Tackling Temptations to Worry

Tomorrow, we will begin looking at how to respond to the heavy concerns that tempt us to worry. These concerns were gathered from those of you who turned into me one of those temptations.  We will begin with the temptation women often face: Being unable to bear children.  The sermon format for each of these topics will consist of:

1. How to handle the matter through our prayer life.

2. How God's Word directs us on this given matter.

3. How our understanding of our relationship with God impacts our capacity to fear and to believe that the Lord cares for us.  How Satan strategically comes against our confidence in our relationship with the Lord.

4. I will then take questions on this topic from those present.

5. We will then pray over those who might be tempted to worry over this concern at this time (Not calling anyone up; praying over this matter corporately).

I love you. I count it a joy to serve you.  See you tomorrow.

- Rob

 

Worry or Worship II

Knowing that within us that we have this capacity to believe and to fear, and that we face valid concerns, a simple question is posed to us all: “Do we believe that God cares for us?” We often hold to these distant truths we hear in the church, such as: "God loves us." However, to say that He cares for us is extremely personal. To believe that He cares for us is to look to Him when things are bad for us. To believe that He would care enough about us when things are bad in our lives denotes a personal trust that we have placed in our Lord. To believe that God cares for us means that we will cast upon him our nagging cares and concerns, and that we are confident He will listen and respond.
As Peter tells us, “We must humble ourselves before the Lord, casting all of our cares upon Him, because He cares for us.” When we humble ourselves to the mighty hand of God, allowing Him to take on our cares, He will listen and respond.  But the question remains: “Do you believe God cares for our concerns?” Do you believe that he will listen and respond? To believe this means that you and I will bring to Him and entrust Him with the most vulnerable and broken parts of oursevles; you believe that He desires to be the One you entrust during your darkest hours.

  

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Using the illustration above, when we're submitted to our Lord (who is love), He then pours Himself (The Holy Spirit) into these capacities within us, which consumes our capacity to fear and to believe.  This then results in our worship of Him.  

In our submission (our enduring humility) to Him, we must remain resolved through every season; hence, we must have confidence that God cares for us, even when we have “nagging” concerns, remaining under His loving care.

How does this work? Let’s look at the illustration piece by piece.  First, let’s look to Belief.

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Notice that in this letter that John makes a distinction between knowing that God is love and believing that God is love.  To know is to accept a truth; to believe is to entrust that truth - a critical difference. To believe means that His spirit consumes our capacity to believe, meaning that we abide in Him, and He abides in us.

Now, let’s look at the other side of the system: Fear.

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When we are submitted to the hand of God, He fills our capacity to fear and the result is that 'perfect love casts out fear.'  So, when we fear concerns, it is because He has not been afforded the opportunity to consume our capacity to fear, but our Lord desires to do so, for our good and His glory.

A practical example of this would be found in the book of 2nd Chronicles in chapter 20, verses:1-12. In this section of Scripture, King Jehoshaphat is informed that he will soon be attacked by 3 neighboring armies.

“After this, the Moabites and Ammonites, together with some of the Meunites, came to fight against Jehoshaphat. People came and told Jehoshaphat, “A vast number from beyond the Dead Sea and from Edom has come to fight against you; they are already in Hazazon-tamar” (that is, En-gedi). Jehoshaphat was afraid, and he resolved to seek the Lord. Then he proclaimed a fast for all Judah, who gathered to seek the Lord. They even came from all the cities of Judah to seek Him. Then Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem in the Lord’s temple before the new courtyard. He said: Yahweh, the God of our ancestors, are You not the God who is in heaven, and do You not rule over all the kingdoms of the nations? Power and might are in Your hand, and no one can stand against You.  Are You not our God who drove out the inhabitants of this land before Your people Israel and who gave it forever to the descendants of Abraham Your friend? They have lived in the land and have built You a sanctuary in it for Your name and have said, “If disaster comes on us — sword or judgment, pestilence or famine — we will stand before this temple and before You, for Your name is in this temple. We will cry out to You because of our distress, and You will hear and deliver. Now here are the Ammonites, Moabites, and the inhabitants of Mount Seir. You did not let Israel invade them when Israel came out of the land of Egypt, but Israel turned away from them and did not destroy them. Look how they repay us by coming to drive us out of Your possession that You gave us as an inheritance.  Our God, will You not judge them? For we are powerless before this vast number that comes to fight against us. We do not know what to do, but we look to You” (2 Chronicles 20:1-12).

  • Concern: “After this, the Moabites and Ammonites, together with some of the Meunites, came to fight against Jehoshaphat. People came and told Jehoshaphat, “A vast number from beyond the Dead Sea and from Edom has come to fight against you; they are already in Hazazon-tamar” (that is, En-gedi).”
  • His Response: “Jehoshaphat was afraid, and he resolved to seek the Lord.”
  • His belief that, out of His love, God would care for them cast out his fear.
  • This revealed his worship. 

May we submit to the hand of God, because He can (and wants to) care for us.  Jehoshaphat believed that God cared for Him and allowed the Lord to consume his capacity to fear, so that he could operate out of His unshaken belief that the Lord would protect them through it all.

 - Rob

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To Worry or To Worship?

To worry is a choice we make. Though we have valid concerns that arise within our lives, we do not have to give way to anxiety regarding those present concerns.  So, though tempted, we do not not have to give way to worry.

Worship, however, is not a choice. We are designed to worship. We will bow our knee and exalt someone or something.   The question for each of us then becomes, will we worship our fear or worship our Creator?

Taking a little closer look, I hope that as Christians we can begin to see that we are designed to worship, not worry. Pulling up the hood and taking a glance at the inner make-up of our soul, this is what you might see - three cups that have the capacity to be filled.  As we make choices to fill the “Fear-Cup” and “Belief-Cup”, they then merge together, filling our capacity to worship. Out of this system flows our thought-life, our desires, our relating, our outlook, etc…  When we allow concerns to overtake us in worry, these worries then fill our “Fear-Cup.”  This then results in challenging and eventually limiting what’s in the “Belief-Cup.”  It’s at this point, as we give way to anxiety, and fear begins to fill our mind, that we find ourselves lifting up our fears and worshipping them.

We see this how this plays out practically in 1 Samuel 13, when Saul is awaiting the prophet, Samuel, to arrive at Gilgal to make the offering.

“The men of Israel saw that they were in trouble because the troops were in a difficult situation. They hid in caves, thickets, among rocks, and in holes and cisterns. Some Hebrews even crossed the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. Saul, however, was still at Gilgal, and all his troops were gripped with fear. He waited seven days for the appointed time that Samuel had set, but Samuel didn’t come to Gilgal, and the troops were deserting him. So Saul said, “Bring me the burnt offering and the fellowship offerings.” Then he offered the burnt offering. Just as he finished offering the burnt offering, Samuel arrived. So Saul went out to greet him, and Samuel asked, “What have you done?” (1Samuel 13:6-10).

Saul had valid concerns.

  • He was concerned that his men were deserting him out of their fear.
  • He was concerned that Samuel was not coming.
  • He was concerned about his vulnerable position at Gilgal.
  • He was concerned about his personal reputation.

Instead of worshipping God, he gave way to worry, which altered his beliefs.

  • His worries caused him to question his belief in the Lord.
  • His worries led him to question if he could trust Samuel, and the Lord, to be faithful.
  • His worries caused him to doubt that God cared for him.

His actions revealed what he truly worshipped.

  • He exalted (worshipped) his worries.
  • He took matters into his own hands, instead of humbling himself to the hand of God.

Let's reflect back on the verse this Topical Series hinges upon: "Humble yourself to the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time” (1 Peter 5:6a).  Placing this verse into practice means exalting the Lord at all times, which reveals our worship is to Him.

Perhaps, if Saul had rallied his troops with a resolved trust in the God of Israel, the God who created the heavens, yet bound Himself into a covenant with the people he was anointed to lead, Saul's history might read a little differently today.

- Rob

Season of Harvest

Part 2:Desolate Lands & Withered Branches

“This is what the Lord says, ‘On the day that I cleanse you from your sins, I will cause the cities to be inhabited, and waste places will be rebuilt. The desolate land will be cultivated instead of being a desolation in the sight of everyone who passes by. They will say, ‘This desolate land has become like the garden of Eden; and the waste, desolate, ruined places are now fortified and inhabited.’ Then those around you will know that I, the Lord, have rebuilt the ruined places and planted that which was desolate; I, the Lord, have spoken and will do it.”  – Ezekiel 36:33-36

“I am the Vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit…If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and is withered; gathered, cast into the fire, and is burned.” – John 15:5-6

Highland Family,

I am not sure how often I will write each of you throughout this year, but every time I sense the Lord revealing something new I want to share it with you so that you can join us on this journey into a Season of Harvest…

Twelve years ago when the Lord gave us the promise found in Ezekiel 36 we had no idea how he planned to bring it to fulfillment. This past year as the Lord has led us to believe that the season of harvest is upon us and that He is in the midst of fulfilling the words found in Ezekiel, I have been surprised at what the start of that process has looked like. All along I assumed this promise was in reference to what He was going to do in the North Highland community, but what He has begun showing me is that this promise is actually for me and my family. As we have earnestly been praying, both privately and corporately, for the Lord to cleanse us, the Lord has been responding. What He has shown us is that North Highland is actually not the only waste, desolate, and ruined place; rather, as His Holy Sprit has searched us we have come to see that we are also the waste, desolate, ruined place. As our family has continued to humble ourselves in the presence of the Lord allowing Him the freedom to search us we have seen that there are areas in our life that our desolate and withered. For years, often unknowingly, we have tried to restore these desolate and withered places in our own strength. But lately, the Lord has been telling us that we need to allow Him to put those areas in our life to death. God is showing us that there are times when areas of our lives become so polluted and messy that “fixing” is not what’s needed, death is actually needed. So this year, we have allowed the Lord the freedom to take the desolate and withered parts of our life and put them in the grave. This process has required a significant level of vulnerability on our part, but that vulnerability has led to great relief. Trying to tend to, fix, manage, and restore withered and desolate areas is exhausting and often leaves you feeling as if your wheels are spinning but you aren’t actually getting anywhere. Because we were so desperate for relief, the “putting it in the grave” part was easy. However, figuring out what to do after that has not been so easy.

This morning as I was reading in Luke 23-24 the Lord revealed something to me. After the crucifixion, Christ was taken down from the cross and put into the grave. It says that the women who were mourning at the cross went and prepared spices and perfumes for his burial and then watched as the soldiers placed HIs body in the grave. The following day was the Sabbath so instead of going back to the grave to prepare Christ’s body for burial, “they rested according to the commandment”. After the Sabbath the women returned to the grave where they were greeted by angels who asked them, “Why do you seek for the living among the dead? He is not here. He is risen.” As I read that, I sensed the Holy Spirit revealing to me that I am like those women. He has told me to lay certain parts of my life in the grave and I have obeyed. However, instead of putting it in the grave, and then “resting”, I keep going back to the grave hoping to find something living amongst what is dead. This morning the Holy Sprit asked me the same question that the angels asked the women that day at the tomb, “Carrie, why are you looking for the living, among the dead? Allow ME to put the withered and desolate parts of your life in the grave. Stop coming back to the grave. Leave it. In My time and in My power I will bring life from what is dead.”

Desolate and withered. Those are words that describe parts of our life at the moment. But as Scripture says, “we do not mourn as those without hope”(1 Thessalonians 4:13). Here is the beautiful part, and the part our family is clinging to right now, the promise found in Ezekiel and in John 15 is that in time He will replant what has become desolate and He will allow us to once again bear fruit, much fruit, and fruit that remains as we learn to continue abiding (resting) in Him. Not striving to fix or mend; not going back to the grave, but resting in His presence.

The interesting thing about desolate lands and withered branches is that both have only one remedy…fire. A withered branch must be destroyed in the fire and a desolate area must go through a process called prescribed burning in order to bring forth fruit. Prescribed burns are used among farmers for one reason – to improve the health of the entire field. In order for a prescribed burn to be effective, conditions must be just right. In fact, there may only be a few hours out of the whole year when conditions are right for a burn. But when the conditions are right and when a prescribed burn occurs, the field is then made ready for new growth. Where there was no growth or growth that has been overtaken by weeds and debris, a burning comes in order to produce new growth.

What a beautiful description of what Christ does in the life of the believer that allows Him complete access! As we allow Him access to our withered branches and desolate places, He brings His purifying fire. You and I often see fire and death as something to be avoided, but Christ sees it as the opportunity to bring forth new life; life that is healthy and vigorously producing fruit. The burn destroys all that has polluted the field and lays it bare so that the new growth can be rich, and pure. In light of that my prayer has become, “Search me and try me Lord; and see if there is any hurtful way in me. Bring to light all that is not of You and give me the ability to put the withered, desolate parts of my life in the grave. Help me learn to rest and abide in You, not returning to the grave, but instead giving you the freedom you need to burn away all the dross so that you can begin replanting that which is desolate – making my life a garden of Eden.”

My encouragement to each of you is to take this journey with us. Pray, as we have been, that the Lord would cleanse you. Give him access to the withered, desolate parts of your life so that, in time, He might also rebuild and replant that which is desolate in you so that your life can become a garden of Eden – bearing fruit, much fruit, and fruit that remains.

Carrie Strickland

Understanding Worry

Today, we covered the first phase of this new Sermon Series entitled: Worry, Worship and the Word of God.  Below is the process that leads us into the vicious cycle of chronic worry, which we covered in this first sermon.

Worry - to give way to anxiety or unease; to dwell on difficulty or troubles (Source: Google).

  • All matters we worry over begin as concerns.
  • Worry, therefore, is our potential response to a given concern.
  • To dwell on concerns, or to worry, deceives us to think that we are investing ourselves into a solution for given concerns.
  • Dwelling on concerns leads to them consuming us - our thought-life, our emotional estate, leading us to give way to anxiety. 
  • These concerns we worry over then lord over us.
  • Giving these concerns authority leads to a fear within us that cripples our ability to entrust the Lord and His Word.
  • This crippling fear results in us deeming a matter too big for God and we begin to doubt that he cares for us.
  • We then feel guilty for having those doubts and feelings, which leads us into a vicious cycle worry, anxiety and guilt.

I also want to invite you to be part of this sermon series, by informing me of what tempts you to worry. Below, there's a question I hope you will answer.  You can send me the info through the following means of communications mentioned. I intend to build sermons around these matters. This will allow us to tackle worry together.  This sermon is also posted on our website, under the "sermons tab."

What concerns tempt you to worry?

Message me your response: 706.987.0457.

Or grab a Communication Card and write it down, then give it to me.

Email me: rob@hopeforhighland.org.

*All info will remain confidential.

- Rob