Introduction: I don t know if you noticed, but we had a presidential election last week.

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1 November 11, 2012 Page 1 of 5 Above and Beyond: Moving from Anxiety to Faith Biblical Text: Philippians 4:4-13 Dr. Michael F. Gardner, Senior Pastor Old Mission United Methodist Church, Fairway, Kansas Introduction: I don t know if you noticed, but we had a presidential election last week. I have close friends on both sides of the electoral divide and the continuing debate over which direction our nation should go. Sometimes Ann and I don t agree, even in our own house! Have mercy! And we do have issues to address. There s the fiscal cliff which feels like a chasm to some of us. We are worried about whatever solution Washington will settle on and how it will affect our personal tax rate. We are fearful about the Health Care Act s affect on our medical coverage and insurance costs. We also are anxiously watching the stock market, and at least last week, the news wasn t good. Rumors of layoffs have surfaced as we move into the holiday season. We don t need more anxiety. Have mercy! And let me just say it - what a great time to be in the middle of a Church s annual finance campaign! It s hard enough to talk about money in the Church. People are funny about money. And most Christians look forward to the annual Sermon on the Amount as much as they look forward to a root canal. (Sorry dentists among us, it s sad but true.) I cannot imagine a better time for Christians to listen to the profound promises from God s Word about how God provides for our every need! It is not just our national fears and economic anxiety. There are the more personal varieties of bad news. On Veteran s Day weekend, a distinguished General, an American hero and head of the CIA, resigned in the midst of personal failures. And he and his family are not the only ones struggling. A good friend poured out his heart to me over lunch about a business deal he was counting on going bad. Another announced that the end of last week, after a long struggle, she filed for divorce. And they are not the only ones.

2 November 11, 2012 Page 2 of 5 Most of us have been there. In those places where the shadows are deep, and the days grow long. In those places where stress is high, our nerves are shot, and worry and fear seem strong. And if we are not there today, we have been there yesterday or may be there tomorrow. Have mercy! The Biblical Word: But in those places, especially in those places, is the Word of the Living God. And He has promises for us! Oh, does He have promises for us! 2 Corinthians 12:9: My grace is sufficient for your every need, for my strength is made perfect in your weakness. 1 Ephesians 3:20-21: God is able to do exceedingly, abundantly, more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us. 2 And three of His promises are in our text today. One of them is very familiar. Philippians 4:13: I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me. 3 We sometimes don t notice the incredible teaching that precedes that verse from our text in Philippians 4:12. Paul calls it the secret of contentment. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 4 Therefore, and because of that secret, he writes I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me. 5 So, what is the secret Paul has discovered? It is hidden in plain sight, right in our text today. Look at verse nineteen: My God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus Corinthians 12:9, paraphrased from the Revised Standard Version. 2 Ephesians 3:20-21, paraphrased by the author from the King James Version. 3 Philippians 4:13, paraphrased by the author from many versions, including the New King James Version. 4 Philippians 4:12, New International Version. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica. Used by permission. 5 Philippians 4:13, paraphrased, Op. Cit. 6 Op. Cit. Philippians 4:19. New International Version.

3 November 11, 2012 Page 3 of 5 I think it is even more powerful in the King James Version. But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Notice the nuances in the KJV. My God shall, notice shall not will, supply, notice supply not just meet, all your need, notice not just our many needs but all we need. This is the secret to contentment and peace. Trusting in God! And look at how often Paul uses words which remind us that these promises are true for all seasons of our lives, for every time we face, for every day we live! Verse twelve, in any and every situation Verse thirteen, I can do all things through Christ. all things. Verse nineteen, God will meet all your needs Wouldn t it do something wonderful in us if we trusted those promises? Bringing it to our Address: But we don t. At least not completely. How much room do you leave for God to supply your every need? How much do you count on Him? Do you live in the secret contentment of a child of God in any and every situation? Or do you surrender to worry and anxiety and fear? Let me risk meddling a little with your life, in the interests of making the point crystal clear. Especially as these verses apply to your material possessions and your money how much do you trust in God? Do you trust Him more than your bank account? More than your investment broker? More than your 401K or retirement account? More than Social Security? More than the value of your home? More than your paycheck? More than the Government. OK, that last one is easy Even our currency says, In God we trust. But do we? Do we really? It is a surprise to some people to discover that while there are about 500 references in the Bible to prayer, fewer than 500 on faith, but more than 2,000 references to our use of money and material goods.

4 November 11, 2012 Page 4 of 5 So many things occupy our minds when it comes to material things! Having a decent job that pays the bills. Or having enough retirement to see us through. Then there is the car, the house payment, school clothes and supplies. Don t forget April 15 th, and quarterly taxes or weekly deductions. Then there is the stock market roller-coaster, and the economy. I asked one of our members what he thought would happen to the economy and he answered, What economy? I want to suggest that whether we are recessed or depressed, impressed or unimpressed, highly stressed or barely-stressed. Every one of us needs to put into our spiritual memory banks this great Scripture from our text today, Philippians 4:19. Let s put it in the first person. Repeat it after me: My God will supply all I need, according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus. Application One of the very practical ways we get to know God in a deeper personal way is through counting on him to meet our daily physical and financial needs. He planned it that way because we all need to learn to depend on God, not ourselves. Think about it. Jesus taught us to pray every Sunday, Give us this day our daily bread He didn t teach us to pray, Lord, help us to become so financially secure that we don t need you for anything. So what do you believe? Paul believed that his God would supply his every need. When Paul wrote his letter to the Philippians, he was under house arrest in Rome. His freedom was limited. He had to rely on others for his daily needs. Yet, he was content. He knew God was still providing for him and taking care of him, no matter his circumstances.

5 November 11, 2012 Page 5 of 5 He expressed that clearly and with great joy in this letter. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Every offering we give for the work of God is a test of our trust and faith in God. Faith first comes into our hearing and into our minds. But it must go deeper and reach into our hearts and lives to be genuine. It s been said that the last part of a Christian to be converted is our wallet or purse. The temptation in our materialistic world to make money our god is strong. But We can do all things through him who gives us strength. Our gifts are a tangible expression of the trust in Jesus we have in our hearts, and we have the great privilege of leaving room for God to work in our live. He won t let us down. Our God will supply your every need, according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus. Bringing it Home Someone once asked the great preacher, Phillips Brooks, why he was so confident and positive about life? He replied, Because I am a Christian! Why do we trust in God? Why do we give for His work? Why do we refuse to surrender to fear? Why would we give an amount that we are not sure we can do without, or replace, without his help? Why would anyone do that? Don t you see? Because we are Christians. Amen.