Wednesday "Stress vs. Joy"

Matthew 6:25 “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? 27 Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?

28 “And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, 29 yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. 30 And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?

31 “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ 32 These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. 33 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.

Monday we talked about how fear of the future can get in the way of your joy.... What about the past and the present? Can they take away from living the joyous life that God intended? Absolutely.

Stress of the Past: So many of us are living life looking at our rear view mirror. We feel like anything that we do today is far overshadowed by what we have done in the past. This is one of the devil's greatest tactics....keep reminding us about how we used to be. Have you changed or matured over the past several years? If so, that is God's work in you. The Bible tells us that we are not finished yet...that God is still working and perfecting our character. Our past is what brought us to today. Sure, we'd like to go back and change parts of it - but we can't. Who you are today is a reason to be joyful...don't let the devil remind you of who you were....you just tell him who you ARE!

Stress of the Present: How can anybody have joy in the world we live in today? Rising gas prices, foreclosure, health, relationships, family...the list goes on. Sometimes we wonder if there is one joyful person left on this Earth. We run into angry people with no hope on a regular basis. I need to tell you today..you can live a life of joy. Today is all you are guaranteed to get. When you wake up in the morning, you have today. That's it. Why live stressed out? Of course there are going to be challenges...but remember who still runs the show. God is still here. God is still in charge. God still cares deeply about you. God still loves you unconditionally. God still promises to provide for your needs. God still sits on His throne in Heaven. God still is all-powerful, all-knowing, and everywhere-at-one-time. God still is...and you are still His. Don't forget that. Our daily joy should come from knowing that we are God's children. There is no stress or challenge in our life that is too big for God. Don't let the devil steal your joy today.

Don't live looking backwards or worry where you are today...make the choice to live with joy. You may have to tell yourself many times today that (if you asked for it) you have been forgiven for past mistakes or that God can handle your troubles now...but that's OK. God is always listening for us to cry out to Him. He loves you so much...what better reason is there than that to be joyful?

See you tomorrow...
Pastor Brian