| "Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. " (Philippians 4.5-7). |
Beloved, this is a very precious passage of Scripture for all of us who have a tendency to
worry about things. Worry is one of those "accepted" things that christians do that, in reality,
robs us of our peace and joy in Christ. Worry and anxious care are joy robbers. We must
understand that God doesn’t want us to be worrying about things that we can’t do anything
about. God wants us to enjoy His peace and care for us. Let us look at the steps given here
in this passage that will help us overcome worry and anxious care.
worry about things. Worry is one of those "accepted" things that christians do that, in reality,
robs us of our peace and joy in Christ. Worry and anxious care are joy robbers. We must
understand that God doesn’t want us to be worrying about things that we can’t do anything
about. God wants us to enjoy His peace and care for us. Let us look at the steps given here
in this passage that will help us overcome worry and anxious care.
| God's Cure for Worry |
Let Your Moderation be Known to All Men
This means that we are to keep a restraint on our passions, our feelings, on our behaviour
and conduct, on all the things that we do in our daily lives. We are not to over indulge in any
one thing. It means to do that which is fit and suitable, being free from all excess. It means to
show forth gentleness. It means that we are to control our appetites, restrain our temper, and
we are to let this be seen by others that we may be an example of what is good.
and conduct, on all the things that we do in our daily lives. We are not to over indulge in any
one thing. It means to do that which is fit and suitable, being free from all excess. It means to
show forth gentleness. It means that we are to control our appetites, restrain our temper, and
we are to let this be seen by others that we may be an example of what is good.
Remember that the "Lord is at Hand"
There is a twofold meaning to this phrase, “The Lord is at hand.” First, it refers to the soon
coming of the Lord Jesus. He may come this very day. We are to live every day expecting
the Lord to come. Surely we wouldn’t want Him to come at a time when our hearts are filled
with worry and anxiety. Second, it also means that the Lord is present now. He is at hand.
He is here now in the spiritual sense. He sees every thing that we do, hears every word we
say, He know every worry and anxious care that we have. He knows the thoughts that we
have, even before we think them. You see, He is always present with us. Beloved, this is
one of the great blessings of being a child of God. God has promised to be present with us at
all times. You see, God is able to be present everywhere with all of us. The Bible says in
(Psalms 139:7-12), “ Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy
presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: If I make my bed in hell, behold, thou
art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;
Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. If I say, Surely the
darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. Yea, the darkness hideth
not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to
thee.” What a glorious truth, there is no where that God is not present. This is that great
attribute of God called “Omnipresence.”
As God’s people we need not fear death because of God's presence. (Psalms 23:4) says,
“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou
art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.”
The Lord Jesus promised that He would always be present with us. He said in (Matthew 28:
20), "Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am
with you alway, even unto the end of the world Amen."
We have this same promise in (Hebrews 13:5-6) where it says, “Let your conversation be
without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will
never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I
will not fear what man shall do unto me.” Now the question is, “Is the presence of Christ
real to you?” If He is not, then this is the reason for all your worry and anxious care.
If the Lord Jesus is at hand, literally present with you with all His wisdom, power, and care,
then why should you worry? Today we see so many christians who are burdened with the
matters of this world. They worry about money as if there was no God. They worry about
their health, about their jobs, about the affairs of the world, about losing their possessions,
about what’s going to happen tomorrow; they worry about these things as if God didn’t love
them, as if God didn’t answer their prayer. You see, this kind of life shows a lack of faith in
our blessed Lord. Beloved, you can’t trust and worry at the same time. You may pray and
worry at the same time, but it is the prayer of faith that God hears and answers. You see,
worry is a mark of a weak christian.
Beloved, many of us may be like the man I read about one time that lived back in the horse
and wagon days. The man was walking down the road carrying a fifty-pound sack of
potatoes. His neighbour came along in a wagon and offered him a ride. The man climbed up
in the wagon and sat down with the sack still on his shoulder.
As They rode along, the driver of the wagon said to the man, “Put your load down brother,
and rest.” But the man said, “No, it’s enough to ask you to carry me without carrying my
potatoes too.” And the man rode the wagon the rest of the trip home, needlessly and
foolishly, weighted down with his burden. Beloved, are we not sometimes guilty of this same
kind of foolishness? God has given us His only begotten Son to save and keep us. He has
redeemed us from hell. He has picked us up in His heavenly chariot of grace, but we ride
safely along needlessly carrying our own burdens when God would carry them for us. The
Lord Jesus is saying to us all, “Children, lay your burdens down, and rest awhile." We have
rest in Him. He said in (Matthew 11:28-30), “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are
heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for l am
meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and
my burden is light.” Beloved, listen to the promises of God that support what Jesus said
here: (Romans 8:32) “He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how
shall he not with him also freely give us all things?” (Psalms 55:22) “Cast thy burden
upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be
moved.” (I Peter 5:7) “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” Beloved,
The Lord Jesus is the answer to all of our problems of life. He can carry every burden we
bring to Him. When we face trouble and trials of life, and life is full of them, let us
remember what Jesus said. In (John 16:33) He said, “These things I have spoken unto you,
that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good
cheer; I have overcome the world” The Bible says in (Psalms 34:19), "Many are the
afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all." And we see in
(Hebrews 4:15), “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling
of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.” Yes, the
burdens and trials of life will come. But remember what the Bible says in (I Corinthians 10:
13), “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is
faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the
temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”
Beloved, you may be going through a rough and fearful time at this very moment, and you
may be thinking that there’s no way out. But let me direct you to God’s Word again in
(Hebrews 4:15-16), “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the
feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let
us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find
grace to help in time of need.” And look in (Romans 8:32-39), “He that spared not his own
Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all
things? (33) Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth.
(34) Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who
is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. (35) Who shall
separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or
famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? (36) As it is written, For thy sake we are killed
all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. (37) Nay, in all these things
we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. (38) For I am persuaded, that
neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor
things to come, (39) Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to
separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Beloved, there can
be no better promises than that. God spared not His only begotten Son, but gave Him freely
for our sin. So then, it is no problem at all for God to protect us and deliver us from, and
deliver us in our troubles and trials of life. As God’s children, we have reason to rejoice and
praise God. We need not be filled with worry and care over the things of this life. God
knows our need even before we ask of Him. He knows the number of the hairs on our head.
He sees every sparrow that falls to the ground, and the Bible tells us that we are of more
value than the sparrow. Beloved, here is ground for praise, not worry, and ground for peace,
not anxious care. The Lord Jesus says in (Matthew 6:26-34) “Behold the fowls of the air:
for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father
feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? (27) Which of you by taking thought can
add one cubit unto his stature? (28) And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the
lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: (29) And yet I say
unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. (30)
Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which today is, and to morrow is cast
into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, 0 ye of little faith? (31) Therefore take
no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we
be clothed? (32) (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father
knoweth that ye have need of all these things. (33) But seek ye first the kingdom of God,
and His righteousness: and all these things shall be added unto you. (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 thereof.” When we seek first the kingdom of God, things
become a lot better in our lives. Even when we face trials and tribulations, the power and
grace of God is there to guide us to victory. Putting God first in every thing is the key to all
His blessings coming to us.
coming of the Lord Jesus. He may come this very day. We are to live every day expecting
the Lord to come. Surely we wouldn’t want Him to come at a time when our hearts are filled
with worry and anxiety. Second, it also means that the Lord is present now. He is at hand.
He is here now in the spiritual sense. He sees every thing that we do, hears every word we
say, He know every worry and anxious care that we have. He knows the thoughts that we
have, even before we think them. You see, He is always present with us. Beloved, this is
one of the great blessings of being a child of God. God has promised to be present with us at
all times. You see, God is able to be present everywhere with all of us. The Bible says in
(Psalms 139:7-12), “ Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy
presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: If I make my bed in hell, behold, thou
art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;
Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. If I say, Surely the
darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. Yea, the darkness hideth
not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to
thee.” What a glorious truth, there is no where that God is not present. This is that great
attribute of God called “Omnipresence.”
As God’s people we need not fear death because of God's presence. (Psalms 23:4) says,
“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou
art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.”
The Lord Jesus promised that He would always be present with us. He said in (Matthew 28:
20), "Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am
with you alway, even unto the end of the world Amen."
We have this same promise in (Hebrews 13:5-6) where it says, “Let your conversation be
without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will
never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I
will not fear what man shall do unto me.” Now the question is, “Is the presence of Christ
real to you?” If He is not, then this is the reason for all your worry and anxious care.
If the Lord Jesus is at hand, literally present with you with all His wisdom, power, and care,
then why should you worry? Today we see so many christians who are burdened with the
matters of this world. They worry about money as if there was no God. They worry about
their health, about their jobs, about the affairs of the world, about losing their possessions,
about what’s going to happen tomorrow; they worry about these things as if God didn’t love
them, as if God didn’t answer their prayer. You see, this kind of life shows a lack of faith in
our blessed Lord. Beloved, you can’t trust and worry at the same time. You may pray and
worry at the same time, but it is the prayer of faith that God hears and answers. You see,
worry is a mark of a weak christian.
Beloved, many of us may be like the man I read about one time that lived back in the horse
and wagon days. The man was walking down the road carrying a fifty-pound sack of
potatoes. His neighbour came along in a wagon and offered him a ride. The man climbed up
in the wagon and sat down with the sack still on his shoulder.
As They rode along, the driver of the wagon said to the man, “Put your load down brother,
and rest.” But the man said, “No, it’s enough to ask you to carry me without carrying my
potatoes too.” And the man rode the wagon the rest of the trip home, needlessly and
foolishly, weighted down with his burden. Beloved, are we not sometimes guilty of this same
kind of foolishness? God has given us His only begotten Son to save and keep us. He has
redeemed us from hell. He has picked us up in His heavenly chariot of grace, but we ride
safely along needlessly carrying our own burdens when God would carry them for us. The
Lord Jesus is saying to us all, “Children, lay your burdens down, and rest awhile." We have
rest in Him. He said in (Matthew 11:28-30), “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are
heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for l am
meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and
my burden is light.” Beloved, listen to the promises of God that support what Jesus said
here: (Romans 8:32) “He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how
shall he not with him also freely give us all things?” (Psalms 55:22) “Cast thy burden
upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be
moved.” (I Peter 5:7) “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” Beloved,
The Lord Jesus is the answer to all of our problems of life. He can carry every burden we
bring to Him. When we face trouble and trials of life, and life is full of them, let us
remember what Jesus said. In (John 16:33) He said, “These things I have spoken unto you,
that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good
cheer; I have overcome the world” The Bible says in (Psalms 34:19), "Many are the
afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all." And we see in
(Hebrews 4:15), “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling
of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.” Yes, the
burdens and trials of life will come. But remember what the Bible says in (I Corinthians 10:
13), “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is
faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the
temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”
Beloved, you may be going through a rough and fearful time at this very moment, and you
may be thinking that there’s no way out. But let me direct you to God’s Word again in
(Hebrews 4:15-16), “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the
feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let
us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find
grace to help in time of need.” And look in (Romans 8:32-39), “He that spared not his own
Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all
things? (33) Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth.
(34) Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who
is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. (35) Who shall
separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or
famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? (36) As it is written, For thy sake we are killed
all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. (37) Nay, in all these things
we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. (38) For I am persuaded, that
neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor
things to come, (39) Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to
separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Beloved, there can
be no better promises than that. God spared not His only begotten Son, but gave Him freely
for our sin. So then, it is no problem at all for God to protect us and deliver us from, and
deliver us in our troubles and trials of life. As God’s children, we have reason to rejoice and
praise God. We need not be filled with worry and care over the things of this life. God
knows our need even before we ask of Him. He knows the number of the hairs on our head.
He sees every sparrow that falls to the ground, and the Bible tells us that we are of more
value than the sparrow. Beloved, here is ground for praise, not worry, and ground for peace,
not anxious care. The Lord Jesus says in (Matthew 6:26-34) “Behold the fowls of the air:
for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father
feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? (27) Which of you by taking thought can
add one cubit unto his stature? (28) And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the
lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: (29) And yet I say
unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. (30)
Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which today is, and to morrow is cast
into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, 0 ye of little faith? (31) Therefore take
no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we
be clothed? (32) (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father
knoweth that ye have need of all these things. (33) But seek ye first the kingdom of God,
and His righteousness: and all these things shall be added unto you. (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 thereof.” When we seek first the kingdom of God, things
become a lot better in our lives. Even when we face trials and tribulations, the power and
grace of God is there to guide us to victory. Putting God first in every thing is the key to all
His blessings coming to us.
Prayer
It says “But in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let you requests be
made known unto God.” Beloved, there is no time or season, no circumstance in life that
comes our way, that the Lord Jesus can’t meet our every need. All things that cause worry
and anxious care can be conquered by prayer. Notice that it says that we are to pray in
everything. There is no problem too big, there is no problem too little for the Lord. He who
made the worlds, who is Omnipresent-everywhere present; who is Omnipotent- has all
power; who is Omniscient- has all knowledge; Beloved, nothing is too big, too complicated,
or out of God’s reach, that He can’t handle. He who has made the worlds, who loved us so
much that He has given His only begotten Son, He is willing and able to answer our prayers
when we come to Him through the Lord Jesus Christ, with faith and trust in His sovereign
will and grace.
Notice that he says that there must be prayer and supplication. Sometimes God answers our
prayer immediately. Sometime He doesn’t. This is where supplication comes in. Supplication
is a deeper word than prayer; that is, it means to pray the more earnest about a particular
need. It means to keep on praying until you have received an answer from God. This is
illustrated in (Luke 18:1-8) by the widow making intercession for her son before an unjust
judge. It says, “And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to
pray, and not to faint;" (2) Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God,
neither regarded man: (3) And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him,
saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. (4) And he would not for a while: but afterward he
said within himself Though I fear not God, nor regard man; (5) Yet because this widow
troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me. (6) And the
Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith. (7) And shall not God avenge his own elect,
which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? (8) I tell you that he
will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on
the earth?”
The widow continued to plead for her son until she received her answer. This is supplication.
As the words of the old song says, “0 what peace we often forfeit... because we do not take
it to the Lord in prayer.” And beloved, how many blessings do we forfeit because we don’t
pray with supplication.
These four steps, let our moderation, that is our temperance, gentleness, balance, and
humility, be made known to all men, that is, be seen by all those about us; second,
remember that the Lord is at hand; that is, always present with us; third, be careful for
nothing, that is don’t worry about anything; and fourth, prayer and supplication. If we take
these four steps, we can have victory over all trials and circumstances that we encounter day
by day. And the great blessing that comes as a result is, “The peace of God that passes all
understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Jesus Christ.”
Beloved, in the Lord Jesus Christ, the heavy burden that you are carrying can be lifted and
you can find peace and rest. Yes, the weary, the toiling, the disappointed, the sad, all can
find peace and rest for the soul in the Lord Jesus Christ.
made known unto God.” Beloved, there is no time or season, no circumstance in life that
comes our way, that the Lord Jesus can’t meet our every need. All things that cause worry
and anxious care can be conquered by prayer. Notice that it says that we are to pray in
everything. There is no problem too big, there is no problem too little for the Lord. He who
made the worlds, who is Omnipresent-everywhere present; who is Omnipotent- has all
power; who is Omniscient- has all knowledge; Beloved, nothing is too big, too complicated,
or out of God’s reach, that He can’t handle. He who has made the worlds, who loved us so
much that He has given His only begotten Son, He is willing and able to answer our prayers
when we come to Him through the Lord Jesus Christ, with faith and trust in His sovereign
will and grace.
Notice that he says that there must be prayer and supplication. Sometimes God answers our
prayer immediately. Sometime He doesn’t. This is where supplication comes in. Supplication
is a deeper word than prayer; that is, it means to pray the more earnest about a particular
need. It means to keep on praying until you have received an answer from God. This is
illustrated in (Luke 18:1-8) by the widow making intercession for her son before an unjust
judge. It says, “And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to
pray, and not to faint;" (2) Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God,
neither regarded man: (3) And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him,
saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. (4) And he would not for a while: but afterward he
said within himself Though I fear not God, nor regard man; (5) Yet because this widow
troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me. (6) And the
Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith. (7) And shall not God avenge his own elect,
which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? (8) I tell you that he
will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on
the earth?”
The widow continued to plead for her son until she received her answer. This is supplication.
As the words of the old song says, “0 what peace we often forfeit... because we do not take
it to the Lord in prayer.” And beloved, how many blessings do we forfeit because we don’t
pray with supplication.
These four steps, let our moderation, that is our temperance, gentleness, balance, and
humility, be made known to all men, that is, be seen by all those about us; second,
remember that the Lord is at hand; that is, always present with us; third, be careful for
nothing, that is don’t worry about anything; and fourth, prayer and supplication. If we take
these four steps, we can have victory over all trials and circumstances that we encounter day
by day. And the great blessing that comes as a result is, “The peace of God that passes all
understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Jesus Christ.”
Beloved, in the Lord Jesus Christ, the heavy burden that you are carrying can be lifted and
you can find peace and rest. Yes, the weary, the toiling, the disappointed, the sad, all can
find peace and rest for the soul in the Lord Jesus Christ.
|
Blessed Hope
A Continuing Ministry of Milford Cecil
A Continuing Ministry of Milford Cecil
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