6/7/26 – Worrying Changes Nothing –  Matthew 6:25-34

Worrying about tomorrow has never paid a single bill or fixed a single problem. If you are tired of carrying stress that isn’t yours to bear, this sermon is for you. Welcome to Part 2 of our new series, Solid Ground. When the world feels shaky, this is how you build a life on a foundation that will never crack.

Refuge Church Byhalia exists to share the hope of Jesus, love our neighbors in Byhalia, Barton, & beyond, & grow together as a family. We meet every Sunday at 11 AM. You can find us at 3964 MS-309 N., Byhalia, MS 38611 

Intro

• Alright well
•  Good Morning!
• So glad you all are here 
• My name is Michael and I serve as the Planting Pastor here at Refuge Church Byhalia
• I’m glad you chose to worship with us today
• And before we dive into the Word, a few housekeeping items 
• 1 – we have a new sign on order to replace the broken one – it should be in this week, I’m sorry we’ve had a broken one for a few weeks 
• 2 – happy Summer and happy summer to the max launch day! 
• Our amazing RC-Kids Team Leads have been working hard and planning and praying for this summer to be an amazing and impactful time for all of our kids 
• I want you guys to think of this special event we are doing for 8 weeks just like you thought of VBS back in the day
  • Each weeek will be fun and have a special activity tied to it 
  • And nobody has to take off of work 
  • And the wonderful parents of our guests can participate with us here in our services while their kids enjoy summer to the max
  • So I’m going to voice a special prayer for the amazing Kingdom work going on in RC-Kids over these 8 weeks.
  • Let’s pray.
• Now today, we continue our series – Solid Ground (Graphic)
• Where we look to the Word of God and see how to build our lives on a firm foundation, even when so many things around us feel shaky and breakable. 
• From work, to parenting, to marriage, to keeping money in the bank & our wallets
• So many things can make us feel nervous and anxious
• Like we are standing on an unsettled foundation
• Today we talk about worrying, and anxiety, and stressing about the next thing.
• And what I hope that we will see is that
• Worrying about tomorrow has never paid a single bill or fixed a single problem.
• Isn’t that the truth 
• Otherwise I’d probably have no bills 
• Because I tend to be a worrier 
• A stresser
• Sometimes I disguise my worry and say things like I’m a thoughtful planner
• Or I’m a trained project manager 
• But the reality is I worry and try to control every situation
• Alan one of our other elders
• He and I have joked repeatedly about how God shows up over and over after we’ve worried and stressed. 
• And maybe someday we will grow enough to stop worrying.
• Look he and I’ve known each other for nearly 17 years now. 
• Wow – sorry that’s making me feel very aged…. 
• Anyway – when we met it was keeping the grades up in college
• Will o even finish college
• You know what – both of us did 
• Another worry, Will I find a wife
• Hey looky there we did
• Will I find a job
• Where will I live 
• Jobs have come and gone, but we have both stayed well employed 
• We’ve got good houses
• Ok now worry about starting a family 
• And boom we’ve got 7 kids between our 2 families
• And it’s like no matter how clearly God got us to the next step we would say things like well, there’s no way God can help me get through this next season 
• And the worry and stress would grow
• That’s been our pattern 
• And it’s a bit silly to be honest
• Well today, Jesus is going to remind us, that worrying and stressing
• Being anxious 
• It’s not the path of righteousness 
• So let’s see what Jesus has to say
• So we can grow and by the grace of God, no matter what season we are in, 
• Please open your Bible now to Matthew 6:25-34 Page ___
• Today’s sermon is titled Worrying Changes Nothing 
• Page numbers are on the screen for the Blue Bibles 

Matthew 6:25-34 Page ___ “^{25 e}“Therefore I tell you, ^fdo not be anxious 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 g}Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. ^hAre you not of more value than they? ²⁷ And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his ⁱspan of life?^{1 28} And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, ²⁹ yet I tell you, ^jeven Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. ³⁰ But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, ^kO you of little faith? ³¹ Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ ³² For ^lthe Gentiles seek after all these things, and ^myour heavenly Father knows that you need them all. ³³ But ⁿseek first ^othe kingdom of God and his righteousness, ^pand all these things will be added to you. ^{34 q}“Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”

Prayer

• Let’s Pray.
  • Lord help us to be people that trust you
  • Help us to see that worrying is sinful and can lead us down a dangerous path
  • Lord help us to run after the Kingdom and righteousness rather than running after the next earthly milestone – Amen

Point 1 – Worrying about today & tomorrow, is sinful and dangerous. 

• Jesus starts with the command
• Don’t be anxious
• And maybe someday we will grow and do exactly what Jesus says every moment of every day
• But at this phase of my life
• I know that’s not me yet
• But Jesus clearly says
• Don’t be anxious
• Don’t worry
• About food
• About stuff
• And then goes on to give us examples of things God cares for that don’t seem anxious
• And we are so loved – the created things that bear the image of God
• God’s going to take care of us
• Now a quick aside – Jesus is not saying it’s ok to be lazy and assume food and clothing would show up magically
• Rather Jesus is saying – work hard – live Holy set apart lives – follow Him
• And God’s going to take care of you
• Don’t strain mentally or physically for what’s coming next
• And if we disobey Jesus and this command to not be anxious
• We will be committing a sin. 
• Whether we call it worry or being anxious or whatever – it is disobeying Jesus and therefore sinful.
• Here’s how Warren Wiersbe puts it:“Jesus said that worry is sinful. We may dignify worry by calling it by some other name— concern, burden, a cross to bear-but the results are still the same.“ -Warren Wiersbe 
• Which more than likely means
• I’m standing in front of a room full of sinners
• Worrying sinners
• Myself included.
• But it cannot be more simple folks
• We say all the time – jump when the bible says jump and sit when it says sit
• Well here’s a clear sit down moment
• Do not be anxious Jesus says
• And you should have seen me Friday when I made my to do list for my full time job and found it to be 3 pages long with small tiny print
• Pastor & Theologian John MacArthur would be blunt with me in this comment he made: “Worry at any time is a sin because it violates the clear biblical command.” – John MacArthur 
• I want to be like John I know it’s clear
• But Jesus doesn’t know I work 2 essentially full time jobs
• Jesus doesn’t know I have 4 kids that I so desperately want to know Him and launch into the World and see them live holy joyful lives
• Jesus doesn’t know about the pain and sorrow of the past 6 months and the scars i bear from early in my life
• John I know not worrying is a clear biblical command
• But this moment, this season, this situation seems to be too much.
• And John MacArthur’s pastoral advice to me 
• Would be – is the Word of God clear, yes or no?
• Well yes it is
• Is God still God, Michael, & is He still in control?
• Well of course He is in control, otherwise He wouldn’t be God. 
• And then John would quip to me – then quit worrying
• Not easy – but not impossible either
• Let’s turn to James and see what Jesus’ half brother had to say on this. 
• James 4:13-14   Page ___ “ ¹³ Come now, you who say, ^s“Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— ¹⁴ yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For ^tyou are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. ” 
• Don’t boast about tomorrow
• Don’t worry about tomorrow
• In the grand expanse of forever
• Of eternity
• This big thing that is causing you to lose sleep
• Is a momentary blip in the mist of your life. 
• God’s got this. 
• And friends
• We have to take this seriously
• Worrying – and freaking out about the cares of this life
• Can be a sign – and a step on a path that proves – you never trusted in Jesus
• IN the parable of the soils – Jesus describes a false convert type where a person appears to have heard the Gospel, and seemed to have a response
• But at some point in their life – they started losing sleep and caring for the things of this life and running hard after money and stuff rather than running after Jesus
• Thus proving – they did not put their trust in Jesus completely
• Because they abandoned him due to the cares of this world and pursuit of riches.
• Turn to Matthew 13:22   Page ___ “²² As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but ^rthe cares of ^sthe world and ^tthe deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful.  ” 
• That passage is a powerful one
• And one we will get to eventually so i won’t go too deep with it today
• But friends
• Worrying is sinful – and dangerous
• So dangerous it could lead to you running from God.
• And yes, I believe in eternal security
• For those who persevere to the end
• But that’s a different sermon for a different day. 
• Now point number 2
• Why is worrying so sinful and dangerous? Because

Point 2 – Worrying is a way of saying God, I don’t trust you. 

• I mean think about it
• All sin is us pridefully saying we know better than God
• Lying, Lusting, Stealing, Worshipping created things instead of the creator
• All rooted in a prideful moment of Hey God, I know better than you, I don’t trust you.
• Listen to how late New York City Church Planter &  Pastor Tim Keller put it “Worry is not believing God will get it right, and bitterness is believing God got it wrong.” – Tim Keller 
• Hoofta
• That’s heavy
• All that anxiety and hand wringing
• Is a lack in the trust of the promise of God that He is working through all things and will work through all things
• For our good & His glory
• That’s either true – or God is not God
• And yet we worry
• Which is a way of saying, God will not get it right
• And then when we have ill feelings toward what has happened – which will still work for our good & God’s glory
• Even the bad days
• Our bitterness is saying & believing God got it wrong…
• How arrogant can we be friends?
• If I’m honest, I can be pretty arrogant.
• Then Charles Spurgeon puts me in my place…. “The very essence of anxiety is the imagining that we are wiser than God…” – Charles H. Spurgeon 
• That doesn’t do it
• How about RC Sproul – “Our worries and anxieties really do come from a lack of trust in the promises of God.” – R.C. Sproul 
• Jesus said don’t be anxious
• And yet I’m anxious
• Farther along believers that are now with the Lord have said the same thing
• And yet I don’t find it easy to believe
• I don’t think it is easy to sit here and not be anxious
• And this is a moment we must say
• Holy Spirit Help me not worry
• Help me not be anxious
• We got to go to the anti-temptation war chest and grab a card about worrying
• And read out loud the verses against worry and stressing
• Every time worrying creeps up
• The fire of sinful anxiety trying to take over
• Read the card
• LIke this – Holy Spirit Help me live as your word says in….
• -“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7
• -“casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7
• -“Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” Matthew 6:34
• Now – I have some quotes from people
• And when I share these
• It’s mainly because – these writers and authors have helped me
• And I don’t think I could say it better than them
• So here are 2 more quotes
• “Anxiety does not empty tomorrow of its sorrows, but only empties today of its strength.” – Charles H. Spurgeon
  • Bad things still happen
  • Butterfly and rainbows aren’t the only parts of the Christian life
  • But God is still God, He is in control, and He is at work in everything for our good and His glory! 
• “Worry is looking out at the world and being afraid that God isn’t going to get it right… You’re filled with anxiety because you think life is up to you.” – Tim Keller
  • When we worry – we are not trusting God
  • And we are saying He is not sovereign and in control
  • And we are living as if we are in control 
• But friends this cannot be our marker
• This cannot be how we live
• We have to trust God
• We have to let Him be in control
• And ask the HOly Spirit to help us trust Him and His sovereign hand
• Help us grow and become more like Christ
• “We cannot alter the disposals of Providence, therefore we must submit and resign ourselves to them. “ -Matthew Henry
• Wow
• Just wow
• How do we do that
• Refuge, how do we trust God & His providence?
• Here’s what I think Jesus want’s to do

Point 3 – Run after Jesus & trust Him with tomorrow, and things will go well for you.

• Run
• Yes run
• Fast
• Hard
• After Jesus
• And trust HIm
• Follow Him
• Obey Him
• Do what he says
• Work, no really, all of us, work
• And Work hard, no matter what work you do
• And things will go well for you. 
• Warren Wiersbe has this simple helpful comment
• “If we put God’s will and God’s righteousness first in our lives, He will take care of everything else. “ -Warren Wiersbe 
• If we follow this book Refuge family
• If we run after Jesus
• If we obey Him
• If we trust His hand over our lives
• He will take care of us
• And y’all get ready – it’s going to be an amazing adventure
• And in the end, we will hear well done good and faithful servant
• So, let’s repent & trust God and stop worrying
• Matthew Henry says this  “Take no thought for your life. Not about the length of it; but refer it to God to lengthen or shorten it as he pleases; our times are in his hand, and they are in a good hand. “ -Matthew Henry
• Do you believe that?
• Do you think that’s true?
• That we are in a good hand?

Conclusion – 

• You know, it’s hard sometimes to believe these things
• And live them out
• And before you walk out and say – preacher man don’t know how it is
• Life is hard
• Things aren’t easy
• What I want to challenge us to do
• Is remember the promises of God
• And the examples of God working – in many and any season
• You see friends
• God’s been turning normal situations for worry around since the beginning
• Here are some examples of God showing up and showing out in situations that would be easy to worry
  • You may be worried about putting food on the table every day? God sent manna and quail from heaven every morning for forty years in the wilderness. (Exodus 16)
  • You may be worried about making it through hard times with no food? God sent ravens to deliver bread and meat to Elijah twice a day. (1 Kings 17)
  • You may be worried about having nothing left and bills piling up? God multiplied a poor widow’s last bit of oil so she could pay her debts and provide for her family. (2 Kings 4)
  • You may be worried about sudden bills or taxes you can’t afford? Jesus told Peter to catch a fish — and the exact coin needed was in its mouth. (Matthew 17)
  • You may be worried about family and not being able to have children? God gave Abraham and Sarah a son in their old age, just as He promised. (Genesis 15–21)
  • You may be worried about raising your kids right? Hannah prayed for a son, dedicated him to the Lord, and Samuel grew up to become a powerful prophet who guided God’s people. (1 Samuel 1–3)
  • You may be worried about keeping your children safe? Moses’ mother hid him from Pharaoh who wanted him dead; & God protected him and used him to deliver His people. (Exodus 2)
  • You may be worried about betrayal or losing everything? God raised Joseph up from slavery and prison to a position of great authority, where he saved his family and many others. (Genesis 37–50)
  • You may be worried about someone trying to harm you? God protected David while King Saul hunted him and eventually made David king. (1 Samuel 18–31)
  • You may be worried about going through the fire? God delivered Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego from a blazing furnace, someone was in there with them even, and they emerged without even the smell of smoke. (Daniel 3)
  • You may be worried about serious sickness or failing health? God healed King Hezekiah and added fifteen more years to his life when he prayed. (2 Kings 20)
  • You may be worried about a disease that seems hopeless? God healed Naaman of leprosy when he obeyed and washed in the river. (2 Kings 5)
  • You may be worried about enemies or problems that feel too big to handle? God parted the Red Sea so His people walked through on dry ground, then overwhelmed Pharaoh’s entire army. (Exodus 14)
• God has sown up time and time again
• And he will show up in your life
• And in your season
• And work in and through it
• Friends trust Him
• Lean onto examples from scripture
• Starting with putting your faith in jesus
• Maybe you’re here and you’re white knuckled from worrying
• Today, let me invite you to take a step of faith away from anxiety
• Andinto great peace that suprasses understanding
• Here’s what that looks like
• It starts by saying God, I know I’m a sinner, and I’ve disobeyed you. And I’m sorry. I am ready to trust Jesus & follow Him as Lord.
• If you’re ready to pray that
• And live that
• Come see me after service
• Come see our prayer team after service
• Or mark one of the next steps on your care card. 
• Let’s pray – and we will close out service shortly.

“ -Matthew Henry

• “There is scarcely any sin against which our Lord Jesus more warns his disciples, than disquieting, distracting, distrustful cares about the things of this life. “ -Matthew Henry
• “This often insnares the poor as much as the love of wealth does the rich. “ -Matthew Henry
• “there is a carefulness about temporal things which is a duty, though we must not carry these lawful cares too far. “ -Matthew Henry
• “Take no thought for your life. Not about the length of it; but refer it to God to lengthen or shorten it as he pleases; our times are in his hand, and they are in a good hand. “ -Matthew Henry
• “Food and raiment God has promised, therefore we may expect them. “ -Matthew Henry
• “As we must not boast of tomorrow, so we must not care for to-morrow, or the events of it. “ -Matthew Henry
• “Improve this as an encouragement to trust in God. “ -Matthew Henry
• “We cannot alter the disposals of Providence, therefore we must submit and resign ourselves to them. “ -Matthew Henry
• “Thoughtfulness for our souls is the best cure of thoughtfulness for the world. Seek first the kingdom of God, and make religion your business: say not that this is the way to starve; no, it is the way to be well provided for, even in this world. “ -Matthew Henry
• “Happy are those who take the Lord for their God, and make full proof of it by trusting themselves wholly to his wise disposal. “ -Matthew Henry

“ -Warren Wiersbe

• “Covetousness will not only cheapen our riches, but it will also cheapen us! “ -Warren Wiersbe
• “We will start to become worried and anxious, and this anxiety is unnatural and unspiritual. “ -Warren Wiersbe
• “The person who pursues money thinks that riches will solve his problems, when in reality, riches will create more problems! “ -Warren Wiersbe
• “Material wealth gives a dangerous, false sense of security, and that feeling ends in tragedy.“ -Warren Wiersbe
• “All of nature depends on God, and God never fails. Only mortal man depends on money, and money always fails.“ -Warren Wiersbe
• “Jesus said that worry is sinful. We may dignify worry by calling it by some other name— concern, burden, a cross to bear-but the results are still the same.“ -Warren Wiersbe
• “Worry pulls us apart.“ -Warren Wiersbe
• “He has great blessings for us if only we will yield to Him and live for the riches that last forever.“ -Warren Wiersbe
• “To worry about material things is to live like the heathen! “ -Warren Wiersbe
• “If we put God’s will and God’s righteousness first in our lives, He will take care of everything else. “ -Warren Wiersbe
• “What a testimony it is to the world when a Christian dares to practice Matthew 6:33! What a tragedy it is when so many of us fail to practice it.“ -Warren Wiersbe
• “Worrying about tomorrow does not help either tomorrow or today. If anything, it robs us of our effectiveness today—which means we will be even less effective tomorrow. “ -Warren Wiersbe
• “Someone has said that the average person is crucifying himself between two thieves: the regrets of yesterday and the worries about tomorrow. “ -Warren Wiersbe
• “It is right to plan for the future and even to save for the future (2 Cor. 12:14; 1 Tim. 5:8). But it is a sin to worry about the future and permit tomorrow to rob today of its blessings.“ -Warren Wiersbe

“ -John MacArthur

• “Obviously this in no way advocates a sinful kind of idleness (Prov. 19:15).“ -John MacArthur
• “6:30 you of little faith. Ct. 8:26; 14:31; 16:8; 17:20. This was the Lord’s recurring rebuke of the weak disciples.“ -John MacArthur
• “the kingdom. This is the same as the kingdom of heaven. See note on 3:2. It refers to the sphere of salvation. Jesus was urging them to seek salvation —and with it would come the full care and provision of God. Cf. Rom. 8:32; Phil. 4:19; 1 Pet. 5:7.“ -John MacArthur

Other

• “Anxiety does not empty tomorrow of its sorrows, but only empties today of its strength.” – Charles H. Spurgeon
• “Worry is not believing God will get it right, and bitterness is believing God got it wrong.” – Tim Keller
• “Faith, according to our Lord’s teaching in this paragraph, is primarily thinking. And the whole trouble with a man of little faith is that he does not think. … That is the essence of worry.” – Martyn Lloyd-Jones
• “Our worries and anxieties really do come from a lack of trust in the promises of God.” – R.C. Sproul
• “Worry at any time is a sin because it violates the clear biblical command.” – John MacArthur
• “Jesus does not want his followers to be anxious.” – John Piper
• “The very essence of anxiety is the imagining that we are wiser than God…” – Charles H. Spurgeon
• “Worry is a forbidden sin. Incompatible with the fact that God is your father. … That makes worry stupid as well as sinful.” – John MacArthur
• “It is anxiety that robs us of our joy. And what is anxiety but fear? Fear is the enemy of joy.” – R.C. Sproul
• “We must never for a second worry about anything that cannot be affected or changed by us. It is a waste of energy.” – Martyn Lloyd-Jones
• “Worry is looking out at the world and being afraid that God isn’t going to get it right… You’re filled with anxiety because you think life is up to you.” – Tim Keller
• “Anxiety cannot help you… it is quite useless.” – Charles H. Spurgeon (on Matthew 6 context)
• “Jesus commands us not to worry.” – John MacArthur
• “Turn this care into prayer.” – Charles H. Spurgeon
• “Prayer… is the greatest antidote to worry.” – R.C. Sproul

Cross References

• Proverbs 19:15 Page ___ “^{15  y}Slothfulness casts into ^za deep sleep, and ^aan idle person will suffer hunger. “
• Romans 8:32 Page ___ “^{32 q}He who did not spare his own Son but ^rgave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?  “
• Philemon 4:19 Page ___ “^{19 a}I, Paul, write this with my own hand: I will repay it—to say nothing of your owing me even your own self.   “
• 1 Peter 5:7 Page ___ “^{7 y}casting all your anxieties on him, because ^zhe cares for you.  “
• Matthew 8:26 Page ___ “²⁶ And he said to them, “Why are you ⁱafraid, ^jO you of little faith?” Then he rose and ^krebuked the winds and the sea, and ^lthere was a great calm. “
• Matthew 14:31 Page ___ “³¹ Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, ^t“O you of little faith, why did you ^udoubt?”  “
• Matthew 16:8 Page ___ “⁸ But ^qJesus, aware of this, said, ^r“O you of little faith, why are you discussing among yourselves the fact that you have no bread?  “
• Matthew 17:20 Page ___ “²⁰ He said to them, ^h“Because of your little faith. For ⁱtruly, I say to you, ^jif you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, ^kyou will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and ^lnothing will be impossible for you.”⁵  “
• 2 Corinthians 12:14 Page ___ “ ¹⁴ Here ^vfor the third time I am ready to come to you. And I will not be a burden, for ^wI seek not what is yours but you. For ^xchildren are not obligated to save up for their parents, but ^yparents for their children.  “
• 1 Timothy 5:8 Page ___ “⁸ But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for ^lmembers of his household, he has ^mdenied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.  “
• Luke 12:22-31   Page ___ “ ²² And he said to his disciples, ^f“Therefore I tell you, ^gdo not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on. ²³ For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. ^{24 h}Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. ⁱOf how much more value are you than the birds! ²⁵ And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his ^jspan of life?^{3 26} If then you are not able to do as small a thing as that, why are you anxious about the rest? ²⁷ Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, ^keven Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. ²⁸ But if God so clothes the grass, which is alive in the field today, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, ^lO you of little faith! ²⁹ And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor ^mbe worried. ³⁰ For ⁿall the nations of the world seek after these things, and ⁿyour Father knows that you need them. ³¹ Instead, ^oseek ^phis⁴ kingdom, ^qand these things will be added to you. ”
• Matthew 10:19   Page ___ “ ^{19 r}When ^uthey deliver you over, ^vdo not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for ^wwhat you are to say will be given to you in that hour.   ”
• ***Matthew 13:22   Page ___ “²² As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but ^rthe cares of ^sthe world and ^tthe deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful.  ”
• 1 Corinthians 7:32   Page ___ “³² I want you to be ^efree from anxieties. ^fThe unmarried man is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to please the Lord.  ”
• Philemon 4:6   Page ___ “⁶ and I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective for the full ^jknowledge of every good thing that is in us for the sake of Christ.¹  ”
• 1 Peter 5:7   Page ___ “^{7 y}casting all your anxieties on him, because ^zhe cares for you.  ”
• Job 38:41   Page ___ “ ⁴¹  Who provides for ^ethe raven its prey, when its young ones cry to God for help, and wander about for lack of food?”
• Psalm 147:9   Page ___ “ ⁹  He ^agives to the beasts their food, and to ^bthe young ravens that cry.”
• Matthew 10:31   Page ___ “³¹ Fear not, therefore; ⁿyou are of more value than many sparrows.  ”
• Luke 2:52   Page ___ “⁵² And Jesus ⁱincreased in wisdom and in stature⁹ and in ⁱfavor with God and man.  ”
• 1 Kings 10:4-7   Page ___ “⁴ And when the queen of Sheba had seen all the wisdom of Solomon, the house that he had built, ⁵ the food of his table, the seating of his officials, and the attendance of his servants, their clothing, his cupbearers, and his burnt offerings that he offered at the house of the Lord, there was no more breath in her. ⁶ And she said to the king, “The report was true that I heard in my own land of your words and of your wisdom, ⁷ but I did not believe the reports until I came and my own eyes had seen it. And behold, the half was not told me. Your wisdom and prosperity surpass the report that I heard.  ”
• Matthew 8:26   Page ___ “ ²⁶ And he said to them, “Why are you ⁱafraid, ^jO you of little faith?” Then he rose and ^krebuked the winds and the sea, and ^lthere was a great calm. ”
• Matthew 14:31   Page ___ “³¹ Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, ^t“O you of little faith, why did you ^udoubt?”   ”
• Matthew 16:8   Page ___ “⁸ But ^qJesus, aware of this, said, ^r“O you of little faith, why are you discussing among yourselves the fact that you have no bread? ”
• Matthew 17:20   Page ___ “²⁰ He said to them, ^h“Because of your little faith. For ⁱtruly, I say to you, ^jif you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, ^kyou will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and ^lnothing will be impossible for you.”⁵  ”
• 1 Kings 3:11-14   Page ___ “¹¹ And God said to him, “Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches or the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, ¹² behold, ^rI now do according to your word. Behold, ^sI give you a wise and discerning mind, so that none like you has been before you and none like you shall arise after you. ^{13 t}I give you also what you have not asked, ^uboth riches and honor, so that no other king shall compare with you, all your days. ¹⁴ And if you will walk in my ways, keeping my statutes and my commandments, ^vas your father David walked, then ^wI will lengthen your days.”  ”
• Mark 10:29   Page ___ “²⁹ Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, ⁿthere is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and ^ofor the gospel,  ”
• 1 Timothy 4:8   Page ___ “⁸ for while ^mbodily training is of some value, godliness ⁿis of value in every way, as ^oit holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.”
• 1 Peter 3:9   Page ___ “^{9 y}Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, ^zbless, for ^ato this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing.   ”

James 4:13-14   Page ___ “ ¹³ Come now, you who say, ^s“Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— ¹⁴ yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For ^tyou are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. ”