First of all, I apologize for the funky layout and the fonts being all messed up in this post.  I couldn't get it to cooperate when I copied and pasted this from my original notes.

My husband asks me to present the sermon each Mother's Day at our church.  Here is part 2 of my sermon this past Sunday. 
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I will admit, I am not without regrets. 

One of the things I DO regret is the time I have spent and do spend worrying.  Pretend you have a backpack full of stones labeled stress, pressures, anxiety, questions about the future (will they go to college?  who will they marry?), sickness, needs, safety, future plans, house, kidnappers...Are their teeth going to come in straight?  What if they get picked on?  Oh, there are many, many "what ifs!"

If I could do things over again, I would try harder to cast all my care upon Him, because He cares for me as it says in 1 Peter 5:7.

I regret carrying burdens and worries so long by myself when Jesus was always ready to take them from me and carry them for me. 

But I can't go back.  All I can do is from this time forward, is make a decision to give to God every single thing that is bothering me.  Imagine Jesus coming along beside you, and taking all the weight of worry that hinders you. 

Cast off  that backpack of worry!  Throw it AWAY.

When Blind Bartimaeus came to Jesus to be healed -- he cast aside his garment.  Why?  Because that garment was something he was required by law to wear that identified him as a beggar.  Also in those days, people used their cloaks as blankets for sleeping.  Imagine!  This man throwing all that he owned aside, realizing before He received his miracle that he was a beggar no more!"  (Matthew 10:50-52.)

We, too, can cast away that garment of worry that tells the world, God and the devil that we have no faith. 

Sure, you can wear it if you want to.  It's comfy.  It feels familiar and safe. 

But really, it's not safe at all.  Worry = fear = lack of faith.

We are living in scary times right now.  We've heard this our whole lives.  However, I truly believe we need to be on our knees praying for the next leader of these United States. 

But we don't need to be afraid. 

Don't do what I did.  Don't live a life of worry.  Don't be like the disciples in the boat WITH JESUS and scared of the storm all around you.  "Why are you fearful?" Jesus asked. 

NO!

Instead, live as Bartimaeus did.  CAST OFF that garment of fear and heaviness and worry!

Keep your eyes off of the storm, and keep your eyes on JESUS!

Do it now!  CAST IT OFF!

The Bible tells us to cast down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ  (2 Cor. 10:5).

Realize this:  if you don't cast if off -- you are in disobedience.  It is a command.  To say that your problem is bigger than God is a lie.  So when you are casting down imaginations you are casting down all the "what ifs" that you can imagine;   When you are "casting down the high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God" you are casting down that voice in your head that says it's too big for God.  When you exalt that circumstance above God,  you are, in essence, worshiping that circumstance instead of God.  You MUST bring into captivity every thought to the OBEDIENCE of Christ!

OBEY HIM NOW AND CAST ALL YOUR CARE UPON HIM FOR HE CARETH FOR YOU!!  (1 Peter 5:7)

The devil wants to be scared.  He wants us to wonder:  what will happen to our country if a godless leader is elected?  What if gas goes up to $5.00/gallon?

I'm not God.  I don't know what will happen.  But He knows the future  and He won't be surprised.  To worry about it is a "what if."  I'm not supposed to worry about that.  It's God's problem.  I will do my part, yes.  I will pray for a godly leader, I will pray that our country remains sovereign, I will pray that God will provide for my family when food prices skyrocket.  But then I will do my best to LEAVE IT THERE. 

DO NOT WORRY ABOUT TOMORROW!

"And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:
And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.  Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?  Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?  (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.  But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.  Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof"  Matthew 6:28-34.

I don't know about tomorrow,
It may bring me poverty;
But the One Who feeds the sparrow,
Is the One Who stands by me.
And the path that be my portion,
May be through the flame or flood,
But His presence goes before me,
And I'm covered with His blood.

"Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you!"   Peter 5:7

CAST IT OFF!!

Cast OUT those devils of worry and fear and put ON the sheild of FAITH!

But, you say, my faith is small.  The Bible says in Luke 21:4 that the little widow cast more than anybody because she cast all that she had.  So CAST it!  CAST it!  Give that faith to Jesus -- and He will make it grow. 

"But my child is in prison."  Cast it on Jesus.

"But my grandchildren's parents don't go to church."  Give it to Jesus.

If we would pray as much as we spent time worrying, our faith would grow.  And Jesus would carry our burdens because we would sense His peace.


God is there for you.  His love and acceptance is even greater than a mother's love and acceptance: 

As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you; and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem.  Isaiah 66:13

(c) 2008 Karla Akins