The class had been asking for a discussion on worries and giving up control to God. So we attempted to tackle that last night. I began listing the worries the class could come up with. Interestingly enough, it was later in to the hour before someone realized that no one had placed “eternity” on their list. So the question became, how do we handle these worries and turn things over God.
Matthew 6:25-34 has Jesus teaching about worry. Verses 33-34, but strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today’s trouble is enough for today.
Sounds simple enough doesn’t it?
We viewed a segment of the movie Facing the Giants, that discusses living on purpose. When we look at things we’re doing in life, why are we doing them? Are we doing them to glorify God? Or are they for our own satisfaction? As the coach put it, “we’ll praise Him if we win and we’ll praise him if we lose.”
We looked at some Bible verses to see if we could help determine how we might go about turning everything over to God.
Joshua 24:15 …but as for me and my household we will serve the Lord. My footnote mentions, But the time comes when you have to choose who or what will control you.
Romans 8:31…If God is for us, who is against us?
1 Chronicles 29:11… my footnote states, out constantly changing world is controlled by a constant and unchanging God. His love and purpose for us never change. Only when we understand this can we have real peace and security.
Psalm 37: 8-9…if you concentrate on God and his goodness you will find peace.
I read a passage from Crazy Love by Francis Chan: “Basically, these two behaviors (worry and stress) communicate that it’s okay to sin and not trust God because the stuff in my life is somehow exceptional. Both worry and stress reek of arrogance. They declare out tendency to forget that we’ve been forgiven, that our lives here are brief, that we are headed to a place where we won’t be lonely, afraid, or hurt ever again, and that in the context of God’s strength, our problems are small indeed. Why are we so quick to forget God? Who do we think we are?”
Jeremiah 29:11 For surely I know the plans I have for you…
Mark 9:24 my footnote: growing in faith is a constant process of daily renewing our trust in Jesus.
2 Corinthians 4:16
1 Peter 1:5-7
So we can’t draw a big X thru all of our worries but we can draw a circle around them with God giving us strength to deal with them.
We finished class viewing another segment from Facing the Giants. This segment told the story of two farmers who were praying for rain. But only one of the farmers prepared his field for rain. Which do you think the rain fell on? The farmer that prepared his field for rain. Are you preparing your field for rain?
Daily, we need to be preparing ourselves for rain. When God determines it is time, he will deliver the rain.
1 Comment for Class highlights Feb. 24, 2010
Author comment by Chad Thompson | February 25, 2010 at 10:48 am
Great class last night, Jerry. I thought I would add a few thoughts:
1) I read over the passage from Matthew and realized that no matter how I read Matthew 6:33, the only thing my brain would comprehend was the King James version
“Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all of these things shall be added unto you.”
(To which my brain added “Allelu, Allelu-ia”. Now the song is stuck in your head, too.
)
2) I was also struck by recalling what it really means to ‘live life for God’. In Luther’s time, there was anxiety over eternity because people were convinced that the only way to live for God was to give yourself to the monastery or nunnery. Luther turned this on it’s head in his writing about “vocation” – that the time for doing ‘godly works’ is over; that we are freed to not look to be in service “For God”, but rather we are free in thankfulness to serve our neighbor – hopefully through the vocations we find ourselves in.
(“Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?”)
3) When we do have anxiety, we always have an ‘out’ in prayer.
http://bocl.org?LC+III+49