Trust God For Today, Part 2

Today on Fellowship in the Word, Pastor Bill Gebhardt challenges you to become a fully functioning follower of Jesus Christ. My mind is stayed on who? God. His greatness, His power, His love for me, His loyalty. You see, now notice, if that's what my mind is stayed on, that's what I'm thinking about, guess what I can't be doing at that moment?

Worrying about what's going to happen down the road. Thank you for joining us today on this edition of Fellowship in the Word with Pastor Bill Gebhardt. Fellowship in the Word is the radio ministry of Fellowship Bible Church located in Metairie, Louisiana. Join Pastor Bill Gebhardt now as once again he shows us how God's Word meets our world. You have an enormous gap between you and God. It's a gap of sin. The wages of sin is death. Eternal separation from God. God made a provision. God said, I can change that.

And I will. And so he sends his son. Christ loves you so much. You don't even know him.

He knows you. And he dies on the cross on your behalf. And then we find out that if we put our faith and trust in Christ and his finished work on the cross, not only are our sins forgiven, but we are heaven bound and joint heirs with Christ and all of these things belong to all of us. And then on Wednesday night, we sit wringing our hands about what might happen Thursday at noon.

How do you do that? We forget. That's exactly what they did.

They forgot and they began to worry. The lesson is clear. God says, look, I'm going to meet your needs daily. Not annually. Not monthly. Not weekly.

Daily. You see, he had resources that they never envisioned. Can you imagine how many of them walked around saying, how are you going to wear a desert? We have two and a half million people in the desert. By the way, the other thing that he provided that I didn't mention in that story, water. How do you get water in a desert? Well, God says, I'm just going to have a big rock roll around behind you.

And that rock will give you water the whole time you're there. What? Yes. God's provisions.

You see how this works now. With that in mind, let's go to Matthew six in the words of the Lord. Matthew Chapter six. And go from the time of the Exodus to the time of Christ. And by the way, you still have people in this day worrying about the same thing they worried about in Exodus that we often never worry about. And that is the very staples of life.

Food, water and shelter, clothing, those kinds of things. Jesus says in verse twenty five of Matthew six. For this reason, I say to you, do not be worried about your life. There's the generalization. That's pretty general, isn't it?

See, if you said that Jesus, Jesus, let me just ask you one thing. What am I entitled to worry about? And he'd say anything that has nothing to do with your life. You see, do not worry about your life. What a statement. Do not worry about your life.

And then he goes on and explains it. He says as to what you will eat or what you will drink for your body as to what you will put on is not like more than food in the body, more than clothing. Do not worry. That's an interesting word, by the way. That word worry is Merim Na'o. It's a verb.

That's a verb form. It comes from Merizo. Merizo means the divide. And Na'o is a form of the word nous, which is your mind.

So what did Jesus say? Worry is it divides your mind. That's what worry does. And the implication from what Jesus is saying this worry cleaves your thinking between the reality of now and some dreaded event down the road. That's what worry does. It just cleaves that off. That's why, by the way, you can never be you cannot be worrisome and content. You just cannot, because contentment is a present state. Worry lives in the future.

He goes on and gives some good illustrations with it. And he says in verse 31, Do not worry, then, saying, What shall we eat and what will we drink and what will we wear for clothing? The late Corrie Ten Boom said this. She said, Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrows.

It empties the day of its strength. You see, that's what's so difficult about it. Worry punishes us and it dishonors God.

You see, that's the thing. God is saying, Why are you worrying? When you see the big picture of what I've done, what are you worried about in the little picture that I can't do or won't do for you? Worry takes a look at catastrophes and groans. It's all coming unraveled. It's all coming unraveled. And yet God says, All things work together for your good.

You see all of it. No, it's all coming unraveled. No, it's all going to work together for your good. Worry wonders if anyone has control.

And in First Timothy 6 15, God is called the blessed controller of all things. Worry whispers this lie to you. God doesn't know what you need. Philippians 4 19, God will take care of everything you need.

Worry discounts and replies, You know, you're on your own. It's you against the world. God says, No, I am sovereign over this world. Jesus said, Yes, you're going to have tribulation, but be of good cheer. Be happy.

I've overcome the world. You see, this message is really interesting. In verse 34, Jesus then says this. So do not worry about tomorrow. It's always for the future. And I love what he says. He says, For tomorrow will take care of itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. See, he's not at all saying, No, no, every day is just going to be a happy day of circumstances. Everything is going to be wonderful. Everyone's going to love you. Everyone's going to be nice. You see, everything is going to be great.

You're never going to have an ache or a pain. Nothing like that's ever going to happen. Life's going to be fair everywhere you go. Jesus said, What world is that? That's not reality.

It's a cursed planet full of sinful people. He said, But don't worry about tomorrow. You see, the implications clear. You don't have the resources for tomorrow's needs. But tomorrow you will. You see, that's what God is saying with manna. But tomorrow you will. I meet your need each and every day.

You've got to trust me just for today. How do we develop that in our life? I think there are three steps we can use to help develop this idea that's so important to trust God for today. Turn with me to Isaiah 26.

Isaiah the prophet 26. What can I do to help me trust God for today, drive worry out of my mind, fill my mind and with happiness and peace and hope? How does that happen? Well, there are three things I think that we can do.

One is this. Now you're going to hear it roll your eyes. But how about trying it? Pray more. Pray more. Remember what Paul said? Paul said to Thessalonians, Pray without ceasing. Now, if some of you came from ritualistic prayers, you've got to think like, Whoa, I can't do that.

How's that going to work? I have a life to live. I can't just be praying. I can't be saying our father over and over again. That's not praying. That's not what God that Paul has in mind. He's saying constantly speak to your father about what's happening in your life today.

Every day. Just pray without ceasing. Make prayer, in a sense, part of your thought life.

Now, what's what happens? He says in verse three. He says, The steadfast of mind you keep in perfect peace because what? He trusts in you. Another translation, the New King James Version says, You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on you because he trusts you.

That's what prayer is. My mind is stayed on who? God. His greatness. His power, his love for me, his loyalty. You see, now, notice if that's what my mind is stayed on.

That's what I'm thinking about. Guess what I can't be doing at that moment? Worrying about what's going to happen down the road. You see my mind and notice what happens. He said, Whenever that happens in your life and you stay your mind on God, who he is and what he does.

He said, You will be in perfect peace. Wow. Really?

Yes. An example, John Hus. John Hus, the great priest who had seen the absolute grace of God in the word of God and then was burned at the stake by the church. And as they light the fire and Hus is being burned and you can just imagine what like that is. John Hus is singing hymns.

How do you do that? Where do you think his mind is? Stayed on God.

He has peace. Now, I know, again, something else you have to understand about each day, though. As I said before, you don't have the resources for tomorrow's needs.

You'll get them tomorrow. When I heard a story like that, I don't know about you, but I felt really guilty. First time I read about Hus, I thought, boy, they got kindling under me like the fire on me, screaming like a little girl. You know, it's going to be awful. Because I couldn't see myself in that.

But that's because I wasn't in that. You see, God's grace for today is God's grace for today. You might surprise yourself when that moment comes. You see, that's what God is saying.

It's a different kind of thing. He says, Pray without ceasing, even though I go through the valley of the shadow of death. Well, there it is. I will fear no evil. I'll have peace.

Why? Because you're with me. You see, that's how this works. That's what God's grace provides. Pray more. Turn with me now to Philippians four in the New Testament. Philippians four. First, verse four, we look at this often. It's one of my favorite in the New Testament. Is a commandment, which I love imperative mood, rejoice in the Lord, always again, I say rejoice. Paul says, look, I'm not going to beat around the bush of this. You rejoice. That's amazing.

Man's in prison. And by the way, in verse six, he says, Be anxious for nothing, but in everything with prayer and supplication. There it is. Pray more with thanksgiving.

There's a gratitude. Let your request be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Guard my mind and heart from what? Me, my worry.

My anxiety. There again, the promise of God. Verse 10.

But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly. He said that now at last you have revived your concern to me. Again, Paul's in prison. Indeed, you have concern before, but you lacked opportunity. Now you can help me.

And then Paul says this. Not that I speak from one, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along and humble means. I also know how to live in prosperity in any and every circumstance. I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need.

Here it is. I can do all things through him which strengthens me. Pray more.

That's for today. Want less. Pray more. Want less. This is really hard for us. You see, this is really hard for us to want less.

And I'm not talking just about material things. I'm saying want less of my will. You see, want less of my perspective.

I need to want less. By the way, you already admitted that because you sang it today. I'm sure you did.

I think at least you read the words and mouth it. You see, we know how much Christ loves us, right? Now, he has given us everything that we have.

We're going to be studying the book of Ephesians and we find out we have every blessing that exists in heaven is yours. So why would you want more? What more is there to want?

Want less. The great English preacher Charles Spurgeon said this, enough for today is all we can enjoy. You ever think about that? We cannot eat or drink or wear more than today's supply of food and clothing.

Isn't that astounding? Now, you may have 250 pair of shoes. But it's very likely you're only wearing one pair today. And that's all you can enjoy for today. And by the way, that could come under you full this very night your life is expected of you.

There's 249 pairs that you will not enjoy in the future. You see, want less. He said the surplus gives us, he says, gives us the care and burden of storing it and the anxiety that someone might steal it.

He said one staff aids a traveler. A bunch of staffs becomes a heavy burden. Enough is as good as a feast and more than gluttony can enjoy. Enough is all we should expect. But a craving for more. He said his ungratefulness. When our father does give you more, when the father does not give you more, be content with your daily allowance. Pray more.

Want less. And one last thing. Let's go to Hebrews four. Hebrews four and verse 16. Trust God for today by praying more and wanting less.

And the implication of the application of verse 16. Live in the moment. If there's something I've learned about our Christian faith, this is it. Live in the moment.

Just live for today. It makes the biggest difference in the world in every aspect of Christianity. Notice here in verse 16 of Chapter four, the writer of Hebrews says, Therefore, let us draw near with confidence or go boldly, the King James said. Let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace. So that we may be able to receive mercy and find grace to help in a time of need. Now, what's mercy? You see, mercy is not getting what you deserve. What's grace?

It's getting what you don't deserve. Now, what does God say? You come to me boldly to my throne. You come to the throne of grace and I'll tell you what I'll do. I'll give you mercy and I'll give you grace.

I'll give you what you don't deserve and I'll not give you what you do deserve. Now, what do you think that would cover? I think that covers everything. You see, what is it ultimately I need? What is the manna of my life? Mercy and grace. That's what I need. And he says, look, you have to live in the moment.

I will provide it right then. Heaven still has a manna house. It's the mercy and grace of God. He said, I'll give it to you every single day. Worry looks dimly into the future, but trust clearly sees what's available to me today. God sends help when you need it. God's timing is always God's timing.

He sends help when you need it. We don't have the resources for tomorrow's problems, but we would tomorrow. These things are very important for us. What we have is manna for today.

But this living in the moment is every aspect of your life. Let me illustrate it. Joel Henderson is a prolific writer of books. He was asked the question, how in the world can you write so many books? He said, I've never written a book. He said, I wouldn't know how to write so many books. I've never written a book. All I do is write one page each day. You see, that's how it works.

One page each day. Look at all of the things in your life. You may have a terrible temper. You may have a foul mouth. You say, you know, I've tried and tried.

I just can't get over it. And the idea of dealing with my temper, I've had a temper all my life. Well, I'm not asking to control your temper for the rest of your life. I'm saying you have the resources to control your temper today. You have a way of controlling your mouth today. You see, that's what God is saying.

I will provide what you need, the grace and mercy you need today. That's what's wrong with New Year's resolutions. You see, New Year's resolution is somewhere after you've made a New Year's resolution, this is the thought that comes to your mind. It's a year.

A year. Like, I don't think I can do this for a year. Don't.

Just do it today. You see, that's the point. And God says, look, I provide. I provide the mercy. I provide the grace.

It's for today. You can be facing any long-term challenge in your life. And you will rob your happiness by worrying that you'll never get through it. Trust God for today. Pray more, want less, live in the moment. And God promises you perfect peace which drives worry and anxiety out of your mind and fills your heart with joy and happiness. Let's pray. Father, this day I'm praying particularly for those who are worrying about something right now. They have anxiety about something that's coming down the road. They have no peace.

They certainly have no joy and happiness. Father, I pray that they understand from the principle of manna, from the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, that each day you will provide what we need. You provide it. Your mercy and your grace covers everything in our life. Father, I pray that these people struggling right now have the discipline to start just for today, to pray more and to want less and to live in the moment. Father, I pray for all of us. The Apostle Paul has said he had learned the secret of contentment.

It didn't matter what state he was in, in a palace or in a prison cell. Whether he was healthy or had a thorn in the flesh, whether people loved him or they hated him enough to try to kill him, he said, I have learned the secret of contentment, that I can do all things through him who strengthens me. In other words, Paul understood what all of us need to understand this day for today, that Christ is enough for us. In his name we pray. Amen. In Jesus' name we pray.

In Jesus' name we pray. If you would be interested in hearing today's message in its original format, that is as a sermon that Pastor Bill delivered during a Sunday morning service at Fellowship Bible Church, then you should visit our website, fbcnola.org. That's F-B-C-N-O-L-A dot O-R-G. At our website you will find hundreds of Pastor Bill's sermons. You can browse through our sermon archives to find the sermon series you are looking for, or you can search by title. If you have a message you are looking for, you can listen online, or if you prefer, you can download the sermon and listen at your own convenience. And remember, you can do all of this absolutely free of charge. Once again, our website is fbcnola.org. For Pastor Bill Gebhardt, I'm Jason Gebhardt, thanking you for listening to Fellowship in the Word.