It is our general habit as a church to preach through books of the Bible, verse by verse, working our way from the very beginning to the very end of each of them.
But from time to time, we take breaks from the primary text to bring up other matters, other issues.
This morning, we will once again be taking a break from our exposition of the book of Hebrews to continue what we purpose to make a periodically presented series on the gospel and counseling.
Some of you may remember some months ago, we talked about the gospel and your sorrow.
Beloved, it is altogether possible to understand the gospel for the salvation of your soul, which is its primary purpose.
Praise God if we understand it in this way, that you would be saved from the judgment to come.
But to miss that the gospel has implications for the way that you think and feel and act today.
We flee to Christ to be saved from hell and we flee to Christ to be saved from sin, or at least we should.
We have much opportunity as a church of the living God to make him known in the world through the careful application of the gospel to the daily struggles of this life.
This certainly does not preclude gospel proclamation, but it should accompany it.
So today's sermon is entitled The Gospel and Your Anxiety.
I shared with you last week, having, through a number of circumstances, I think kind of a pile up in my own heart,
having what I only know to describe as an anxiety attack.
I kind of loaded us into the end of Hebrews chapter 7,
trying to give careful application to the necessity of a foundation, a life built on a foundation that is Christ.
And I told you as I spoke about that off the cuff, that I ran for refuge to Philippians chapter 4, verses 4 through 8,
each of us have and will likely experience some measure of anxiety.
In this life.
Certainly some of us have a greater propensity toward it than others.
But it is inevitable that fallen people living in a fallen world will, from time to time, feel the weightiness of our reality.
Some people are abundantly aware that they are anxious.
Many are not.
The truth is that none of us escape this.
Some people experience crippling anxiety.
Some of us just worry in a way that we should not.
It is faithless worrying.
If you aren't presently finding yourself an anxious person, you will at some point in your life, most likely.
So I hope two things for our time together this morning.
Number one, that you will have a clear understanding of your anxiety, your personal anxiety, and be better equipped to fight for your joy.
And number two, that you will have a clear understanding of another's anxiety, and be better equipped to fight for their joy.
This is why the title, the gospel, and your anxiety is applicable in either case.
And we're going to continue to do that as we walk through this series periodically.
Beloved, we are instructed to love one another.
And Paul tells us in Galatians chapter 6 and verse 2 that if we love one another, we will bear another's burdens.
We are to take on the trouble of others.
If you are in relationship with other people, you are going to be asked to give some measure of counsel.
If you have any meaningful relationship, relationships that step off the computer screen and sit down together,
you're going to have need to pick up somebody else's burden.
And we should definitely aim to give biblical answers to spiritual problems.
So I hope that you'll understand your anxiety, and I hope that you'll understand the anxiety of another.
So Philippians chapter 4, verses 4 through 8.
Before I read it, beloved, let me remind you that this is God's word to us, written for his glory and our good.
As such, we would all do well to listen to it in order to believe its promises and obey its commands.
Rejoice in the Lord always.
Again, I will say, rejoice.
Let your reasonableness be known to everyone.
The Lord is at hand.
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.
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable,
if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
I was once at a biblical counseling conference some years ago, and in an afternoon session, the speaker began his lesson by saying,
tell me what you worry about or what makes you angry, and I will show you your idols.
And I love this kind of teaching.
Many of you are patient with me under it.
I like to state the premise up front, big and strong, to make you go, huh?
I have discovered that often that makes you guys shut down and not listen to the explanation of the statement,
which is what happened to me in this case, but I think in a most helpful way,
because I found this emphatic statement just too strong not to wrestle out its implications.
He probably did that.
He was probably going on to say more about it, but the statement was so strong, I just had to say, wait, is that true?
So I spent the next hour writing down things that worried me or angered me and tracing each thing to its source,
really thinking about why is it that this worries me?
Why is it that this thing angers me?
And I was shocked to discover that most, if not all, of my worry was sinful anxiety.
It had at its base some form of idolatry, a faith in something other than God.
It was a good and instructive hour for me.
Paul tells us in verse 6 of our text this morning, do not be anxious about anything.
He gives the command to not be anxious.
However, in 2 Corinthians 11, verse 28, he writes, as he's concluding all of the sufferings that he experiences,
he says, and apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches.
I take this to mean that it's possible to be faithfully concerned about a matter.
Paul has the pressure of his anxiety, and I don't think he's suggesting to us that this is sinful in that case,
but it is faith-filled anxiety.
But the command here, Philippians chapter 4, to not be anxious about anything,
is in reference to a faithless concern.
And this is an anxiety that must be remedied for our good and for the glory of God.
Now, before I give you the outline for the text and we begin our study of it,
I want you to see something significant.
Everything Paul is teaching us is an expansion of what he has previously declared that we are.
What he's teaching us to do, he's teaching because it comes from who we are.
Let me show you this by looking up at verse 1 of chapter 4.
He says,
Now, this is all kinds of packed with identity, right?
He calls them brothers.
And ladies, even you want to be brothers in this sense, joined to the family of God,
co-heirs with Christ.
He says that he loves them and he longs for them, that they are his joy and his crown,
and they are beloved.
All kinds of identifiers.
But the encouragement here is for them to stand firm thus in the Lord.
What does standing firm look like?
Well, he goes on in chapter 4 to explain this.
Verse 2 and 3, Paul tells us, it is working toward and maintaining the unity of the church.
And then the other things that follow in our text, which we'll go on to consider.
But chapter 4, verse 1 begins with a therefore.
Paul is saying, stand firm because of something.
Because of a reality that he's already stated, he's saying, so stand firm.
What is that something?
It is the reality of who you and I are in Jesus Christ if we have placed saving faith in him.
Look at the end of chapter 3, verse 20 and 21.
But our citizenship is in heaven.
And from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body
by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.
This is the reality that he goes on then to say,
therefore, brothers, the ones I love and long for, my joy, my crown, my beloved.
It's coming out of this reality of who Christ is toward his people.
Beloved, we are part of a theocracy being ruled by King Jesus,
who is bringing all things under his reign.
This is the reality of who we are that's meant to inform how we live.
So there's a therefore.
And now we've arrived at the outline for the text, which is as follows.
And I never expect that you get all this down in your note taking.
But for the sake of time, I like to give it to you, give you a structure and move on.
So number one, fight for your joy.
Number one, fight for your joy.
Number two, be gracious toward others.
Be gracious toward others.
Number three, turn to God with all of your concerns.
And number four, and you won't get this in the notes if you don't write really fast.
Dehabituate by rehabituating.
Dehabituate.
That makes me smile more than Sunday with Sunday, doesn't it?
Dehabituate by rehabituating.
All right, number one, fight for your joy.
Verse four, rejoice in the Lord.
Always, again, I will say, rejoice.
And I love that Paul adds emphasis, right, to the exhortation by saying it once again.
And that's exactly what he's doing here, right?
He's saying, rejoice.
I'm just going to say it again because you need to get it.
Rejoice.
Beloved, lasting joy is not circumstantial.
We may find temporary happiness in our circumstances.
There are things in this world that are lesser joys, I would suggest to you, that are meant to point us to greater joys.
But they're temporal.
They don't last.
And if we find all of our happiness, all of our joy in these things, we will just as readily find great misery in our circumstances.
You have all lived long enough to have high highs and low lows.
The children in the room know this.
Life is tough.
Paul here exhorts us, though, to rejoice always.
To rejoice despite circumstances.
He's saying it doesn't matter what the circumstance around you is.
You should rejoice.
How is this possible?
It is possible if we find joy in an unchanging, eternal source of joy.
And he says it in the text.
Rejoice in the Lord.
This is not some far-off concept.
What he's saying to us is recognize who Christ is and who Christ is to you.
Find in that an eternal source of joy.
And if we rightly understand the weightiness of our sin before a most holy God,
if we get our rebellion against him and the death that it deserves,
if we have experienced in any measure a separation from God,
how horrid that can be,
then we have much to rejoice in as we draw near to God through Christ.
And beloved, this is ultimately a battle of the mind.
If you are to have joy, you're going to have to fight for joy.
And this is a battle that will happen in your mind.
If it's an uncircumstantial joy,
it's not based on what's happening around you.
It's based on what's happening within you.
This will be a battle of the mind.
I fear as a church, as I talk about the mindfulness of Christianity,
that I sway us too far towards stoicism,
that we separate out our thinking from our feeling.
I never want to do this.
But what we see happening so much in the church in America
is that it's primarily emotionally driven.
People are looking for spiritual highs.
If the guitar riff is just right,
it'll take us there.
We should have feelings.
That's what this verse is about.
This is about rejoicing,
but it's not because I've repeated the chorus for the 20th time,
and everyone around me seems to be happy,
and so I'm going to join in.
It's about a mindful meditation on the truth of who Christ is
and who He is to us that brings about this kind of joy.
Non-circumstantial joy.
Paul writes in Romans chapter 12,
Do not be conformed to this world,
but be transformed, what?
By feeling, no.
By the renewal of your mind.
We are dichotomous people.
We are body, and we are soul.
There's an outer, and there's an inner.
And the way that our inner is shaped
is through our mental faculty.
We're transformed by the renewal of it.
And I wish,
I desperately wish as a pastor,
that all we needed to do
when anybody was experiencing any trouble in this world
is declare to them the truth,
and it would snap into place in their minds.
And they would go,
Oh, well then I have a great reason for joy.
And off they'd go, joyous.
It's a battle.
We are left with our sinful flesh,
being new creations,
but we carry the baggage of who we once were.
The old Nathan shows up all the time,
tempts me away,
causes me not to believe
the great truth of who Christ is to me,
to forget it.
And so it has to be rehearsed,
and rehearsed,
and rehearsed.
In our study of Hebrews,
we will soon come to the end of chapter 10,
where we see a suffering church
acting absolutely bizarrely, right?
Not at all like the world,
but like transformed people.
Hebrews chapter 10 and verse 34.
The author writes,
You had compassion on those in prison,
and you joyfully accepted
the plundering of your property.
I don't know.
I don't think I,
I don't know that anybody here
would have somebody ransack their house
because they're a Christian,
spray paint on the wall,
go away Christian,
would show up happy about that.
Well, these weird Christians did.
They rejoiced,
and they joyfully accepted
the plundering of their property.
Why?
Since you knew
that you yourselves
had a better possession
and an abiding one.
You knew you had a better possession
and an abiding one.
But if you've been with us
in our study of Hebrews,
you know the reason
the letter's being written
is because many of them
were being tempted
to abandon the faith.
Things had gotten
more uncomfortable.
These Christians
who once joyfully accepted
the plundering of their property
were now being tempted
to forsake Christ altogether.
And so they were having
to rehearse once again.
And the author of Hebrews
is so carefully rehearsing
for them who Christ is
and who Christ is
to them.
Beloved,
if you are in Christ,
you have a better possession
and an abiding one.
Heavenly treasure.
A future to look forward to
that is going to be
beyond our wildest imagination.
And yet we get so fixated
on the here and the now
and the circumstance.
And what Paul's here telling us
is that we have to lift
our minds beyond
what's going on
right around us.
We have to look
to the future reward
because of what Christ
has accomplished.
John Newton,
18th century Anglican minister,
famous for Amazing Grace,
the hymn Amazing Grace,
once wrote this,
suppose a man was going
to New York
to take possession
of a large estate
and his carriage
should break down
one mile before he got
to the city,
which obligated him
to walk the rest of the way
to the inheritance.
So his circumstance changed.
He's riding in comfort
and now he has to walk.
What a fool
we should think him
if we saw him
wringing his hands
and blubbering out
all the remaining mile.
My carriage is broken.
And many of us
act this way.
We are headed
to a great inheritance.
And something bumps
in the road
and we fall apart.
I fall apart.
C.S. Lewis
wrote in
The Weight of Glory,
We are half-hearted creatures,
fooling about
with drink
and sex
and ambition
when infinite joy
is offered to us.
like an ignorant child
who wants to go on
making mud pies
in a slum
because he cannot
imagine what is meant
by the offer
of a holiday
at the sea.
We are far
too easily
pleased.
I love that.
Beloved,
we have to fight
for our joy
in the way we fight
for our joy
is with the truth
of who we are
in Christ
and all that that means
for our lives.
So that's the first point.
Fight for your joy.
Secondly,
be gracious
towards others.
We see this in
verse 5.
Let your
reasonableness
be known
to everyone.
Now,
I think,
I hope,
you're listening enough
to go,
why is the point
be gracious
toward others
if we're to let
our reasonableness
be known
to everyone?
And that's because
the Greek word
translated reasonableness
in the ESV,
which is what
most of us here
are using,
is a very,
very rich word.
It's one of those
difficult words
where there's not
a fantastic
English equivalent
to it.
It needs phrasing
and so it gets
brought down
to a single word
which just falls
a little short
of what it means.
Commentators
and translators
have varied widely
on its rendering.
Here's some examples
for you.
Reasonableness,
generosity,
goodwill,
friendliness,
magnanimity,
charity,
mercy,
leniency,
big-heartedness,
moderation,
forbearance,
and gentleness
are some of the
attempts to capture
the meaning
of this word.
Possibly
the best word,
and I am no
Bible translator
nor should I be.
So I'm not
standing in judgment
over our ESV translators,
but possibly
the best word
is
graciousness.
So it has
more latitude
than I thought
of it,
even narrowly
thinking of it
as reasonableness
as it concerns
anxiety.
That we want
other people
to see
our reasonableness
because
the end of verse 5
says the Lord
is at hand.
So we want
others to see
that we understand
that the Lord
is at hand.
And it does
include this idea,
right?
Reasonableness
is a fair word
to put
in that place.
But the aim
of it
is that we're
doing that
for the sake
of others.
That we're doing it
in order to
serve
others.
Some of
those words
that I rattled
off to you.
Generosity,
goodwill,
charity,
mercy,
leniency,
aiming at
helping
others,
and some
of those
renderings
like
forbearance,
magnanimity,
goodwill,
because we
may find
that it's
people
that are
the circumstance
that's causing
our anxiety.
very often
this can be
the case.
So it is a
complex word
and it's a
many-layered
word and
probably we
could have
just talked
about verse
five this
morning.
For the sake
of time,
we won't
labor on
with it.
But how
we respond
to the
challenges
of life
have bearing
on other
people.
And at the
end of verse
five,
we can see
that we are
meant to
express
the reality
in the
way that
we act
that the
Lord
is at
hand.
And it's
a very
interesting
phrase to
be at
the end
of verse
five.
Some would
suggest it
belongs at
the beginning
of verse
six.
And these
separations are
not inspired.
Neither is
the punctuation
because there
is no
punctuation
in Greek.
So translators
do this
very difficult
and careful
work of
putting a
period at
the end
of everyone.
starting a
new sentence
with the
Lord
is at
hand
and then
a
semicolon.
I am not
nearly
intelligent
enough to
tell you
exactly
which it
belongs
to,
but I
think
that it
links
the two
things
together
to be
sure.
Paul is
not rapid
fire
shooting off
exhortations.
He's bringing
together an
idea about
what the
Christian life
should look
like as it
stands firm
in the
reality of
who we
are in
Christ.
And so
we're meant
to display
to other
people
that God
is near.
Beloved,
this is an
astounding
reality.
I think that
I too often
take it for
granted that
I have full
unfettered
access to
the throne
of God.
It's like
this assumed
thing for me
sometimes.
It's not
extremely
precious
that the
God of
the
universe,
infinite,
eternal,
all-powerful,
like why
should I
have any
access at
all to
such a
God?
But as
we learn
in Hebrews
chapter 7,
because of
Jesus'
priesthood,
through
him we
can draw
near
to God.
It's an
incredible
reality that
he has
great care
for us,
that he
is in
the
midst
of
the
circumstances
in which
we walk.
So we
should fight
for our
joy,
we should
be gracious
toward others.
Third,
turn to
God
with all
of your
concerns.
Turn to
God with
all of
your
concerns.
Verses
6 and
7,
Paul says,
do not be
anxious about
anything,
but in
everything
by prayer
and supplication
with
thanksgiving,
let your
request be
made known
to God,
and the
peace of
God,
which
surpasses
all
understanding,
will guard
your hearts
and your
minds in
Christ Jesus.
There is
an alternative
to your
anxiety
and mine.
Faith.
This is the
alternative.
Believing
in the
promises
of God.
Paul says,
do not be
anxious about
anything,
but in
everything,
we can
turn
to God.
Having been
granted
full,
unfettered
access to
God.
The Lord
is at
hand.
Beloved,
we can
give everything
over to
Him.
And if we
have a small
view of
God,
we will
not think
that He
can do
anything
about
anything.
But if we
have a
good and
proper high
view of
God,
that's an
astounding
reality.
Why would
I not,
rightly
considering
who God
is,
give
everything
to Him,
creator and
sustainer of
the universe?
I should.
I should
necessarily.
How often
do we find
ourselves so
very
prayerless?
Given the
great gift
of being
able to
enter the
presence
of God
Almighty
and we
stay in
our own
minds,
our own
inner
dialogues,
our dialogue
with one
another,
how often
do we talk
about our
problems and
we don't
go to the
Lord together
with our
problems?
It's an
astounding
thing,
as if
He's a
man and
can't be
bothered.
He's God
Almighty.
He can
handle
anything
that you
throw at
Him.
prayer,
supplication,
and requests
are all
synonyms.
You don't
have to
think too
far out
beyond this.
And they
all refer
to direct
petitions
made of
God.
I believe
that Paul
uses this
repetition
to note
that our
going to
God with
all of our
concerns
will be
often and
it will
be varied.
It's going
to have to
happen all
the time.
and it's
going to
have to
happen about
a variety
of issues.
To not
be anxious,
we will
need to
pray.
And we
will need
to pray.
And we
will need
to pray.
If we're
going to
go with
thanksgiving
in everything,
we're going
to be
praying
continually.
And Paul
instructs us
to do this
as we're
doing it
with
thanksgiving.
it is
not
unlike us
to go
to God
demanding
things of
him,
not
humble,
acting as
if we
deserve
anything.
Paul
is helping
us to
see that
we should
go to
God
recognizing
what he's
already
done.
The fact
that God
has done
much,
already
worked in
so many
ways,
gives to
the Christian
a confidence
that he
will
continue
to do
so.
We're
in the
midst
of a
tough
circumstance.
It can
be so
difficult
to
remember
or to
notice
anything
positive.
We get
consumed
with that.
In our
sinful nature,
we are
this way.
Somebody
has a
bad
experience
at a
business,
they're
likely
to
share
it
with
ten
people.
They
have
a
good
experience,
they're
likely
to
share
it
with
two.
Oh,
the
world
of
online
reviews.
Just,
boy,
are they
brutal.
Boy,
are they
brutal.
A really
simple
example
in our
life,
I was
just
noting
this
to my
wife,
Sam,
the
other
day.
We
use
a
stuff
that
gets
diluted
really
heavily
called
thieves.
Like
thieves
cleaner,
it's a
good
cleaner.
And
we
have
a
bottle
that
we
wipe
down
just
about
everything
with.
And
it
seems
like
that
bottle
is
always
running
out
of
liquid.
It
seems
like
I'm
constantly
going,
gosh,
the
thieves
is
out
again.
But
that
bottle
gets
filled
up.
It
clearly
gets
filled
up.
Sam's
not
carefully
metering
off
just a
little
tiny
bit
at
the
bottle
to
frustrate
me
all
the
time.
That
bottle
gets
filled
to
the
top
and
it
gets
used.
And
I'm
never
thankful
when
it's
full.
It's
inclined
that
way.
The
thieves
is
out
again.
Rather
than
praising
the
Lord
that
the
thieves
is
full
and
half
full
and
a
third
full
and
a
quarter
full.
That's
a lot
of
times.
There's
plenty
of
liquid
in
that
bottle.
But
my
mind
attunes
to
the
negative
thing.
This
is
what
I'm
trying
to
say.
And
especially
when
in
the
midst
of
difficult
times.
We
have
to
stop
this
battle
in
our
minds
and
reflect
upon
the
good
things
that
God
has
done
and
he
is
doing
and
it
will
give
us
the
confidence
that
he
will
continue
to
do.
His
promises
are
sure
beloved.
By
the
mere
fact
that
he's
God
and
he
said
he
would
do
it
we
should
believe
this.
But
he's
also
shown
us
so
much
loving
kindness.
In
our
frailty
we
can
grab
on
to
this
that
he'll
continue
to
do.
We
far
too
often
find
ourselves
prayerless
in
trials.
No
wonder
we
become
anxious.
No
wonder.
1
Peter
chapter
5
6
through
8
Peter
writes
humble
yourselves
under
the mighty
hand
of God
so
at the
proper
time
he
may
exalt
you.
Casting
all
your
anxieties
on
him
because
he
cares
for
you.
He
is
concerned
for
you.
We
can
cast
all
of
our
anxiety
on
him.
And
as
I
read
commentaries
about
this
particular
verse
all
the
commentators
stopped
there.
Stopped
at the
end
of
verse
7
casting
all
your
anxieties
on
him
because
he
cares
for
you.
But
I
want
to
read
verse
8
because
I
think
it's
really
helpful
to
us
as
we
talk
about
it
being
a
battle
of
the
mind.
Peter
writes
be
sober
minded.
Cast
all your
anxieties
on
him
because
he
cares
for
you.
Be
sober
minded.
Be
watchful.
Why?
Your
adversary
the
devil
prowls
around
like a
roaring
lion
seeking
!
He
is
seeking
someone
to
devour.
Could
it be
that many
of us
are being
devoured
by
anxiety?
We are
minimizing
the glory
of God
the goodness
of the
gospel
in our
lives
because
we're
not
sober
minded
watchful
casting
all of
our
anxieties
on
him
because
he
cares
for
us.
My
mind
was
drawn
to
a
hymn
we
sing
from
time
to
time
called
What a
Friend
We
Have
in
Jesus
to
this
verse
Oh
what
peace
we
often
forfeit
Oh
what
needless
pain
we
bear
all
because
we
do
not
carry
everything
to
God
in
prayer.
So
go to
God
with
all
of
your
concerns.
And
then
there's
a
promise
in
verse
7
And
the
peace
of
God
which
surpasses
all
understanding
will
guard
your
hearts
and
your
minds
in
Christ
Jesus.
Now
I've
wrestled
with
this
a
little
this
week.
My
immediate
assumption
of
this
verse
has
always
been
that
there
would
be
a
feeling
of
peace
that
would
come
that
I
would
feel
peaceful
if
I
just
rightly
cast
anxiety
and
I'm
just
no
longer
so
sure
that
that's
what
Paul
is
trying
to
communicate
here.
I
have
often
said
it's
a
piece
that's
weird
and
strange.
It's
a
piece
that
surpasses
understanding
and
maybe
that's
still
tied
into
the
meaning.
I
just
didn't
have
time
to
work
it
all
out
this
week.
But
I
think
as we
go back
to the
end of
chapter
3
and
Paul
is
stating
who
we
are
in
Christ
and
the
beginning
of
chapter
4
and
verse
1
that
we're
to
stand
firm
in
that
reality
that
what
Paul
is
talking
about
is
the
peace
that
we
have
with
God.
The
peace
of
God
that
we
have
with
God
because
Christ
has
made
peace
on
our
behalf.
Because
we've
entered
in
now
as
these
citizens.
We're
not
those
if you
go up
further
in
the
end
of
chapter
3
who
are
going
to
be
cut
off
and
destroyed.
We're
citizens.
We have
peace
with
God.
Romans
chapter
5
verse
1
Therefore
since
we
have
been
justified
by
faith
we
have
peace
with
God
through
our
Lord
Jesus
Christ.
And
I
think
that
this
is
a
peace
that
surpasses
all
understanding.
Why
oh
Lord
such
grace
to
me?
Why
would
you
have
such
kindness
and
compassion?
Why
would
you
be
near
to
me?
Why
would
you
care
for
me?
And
Paul
says
that
this
reality
will
be
set
as
a
guard,
as
a
sentinel,
our
hearts
and
our
minds
in
Christ
Jesus.
He
lands
that
reality
that
we
are
found
in
Jesus.
And
so
as
we
contemplate
in
prayer
with
this
thanksgiving
who
Christ
is
and
who
Christ
is
to
us,
we
can
be
joy
filled
and
we
can
be
faith
filled
and
not
anxious.
Jesus
taught
his
disciples
in
Luke
chapter
12
beginning
in
verse
22.
Do not
be
anxious
about
your
life,
what
you
will
eat
nor
about
your
body,
what
you
will
put
on.
For
life
is
more
than
food
and
the
body
more
than
clothing.
Consider
the
ravens,
they
neither
sow
nor
reap,
they
have
neither
storehouse
nor
barn,
and
yet
God
feeds
them.
Of
how
much
more
value
are
you
than
the
birds?
Much
more
is
what
Jesus
is
saying.
So
much
more.
And
which
of
you
by
being
anxious
can
add
a
single
hour
to
a
span
of
life?
If
then
you
are
not
able
to
do
as
small
a
thing
as
that,
why
are
you
anxious
about
the
rest?
Consider
the
lilies,
how
they
grow,
they
neither
toil
nor
spin,
yet
I
tell
you,
even
Solomon
in
all
his
glory
was
not
arrayed
like
one
of
these.
But
if
God
so
clothes
the
grass
which
is
alive
in
the
field
today
and
tomorrow
was
thrown
into
the
oven,
how
much
more
will
he
clothe
you,
oh
you
of
little
faith?
And
do
not
seek
what
you
are
to
eat,
what
you
are
to
drink,
nor
be
worried.
For
all
the
nations
of
the
world
seek
after
these
things,
and
your
father
knows
that
you
need
them.
Instead
seek
his
kingdom,
and
these
things
will
be
added
to
you.
Fear
not
little
flock,
for
it
is
your
father's
good
pleasure
to
give
you
the
kingdom.
If
we
are
in
Christ
and
we
are
mindful
of
this,
we
are
faith
filled
because
of
this,
then
we
have
no
need
to
be
anxious.
We
can
have
great
and
abounding
joy.
because
Christ.
I
came
across
this
old
quotation
and
I
stuck
it
here
and
I'm
wondering
now
if
it
even
fits
but
I'm
going
to
read
it
to
you
all
the
same.
Maybe
as we
tie
the
idea
of
joy
together.
This
was
the
account
of
the
conversion
of
Blaise
Pascal
who
was
a
17th
century
French
mathematician
and
it
was
found
he
had
written
it
down
on
a
piece
of
paper
sewn
into
his
coat
it
was
found
eight
years
after
his
death
he
had
written
this
account
of
his
conversion
and
this
is what
he
wrote
year
of
grace
1654
Monday
23
November
feast
of
Saint
Clement
from
about
half
past
ten
at
night
to
about
half
an
hour
after
midnight
fire
God
of
Abraham
God
of
Isaac
God
of
Jacob
not
of
philosophers
and
scholars
certitude
heartfelt
joy
peace
God
of
Jesus
Christ
God
of
Jesus
Christ
my
God
and
your
God
joy
!
Jesus
Christ
may
I
never
be
separated
from
him
that
cool
okay
number
four
dehabituate
by
rehabituating
finally
brothers
whatever
is true
whatever
is honorable
whatever
is just
whatever
is pure
whatever
is lovely
whatever
is commendable
if there
is any
excellence
if there
is anything
worthy
of praise
think about
these things
we are not
going to
take the
time to
talk about
each of
those
things
right
there
are
things
to be
said
about
each
of
those
pure
lovely
commendable
right
he's
building
an idea
right
there
are
many
things
that
can
be
thought
about
that
are
going
to
be
good
for
our
thought
life
most
often
this
is preached
through
verse
7
I
think
verse
8
is
so
incredibly
important
as
we
continue
to
think
about
taking
our
thoughts
captive
battling
in
the
mind
that
we
would
think
about
stuff
that
is
helpful
to
us
rather than
fixating
on the
things
on the
circumstance
!
but
that
we
would
lift
our
minds
higher
we
are
creatures
of
habit
we
just
form
habits
so
readily
most
of them
bad
an
example
Sam
and I
recently
moved
we
moved
from
Gainesville
and it
took
me
a
full
week
of
turning
on
to
our
old
road
to
remember
that
we
didn't
live
there
anymore
I
made
a lot
of
detours
on
my
way
to
the
place
we're
currently
living
because
I
just
do
it
automatically
right
it's
the
impulse
the
natural
thing
that
I
do
I
bet
that
each
and
every
one
of
you
put
on
a
particular
shoe
first
and
you
probably
don't
know
which
one
it
is
but
I
bet
you
do
by
habit
they
just
tend
to
pick
up
whatever
mine's
my
right
because
I
paid
attention
to
that
kind
of
thing
but
you
don't
really
give
any
thought
to
it
at
all
at
the
end
of
the
first
song
set
Jordan
prayed
in a
place
he
doesn't
normally
pray
you
guys
noticed
that
or not
he
made a
little
comment
about
it
he
normally
prays
for the
preaching
at the
end
of
the
offering
he
said
a
little
prayer
at
that
point
and
I
got
panicky
because
I
thought
was
that
the
offering
song
I
don't
I
sort
of
grabbing
my
stuff
in the
back
to
come
up
front
and
I
went
oh
wait
he
broke
out
of
the
routine
right
because
we
are
so
geared
habitually
and
so
if
we
are
to
change
in
this
case
the
way
that
we
think
we're
going
to
stop
thinking
negatively
we're
going
to
stop
focusing
on
the
circumstance
we're
going
to
have
to
work
at
refocusing
on
something
else
it's
not
merely
enough
to
put
off
sinful
thinking
because
then
there's
a
void
well
now
what
are
you
going
to
think
about
Paul
tells
you
what
to
think
about
true
and
honorable
and
just
and
pure
and
lovely
and
commendable
excellent
things
this
is
what
you
should
fill
your
mind
with
and
we
have
such
a
fantastic
source
for
all
those
things
the
holy
writ
the
scripture
itself
the
most
excellent
of
things
are
spoken
about
in
this
text
we
have
our
minds
drawn
to
God
who
we
are
in
Christ
and
this
is
a
work
it's
a
work
that
must
be
done
Paul
writes
to
Timothy
1st
Timothy
chapter
!
4
the
last
part
of
verse
7
he
says
train
yourself
for
godliness
some
other
translation
will
say
discipline
yourself
for
godliness
again
it doesn't
just
happen
it doesn't
just
click
into
place
it's
a
work
that
must
be
taken
up
J.
Adams
in his
fantastic
book
the
Christian
Counselor's
Manual
!
talks
about
dehabituation
by
rehabituation
that's
why I
picked
up
and
why I
love
the
phrasing
so
very
much
he
wrote
this
in
response
to
1st
Timothy
4
7
this
idea
of
disciplining
yourself
for
godliness
he wrote
how may
I
discipline
myself
first the
counselor must
indicate that the word
discipline clearly shows that godliness cannot be zapped
!
it cannot be whipped up like instant pudding
godliness doesn't come that way
discipline means work
it means sustained daily efforts
the word Paul used is the one from which the English word gymnastics and gymnasium
have been derived
it is a term related to athletics
!
an athlete becomes an expert only by years of hard practice
there are no instant athletes
it takes years of regular practice to achieve athletic skills
no weightlifter for example says here's a very heavy weight I have never lifted weights before but that looks like the largest one
I'll try to press it
he's likely to break his back
he can't do it that way
he must start out with a small weight the first week then gradually over the months and years add heavier and heavier ones
he must work up to the heaviest one
nor does he decide this week I'll lift weights for five hours on Friday and then I'll forget about it for the next six weeks
athletes practice regularly
usually every day for at least a short period of time
they work daily day after day until what they are doing becomes
natural
second nature
right
habit
to them
that is what an athlete does
and that is exactly what is involved in the word that Paul used here
continued daily effort
is an essential element
of Christian discipline
if we are to be a people who are not
anxious
a people who are rejoicing always
it's going to take daily
work
all of us
all of us desire
massive monumental
moments in our life
all of us want
in an instant
right
like chocolate pudding
to be whipped
into some new maturity
in our life
and there have been times
maybe in your life
certainly in the lives of others
that we can read about
that there is
massive transformation
in their Christian
block
but most regularly
it happens
bit by bit
degree by degree
and if you are waiting around
for that to happen
if you are not taking up
all that God has offered you
right
he has given to you
his word
he has given you Christian fellowship
he has given to you prayer
that you would know it
believe it
right
be able to think upon it
then you are going
to falter
in your Christian maturity
we are meant to
press into
the truth
and we are meant to do it
every single day
we are meant to be
disciplined
for godliness
in conclusion
Charles Spurgeon quote
that is on your bulletin
this morning
he wrote
the pleasures
arising from a right
understanding
of the divine testimonies
are of the most
delightful
order
earthly enjoyments
are utterly contemptible
if compared with them
the sweetest joys
yea
the sweetest
of the sweetest
falls to his portion
which has God's truth
to be
his heritage
so we have great reason
because of who Christ is
and because of who he is
to us
our reigning
king
to fight for joy
to be gracious
towards others
to turn to God
with all
of our concerns
and to
dehabituate
by
rehabituating
may we be a people
who lay
faithless anxiety
down
for joyful
peaceful
faithfulness
may we be a people
that live in a way
that the world
would see
how very
reasonable
we are
because of how great
Jesus Christ
is
let's pray together
thank you