July 17 2016 Conquering Inner Anxiety

CONQUERING INNER ANXIETY

Psalm 23

While we may often walk in the valleys, we need not fear it’s shadow.

1. Anxiety is conquered by a personal relationship with God.

Verse 1a – The Lord is my Shepherd.

2. Anxiety is conquered by understanding His provisions.

Verse 1b – I shall not be in want.

Matthew 6:25 & 32 – Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink or about your body, what you will wear, your heavenly Father knows that you need them.

Verse 33- But seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness and all those things will be given to you as well.

3. Anxiety is conquered by seeing His promises.

Verse 4 – I will fear no evil.

Verse 5 – Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life.

4. The practical application of this Psalm.

Verse 6 – I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

• Admit it
• Commit it to God
• Stand firm in God’s strength

CAST YOUR BURDEN UPON THE LORD AND HE WILL SUSTAIN YOU

December 28 2014 Building Confidence In Prayer

Building Confidence in Prayer

Luke 5:16 – But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.

Seven Principles Towards Confidence In Prayer:

1. Make sure all known sin is confessed.

Psalm 68:18 – If I regard sin in my heart the Lord will not hear me.

Isaiah 59:1-2 – Your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear.

Principle to live by: Before I pray for change in my circumstances, I should pray for a change in character.

James 5:16 – The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.

2. Keep a forgiving spirit towards others.

Principle: A forgiving spirit is not an act, it’s an attitude.

Matthew 5:23-24 – First go and be reconciled to your brother.

3. Keep a surrendered will at all times.

James 4:3 – You ask and do not receive because you ask wrongly.

Principle to live by: If God lays a burden on our heart, He also purposes to grant it.

Psalm 33:13 – From heaven the Lord looks down and sees all mankind.

Principle: When God sees me He also sees the crowd and does what’s best for the whole group.

4. Understand God’s Sovereignty.

Principle to live by: I must accept the Sovereignty of God in my life of prayer.

5. I must have faith.

James 1:5 – But let him ask in faith, with no doubting for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.

Matthew 9:29 – According to your faith it will be done unto you.

Matthew 17:20 – If your faith is as small as a mustard seed you can say to this mountain move from here to there and it will.

Principle: To make prayer a force, I must look for question marks in my life.

6. I must have persistence.

Jacob
Ask, Seek, Knock

Principle: Persistence in prayer does not change God, it changes me.

7. Put action with your prayers.

James 2:14 – Faith without action is dead.

Principle: My great need is not faith and works, but faith that works.

May 25 2014 Building Confidence From Loss

Building Confidence From Loss 

Ecclesiastes 8:14 – Sometimes something useless happens on earth. Bad things happen to good people and good things happen to bad people.

HOW TO RESPOND TO LIFE’S LOSSES

1. Release my grief.

Matthew 5:4 – Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

Psalm 62:8 – Pour out your heart to God, for He is our refuge.

Psalm 34:18 – The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

2. Receive from others.

Galatians 6:2 – Carry each other’s burdens, by helping each other with your troubles, you obey the law of Christ.

Hebrews 12:15 – Look after each other so that not one of you will fail to find God’s best blessings.

3. Refuse to be bitter.

Job 21:25 – Some people have no happiness at all, they live and die with a bitter heart.

Hebrews 12:15 – Watch out that no bitterness takes root among you, it causes deep trouble hurting many in their spiritual lives.

The Antidote:

Accept what cannot be changed.

Job 11:13, 16 – Reach out to God, then face the world again, firm and courageous.

Focus on what’s left, not what’s lost.

1 Thessalonians 5:18 – No matter what happens always be thankful, for this is God’s will for you.

4. Remember what’s important.

Luke 12:15 – Jesus said life is not measured by how much one owns.

1 Timothy 6:7 - We brought nothing into the world and we can take nothing out of it.

5. Rely on Christ.

Philippians 4:13 – I have learned the secret of being happy at any time in everything that happens. I can do all things through Christ, because He give me strength.

HOW?

Lean on Christ for stability.

Psalm 125:1 – Those who trust in the Lord are steady as Mount Zion, unmoved by any circumstance.

Psalm 112:6-7 – Such a person will not be overthrown by evil circumstances. God’s constant care of him will make a deep impression on all who see it. He does not fear bad news, nor live in dread of what may happen. For he is settled in his mind that God will take care of him.

Listen to Christ for direction.

Jeremiah 29:11 – I know what I am planning for you, says the Lord. I have good plans for you, not plans to hurt you. I will give you hope and a good future.

Look to Christ for salvation.

Job 2:7 – When I have lost all hope, I once again turn my thoughts to the Lord.

October 28 The Choice Of Giving

THE CHOICE OF GIVING

Matt. 5:7 - Happy are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.

The Motive of Mercy

Vs. 7- Happy are the merciful.

We must experience God’s mercy.
I Peter 1:3 - Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. In His great mercy, He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

Complete surrender to God.
Romans 12:1 - I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God that you present your bodies (yourselves) a living sacrifice to God.

The Marks of Mercy

Matt. 5:7 - Happy are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.

Mercy is: Kindness

What are the Marks:

1. I’ll accept people where they are.
I Thes. 5:14 - Encourage the timid, help the weak, and be patient with everyone.

2. Keep the Spirit of forgiveness.
Matt. 18:22 - But up to seventy times seven.

Col 3:13 - Be gentle and ready to forgive, never hold grudges. Remember the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.

3. We must support each other.
Gal. 6:2 - Bear one another’s burdens.

Hosea 6:6 - For I desire mercy, not sacrifice.

4. I’ll help those who are hurting.
Prov. 3:27 - Whenever you possibly can, do good to those who need it.

I John 3:17-18 - If someone who is supposed to be a Christian has enough money to live well, and sees a brother in need but won’t help him, how can God’s love be in him? Let’s stop just saying we love people, let’s show it by our actions.

The Mastering of Mercy

• Don’t nurse them

• Don’t curse them

• Do release the wound.

You get what you give:

Prov. 11:17 - Your own soul is nourished when you are kind, it is destroyed when your are cruel.