WEBVTT 00:00:08.859 --> 00:00:12.080 Hey guys, this is Tracy. If at any time you'd 00:00:12.080 --> 00:00:16.019 like to connect with HTV, go to htv .church forward 00:00:16.019 --> 00:00:19.059 slash connect. If you feel called to give, go 00:00:19.059 --> 00:00:22.960 to htv .church forward slash give. And if at 00:00:22.960 --> 00:00:24.899 any time you feel called to make a change in 00:00:24.899 --> 00:00:30.379 your life, text change me to 970 -00. Enjoy the 00:00:30.379 --> 00:00:34.659 message. Well, good morning, everyone. How are 00:00:34.659 --> 00:00:40.280 we doing today? How are we doing today? Good. 00:00:40.799 --> 00:00:42.920 If you're joining us from home, thank you for 00:00:42.920 --> 00:00:46.020 joining us and welcoming us into your space. 00:00:46.399 --> 00:00:49.200 I want to begin today with a testimony I received 00:00:49.200 --> 00:00:52.380 two weeks ago. You may have noticed that we added 00:00:52.380 --> 00:00:55.210 our... crosses back to the front of our auditorium. 00:00:55.229 --> 00:00:58.450 We now have four crosses in our auditorium that 00:00:58.450 --> 00:01:02.450 we established roughly 18 months ago when God 00:01:02.450 --> 00:01:04.150 put it on my heart that we need to be praying 00:01:04.150 --> 00:01:07.049 more. There's posts that said each cross and 00:01:07.049 --> 00:01:08.709 we encourage you if you have a prayer request 00:01:08.709 --> 00:01:11.230 or a need to write it down, put it on the cross. 00:01:11.409 --> 00:01:14.750 But then if you see one on the cross, grab it 00:01:14.750 --> 00:01:17.469 off, take it home and begin to pray for it. Now, 00:01:17.489 --> 00:01:20.950 sure enough, just like all of you, the staff 00:01:20.950 --> 00:01:23.730 here was like, oh, people have kind of, they're 00:01:23.730 --> 00:01:26.370 not putting prayer requests out anymore. So we 00:01:26.370 --> 00:01:29.370 actually put two away. And maybe that time's 00:01:29.370 --> 00:01:32.469 passed. Maybe that season is gone. And then suddenly, 00:01:32.569 --> 00:01:35.049 I get an email. Let me share it with you real 00:01:35.049 --> 00:01:37.569 quick. Several months ago, my son was suffering 00:01:37.569 --> 00:01:41.150 physically significant digestive issues because 00:01:41.150 --> 00:01:45.299 of worry. He was working a job that he knew was 00:01:45.299 --> 00:01:48.260 going to end soon, and he had no prospects. He 00:01:48.260 --> 00:01:50.560 started attending college but was years away 00:01:50.560 --> 00:01:53.480 from earning his degree in a new field. I saw 00:01:53.480 --> 00:01:56.180 the toll this was having on him. He applied for 00:01:56.180 --> 00:01:59.700 a job that he wasn't yet qualified for, and he 00:01:59.700 --> 00:02:02.719 said, what do I have to lose? Over 100 applicants 00:02:02.719 --> 00:02:05.180 applied, and I began to pray, God, this is a 00:02:05.180 --> 00:02:08.349 long shot, but what do I have to lose? I'm going 00:02:08.349 --> 00:02:11.289 to begin to pray. Over 100 applicants. God, you 00:02:11.289 --> 00:02:14.990 can do it. You're a God of long shots. Then the 00:02:14.990 --> 00:02:16.969 next Sunday, I decided to put a yellow sticky 00:02:16.969 --> 00:02:21.629 prayer request on the cross at HCV. I simply 00:02:21.629 --> 00:02:24.030 said, I'm exhausted from worry and feel too tired 00:02:24.030 --> 00:02:26.610 to pray for my son and his job. I see the toll 00:02:26.610 --> 00:02:29.590 on his health. Please take the reins for me and 00:02:29.590 --> 00:02:31.629 pray for the God of miracles to open the door 00:02:31.629 --> 00:02:34.189 for an interview for him and let someone see 00:02:34.189 --> 00:02:39.870 his potential. A week later. My son texted me. 00:02:39.969 --> 00:02:42.129 Mom, you won't believe this. I have an interview. 00:02:43.650 --> 00:02:48.710 Not yet. I felt a wave of chills come over me. 00:02:49.189 --> 00:02:52.490 I felt peace. Then the enemy began to whisper 00:02:52.490 --> 00:02:55.289 in my ear, come on, it's an interview. It's not 00:02:55.289 --> 00:02:59.490 going to turn into a job. There's over 100 applicants. 00:03:00.229 --> 00:03:05.550 A week later, my son texted me. I am a finalist. 00:03:06.539 --> 00:03:10.099 I can't believe it. He went on to say, I have 00:03:10.099 --> 00:03:14.479 an interview tomorrow. Please pray for me. Then 00:03:14.479 --> 00:03:19.300 a call came from him just two days later. Mom, 00:03:19.360 --> 00:03:22.099 you aren't going to believe this. I got the job. 00:03:28.680 --> 00:03:31.360 They told him, we see your potential, and we 00:03:31.360 --> 00:03:33.460 are giving you this job because we see that potential. 00:03:34.669 --> 00:03:37.469 He was up against a large pool of competitive 00:03:37.469 --> 00:03:40.650 candidates, but the panel of interviewers kept 00:03:40.650 --> 00:03:44.849 coming back, wanting to hire you to take a chance 00:03:44.849 --> 00:03:57.590 on you. The point? Prayer works. So if you have 00:03:57.590 --> 00:04:00.270 a need, I want to encourage you, don't leave 00:04:00.270 --> 00:04:02.659 here without getting... Someone to pray for you, 00:04:02.759 --> 00:04:04.819 the prayer team to pray for you, or putting a 00:04:04.819 --> 00:04:08.340 post -it on the cross. At the same time, I want 00:04:08.340 --> 00:04:11.639 to challenge you, Jesus follower. If you see 00:04:11.639 --> 00:04:14.740 a post -it on the cross, God is highlighting 00:04:14.740 --> 00:04:18.560 that to you. Don't walk away from it. Don't leave 00:04:18.560 --> 00:04:21.480 here. Don't say someone else will take it because 00:04:21.480 --> 00:04:24.819 they might not. And then we may not get another 00:04:24.819 --> 00:04:28.000 answered prayer request because you chose not 00:04:28.000 --> 00:04:31.629 to take a post -it. So these four crosses will 00:04:31.629 --> 00:04:35.110 stay in this auditorium out of obedience to what 00:04:35.110 --> 00:04:37.389 God wants to do through you in our community 00:04:37.389 --> 00:04:41.430 of faith. Amen? So it's interesting that I got 00:04:41.430 --> 00:04:43.310 that email because a recent study found that 00:04:43.310 --> 00:04:45.149 one of the greatest sources of worry in the United 00:04:45.149 --> 00:04:49.269 States today isn't health, relationships, or 00:04:49.269 --> 00:04:54.250 even work. It's our finances. For many people, 00:04:54.290 --> 00:04:57.089 our financial stability, our financial future, 00:04:57.329 --> 00:05:00.930 our 401ks, our money market accounts, our investments, 00:05:01.250 --> 00:05:04.170 how much money will I have when retirement comes, 00:05:04.250 --> 00:05:07.569 will Social Security end, or even last past 2030, 00:05:07.870 --> 00:05:11.810 follows you everywhere. It sits in the passenger 00:05:11.810 --> 00:05:14.910 seat as you drive to work. It shows up when the 00:05:14.910 --> 00:05:17.709 bills arrive in the mailbox. It keeps people 00:05:17.709 --> 00:05:20.779 awake at night wondering. How am I going to make 00:05:20.779 --> 00:05:23.600 enough money to save for the future, to handle 00:05:23.600 --> 00:05:27.759 all these unexpected expenses? Most of us know 00:05:27.759 --> 00:05:30.339 what it's like to look at our bank account, calculate 00:05:30.339 --> 00:05:32.779 the bills, consider the rising cost of living, 00:05:32.800 --> 00:05:37.339 and ask ourselves, will there be enough? Because 00:05:37.339 --> 00:05:39.000 if we're honest, sometimes the numbers don't 00:05:39.000 --> 00:05:42.100 even add up, and anxiety begins to take over. 00:05:42.639 --> 00:05:45.259 And what's interesting is that financial worry 00:05:45.259 --> 00:05:49.689 isn't limited to people who have little. See, 00:05:49.750 --> 00:05:52.490 according to that study, nearly eight out of 00:05:52.490 --> 00:05:56.350 10 Americans, that's 78 % of you are worried 00:05:56.350 --> 00:06:00.110 about money as their number one reason for stress 00:06:00.110 --> 00:06:04.449 and anxiety with millennials being at the top 00:06:04.449 --> 00:06:07.430 of the list of everyone surveyed. So if these 00:06:07.430 --> 00:06:09.569 statistics are true, that means that 80 % of 00:06:09.569 --> 00:06:12.470 you gathered in this room watching online are 00:06:12.470 --> 00:06:15.540 worried about your financial situation. So for 00:06:15.540 --> 00:06:18.759 the other 20 % of you, pray for me and us as 00:06:18.759 --> 00:06:22.920 we navigate this time together. Some worry because 00:06:22.920 --> 00:06:25.860 they don't have enough. Other worry because they're 00:06:25.860 --> 00:06:29.060 afraid of losing what they have. See, worry doesn't 00:06:29.060 --> 00:06:32.019 seem to care whether your account is large or 00:06:32.019 --> 00:06:34.560 small. It always whispers the same question. 00:06:35.540 --> 00:06:40.439 What if God doesn't provide? And as a result, 00:06:40.500 --> 00:06:42.759 worry and anxiety over finances make it hard 00:06:42.759 --> 00:06:45.980 to find the joy of living a life of simplicity. 00:06:46.879 --> 00:06:49.379 See, we can't find the gratitude in the little 00:06:49.379 --> 00:06:53.319 things like clothing, food, shelter, because 00:06:53.319 --> 00:06:57.500 we're so worried about more. More money, more 00:06:57.500 --> 00:07:03.040 problems, more worries. As I said in my email 00:07:03.040 --> 00:07:05.240 this past Thursday, worry literally means to 00:07:05.240 --> 00:07:08.730 tear our minds to pieces. The English word worry 00:07:08.730 --> 00:07:11.870 comes from the old German word worgen, which 00:07:11.870 --> 00:07:15.850 means to strangle or tear. So when we worry, 00:07:15.949 --> 00:07:18.470 it is a case of us literally choking ourselves, 00:07:18.610 --> 00:07:21.569 strangling ourselves, tearing our mind into pieces, 00:07:21.730 --> 00:07:26.250 causing mental damage to our brains when we fixate 00:07:26.250 --> 00:07:30.089 on our worry over financial resources. And listen, 00:07:30.189 --> 00:07:32.680 if you're in a relationship with Jesus, It doesn't 00:07:32.680 --> 00:07:34.819 matter if you're gathered here or watching online. 00:07:35.360 --> 00:07:38.000 It's not God's will for you to be worried or 00:07:38.000 --> 00:07:40.720 stressed out over your current financial situation. 00:07:41.759 --> 00:07:44.500 And that's why Jesus' words in Matthew 6 are 00:07:44.500 --> 00:07:47.139 so powerful. Please understand he was speaking 00:07:47.139 --> 00:07:49.500 to ordinary people who were worried about ordinary 00:07:49.500 --> 00:07:52.519 things, food, clothing, and the daily necessities. 00:07:53.779 --> 00:07:56.319 In that day, they weren't luxuries. They were 00:07:56.319 --> 00:08:00.769 basic needs. Yet Jesus repeatedly says over and 00:08:00.769 --> 00:08:07.029 over and over and over again, do not worry. And 00:08:07.029 --> 00:08:10.730 what you will notice as we go through the text, 00:08:10.829 --> 00:08:12.889 Jesus doesn't say these things aren't important. 00:08:13.170 --> 00:08:15.790 He doesn't tell us to ignore our responsibilities. 00:08:15.930 --> 00:08:19.490 Instead, he invites us to shift our focus from 00:08:19.490 --> 00:08:24.730 the amount of resources that he provides so that 00:08:24.730 --> 00:08:28.019 we can trust him. and grow our relationship with 00:08:28.019 --> 00:08:31.800 him. In Matthew chapter six, verses 25 to 34, 00:08:31.959 --> 00:08:34.480 that we'll be diving into today, Jesus teaches 00:08:34.480 --> 00:08:38.100 us that while worry focuses on what we don't 00:08:38.100 --> 00:08:41.539 have, faith focuses on the God that promised 00:08:41.539 --> 00:08:44.460 us as his children to provide. But before we 00:08:44.460 --> 00:08:46.600 jump into that text, I need to read the previous 00:08:46.600 --> 00:08:49.659 verses so we have the context for our discussion. 00:08:49.879 --> 00:08:52.419 Remember, we can't just remove verses out of 00:08:52.419 --> 00:08:55.799 context. We have to read the whole passage. So 00:08:55.799 --> 00:08:57.519 I'm going to read for you Matthew chapter 6, 00:08:57.519 --> 00:09:01.940 verses 19 to 21 and 24 to set the tone. Do not 00:09:01.940 --> 00:09:04.559 store up for yourselves treasures on earth where 00:09:04.559 --> 00:09:06.940 moths and vermin destroy and where thieves break 00:09:06.940 --> 00:09:09.600 in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures 00:09:09.600 --> 00:09:12.580 in heaven where moths and vermin do not destroy 00:09:12.580 --> 00:09:14.480 and where thieves do not break in and steal. 00:09:14.980 --> 00:09:17.220 For where your treasure is, church, there your 00:09:17.220 --> 00:09:21.340 heart will also be. In other words, invest in 00:09:21.340 --> 00:09:24.370 the kingdom of God. Where our resources impact 00:09:24.370 --> 00:09:27.909 the lives of others for eternity. Invest in something 00:09:27.909 --> 00:09:31.269 beyond yourself, Jesus continues. No one can 00:09:31.269 --> 00:09:34.190 serve two masters. Either you'll hate the one 00:09:34.190 --> 00:09:36.549 and love the other, or you'll be devoted to one 00:09:36.549 --> 00:09:38.990 and despise the other. You cannot serve both 00:09:38.990 --> 00:09:43.070 God and money. And it's interesting, God gives 00:09:43.070 --> 00:09:46.870 us a choice here. Will we be ruled and worried 00:09:46.870 --> 00:09:50.639 by the pursuit of money? Or will we be ruled 00:09:50.639 --> 00:09:54.960 by the God of peace? And please hear me. God 00:09:54.960 --> 00:09:58.419 is not against wealth. David was wealthy. Solomon 00:09:58.419 --> 00:10:01.960 and Abraham both were financially set. God isn't 00:10:01.960 --> 00:10:05.700 against money. However, he is against money controlling 00:10:05.700 --> 00:10:10.779 us. See, he doesn't want us to worry. And that 00:10:10.779 --> 00:10:14.320 is why he says to choose who is in control of 00:10:14.320 --> 00:10:19.710 your life. Choose money or God. One brings worry 00:10:19.710 --> 00:10:24.409 and anxiety while the other releases peace. See, 00:10:24.470 --> 00:10:27.950 the love of money is God -like. The pursuit of 00:10:27.950 --> 00:10:31.409 money commands worship. It influences the heart, 00:10:31.470 --> 00:10:34.690 causing us to bow down and compromise our relationship 00:10:34.690 --> 00:10:38.690 with Jesus. See, Jesus did not say we cannot 00:10:38.690 --> 00:10:42.230 serve God and Satan. He said we cannot serve 00:10:42.230 --> 00:10:47.269 God and money. So Jesus here was exalting money 00:10:47.269 --> 00:10:51.309 to the status of a God. The love affair, if you 00:10:51.309 --> 00:10:55.110 will, humanity has with materialism. See, the 00:10:55.110 --> 00:10:58.049 one thing that is in competition with our hearts 00:10:58.049 --> 00:11:02.509 is not Satan. Yes, he is the enemy. He is our 00:11:02.509 --> 00:11:05.210 enemy. But the one thing that is in competition 00:11:05.210 --> 00:11:08.230 with God, with Jesus, for control of our hearts, 00:11:08.269 --> 00:11:13.809 is materialism. How do I know that? I don't know 00:11:13.809 --> 00:11:15.769 about you, but I'm not lying in bed at night, 00:11:15.870 --> 00:11:20.830 struggling to sleep, trying to choose if I'm 00:11:20.830 --> 00:11:23.950 gonna serve God or serve Satan. I mean, let's 00:11:23.950 --> 00:11:26.990 be honest. We're not daily wrestling with whether 00:11:26.990 --> 00:11:29.509 we're gonna serve God or we're gonna serve Satan. 00:11:30.830 --> 00:11:34.889 Our daily wrestle is between God and money, right? 00:11:34.970 --> 00:11:38.570 Our wrestle, if you will, is with Jesus and Jordans. 00:11:39.129 --> 00:11:42.090 Our wrestle is between serving the kingdom of 00:11:42.090 --> 00:11:46.419 God, or keeping it for ourselves. That's the 00:11:46.419 --> 00:11:49.940 real wrestle. We're not running after Satan. 00:11:50.820 --> 00:11:54.419 We love Jesus. Many of you do. I know you do. 00:11:54.500 --> 00:11:56.360 You want to serve him. You want to worship him. 00:11:56.519 --> 00:12:00.019 I heard it in your worship this morning. As you're 00:12:00.019 --> 00:12:02.700 crying out to God, I'm in the back crying, weeping, 00:12:02.759 --> 00:12:06.740 saying, Jesus, look at your church. But if we're 00:12:06.740 --> 00:12:09.460 honest, we also know there's a battle within. 00:12:10.350 --> 00:12:12.549 And in our discussion today, Jesus is trying 00:12:12.549 --> 00:12:16.009 to show us that our unhealthy fixational materialism 00:12:16.009 --> 00:12:18.210 will cause us always to be worried about our 00:12:18.210 --> 00:12:21.590 finances and that money can become our master, 00:12:21.669 --> 00:12:24.769 which leads us to our first and most challenging 00:12:24.769 --> 00:12:29.610 thought. Church, worry is a sin. Yes, I said 00:12:29.610 --> 00:12:33.490 it. Worry is a sin, Matthew 6, 25. Therefore, 00:12:33.750 --> 00:12:37.110 and let me teach you something here. Anytime 00:12:37.110 --> 00:12:40.720 you read therefore, In the Bible, it means check 00:12:40.720 --> 00:12:44.159 back on what was previously said. And that's 00:12:44.159 --> 00:12:48.580 why I opened by reading the earlier verses. Therefore 00:12:48.580 --> 00:12:50.919 is a conjunction word that joins two thoughts 00:12:50.919 --> 00:12:54.639 together. So Jesus was previously talking about 00:12:54.639 --> 00:12:57.860 storing up treasures in heaven, money not being 00:12:57.860 --> 00:13:01.240 our master. And because of that, Jesus says, 00:13:01.399 --> 00:13:05.899 I tell you, do not worry about your life. Now 00:13:05.899 --> 00:13:09.279 notice there. This isn't a suggestion from Jesus, 00:13:09.559 --> 00:13:15.440 right? This is a commandment. Do not worry. What 00:13:15.440 --> 00:13:18.460 you will eat or drink or about your body, what 00:13:18.460 --> 00:13:20.759 you will wear is not life more than food and 00:13:20.759 --> 00:13:24.039 your body more than clothes. I mean, when we 00:13:24.039 --> 00:13:25.679 look in the mirror, we all realize that we all 00:13:25.679 --> 00:13:28.240 have sin in our life. Every day we make a bad 00:13:28.240 --> 00:13:30.620 choice. We say the wrong words. We're tempted 00:13:30.620 --> 00:13:34.299 to look. And Jesus is challenging us here. Do 00:13:34.299 --> 00:13:38.500 not worry. Why? So we can experience more of 00:13:38.500 --> 00:13:42.360 his peace as we discussed last Sunday. It's interesting, 00:13:42.460 --> 00:13:44.879 as I was writing my outline, my daughter Trinity, 00:13:45.080 --> 00:13:47.100 who was up here sharing the announcements with 00:13:47.100 --> 00:13:49.659 you, said, Dad, isn't that the same issue as 00:13:49.659 --> 00:13:55.220 last week? And I said, no. See, this worry specifically 00:13:55.220 --> 00:14:00.720 is focusing on our finances, our stuff. And Jesus 00:14:00.720 --> 00:14:02.759 is reminding us, hey, church, worry's a sin. 00:14:03.980 --> 00:14:06.679 He challenges us that when worries arise over 00:14:06.679 --> 00:14:09.460 our finances and our everyday needs, we are to 00:14:09.460 --> 00:14:14.460 declare, I will not worry. See, those two words, 00:14:14.539 --> 00:14:17.320 do not, aren't merely a suggestion from Jesus. 00:14:17.720 --> 00:14:20.899 They're actually an imperative command. When 00:14:20.899 --> 00:14:24.679 those two words are looked up in the Greek, the 00:14:24.679 --> 00:14:28.480 Greek tense indicates stop worrying or quit continually 00:14:28.480 --> 00:14:32.409 worrying. And you must remember, Jesus isn't 00:14:32.409 --> 00:14:37.009 speaking to people who've never worried. He's 00:14:37.009 --> 00:14:39.909 literally speaking to a group of people who were 00:14:39.909 --> 00:14:42.789 trapped in anxiety, and he lovingly commands 00:14:42.789 --> 00:14:46.929 them, don't let worry dominate your lives. So 00:14:46.929 --> 00:14:50.009 that command, do not worry, it isn't harsh. It's 00:14:50.009 --> 00:14:53.149 an invitation to leave the burden that you were 00:14:53.149 --> 00:14:57.940 never created to carry, to get rid of it. And 00:14:57.940 --> 00:14:59.919 we also must remember Jesus was not teaching 00:14:59.919 --> 00:15:04.039 people living in the United States in 2026. He 00:15:04.039 --> 00:15:05.940 was speaking to a group of people in ancient 00:15:05.940 --> 00:15:08.679 Palestine on a hill where people were living 00:15:08.679 --> 00:15:14.360 hand to mouth. Remember feeding the 5 ,000? These 00:15:14.360 --> 00:15:15.919 people did not know where their next meal would 00:15:15.919 --> 00:15:19.360 come from. Water was scarce. And the only thing 00:15:19.360 --> 00:15:21.259 that many people owned were the clothes on their 00:15:21.259 --> 00:15:24.440 backs that they were wearing. See, they did not 00:15:24.440 --> 00:15:26.980 have closets full of clothes to choose from so 00:15:26.980 --> 00:15:29.419 they could look good on Sunday. They did not 00:15:29.419 --> 00:15:31.860 have racks of shoes to worry about matching their 00:15:31.860 --> 00:15:34.379 pair to their fit like I was doing this morning 00:15:34.379 --> 00:15:39.019 so you look good. I didn't really worry about 00:15:39.019 --> 00:15:41.080 it. I was just trying to match. Remember, I'm 00:15:41.080 --> 00:15:45.600 colorblind. See, back then, these people were 00:15:45.600 --> 00:15:47.519 working hard to provide for bread and water. 00:15:48.759 --> 00:15:51.279 Right? This was a society where owning a jacket 00:15:51.279 --> 00:15:54.809 or a cloak To remain warm at night meant you 00:15:54.809 --> 00:15:58.149 were wealthy. And Jesus is telling this group 00:15:58.149 --> 00:16:00.509 of people that literally don't know where their 00:16:00.509 --> 00:16:02.710 next meal is going to come from, hey, don't worry. 00:16:03.850 --> 00:16:07.889 So our situations aren't that bad. He's saying, 00:16:07.929 --> 00:16:10.049 don't worry about your clothes, your water, your 00:16:10.049 --> 00:16:14.029 shelter. Trust me. He says, isn't your life more 00:16:14.029 --> 00:16:16.289 important than living in constant worry over 00:16:16.289 --> 00:16:18.690 what you eat or drink or what your body looks 00:16:18.690 --> 00:16:22.809 like, what you wear? Life is so much more than 00:16:22.809 --> 00:16:28.529 food or the clothes you're wearing. See, isn't 00:16:28.529 --> 00:16:31.169 your calling and purpose more important than 00:16:31.169 --> 00:16:33.070 being constantly worried over these material 00:16:33.070 --> 00:16:37.009 things? This morning, church, Jesus is saying 00:16:37.009 --> 00:16:40.860 to us, do you trust me? Which leads us to discuss, 00:16:40.960 --> 00:16:43.299 because the genius of Jesus here, he doesn't 00:16:43.299 --> 00:16:46.139 just tell us not to worry, he tells us why we 00:16:46.139 --> 00:16:48.279 shouldn't worry, which leads us to answer that 00:16:48.279 --> 00:16:50.360 question, why not worry? Number one, because 00:16:50.360 --> 00:16:54.440 we are valuable. You are valuable. Notice what 00:16:54.440 --> 00:16:56.600 he says in Matthew 6, 26. Look at the birds of 00:16:56.600 --> 00:17:00.039 the air. They do not sow or reap or store away 00:17:00.039 --> 00:17:02.759 in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds 00:17:02.759 --> 00:17:05.700 them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 00:17:06.990 --> 00:17:09.369 See, Jesus is telling us to stop worrying about 00:17:09.369 --> 00:17:11.829 our everyday needs. Church, look up at those 00:17:11.829 --> 00:17:14.450 birds. They don't have their saving account. 00:17:15.049 --> 00:17:18.650 Yet God takes care of them. Think about the birds. 00:17:19.029 --> 00:17:21.730 A bird can't pray. A bird doesn't have a relationship 00:17:21.730 --> 00:17:25.009 with Jesus. A bird can't read the Bible. A bird's 00:17:25.009 --> 00:17:27.309 not filled with the Holy Spirit, was not created 00:17:27.309 --> 00:17:29.970 in God's image like you. Did you know you were? 00:17:30.630 --> 00:17:33.970 Genesis 127, so God created human beings in his 00:17:33.970 --> 00:17:36.700 own image. In the image of God, he created you, 00:17:36.779 --> 00:17:41.039 male and female, he created them. See, a bird 00:17:41.039 --> 00:17:43.779 doesn't have the worth and value that you have. 00:17:44.779 --> 00:17:47.839 And what is your value? You're a son and daughter 00:17:47.839 --> 00:17:51.660 of God. 1 John 3, 1 tells us, see how very much 00:17:51.660 --> 00:17:54.180 our father loves us, for he calls us his children, 00:17:54.240 --> 00:17:56.920 and that's what you are. You are a child of God. 00:17:57.680 --> 00:18:00.259 See, God cares for the birds, provides for the 00:18:00.259 --> 00:18:03.140 birds. How much more will he provide for us? 00:18:04.339 --> 00:18:07.240 Now, if you were to pause for a second and focus 00:18:07.240 --> 00:18:09.920 on a bird, you will quickly realize birds aren't 00:18:09.920 --> 00:18:14.339 lazy. They work hard. They build their shelter. 00:18:14.480 --> 00:18:17.220 They supply themselves and their families with 00:18:17.220 --> 00:18:20.259 food. They fly out of the nest every single day 00:18:20.259 --> 00:18:23.099 to search for worms for themselves and for others. 00:18:24.220 --> 00:18:26.599 Yet the amazing thing is, think about it, they're 00:18:26.599 --> 00:18:29.500 completely dependent on nature. They're completely 00:18:29.500 --> 00:18:33.559 dependent on God to find food. God provides for 00:18:33.559 --> 00:18:36.259 the animals he created. And I don't know about 00:18:36.259 --> 00:18:39.259 you, but I've never seen a bird die from hunger. 00:18:41.359 --> 00:18:45.940 Those birds are pretty fat. And if God provides 00:18:45.940 --> 00:18:48.779 for those birds that can't pray, can't read, 00:18:49.019 --> 00:18:52.579 don't have a relationship with him, can't worship 00:18:52.579 --> 00:18:55.220 like you worship, don't understand the grace 00:18:55.220 --> 00:18:58.000 that we find in Jesus on the cross, isn't surrendered 00:18:58.000 --> 00:19:01.269 to him, is not made in his image. Why wouldn't 00:19:01.269 --> 00:19:05.569 he provide for you? So the next time we begin 00:19:05.569 --> 00:19:08.869 to worry, I want to encourage you. Look out your 00:19:08.869 --> 00:19:13.710 window. Drive to the park. And focus on a bird. 00:19:14.769 --> 00:19:18.549 Why? Because God loves and cares for us much 00:19:18.549 --> 00:19:20.690 more than he does those flying animals in the 00:19:20.690 --> 00:19:23.970 air. And when we prioritize the kingdom of God, 00:19:24.029 --> 00:19:27.609 provision follows. See, the amazing thing is 00:19:27.609 --> 00:19:29.849 birds are simply busy fulfilling their purpose 00:19:29.849 --> 00:19:32.589 here on earth. And as they fulfill their purpose, 00:19:32.630 --> 00:19:37.369 what happens? Provision follows. Provision follows 00:19:37.369 --> 00:19:40.910 people who are busy walking in their purpose 00:19:40.910 --> 00:19:44.930 in God's kingdom. So maybe your struggle with 00:19:44.930 --> 00:19:47.829 worry is the fact you're not walking in your 00:19:47.829 --> 00:19:50.549 purpose, which leads us to our next truth that 00:19:50.549 --> 00:19:54.289 Jesus gives to us. Worry accomplishes nothing. 00:19:55.350 --> 00:19:59.069 Matthew 6, 27, get all your worries at a single 00:19:59.069 --> 00:20:03.650 moment to your life. Why did Jesus tell us not 00:20:03.650 --> 00:20:07.190 to worry? Because worry never changed anything 00:20:07.190 --> 00:20:11.650 for good. I mean, think about it. It's actually 00:20:11.650 --> 00:20:14.990 quite the opposite. What does worry do to you? 00:20:15.269 --> 00:20:18.869 When you worry, when you're anxious, worry is 00:20:18.869 --> 00:20:21.750 literally poisoning your peace. It's killing 00:20:21.750 --> 00:20:24.839 your joy. And it's stunting your spiritual growth. 00:20:25.779 --> 00:20:28.740 And it's not only spiritual, it's physical. See, 00:20:28.799 --> 00:20:31.079 worry doesn't just affect our minds, it affects 00:20:31.079 --> 00:20:34.880 our entire bodies. Chronic worry and anxiety 00:20:34.880 --> 00:20:38.099 activate the body's stress response. And when 00:20:38.099 --> 00:20:40.700 the response stays on for too long, it can take 00:20:40.700 --> 00:20:42.460 a physical toll. It's kind of like, have you 00:20:42.460 --> 00:20:44.859 ever watched a commercial from a pharmaceutical 00:20:44.859 --> 00:20:48.079 company that's promising you life change if you 00:20:48.079 --> 00:20:50.410 take their pill? And you're all excited about 00:20:50.410 --> 00:20:52.470 it. You're like, wow, this is amazing. And then 00:20:52.470 --> 00:20:54.950 all of a sudden there's like two minutes of this 00:20:54.950 --> 00:21:02.650 pill could cause. And you begin to listen. And 00:21:02.650 --> 00:21:04.809 then you continue to listen. And your mouth just 00:21:04.809 --> 00:21:07.170 kind of continues to get closer to the floor 00:21:07.170 --> 00:21:14.250 like, why would I put this in my body? Like basically 00:21:14.250 --> 00:21:16.170 it says, yeah, you're going to die 20 years younger, 00:21:16.210 --> 00:21:22.640 but you're going to feel good today. Laugh, right? 00:21:22.799 --> 00:21:25.740 Oh, yeah, that's true. Chris worries the same 00:21:25.740 --> 00:21:31.799 way. It causes, are you ready? Fatigue, exhaustion, 00:21:32.220 --> 00:21:34.259 muscle tension, headaches, digestive problems, 00:21:34.519 --> 00:21:37.019 sleeplessness, high blood pressure, weakened 00:21:37.019 --> 00:21:39.619 immune system, shortness of breath, and changes 00:21:39.619 --> 00:21:42.440 to the appetite. But I promise you'll feel better. 00:21:45.720 --> 00:21:49.940 And when you think about it, Not only does it 00:21:49.940 --> 00:21:53.279 cause harm to our bodies, but it has no purpose. 00:21:54.299 --> 00:21:56.279 You know what worry's like? Worry's like this 00:21:56.279 --> 00:22:00.039 rocking chair. Right? It gives you something 00:22:00.039 --> 00:22:05.460 to do, right? Ah, it's very relaxing. But you 00:22:05.460 --> 00:22:11.039 go nowhere. Yeah, you're doing something, but 00:22:11.039 --> 00:22:13.839 really you're doing nothing. You're not rocking 00:22:13.839 --> 00:22:16.519 a baby to sleep. You're not trying to take a 00:22:16.519 --> 00:22:20.390 nap. You're just overwhelming your body with 00:22:20.390 --> 00:22:24.049 stress that causes your body to go into paralysis. 00:22:26.289 --> 00:22:28.569 When we're sitting there worrying over our finances, 00:22:28.569 --> 00:22:31.730 our needs, you're not going anywhere. And if 00:22:31.730 --> 00:22:35.069 you're worried about your money, worry never 00:22:35.069 --> 00:22:37.990 paid a bill. If you're worried about your health, 00:22:38.230 --> 00:22:41.589 worry doesn't make you healthier, it makes you 00:22:41.589 --> 00:22:44.609 worse. Worry never protected your child from 00:22:44.609 --> 00:22:47.579 harm. Worry never helped you pass a test. Won't 00:22:47.579 --> 00:22:51.799 you study a little? Worry never healed a broken 00:22:51.799 --> 00:22:56.259 relationship. It only increases anxiety and decreases 00:22:56.259 --> 00:22:59.440 peace. And that's why Jesus doesn't simply tell 00:22:59.440 --> 00:23:02.140 us to think differently. He invites us to trust 00:23:02.140 --> 00:23:05.460 differently. He points us away from the burden 00:23:05.460 --> 00:23:09.119 of carrying tomorrow to the faithfulness of God 00:23:09.119 --> 00:23:12.880 who promised us goodness today. And that's why 00:23:12.880 --> 00:23:15.079 Paul challenges us with these words in Philippians 00:23:15.079 --> 00:23:19.450 4, 6. Don't worry about anything. Paul says, 00:23:19.589 --> 00:23:22.589 it's not just your finances. It's not worth it 00:23:22.589 --> 00:23:25.289 to worry. It's useless. Which leads us to our 00:23:25.289 --> 00:23:31.130 final truth. See, God provides. Matthew 6, 28 00:23:31.130 --> 00:23:33.829 to 31. Let's continue with Jesus' words. And 00:23:33.829 --> 00:23:37.349 why worry about your clothing? Church, look at 00:23:37.349 --> 00:23:38.970 the lilies of the field and how they grow. They 00:23:38.970 --> 00:23:40.809 don't work or make their clothing, yet solemn 00:23:40.809 --> 00:23:43.390 and in all his glory, what's not dressed as beautifully 00:23:43.390 --> 00:23:46.019 as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully 00:23:46.019 --> 00:23:48.039 for wildflowers that are here today and thrown 00:23:48.039 --> 00:23:50.440 into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care 00:23:50.440 --> 00:23:54.539 for you. Why do you have so little faith? So 00:23:54.539 --> 00:23:56.400 don't worry about these things saying what we 00:23:56.400 --> 00:24:02.059 eat, what we drink, what we wear. A few weeks 00:24:02.059 --> 00:24:05.599 ago, I challenged many of you in one of my talks 00:24:05.599 --> 00:24:09.480 that if you want to question whether ever God 00:24:09.480 --> 00:24:13.430 provided for our family, talk to my kids. They've 00:24:13.430 --> 00:24:16.390 never gone without. And see, that discussion 00:24:16.390 --> 00:24:20.250 was prompted by us reflecting over the last 20 00:24:20.250 --> 00:24:24.450 years since we planted this church. This is our 00:24:24.450 --> 00:24:28.529 20 -year anniversary. And back then, in 2006, 00:24:28.710 --> 00:24:30.430 when we planted this church, we only had three 00:24:30.430 --> 00:24:33.950 children. And you wonder what Justin and I did 00:24:33.950 --> 00:24:35.849 for the five years of stress and anxiety we were 00:24:35.849 --> 00:24:39.450 living for the first plant. Now we have six. 00:24:42.380 --> 00:24:44.539 See, back then when we planted this church, because 00:24:44.539 --> 00:24:46.319 many of you are new to our community of faith, 00:24:46.400 --> 00:24:48.740 you don't realize that we bought a fire -damaged 00:24:48.740 --> 00:24:50.420 house for a little bit of nothing in Syracuse, 00:24:50.460 --> 00:24:52.660 New York, while we were serving at a church in 00:24:52.660 --> 00:24:55.759 Syracuse, fixed the whole thing up, and then 00:24:55.759 --> 00:24:59.059 sold it for a nice profit. We took that profit 00:24:59.059 --> 00:25:01.319 and invested it in what you're sitting in today. 00:25:04.539 --> 00:25:07.440 We took everything we had and we put it into 00:25:07.440 --> 00:25:09.819 this community of faith. And for the first five 00:25:09.819 --> 00:25:11.900 years, I worked two or three different jobs, 00:25:12.039 --> 00:25:16.059 painting, construction, substituting, long -term 00:25:16.059 --> 00:25:18.980 substituting. Jess opened a daycare in our house 00:25:18.980 --> 00:25:23.440 that brought in more kids that our family had 00:25:23.440 --> 00:25:26.900 to take care of. But it's interesting that daycare 00:25:26.900 --> 00:25:31.359 is now our Grow Learning Center. All the while, 00:25:31.420 --> 00:25:33.319 during those first five years, we were living 00:25:33.319 --> 00:25:38.490 on WIC, donated food. We never ate out. God always 00:25:38.490 --> 00:25:42.490 provided the food we needed. We were the poorest 00:25:42.490 --> 00:25:45.250 of the poorest. How do I know that? Because all 00:25:45.250 --> 00:25:48.230 of my kids were on state health insurance because 00:25:48.230 --> 00:25:52.190 we were the poorest of the poorest. The cars 00:25:52.190 --> 00:25:56.630 we drove were donated. They were never new. They 00:25:56.630 --> 00:26:01.589 always had thousands of miles on every one. Yet 00:26:01.589 --> 00:26:03.490 they always lasted and took us where we needed 00:26:03.490 --> 00:26:08.289 to be. And all the while, over that initial five, 00:26:08.490 --> 00:26:10.670 six, seven years, our focus was on the kingdom 00:26:10.670 --> 00:26:14.789 of God. We served, we gave, we taught, we preached, 00:26:14.910 --> 00:26:18.269 we proclaimed the good news. We welcomed the 00:26:18.269 --> 00:26:22.089 stranger. We brought in the outcast. We found 00:26:22.089 --> 00:26:25.109 the forgotten. And we built a community of faith 00:26:25.109 --> 00:26:29.809 through God changing lives. Was it hard work? 00:26:30.769 --> 00:26:32.890 Yes, it was the hardest work I've ever done. 00:26:34.349 --> 00:26:37.650 But we were called and we were walking in our 00:26:37.650 --> 00:26:41.509 purpose. And here's what I want you to hear. 00:26:42.230 --> 00:26:47.230 God always provided. And the amazing thing is, 00:26:47.269 --> 00:26:49.829 fast forward to today, I'm in a different income 00:26:49.829 --> 00:26:53.170 bracket. I'm making money, but yet God still 00:26:53.170 --> 00:26:57.829 provides. Many of you high -fived me over a new 00:26:57.829 --> 00:27:03.569 Jeep that was given to me a few months ago. Beautiful 00:27:03.569 --> 00:27:06.430 Jeep. Actually, the nicest car I've ever driven, 00:27:06.490 --> 00:27:09.990 and I'm 53 years old. Nicest car I've ever driven. 00:27:11.109 --> 00:27:14.630 And it's funny, last week, Jess and I decided 00:27:14.630 --> 00:27:18.809 to name our Jeep. And don't get me wrong, my 00:27:18.809 --> 00:27:21.930 kids made fun of me. They said, yeah, it's okay 00:27:21.930 --> 00:27:23.970 to name your car, but you don't put it on the 00:27:23.970 --> 00:27:32.390 car. I hear you, Lily. Well, guess what Chris 00:27:32.390 --> 00:27:36.250 did? He put it on the car. And you want to know 00:27:36.250 --> 00:27:45.950 what his name is? Holy Ghost. And you say, Chris, 00:27:46.029 --> 00:27:51.069 I agree with Lily. What are you doing? I said, 00:27:51.109 --> 00:27:54.109 because when I drive around in that Jeep, I want 00:27:54.109 --> 00:27:56.609 everyone to know where it came from. When I'm 00:27:56.609 --> 00:27:59.700 driving down that... that road and driving that 00:27:59.700 --> 00:28:02.920 Jeep, I want people to know God is with me. I 00:28:02.920 --> 00:28:05.500 want to point people to Jesus, and I'll do whatever 00:28:05.500 --> 00:28:08.960 means is necessary. Now listen, I'm not telling 00:28:08.960 --> 00:28:11.559 you that story for you to high -five me, hug 00:28:11.559 --> 00:28:15.539 me, or cry with me on your way out of here. That's 00:28:15.539 --> 00:28:19.180 my story. I'm telling you that story to remind 00:28:19.180 --> 00:28:22.619 you of how God provides for the people he loves. 00:28:25.900 --> 00:28:30.420 See, our focus was not on our needs. It was on 00:28:30.420 --> 00:28:33.980 God. So I want to ask you, what is your focus 00:28:33.980 --> 00:28:38.720 on? Is your focus on the kingdom? Or is your 00:28:38.720 --> 00:28:45.660 focus on you? Is your focus on Jesus and seeing 00:28:45.660 --> 00:28:49.339 other people meet him? Or is your focus on your 00:28:49.339 --> 00:28:51.279 finances, your investments, your house, and your 00:28:51.279 --> 00:28:53.740 stuff that provides for your entertainment and 00:28:53.740 --> 00:28:57.279 joy? Remember my statement at the beginning of 00:28:57.279 --> 00:29:00.680 this talk. An unhealthy fixation of materialism 00:29:00.680 --> 00:29:03.119 will cause you to always be worried about our 00:29:03.119 --> 00:29:10.779 finances and money becomes our master. And that's 00:29:10.779 --> 00:29:16.099 why Jesus challenges us. Do not worry. Peter 00:29:16.099 --> 00:29:19.059 reminds us in 1 Peter 5, 7, give all your worries 00:29:19.059 --> 00:29:21.039 and cares to God because he cares about you. 00:29:21.710 --> 00:29:24.529 And not only does he care about us, church, he 00:29:24.529 --> 00:29:28.450 provides for us. And that's why I always challenge 00:29:28.450 --> 00:29:31.970 people with the importance of tithing. And yes, 00:29:31.970 --> 00:29:35.690 I went there. See, God did not give us this principle 00:29:35.690 --> 00:29:38.309 of tithing to place another burden on our shoulders, 00:29:38.349 --> 00:29:41.250 another worry on us. He gave us an invitation 00:29:41.250 --> 00:29:44.990 to trust him. Because every time we give, we're 00:29:44.990 --> 00:29:48.470 literally declaring that God, not money, is our 00:29:48.470 --> 00:29:52.440 provider. And tithing is one of the most practical 00:29:52.440 --> 00:29:56.700 ways to loosen, that's right, you let go of the 00:29:56.700 --> 00:30:00.359 grip of worry. Because it shifts your focus from 00:30:00.359 --> 00:30:03.680 what you might lose to who is faithfully supplying 00:30:03.680 --> 00:30:08.839 your needs. It is an act of worship. Do you realize 00:30:08.839 --> 00:30:11.279 that? Worship's not just lifting your hand saying, 00:30:11.420 --> 00:30:15.380 praise God, I raise a hallelujah. Yeah, I do. 00:30:17.250 --> 00:30:19.349 Worship also says, God, you are first with my 00:30:19.349 --> 00:30:22.170 finances. And when we prioritize God with our 00:30:22.170 --> 00:30:24.269 resources, you're going to learn to trust him 00:30:24.269 --> 00:30:27.750 with your future. See, tithing isn't about losing 00:30:27.750 --> 00:30:30.690 10 % of your income. That's right, 10 % off the 00:30:30.690 --> 00:30:34.490 top before it's given. It goes to God. It's about 00:30:34.490 --> 00:30:38.710 giving 100 % of our hearts back to God. That's 00:30:38.710 --> 00:30:42.809 why Jesus says, seek first his kingdom before 00:30:42.809 --> 00:30:47.500 he tells us not to worry. So is that a priority 00:30:47.500 --> 00:30:51.099 for your life? See, when God is first in our 00:30:51.099 --> 00:30:53.859 finances, our hearts are reminded that our security 00:30:53.859 --> 00:30:57.440 is in him, not in your bank account. And that's 00:30:57.440 --> 00:31:00.200 why it's so important to walk this out. So let 00:31:00.200 --> 00:31:03.380 me give you four simple steps in replacing worry 00:31:03.380 --> 00:31:07.039 with faith. Four simple steps in replacing worry 00:31:07.039 --> 00:31:09.119 with faith this morning. The first is this, focus 00:31:09.119 --> 00:31:11.809 on the kingdom of God. Make it a priority in 00:31:11.809 --> 00:31:13.450 your life. Notice what Jesus says in Matthew 00:31:13.450 --> 00:31:16.569 6, continuing 31 to 34. Don't worry about these 00:31:16.569 --> 00:31:19.490 things saying, what will we eat? What will we 00:31:19.490 --> 00:31:21.769 drink? What will we wear? These things dominate 00:31:21.769 --> 00:31:23.529 the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly 00:31:23.529 --> 00:31:26.490 father already knows all your needs. Seek the 00:31:26.490 --> 00:31:28.730 kingdom of God above all else. Live righteously, 00:31:28.849 --> 00:31:30.829 and he will give you everything you need. You're 00:31:30.829 --> 00:31:32.630 looking for your Jesus promise. Right there it 00:31:32.630 --> 00:31:38.390 is. That's your promise keeper. Seek the kingdom 00:31:38.390 --> 00:31:41.630 of God above all else. And he will give you everything 00:31:41.630 --> 00:31:44.250 you need. So don't worry about tomorrow for tomorrow 00:31:44.250 --> 00:31:46.490 will bring its own worries. Today's trouble is 00:31:46.490 --> 00:31:50.029 enough for today. I believe Jesus is literally 00:31:50.029 --> 00:31:52.789 yelling at us from heaven this morning through 00:31:52.789 --> 00:31:57.450 the Holy Spirit saying, I got you church. Jesus 00:31:57.450 --> 00:32:01.250 is saying to us, do you realize worry is ridiculous? 00:32:03.150 --> 00:32:05.730 Like, don't go chasing after fame and riches 00:32:05.730 --> 00:32:08.349 like those who are living for themselves and 00:32:08.349 --> 00:32:11.950 living for this world. Don't go that way. That 00:32:11.950 --> 00:32:15.289 is what their minds are focused on, not us. We're 00:32:15.289 --> 00:32:19.390 different. For those in a relationship with Jesus, 00:32:19.450 --> 00:32:22.910 I want to remind you, it's not worth worrying. 00:32:23.190 --> 00:32:28.920 Why? We win. We've already won. We're living 00:32:28.920 --> 00:32:32.359 here in this life today. God has given us his 00:32:32.359 --> 00:32:35.480 Holy Spirit, the very breath of God, to empower 00:32:35.480 --> 00:32:39.740 us, to guide us through life today. And when 00:32:39.740 --> 00:32:42.900 we move on from this world, it doesn't matter 00:32:42.900 --> 00:32:48.619 if it's tomorrow or 40 years later. We win. We 00:32:48.619 --> 00:32:53.880 spend eternity with Jesus. There is nothing to 00:32:53.880 --> 00:32:58.460 worry about. We win. Jesus said, seek the kingdom 00:32:58.460 --> 00:33:02.859 of God above all else, and he will provide for 00:33:02.859 --> 00:33:07.019 you. Notice the order. God first. Give to him. 00:33:07.059 --> 00:33:10.440 Trust him with everything else. You know what 00:33:10.440 --> 00:33:16.500 worry says? I have the control. Faith says, God 00:33:16.500 --> 00:33:20.140 knows what I need. Let go of the control and 00:33:20.140 --> 00:33:24.880 the fear and trust God. So I want to challenge 00:33:24.880 --> 00:33:30.269 you. later today, tomorrow, what does your financial 00:33:30.269 --> 00:33:33.130 life say about your relationship with Jesus? 00:33:34.170 --> 00:33:37.170 Go ahead, look at your bank accounts. Where's 00:33:37.170 --> 00:33:41.369 your money go? Are you prioritizing the kingdom 00:33:41.369 --> 00:33:46.930 of God? Are you making God first? Are you prioritizing 00:33:46.930 --> 00:33:51.089 yourself and your stuff? Then take a step. Take 00:33:51.089 --> 00:33:53.329 a step to put God first. If you're not tithing, 00:33:53.329 --> 00:33:55.859 start tithing. Well, Chris, I'm not ready to 00:33:55.859 --> 00:33:59.079 go there yet. Fine, give 6%. And then get to 00:33:59.079 --> 00:34:03.440 8, and then get to 10. And then get to 14. Because 00:34:03.440 --> 00:34:08.500 that's where I want to be. Give generously to 00:34:08.500 --> 00:34:10.159 someone in need. You're saying, I already tied, 00:34:10.280 --> 00:34:14.320 okay. Give to someone in need. Go buy some McDonald's 00:34:14.320 --> 00:34:15.860 gift cards and give it to the homeless guy on 00:34:15.860 --> 00:34:20.840 the corner. Serve someone. Why do all that, Chris? 00:34:21.340 --> 00:34:25.619 Then practice gratitude. Every single day, everywhere 00:34:25.619 --> 00:34:28.840 you go. And tell others how God provides for 00:34:28.840 --> 00:34:31.780 you. How he meets every need because they're 00:34:31.780 --> 00:34:34.760 going to be gravitated towards you. Every act 00:34:34.760 --> 00:34:37.860 of generosity is an opportunity to replace worry 00:34:37.860 --> 00:34:41.659 with worship. And worship is where it's at, which 00:34:41.659 --> 00:34:44.099 leads us to the next step. Focus on the kingdom. 00:34:44.159 --> 00:34:47.039 Number two, you pray. You lift up worry. Light 00:34:47.039 --> 00:34:49.119 some incense. Let it burn. You're not going to 00:34:49.119 --> 00:34:51.659 see it in here, but at home you can. Lift up 00:34:51.659 --> 00:34:55.219 those prayers to God. Turn every worry into a 00:34:55.219 --> 00:34:58.019 prayer. Paul, writing to a poor and generous 00:34:58.019 --> 00:35:00.579 church, said this. Don't worry about anything. 00:35:00.800 --> 00:35:02.840 I already quoted that, but notice how he continues. 00:35:03.139 --> 00:35:07.079 Instead, pray about everything. Tell God what 00:35:07.079 --> 00:35:09.300 you need. Thank him for what he's done. Notice. 00:35:09.800 --> 00:35:12.079 Tell God what you need and already thank him. 00:35:13.059 --> 00:35:15.860 Thank you, God. Then you will experience what? 00:35:15.960 --> 00:35:18.300 God's peace, which if there's anything we can 00:35:18.300 --> 00:35:19.920 understand, his peace will guard your hearts 00:35:19.920 --> 00:35:22.760 and minds that you live in Christ Jesus. Turn 00:35:22.760 --> 00:35:26.820 every worry into a prayer. It keeps us from being 00:35:26.820 --> 00:35:30.280 depressed, overwhelmed, and obsessed with worry. 00:35:30.960 --> 00:35:33.719 Because when we pray, we trust that God will 00:35:33.719 --> 00:35:38.559 provide. We lift it up. We give it to God. And 00:35:38.559 --> 00:35:39.940 then I want to challenge you. When you give it 00:35:39.940 --> 00:35:41.599 to God, when you let go and you give it to God, 00:35:41.659 --> 00:35:44.539 don't grab it back. Don't be like, I don't want 00:35:44.539 --> 00:35:47.460 that back. It makes me feel better. No, it doesn't. 00:35:47.559 --> 00:35:52.280 It's destroying you. Let it in God's hands. Which 00:35:52.280 --> 00:35:53.960 leads us to our third step. Now you've got to 00:35:53.960 --> 00:35:55.980 focus on the mind. You've got to take negative 00:35:55.980 --> 00:35:58.980 thoughts captive. You have to tear down that 00:35:58.980 --> 00:36:01.280 worry. You have to capture those negative thoughts. 00:36:01.380 --> 00:36:04.739 As Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 10, 5, we demolish 00:36:04.739 --> 00:36:07.300 arguments and every partition that sets itself 00:36:07.300 --> 00:36:09.880 up against the knowledge of God. We take captive 00:36:09.880 --> 00:36:11.800 every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 00:36:13.159 --> 00:36:16.920 See, worry is born in our minds. And you need 00:36:16.920 --> 00:36:19.019 to capture the negative thoughts and make them 00:36:19.019 --> 00:36:23.110 obedient to Jesus. How do we do that? Don't worry. 00:36:24.349 --> 00:36:26.889 Being obedient to Jesus means you don't worry. 00:36:26.969 --> 00:36:30.409 Worry is a sin. It's rebellion against God. That's 00:36:30.409 --> 00:36:34.849 what Jesus said. He said, hey, gas prices are 00:36:34.849 --> 00:36:39.429 going up. Don't worry. You're wondering how you're 00:36:39.429 --> 00:36:40.789 going to support your kids, how you're going 00:36:40.789 --> 00:36:44.530 to get them to college. Don't worry. But Chris, 00:36:44.610 --> 00:36:48.539 my car is breaking down. Don't worry. I'm overwhelmed. 00:36:48.539 --> 00:36:50.820 I need a vacation. I'm not sure I can. Don't 00:36:50.820 --> 00:36:56.579 worry. We are children of God. And one of the 00:36:56.579 --> 00:37:00.059 greatest blessings that we could ever walk in 00:37:00.059 --> 00:37:02.400 is the reality that we're formed in God's image. 00:37:03.019 --> 00:37:05.139 And when we're formed in God's image, he gave 00:37:05.139 --> 00:37:08.860 us a brain so that we can choose different thoughts. 00:37:09.300 --> 00:37:11.639 We can capture those thoughts and get rid of 00:37:11.639 --> 00:37:14.380 them. We can make those negative thoughts obey 00:37:14.380 --> 00:37:17.659 Jesus. After all, the Bible tells us every knee 00:37:17.659 --> 00:37:21.420 will bow. So if every knee will eventually bow, 00:37:21.599 --> 00:37:24.019 guess what? Every thought can come under your 00:37:24.019 --> 00:37:28.639 control when you take it captive. Which leads 00:37:28.639 --> 00:37:30.460 us to our final step. You then replace it with 00:37:30.460 --> 00:37:37.019 truth. We move on from worry. Yes, we may be 00:37:37.019 --> 00:37:40.780 concerned, but don't worry. Worry does what? 00:37:42.469 --> 00:37:46.469 You're going nowhere. Concern leads to action. 00:37:47.750 --> 00:37:50.690 You get busy doing the work you need to do. Matthew 00:37:50.690 --> 00:37:53.130 6, 33. Seek the kingdom of God above all else. 00:37:53.130 --> 00:37:55.750 Live righteously. And he will give you everything 00:37:55.750 --> 00:38:01.750 you need. See, I want to challenge you. Don't 00:38:01.750 --> 00:38:07.070 be distracted. Jesus is in the house. And he 00:38:07.070 --> 00:38:10.070 desires to inspire you, challenge you, and remove 00:38:10.070 --> 00:38:14.130 your worry. But we have to realize that Jesus 00:38:14.130 --> 00:38:17.610 promises everything we need. It doesn't say everything 00:38:17.610 --> 00:38:21.030 we want. And that's where Americans get it wrong. 00:38:22.010 --> 00:38:25.789 We want more and need more. We want more. We 00:38:25.789 --> 00:38:27.829 desire more. We got to keep up. We got to keep 00:38:27.829 --> 00:38:30.409 up. We got to play the part. We got to have the 00:38:30.409 --> 00:38:32.769 vehicle. We got to have the big backyard, the 00:38:32.769 --> 00:38:39.469 pool, you name it. More, more, more. And that's 00:38:39.469 --> 00:38:45.250 not Jesus. Jesus says, trust me. Learn to live 00:38:45.250 --> 00:38:50.150 simply. I will meet your needs. Realize that 00:38:50.150 --> 00:38:53.050 the little things in life, what you're wearing, 00:38:53.190 --> 00:38:54.909 your shoes that are on your feet, your house, 00:38:55.010 --> 00:39:00.110 your cars, they're an incredible blessing. And 00:39:00.110 --> 00:39:03.670 you focus on those gifts and you stand on that 00:39:03.670 --> 00:39:06.480 truth. And the one thing that I can tell you 00:39:06.480 --> 00:39:08.880 about our community of faith is that for 20 years, 00:39:08.940 --> 00:39:11.739 we've always been generous. We give it away. 00:39:14.139 --> 00:39:18.500 We serve the homeless. We build kitchens in Africa. 00:39:18.659 --> 00:39:22.039 We give away thousands and thousands of shoes 00:39:22.039 --> 00:39:26.500 to children in Africa in schools. And we see 00:39:26.500 --> 00:39:31.559 God changing lives. Why? Because we want to further 00:39:31.559 --> 00:39:34.400 the kingdom of God. Because we don't want to 00:39:34.400 --> 00:39:37.559 worry about what God brings. He just says, live 00:39:37.559 --> 00:39:41.860 like this, open hand. Just give it away, give 00:39:41.860 --> 00:39:45.159 it away, give it away. No, I'm not singing the 00:39:45.159 --> 00:39:51.519 Red Hot Chili Peppers. Maybe I could though. 00:39:56.659 --> 00:40:01.219 Here's the reality. Many of you right now, you 00:40:01.219 --> 00:40:05.099 walked in here with a lot of worry. And if we're 00:40:05.099 --> 00:40:06.679 honest and you look in the mirror, that worry 00:40:06.679 --> 00:40:11.599 is focused on finances. And I believe God wants 00:40:11.599 --> 00:40:14.280 to change some lives today. Would you agree with 00:40:14.280 --> 00:40:17.719 that? So listen, my prayer team, I need you up 00:40:17.719 --> 00:40:20.460 here. Prayer team, our prayer team, sorry. If 00:40:20.460 --> 00:40:22.840 you're a praying person, get up here. Seriously. 00:40:23.320 --> 00:40:27.300 You don't even need to. Get up here. Wow, I got 00:40:27.300 --> 00:40:30.340 two people. I got a lot of faith in this church 00:40:30.340 --> 00:40:51.130 today. Listen. Can you all stand? You may notice 00:40:51.130 --> 00:40:55.730 the song in the background. It's called Jireh. 00:40:56.050 --> 00:41:00.389 And it goes like this. If he dresses the lilies 00:41:00.389 --> 00:41:05.559 with beauty and splendor. how much more does 00:41:05.559 --> 00:41:10.179 he love us? How much more does he love us? If 00:41:10.179 --> 00:41:16.019 he watches over every sparrow, how much more 00:41:16.019 --> 00:41:20.639 does he love us? How much more does he love us? 00:41:21.360 --> 00:41:24.219 So listen, if you have a worry in your life, 00:41:24.380 --> 00:41:27.480 I want you to take a step of faith and get up 00:41:27.480 --> 00:41:30.559 here and get some prayer. This place is going 00:41:30.559 --> 00:41:34.760 to be open. And I have... A sermon full of words 00:41:34.760 --> 00:41:38.679 of knowledge that I need to share with you. You're 00:41:38.679 --> 00:41:41.780 worried over breast cancer. You're worried about 00:41:41.780 --> 00:41:44.159 your depression and your anxiety that never stops. 00:41:45.179 --> 00:41:47.880 You're worried about those migraines that won't 00:41:47.880 --> 00:41:50.920 quit. You have a vertebrae in the base of your 00:41:50.920 --> 00:41:54.340 neck that's causing you pain and worry. You're 00:41:54.340 --> 00:41:56.659 losing your memory and struggling with forgetfulness 00:41:56.659 --> 00:42:00.139 and you're worried. You have numbness in the 00:42:00.139 --> 00:42:02.619 lower part of your left leg and you're worried. 00:42:03.760 --> 00:42:06.500 You have a bone fracture in your left shin and 00:42:06.500 --> 00:42:10.380 you're worried. You have an ACL meniscus tear 00:42:10.380 --> 00:42:14.179 in your left knee and you're struggling. You 00:42:14.179 --> 00:42:16.300 have sinus issues that doesn't allow you to breathe 00:42:16.300 --> 00:42:20.219 and you're worried. You have a hip that may need 00:42:20.219 --> 00:42:23.260 replaced that's causing you pain and you're worried. 00:42:24.099 --> 00:42:27.960 You have painful muscles in your lower back and 00:42:27.960 --> 00:42:31.840 you're stressed out. There's people up here to 00:42:31.840 --> 00:42:36.500 pray for you. And I can't make you come up, but 00:42:36.500 --> 00:42:40.679 I want to challenge you to come up. Because when 00:42:40.679 --> 00:42:42.860 you take a step of faith, God moves and changes 00:42:42.860 --> 00:42:47.280 your life. And there's not, 80 % of you are struggling 00:42:47.280 --> 00:42:50.119 with worry. I know it because I read the statistics. 00:42:52.719 --> 00:42:56.800 So don't leave here without getting a touch from 00:42:56.800 --> 00:43:00.300 the Spirit, without experiencing a little bit 00:43:00.300 --> 00:43:02.599 of God's peace. It may change your life forever. 00:43:03.559 --> 00:43:06.139 But before we go, before I open this up, I want 00:43:06.139 --> 00:43:07.519 to pray a simple prayer because you know I never 00:43:07.519 --> 00:43:09.500 leave here without praying that prayer. Because 00:43:09.500 --> 00:43:11.159 I believe there's people in this place that are 00:43:11.159 --> 00:43:13.460 distant and far from God. Heck, I saw some of 00:43:13.460 --> 00:43:15.280 you staring at your phones the whole way through 00:43:15.280 --> 00:43:17.539 worship. I'm like, man, you're missing out on 00:43:17.539 --> 00:43:21.639 an opportunity to meet with Jesus. And don't 00:43:21.639 --> 00:43:23.440 let you, don't be looking at a phone and I walk 00:43:23.440 --> 00:43:27.219 by because I'm going to tell you. Put it away. 00:43:28.659 --> 00:43:31.380 Jesus is here. And that's the most important 00:43:31.380 --> 00:43:33.980 thing. So if you're distant, you're far from 00:43:33.980 --> 00:43:35.900 God, pray this prayer with us. Welcome home. 00:43:35.920 --> 00:43:37.880 Come into the family because angels are going 00:43:37.880 --> 00:43:40.820 to celebrate when you do. Let's pray. Jesus, 00:43:41.099 --> 00:43:45.820 I'm broken. I'm full of doubt, shame, regret, 00:43:46.219 --> 00:43:51.860 sin. Change me. Forgive me. I believe you're 00:43:51.860 --> 00:43:56.679 God's son. I believe you died for me. I believe 00:43:56.679 --> 00:44:01.699 you're alive today. Make me new. Set me free. 00:44:02.400 --> 00:44:06.539 Fill me with your spirit. Help me, God, to serve 00:44:06.539 --> 00:44:11.039 others. In Jesus' name, amen. So if you prayed 00:44:11.039 --> 00:44:13.059 that prayer, see me, stop by the Welcome Hub, 00:44:13.099 --> 00:44:17.159 do something. We're not done yet. I'll get you 00:44:17.159 --> 00:44:20.420 signed up to be baptized. It's coming up in August. 00:44:20.940 --> 00:44:22.840 I'm going to that door. Brian's not going to 00:44:22.840 --> 00:44:24.679 open it until I get there. I love you guys, but 00:44:24.679 --> 00:44:27.000 sit tight because many of you need to be coming 00:44:27.000 --> 00:44:29.429 up and getting some prayer. Amen? The prayer 00:44:29.429 --> 00:44:31.869 team's here. Prayer people are here. Get some 00:44:31.869 --> 00:44:33.449 prayer before you leave. God bless you guys. 00:44:33.530 --> 00:44:34.090 Have a great week.