1. How can we take just ONE DAY at a TIME? (Matt 6:25-33)
“Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body raiment…..behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not….yet your Heavenly Father feedeth them. Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?….Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow…..if God so clothe the grass of the field….O ye of little faith?
• Is worrying for the birds? (vv 26-27)
• Do flowers fade? (vv 28-31)
{Jesus was telling His disciples while preaching this sermon on the mountain – Matt 5, 6, 7 – that our Heavenly Father knows us and cares for us}

2. Who can take just ONE DAY at a TIME? (Matt 6:33)
“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added unto you.”
• Putting Priorities in Proper Place (v. 33)
• Is Jesus #1 or #2 or #3 after job, family, or entertainment?
{How a person spends his or her TIME and MONEY is a good indicator where their heart is} How about you?

3. How can we take just ONE DAY at A TIME? (Matt 6:34)
“Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil there of.”
• Nothing wrong with planning – as the Lord wills
• But, as you (we) plan, don’t worry
• It’s a battle of trust instead of being anxious about the “what if’s”

Conclusion: How can we live in this world and not worry? Jesus says neither the birds of the air or the flowers of the field are worried about their food or clothing, so why should we worry since our Heavenly Father knows our needs.

***The Way to Not Worry***
Take….. , “ONE DAY at a TIME, SWEET JESUS”!

Introduction: Going through a hard time? Needing God’s peace and presence? Feeling stressed and worried? The greatest need we (I) have as believers in the living God is to be in fellowship with Him. When that is in place everything else will be in a better place. While on the run and in the wilderness, David understood the importance of his relationship with his God and gives us (3) ways to make that happen, especially in a time of testing. Don’t you want to know how we can maintain that personal connection?

1. How can we stay in TUNE with our God? (Ps 63:1, 2)
“O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is;”
• A heart cry for God
• A heartbeat for Him

2. How can we stay in TOUCH with our God? (Ps 63:2)
“To see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary.”
• To sense His PRESENCE
• To see His POWER

3. How can we stay in STEP with our God? (Ps 63:3-8)
“I will bless thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in thy name…My soul followeth hard after thee: thy right hand upholdeth me.”
• Lifelong pursuit – knowing God!
• Lifelong satisfaction – our Lord Jesus knowing me!

Joshua 7, 8

1. Have you ever had a “Setback”?
“So the Lord was with Joshua; and his fame was noised throughout all the country.” (Jos 6:27)
“But the children of Israel committed a trespass….for Achan…took of the accursed thing: and the anger of the Lord was kindled against the children of Israel….And Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai.” (Jos 7:1-9) {Instead of sending a big army after spying it out, Joshua only sent 2,000 to 3,000 men to Ai. They got whooped! Bad!!}
• Joshua asked, WHY? (Jos 7:6, 7)
[When we’re Setback – don’t we ask, “WHY LORD”?]
• Joshua asked, WHAT? (Jos 7:8, 9)
{Examination & Sanctification – Joshua tore his clothes & fell to the ground in humility & brokenness}

2. Do you need to make a “Comeback”? (Jos 7:10-21)
“And the Lord said, Get thee up…..Israel has sinned and they have transgressed my covenant…neither will I be with you anymore, except ye destroy the accursed from among you….Achan said I have sinned…when I saw a goodly Babylonish garment, silver, and gold, then I coveted them, and took them, they are hid in the midst of my tent.”
• What’s the problem? (v. 13)
• How to fix it? (vv 15-25)

3. Are you prepared for a “Takeback”! (Jos 7:25-8:1-35)
“And Joshua said, why trouble us?….And all Israel stoned him….And the Lord said unto Joshua, Fear not, neither be thou dismayed: take all the people of war with thee, and arise, go up to Ai: see, I have given into thy hand the king of Ai….and his land.” {This Time Joshua sent out 30,000 mighty men of valour (v 3)….through a military strategy of retreat and then ambush, God gave them the victory!}
• Fear not (v. 1)
• Have Faith in God (v.1)

2. BENEATH Me and BESIDE ME are “Green pastures and still waters”! (Psa 23:2)
“He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside still waters.”
• Promises to guide us (Rom 8:14)
• Promises to quench our thirst (John 7:37, 38)

3. REFRESHING ME ” He restoreth my soul”! (Psa 23:3)
“He restoreth my soul.”
• Promises to lift our heavy burdens (Psa 55:22)
• Promises to restore us (Isa 58:12)

4. BEFORE ME is a “Table”! (Psa 23:5a)
” Thou preparest a table before me.”
• Promises to feed us (John 6:35)
• Promises to supply our needs, not wants (Phil 4:19)

5. AROUND ME are my “Enemies” and “Fear” (Psa 23:4, 5b)
“In the presence of mine enemies.”
• Promises He’s not given us a spirit of fear (2 Tim 1:7)
• Promises to defeat our enemies (Rev 19:11-21)

6. AFTER ME is “Surely Goodness and Mercy”! (Psa 23:6)
“Surely Goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.”
• Promises to extend mercy ( Eph 2:4)
• Promises to work for our good ( Rom 8:28)

7. BEYOND ME is the “House of the Lord”! (Psa 23:6)
” And I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”
• Promises a home in heaven (John 14:1-3)
• Promises us eternal life (John 10:27,28)

^“That no man should be moved by these afflictions: for yourselves know that we are appointed thereunto. For verily, when we were with you, we told you before that we should suffer tribulation; even as it came to pass, and ye know. For this cause, when I could no longer forbear, I sent to know your faith, lest by some means the tempter have tempted you, and our labour be in vain. But now when Timotheus came from you unto us, and brought us good tidings of your faith and charity, and that ye have good remembrance of us always, desiring greatly to see us, as we also to see you: Therefore, brethren, we were comforted over you in all our affliction and distress by your faith: For now we live, if ye stand fast in the Lord. For what thanks can we render to God again for you, for all the joy wherewith we joy for your sakes before our God; Night and day praying exceedingly that we might see your face, and might perfect that which is lacking in your faith? Now God himself and our Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way unto you. And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you: To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.”

Introduction: Are you going thru a trial right now? Someone had well said, “Either we are IN a trial, coming OUT of a trial, or fixing to go INTO a trial”! Troubles and trials [allowed by our Lord] have a way of making us or breaking us. Paul, who experienced various trials, reveals (4) discoveries about “How Big our God is” even in a time of trial.

1. When you’re going thru a trial, don’t forget to free your heart from FEAR! (1 Thess 3:2-4)
Timothy was sent to the Church (Thessalonica) to comfort them in this trial of their faith (v 2).
” That no man should be moved by these afflictions: for yourselves know that we are appointed thereunto.”
{The word “Moved ” is sah-ee-no which means disturbed, agitate}
{The word “Affliction” is thlipsis which means distress, pressure}
• Trials have a way of “shaking” you
• Trials have a way of “making” you
Paul wrote, “We told you before that we should suffer tribulation” (v 4).

2. When you’re going thru a trial, don’t forget to free your mind from WORRY! (1 Thess 3:5-7)
” ….I sent to know your faith, lest by some means the tempter have tempted you….but Timothy brought us good tidings of your faith and charity….and we were comforted.”
• Our Faith in God will be tested
• Our Faith in God can be trusted

3. When your going thru a trial, don’t forget to focus on fighting the good FIGHT of FAITH! (1 Thess 3:8-10)
“For now we live, if ye standfast in the Lord…..night and day praying….see your face, and perfect that which is lacking in your faith.”
{“Standfast” means persevere}
{“Perfect” means complete, fit together}
• Attitude of gratitude
• Persevering in prayer

4. When you’re going thru a trial, don’t forget to look at the BIG PICTURE! (1 Thess 3:11-13)
” Now God our Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way unto you….make you increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men….to the end he may stablish your hearts.. ..in holiness…..at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.”
• Loving out (v 12)
• Looking up (v 13)

• 40% of the things we WORRY about never happen….that’s almost half!
• only 8% are legitimate concerns.

***NEWSFLASH*** Doctor JESUS has a cure! Paul explains…

1. Why be WORRIED with CARE, when we can be blessed with PRAYER? (Phil 4:6, 7)

• Definition of worry: mental disorder
• Low grade fever
• Pulling apart of the mind
• Dividing the mind

• 1 in 8 Americans (probably more now after the last few months with Covid-19), between the ages of 18 yrs old and 63 yrs old, are plagued with ANXIETY
• #1 Health issue with 65 yrs and older

Conclusion: Worry is a person with a bended head, caring a load of feathers, but thinks it’s lead. Why pray when you can worry? Or better yet, why worry when you can pray?

One lady named Betty Phillips used to tell me in jest, “I’m worried”! While asking why, she would respond, “I’m WORRIED that I’m not WORRIED”!

You ask, so how does this biblical principle work?

Simply put, when we take our eyes off our seemingly insurmountable problems, i.e, cares and worries, which cause anxieties, and instead talk to God, our focus becomes how big and mighty He is in comparison to our situation or feelings. Consequently, our trust in Him releases a state of rest (a guard around our hearts and minds), something we can’t explain.

So rather than WORRY with CARE, we can be blessed with PRAYER, and instead of being depressed, we can experience our Lord’s PEACE and sweet REST.

Introduction: How many of us want to GROW OLD & WISE? Notice: not rich and famous…the world promises us happiness, but leaves us empty! God promises a fulfilled – abundant – life along with eternal life….and keeps those promises. Speaking of “Wisdom” {Greek word sophia, means cautious, discreet, thoughtful- Heb world chokmah}, it is a gift from God ( Prov 1:7; Prov 8; James 3:13-17). Simply put…..”Wisdom” is made to us thru a relationship with Jesus Christ (see 1 Cor 1:30, 31), which includes allowing His Word to “guide us,” and His Spirit to “lead us.” If we’re going to “GROW OLD & WISE,” then we need to learn the (2) ways David mentions in this verse of Scripture.

1. If we are going to GROW OLD & WISE, then we’ve got to turn our TESTS of FAITH into TESTIMONIES of FAITH! (Psa 37:25)
“I have not seen the righteous forsaken”
[The word “Righteous” is Tzad deck, which means one who defends what is right]
• Tests Turned into Turning Points
• Turning Points Turned into Testimonies
Have you gone thru a lot in your lifetime? Has our Lord been faithful? See how our Lord has built CHARACTER thru the tests!

2. If we are going to “GROW OLD & WISE,” then we’ve got to be able to control (handle) a lot of CHANGES in LIFE! (Psa 37:25)
” I have been young, and now I’m old.”
• Some things UNDER our control {like our priorities}
• Some things OUT of our control {like people}

2 Chronicles 34:1-33

Introduction: Does it seem like the World is FALLING DOWN more and more with its morals and values? How LOW can you GO? There’s a high cost for low living! Look back 20-30-40 years ago. Things have certainly changed, and not always for the better! But Jesus Christ has not changed, neither has the Bible (Heb 13:8; Psa 119:89).

So how can we as CHRISTian men and women, stay in God’s will and fulfill our calling and purpose in a world that’s pulling on us all the time. Examining the life of king Josiah reveals (2) important decisions that determine our destiny.

1.  He SOUGHT the Lord! (2 Chron 34:1-3)

“And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord….while he was yet young he began to seek after the God of David his father.”

   • With his HEART (v 31)

“And the king made a covenant before the Lord, to walk after the Lord, and to keep his commandments, and his testimonies, and his statutes, with all his heart, and with all his soul.”

   • With HUMILITY (vv 19, 27)

“When the king heard the words of the law, he rent his clothes…….Thus saith the Lord God of Israel….and thou didst humble thyself before God.”

2. He STOOD against Satan! (2 Chron 34:4-7)

“And they brake down the altars of Baalim…and the images, and the groves, and molten images….and cleansed Judah and Jerusalem.”

[Also see 2 Kings 23: 5, 20, 24]

“Moreover the workers with familiar spirits, and the wizards, and idols…did Josiah put away.”

     • Josiah took a STAND against the enemy

     • Jesus took a STAND against Satan

“For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil” (1 John 3:8). 

Conclusion: Do you agree…if you don’t STAND for something, you’ll FALL for anything? It may not be popular, or convenient, but if it brings God’s BLESSINGS it’s worth it! Character Counts!!

“And like unto him was there no king before him, that turned to the Lord with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his might, according to the law of Moses; neither after him arose there any like him,” (2 Kings 23:25).

May our Lord keep us strong in these days by the Power of His Spirit to keep STANDING Up in a World that’s FALLING Down.