Dealing with Life's Hardships and Uncertainties (Part 2)

Probably never do that to you.

If you were here last Sunday,

you'd remember that I began the message by talking about

there's just so much

on the news,

word of mouth,

so much going on

about the uncertainties of life

and the hardships of life.

And last week I made reference to

the devastation of Hurricane Harvey

and all the flooding

and as we are meeting right now,

Hurricane Irma.

Think about all the uncertainty.

The people throughout Florida,

Georgia,

South Carolina,

Alabama,

really the Southeast.

There's so much we don't know.

About what is heading for us.

So much that people are already experiencing

hardship over in South Florida

and in the Caribbean.

But you know,

we don't have to look on the news.

We don't have to look far away

to find hardship and uncertainty, do we?

Because right here in this room,

we experience it.

Some of you right now are going through hard times

or some uncertain times.

we need to remember

and put into practice

what we learned last week

about dealing with hardship and uncertainty

and the stress,

anxiety,

and worry

that it produces.

What we learned last week

about dealing with worry

came from Philippians chapter 4,

Philippians 4:6–7

verses 6 through 7.

I'll give you three statements.

Don't worry about anything,

we're told.

Verse 6,

do not be anxious about anything.

The alternative is to pray.

Pray about everything.

Look at verse 6.

But in everything,

by prayer and supplication,

with thanksgiving,

let your requests be made known to God.

And then we looked at one other thing last week.

Look to God to replace worry with peace.

Verse 7,

and the peace of God,

which surpasses all understanding,

which is beyond our ability to comprehend,

will guard your hearts and your minds

in Christ Jesus.

Today, I want to expand on that message.

And today, what I want us to do is look

at what Jesus said

in Matthew chapter 6,

Matthew 6 · chapter mention

the Sermon on the Mount,

which is probably,

or should be,

the most well-known passage in the Bible

on dealing with worry

or dealing with anxiety.

I do believe that worry

is the most popular subject

I ever preach on.

I always get a lot of positive feedback

from a message related to worry, stress, anxiety.

And last week was no different.

I appreciate the phone calls

and the statements,

emails,

about how God used that

to help some,

encourage some,

remind some.

Well, because it's such a powerful temptation

that we all have to deal with

more often than we would like,

I want to continue that thought

by looking at what Jesus said

here in the Sermon on the Mount.

And what I really want to focus on

is going to be toward the end

of today's message.

We,

instead of worrying,

as we trust God,

as we pray,

we need to make sure

we have the right priorities in life.

And we're going to look at that

in this message.

And then next Sunday,

I want us to look at a passage of Scripture

that shows us why.

We can be absolutely confident

that God knows us,

He loves us,

and is fully able to take care of us

no matter what.

And we'll see that in Psalm 139.

I hope you'll read that this coming week.

And think about all that is said there

about God's greatness,

God's activity.

But notice as you read

and prepare for next week

how the psalmist talks about

how God is so personally

involved in His life

and in our lives.

So right now, though,

let's look at Matthew chapter 6.

Matthew 6 · chapter mention

And if you would,

open your Bible.

We're not going to put it on the screen.

It's sort of a lengthy passage.

And we're going to keep looking back

at several things.

So Matthew chapter 6,

Matthew 6 · chapter mention

beginning in verse 25,

Jesus is teaching.

Therefore I tell you,

do not be anxious

or do not worry about your life,

what you will eat

or what you will drink,

nor about your body,

what you will put on.

Is not life more than food

and the body more than clothing?

Look at the birds of the air.

They neither sow nor reap

nor gather into barns.

And yet your heavenly Father feeds them.

Are you not of more value than they?

And which of you by being anxious

can add a single hour

to his span of life?

And why are you anxious about clothing?

Consider the lilies of the field,

how they grow.

They neither toil nor spin.

Yet I tell you,

even Solomon in all of his glory

was not arrayed like one of these.

But if God so clothes the grass of the field,

which day is alive

and tomorrow is thrown into the oven,

it's used for fuel,

build a fire with.

Will he not much more clothe you,

O you of little faith?

Therefore,

do not be anxious,

saying,

what shall we eat

or what shall we drink

or what shall we wear?

For the Gentiles

or pagans

or unbelievers,

different translations

use a different word,

for the unbelievers

seek after all these things.

And your heavenly Father knows

that you need them all.

But seek first

the kingdom of God

and his righteousness

and all these things

will be added to you.

Therefore,

do not be anxious about tomorrow

for tomorrow will be anxious for itself.

Sufficient for the day

is its own trouble.

Jesus begins by addressing

the problem of worry.

He tells us three things

about why worry is unnecessary.

Number one,

worry is unnecessary

because God takes care

of his people.

Look back in verse 26,

if you would.

Jesus,

in talking to people,

says,

just look at the birds of the air.

They neither sow

nor reap

nor gather into barns.

And yet your heavenly Father

feeds them

look at verse 28.

And why are you anxious

about clothing?

Consider the lilies of the field,

how they grow.

They neither toil

nor spin.

Yet I tell you,

even Solomon

in all of his glory

was not arrayed

like one of those.

Now think about this.

Jesus brought up

the birds of the air

and the lilies of the field.

Obviously,

he was not enlightening anyone.

They don't get stressed

about anything in life.

Birds don't sit up in trees

and worry

about what they're going to eat.

Flowers,

they have no ability

to stress

over what they wear

or what they look like.

Jesus understood

that he was not talking

about a reality here,

about birds

and lilies of the field.

Thinking,

the point is this,

if God takes care

of these lesser creatures,

we can trust him

to take care of us

because we,

as human beings,

are his highest form

of creation.

God made human beings

in his image

and absolutely nothing else.

Nothing else

in all the created universe

is like us

as human beings.

that makes us special.

We are created

in the image

of Almighty God.

Plus,

while we're created

in the image of God,

ever since Adam and Eve

sinned

in the Garden of Eden

that is recorded

in Genesis chapter 3,

Genesis 3 · chapter mention

ever since they sinned,

we have not

lived like people

created in the image

of God.

We have blurred

that image

by our sin

and selfishness.

But yet,

God loves us enough

that he sent his son

into this world

to save us

by taking the punishment

that our sin

deserves

when he died

on the cross.

God loves us,

we who are created

in his image,

so much

God loves us.

He sent his son

into the world

to save us,

to change us,

and with his spirit

living in us

as believers

to start

making us

anew

in his image,

overcoming

some of the flaws

that will

eventually be

all overcome

in the new heaven

and new earth

that God's preparing

for us

with our new bodies.

But that's another subject.

Think for a moment.

Our heavenly Father

created everything.

He continues

to work

in everything,

guiding and directing

according to his

purpose,

which is ultimately good.

He can be trusted

with everything

in our lives

because of who he is,

because of what he's

already done for us.

He can be trusted

so we don't have

to worry.

God

takes care

of

his

people

and Jesus

is just letting us know

God takes care

of everything,

even things

as lowly as a bird

and a flower.

How much more

will he take care

of us?

So trust him.

Secondly,

worry is unnecessary

because,

or it's useless

because it doesn't

change one thing.

Look at verse 27.

And which of you

by being anxious

can add a single hour

to a span of life?

I like the way

the New Living

translation says,

it says,

can all your worries

add a single moment

to your life?

What are you worried

about right now?

Or,

let's be more spiritual,

what are you tempted

to worry about right now?

Hurricane Irma

probably is the top

of a lot of people's list.

But,

in this room,

some people are worried

about some health issues,

some test results,

some people are worried

about some things

going on in their home,

family related.

Some people are worried

about some things

and others

in your Sunday school class

are sitting next to you.

They know it.

But,

we have some concerns

that no one knows about.

It's just us.

And we're not going

to tell anyone.

But whatever your concern

or worry is,

let me ask you this.

What is your

getting stressed out,

losing sleep,

being anxious,

not being able to eat,

what good

is that going to do?

I want you to think with me.

Your greatest

source of,

say,

ongoing

temptation to worry.

Not just one

isolated thing,

but most of us,

there are certain things

in our life

that's sort of

an ongoing battle.

We're tempted to worry

or, just to be honest,

we do worry.

Most of

my adult life,

my greatest

source of worry

has been

my children,

my boys.

And I've reached

the point in life,

they've reached

the point in life,

I can look back

and say,

there are unique

worries at every age.

When they're preschoolers,

there's certain

kind of things

you are sort of

anxious about.

When they're children,

there's some other things.

When they're teenagers,

it's just a whole

new ball game,

isn't it?

But I used to think

if I can just live

and they can live

to get out

of those teenage years,

get over,

you know,

come down off

fool's hill,

maybe get married,

settle down,

be adults,

I used to think,

I won't ever worry

about them anymore.

that's not true.

I see some of you

smile,

even nod,

who have adult children.

There's never a time

that you're not

concerned about

your children,

no matter what

their age is.

And then when they

start having children,

you start being

concerned,

worrying,

about those

grandchildren.

children.

Now,

how do you deal

with it?

Are you able

to deal with it?

And if you do,

just give in the

temptation to do worry.

Does it help?

You know,

there's two ways

to do this.

I'm going to use

Lisa and me

as an example

because I'm

the bad guy

in this.

When our boys

were teenagers,

they'd be out

somewhere,

and they didn't,

you know,

it was getting late

and they weren't

home.

I was the one

who was stressed.

I believed

God's sovereign.

I prayed for them,

but when it got

time,

I thought they

ought to be home.

I started looking.

And when it was

past time,

I thought they

ought to be home.

I was looking

and I was mad

and I was stressed

out.

And I can remember

at times looking

out the window,

thinking,

even praying,

Lord,

bring them home.

Lord,

keep them safe.

Get them here

so I can kill them.

Being that mad

and that stressed

and both of them

can tell you,

you can ask them

after this service.

I met them

at the door.

But you know

what Lisa was doing?

Sawing logs.

And we talked

about that

lots of times.

She trusted

that God

was sovereign

and she prayed

for those boys

and she went

to bed

and went to sleep

and she did not

worry nine times

out of ten.

Nine times

out of ten.

She got good

nights sleep.

many nights

when I didn't

and the reason

was

she chose

to trust God

and rest

in Him

and I didn't.

and I'll be

prideful.

I knew more

about the

sovereignty of God

than she did

but it didn't

do a bit

of good

because I

wouldn't just

let God

take care of

them

and trust

Him.

I wanted

to worry

and stress

and think

about all

the negative

possible

scenarios

that could

happen.

Jesus is

telling us

worry

is useless

because it

changes

nothing.

It helps

nothing.

It really

only hurts.

It can't

hurt us

physically.

Make us

sick.

Make us

have ulcers.

It hurts

us emotionally.

It hurts

the spirit

spiritually

because sooner

or later

as Christians

we realize

we're not

trusting God.

We're

dishonoring

Him

which comes

to the next

thing.

Worry is

unbelief

because it

indicates our

failure to

trust God.

Look in

verse 31

again.

Therefore

do not be

anxious

saying what

shall we eat

or what

shall we drink

or what

shall we wear

for the

Gentiles.

NIV says

the pagans.

Some

translations

say the

unbelievers

seek after

all these

things

and your

heavenly

Father

knows

that you

need them

all.

Let me

just throw

in from

last week.

Worry is

not the same

thing as

concern.

Nowhere does

the Bible

say we

should be

unconcerned.

Don't care.

Be detached.

Be unemotionally

involved in

life and

people around

you.

No.

Jesus was

fully involved

in life.

Jesus was

very concerned

about people.

Jesus wept

at times.

Jesus parted

with his

friends at

times.

Jesus got

mad at

times and

confronted and

really went

at those

hypocritical

Pharisees who

opposed him.

Worry

literally means

to be divided,

to be pulled

apart.

Jesus addressed

the sin of

worry immediately

after he had

said what you

read in verse

24 about no

one can serve

two masters.

Look at it

real quickly.

He says no

one can serve

two masters

for either he

will hate the

one and love

the other or

he will be

devoted to the

one and

despise the

other.

You cannot

serve God

and money.

Therefore,

I tell you,

do not be

anxious about

your life.

Jesus was

saying,

you cannot

be my

disciple.

You can't

live a

Christian life

unless you

have a

single-minded

devotion to

God.

You've got

to seek

him and

his will

above all

other things.

worry is a

sign that

we're divided.

Worry in

our mind.

Worry is a

sign that we

don't really

trust God

completely.

We trust

him some

but not

a hundred

percent.

My boys

were out.

I had a

good theology

and intellectually

I did trust

God, no

doubts, but I

was divided.

I didn't

trust him

completely.

Jesus is

saying when

we do that

kind of

stuff, when

we worry

like this,

we're a

living life,

acting like

an unbeliever.

We're not

acting like

children of

God.

If we have

God as our

heavenly

father, if

we really

know we're

his children,

we should

trust that he

can and is

able to take

care of us

and our

situations and

our family,

how do you

respond to the

stressful situations

that you have to

deal with?

Do you

trust your

heavenly father

as Jesus talks

about here?

Do you pray?

As Paul told

us, that's the

thing we need to

do instead of

worry, pray.

Do you trust

God's will is

best?

Now that's

hard.

It's one

thing to

trust God.

It's one

thing to pray

and ask God

to work in

your life.

But what

if God's

will is

something that

you don't

like, that

you don't

want, that

it's the

opposite of

what you're

praying about?

Are you

willing to

be like

Jesus as

he prayed in

the garden of

Gethsemane?

As he's

looking, looking

at the next

few hours, he's

going to be

arrested, he's

going to be

tortured, he's

going to be

executed, he's

going to be

put on that

cross?

Jesus says,

if it's possible

that this cup

pass from me,

this cup of

suffering,

nevertheless, not

my will, but

your will be

done.

That's what

Jesus prayed.

God's will was

hard.

I think it's

very important

as we talk

about these

kind of

things, about

don't worry,

trust God,

don't worry,

pray.

Jesus is not

saying that if

you don't

worry and you

do trust God

and you do

pray, he's

not saying all

will work out

the way you

want it to.

I want to

repeat a quote

from a guy by

the name of

Joe Thorne

from last

week, because

I think it's

vitally important

that we

understand this

as we think

about not

worrying, as we

think about

praying, think

about trusting

God, we need

to understand what

that does mean

and what it

does not mean.

He does a

great way, he

describes that in

a good way.

Look at it.

God does not

promise to rid

your life of

affliction and

difficulty.

Some people will

say that God

will do that.

Some people say

if you just pray

the right prayer,

have the right

kind of faith,

God will do

that.

That's a lie.

That is something

that the devil

came up with

and put in

some, probably

well-meaning

Christian's mind,

that's just

designed to hurt

us, to hinder

us, to weaken

our relationship

with the Lord.

God does not

promise to rid

your life of

affliction and

difficulty.

He does,

however, often

to give you,

offer to give

you the grace

needed to suffer

well.

It isn't wrong

to ask God to

relieve you of

your pain.

Certainly it's

not wrong.

We should.

But it is

more important

that in the

midst of the

pain, you

rely on the

promise of

God to work

such experiences

for His glory

and your good.

To use these

times as a

means of

perfecting your

faith, strengthening

your spirit, and

transforming your

life in such a

way that you are

becoming more

like Jesus.

That's really

God's goal for

us.

And the fact

is,

the way that

we become

like Jesus

sometimes requires

hardship,

suffering,

pain.

Jesus tells us

there's a better

way to respond to

life's hardships

and uncertainties

than to worry.

Let's look at the

next thing.

The alternative to

worry in verses

33 and 34.

Paul last week

said it was to

pray.

Jesus expands

that.

He says,

first of all,

live with the

right priorities.

Look at verse

33.

Seek first the

kingdom of God

and His

righteousness.

The kingdom of

God is the

rule of God.

In relation to

us, it means

that God rules

or reigns over

our lives.

What that means,

I think one way

to think about

this is this.

We need to seek

to know and do

the will of God

as the first

priority of our

life.

We need to

seek to know

and do God's

will, His way,

under His

authority, as the

first priority of

our life.

That implies we

have a relationship

with God as our

Heavenly Father.

See, Jesus is, in

the Sermon on the

Mount, He's

teaching us, talk

to God in prayer

and call Him your

Heavenly Father.

Matthew 6, beginning

in verse 9.

He's used this

phrase, your

Heavenly Father,

several times in

this passage we've

read.

Jesus is saying,

seek first the

kingdom of God,

but make sure He is

your Father.

That only comes

through faith in

Jesus.

If you don't have a

relationship with

God like this, I

encourage you to

begin one now.

By admitting to

God you don't have

it, you don't

really know Him.

Turn from your

sin.

Put your trust in

Jesus Christ as

your Savior.

Trusting that He

died on the cross

for your sins.

If you need to

come to Christ, call

upon Him to save

you this moment.

And the Scripture

says, whoever calls

on the name of the

Lord will be saved.

So do that.

But as a Christian

now, what are the

top priorities in

your life?

There's a lot of

things that will be

on the list.

And I want you to

understand, Jesus is

not teaching us in

this passage when He

says don't worry

about what you eat

and drink and wear

and all this kind

of stuff.

He's not telling us

to never think about

or plan how we're

going to live in

this world.

He is not condemning

anyone who's concerned

about making a living,

taking care of your

family, and those

kind of practical

things.

things.

The Bible is filled

with examples and

Proverbs is filled

with all kinds of

little sayings.

And there's other

teachings in the Bible.

Paul talks about it

quite a bit, actually,

in some of his

letters.

There's a lot of

things in the Bible

that stresses the

importance of work.

If you don't work,

you don't eat.

Save, invest, take

care of your family.

It's your responsibility

to take care of your

family.

Give to people in

need.

Recognize truly needy

people around you

and help them.

It's our responsibility

as Christians.

God calls us to

recognize all these

kind of things.

They are important.

But we need to

recognize God gives

us these things,

gives us these

abilities, and we're

supposed to wisely

manage what God

gives us.

But as important as

all this kind of

stuff is, like

working and saving

and giving and all

this kind of stuff,

that's not the

ultimate priority.

Seeking after all

these things should

not displace knowing

and loving God and

doing His will in the

details of life.

Seeking first the

kingdom of God, His

righteousness, His

holiness, living a

life characterized

by love and joy and

peace and patience and

kindness and goodness

and faithfulness and

gentleness and self-control,

living a life of loving

people and meeting

people's needs, living a

holy life ourselves.

This should be a top

priority, that as we

work and take care of

our family and help

people and give and

serve God, we should do

it all in a way that

we're seeking to honor

God, to do His will, to

serve other people in

His name, to do what we

do for His glory.

We can put it that way.

We will never overcome

worry unless we make our

relationship with God our

first priority in life.

There's just no other

way.

Let's look at one more

thing Jesus said as an

alternative to worry.

Look at verse 34.

Live one day at a time.

Live one day at a time.

That's just something that

would help us all if we'd

think about it and

actually try to do it,

wouldn't it?

Now when you say, He says

verse 34, look at it one

more time.

Therefore do not be

anxious about tomorrow,

for tomorrow be anxious

for itself.

Sufficient for the day is

its own trouble.

Now when Jesus says things

like that, He does not

mean don't plan for

tomorrow.

He doesn't mean don't

ever think about tomorrow,

don't ever think about

the future, don't ever

plan.

He's not saying that.

The Apostle Paul was a

detailed planner.

If you have any doubts,

read for example his

letter to the Romans, the

book of Romans chapter 1,

Romans 1 · chapter mention

if you want to write it

down, Romans 1, 8 through

13.

In Romans chapter 15,

Romans 15:20–29

verses 20 through 29.

Paul made detailed plans

about what he was going to

do in the future.

About going to Spain,

going to Rome, and have

those Christians help him

become his home church,

become his sending church.

But Paul always knew, and

he said this in a lot of

his letters, that his plans

were subject to change if

that was not what God

planned.

Paul would sometimes say

things like, if the Lord

wills, or if the Lord

permits, he's going to do

this or do that.

But know what Jesus says

about tomorrow.

Don't be anxious about it.

Don't stress over it.

Max Lucado has some helpful

comments about what Jesus

said.

He says, God will help you

to deal with whatever hard

things come up when the time

comes.

And then he goes on to give

some advice with an emphasis

on this phrase, when the time

comes.

Look at it.

To the lady who says, I don't

know what I'll do if my

husband dies.

Lucado responds, you will when

the time comes.

To the parent who says, when my

children leave the house, I

don't think that I can take it.

Lucado responds, it won't be

easy, but strength will arrive

when the time comes.

Then he makes one more

statement.

The key is this.

Meet today's problems with

today's strength.

Don't start tackling tomorrow's

problems until tomorrow.

You do not have tomorrow's

strength yet.

You simply have enough for

today.

We need to learn to live one

day at a time.

Plan for the future, but

understand you don't really

know what's going to happen

tomorrow.

So we've got to trust God and

make all our plans with a

phrase, with the understanding,

if the Lord wills.

Worry is a temptation for all

of us, but it's never a

solution to our problems.

Never a solution to the

things that hurt us that we

fear in life.

Keep in mind, Jesus did not

say, don't care.

Don't be concerned.

But he did say, do not worry.

The solution to our problem

and the actual sin of worry

is to trust God.

I mean, that sounds simple,

but that's true.

Trust God.

He knows what we need.

He knows when we need it.

And he is our sovereign God

and heavenly Father who can

meet that need and will at the

right time.

Number two, develop the right

priorities.

Make God his will, serving

his purpose, the first

priority of your life, and

then live one day at a time.

You know, bottom line is

that's all we can do anyway.

We just make life more

stressful when we don't live

one day at a time.

This is the way that Jesus

teaches us to worry.

It's the only way that will

work, but it will only work

in the life of a person who

has a real relationship with

God as their heavenly Father.

So as we end, I want to

encourage you.

Make sure that you know God

as your heavenly Father.

Make sure that you have a

right relationship with him

if you're a Christian as your

heavenly Father.

Let's pray together.

Father, thank you for not

leaving us in this world and

telling us just do the best we

can.

But thank you for promising

always to be with us, to

never leave us nor forsake

us.

Help us to trust you in that.

Help us to learn to bring all

of our concerns to you in

prayer.

Help us, Father, to make you

knowing, loving, serving you,

and doing your will our first

priority above all else.

Help us, Father, to learn to

take everything one day at a

time.

Help us, Father, to not give in

to the temptation to worry.

And, Father, as we seek to

obey you, we trust that you

will give us the peace that is

beyond comprehension, that you

promise to your people, that you

promise to give us in place of

worry when we come to you the

right way.

So now, in an attitude of

prayer, you listen to the Lord

and you obey Him and do what

He's telling you to do and

leave here better prepared to

not worry this week.

If I could pray with you, I'll

be here at the front, I would be

happy to do that.

You come.

You're in the next few

minutes.

What do we do?

I O prelude it now.

You hold.

Let's take care of myself.

I thinkible times we take all

this week with можно into

details.

You'll be happy to olduğ Diego

and I will remember something

about you.

You husband, baby.

Take care of yourself.

Bur Sü are...

I'm going.

...

Know what We do.

Thank you,33.

Maybe we read this moment.

And I hope that you

can all love that, I hope that

I'm trying to review.

You'll be the right인데,

and we will be the right

Young, because maybe when

Go ahead, man where

the fact is right.

You can see you.

We'll follow the answer

and save this week with

iceberg.

The CAP that

us.