20-0216p Transcript

Preacher: Steve Cain

(0:03) Good evening. (0:10) Joe and Julius have figured out how to keep us from going back home. (0:19) They’re going to move our house over here.

(0:28) Nice thought. (0:36) As we come back together to glorify God and to worship God (0:42) and to keep our love for Him and to keep it flamed, (0:48) you know, that’s one of the things that we need to do, (0:50) is to keep our love for God flamed. (0:53) And it is something that you and I can do.

(0:56) And it’s something that we must do. (0:59) I was told a story, and you’ve probably heard it many times too, (1:05) how that one of the members of the congregation started missing. (1:12) And the preacher went to see him.

(1:15) It was a nice cold day, and there was a fire in the fireplace. (1:19) And the member welcomed him in, provided him with a place to sit. (1:25) And they sat there, and the preacher didn’t say a thing.

(1:31) He sat there for a little bit, and nothing was said. (1:35) The guy knew why he was there, but nothing was said. (1:39) Then the preacher got up, pulled the ember out of the fireplace, (1:45) and put it on the hearth, and just sat back down.

(1:49) And they sat there and watched it. (1:52) And they watched the ember fade out. (1:57) They watched the ember grow cold.

(2:02) The preacher got up, and the member says, (2:06) I’ll be there Sunday. (2:10) And so we can flame the fire. (2:14) It is up to us to flame the fire and to keep it going.

(2:18) And Paul told Timothy to flame the fire and keep it going. (2:21) And it was his responsibility to keep his enthusiasm and his love for God. (2:29) It was his responsibility, and it is ours, too.

(2:32) And so as we reflect upon these things, we must enjoy the fellowship. (2:39) And that’s what the Hebrew writer is really concerned about, (2:41) as far as when we’re studying the scripture, that we will grow cold. (2:47) And as we grow cold, we will die.

(2:50) And that’s the kind of death that God does not want. (2:54) And we want to keep the love for God and the enthusiasm. (3:00) And that’s what enthusiasm stands for.

(3:03) If you look at that word enthusiasm, it’s a Greek word, enthusiasm. (3:09) And it means God in you. (3:12) And if you stop and parse that word out, it’s God in you.

(3:18) Enthusiasm. (3:20) And so God has to be in you, and you’ve got to allow God to come into your heart. (3:29) This evening, as we reflect upon God, we reflected on God this morning (3:35) and how that he wanted us to reflect our gratefulness (3:40) and be grateful for all the things that he does for us (3:42) and how that he provides for us (3:44) and all the other things that he makes it possible for us.

(3:50) He put us here on this earth not just to die, not to just exist. (3:55) He put us here, and he’s sustaining us. (3:58) And so there’s more to this life than just clothing.

(4:04) There’s more to this life than just food. (4:06) There’s more to this life than what one might take a look at. (4:11) What we need to realize is that total dependence upon God (4:16) is not just relying on his ability to meet our needs, (4:24) but he wants us to realize that we depend upon him 100% in everything in our lives.

(4:33) And so what would you suppose would be the next thing that God wants from us? (4:42) He wants from us to turn to him in our times of need and trial. (4:49) He wants us to turn to him and rely upon him to meet those particular needs too. (4:56) So many times we turn to other things.

(4:59) We turn to our doctors. (5:00) We turn to other sources. (5:02) We think in terms of various other ways of providing our health and so on (5:08) when in reality God wants us to turn to him and look to him (5:13) for all the things that we need in our lives.

(5:17) So the word that I want to reflect upon is the word anxious. (5:24) Be anxious about nothing. (5:28) Isn’t that what the Philippian writer tells us? (5:30) Take a look at Philippians, the fourth chapter, (5:33) as we see Paul is writing there and he’s telling them about the concerns (5:38) and he’s telling them to be anxious about nothing.

(5:43) So he writes here in the fourth chapter of Philippians, (5:47) Therefore, my brothers, you whom I love and long for my joy and crown, (5:53) that is how you should stand firm in the Lord, dear friends. (6:01) We slip down to verse 4. (6:05) Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say again, rejoice.

(6:08) Let your gentleness be evident to all. (6:13) The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, (6:18) but in everything by prayer, petition, with thanksgiving, (6:23) present your requests to God, (6:26) and the peace of God which transcends all understanding (6:30) will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

(6:38) What does he say? (6:43) Do not be anxious about anything. (6:49) Anything is all-encompassing. (6:53) We are anxious about many, many things.

(6:56) Why are we anxious about many, many things? (6:59) Well, I really don’t know the answer to that (7:02) other than the fact that I know that it is easy to be anxious (7:06) about running out of things, about not having enough of something, (7:12) about the continuing of your welfare in your life. (7:19) All of these things have a way of working on your anxiousness. (7:25) My mother, bless her soul, was anxious just about everything.

(7:31) But you have to stop and think about what type of a life she lived, (7:35) what type of a life that was around her, (7:40) and it made it impossible for her basically not to be anxious. (7:46) She died at 96 years old, (7:50) and she had more money than she ever thought she would ever have (7:53) because when my father passed away, (7:56) he had life insurance that brought her well-being to $300,000 at 96 (8:05) and she’s worried about outliving it. (8:10) Be anxious about what? (8:13) Well, she’s anxious because she knows that if she got sick (8:17) and had to go into the hospital, (8:19) the doctors would take all of her money away (8:22) and she wouldn’t have any money.

(8:25) Why was she concerned about those things? (8:28) Because she was raised during the Depression. (8:32) And as she was raised during the Depression, (8:34) she was one of seven children, (8:37) and her father passed away when she was six. (8:46) She had to help her mother raise those seven children.

(8:52) Every time they went anywhere, (8:55) and especially to go visit their families, (8:58) she could hear them saying, (9:01) the families that they were going to go visit, (9:03) she could hear them saying, (9:04) here comes the Hoovers. (9:06) That was their maiden name. (9:08) Here comes the Hoovers.

(9:09) I wonder what they want now. (9:12) I wonder what they need now. (9:16) She heard that.

(9:17) She heard it all the time. (9:21) Her mother worked very, very hard. (9:24) My grandmother worked very, very hard.

(9:28) But she wasn’t nearly as anxious as my mother was. (9:31) I have no idea why my mother was so anxious from start to one, (9:36) because her mother, my grandmother, (9:38) was not anxious about anything. (9:42) But yet my mother was anxious about everything and anything.

(9:49) What is the current thing to be anxious about? (9:55) Global warming. (9:58) Why are we anxious about that? (10:03) God has everything under control, doesn’t he? (10:07) And everything is going to work out. (10:10) What’s another thing that we’re anxious about that is current? (10:16) Energy.

(10:18) We’re afraid that we’re going to run out of our natural energy, (10:22) the oil and the various other things. (10:23) So we’re going to run out of oil, and then we won’t have gas for our cars. (10:28) We have some various other things.

(10:30) So we’re anxious about that. (10:35) When I was a young man, what were we anxious about in those days? (10:42) About starting a war that would eliminate the earth. (10:46) Dropping that bomb that would start a catalystic event, (10:50) and the next thing you know, the chain reaction would be, boom, (10:53) the earth would be all blown up, and we’d blow ourselves to smithereens.

(11:00) It’s not too hard to be anxious about anything, is it? (11:05) And yet they sell us on these anxiousness. (11:08) They sell us on these things that tell us, (11:10) this is why we’ve got to be concerned about the whales. (11:13) We can’t let the whales go extinct.

(11:16) Is God concerned about being anxious about the whales? (11:21) I don’t think he is. (11:24) I think the whales will take care of themselves. (11:26) The polar bears.

(11:27) The latest thing that you ever saw on television is the polar bears. (11:31) The ice is melting, and the water is coming in, (11:34) and the polar bears don’t have anything to live on. (11:40) You’re anxious about that.

(11:43) When we look at the various things within our own society, (11:49) we’re anxious about jobs. (11:52) We’re anxious about whether or not the index, (11:59) what is the index? (12:02) I’m trying to think. (12:03) The stock market.

(12:05) The index is going up or down and so on, and we’re going to be losing money. (12:09) And we’re worried about whether or not we’re going to really lose all of our money (12:13) and not have any money to live on to retire to. (12:16) We’re anxious about everything and anything, aren’t we? (12:21) You just name it.

(12:23) We can be anxious about it. (12:27) And yet Paul tells us, be anxious about nothing. (12:36) God knows what we need before we even ask of it, doesn’t he? (12:40) He’s telling us, don’t worry about it.

(12:45) Oh, yeah, we’re going to give the president the credit for making our money and our jobs and so on, (12:55) but why are we giving him credit when it’s God? (13:04) God has every way of working in our universe (13:08) and bringing about the various things that we need before we even ask of it. (13:15) When we were studying about the Christian evidences, (13:21) Brother Scott pointed out to us the fact that everything has its borders. (13:27) The scriptures point out to us everything has its borders (13:31) and it cannot go over those borders.

(13:34) Why are we concerned about it happening (13:37) when the scriptures point out to us that God has rules and regulations established for the earth (13:44) and it is not going to be violated? (13:49) So why are we anxious about those things? (13:54) There’s no need to be anxious about running out of oil. (13:57) There’s no need to be anxious about the water and the ice melting and so on. (14:06) There’s no reason to be anxious about those things (14:09) because Jesus holds the earth together by the power of his hand, his mouth, his word.

(14:18) Jesus holds that together. (14:23) We’re anxious about our health, we’re anxious about our money, (14:27) we’re anxious about various things. (14:30) And Paul is writing to the Philippians and he’s telling us, (14:35) verse 6, chapter 4, (14:39) Do not be anxious about anything, (14:42) but in everything by prayer and petition, (14:45) with thanksgiving present your request to God (14:49) and the peace of God which transcends all understanding (14:53) will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

(15:00) Where is our peace? (15:02) Where is our comfort? (15:05) It’s all in Christ Jesus, isn’t it? (15:11) Let’s turn to Luke, the 12th chapter. (15:17) Luke, the 12th chapter, basically is very similar to Matthew in the Sermon on the Mount. (15:26) And this is basically the same.

(15:29) But as we look at Luke, the 12th chapter, he’s having a conversation with his disciples. (15:35) And if you look at the 22nd verse and start from there, (15:40) but yet I feel that the things that we really need to have is just prior to that too. (15:47) Let’s go to verse 13.

(15:54) Well, I really want us to go to the very first verse of chapter 12. (15:59) If you will endure this reading, (16:03) be reading from the New International Version. (16:05) And he’s talking about warnings and encouragements.

(16:11) He’s talking about covetousness. (16:14) He’s talking about greediness, being greed. (16:18) And most of the time, covetousness and greed is the source of our concerns (16:24) because we don’t want to lose what we have.

(16:27) And we don’t want to live any less than the conditions that we’re living in ourselves. (16:36) So, (17:19) Once you’re dead, you’re dead. (17:21) They can’t do anything else to you.

(17:24) So they can’t do anything. (17:26) Don’t fear those people. (17:28) But he’s going to tell you who to fear.

(17:30) But I will show you whom you should fear. (17:34) Fear him who, after the killing of the body, (17:40) has power to throw you into hell. (17:44) Yes, I tell you, fear him.

(17:46) For not five sparrows sold for two pennies, (17:49) yet not one of them is forgotten by God. (17:54) Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. (17:57) Don’t be afraid.

(17:59) You are worth more than many sparrows. (18:03) I tell you, whoever acknowledges me before men, (18:07) the Son of Man will also acknowledge him before the angels of God. (18:11) But he who disowns me before men will be disowned before the angels of God.

(18:16) And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven. (18:21) But anyone who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. (18:25) When you are brought before synagogues, rulers, and authorities, (18:29) do not worry about how you will defend yourselves (18:32) or what you will say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say.

(18:39) Notice what he said, and I want you to catch this. (18:42) When he says, don’t fear the person who can kill you, (18:47) who should you be fearful of? (18:49) The person who deals with you after you’re killed. (18:55) That’s what he’s saying here.

(18:57) Don’t be fearful of the person who can kill you, (19:00) take your life from your body, (19:02) but be fearful of the person who deals with you after you’re dead. (19:08) Notice that. (19:10) He says, I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body (19:16) and after that can do no more.

(19:19) But I will show you whom you should fear. (19:23) Fear him who, after the killing of the body, (19:32) has power to throw you into hell. (19:37) So don’t worry about the person who you prepare yourself for that death.

(19:42) You prepare yourself for that death so that when you do die, (19:47) you will be taken care of by God. (19:51) That’s what he’s telling us. (19:53) He’s not telling us that God’s not going to kill us (19:55) or that God is going to kill us because of our sins and that.

(19:59) He’s telling us, don’t be worried about death. (20:03) Be worried about what happens after death. (20:10) And so that’s what we need to be concerned about.

(20:14) So now let’s go on down to verse 13, where we left off. (20:18) In the crowd said to him, someone in the crowd said to him, (20:21) Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me. (20:26) Jesus replied, Man, who appointed me? (20:29) I like that.

Man? (20:32) I don’t know who wrote that. (20:35) Man, what do I have to do with you? (20:39) But he says, Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you? (20:48) Then he said to them, Watch out. (20:51) Be on your guard against all kinds of greed.

(20:54) Now this is what he’s concerned about (20:57) because greed is what’s going to concern you about what you have to wear (21:02) or what you’re going to lose or what’s going to happen to you (21:06) if you should become sick and lose all your money (21:12) and physician’s fees and so on. (21:15) And he told them this parable. (21:18) The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop.

(21:22) He thought to himself, What shall I do? (21:25) I have no place to store my crops. (21:29) Then he said, This is what I’ll do. (21:32) I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones (21:35) and there I will store all my grain and my goods.

(21:39) And I’ll say to myself, (21:41) You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. (21:45) Take life easy and drink and be merry. (21:50) That’s what I’m saying.

(21:58) But God said to him, (22:00) You fool, this very night your life will be demanded from you. (22:09) Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself? (22:15) Are you sure you want to leave all that stuff to your children? (22:19) Are you sure you want to leave all that stuff? (22:23) Who’s going to take care of it and put it away? (22:26) How are they going to deal with it? (22:29) But God said to him, (22:31) You fool, this very night your life will be demanded from you. (22:33) Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself? (22:36) What’s going to happen to everything? (22:38) As I said the other night, (22:39) Have you ever seen a moving van follow after a funeral procession? (22:44) What are they going to do with all those goods that are (22:49) furniture and everything that’s in that moving van? (22:53) This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself (22:58) but is not rich towards God.

(23:03) So he’s telling us, (23:05) This is what we need to be prepared to do. (23:08) Know God. (23:11) Then Jesus said to his disciples, (23:13) And here we have a very similar message concern from the Sermon on the Mount.

(23:21) Therefore I tell you, (23:23) Do not worry about your life, (23:26) what you will eat, (23:27) or about your body, (23:29) what you will wear. (23:31) Don’t be anxious about those things. (23:35) He didn’t use that word anxious, (23:37) but it’s anxious and worry are one and the same, aren’t they? (23:40) Life is more than food, (23:43) and the body more than clothes.

(23:46) Consider the ravens. (23:47) They do not sow or reap. (23:49) They have no storeroom or barn, (23:52) and yet God feeds them.

(23:55) How much more valuable are you than the birds? (24:01) Who of you, by worrying, can add a single hour to his life? (24:06) Since you cannot do this very little thing, (24:09) why do you worry about the rest? (24:14) Consider how the lilies grow. (24:16) They do not labor or spin. (24:18) And yet I tell you, (24:19) not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.

(24:25) If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, (24:28) which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, (24:32) how much more will he clothe you? (24:36) Oh, you of little faith. (24:39) And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink, (24:43) or do not worry about it, (24:45) for the pagan world runs after all such things, (24:49) and your father knows that you need them. (24:53) But seek his kingdom, (24:56) and these things will be given to you as well.

(24:59) We have a song, don’t we? (25:00) Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness. (25:09) So that’s what he’s telling us, (25:12) and that’s where that song comes from. (25:15) But seek his kingdom, (25:16) and these things will be given to you as well.

(25:20) Do not be afraid, little flock, (25:22) for your father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. (25:27) Sell your possessions and give to the poor. (25:30) Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out.

(25:35) Treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted. (25:39) Where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. (25:44) For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

(25:50) So he’s pointing out to us the fact that we (25:52) need to cast all of our cares on God. (25:57) That’s not easy to do. (26:02) The world really does have its grasp on us.

(26:08) Oftentimes I think in terms of (26:10) why did Jesus sweat drops of blood that night in the garden? (26:18) I don’t really know, and I don’t have the foggiest idea, (26:21) but I would like to venture this guess. (26:26) He hadn’t faced death yet. (26:30) He hadn’t died yet.

(26:34) He loved life. (26:36) You and I love life, don’t we? (26:39) And the prospects of dying just doesn’t weigh well with us, does it? (26:46) It doesn’t with me, I know that. (26:50) How am I going to die? (26:53) My biggest fear of dying is drowning.

(26:59) I don’t know what it’s going to be like to drown, (27:01) but my imagination is grasping for air and sucking in and water. (27:08) I can’t fight that. (27:11) What would it be like to be burned up, (27:15) die in a fire? (27:18) Those are all morbid thoughts, aren’t they? (27:20) But Jesus knew that he was going to have to be on this cross, (27:25) and he knew that it was the most horrendous type of death (27:28) that the Romans could figure out, (27:30) and he knew that he was going to have to be there (27:33) just like everybody else was, (27:35) with nails driven through his hands and through his feet, (27:38) and he’s going to be hanging there.

(27:40) Can you imagine how horrible that’s going to be? (27:45) The pain and everything that he’s going to have to endure? (27:52) He knows that. (27:55) But you know, there’s another thought that comes to my mind. (28:01) He’s putting himself at the mercy of his Father, (28:06) God the Father and God the Holy Spirit.

(28:09) He’s putting himself at the mercy of God, (28:12) and he’s putting himself into the devil’s hell (28:16) that nobody can escape if they’ve had any sin on them. (28:22) What if he had sinned? (28:25) What if there was some sin there that he did not know anything about? (28:31) Do we know that he was sinless? (28:33) Because it required sinlessness (28:36) for God to be able to exercise this resurrection. (28:41) It required sinlessness for the Holy Spirit (28:45) to bring him forth from the grave.

(28:48) And so he’s sitting there, and he’s lying there, (28:51) and he’s thinking unto himself, (28:55) I’m in your hands now, God. (28:58) I’m in your hands now, Holy Spirit. (29:01) I’m in hell or in the grave now.

(29:04) I’m in Satan’s stronghold, (29:08) and I’ll be there, (29:10) and I’m relying on you to be able to pull me out of there. (29:14) Any one of those things would tear me up. (29:21) So he’s sweating drops of blood.

(29:25) If he wasn’t fearful of anything, (29:27) if he wasn’t anxious about anything, (29:28) why is he sweating blood? (29:34) Because he’s concerned. (29:36) He’s concerned about this plan. (29:39) He’s concerned about it being worked out (29:41) and being able to defeat Satan (29:45) and fulfilling that prophecy that was mentioned Wednesday night, (29:50) Genesis 315.

(29:51) And after Eve sinned and was cast out of the garden, (30:01) God said to Eve, (30:02) your seed will bruise the head. (30:09) Right? (30:10) I’m going from memory now. (30:13) And he says, he will bruise your heel, (30:16) and you will bruise his head.

(30:21) And so it’s from that standpoint we see that (30:23) that prophecy is going to be fulfilled. (30:27) But yet Jesus is telling us in a very absolute and very positive way, (30:32) don’t be anxious about anything. (30:36) Because you see, this is how we can comfort ourselves.

(30:39) This is how we can comfort one another, (30:41) and especially when it comes to facing death. (30:45) Because this is how we can comfort one another. (30:48) We can comfort one another by knowing that we have obeyed the gospel.

(30:52) And this is how Paul says, I can comfort you, (30:55) and you can turn around and comfort others, (30:58) and you can comfort me. (31:00) From the standpoint, this is how God comforted me (31:03) when he told me that he forgave me of all the things that I had done (31:09) prior to becoming a Christian. (31:12) What did Paul do prior to becoming a Christian? (31:17) He was binding up Christians and throwing them into jail.

(31:23) He witnessed the stoning of Stephen. (31:25) He had individuals killed, put into prison. (31:28) He knew he was the cheapest of all sinners.

(31:33) So how did God comfort him? (31:36) How did God assure him that he had forgiven him? (31:40) How did God assure him that all was forgiven? (31:44) How did God assure him and comfort him in these things? (31:49) By realizing that Jesus died for him, (31:54) and that God had worked it all out through his grace, (31:57) had worked it out so that if Paul would become a disciple of Jesus, (32:07) be baptized for the remission of his sins, (32:11) calling upon the Lord, (32:13) being baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit, (32:16) he would rise and God would credit (32:22) Jesus' righteousness to him. (32:28) Where do we stand? (32:35) So, we are comforted in the same way that Paul was comforted. (32:40) We are comforted from the standpoint that if we have done what God has asked us to do, (32:47) coming to him through Jesus, (32:50) being baptized into Christ, (32:53) putting him on in baptism, (32:55) to rise to walk in this newness of life, (32:58) God can credit Jesus' righteousness to us.

(33:03) And so when we die, (33:05) we can look forward to the resurrection just as Jesus did. (33:09) Doesn’t mean that we’re not going to be fearful about dying. (33:14) I’ve gone through all those things I just told you, (33:17) but I’m still not looking forward to how it is I’m going to die.

(33:26) That I don’t look forward to. (33:27) But, what did Jesus say? (33:35) Fear not those who can take your life. (33:40) Fear that who deals with you after you’re dead.

(33:49) But in life, we do anxious. (33:52) We do have anxious moments. (33:54) We do concern ourselves with these things.

(33:56) So, just in closing, let’s take a look at a couple of scriptures that point out to us (34:02) about the concerns about being anxious, (34:10) if we can really work it out. (34:13) Hebrews, the 13th chapter was right in your hearing. (34:15) Let’s reread that.

(34:17) Take a look at what he says here in Paul’s letter to the Hebrews. (34:24) 13th chapter verses 5 and 6. (34:30) Keep your lives free from the love of money (34:34) and be content with what you have (34:37) because God has said, (34:41) never will I leave you. (34:43) Never will I forsake you.

(34:45) So we say with confidence, (34:48) the Lord is my helper. (34:50) I will not be afraid. (34:53) What can man do to me? (34:59) Be anxious about anything? (35:01) No, be anxious about nothing.

(35:06) Sure, I’m worried about if I’ve borrowed money, (35:10) whether or not I can pay it back. (35:12) When I was in high school, I worried about (35:14) whether or not I had all my themes and term papers written (35:18) and turned in and what kind of grade I was going to get. (35:22) Sure, I was anxious about those things.

(35:27) But we learned that that too will pass on. (35:32) There’s no real reason for you to be anxious about those things. (35:37) 1 Peter, the 5th chapter.

(35:40) We’re not too far from that passage. (35:42) Let’s take a look at it. (35:43) 1 Peter, the 5th chapter.

(35:48) Let’s take a look at 6 and 7. (35:54) Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand (36:00) that He may lift you up in due time. (36:06) Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you. (36:16) Cast all your anxiety on Him for He cares for you.

(36:22) You know, Psalms is full of this type of encouragement. (36:28) Psalms is just replete with this. (36:32) And I think there’s about 27 verses that I brought up (36:36) and found in Psalms that talks about trusting God (36:42) to get you through your troubles.

(36:46) Of course, David was constantly concerned about his enemies (36:50) and what they would do to him. (36:53) And yet he would turn to God (36:55) and he would cast all his concerns upon God. (36:59) And he’s encouraging us all to do that ourselves.

(37:02) Let’s look at Psalm 27 just for one of them. (37:07) And then I’ve got one other one (37:09) and then the lesson will be yours concerning being anxious. (37:15) Psalms 27 verses 13 and 14.

(37:21) I am still confident of this. (37:23) I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. (37:28) Wait for the Lord.

Be strong and take heart. (37:33) Wait for the Lord. (37:34) Of course, that’s really what anxious is, isn’t it? (37:42) Waiting for the Lord.

(37:43) When will He answer our prayers? (37:46) When will He take those particular burdens off our shoulders? (37:51) When will He do these things? (37:52) And sometimes we can’t wait long enough. (37:56) That’s what King Saul was all about, wasn’t it? (37:59) King Saul was told that he could go to war (38:02) but he had to wait for the prophet to get there. (38:07) And the prophet was going to provide the sacrifices for him.

(38:13) But the prophet was delayed (38:15) and the king was becoming concerned about it (38:18) because he had deserters. (38:21) Some of his army was deserting him (38:23) and he was concerned about having enough manpower to go into this war. (38:29) And so he took it upon himself to pray or to offer the sacrifice himself.

(38:34) And then the prophet shows up. (38:39) We become anxious about these things, don’t we? (38:42) And anxiety makes us do things without waiting for the Lord. (38:49) We’ve got to wait for the Lord.

(38:51) And that’s what David learned. (38:53) Wait for the Lord and these things will happen. (38:56) The last one is Psalm 121.

(39:01) How many times do we go out and borrow money or whatever (39:04) to pay for a bill when we’ve asked God to help us to solve it (39:12) and find out that that was the wrong thing to do? (39:18) My fingers are not working very well for me right now. (39:21) Psalm 121. (39:22) I lift up my eyes to the hills.

(39:28) Where does my help come from? (39:31) My help comes from the Lord, (39:34) the maker of heaven and earth. (39:40) Wait upon the Lord (39:43) and you shall fly with the wings of the eagle. (39:53) So how do we deal with anxiousness? (39:57) First of all, we need to deal with our concern about our relationship with God.

(40:02) And once we are right with God, (40:04) then we don’t have anything really to be anxious about. (40:11) Are you right with God? (40:13) If you’re not, we’d like to extend to you the opportunity to confess (40:18) or to be baptized. (40:20) Whatever your need is, why don’t you come? (40:23) Together we stand and sing the psalm of encouragement.