25.539 With me inside obviously because it's not safe, 00:34:25.539 --> 00:34:29.480 and I was hoping that she would Add to my sob 00:34:29.480 --> 00:34:32.079 story if you will like maybe he would maybe he 00:34:32.079 --> 00:34:38.199 would feel more sorry for me Now I'm sure they 00:34:38.199 --> 00:34:39.980 get this all the time just people begging for 00:34:39.980 --> 00:34:43.760 money And I tell him my story I have nothing 00:34:43.760 --> 00:34:47.000 to offer you And he tells me to go fill up no 00:34:47.000 --> 00:34:50.199 charge Go fill up your car. No charge. He didn't 00:34:50.199 --> 00:34:52.670 say I had to pay him back There were absolutely 00:34:52.670 --> 00:34:56.710 no strings attached. Just fill up and get home. 00:34:58.409 --> 00:35:02.150 Now I don't cry very often, but I put Adlai back 00:35:02.150 --> 00:35:05.510 in her car seat. I pull up to the pump and tears 00:35:05.510 --> 00:35:09.010 flowed down my face as that gas filled that tank. 00:35:10.230 --> 00:35:12.309 And I remembered this passage in Matthew chapter 00:35:12.309 --> 00:35:16.190 6. I remember this passage that my heavenly father 00:35:16.190 --> 00:35:23.230 knows what I need and he looks out for me. And 00:35:23.230 --> 00:35:27.190 I think if I had an abundance of cash or an abundance 00:35:27.190 --> 00:35:28.869 of gas in that moment, I wouldn't have realized 00:35:28.869 --> 00:35:34.190 how good God has been to me. It's not out of 00:35:34.190 --> 00:35:38.329 our abundance that we see God, it's in our blessings. 00:35:38.409 --> 00:35:42.889 And so we need to really stop. And our worship 00:35:42.889 --> 00:35:46.190 team's gonna lead us in one more song and they're 00:35:46.190 --> 00:35:51.409 going to... We're just gonna have time to respond 00:35:51.409 --> 00:35:54.139 to the Lord. What's the Lord saying to you this 00:35:54.139 --> 00:35:58.960 morning? Where are your priorities? Where are 00:35:58.960 --> 00:36:01.460 your worries? Where are your fears? What are 00:36:01.460 --> 00:36:07.880 you anxious about? Are you worrying out of your 00:36:07.880 --> 00:36:13.920 abundance? Are you worrying because the things 00:36:13.920 --> 00:36:15.619 you're trying to control, you just can't seem 00:36:15.619 --> 00:36:18.360 to get your hands around? Maybe today's the day 00:36:18.360 --> 00:36:20.079 you just throw up your hand and say, God, I'm 00:36:20.079 --> 00:36:22.380 going to have to trust you on this. I'm going 00:36:22.380 --> 00:36:24.119 to have to trust you with glitchy. I'm going 00:36:24.119 --> 00:36:25.940 to have to trust you with my kids. I'm going 00:36:25.940 --> 00:36:27.719 to have to trust you with my health. I'm going 00:36:27.719 --> 00:36:31.320 to have to trust you with my future. And so I 00:36:31.320 --> 00:36:32.880 think for a lot of us, I think we're all guilty 00:36:32.880 --> 00:36:35.820 of it. We're all guilty of just worry. I think 00:36:35.820 --> 00:36:37.760 we need to repent and confess those things before 00:36:37.760 --> 00:36:41.639 the Lord today. I was giving Matthew a hard time 00:36:41.639 --> 00:36:43.920 earlier because I was first service. I was looking 00:36:43.920 --> 00:36:46.880 down here at the... Why do we do this? This seems 00:36:46.880 --> 00:36:50.179 messy. I'm sure there's... Just kidding. Just 00:36:50.179 --> 00:36:53.210 kidding. But I was looking at the set list for 00:36:53.210 --> 00:36:55.809 service and we're singing Goodness of God and 00:36:55.809 --> 00:36:57.610 I thought, I mean, Matthew and I, I just let 00:36:57.610 --> 00:37:01.150 Matthew do whatever he wants to do for the service. 00:37:01.889 --> 00:37:05.230 But I think that song is highly appropriate for 00:37:05.230 --> 00:37:08.030 what we're experiencing today. Just a good reminder. 00:37:10.190 --> 00:37:13.150 And in that song it says, all my life you have 00:37:13.150 --> 00:37:17.150 been faithful. All my life you have been so, 00:37:17.150 --> 00:37:20.280 so... Good. I think it's a good time, a good 00:37:20.280 --> 00:37:23.519 day today to remember that. To remember that 00:37:23.519 --> 00:37:27.360 God has been faithful to us. And so I'm going 00:37:27.360 --> 00:37:28.960 to encourage you to lay your worries down, lay 00:37:28.960 --> 00:37:31.059 your burdens down, lay your anxious thoughts 00:37:31.059 --> 00:37:35.539 down and pursue Him in all things. So let me 00:37:35.539 --> 00:37:38.260 pray for us and we'll have time to respond. Father, 00:37:38.260 --> 00:37:42.760 thank you for this day again. Thank you for what 00:37:42.760 --> 00:37:45.199 you're doing in this church. Thank you for how 00:37:45.199 --> 00:37:49.079 you're growing us and challenging us. I pray 00:37:49.079 --> 00:37:51.760 God that right now that as we respond that your 00:37:51.760 --> 00:37:57.719 spirit will move in this place. That we will 00:37:57.719 --> 00:38:01.119 lay our anxious thoughts before you and trust 00:38:01.119 --> 00:38:04.619 you with them. That we will not see value in 00:38:04.619 --> 00:38:07.460 what we have or what we can do, but will see 00:38:07.460 --> 00:38:10.460 our value because of what you have done for us. 00:38:12.440 --> 00:38:15.590 And so Father, I pray for healing. I pray for 00:38:15.590 --> 00:38:18.070 those individuals that are just in a constant 00:38:18.070 --> 00:38:20.829 state of worrying. God, I pray peace over them. 00:38:21.389 --> 00:38:23.429 Help them experience your goodness and your peace. 00:38:25.309 --> 00:38:28.090 So as we sing, I pray that you will just speak 00:38:28.090 --> 00:38:31.670 directly to our hearts. In Jesus' name, I pray.