Philippians 4:6-7 (NKJV)
6 Be
anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with
thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Selah- ( this means to think about it)
Have you ever had an irrational fear? Something that caused you just to move from being a little concerned to FULL ON FREAK OUT MODE? Ok. What was it? Did your worry or anxiousness help at all? Probably not.
Recently, I was struggling with something and a situation. I read this scripture over and over. One more time just to be sure. Be anxious for Nothing! What a great thought. I mean Paul was in prison when he wrote this. Beaten. Chained. He is writing to a group of believers in Jesus. Think about that for perspective. Here is Paul. He could be wracked up in anxiety, but he isn't. So I studied this scripture more and more. What is Paul saying to the church?
Be anxious for NOTHING, but in EVERYTHING by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, Let your requests be made known to God.
1. Don't let your NOTHING be your EVERYTHING. What is it that consumes you? Giving you irrational fear? Divorce? Money? Kids? School? Here is how you can tell when that THING is becoming the needless anxiousness. It makes you fear. You aren't thankful. Paul goes into this rather quickly. Quit dwelling on it and pray about it instead. Give thanks to God. Paul is trying to get us to see things that from heaven's perspective are just not really a big deal.
2. Often, especially in our American culture, we can rush to the next THING. I think Paul is pointing out, be thankful for where you are, what you have, and even what you don't have. You will always have anxiety if you continually rush and don't wait.
I loved verse seven, because in order to get to it, you have to do verse six. You are what you practice. The implication of Paul writes is that you LET your requests be known to God and then the PEACE of GUARD will guard your heart. Meaning. You will have something that guards... what does a guard do? Keeps the wrong things out! That is what they do by design. So the peace of God... will Guard you! Keep that worry from living in your soul.
I had to saturate this last part of the verse in my heart through worship. That his peace passes all my understanding. You don't have to understand it, you just have to experience it. I am not saying to be absent of genuine concerns for the things going on in your life, but not to let them control you.
So the bottom line is : Be anxious for no THING. Pray. Give it to God. Peace will guard you.
Prayer: God, I give to you all that I cannot control. I exchange that for your peace. Rid me of my worry. Help me to have peace, rest, and live in freedom. In Jesus Name. Amen.
Have you ever found yourself in a struggle? Where you are just so desperate that everything in your being is crying for God? Good! Jesus is not a fad. My church and I are currently in a series called, "Living Beyond Myself." That our greatest joy in life is found being right in the middle of God's action and serving the local church. Your
life will radically change when you find your best fit, get equipped, and serve
others.
You are called to be a priest. God is not looking for the equipped, but he equips the called.
I can give you my own journey where as a youth director I tried to do it all. It wore me out and God spoke to me. "Don't be a fool. I put people around you for a reason!"
So you want to grow as a leader? Learn first that you need to empower others. When I did this I saw what God could do through others that I could not. Here is what you need to focus on first is that you are not looking for people to just be volunteers, but pioneers in ministry.
Secondly, it is all about multiplication. We want to multiply ourselves in others by example, empowerment, and enlightenment . It is not about HOW we do ministry, but who we are called to be. 1 Peter 2:9 says "but you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light." That is pretty clear. All called. Why do some hold back doing ministry? I can think of a few reasons:
- Our past is too bad
- Do not feel talented
- Not close enough to God
- I have been hurt
I know because I have used these before, but I was thankful for the leaders who would not simply let me sit on the sidelines. God is not looking for one in a million, but for one of a kind and that's who you are. You were gifted and created to serve God in a unique way. I know that I wish I could relate to everyone( and I try too!), but you could the right person to minister to someone I simply never could reach. God did this on purpose!
1 Corinthians 12:4-7 Message) “God’s various gifts are handed out everywhere;
but they all originate in God’s Spirit.
God’s various ministries are carried out everywhere; but they all originate
in God’s Spirit. God’s various
expressions of power are in action everywhere; but God himself is behind it
all. Each person is given something to
do that shows who God is: Everyone gets in on it, everyone benefits. All kinds
of things are handed out by the Spirit, and to all kinds of people! The variety is wonderful…”
Don't disqualify what God wants to do in your life today for you might be the only Jesus someone gets to encounter today.
Prayer:
Father,
I ask for wisdom and how I can best serve you today. Flood my life with your light! I ask for the gift's you have for me to serve the body of Christ. Help me to use the gift you have given me to advance your purpose in the local church. I thank that your design reveals destiny and you have a plan for my life. In Jesus Name. Amen.
