Oh Lord, open our minds and hearts, that we may see what you see and to understand those things that we are needful of, so that in everything we do, it may give honor and glory to You O Lord.

There are many people in this country today who are full of anxiousness or anxiety. Some are troubled due to the action that may take place in Iraq, the Middle East in general and possibly in Korea. Others are full of anxiety due to job losses, lack of financial resources and poor health. This anxiousness or anxiety is being felt by both Christians and non-Christians. Oh, that it were not so! But sadly we must acknowledge that it is so.

With so much anxiety and anxiousness permeating our culture today, I was driven to the scriptures to see what God's Word could shed on this subject. Surprisingly, both Strong's Exhaustive Concordance and Young's Analytical Concordance of the Bible had nothing to say about it. Yet it does appear twelve times in the ESV Concordance. Once in the Old Testament and eleven times in the New Testament.

Stress is a symptom of anxiety or anxiousness. It is one of the root causes of deteriorating and bad health. It causes our whole internal self to go hay wire and even attacks the spiritual side of man. In other words anxiety, anxiousness, stress and fear, which are all inter-related are some of the chief enemies of mankind.

Now I am neither a psychologist nor a psychiatrist, for which I am most grateful. Fulfilling the call that God has given me is challenging enough. One can look all around themselves and it is very evident that anxiety has become a major happening in the lives of too many Americans.

For some reason, I would guess from the preponderance of news that is broadcast daily with its continual pounding out of all the things that seem to go wrong. We as Americans are consumed by the news. We wake up to it in the morning. Listen to it on the way to work. Digest it with our lunch and then on the way home and after the supper meal we take mega doses of news from various sources. And lets not kid ourselves, we definitely are effected not only by the news, but also by the weather.

If the weather man says it is going to be a rainy and over cast day, our whole outlook for that day has been changed by the weather report. What really changed? In actuality nothing! The sun is still shining even though we may not see it because of the over cast. The earth still rotates on its axis and God still loves us as His creation. The only real thing that has changed is our attitude. St. Paul instructs us in Ephesians 5.20, “ Giving thanks always for everything to God the Father, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,”

There are people who won't do a thing without checking the weather channel. Some are so devoted to the weather channel that it runs for most of the day in their home or place of business. Now to check to see what the weather is going to be is one thing, but to have the weather as a mainstay in your life is quite another thing. Certainly knowing that there may be a very good chance of rain gives one the opportunity to prepare themselves with an umbrella or rain wear that will keep one somewhat dry while encountering the rains.

What I am referring to is the excessiveness of these things. We should know what is happening around us and when possible or necessary to take appropriate action. It is when these things become so much a part of our life that they dictate our behaviour, even without us knowing about it. Today we are hearing about thousands of people being laid off from their jobs, or that there is a code orange or a murder or rapist or terrorist on the lose. We have become accustomed to hearing awful things. A few years back in the average town or city, a murder or major burglary was about as uncommon, as one finding a stamp on the road, in mint condition and worth a million dollars.

Now people seem to be in a stopper about what is happening. They don't know how to react or cope with such situation. They give knee jerk reactions which have far reaching consequences. There are quite a few citizens who say giving up some freedom or rights is a small thing, in order to feel safe. Imagine that! I can hear it now.

The place: Valley Forge Pennsylvania, the time: the battle for independence also known as the Revolutionary War. It's a cold dark night, small camp fires dance in the pitch black night. A group of soldiers encircle the little fire, trying to pull every ember of heat into their cold and starving bodies. Calvin says to Murdock, ”sure glad we are shivering out here, without sufficient clothing and food and facing possible death, so those citizens of this country, two hundred and twenty seven years and beyond can decide to give this freedom away, because it will make them feel safer.” James Henry overhearing the conversation says, “what do you mean, so they can give up some of their freedom so they can feel safer?” “I and my fellow soldiers here are fighting so they can keep the freedom that we will win when this war is over and this country is no longer ruled by King George.” Well, says Murdock, “those citizens in the future would rather have the government provide for them, then they providing themselves and looking for the Providence of God.”

You mean chimes in Archibald Smith, “that the citizens of the future would rather have the government take away from them and their children, the very things we hold near and dear, and that so many have and are willing to die for?”. “Yep, that's what I am saying,”says Calvin with a lump in his throat. “Many will not even know what this fight was all about, nor what is being written into a Constitution and Bill of Rights, not only for us but for those who follow us down through the life of this great country.” “Jumpin Jeosaphat!” says Johnny Boy Goodman, “ if our decendents, won't treasure what we are doing today, and are not interested to know what rights are being given them and they want to throw away their inheritance away for a few promises that some leaders will tell them, but will not be able to fulfill, you can bet your sweet porcupine that I am not going to give up my life for some one who will never appreciate, what we are trying to achieve.” So all the soldiers threw down their arms and surrendered to the British, and thus a marvelous idea was ripped up and all the people of the land became indentured people, serving a distant ruler who cared not about their hopes and aspirations. And their offspring through generation after generation became subject to the distant rulers and for many years the colonies became the final stop for criminals and dissenters and they lived unhappily everafter. Can you honestly say to God, God I don't want the freedom you have allowed to exist in this country. I want you to take some of it away so I can be like the Afghans, or the Russians and other countries where freedom is not tolerated. Yes God, you made a mistake and I want you to rectify it and take away my freedom. I would rather have bread in my mouth rather than have the freedom to go out and earn it. If you can say all that to God in real sincerity all I can say, woe is us!

For the most part anxiousness and anxiety are caused by are own doing. Everything has a cause and effect. If a law is broken, the consequences are a fine or inprisonment. The narration above illustrates this point. If those soldiers would have done what is mentioned because they could see into the future, where would we be today? You really only get out of life what you put into it. There are many in this land who are running away from reality. In scripture we find God speaking through Paul to the Galatians: “Do not be deceived; God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity let us do good to everyone and especially to those who are of the household of faith.” Galatians 6.7-10

Both inside and outside the Church, there is a sense of apathy. The satisfying of our personal comfort and wants has become one of the primary things that we seek. The things we tend to be interested in are only those that will further are well being. We take the course of least resistance and show little or no interest in what is happening in the so called halls of justice and the legislative halls of government both local and national. Incompetence reigns supreme in many areas of our daily life. Government is more interested in the confiscation of more of the wealth of its citizens, yet many of those citizens couldn't care less, because they feel it is not affecting them. Companies are more interested in amassing large profits so that its chief officers and board of directors can enrich themselves, even in the midst of gross mismanagement by these same plunderers. Churches are building bigger and bigger complex and so called worship centers and providing all types of entertainment, yet the family of God is being starved spiritually through the prostitution of the the Gospel, and those in need or of a lower economic stature, are snubbed or ignored altogether. The teaching from 1 Timothy 5.8 which states “But if anyone doe not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than the unbeliever,” is not practiced in many so called Christian homes and even more rarely in the local church.

Much preaching is given on tithing and yet the pastors don't even know what Old Testament tithing was about. And if they know and are still preaching about it, shame on them. No command is given in the New Testatment about it. They tell the congregation that this is a New Testament Church and yet put them under a bondage that even the Old Testament did not intend. For what purpose is it being done except to enlarge their own salaries, and to create so many diversion that the people won't ever notice what is really happening with the funds. Many churches today are nothing else but slick businesses under the guise of religion. With all this being done, is it any wonder that the people are indeed anxious and full of anxiety. Money, money, money they all cry out, instead of Hosanna, hosanna, hosanna, glory and praise to you Oh Heavenly Father. The people are not shown or taught dependence on God. As a result the world does not see the workings of a church relying on God through His Holy Spirit for leadership and guidance, and for leading in their lives.

We have walked away from God. God is still where He has always been, but we have gone astray. Listen to what God says in the book of Hosea. “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you have rejected knowledge, I reject you from being a priest to me. And since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children. The more they increased, the more they sinned against me; I will change their glory into shame. They feed on the sin of my people; they are greedy for their iniquity. And it shall be like people, like priest; I will punish them for their ways and repay them for their deeds. They shall eat, but not be satisfied; they shall play the whore, but not multiply, because they have forsaken the Lord to cherish whoredom, wine and new wine, which take away the understanding. My people inquire of a piece of wood, and their walking staff gives them oracles. For a spirit of whoredom has led them astray, and they have left their God to play the whore. They sacrifice on the tops of the mountains and burn offerings on the hills, under oak, poplar and terebinth, because their shade is god, Therefore your daughters play the whore and your brides commit adultery. I will not punish your daughters when they play the whore, nor your brides when they commit adultery; for the men themselves go aside with prostitutes and sacrifice with cult prostitutes, and a people without understanding shall come to ruin.” Hosea 4.6-14

We as a people and as a church just have not gotten hold of the message. As a result we go around aimlessly. The blind leading the blind. We have lost our way and is it no wonder that a large dose of anxiousness, anxiety, stress and fear has become rampant. God has told us over and over again that if we will draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. We think that we have advanced so much in our education, yet the overall common sense of the nation has fallen dramatically. We have traded self reliance and guidance from God and have let ourselves become indentured to the state. We have exchanged eternal security for momentary security. Our birth right is being sold out from under us, and we have become like Esau who was willing to trade his birthright to Jacob for a bowl of stew.

Anxiousness does not have to be in your life. But you only can make that decision. You see the world will try to use situations to rob you of your peace. Hoping if you have no peace within you, it will use your situation to weaken you and play on those anxiety till they become such a part of your life that you no longer can be the person God has designed you to be. When we walk in our own knowledge and confidence we walk on a very dangerous road. Is it not about time Church that we start drawing near to God, so that He will draw near to you? Being a Christian is not a stroll through the park on a Sunday afternoon, or being a holier than thou art type person. It takes guts to be a Christian. In order to receive that peace "that passes all understanding," one must put their very life into the hands of God and let His Holy Spirit be your teacher and comforter. Anything short of that will lead to more of the same that the rest of the world is going through.

Just as the gifts of the Holy Spirit are not for you to hoard for yourself, but rather to use those gifts on behalf of others to bring people to the realization of how much God is concerned for and with them. So too, that peace that passes all understanding must be shared with others. We as Christian have been slack on doing the work of the Lord. How, you ask? By trying to acquire that peace, the absence of anxiousness for yourselves. Do you not know that you have an obligation to pray for those who rule. “First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people. For kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior.” 1 Timothy 2.1-3

We as American want the quick fix route. That is not necessarily God's way. Yes he want us to have a life at its fullest, however that doesn't mean were going to have it our own way with out respect for God's plan for each and every one of us.

Now if you acquired this peace that passes all understanding, how are you going to keep it? Well the first and most important way is to stay in your walk with God. Let Him lead. Let His will be done in your life. Don't try to persuade Him to do your will and then claim that it was God's will along. Also start sharing that peace. Here are some examples. In 2002 there was a general election. If you participated in it good for you, if you didn't then you do not wish to be a participant in the country that God has permitted you to be brought up in or became a citizen of, what a bummer! In either case start praying for these people that were elected. Whether you voted for them or not. They all need the help of God. When you pray for them continually that they will receive the knowledge, wisdom and revelation that God wishes to reveal to them in order to do their jobs. You and I both benefit because we might just get better leaders. Isn't that a hoot! Finally a worth while federal government. That's almost like Ripley's Believe It or Not! Well you better believe it! And this nation will be better for it and as a result, anxiousness and anxiety will go down quite a bit.

Having problems at work or at home? Those problems can be solved too if you start including your boss, co-workers, family and friends and acquaintances in your daily prayers. Don't pray for them to change the way you want them to. Ask God to reveal to them what He would like to do in their lives because He loves them too. And pray to the Lord that you may know how to pray for them so that your prayers will in symphony with God. How about those children of yours and your church family. What are you doing about them. Are they not important? This is part of your responsibility as a Christian. Go back an read Galatians 6.7-10, You see, you with God's help can change your situation and you can also be a partner with God, in changing your world. If you are really tired of fear, anxiety, and fretful about what's happening today. Make a change first in your life, then partner up with God and start changing your world. If the characters in the narration about the Revolutionary War had packed up their things and walked out of the fight for freedom, where would you be today. Do you believe in God enough, to trust Him to help you and to help change your world, so that what God had intended for us can be accomplished. What's it going to be? Lip service or prayer power? It's your choice.

+Robert J. Kaschalk-Kaase  2003-March 09
 

Copyright © 2002. All Rights Reserved.

---

Should you believe that you have a message that is worthy for instruction or encouragement and have been led by God in it, you then are invited to share it with us, and after reviewing its content we will display it in a new page called guest writer or guest contributor (name has not been determined yet) giving you the proper credit. You must enclose your name, address and phone number along with your e-mail so we may contact you if necessary. All writings submitted will not be returned. Do not try to introduce your particular doctrine. We follow Christ! Not you or me. Let all be to the Glory of God.  In subject line use the word. "teaching/encouragement" rector@restorationchapel.org

 

---

He who provides for this life, but takes not care for eternity, is wise for a moment but a fool forever.

What is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?  Matthew 16.26