This week Bro. Leo continues our study of faith and prayer with the reason God wants us to cast our cares upon Him.

In this study Bro. Leo stresses the importance of spending time with Jesus, both speaking to Him and listening to Him.  Communication with God is how we are able to cast our cares upon Him and He is able to instill in us His peace and direct our paths (1Pet.5:7, Num.6:24-26, Lam.3:21-25, Jer.29:11-14.  Without communication with God we are operating on our own understanding, knowledge and power (Prov.3:5-6).

God knows and wants to give us what is best for us because He cares about each of us (1Pet.5:7, Matt.11:28-30) and the only way He can do that is if we seek Him with all our heart (John 7:37-39, Heb.11:6).

Scriptures used in today’s message:

Mat 11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Mat 11:29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
Mat 11:30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Joh 7:37 In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.
Joh 7:38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.
Joh 7:39 (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)

Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

1Pe 5:7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

Num 6:24 The LORD bless thee, and keep thee:
Num 6:25 The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee:
Num 6:26 The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.

Lam 3:21 This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope.
Lam 3:22 It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.
Lam 3:23 They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.
Lam 3:24 The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.
Lam 3:25 The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.

Jer 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.
Jer 29:12 Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you.
Jer 29:13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.
Jer 29:14 And I will be found of you, saith the LORD: and I will turn away your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places whither I have driven you, saith the LORD; and I will bring you again into the place whence I caused you to be carried away captive.

Pro 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
Pro 3:6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

1Co 14:33 For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.

Mat 10:29 Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father.
Mat 10:30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
Mat 10:31 Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.

Psa 56:8 Thou tellest my wanderings: put thou my tears into thy bottle: are they not in thy book?
Psa 56:9 When I cry unto thee, then shall mine enemies turn back: this I know; for God is for me.
Psa 56:10 In God will I praise his word: in the LORD will I praise his word.
Psa 56:11 In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do unto me.
Psa 56:12 Thy vows are upon me, O God: I will render praises unto thee.
Psa 56:13 For thou hast delivered my soul from death: wilt not thou deliver my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of the living?

Rom 8:31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?
Rom 8:32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?

This week Bro. Leo continues our study of faith and prayer with part 2 of God’s will to exchange His peace for our stress/sin of worry.  E.M. Bounds calls an overwhelming or continuous state of anxiety the “besetting sin of worry”.  This study reveals the Biblical principals of how God promises to relieve His children of this sin.

Phil. 4:6-7 reveals to us God’s promise of exchanging His peace for our stress.  In this message Bro. Leo explains 3 Biblical principles which must be followed in order for God to accomplish His will for us in this request.
1) We have to believe and understand this promise from God.
2) We have to believe that God is able to accomplish His promise.
3) We have to understand why God will accomplish this promise.  To do this we must understand God’s character-He cares for us 1Pet.5:7

Scriptures used in today’s message:

Php 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
Php 4:7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Mat 6:25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?
Mat 6:26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?
Mat 6:32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

Rom 8:32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?

Psa 37:1 A Psalm of David. Fret not thyself
Psa 37:7 Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself
Psa 37:3 Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.
Psa 37:4 Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.
Psa 37:5 Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.
Psa 37:6 And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday.

Joh 14:27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

Mat 11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Mat 11:29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
Mat 11:30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

1Pe 5:7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

Isa 26:3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.
Isa 26:4 Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength:

Isa 45:11 Thus saith the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker, Ask me of things to come concerning my sons, and concerning the work of my hands command ye me.
Isa 45:12 I have made the earth, and created man upon it: I, even my hands, have stretched out the heavens, and all their host have I commanded.

This week Bro. Leo continues our study of faith and prayer with the Biblical instruction of exchanging our anxiety with God’s peace.  Today’s message is an introduction to this subject.  Over the next few weeks we will be searching deeper into God’s word on this subject.

In Phil. 4:6-7 and 1Pet.5:7 we are instructed not to be anxious and if we are we need to give that anxiety to God and in exchange He will give us His peace.  In 1Pet.5:7 the word “care” is translated from the Greek word “merimna” which means care that brings disruption to your heart and mind, to be troubled mentally.

John 14:27 tells us there is a difference between the peace of God and the peace of the world.  Worldly peace is circumstantial, when things are going good we are at peace but when they go bad we are anxious.  God’s peace has nothing to do with our circumstances only our relationship with Him.   The word “peace” is translated from the Greek word “eirēnē” which means un-troubled, un-disturbed, absent of strife, sense of well being and inner rest.

The sin of anxiety is actually the sin of lack of trust.  If we believe and trust God and His Word we will not continue in a state of anxiety because we will “cast our cares” to God fully expecting to receive God’s peace in return.

Scriptures used in today’s message:

1Jn 5:13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.
1Jn 5:14 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:
1Jn 5:15 And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.

Php 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
Php 4:7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Mat 6:34 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.

1Pe 5:7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

Php 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
Php 4:7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Php 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

Joh 14:27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

1Co 14:33 For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.

Mat 11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Num 6:26 The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.

Isa 26:3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.
Isa 26:4 Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength:

Psa 37:3 Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.
Psa 37:4 Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.
Psa 37:5 Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.
Psa 37:6 And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday.
Psa 37:7 Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.

This week Bro. Leo continues our study of faith with a look at part 3 of the faith that expects God to answer prayer.

Listen to this weeks message and gain the Scriptural discernment needed to answer the following questions:

Is my prayer just a “religious ritual” or am I actually communicating with God?

Are my prayers perfectly aligned with God’s will or are they requests of my own will?

Is the ultimate goal of my prayers to glorify God or is my goal selfish gain?

Do I pray with absolute confidence that God will answer my prayer?

Why doesn’t God answer all my prayers?

Do I pray often enough?

Scriptures used in today’s message:

Joh 14:13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
Joh 14:14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.

Luk 18:41 Saying, What wilt thou that I shall do unto thee? And he said, Lord, that I may receive my sight.
Luk 18:42 And Jesus said unto him, Receive thy sight: thy faith hath saved thee.
Luk 18:43 And immediately he received his sight, and followed him, glorifying God: and all the people, when they saw it, gave praise unto God.

Psa 50:15 And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.

Mal 3:10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.

Mat 7:7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
Mat 7:11 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?

Psa 116:1 I love the LORD, because he hath heard my voice and my supplications.
Psa 116:2 Because he hath inclined his ear unto me, therefore will I call upon him as long as I live.

Num 6:23 Speak unto Aaron and unto his sons, saying, On this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel, saying unto them,
Num 6:24 The LORD bless thee, and keep thee:
Num 6:25 The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee:
Num 6:26 The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.

1Ch 4:9 And Jabez was more honourable than his brethren: and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, Because I bare him with sorrow.
1Ch 4:10 And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested.