Sermon Central
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God's Answer To Busyness Series
Contributed by Vernon L Caruthers on Sep 30, 2009 (message contributor)
Summary: This is message 2 in the series from psalm 23. It centers around Psalm 23:2 & gives us some of God’s answers to a busy pressured life.
Sermon Series: Sermons from Psalm 23:
Sermon #2: God’s Answer to Busyness:
Scripture Ref: Psalm 23: 1-6
Introduction:
This morning we’re continuing our series of sermons from the 23rd PSALM.
There are 7 CAUSES of STRESS mentioned in this 23rd psalm & GOD gives ANSWERS to each one.
Last Sunday we looked at the STRESS of WORRY.
This morning we’re looking at the STRESS of BUSYNESS.
GOD’S ANSWER to BUSYNESS:
We all live in such a FAST PACED WORLD that is filled with its DAILY PRESSURES
At times there aren’t enough hours in the day to get it all done.
Here’s a little QUIZ to find out if we’re a WORKAHOLIC:
1: Are you always in a hurry?
2: `Is your “to do list” always unrealistically long?
3: Do you use your off days to catch up with unfinished work?
4: Have you been told by more than one person you should slow down?
5: Do you feel guilty when you try to relax?
6: Do you have to get sick to take time off?
That is NOT the KIND of LIFE GOD wants us to LIVE.
Psalm 127:2 ‘It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows, for so HE giveth HIS beloved sleep.’
It’s NOT GOD’S WILL for us to BURN the CANDLE at BOTH ENDS.
Psalm 23:2 “HE makes me to lie down in green pastures; HE leads me beside the still waters.’
DAVID here is referring to TIMES of REST.
If we were a SHEEP we would UNDERSTAND this for this is a PERFECT PICTURE of PARADISE.
Green Pastures & Quiet Still Waters.
It refers to REST & REFRESHMENT. It was a NECESSITY for the GROWTH & HEALTH & the WELL BEING of the SHEEP.
In other words, GOD doesn’t want us to WORK & STRIVE CONSTANTLY.
A recent CNN POLL recently showed that 59% of all AMERICANS would like to SLOW DOWN & RELAX MORE.
Another poll showed that we have 8.5 less LEISURE HOURS in a week than we had a DECADE ago.
We’re WORKING MORE & ENJOYING it LESS:
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This morning I want us to look at a PERSCRIPTION for PRESSURED PEOPLE:
GOD’S WAY for us to RELAX:
We’ll take each of the LETTERS of the word RELAX:
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R – REALIZE OUR WORTH:
The REASON that MOST PEOPLE tend to OVERWORK is they CONFUSE their WORTH with their WORK & WHAT their WORK can OBTAIN for them. MATERIAL THINGS:
Many people THINK that if they WORK a WHOLE LOT & EARN a WHOLE LOT & OBTAIN a WHOLE LOT then they’re WORTH a WHOLE LOT.
They CONFUSE WHAT they HAVE with WHAT they are WORTH.
That is EASILY PERCEIVED for that is EXACTLY the ATTITUDE of this PRESENT SOCIETY.
Many of us today HAVE MORE as far as MATERIAL POSSESSIONS than our PARENTS had.
Perhaps we were DETERMINED to BE MORE & HAVE MORE.
But there’s SOMETHING DANGEROUS about MATERIAL THINGS if we’re NOT CAREFUL.
1: The more we have the more we want. Seldom SATISFIED or THANKFUL
2: We tend to determine our worth & even other’s worth by the value of things.
& so in order to HAVE MORE we have to WORK MORE.
James 1:18 “We are the 1st fruits of all that GOD created.’
Our IMPORTANCE is NOT in the THINGS we possess.
Our IMPORTANCE is SIMPLY US.
It is US WITHOUT ANYTHING ADDED to US.
Luke 12:15 ‘A man’s life consists not in the abundance of the things he possesses.’
I know a man who THNKS he has to BUY HIS FRIENDS.
He is constantly BUYING them THINGS to obtain their FRIENDSHIP.
We don’t have to try to PROVE OUR WORTH.
We’re ETERNAL BEINGS made in the LIKENESS & IMAGE of GOD.
GOD gave HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON to DIE for our SINS.
We’re SONS & DAUGHTERS of the KING of KINGS.
We’re WORTH MORE than THINGS.
For ONE DAY every MATERIAL THING will PASS AWAY but you & I will LIVE FOREVER.
In Matthew chapter 6 JESUS talks about HOW GOD takes CARE of the SPARROWS of the FIELD.
GOD FEEDS THEM & KNOWS when they FALL.
Then JESUS adds: “& WE are of MUCH MORE VALUE to GOD than they are.’
It is NOT WHAT we have in the BANK that declares our WORTHINESS.
It’s WHAT’S on the INSIDE of us that DETERMINES our VALUE.
So we don’t have to WORK & WORK & WORK our lives away just so we can have MORE STUFF so we can FEEL GOOD about ourselves.
Isaiah 49:18 GOD said that I have ENGRAVED you on the PALM of MY HANDS.
That’s HOW MUCH we are WORTH to GOD.
E: ENJOY WHAT WE ALREADY HAVE:
Ecclesiastes 3:13 ‘& also that every man should eat & drink, & enjoy the good of all his labor, it is the gift of GOD.’
