Worry is like a gnawing rat that eats away at your Nervous System.

In the early days of aviation a man was flying across country, about 2 hours out and 2 hours to his destination when he heard a sound coming from where the vital cables of the aircraft were stored. It sounded like a "gnawing " sound. He figured it was a rodent, and if so it would possible eat through the cables and cause the plane to crash. So he took the plane up higher and higher, yet still the "gnawing" sound persisted, so again he took the craft higher and higher until finally there was - silence. When he landed the plane he went and inspected where he had heard the "gnawing" sound come from and sure enough, there among the cables lay a dead rodent! Rodents were not made to live in the heights and cannot survive in the high altitudes, neither my friend were you meant to live a life Filled with constant worry -  as a new creature in Christ-

Just as the rodent "gnawed" away, often this time of year we find ourselves in the "spirit" of Christmas, which to many of us is to have our nerves gnawed away at by that rodent of all rodents- worry! Anybody identify so far? Sure you do...!

Worry can be detrimental to your health. It can be a cause of heart problems, circulatory problems according to one of the leading Medical centers in the world.

How often we are like the woman who upon told she could be worried free asked "what would I worry about then?'. Some of us have trained ourselves to be "worriers" and in some cases it is a way of gaining attention....But let me ask you a question. Would you Like to Live "Worry free?" let me start by

saying...

It is never the will of God for the child of God to sin against God by CHOOSING to worry, any second of any minute of any hour of any day of any month of any year of any Millennium [Y2K or no Y2K!!] Philippians 4:6 - God forbids the Christian to Worry about "NOTHING!"

Do you know what the Greek word for "Nothing" means?...this is "deep"..."NOTHING!!" There is never a legitimate reason for the child of God to worry- GOD says!

WHAT IS WORRY?

Our English word "worry" comes from a German word which, Means "to strangle." Now isn't that the truth. Worry is mental strangulation. It sucks the energy and vitality out of you. It is OFTEN, to be taken up with

tomorrow's "fears".

The Word in the original language is made up of two words when put together mean "TO DIVIDE THE MIND." WHAT IS SO IMPORTANT ABOUT THAT?

What is the First and GREATEST COMMANDMENT? "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart ...and MIND...." The purpose for your MIND is to Love God with! But if your MIND can be divided it is impossible to be Devoted to the Lord Jesus.

The aim of worry is to divide and divorce the mind from Devotion to the Lord Jesus Christ!!! So as Christians our attack is primarily to our MINDS!!  A "Double-minded man is unstable in all his ways"- James chapter 1 tells us. When the Mind ids Divided - the result is instability....

THE BIBLE HAS MUCH TO SAY ABOUT THE MIND

1. We are to Love God with our Minds. How?

    A. -Philippians 4:8 says "WHATEVER is TRUE, whatever is Honorable, whatever is RIGHT, whatever is PURE, whatever is LOVELY, whatever is ATTRACTIVE if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of PRAISE, Let your MIND DWELL ON THESE THINGS"

    B. - "...renew your Mind..."- Rom 12:2..How?

    C.- "Let the Word of Christ DWELL in you Richly"- Col 3:16

We have to THINK correctly if we are to BEHAVE Correctly. And Gods Word shows us how to Think Godly and Behave Honorably enabled by His Spirit and Exhorted by His Word..... we can do "all things through Christ who infuses us with power."

So to recap-

1. - The purpose of your mind is to Love God with

2. - The Purpose of Worry - is to Dived your Mind and Distract you from Devotion to the Lord Jesus Christ

3.- Worry is Sin.

Jesus came to deliver you from being MASTERED by sin- Matthew 1:21- which includes the sin of worry!

WORRY IS to be Mastered by your Circumstances or your Feelings rather than the TRUTH of God's Word.

WORRY IS an attack on the character of God. It is to doubt His care for you and to say He is Not sufficient for you or your "problem"1 Which is a Lie!!

GOD'S ANTIDOTE TO WORRY!

1. - STOP IT- Matt 6:25,31

    You have the Power of the Holy Spirit to enable you to say No. I will CHOOSE not to sin against God by allowing my MIND to be Distracted form Devotion to Him and by CHOOSING instead to believe a Lie!

2. - SEEK HIS KINGDOM AND RIGHTEOUSNESS AS YOUR PRIORITY- Matt 6:33

The "BUT" in Matthew 6:33 can be translated "Rather."Rather than choosing to worry . Seek Habitually His Kingdom. His Rule and Reign coming in your life and the lives of other.

The Bible tells us we are to

    A. PRAY For His Kingdom to come- Matt 6:9

    B. PROCLAIM His Kingdom

    C. PRACTICE Kingdom Living- MATT 5:3-15

We are to be about our Fathers business which is "Kingdom rule and reign" coming more in our own heart and the hearts of people. Luke 12 shows us three "enemies" to seeking His Kingdom Luke 12:31.... Namely

    A. - "Worry" verses 22,25,29,

    B. - "Fear " verses 32

    C. - "Greed." verse 15 - "and be on your guard against EVERY form of Greed."

These three FOCUS AWAY from him on to oneself and are all sure to DIVIDE and DISTRACT from the Father's Business. Any of them look Familiar to you?

3. SIT AT HIS FEET AND SATURATE YOUR SELF WITH HIS WORD.

Luke 10 is the story of the Lord Jesus coming to Martha's house and Mary her sister was also there.

Martha we are told was "distracted"  It is the same Greek word translated in English for "worry."

She was "serving" we are told which is the same Greek word from which we get our English word "Ministering." Ministry had displaced the Master and she was put out.

She Missed the Lord with her Preparations over a "meal." Some people are so busy "serving the Lord" [Often they are but using the Lord's Name to Promote their own cause!}... they forget and neglect the MASTER.

The Lord commended Mary for "Choosing the One thing needful." Mary is COMMENDED because she understood the PRIORITY of Life is the PREOCCUPATION AND PREEMINENCE OF Jesus Christ in a life.

4.  SAY YOUR PRAYERS GOD'S WAY- Phil 4:6

"Be anxious in NOTHING BUT in everything by PRAYER." The word translated "prayer" here is the most common word which speaks of Worship in the New Testament.  When you are TEMPTED to Have your MIND DIVIDED from DEVOTION to the Lord Jesus... remember with the Distraction to Worry comes the

Opportunity to WORSHIP, which means to "ascribe worth" to the Lord. Worry or Worship are the only 2 alternatives to situations. God desires you to WORSHIP HIM!

• At the Birth of the Lord- Angels worshipped
• The Wise men Worshipped- Matt 2:11
• satan wanted Jesus to Worship- Matt 4:9
• The Father SEEKS people to WORSHIP HIM in spirit and in truth.- John 4:23-24
• The OCCUPATION of Heaven is Worship- Rev 4:10
• You and I were CREATED to worship -Matt 4:10.. and worship we do! Either Him or something or someone else which is idolatry.

And indeed for true worship to be acceptable to God something must PRECEDE the Worship which is evident in all of the above individuals. They all "Fall down" before they worship. To "Fall down" is a picture of Surrender or Submission. There must FIRST be SUBMISSION to the Lord before there can be

ACCEPTABLE Worship of the Lord!

IN CONCLUSION-

Worry is to Distract you from Devotion to the Lord Jesus BY DIVIDING your Mind and ultimately getting you to DOUBT His Character, Promises and Faithfulness

You are to

1. STOP it-  God has given you The Power, you have the Capacity to do so.
2. SEEK His Kingdom ...through Praying, Proclaiming and Practicing... Participate in the Life of God.
3. SIT and saturate yourself and Fellowship with the Lord Jesus and His Word.
4. SAY your Prayers God's Way.. Worship Him....

THE RESULT OF DOING SO?

1. - PROVISION - Matt 6:33 - "all these things will be added to you."

2.-  PRAISE -Luke 10:42- Praise from God for making the God Honoring CHOICE

3. - PEACE- Phil 4:9  He guaranteed PEACE when you do it His Way. You've tried your own way haven't you...and that hasn't brought to much peace, thinking if only he or she or they or it would change then I would have Peace..but instead Frustration, frazzled nerves and blowing up at others at times..go on admit ...it -

4.  - PRIVILEGE-1 Peter 3:16 - In the midst of fiery trials people were asking others to "give an account of the hope within you." Why? because they saw in Terrible times of Trials they were DIFFERENT. Difficult times are never easy but they are opportunities to

    A. - Develop us Spiritually - James 1:2-4

    B. - The Privilege to tell others of the Prince of Peace who has changed our lives and can change theirs.

Worry is sin, the Lord Jesus died to deliver you from the lie and bondage of such sin..today as your CHOOSE To APPLY His Truth you too can Experience THE Reality of His Saving Grace...and allow God to show others the Difference HE MAKES in a Life where He is the Focus of the Minds Love and hearts

submission... "Come let us adore Him Christ the Lord"

You are loved - Calvary proves it ...now go and Demonstrate it by Choosing to Live Worry Free...because you ARE FREE!!!-John 8:31-32- "Whom the Son sets FREE is FREE indeed."

God Bless and encourage you today to rejoice and revel in His love for YOU dear one,

Aidan for Cindee,

Mary, John-Keith, Noah, Evan, Isaiah

PS. Portions of the above were taken from a recent taped message- WHICH INCLUDES 2 TAPED SERIES...on worry and Trials...which are presently available FOR THOSE who would like  the series including  "Worry Free - Guaranteed".