Today’s THEME:
Joy & anxiety
(published 7.19.20)
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Part 1 | Confidence, Fear, & Failure
Psalm 27
1 The Lord is my light and my salvation—
whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life—
of whom shall I be afraid?
2 When the wicked advance against me
to devour me,
it is my enemies and my foes
who will stumble and fall.
3 Though an army besiege me,
my heart will not fear;
though war break out against me,
even then I will be confident.
13 I remain confident of this:
I will see the goodness of the Lord
in the land of the living.
14 Wait for the Lord;
be strong and take heart
and wait for the Lord.
Romans 8:31-39
31 If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34 Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written:
“For your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Song | more than conquerors
Part 2 | God, Worry, and Anxiety
1 Peter 5:5-11
5 All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because,
“God opposes the proud
but shows favor to the humble.”
6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. 7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
8 Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.
10 And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. 11 To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.
Matthew 6:19-34
19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
22 “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!
24 “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.
25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?
28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
HEY KIDS!
God cares for you. He loves you! So, when you’re scared or worried, He says you can pray to him and tell him about it. He is always listening and he’s always with you.
#1: draw something you’re scared of
#2: draw a picture of you praying to God
#3: draw a picture showing how your mom or dad cares for you
#4: draw a picture showing how God cares for you
#5: Show your mom or dad all your pictures!
#6: Say a prayer saying “thank you” to God for caring for you!
song | Psalm 139
Part 3 | “Get over it?”
The Promises: The Lord is near! His peace is guarding your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus! The God of peace will be with you. Always!
So, regarding gentleness: What is a right of yours that you will yield this week?
Regarding anxiety: what is, or has been on your heart, making you anxious? Say a prayer about it—lay it down at God’s feet right now.
Regarding “think about such things” — what is something that this week, you are going to strive to not think about? To not allow into your mind?
What is something you are going to think about more?
Again, the promise: “The peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
prayers
Pray. Then join together in praying The Lord’s Prayer:
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and forever.
Amen.
THANKSGIVING
We don’t primarily gather offerings to simply keep ministry going or even to expand ministry (though those are certainly both blessings of our offerings).
Primarily, we gather offerings to glorify God. We consider what God has given us to manage (everything we have), and we offer a portion of what he has given us back to him. Giving an offering is an opportunity for you to express faith in and say “thank-you” to a God who has made life-giving promises to you!
You can do just that by mailing a check or clicking the button below.
Illumine Church
1262 Riverchase Blvd.
Rock Hill, SC 29732Illumine Church
11051 Phinney Ave N
Seattle, WA 98133
THANK YOU!