ADVICE FOR LIFE (SERIES) ADVICE FOR THOSE WHO WORRY MATTHEW 6:25-34

“FOR THIS REASON, I say to you, ‘Do not be anxious for your life, as to what you shall eat, or what you shall drink. IS NOT LIFE MORE THAN FOOD AND THE BODY THAN CLOTHING?’ Matthew 6:25

MAIN IDEA IF YOU ARE NOT WORRYING – DON’T START! IF YOU ARE WORRYING – STOP!

THREE COMMANDS “DO NOT BE ANXIOUS FOR YOUR LIFE (VS. 25) “DO NOT BE ANXIOUS…” (VS. 31) “THEREFORE, DO NOT BE ANXIOUS…” (VS. 34)

PRINCIPLE #1 THERE IS A LOT MORE TO LIFE THAN WHAT YOU ARE WORRIED ABOUT! “Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?” vs. 25

PRINCIPLE #2 IF GOD TAKES CARE OF HIS CREATION, HE WILL TAKE CARE OF HIS CHILDREN! “Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?” vs. 26

PRINCIPLE #3 WORRY NEVER PRODUCES ANYTHING POSITIVE – IT IS FUTILE! “And which of you, by being anxious, can add any length to your life?” (Lit. make your self taller or make your life longer) vs. 27

REASONS WHY WE SHOULD NOT WORRY

REASON #1 NOT TO WORRY THOSE WHO KNOW JESUS CHRIST AS THEIR SAVIOR CAN LIVE THEIR LIVES DIFFERENTLY THAN THOSE WHO DO NOT KNOW HIM! ONE OF THE DIFFERENCES IS – WE ARE NOT TO WORRY!

“Therefore, do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things THE GENTILES seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.” Mtt. 6:31,32

REASON #2 NOT TO WORRY IF YOU CONCERN YOURSELF WITH YOUR FATHER’S BUSINESS, HE WILL CONCERN HIMSELF WITH YOURS! “BUT SEEK FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS, AND ALL THESE THINGS SHALL BE ADDED TO YOU.” MTT. 6:33

REASON #3 NOT TO WORRY GOD HAS GIVEN TO EACH OF US THIS DAY, TODAY! – HE HAS NOT YET GIVEN US TOMORROW – THEREFORE WE ARE TO LIVE FOR TODAY! “Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will take care of itself. Each day has it’s own trouble.” Mtt. 6:34

“Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit” whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. Instead, we ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we will do this or that.” James 4:13-15

THE MAIN IDEA - AGAIN IF YOU ARE NOT WORRYING – DON’T START IF YOU ARE WORRYING – STOP!

SO, HOW DO I STOP WORRYING! “HUMBLE YOURSELVES, THEREFORE, UNDER THE MIGHTY HAND OF GOD THAT HE MIGHT EXALT YOU AT THE PROPER TIME, CASTING ALL YOUR ANXIETIES/WORRIES UPON HIM, BECAUSE HE CARES FOR YOU!” I PETER 5:6,7

STEP ONE TO STOP WORRYING HUMBLE YOURSELF! ADMIT YOUR WORRIES ARE BEYOND YOU! “HUMBLE YOURSELVES, THEREFORE…” James 5:6

STEP TWO TO STOP WORRYING RECOGNIZE THE MIGHTY HAND OF GOD! ADMIT HE IS MORE ABLE THAN WE ARE “Humble yourselves UNDER THE MIGHTY UNDER THE MIGHTY HAND OF GOD…” James 5:6

STEP THREE TO STOP WORRYING CAST ALL YOUR CARES AND WORRIES UPON HIM! “Cast all your cares upon Him, for He cares for you.” I Pet. 5:7