Worried?

We have all done it at one point or another...We worried.  There was something going on in our life that we couldn't control, fix, or find a solution to when we wanted to.  Worry isn't all that helpful but some of us live constantly in a state of worry.  Once a problem gets solved we find something else to worry about.  So what does the Bible say about it?

“An anxious heart weighs a man down, but a kind word cheers him up” (Proverbs 12:25, NIV).

“I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears” (Psalm 34:4).

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7).

“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 5:6-7)
 (Also see Psalm 55:22-23)

“Then Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?’” (Luke 12:22-26, NIV). (Also see Matthew 6:25-34)

“Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God” (Psalm 42:5).

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones” (Proverbs 3:5-8).

“…the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:26-28).

These are just a few examples of what the Bible says about worry.  So when God made us He had a plan for us to deal with these feelings.  He knew that we would need Him.  God is our answer to those times of worry, doubt, fear, anxiety, etc.  He wants us to trust Him.  He wants our problems, prayers, and to give us peace.  God is in control...He made the world we live in and everyone around us.  Shouldn't God be the one we run to?

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http://www.amazon.com/CANDLELIGHT-BY-NIGHT/dp/B005DETYXC/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1352220408&sr=8-2&keywords=candlelight+by+night

Never Alone

Psalm 139

New International Version (NIV)

Psalm 139

For the director of music. Of David. A psalm.

¹ You have searched me, Lord,
    and you know me.
² You know when I sit and when I rise;
    you perceive my thoughts from afar.
³ You discern my going out and my lying down;
    you are familiar with all my ways.
⁴ Before a word is on my tongue
    you, Lord, know it completely.
⁵ You hem me in behind and before,
    and you lay your hand upon me.
⁶ Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
    too lofty for me to attain.

⁷ Where can I go from your Spirit?
    Where can I flee from your presence?
⁸ If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
    if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
⁹ If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
    if I settle on the far side of the sea,
¹⁰ even there your hand will guide me,
    your right hand will hold me fast.
¹¹ If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me
    and the light become night around me,”
¹² even the darkness will not be dark to you;
    the night will shine like the day,
    for darkness is as light to you.

¹³ For you created my inmost being;
    you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
¹⁴ I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
    your works are wonderful,
    I know that full well.
¹⁵ My frame was not hidden from you
    when I was made in the secret place,
    when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
¹⁶ Your eyes saw my unformed body;
    all the days ordained for me were written in your book
    before one of them came to be.
¹⁷ How precious to me are your thoughts,^[a] God!
    How vast is the sum of them!
¹⁸ Were I to count them,
    they would outnumber the grains of sand—
    when I awake, I am still with you.

¹⁹ If only you, God, would slay the wicked!
    Away from me, you who are bloodthirsty!
²⁰ They speak of you with evil intent;
    your adversaries misuse your name.
²¹ Do I not hate those who hate you, Lord,
    and abhor those who are in rebellion against you?
²² I have nothing but hatred for them;
    I count them my enemies.
²³ Search me, God, and know my heart;
    test me and know my anxious thoughts.
²⁴ See if there is any offensive way in me,
    and lead me in the way everlasting.

No matter what we are going through, where we are, who we are God is with us.  We cannot run away or escape Him.  This was brought to my attention at a bible study on Sunday Evening.  I never thought of that before.  He is always with us.  

So many times I just felt like God was far away.  That my prayers had to float up to Him.  It may seem very silly to some of you but that's kind of how I always thought of things.  

Just trust that He is there and that He hears you.

Obey God

How important is it that we obey God?  We often say that He will forgive us no matter what but what does it really mean to obey Him?

1 Samuel 15:22
 But Samuel replied: "Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.

 Romans 2:13 (NIV) For it is not those who hear the law that are righteous in God's sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous.

Psalm 25:10 (NIV) All the ways of the Lord are loving and faithful for those who keep the demands of the covenant.

John 8:32 (TEB) "If you obey my teaching you are really my disciples; you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free."

John 15:10 (NIV) "If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love."

Deuteronomy 11:26-27 (NIV) "See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse--the blessing if you obey the commands of the Lord your God that I am giving you today."

Exodus 19:5 (NIV) "Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of the nations you will be my treasured possession."

Numbers 24:7 (NIV) "...Because my servant Caleb has a different spirit and follows me wholeheartedly, I will bring him into the land..." (Read context in Numbers 14.)

Hebrews 4:6 (NIV) It still remains that some will enter that rest, and those who formerly had the gospel preached to them did not go in, because of their disobedience.

1 John 3:21-22 (NIV) Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God and receive from him anything we ask, because we obey his commands and do what pleases him.

 John 14:23-24 (NIV) Jesus replied, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching... He who does not love me will not obey my teaching."

1 John 2:4-5 (Phi) The man who claims to know God but does not obey his laws is not only a liar but lives in self-delusion. But the more a man obeys God's laws the more truly and fully does he show his love for him. Obedience is the test of whether we live in God or not.

So pretty quickly looking at these verses from the Bible we see that obedience is very important.  Through our obedience He blesses us, He answers our prayers.  So when you may have some doubt what He wants for your life just start with obedience and He will lead you.  He wants you to be obedient.

Who's plan matters?

We often make plans for our lives.  It's easy to say I want to be here or doing this in so many months or years.  Often we put our faith in our plans forgetting that if we have any faith in God we should be seeking Him and trusting that He has the best plan.

Jeremiah 29:11 states "For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

It is so easy to get caught up in chasing our own dreams.  Television programs, radio shows, music and books that are very popular tell us the world is ours and we can achieve anything if we just believe it.  We live in a world where slogans like "Have it your way." are ways of life for most of it.  People get so caught up in getting the newest phone, having the best house, taking our kids to the best schools that often we forget about God.  Selfishness runs rampant in our world.  A world that tells everyone to look out for yourself.  Don't worry about your neighbor.

When we stop and look at what God is telling us in Jeremiah ..He has plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. That sounds like a wonderful promise.  Do we really trust Him that He will do what He says He will?  Most of the time we don't!  We put God in the corner and tell Him we have this under control.  When struggles come we might run to Him but it's not our fault it's His for making the world this way...or is it?

Psalm 119:2 Blessed are they who keep his statutes and seek him with all their heart.
 11 If they obey and serve him, they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures. (Job 36:11)

God tells us in Psalms and in Job that we will be blessed if we keep his statues and seek him, if we obey and serve Him we will spend our days in prosperity and our years in pleasures.  He is telling us that if we do what He wants us to do and seek Him we will have prosperity and pleasure.  Isn't that what we want?  Is that what we are looking for?  

So let's get this straight we have worked ourselves to death and have next to nothing to show for it.  The money always runs out at the end of the month.  We have sacrificed our time with our children, spouses, and stressed ourselves out but we don't need to live that way.

God has given us the promises we need to be relaxed, prosperous, and have pleasure in our lives.  All we have to do is obey and seek Him.  It sounds too easy to be true doesn't it.  I challenge you to try it.  God is just waiting for you trust Him.  Hand over to Him your relationships, finances, give Him everything and just see if He doesn't do what He said He would.

Getting Rest

God rested on the 7th day so how important is rest? 

God Designed Rest From Labor

Genesis 2:2-3 And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation.

Exodus 20:8-10 “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates…”

Exodus 23:12 (KJV) Six days thou shalt do thy work, and on the seventh day thou shalt rest: that thine ox and thine ass may rest, and the son of thy handmaid, and the stranger, may be refreshed. 

According to God's word we need rest.  We need to be refreshed.  

The pace of our world has gone from a walk, to a job and now a 24 hour 7 day a week sprint.  During these times we lose focus on the things God wants for us.  We get anxious and can't find peace.  So many things can distract us and keep us from truly being refreshed.

God Provides Rest From Trouble

Psalms 37:7 Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices!

Psalms 55:6 And I say, “Oh, that I had wings like a dove!  I would fly away and be at rest 

Isaiah 14:3-4 When the LORD has given you rest from your pain and turmoil and the hard service with which you were made to serve, you will take up this taunt against the king of Babylon: ”How the oppressor has ceased, the insolent fury ceased!

God Promises Rest & Peace from Anxiety

Ecclesiastes 2:24-25 There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil. This also, I saw, is from the hand of God, for apart from him who can eat or who can have enjoyment?

2 Corinthians 2:13-14 my spirit was not at rest because I did not find my brother Titus there. So I took leave of them and went on to Macedonia. But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. 

Philippians 4:6-7 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Matthew 11:28-29 “…Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” 

The scriptures were found on http://www.whatchristianswanttoknow.com/bible-verses-about-rest-20-important-scriptures/

So please take a serious look at this because we need to rest our minds, bodies, and spirits.  God never meant for us to be so stressed out and busy.  He wants us to rest.

Spiritual Growth

Unfortunately in life to go through growth we must first go through some difficulty.  If we never go through any difficulty or quit whenever things get tough we remain the same.  This is the same in our faith in God.

If we go through trials but we first run to the internet, a self help book which is not what the Bible is, or friends and family who are not in the faith we are heading the wrong direction!

It is through these trials that our roots grow deep in God.  The Bible says that God tries the heart in Proverbs 17:3 Fire tests the purity of silver and gold, but the LORD tests the heart.  He wants to know what you will do when the tough times come.  Can He trust you?  Will you fall away?  Philippians 4:5-7 Let your gentleness be evident to all.  The Lord is near.  Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

We are to glory in our trials (Romans 5:3) We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance.  In these we develop the fruit of the Spirit. Galatians 5:22-23

New International Version (NIV)

²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

God wants to use you but are you willing to go through the process He has for you to get there?