November 15, 2020 – “The Weakness of Worry”
Greetings! I’m glad you have joined us for our November 15th worship service at West Tulsa UMC.
Today we’re in the fourth week of our sermon series titled: the “Thanksgiving Spirit – Developing a Thankful Spirit.”
Today’s sermon title is “The Weakness of Worry.”
Sometimes when we face challenges, we tend to worry that we won’t have what it takes to overcome our difficulties. We begin to plan and strategize how we’re going to tackle a problem, or a day full of challenges on our own.
The problem is, when we worry, we are actually limiting and weakening the power of God in us. Our worry becomes like the “governor plates” that NASCAR mandated everyone use because the cars were capable of too much speed. So, for the drivers’ safety, rules were made to restrain their power and hold them back.
I was dreading a day that I thought was full of challenges this week, and then I read in my daily devotional that the more challenging our day is, the more God’s power is available to us.
God’s promise is that we will be strengthened us each day according to our need.
If we will remove the “governor plate of worry” by depending on and trusting God, He will get us through whatever we are facing.
Well, that’s a small piece of what I’ll be talking about in today’s message, but I’ll stop there for now.
We’re here to worship God! Let’s begin by devoting ourselves and this service to the Lord in prayer.
Psalm 37:1-8 GNB
“Don’t be worried on account of the wicked; don’t be jealous of those who do wrong. They will soon disappear like grass that dries up; they will die like plants that wither. Trust in the LORD and do good; live in the land and be safe. Seek your happiness in the LORD, and he will give you your heart’s desire. Give yourself to the LORD; trust in him, and he will help you; he will make your righteousness shine like the noonday sun. Be patient and wait for the LORD to act; don’t be worried about those who prosper or those who succeed in their evil plans. Don’t give in to worry or anger; it only leads to trouble.”
Matthew 6:25-34 GNB
“This is why I tell you not to be worried about the food and drink you need in order to stay alive, or about clothes for your body. After all, isn’t life worth more than food? And isn’t the body worth more than clothes? Look at the birds: they do not sow seeds, gather a harvest and put it in barns; yet your Father in heaven takes care of them! Aren’t you worth much more than birds? Can any of you live a bit longer by worrying about it? “And why worry about clothes? Look how the wild flowers grow: they do not work or make clothes for themselves. But I tell you that not even King Solomon with all his wealth had clothes as beautiful as one of these flowers. It is God who clothes the wild grass — grass that is here today and gone tomorrow, burnt up in the oven. Won’t he be all the more sure to clothe you? How little faith you have! “So do not start worrying: ‘Where will my food come from? or my drink? or my clothes?’ (These are the things the pagans are always concerned about.) Your Father in heaven knows that you need all these things. Instead, be concerned above everything else with the Kingdom of God and with what he requires of you, and he will provide you with all these other things. So do not worry about tomorrow; it will have enough worries of its own. There is no need to add to the troubles each day brings.”