#prayandgivethanks

[cornerstoneeldridge]

Pastor Scott’s Perspective December 2019

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)

Everybody gets anxious about something at some time in their lives. Some people live much of their lives at some level of anxiety. According to the American Psychological Association, 12% of millennials have an officially diagnosed anxiety disorder—which is nearly double the percentage of baby boomers. Other studies have found that 30 percent of working millennials are classified with general anxiety, and a 2014 American College Health Association (ACHA) assessment found that 61 percent of college students experience frequent anxiety. With such staggering numbers, millennials undoubtedly experience a great deal of stress, and subsequently, difficulty properly managing it.

Anxiety can take many forms and have many triggers, but it ultimately usually boils down to feeling worried or nervous about the future or feeling looming uncertainty in general.

What are we instructed to do when we are anxious? Pray and give thanks. So… how does one give thanks when one is feeling anxious? (I am talking here about “ordinary” anxiety common to us all, not about true anxiety disorders, which are more complicated.)

I am generally not an anxious person, but recently I have been experiencing some anxiety about my upcoming surgery (I’m writing this November 21, with my surgery scheduled for November 26).

Hip replacement surgery is a low-risk surgery, and I’m confident of a good outcome and strong recovery, just as Beth had. But every surgery has some risks, and my anxiety increased when my surgery was postponed (originally scheduled for Novem-ber 14) due to an abnormal EKG showing the possibility of Ischemia. I was caught off guard by that because my overall health is very good (except for my hip). What was the problem? How serious was it? Would this problem need to be corrected before I could have surgery? My pain was getting worse – how long would it be now before I could have the surgery? This was clearly not a life-or-death crisis by any means – as some of you have had – but it did cause some anxiety nonetheless.

I went to the TTI conference on November 7-11 not knowing how or when this would be resolved. While there, Beth and I attended an optional prayer session with some of the TTI staff and international leaders. I requested prayer for Zion and for myself. Two of the international leaders prayed for me. Moses, the SE Asia leader from Myanmar, prayed fervently for me and Zion. 

And David, the leader from NE India, also prayed for my healing. Let me say a word about David. He was raised Hindu but became a Christian after his wife was healed in the name of Jesus. He began preaching the Gospel, he was arrested and beaten badly by Hindu radicals – and was hospitalized for four months. He got out of the hospital, continued to preach Christ, was arrested and beaten badly again – spending another four months in the hospital to recover. He got out of the hospital and resumed his preaching – but I guess his persecutors gave up beating him since it wasn’t stopping him. 4,000 churches have started under David’s ministry of making disciples who make disciples and planting churches that plant churches. 4,000! Not American style churches with paid pastors and church buildings. Rather, house churches of 20 or so disciples led by a disciple-making church-planter trained by TTI who in turn trains others to make disciples and plant churches. Spiritual Multiplication.

I was humbled to be prayed for by such a spiritual giant.

My echocardiogram and stress test took place on November 13, shortly after returning from the TTI conference. As part of the treadmill stress test, they placed me in a machine that came over my head and chest – very close – so that it feels like you’re in a tunnel (though it wasn’t). The machine takes pictures of the heart for 15-17 minutes from all different angles while you keep still. Could be a little anxiety-producing. So I prayed. And I meditated on Psalm 23. The LORD is my Shepherd…

I affirmed the truth – and gave thanks -- that I am secure in the love and care of Jesus Christ who is more powerful than anything that could come against me or cause anxiety.

While I was meditating on Psalm 23 – with my eyes closed – in my mind’s eye I saw a picture of Jesus standing on the other side of the machine – looking down at me – and telling me that everything was going to be ok. I would not call it a vision in the biblical sense – more just like a mental image of Jesus speaking words of assurance and comfort to me. Whatever it was, his Presence was very powerful and was indeed greatly comforting. His Presence gave me a sense of peace (though my blood pressure was higher than normal right before and during the treadmill test).

At the end of that day, I received the good news that my echocardiogram was normal. And then Friday afternoon I received the stress test results with the glad news: “You’re good to go for surgery – no issues.”

I don’t know the explanation for the abnormal EKG. Either it showed something that wasn’t there – or if there was a problem, God healed me at the TTI conference. Either way, my heart is healthy and ready for surgery.

What did I learn about giving thanks in the midst of anxiety? These truths enabled me to give thanks when I was feeling anxious:

1) I am secure in the love and care of Jesus, my Good Shepherd.

2) God is Sovereign over all – including all of my life circumstances.

3) Jesus has already defeat-ed Death and all evil powers that could come against me or threaten my well-being now or ever.

4) My future is secure – and my eternity is secure – because I belong to Jesus and He is Victor over death.

5) My eternal salvation is secure because my eternal security is based on the finished work of Je-sus Christ and the sure promises of God’s Word – not on my performance.

6) Because my eternal destiny is certain – the hope of glory – therefore nothing that happens in this earthly life can threaten my eternal well-being. Death is the greatest threat to our future well-being, and Death is a Defeated Foe.

7) The Cross of Jesus proves His love for me, and the Resurrection of Jesus proves His invincible power over Death and all other foes, and therefore I can rest secure in the knowledge of his unfailing love and sovereign control.

Anxiety is rooted in insecurity and uncertainty. The Gospel offers us the security of being accepted and loved by God on the basis of the merits of Jesus Christ – security not dependent on our up and down performance – a security that cannot be lost. And the Gospel offers us the certainty of the hope of glory because Christ lives in us and has conquered death. And the Gospel offers us the security of being loved by the Sovereign King of the universe – nothing can thwart His good and loving purposes for us.

It is by meditating on these Gospel truths that we can give thanks even when we are anxious.

The best is yet to come.

[muffinmuffy]

Good morning blessed Sunday! #Sundayverse #prayandgivethanks #begrateful

[muffinmuffy]

A blessed Sunday to all! Happy 3 kings! Mwah! #Subdayverse #begrateful #prayandgivethanks