Sermon Notes – November 29, 2015 Jesus's Guide to Surviving the Season:

Worrying Gets You Nothing Matthew 6:25-34

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Discussion Questions • What worries frequently come to your mind?

• How do these worries impact your life?

• What percentage of your worst case scenario worries comes true?

• What can you learn about your view of God from the content of your worries?

• How would your worries change if you truly believed this week's passage?

• What can you do this week to surrender your worries to the Lord?

Bible Reading Plan 2014-15 Chronological

2-Year Reading Plan: Week 100

Monday • Hebrews 1-2 • Proverbs 20:14-31

Tuesday • Hebrews 3-4 • Proverbs 21:1-13

Wednesday • Hebrews 5-6 • Proverbs 21:14-31

Thursday • Hebrews 7-8 • Proverbs 22:1-6

Friday • Hebrews 9-10 • Proverbs 22:7-16

Monday – Replacing Worry with Worship Guest Writer: Cathy Slusser

“God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” John 4:24

In his book, The Comeback, pastor and author Louie Giglio describes a time in his life when he should have been extremely joyful. After completing an around the world speaking tour and helping to plant a church, he was certain he was exactly where God wanted him to be. Then, a series of incidents led him to fall into depression and fear. For weeks, he woke every night at 2:00 AM in such a state of panic that he thought he was having a heart attack. After multiple tests and hospital stays, Giglio was told that his physical symptoms were the result of anxiety.

The turning point for Giglio came one morning when he lay awake, his heart racing and his mind swirling. He felt the blackness of the night around him and was afraid. Then, remembering that worry is the opposite of worship, he prayed, “God please help me.” Giglio continues, “A little song started bubbling up in my heart. Just four lines: Be still my soul, there is a healer. His love is deeper than the sea. His mercy is unfailing. His arms a fortress for the weak.” Giglio describes lifting his hands from the bed and whispering, “I believe.” He credits that moment as the point when his healing began. That song in the night eventually became part of “I Lift My Hands” sung by Chris Tomlin and was an important reminder as Giglio learned to worship whenever worry began to overtake him.

Music especially at Christmastime is a way for us to turn our eyes off of the events around us and onto God and the true meaning of the season. No, I don’t mean “I want a Hippopotamus for Christmas” or “Holly Jolly Christmas,” but songs that speak of God’s great gift like, “O Holy Night,” “Agnus Dei” or the more recent, “Unspeakable Joy,” also by Chris Tomlin. I resolved this Christmas season to eliminate from my life a cause of worry and frustration. While social media has its good points, Facebook is often a source of anxiety as I read about others’ accomplishments and view the ads that are sent to me based upon my posts and buying habits. This year, from Thanksgiving until Christmas, I will be “fasting” or abstaining from Facebook and will substitute that habit with reading or listening to things that bring me to worship instead of worry. Will you join me?

Read John 4:1-30 and 39-42. What kinds of things do you think the Samaritan Woman was worried about? When do you think her worries started to disappear? What are you worried about? How can you replace worry with worship this Christmas season?

Tuesday – Teaching All the Time Guest Writer: Nick Molick

“In toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. And, apart from other things,

there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches.” 2 Corinthians 11:27-28

My wife Tina can cook and when I say cook I mean really cook. She is not a classically trained chef or an avid baker but she is the resident queen of planning, projecting, formulating and executing meals (at our home at least and I’m confident most others although she is too humble to say that). Most of the time this effort is put forth for our family but so many other times in the dark of night and in the gentle new morning light her cooking is done for the delight and satisfaction of others to the glory of God.

Her aptitude for this task belies her schooling and vocation as she is an accomplished woman with many mathematical and administrative attributes I can only hope to aspire to. However, her ability to cook and provide does not leave her or any of us in any of our responsibilities or tasks without worry or anxiety. She admittedly will identify with Luke 10:40-41 and the “Martha Martha” rebuke and that has repeatedly brought me to examine what I am anxious about in my own life. My wife is greatly accomplished at many things but that does not separate her from worry or anxiety and we all can relate to that fact. The Greek and Hebrew of worry and anxiety both speak to a “separation from the whole” that should tip us off that God wants us to know that He provides the way to completeness and wholeness.

In Paul’s call to the church at Corinth he is letting that early church know that yes, even Paul, the one curiously called by God for a purpose that baffled people then and now struggled with his worries about the churches he was planting. Our struggles are the worries that vary from the mundane day to day to the planting of the church in our homes.

Let us make Christ the leader of the church in our home because no matter what skills we have been blessed with we fall into worry and thus separate ourselves from the wholeness and unity that God offers us. Let’s cast our worries on Him, the only one who can truly give peace.

In this week’s message we have seen how God wants our worries. He already knows them and He wants us to truly give them up to Him.

Read Luke 10:38-42. How can you see yourself in what Martha is doing with Christ in her midst? How can we not be Martha and so much more Mary in our daily lives? We need Christ and Christ alone.

Wednesday – Treasure Hunt Guest Writer: Amy Pilson

“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:21

We “hear” people all the time complaining about their work difficulties, their financial woes, marriage issues, and health issues. Those of us on Facebook probably have one or two friends who constantly have negative posts. Some of us may not even be on Facebook for this very reason. And then some of us may be that individual. Don’t we wonder how their heart can be loving, giving, compassionate and joyful when it is only ever focused on negative things? Don’t we analyze their actions and think about how their situations would be different if they just changed the way they spent their time and money? Do we need to look at our own patterns of treasure investment?

There are a couple of ways that we can get a quick snapshot of our heart by looking at where our time, talent and money go. There’s a “quiz” that is circulating on Facebook that takes all of our posts and generates a montage of our most used words. It may surprise some of us to see just how much we discuss problem issues. If you aren’t on Facebook, replay your conversations over the past week. How much of the discussion was focused on yourself and circumstances you are dealing with?

Looking at our bank statement is another way of determining where our treasure is. Where does our money go? Quicken and Mint.com both offer ways for us to see our spending in a chart of some kind. Putting it in a snapshot view may open our eyes to things that we might not realize. We may feel pretty good about eating at home often until we see how much we actually spend on restaurants. And here I go getting personal – we may not realize just how much we spend on coffee at Starbucks. Those things aren’t bad in and of themselves, but how does our investment in those areas compare to our investment in the lives of others?

And what about our time? Are we busy trying to make ends meet by working extra hours? Look at our schedules. For many it is very full. There are scheduled times for exercise and haircuts, manicures and pedicures too. There may be one activity after another. But is there time for God? Is there quality time for our spouse and/or children?

Read Luke 12:13-21. Are there changes that need to be made?

How does our investment in those areas compare to our investment in the lives of others?

Thursday – Peace In Knowing God Guest Writer: Mackenzie Ridenour

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”

1 Peter 5:6 Worry and anxiety are two issues that all people are influenced by to some degree. Some more than others, however, every person can recall times when they were anxious or had worrisome thoughts. The Bible is clear in saying that worry and anxiety should be cast from our lives, and that deep peace and joy come from knowing the Lord. So why is it that many Christians who know the Father also live as a slave to these two giants?

The devil is real and he is powerful. Way more powerful than we humans! But guess what? God is greater, and infinitely more powerful than Satan could ever be. When the Spirit of God dwells in a person, they have the divine ability to overcome the attacks of the enemy.

In 1 Peter 5:6 it says “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time. Cast all of your anxieties on Him because He cares for you.”

Humble ourselves, under God. We must acknowledge the fact that we as humans are flawed and incapable of making ourselves whole. We cannot create peace for ourselves, but must learn how to accept and live in a state of peace in the knowledge of who God is and the truth of His gospel.

A few weeks ago we talked about thoughts, and the importance of self-controlled and captive thinking. This plays a huge roll in overcoming worry and anxiety! Whenever we have an anxious thought or become worried over something we must seize the thought, speak biblical truth over it, and ask God to help us be open to and experience His peace. Although we don’t always have the ability to change a situation or circumstance in our lives, we do have the ability to choose what thoughts we entertain and act upon. We ultimately have the choice to allow Satan to hammer us with worry, or to take those worrisome thoughts and surrender them to the Lord, trusting in Him.

He cares for us! It is not His plan for us to live in cages of anxiety and worry, but in the peace of knowing Him and living in the knowledge of the truth of who He is. He is Maker, Sustainer, Redeemer, Provider, Planner, and Father. His love for us is way more than we could ever imagine, and He is perfectly faithful.

Next time you feel worry beginning to take hold, take some deep breaths. Talk to Him about what is troubling your heart and ask for His peace and joy in the situation. Remember that this world may seem crazy and overwhelming at times, but don’t lose heart, for He has overcome the world.

Friday – Worry Happens Guest Writer: Keith Thomas

“When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.” Psalm 56:3

For many generations, children in Guatemala have dealt with their worry and fear in a most interesting way. As tradition goes, when a child is unable to fall asleep at night, they tell their worries and fears to little dolls. The dolls are small, no bigger than two to three inches in height; made with sticks or straw, and wrapped with colorful string and yarn. After the child has told the dolls theirs fears, the Worry Dolls (muñecas quitapenas) or sometimes called Trouble Dolls, are placed under the child’s pillow or put in a small wooden box. According to folklore, when the child wakes up the next morning the fears and worries are gone. Sometimes parents will remove the dolls in the middle of the night to help reinforce the idea that the dolls have taken away the worry and fear.

Worry does not discriminate. It’s not limited to a particular climate, or a period of time in our world’s history. Worry is not limited to gender, or socioeconomic status, and as we’ve just seen in Guatemalan folklore, age and country of origin does not bar worry from existing. Worry happens. It can morph into anxiety which can lead to full-blown fear and sometimes panic. It’s the progression of our worrying that becomes the problem, and a colorful, little stick doll is not the solution.

The root of fear can usually be traced back to a lack of trust. Trust is a heart issue, and it’s why King David wrote about the solution to his fears in the book of Psalms. In Psalm 28:7 David says, “The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him.” King David also speaks of dealing with fear in Psalm 56:3, “When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.”

God is able to handle all of your burdens, worries and fears. Instead of trusting in the things of this world to help you deal with your anxiety, trust in the Lord. A deep faith in God creates a heart full of thanksgiving and exultation. Could it be that as we trust God more, during the worry that happens to us, our faith is made stronger through our dependence on our Lord?

“Fear knocked at the door; Faith answered and no one was there.” (Author unknown)

Worry does not discriminate.

Weekend – Bye to Bygones “You have heard…, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’” Matthew 5:38

If you're a human, you can hold a grudge. It's what we do. A recent Psychology Today article recorded some lengthy, and likely common, grudges.

• Karen, 65, is very angry at her ex-boyfriend. It seems he asked her best friend out on a date, a few days after breaking up with Karen. He was her boyfriend in high school.

• Paul, 45, can’t forgive his sister, because, as he sees it, she treated him like he didn’t matter when they were children.

• Shelly talks of her resentment toward her mother, whom she is convinced, loved her brother more than her. While her relationship with her mother eventually changed, and offered Shelly a feeling of being loved enough, the bitterness about not being her mother’s favorite remains stuck.

Saying goodbye to bygones is not easy but holding on to a grudge is not a walk in the park. It wears us out and wounds our hearts. This is not the life God intends us to live.

As we continue exploring Jesus' Guide to Surviving the Season, this week we turn our attention to letting go of grudges. In preparation for Sunday's sermon, read Matthew 5:38-48 and ask the Lord to help you let bygones be bygones.

Pray for the World: Sweden The Kingdom of Sweden is covered with mountains and forests and is the largest Scandinavian country. Only seven percent of the nation's nine million people are evangelical Christians. Pray for: Theological training is a key prayer target. Theology and religious science are taught in 20 state universities and colleges. Many pastors are trained there, but these have been influenced by the humanism and liberalism of the prevalent university climate. There is now a slight shift back to more biblical Christian faith. Sweden desperately needs pastors, teachers and leaders who are well trained in the Word, culturally aware and not compromised by the prevalent mindset in Swedish society and the majority Church. Missionary outreach from Sweden, traditionally strong, has declined markedly in recent years across several mission agencies. Pray for a new wave of missions vision and workers to come out of Sweden and out of Scandinavia generally. (Taken from operationworld.org)

Prepare for Worship As you prepare your heart for worship on Sunday morning read Psalm 91 and thank the Lord for being your refuge and your fortress.