Let God be God in Our Lives | Pr Gloria Paul

You're listening to a message to go from X church. We hope this message

will light up your day. That was praying, UM of a message to

be shared this morning. Um. You know, I couldn't think of a

of a title. It's funny house sometimes you know, God speaks and he

gives you the word, but the title comes towards the end. Uh.

And as I was just worshiping this morning, UM, I was reminded of

this um, this title. Let God be God in our lives? Right,

let God be God in our lives. I'm going to just even um

share from the Gospel the Book of Matthew today, UM, in from chapter

six, um. And and it's this portion of the passage where Jesus reminds

the people about um, how we to leave our lives Okay. And it's

so it's so practical, it's so relatable to what we're living or how life

is even today. UM. So just just follow me, true and I

pray that God will minister to you. And I hope you can also take

time to reflect of how has how has this season been for you? And

how can we build that faith even stronger with God as we walk with Him?

Right? So let me just start out with this portion from Matthew Chapter

six. Matthew Chapter six, Worse twenty five, right, let me just

read, Okay, it says, that is why I tell you not to

worry about everyday life, whether you have enough food and drink or enough clothes

to wear. Isn't life more than food and your body more than clothing.

Look at the birds. They don't plant or harvests or store food in barns,

for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren't you far more valuable to

him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your

life? And then it goes on towards thirty four The Gate says, so

don't worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries to today's troubles.

Is enough for today? Amen. We will read the remaining portion of

passage as we go on. But I'm just reminded of how Jesus teaches us

here about how worry is just so part of our lives. Again. I

mean, there's the reason why he keeps mentioning the word worry, and it

is not the only passage. There's many other parts of of the Bible that

he refers to the word worry, because I'm sure he knows that this is

a constant thought in our minds, right, or a constant burden that we

tend to carry. Right. Um, And just even giving you a couple

of passages here and first Timothy six six, it says, yet true godliness

with contentment is great wealth. So with different terms, you know, the

scriptures reminds us about contentment, not to worry having about what's around us,

you know, but being able to look unto him. Right. And just

to give you a bit of a context. Again, if you've been long

enough in church, you know this passage shouldn't be a completely new scripture to

us, right, But to just give you a bit of a clarity on

where it was Jesus preaching this this sermon, you know, because as we

read the Gospels, you'll see all the ones in rate is what Jesus has

been communicating. So when when he was sharing this portion of the teaching,

it was a time when he was trying to address a real need. Right.

It was not just a motivation that he was giving the people, but

because he saw that was real neat with the people that he was preaching with

m or preaching too, right, um. And so as we know,

Jesus had his disciples at that point. You know, he had followers,

people who followed him, and so most of them had their own in a

way jobs, you know, some of fishermen, some had business, some

were tax collectors, and so the moment they decided to follow Jesus, they

left those jobs because they truly wanted to just follow him and the places he

went to bring the gospel. So you know, most of them did not

quite have a job, okay, all they could be doing odd jobs at

that point. Yeah, And so they followed Jesus and the kind of um,

you know, monetary help that they had was based on the love gifts

like we call today, you know, love gifts and people hear the word

and then they blast or the houses that they go to and people blast them

with a meal. So that was the kind of a faith living that they

kept on living. And we can see that a lot in our in the

context of where we're at as well. You know, we have pastors who

are full time missionaries, you know, who don't quite have um income as

how, it's an occupation. Yeah, but love gifts provide you know how

God provides. So that was the kind of of people that he was dealing

with, um, or at least ministering with. Besides that that, it

was a time of unrest in the society, okay. Um, there was

political social issues, um, in fact climate, financial climate, not just

individuals, but as a country, as a nation as well. Um.

And this was because of the tension that was happening between the Roman Empire and

the Jews, right, So there was a bit of attention and any conflict,

and so that is why we had different groups of people who are affected,

you know, losing their jobs um, you know, and and going

through economic instability here. Um. And so that was another situation during that

time, um. And thirdly, it was also um a very um I

mean a time when you know, Jesus was becoming well known. Yeah,

many more people came to know him because he was going to places bringing the

gospel. People started seeing miracles taking place, yeah. Um. And at

the same time, there was a lot of oppositions, right, there were

people who were against his teaching. So meaning if you're a follower of Jesus

at that point, you are also um, you know, in a way

target it, right because Okay, Jesus is a is a prominent person,

well known Okay, um. But if you are against that person, whoever

that follows him um is also um you know, in a place where you've

got to be um watchful right. Um. So meaning they wanted to pay

the price, Okay, they wanted to just go all out for for Jesus.

Yeah. And so that is why along the way, when we read

the scriptures, we see how some disciples eventually left, um, you know

Jesus. You know, we are judas who betrayed him, um. And

some just didn't follow till the end because it was a high court to pray

to to pay um, you know, to to be able to just give

their lives and follow Jesus no matter what the court. Yeah. So this

was the situation that the people were going through, and that is how evident

this passage that he mentions about not to worry. So it's not about just

addressing Okay, don't worry about the food you eat. Well, that's important,

but more than that, it's also that conflict that these people were going

true. Yeah, And that is how God's word is. It's so much

applicable, no matter how many years it has been. It is still applicable

to the time and age that we're living in. And if you think about

it, nothing has changed much. Right, we have grown so much in

society, development, technology are at its peak, but we still go through

undress. Right, there's still political instability. We still see quarreling between political

leaders. We still see inflation taking place. Yeah, there's always that part

of ups and downs in life. Right. We can always, um,

you know, enjoy the good times, but somehow challenges are there. If

it's not in our lives people around us, right, And so that is

how evident this scripture is for us. And I pray that as you hear

this message, God will just even minister to you of the different challenges that

you might be encountering today or the people around you as well. Yeah,

and you speak about challenges, sometimes it's not just personal. Yes, sometimes

it's your personal struggles. But the burdens that you tend to see as a

nation, right or as the world itself, some injustice that you tend to

see taking place. But the comfort that you can bring or get from this

morning is what Jesus says, do not worry, right, do not worry.

So let's try to just step in deeper and understand what this means.

And so the word worry in Greek, Okay, if you look at the

translation here, it means mariam. Now, I hope I'm pronouncing it correctly.

It's highlighted at least nineteen times in the New Testament. Yeah, And

the word worry in Greek here it means to be apprehensive and overly concernt,

focusing on all the bad things that might happen tomorrow. Okay, that is

what it means. So you are focusing on that and only the bad things.

There can be one hundred and one good things and there can be one

bad thing, but we seem to focus on that. That's how our human

minds are, right, Our human nature is, you know, and we

think about it even when it has not happened. We are already thinking about

it, okay. And worry is more than an you know, a nervous

feeling of uncertainty, but it's also a steedy stream of conscious, semi conscious

and subconscious questions that goes on in our hearts and minds. Right, So

it's not about just something that pops up out of nowhere and we're all over

the place. But sometimes it can be those conscious thoughts, conscious meaning I

choose to worry, right, That is what conscious means, meaning, Okay,

what am I going to do for tomorrow? I don't have enough of

money now finance or what's going to happen to my future? Because I don't

have it all planned out? Right? So then you ask that question,

it leads on to another and then to another sub conscious or it can be

subconscious meaning you year a conversation, you're part of a group of people,

and then the thought comes to you after the next few days, and then

you keep thinking about it. Right. So it's usually in the form of

questions or statements, but it goes lingering in our hearts and minds, agay,

And that is how it can go on from day after day and then

causes more worry frustration. Yeah, and then it piles up in us.

You can so worry. That is the meaning of worry. Okay. I

want you to take some time, chich okay, take some time to reflect

on this. Have you been having those kind of thoughts lately? Right?

It's about what am I going to do tomorrow? Um? In the sense

of okay, um, can I I have so many things to accomplish my

job. Okay, things just piling up? Can I do it right?

So that struggle? Or what if I fall sick? You know, I

have a big project to deal with? Um yeah, what if I can't

do this? Okay? So what if I haven't fall sick? But I'm

already having that thought. What if something bad happens to my family? Okay?

What if I'm not there? I can't do it for them? What

happens? Right? What if I do not get married, I remain single

all my life? That's a real thought sometime some people try to struggle with.

Yeah, so is there going to be no one for me? I

mean I had this conversation with a very close friend recently. She lost the

dead um, and and so we're talking and socialists and she's it's just um

in the late fifties, and then she's not settled down. Um. And

so she had the thought, you know, I'm thinking, will I be

alone all my life? You know, because she has older brothers, they're

all married, and a mom is is quite elderly age. So she just

having this thought at that point point of morning. Um, you know,

um, yeah, who would take care of me when I'm older? Will

I remain all by myself until the end. Right, So that's a valid

feeling, right. I mean, you can't put someone down for feeling that

way, because it's just the natural. We are humans, you know,

we are definitely sometimes comparing ourselves with people around us that or they have it,

I don't have it? So am I missing out on something? Is

there something wrong with me? Yeah? This are just emotions thoughts that our

minds. Those examples, right, or what are those specific questions that you

have in your mind? Okay, think about it? Right? Think about

it? Because even as I was worshiping just now, I felt a sense

of how God wants to set different ones today. Our lives meant to be

so much more. And if you are here this morning and you are carrying

in a burden or a worry that tends to weigh you down, God wants

to set you free today. Right, if only you can bring those thoughts

and say God, I'm battling with this, just be honest with him.

In fact, he knows those thoughts that is already in your minds before you

can even say it, right, I say, God, I'm just having

this thought. I'm worried. Can you please help me to overcome this and

he does, Yeah, he does. So bring those questions as you think

about it, right, And so when we read this portion of the passage,

you know, Jesus reminds us a couple of things, even down to

the point about drinks, about clothing, about shelter, So meaning he's also

trying to address those basic needs which tends to get our lives going on a

daily basis. Right. And sometimes if we say food, it's not about

just not having food, but even eating the right kind of food. You

know, there's a lot of of even conversations lately about you know, the

kind of illnesses or sicknesses that are there. And am I read eating right?

You know what if I don't eat the right kind of food, I

will fall sick. You know, some people just go through those kind of

thoughts. Or what if I don't exercise enough, what's going to happen?

You know? So again the mindset or why we do things. Are we

doing it because you want to stay well or we're doing it because you're worried?

And then we're going to be constantly in that worried cycle. You know,

I put myself in so much of stress because I just don't want to

fall sick. That's a wrong mindset already, right. But we want to

do we want to exercise, you want to eat well so that we are

healthy. You know. So the way we kind of put our sentences is

also important, you know, not in a negative notion, but in a

positive notion. In fact, research shows that you will build a habit when

you say it in that kind of a manner. You know, positive words,

I will be healthy, I'll be strong when I do that, instead

of I wouldn't fall sick. You know. So it's a negative point where

you sometimes again the words you say. It's powerful, right, So he

addresses all of this, you know. He talks about hell, it talks

about shelter, and so that is the God be self. You know,

he looks at those details. You know. He doesn't just meet those big

needs or dreams. Yes, he meets those things, but at the same

time, those little needs that you are trying to to just wrestle with on

a daily basis. For those who are looking to put food on their table

for their families, God provides, you know. God is concern of the

need you have or you're thinking about the future of your child. What am

I going to do? Am I a good mother? Am I a good

father? Am I doing enough? God sees that, right, God's sister,

and he enables it. It gives you the wisdom you know, we

cannot do anything without him, only with him. When we are weak,

he is strong. Right. We have to come to that place of recognizing

that, because if not, we will realize so much on our strength.

But the reality is there's only that much we can do. And if you

trust ourselves too much or overly trusting ourselves, and when we can't do something,

and that is when the whole worry and stress comes in. But when

we leave our lives in a manner of saying, yes, God is able,

He's the bigger one. I will do my part. God will do

the rest. It takes off so much of stress from our shoulders, right,

because He doesn't want you to carry those burdens on yourself. Yeah,

so that is the God be self. Amen, We're gonna look a little

bit deeper. Okay, Now we know that Jesus says, do not worry.

Okay, he addresses all the needs that we tend to have, and

he says, do not worry. Let's look deeper in the sense of what

do you think could be some of the causes or the kind of situation that

can bring us into a place of worry if we're not careful enough. Right.

So, if you have your Bibles, you can just read on with

me. And if you notice when we read Worse twenty five just now,

it was a continued continuing sentence, okay, meaning he says here, that

is why I tell you, And when you tell someone, that is why

you usually had something before that. Right. So if you if you see

your child doing something you told him not to do, say that is why

I told you don't run so fast, because why you told him something before

that? Okay. So this just means there are a portion of the passage

that he sees before that has a connection to that portion of do not worry.

Okay. So let's look at three points here about the ultimate cause of

worry, okay. And as we look at these three points, you will

it's a it's a good question to ask ourselves whether is heaven't ruling over our

lives or is the world ruling our lives? Right? We have God has

given us a word this this year, this season, okay, for our

church about heaven rules. And you've been hearing a lot of of word over

the weeks right from different speakers about what it means to be You know,

Heaven rules what it means to leave in holiness, and Heaven rules means you

allow God to be God. Right, you allow God to do his work.

And you can never have two people doing the work at the same time.

Right, because we're talking about God and we're talking about us. And

if you want God to work, we've got to let go. We've got

to change the way we look at things. We've got to change our mindsets.

We've got to change the way we leave our lives on a daily basis.

It goes down to death. Right. So as we look at these

three pointers, I'm reminded of how God is showing us what it means to

leave our lives in a way where Heaven rules. God has the biggest say.

Okay, so let's read from verse nineteen for the first point. Here

it says chapter six or same chapter was chapter six, Verse nineteen. Don't

store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them,

and where thieves breaking and steal was twenties days. Store your treasures in

heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not breaking and

steal. Wherever your treasure is there, the desires of your heart will also

be right. And the question for us to think about this morning is where

are our treasures? Where are we storing our treasures? Yeah? I mean

we sometimes we look at this portion and we talk about it in the aspect

of monetary or property, that materialistic part of it. But when we speak

about treasure, it's more than dead, right, it's more than dead.

Yes. The money part is one, um, you know when we speak

about treasures. So yes, God bless us, um. You know,

with with an income, with our jobs that He has given to us.

Yeah. Um. And so what we are we are told to do is

to to give freely, right. That is what the Bible teaches us,

to give our tights and offering, which is not always the easiest. I

know some people still challenge with that, giving our ten percent, Okay,

why that's such a big portion, right, But we give because all that

we have is from him, right, it's from him. And when we

do that, we experience more of his blessing. So that is one you

know about giving generously, um. And it's also a lot about our mindset,

our mentality. Okay. I mean if you think of your an example,

when you when God has given you a blessing, you've given you a

project, you got it and got a good income from it. Um,

then what do you do with that money? That is a question about where

our laying our treasures in. You know, do we yes, we pay

our bills, you know, we settle what we need to um, But

do we also find ways to to give back to God? Right? Do

we be generous maybe to help someone in need? Yeah, that is one

way of looking at treasure. Or it could also be your talents, you

know, the talents and the ability that God has given to you and many

of us do very well in the marketplace. But how much do we use

this treasure to bless or to do the work of God? Right? That's

something for us to think about in the term. In the aspect of our

time, we all have twenty four hours in a day, but how many

hours of that day do we actually give it unto God? Right? Because

if Heaven rules in our lives, meaning a big portion of our life would

mean it's unto God. Okay, And how we give our time is different

for all of us. Okay, whether it's true ministering, spending some time,

it's someone discipling, or you're encouraging someone, or it's serving in church.

Right, different ways, because all of us have different talents, different

abilities. Okay, but the question for us to ask ourselves is are we

using those talents to glorify God? And He multiplies those talents? Yeah,

if you have that one telling you of thinking what can I do with this?

But when you give, God shows you what else can you do with

it that you've never thought that you could do anything with it? Right?

Treasure, because the scriptures here tells us wherever your treasure is there, the

desires of your heart will also be. So if our treasures is late in

the world, right, or how the world defines success, then there's where

our desires would be. Right. We spend most of our time over there.

You know, we miss out on church. You know again, when

we see church, I'm not just saying coming to church as a physical building,

but the way we leave our lives, our prayer time where we communicate

with Him. Yeah, so a lot of our attenion goes there, our

love, our attention in right, Um, I'll focus So when something bad

happens. Right, we tend to worry very quickly because our tension is on

the world. But if our focus is, like the Word of God says,

um, you know your treasure is on God, on the ways of

God, then when worries come your ways, even in the workplace or in

the world that we believe in, Um, we can we can just get

through it because our focus is still God. Okay, I've given I have

this talent. Yes, I'm using it at workplace, I'm using it at

church. My focus is still whatever I do, I'm not doing unto men,

I'm doing unto God. So when something bad happens, when someone says

to me, yes, I feel hurt as a human, but at the

same time, I did it ultimately for God, so it wouldn't affect me

that much. Right, or I can still get through this because God is

with me and that is why he says, do not worry. So I

hope you're getting something out of this church because this is exactly how we can

get to a place or being overly worried like what we saw the meaning of

worried. Right conscious subconscious we keep thinking, why this person say this to

me, Why this happened to me when everyone else seems to be fine.

Yeah, we get into this whole victim mood at times because that's always been

the focus. We only see with our physical eyes. Yeah, but we

can if we can focus on the heavenly when we say Heaven rules. So

when we focus on the godly things, whatever happens, we still know where

to go. Put our attention to, not on the person, but on

God. Right, I believe for some of us, the question for us

to think about is whatever I'm doing, am I doing it unto men?

So another person can applaud and say well done? Or am I doing it

unto God? Because if God is your focus, you'll only do and give

your best unto him, even if you don't have not gotten any compliments,

Right, you just keep doing it right as leaders? Okay, all of

us here who are leaders who are serving? We serve in in and out.

And sometimes it's a sacrifice, it's a price that you pay. Right,

Sometimes things that people don't see, But then again, am I doing

it for others to see it? Because what the scripture teaches us, even

when you give to the needy, don't let your right hand know what your

left hand giff or the other way. What to let your left hand know

what your right hand giff? Yeah, because it means it's between you and

God. And the thing about pleasing God is that He honors that, and

that is all that we want and need in our lives because when He honors

you, he gives you the best. Right, he gives you the best

beyond what anyone else could actually offer you. The best promotion, Well,

that's something the world can give you, but God can give you beyond that,

right, beyond that. So even for us who are working in the

marketplace, let's just be careful with that. You know, when we speak

about, you know, pleasing our boss, right, when we speak about

giving our best in the marketplace, Yes, we do that, but ultimately,

who are we doing it for. Let's not just be people please us,

but let's be God pleaser, because when we do that, we are

giving the best to Him and to the people around us as well. Amen.

Yeah, So that's the first pointer that Jesus reminds us about. If

you're careful about this, we will not worry too much, or even if

we worry, we know how to overcome it. Yeah. Now, the

second point that we can see from the Scriptures. In our verse twenty two,

okay says ya, your eye is like a lamb that provides light for

your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is filled with

light. And when your eye is unhealthy, your whole body is filled with

darkness. And if the light you think you have is actually darkness, how

deep that darkness is? Yeah, So this porshion of the scripture talks about

our eyes. Again. If you notice someone's eyes, it speaks a lot.

Okay, it's either the person is is filling U sad, right,

or they're just going through a trouble moment. Okay, Okay, if you're

tired, then it's it's very different to tell. It's hard to tell.

Yeah, your eyes look tired. But what it says here is because whatever

that goes on withinness is oftentime reflected in our eyes, okay. Or we

use the word countenance, you know. So when you look at a person,

okay, they can't be moving around, you know, doing that the

usual choice, but within them they could be troubled. Right. And so

a reminder for us in this from this portion is what are we sowing into

our lives on a daily basis okay, that would cause us, that would

cause our eyes to light up. I can't remember if we are all like

the Word of God says, the light in the places that God has positioned

us to be. And if you read the same portion the Book of Luke,

it says why would a light try to just switch off and keep themselves

away? Because if you're a light, you're meant to be lighted up,

you know, And so our lives a light, meaning wherever we go,

it's a blessing to people. When you open your mouth. You know,

people feel comforted, right, or people feel that your presence makes a difference,

and we do when we say that. It's not about just being excited

and then jumping right, it's not maybe that's not your personality, but just

your presence makes a difference. Why because Jesus is in you, right,

your word is in you, though your word is a lamb unto your feet.

So meaning he leads you to a person and say, okay, encourage

this guy, or he leads you to a place and says, okay,

there's a neat year. Why don't you do something right? So what are

we sobing into our lives? Because it's a very simple thing for us to

understand what you saw is what comes out. Yeah, if you're gonna so

worry, if you're going to mingle with people who are constantly worried about the

future, we're gonna end up like that. Okay, if you're gonna be

constantly in conversations of gossip and complain, we are going to end up like

that, right, because of what you hear often is what comes out right.

And so for us to not get to a place of worry or you

know, frustration, is to so into ourselves words of faith. You know,

how often do we worship in the morning the first time we wake up,

you know? Or how much do we read the word that the moment

something negative knocks we go back to the world and say, no, this

is what the world of God says. This is the truth, not the

lies of the enemy. Yeah. What kind of conversations do we have?

What kind of materials do we read? Yeah, that is so important,

even the books we read, that can be so much of materials. I

mean, knowledge has been growing so much. But what are we referring to?

What are we reading? What are we equipping? Are we equiping our

faith on a daily basis? You know? Or are we the same if

you think about two years ago? All right, I mean in terms of

what I mean by the same is the faith? Is the faith growing?

You know? So what are we sowing? What are we sowing? So

if you're seeing here today and you're feeling so heavy, you know, worried,

constantly worried about tomorrow, A good question to ask yourself is what can

I do to replace that worry with faith? Can I change my environment that

I am Because sometimes some places can be toxic. Yeah, you can't change

people, right, And if that's where you are rooted, then pray about

asking God to root you out of that place. Yeah. Or if it's

um groups of people that is just doing you no good, step out,

okay and be with people who you can do life with. And we say

do life, meaning it's not just about um, you know, being ignorant

um. Yeah, you can talk about what's real. But at the same

time, words of truth, words that comes from the word of God.

Who can encourage you, who can say let's do this. Yeah. You

know, I know a lot of even young working adults these days, I

mean there's a lot of conversations about investment or that thing about EPF is never

not enough. When can I actually retire financial struggles, there's a constant thing.

Economy is not good. Doesn't mean I have to buy another property,

doesn't mean I have to invest more. And at the end of the day,

we do all of this so much, but we forget to leave in

the present. We forget to leave for the people around us, for ourselves,

for God. Yeah. So there's an amount of energy that we can

put forward that realistic part of life. Yeah, the world, but there

must be an amount of time where you're also thinking of the heavenly, what

rules your heart. Because when you can focus on that, everything else is

taken place. It gives you wisdom on where can I invest? You know,

it gives you wisdom on how do I save my money and not buy

too much? You know. And so it's not about you know, watching

and reading and knowing all these things from just the people in the outside.

Do you know that the word of God can also give you that knowledge.

You just need his wisdom, You need his knowledge and he shows you what

to do. Yeah, So let's not be too stressed up with life.

Let's take it step by step. Amen. Yeah, So there's a second

point that he shows us about what are we sowing into our lives? And

third, okay, the third here in verse twenty four, he says,

no one can serve two masters, for you will hate one and love the

other. You will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot

serve God and be enslaved to money. Right, So the question for us

to us is who are you serving? Okay, who are you serving?

The scripture reminds us about you cannot serve God and be enslave to money.

So money is one example here that he uses, and that I mean,

we know money leads on too many other things. The job that we do,

how we leave our lives again, what do we read and focus on?

Right, but we cannot please two worlds? Is either this or that.

It's either you are completely in the world or you're completely with God.

Okay, when we say completely with God, many of your faith is on

him. You walk to please him, you serve him and not men.

Right. And the thing is sometimes when we put our legs on both places,

that is when we go through worry, we go through stress because why

we're trying to split ourselves and please God, you know, give my all

for him. But at the same time, I'm giving my all for men

to please them. But we're only one person. There's only that much that

you can do, right, So why put yourself into a place of needing

to please two worlds or two things, two people? Right when the focus

is God? And because I focus on God, because I serve Him,

he blesses me with a job. You know, he gives me the relationship.

It blesses me the relationships around so that I can honor Him. True

that, so we can be working in this world doing all that we're doing.

But at the same time, my focus is to serve God. Right,

to serve God. So that's something for us to ourselves. You know,

if you're constantly worried, is it because we are serving two masters in

our lives? Right? And to even break it down, you can think

about how we leave our lives on a daily basis. And I always like

to use the example of a daily basis because in reality, that is how

it is. Right. We can't think about doing big things if we don't

make those small changes on a daily basis. You can't think about going for

a meriton if you don't even run or do any exercise, right, and

then you're going to struggle and put yourself in a lot of pressure. Yeah,

So think about what you do on a daily basis and allow God to

work in you, you know, and we cannot overcome anything without him.

Right, So this is this are the three points that Jesus shows us.

And then he leads on to that part where we read do not worry.

That is why I say do not worry. Yeah. And as we you

know, draw towards a close and I just want to give you an example

here from the Israelites. Yeah, we know this story about the most about

Moses and the Istraelites. I mean, the thing about this Istraelites is that

they knew the truth. They saw how God delivered them from Egypt. Right.

So in Extra sixteen four it says, then the Lord say to Moses,

be all, I will reign break from heaven for you, and the

people shall go out and gather certain quota every day that I may test them

whether they will walk in my law or not. So they saw how God

delivered them, you know. But the thing was that fear kept bringing them

to a place or worry. They kept worrying. In fact, some of

them started taking in extra manna to kick for tomorrow. But the rule was

that I'll give you manna every day. So can we be in those places?

Sometimes? You know when God says, trust me, I am taking

you through this journey. But we're already making plans for the coming years.

Right, And why do you think you won't worry? Then? Because God

has given us that enough strength for now. The word of God says is

sufficient worry for today? It's enough? Right. But if you take it

all on ourselves and think about the next ten years and what else can I

do? Why don't you Why do you think why isn't worried there? Then

of course we're going true worry. Of course we're going through stress and putting

ourselves in such pressure. Right. So sometimes God brings us into such places

because he also wants to test our faith, right. He wants to test

out faith because if you can be faithful with what He has given you now,

that means you can do more, and He's going to give you more.

But if you can't do anything with the what He has given us to

you, now, how are you going to handle the more that He's going

to give you? Right? Even as we serve, sometimes God brings people

into our lives to care to disciple. But if you can't take care of

them, of this one person, then how are you going to care for

those more that people are God it's going to bring into our lives. Right,

So it's about being faithful with what God has given to us now and

then trust that Yes, God has it covered and I'm just going to keep

trusting him, right, keep trusting him. So the thing about worry do

not worry is that it's an action. It's a choice that you and I

have. The moment that thought comes into my mind, I can choose to

say for that morning and say, I'm not going to be worried. I'm

going to choose to trust God. Sometimes just saying that out makes a whole

big difference because you're reminding yourselves, you are positioning yourselves in a place where

you're not just going to you know, worry and not move forward. Yeah,

but you're gonna move You're gonna just keep doing what He has given you

and allow God to take care of the rest and man. Yeah, So

do not worry is an action. That action is to exercise faith in our

lives, Okay, and it has to be a consistent action right, a

consistent You can be not worried today, but guess what, something else comes

up tomorrow. Someone says something you can be worried again, but you tell

yourself, I'm not going to be worried again and again. It's a consistent

journey. So guard our minds to the word of God and not allow fear

and worry to take over our lives. Right Can we do that? And

can you imagine the kind of lives that we will leave if we can just

trust God day by day, step by step in faith, and He has

it. All is covered, you know. And the beautiful thing is that

when we walk with him in faith, we give him the glory Because God

sees our lives. I mean, people see our lives, you know,

the offices that you walk in, the people that are around you, your

relatives, your families. They see, Hey, this guy, he seems

to be very cool about life. There's so many, so much of things

that are going on around us in the world. But he doesn't. You

know, I don't see him complaining, but I seem speaking words of encouragement,

words of faith. But yet abundance of God's blessing in his life.

How is that possible? And that is how God's name is lifted up.

You know when they come to you and say, hey, most is,

how do you do this? Well, God, it's because of God.

And can I know who this God is? And that's an opportunity that you

get to share about God and who He is in your life? Right?

How powerful is that? How beautiful is that that when we just don't strive

Okay, but we just go on trusting God, looking unto him, serving

him, laying our treasures in heaven right, serving him alone, and at

the same time we get to win someone to Christ, right, win someone

to Christ. I felt, you know this word is um, it's gonna.

It's just ministering two different ones this morning, especially when Josiah laddus with

a song on the Lord is my Shepherd? And I had it planned to

read that portion towards the end of today's sermon to remind us who is the

shepherd of our lives? Okay, and this this chapter sums three. If

you have not read it, could I encourage you to make that your devotion

this week? Maybe just read meditate on it because it brings so much comfort

in our hearts. And if you're dealing with worry. And if you're thinking

how do I move forward? I mean, all that I'm hearing today seems

to be great, but the burden seems very heavy. Then I encourage you

to lean on this scripture because what the Word of God tells us here is

that he is our shepherd, and he does not lay us astray. In

fact, it brings us into green meadows. Right, somebody's gonna read to

you some twenty tree and then extremely leaders in this song. And I pray

that all of us can get into this place of just surrendering our worries and

allowing God to even speak to us some twenty tree. Right. It says

here the Lord is my shepherd. I have all that I need. He

lets me rest in green meadows. He leads me besides peaceful streams. He

renews my strength. He guides me along right parts, bringing honor to his

name. Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be

afraid, for you are close to beside me. Your rod and your staff

protect and comfort me. You prepare a fees for me in the presence of

my enemies. You honor me by anointing my head with oil. My cup

overflows with blessings. Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the

days of my life, and I will live in the House of the Lord

forever. Amen. We hope you've been blessed by this message. For more

information on our church, please visit x Church to RG. We are also

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a good week a head for you. God bless