by Matt Grant

I led devotions this morning on the subject of humility and anxiety from I Peter 5. God gets the most glory when we cast our anxiety on Him and bring our worries to Him in prayer and petition with thanksgiving. See below for notes from todays devotional and prayer requests for our campus.

Men’s Prayer 9.17.08

Our Purpose (Romans 15:30 paraphrased): I urge you brothers, by the Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in prayer to God the Father for the glory of the name of Jesus.

The topic: Humility and Anxiety (based on John Piper’s sermon – Anxieties: To Be Cast Not Carried)

I Peter 5:5-7 “Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward on another, for ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’ Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on Him because he cares for you.”

God hates pride and calls us to humility in all things. In I Peter 5, humility is associated with anxiety (humble yourself…casting your anxiety on Him). Anxiety is the opposite of boldness (Piper). It can be excessive, all consuming, distracting, and immobilizing.

What kind of things or situations do we usually associate with anxiety?

What does humility have to do with anxiety?

How does humility create anxiety?

What do humility and control have in common?

How can we practically cast our anxiety on God?

Philippians 4:6-7 “Do not be anxious in anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

God commands us to not be anxious in anything and promises that if we come to Him in prayer, and thanksgiving for his faithfulness, then He will guard our heart and mind with peace through Jesus.

John 15:7-8 “If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.”

We can ask God to give us peace and to carry our burdens-because He commands us to! We can humbly come to the throne of Grace and strive in prayer for God to help us cast our anxieties on Him…obediently trusting Him. God will grant our request because it is in accordance with His will and He will be most glorified through our trust in Him. God will get more glory in us trusting Him, then in selfish, prideful, control-oriented worrying; and we will bear fruit for Him!

Some Quotes from Piper’s Sermon

• “God loves to magnify His power in carrying your anxiety…the one who carries the burden gets the glory.” SO cast your anxiety on Him!
• “Before you can humbly put yourself under God’s mighty hand, you’ve got to take your anxiety and confidently put it in His mighty hand…you’re under God and your anxieties are on God. You’ve got to stoop down and lay the anxiety stuff on top of God and then go under it. He’s carrying it and exerting His hands up off you, so you’re sheltered. If the anxiety is with you underneath, then His hand is coming down on you heavy until you get rid of it. You’ve got this mighty hand that upholds the universe and you’re told to go under there; and as you do, take your anxiety and put it on that powerful hand, because He very much wants to carry it.”

Shoreline Campus Prayer Requests

• Pray that God would use the new sermon series ‘The Peasant Princess’, to draw people in to our church to hear the Gospel and be brought from death to life. Pray for the ministry of reconciliation to move forward through this series. Pray for healing from sexual sin, and for healing in hurting marriages through this series.
• Pray for a permanent facility to lease or buy for the Shoreline Campus.
• Pray that the body at Shoreline would be motivated and inspired to actively live out their faith in missional engagement through Praxis midweek community and training this fall.
• Pray that this weekend’s Parenting Conference is effective in compelling veteran, current, and future parents to disciple their children’s hearts for Jesus.