DAILY BIBLE VERSES AND PRAYER THOUGHTS:

MONDAY - VERSES: 1 John 1:6-10; Acts 19:18-20 PRAYER THOUGHT: Confess the things that have concerned you more than they should. Ask God to forgive you for worrying and doubting Him. Ask God for strength to remove those things from your life.

TUESDAY - VERSES: Luke 3:14; 2 Corinthians 4:18; Philippians 4:11; Hebrews 13:5-6 PRAYER THOUGHT: Ask God for the strength of faith to be content with what you have. Ask Him to help you focus on the spiritual and not the physical.

WEDNESDAY - VERSES: Luke 12:6-7; John 10:10-15; Philippians 4:19; 1 Peter 5:6-7 PRAYER THOUGHT: Thank God for His promise of caring for you as His child. Ask Him to help you trust Him to provide what He has promised.

THURSDAY - VERSES: Romans 8:1-15 PRAYER THOUGHT: Ask God to help you live each day walking after the Spirit, not the flesh.

FRIDAY - VERSES: Exodus 16:2-4; Numbers 14:2, 27-29; 1 Timothy 6:6-10; James 1:14-15; 1 John 2:15-17 PRAYER THOUGHT: Beg God for the strength to avoid the temptations to become wrapped up in fads of fashion, food, and drink. Ask Him to give you your daily bread and to be satisfied without grumbling or complaining.

SATURDAY - VERSES: Psalm 23:1-6; Matthew 6:31-34; 16:21-23 PRAYER THOUGHT: Thank God for your blessings and ask Him to help you determine to stop worrying about the wrong things and start showing a sincere concern for the things that matter to God.

*Worry is like a rocking chair: It gives you something to do,

but doesn't get anything done.

*Worry is pulling tomorrow's cloud over today's sunshine.

ASSIGNMENTS

1. Daily read over this material and read or sing the song.

2. Place the scripture where you will see it each day.

3. Look for ways you can reduce your worries throughout the day, but don't worry about it.

4. At the close of day write down the ways you overcame worry or ideas to try next time.

5. Plan to tell the class, next week, an example of how you overcame worry and what happened as a result of your doing so, or tell the class about something you worried about but should not have.

SPIRITUAL HEALTH REGIMEN - WEEK 7

DON'T WORRY ABOUT THIS LIFE

SCRIPTURE - Matthew 6:25 "Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?"

COMMENT - We talk lightly about worry, but when we worry about the physical things of this life we are being disobedient to Jesus. Worry expresses a lack of faith in either God's ability or willingness to care for us as He promised He would.

SONG - LIVING BY FAITH

I care not today with tomorrow may bring, If shadow or sunshine or rain, The Lord I know ruleth o'er everything, And all of my worry is vain.

Though tempests may blow and the storm clouds arise, Obscuring the brightness of life, I'm never alarmed at the overcast skies, The Master looks on at the strife.

I know that he safely will carry me through, No matter what evils betide, Why should I then care though the tempest may blow, If Jesus walks close to my side.

Our Lord will return in His glory someday, Our troubles will then all be o'er, The Master so gently will lead us away, Beyond that blest heavenly shore.

Chorus: Living by faith, In Jesus above, Trusting, confiding in his great love; From all harm safe in his sheltering arm, I'm living by faith and feel no alarm.

THOUGHTS

A business manager went on vacation to an island in Greece. One day, while he was on the beach, his secretary, wanting some help, called him on his mobile phone. He gave her some instructions and told her to call him back when she had finished. As he was pacing up and down waiting for return phone call, he came across a fisherman, dozing in the shade of his fishing boat, that had been pulled up on the beach. As the manager past, the fishermen woke up in the manager decided to talk to him. "The weather is great and there's lots of fish. So, how come you're sitting here when you could be out there catching more fish?"

Quietly the fisherman replied, "Because I caught enough this morning."

"But just imagine," the manager replied, "if you went out twice a day you could bring home twice as much fish. And you know what could happen?"

The puzzled fishermen shook his head. "Well," the manager continued waxing lyrical to his theme, "you could buy yourself a motor boat. And then, after say a couple of years you could buy a second one. Then perhaps after three years you could have a cutter or two. And just think, one day you might be able to buy a freezing plant. Then you could go on to get your own helicopter to help you track shoals of fish for your fishing fleet. You could then buy your own truck to ship the fish to the capital thereby cutting out the middleman."

"And then what?" the fisherman replied.

"And then," the manager concluded triumphantly, "you wouldn't have to worry. You could then sit down calmly on the beach, dozing in the sun and looking at the beautiful ocean."

"Well, my friend," the fisherman replied, "what do you think I am doing now?!"	From "Will Worry Be the Death of You?" By Martin Dale

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According to a survey by IKEA men and women worry about different things. Here are the top five worries of each.

Men	Women

Fear of aging	Personal finance

Own weight	World issues

Wife's weight	Children

Career	Friend's health

Personal finance	Fear of aging

from Reader's Digest, "Once Upon a Mattress" by Elena Serocki

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If you're praying don't worry, if you're worrying you can't pray.

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You remember the Smothers Brothers? Several years ago, they did a routine on TV that went something like this: Dick asked, "What's wrong Tommy? You seem despondent. "

Tom replied, "I am! I'm worried about the state of American society!"

Dick said, "Well, what bothers you about it? Are you worried about poverty and hunger?"

"Oh, no, that doesn't really bother me. "

"I see. Well, are you concerned about the possibility of war?"

"No, that's not a worry of mine."

"Are you upset about the use of illegal drugs by the youth of America?"

"No, that doesn't bother me very much.

Looking puzzled, Dick asked, "Well Tom, if you're not bothered by poverty and hunger, war and drugs, what are you worried about?"

Tommy replied, "I'm worried about apathy. "

While we should not worry about this life, that does not mean that we do not care about the problems of others at all.

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*Worry is the darkroom in which "negatives" are developed.

*Worry is interest paid on trouble before it is due.

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DON'T WORRY ABOUT ________________

INTRODUCTION

I. _______________ OF WORRY

A. PRIDE AND LACK OF _____________ - 1 PETER 5:6-7

B. FOCUS ON THE __________ - PHILIPPIANS 3:13

C. FOCUS ON THE ______________ - MATTHEW 6:34

II. ________________ OF WORRY

A. WORRY BRING ________________ - PROVERBS 12:25

B. WORRY KEEPS US ______________ - MATTHEW 13:22

C. WORRY IS _________________ UNHEALTHY

III. ________________ FOR WORRY

A. PRAYER - __________________ 4:6-7

B. TAKE ____________ IN GOD - PSALM 94:19

C. ____________ IN GOD

D. RECOGNIZING YOUR ANXIETIES - PSALM _____:23

E. TURN YOUR _____________ OVER TO GOD

F. FOCUS ON THE __________________ - PSALM 118:24

CONCLUSION

DON'T WORRY ABOUT LIVING

INTRODUCTION

A. (Mat 6:25-34) "Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? {26} "Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? {27} "Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? {28} "So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; {29} "and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. {30} "Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? {31} "Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' {32} "For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. {33} "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. {34} "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

B. Said the Robin to the Sparrow, "I should really like to know

Why these anxious human beings Rush about and hurry so."

Said the Sparrow to the Robin, "Friend, I think that it must be

That they have no Heavenly Father Such as cares for you and me."

-- Elizabeth Cheney

C. A widow who had successfully raised a very large family was being interviewed by a reporter. In addition to six children of her own, she had adopted 12 other youngsters, and through it all she had maintained stability and an air of confidence. When asked the secret of her outstanding accomplishment, her answer to the newsman was quite surprising. She said "I managed so well because I'm in a partnership!" "What do you mean?" he inquired. The woman replied, "Many years ago I said, 'Lord, I'll do the work and You do the worrying.' And I haven't had an anxious care since." We could all profit by following the example of that mother. When we carry our part of the load, we need not be disturbed by the demands of life.

D. WORRY IS HAVING MENTAL PICTURES OF WHAT WE DON'T WANT TO HAPPEN

E. GOD GRANT ME THE SERENITY TO ACCEPT THE THINGS I CANNOT CHANGE, THE COURAGE TO CHANGE THE THINGS I CAN, AND THE WISDOM TO KNOW THE DIFFERENCE.

F. THERE ARE ONLY TWO THINGS YOU SHOULD NOT WORRY ABOUT: THE THINGS YOU CAN CHANGE AND THE THINGS YOU CAN'T CHANGE

I. CAUSES OF WORRY

A. PRIDE AND LACK OF FAITH - (1 Pet 5:6-7) Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, {7} casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.

B. FOCUS ON THE PAST - (Phil 3:13) Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead,

C. FOCUS ON THE FUTURE - (Mat 6:34) "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

II. RESULTS OF WORRY

A. WORRY BRING DEPRESSION - (Prov 12:25) Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression, But a good word makes it glad.

B. WORRY KEEPS US UNFRUITFUL - (Mat 13:22) "Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful.

C. WORRY IS PHYSICALLY UNHEALTHY

1. (Prov 15:13) A merry heart makes a cheerful countenance, But by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.

2. (Prov 15:15) All the days of the afflicted are evil, But he who is of a merry heart has a continual feast.

3. (Prov 17:22) A merry heart does good, like medicine, But a broken spirit dries the bones.

III. TREATMENTS FOR WORRY

A. PRAYER DISPELS ANXIETY - (Phil 4:6-7) Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; {7} and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Worry? Why worry? What can worry do?

It never keeps a trouble from overtaking you.

It gives you indigestion, and wakeful hours at night,

and fills with gloom the days and weeks, however fair and bright.

It puts a frown upon the face, and sharpness in the tone;

We're unfit to live with others, and unfit to live alone.

Worry? Why worry? What can worry do?

It never keeps a trouble from overtaking you.

Pray? Why pray? What can praying do?

Prayer really changes things; arranges life anew.

It's good for your digestion, gives peaceful sleep at night,

And fills the grayest days with rays of golden, glowing light.

It puts a smile upon your face, a love note in your tone.

It makes you fit to live with others, and fit to live alone.

Pray? Why pray? What can praying do?

It brings God down from heaven to live and work with you.

B. TAKE COMFORT IN GOD AND HIS WORD - (Psa 94:19) In the multitude of my anxieties within me, Your comforts delight my soul.

1 Thessalonians 4:18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

C. TRUST IN GOD

1. KEEP GOD FOCUSED ON GOD - (Isa 26:3) You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You.

2. TRUST IN GOD - (Jer 17:7-8) "Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, And whose hope is the LORD. {8} For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, Which spreads out its roots by the river, And will not fear when heat comes; But its leaf will be green, And will not be anxious in the year of drought, Nor will cease from yielding fruit.

3. GOD IS WITH US - (Psa 23:4) Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

4. BELIEVE IN GOD - (John 14:1-3) "Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. {2} "In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. {3} "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.

5. CLAIM THE PEACE JESUS LEFT YOU - (John 14:27) "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

D. ASK GOD'S HELP IN RECOGNIZING YOUR ANXIETIES - (Psa 139:23) Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties;

E. TURN YOUR WORRY OVER TO GOD

1. (Psa 55:22) Cast your burden on the LORD, And He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved.

2. (1 Pet 5:6-7) Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, {7} casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.

F. KEEP FOCUSED ON THE PRESENT - (Psa 118:24) This is the day the LORD has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it.

CONCLUSION

A. (1 Pet 3:12-17) For the eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, And His ears are open to their prayers; But the face of the LORD is against those who do evil." {13} And who is he who will harm you if you become followers of what is good? {14} But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you are blessed. "And do not be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled." {15} But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; {16} having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed. {17} For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.

B. SPIRITUAL THINGS CAN'T BE TAKEN FROM US - (Luke 10:38-42) Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house. {39} And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus' feet and heard His word. {40} But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, "Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me." {41} And Jesus answered and said to her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. {42} "But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her."

C. GOD CARES - (Psa 91) He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. {2} I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust." {3} Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler And from the perilous pestilence. {4} He shall cover you with His feathers, And under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler. {5} You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, Nor of the arrow that flies by day, {6} Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday. {7} A thousand may fall at your side, And ten thousand at your right hand; But it shall not come near you. {8} Only with your eyes shall you look, And see the reward of the wicked. {9} Because you have made the LORD, who is my refuge, Even the Most High, your dwelling place, {10} No evil shall befall you, Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling; {11} For He shall give His angels charge over you, To keep you in all your ways. {12} In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone. {13} You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra, The young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot. {14} "Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him on high, because he has known My name. {15} He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him. {16} With long life I will satisfy him, And show him My salvation."

Matthew 6:25 "Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?"