Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.In nothing be anxious, but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.In nothing be anxious; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
32 sermons cite this verse
… writes so if you look at the letters of Paul you can tell by what he's addressing that he's addressing specific concerns and so one of the things that he says in Philippians 4 verses 6 through 7 is that be anxious for nothing. He's talking about prayer. But in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known. So, God, let's take a look at that for a minute. He says, be anxious for nothing. When I come to the Lord in prayer, I'm not coming to the Lord in prayer from a place of anxiety. That's the goal. Now, that's not always where I am, but the goal is to not come to the Lord from a place of anxiety. And we come to the Lord from a place of anxiety because we take our fears, our concerns, our doubt, our pride, our ego, and we go into the presence of the Lord and we start begging, Lord, please, please, please, I need you to do it. We do it from a place of anxiety, almost as if we aren't sure whether or not he will do it. But he says, if you're going to master your prayer life, I want you to get to a place where you come into the presence of the Lord where you're not anxious for anything? …
… There's power in the word. Be anxious for nothing, but by everything, with prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God that passeth all understanding will guard your heart and mind through Christ Jesus. There is power in the word. Cast your cares on God. God cares for you. There's power in the word. Delight thyself in the Lord. He'll give you the desires of your heart. There's power in the word. No weapon for the Christian shall prosper. Everything is everything. It is what it is, but it's all good. Shall we pray? God, thank you. Thank you that there's power in your word. Your word gives new life. Your word heals us when we're hurting. Your word lifts us when we're down. Your word gives us grace. When we're grief-stricken, your word gives us joy in our sorrow. Hope for tomorrow. Thank you for your word. God, please move now with power. Let no one leave here the same way they came. …
… I said to you a moment ago, if you're really worried about something, you're halfway to praying. I take that from Philippians chapter 4, verse 6. Thank you, Lord. He just gave me this Scripture right before I came out to show you what I'm saying. I think you know this one. Do not be anxious about anything, but every situation. In every situation, in every gath you feel trapped in. Name your own gath. I can't do that. I'll know what your gath is. You and God do. You're worried about that, right? Leave it up. I have to read the whole verse, y'all. By prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your request to God. Now, I'm not going to preach that. I'm just going to show you the last two words. To God. To God. Go back, please, to Psalm 56 now, and I think you'll see it in a very different light. Psalm 56, verse 1. Be merciful to me, my God, for my enemies are in hot pursuit. …
… And Jesus said to him, rise and go your way for faith has made you well. did you know God appreciates our appreciation in Philippians 4 verse 6 I love this in the living Bible Paul says don't worry about anything instead pray about everything tell God your needs and don't forget to thank him for his answers. God revels in our gratitude. Now, these five exhortations we looked at are good for any time, for any Christian, but they're especially useful and important in light of Christ's returns. And that is what verse 20 turns our attention to, the end time events that will precede the return of Jesus Christ. Look at verse 20. Now having been questioned by the Pharisees as to when the kingdom of God was coming, he answered them and said, the kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed, nor will they say, look, here it is. There it is. For behold, the kingdom of God is in your midst. Jesus basically said, wake up dummies. That's in the original text. Wake up dummies. …
… If you can fix your mind on one scripture if you need peace in your life Which all of us raise our hand and said we do it would be philippians chapter 4 verse 6. I want you to look at this It says don't worry about anything How many have some things that they came in here that if you started thinking about it long enough you would worry about it Come on, just be honest like you start worrying about it. Okay I have a message from god for you don't worry about anything instead that means we have to trade our actions pray about everything tell god what you need and thank him for all he has done thank him for lifting it every other time thank you father god for making me be able to still be here and see another day to lift in this life that he said look once you do that this is the most awesome verse about peace then you will experience God's peace like God, which exceeds anything we can understand. That's why you can lose a child and be smiling because the peace of God will exceed what we can understand and his peace. Now watch, it doesn't just exceed it. It gives us ADT. It gives us a security system. …
… Just pick up what God is putting down. Be anxious for nothing, but by everything with prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God that passeth all understanding will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. But once you don't panic, that's when you recognize now is the time to find out where the bubbles are. How do you find where the bubbles are? That's when you wave your hand. Wave it in the air like you know God cares. And when you wave your hand, that's why when you see me at church some Sundays and my hands go up, I'm trying to find the bubbles because once I find the bubbles, I've got a feeling everything is going to be all right. And once you find the bubble, remember that you're covered. You're covered by something that will pull you all the way back to the top. Somebody came to church, and if you don't believe me, ask our ancestors, those old school deacons who would get down on one knee in the midst of devotion. …
… Let your reasonableness be known to everyone because the Lord is at hand. 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 passes all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there's any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things and the God of peace will be with you. And then let me borrow really quickly from next week's passage. Verse 11, I have learned, you see, in whatever situation I am, to be content. I know how to be brought low and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. …
… That's what God will do for you. Philippians chapter 4, verse 6. I should give you these verses instead of just rushing. I get so excited about what God has done. Philippians 4 and 6 says, be anxious for nothing but in everything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God before you charge it, before you, see our problem is we got to have it now. We're unwilling to wait. We're unwilling to let God have an opportunity to provide it for you. And one of the reasons my faith is so strong in God, and one of the reasons my wife's faith is so strong in God is she's prayed about some things and she saw God open up the door and make a way. And when God does that for you, when you pray and God opens up the door and God makes a way and God puts it at the table, when God does it, it gives you faith. …
… But everything you pray about, you're at peace about. Oh, the Bible says in Philippians chapter 4, verse 6 and 7, Be anxious for nothing but in everything, through prayer and supplication with thanksgiving. Let your requests be made known to God, and the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your heart and your mind in Christ Jesus. and so Jesus goes I'll be anxious about this decision I won't have the the insight on this decision I won't know what to do and he says he's basically saying not my will but your will be done and one of my favorite sayings about prayer is from a man named D.L. Moody he used to say when I stopped praying coincidences stopped happening but you ever notice when you get away and you start praying and you're like, God, I need help with this person. I need this thing in my life. I need you to, and then just boom, boom. And you go, I was just praying about this. I was just praying for them. I was just, and just coincidence, coincidence, coincidence. Why? It's because heaven is getting, you're not getting heaven onto your agenda. You're asking heaven for you to get on their agenda. …
… known to everyone. The Lord is at hand with you, so don't be anxious about anything and everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving. Let your requests be made known to this God, and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard, same language, your heart and mine in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4, 11, I've learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I've learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me. Oh, to all who know and believe in this God, look in the mirror with contentment. And the God in whom you can do, you can face, you can endure all things with strength and joy and peace that surpasses all understanding, you can live your life with joyful contentment. And then, when you know, you believe in this God, casual religion will no longer be conceivable to you. …
… There's a verse in your Bible that says, be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. in petition there is a word that literally means a menu item it's something specific I don't mean like a restaurant menu but but something that's again it's great to say Lord I'm just worried but worried about what Lord friend Lord I'm worried about this conversation with my supervisor. I'm worried about whether the mortgage, if I'm going to have the money to pay the mortgage, I'm worried about what my wife thinks about this decision. Can you help me, please? And express it, put words around it, and present it to him. Let's do that, okay, for just a few moments. if you want to kneel or bow your head however you want if you take someone's hand I'm going to start this prayer but then I'm going to be quiet dearest father we are the sheep of your pasture the flock you tend hear our prayers What you're doing is you're hoisting the sail. …
… And again I say rejoice. And then he says be anxious for nothing. But by everything with prayer and supplication. With thanksgiving. Let your requests be made known unto God and the peace of God that passeth all understanding will guard your heart and mind through Christ Jesus. And then he says in that same chapter, listen, I need y'all to understand something. And that is I ain't tripping on my situation because I've learned in whatsoever state I am there with to be content. I can be up without acting up a T. I can be down without being depressed. depressed. I can be hungry without hating on folk who have food. I can be full without being selfish. As a matter of fact, I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength. He then wraps that thing up by saying, but my God shall supply all your needs according to his riches in glory. And he writes all of this in jail. He's in prison and writes this but here's the shout he says I'm in prison it's Good Friday but I have an Easter faith I have a resurrection faith that I may know him and the power of his resurrection I want to participate with him in his suffering I want to be made conformable to him so I can become like him in attaining death, but also resurrection. …
… what if we imagine in faith the best what-if? what if we say i believe that god can do all things and begin to apply philippians 4 6 and 7 that says i'm not going to be anxious don't be anxious about anything but in all situations right in all situations by our prayer and supplication when with thanksgiving we are going to present our request to god and the peace of god transcends that transcends all of our understanding will guard us, our hearts and our minds, in Christ Jesus. So years ago, I was in a long season of some health challenges, different than my bladder, and I was terrified that something was wrong, like morbidly wrong with me, and so I prayed. I prayed and I prayed and I prayed, but my prayers were not really in faith. It was in fear. I was begging God. I was not really getting what he wanted from me, and that was just to trust him through it. He wanted me to know him. He wanted me to trust him. And in that journey, it transformed my prayer life because I learned that as you cry out to God, that faith pleases him, and he wanted to calm my fears. …
… Well, Paul, how the heck are we gonna do that? And he goes, but in everything, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. What Paul did there is he just gave four different words for praying. Let me put this on the bottom shelf. When the enemy begins to trigger you with the circumstances of your life that make you worry, why don't you use what the enemy meant for evil and why don't you bring that to the Lord and pray, pray, pray, pray? Why? Because he cares for you and he can do something about it. And then there's a promise. Be anxious for nothing, but by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God, and then here's the promise. And the peace of God that transcends understanding, ESV says surpasses. I grew up on the NIV 84, all right? And the peace of God that transcends understanding will guard your heart and your mind in Christ Jesus. …
… Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there's anything worthy of praise, think about these things. as for the things that you have learned and received and heard and noticed in me, do them and the God of peace will be with you. This is the word of God for you, the people of God. Thanks be to God. Most people describe themselves as moderates. We do not think our opinions extreme. We are confident that our beliefs and hopes lie somewhere near society's bullseye. We are by nature middle of the road people. National pollsters concur. …
Give thanks to the Lord. I'm going to give my life to the worship and the gratitude of God. The Bible says in Philippians chapter four, verse six and seven, put on the screen, be anxious for nothing, but in everything through prayer and thanksgiving. Let your requests be made known to God and the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your heart and it will guard your mind in Christ Jesus. The Bible is saying, don't worry about anything. Pray about everything. I am only worried about the things I'm not praying about. You think I'm worried about whether the Seahawks are facing the Rams or the Bears next week? I'm a prayer warrior. we are already blessed be anxious about nothing the bible is literally saying don't worry god's in control don't worry about anything in everything give thanks see prayer is this place where i give thanks to god for past victory thank you god i am so thankful for all that you've done for my family. Thank you for what you've done for my children. Thank you, God, for this building. …
… the apostle Paul penned these words in Philippians 4, verse six, he said, don't be anxious about anything, But in every situation, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your request to God. That's a word for somebody here today. Don't be anxious about what you're anxious about. Take it to God. If it's big enough to worry about, it's big enough to pray about, take it to him. Right now in prayer. And when you take it to God in prayer, the Bible says the peace of God, not peace with God, not peace from God, but the peace of God, which transcends all understanding. In other words, it's so heavenly that you can't even explain it on earth. The peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. This peace goes beyond our ability to put English words and have it make sense. Why? The peace of God, it literally guards your heart. The word for guard in the Greek is a military term, and it means like to stand guard. …
I stopped by a lemonade stand several weeks ago. It was several of our children in the church. They were five six and seven-year-olds, Lauren and Annabelle and five of their friends. And I'd gotten wind that they were putting on this lemonade stand, raising money for Do Good for Aaron. Now, Do Good for Aaron is a foundation that was started by Tom and Marcy Langhofer, members of our church, after the death of their daughter. You remember six years ago, Aaron Langhofer was shot and killed at First Fridays down in downtown Kansas City. And in the aftermath of that, her mom and dad said, we want to try to bring as much good as we can from the loss of our daughter. And so they started this foundation, and they've been doing amazing and great work. And the kids were going to raise money for this year's project with Do Good for Aaron. And it's through the Friends of Yates. And this is in Kansas City, Kansas. …
… I just worked that right in there. But in everything, he says, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And what happens? The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. He said, I'm not asking for peace. I asked for his power. But peace is the result that I didn't even ask for. It's a prayer that came about as a result of the other prayer I prayed. Whenever I talk to people who have had to bury children, and they ask, how am I going to do this? And I always say to them, I have no idea. I have no idea how you're going to do it. And I have no idea how I did it. All I know is when I trust God, he gives me peace that actually bypasses my understanding. People would say to me, I don't think I can do this. And I would say, I don't think you can either. …
… do you still pray for the specifics in your life even the little specifics Philippians 4 verse 6 says do not be anxious about anything but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known to God anything and everything God wants us to pray for specific needs, large or small, anything and everything. If you're anxious about something this morning, about anything this morning, he wants you to pray about it. one way God accomplishes his God-sized plans for the world is by addressing you-sized needs in that world. Do you believe that? One way that God accomplishes his massive, eternal, God-sized plans for the world, for his glory, is by meeting you-sized needs. month by month, week by week, even hour by hour. Lord, meet my need. okay so the first prayer meet my need it's a real and it's a good prayer we pray for specifics as christians like when madmen are trying to kill us what's happening here or when the youngest child's eyes start swelling a little bit and you're not quite sure why we pray for specific needs david really wants god to intervene in his actual human life and change something meet my need oh god but that's not the highest prayer in psalm 86 and this is where our prayers start to grow up into fuller maturity let's start in verse 6 give ear oh lord to my prayer listen to my plea for grace in the day of my trouble i call upon you for you answer me …
… Today, we're going to close out this section. Philippians chapter 4 verses 4 through 9 on anxiety in a week when people across our church received news that schools would not be starting in our counties this fall, leading to all kinds of questions and concerns and anxiety and worry about how this is going to work and how you are going to work and how this will affect the economy and our lives and our country as this pandemic continues to have so many different effects in so many different ways and into the middle of this precise moment, unlike anything any one of us has ever experienced in this world, God's word is saying to us. So I want us to read it out loud together. Again, if you're memorizing it, just close your eyes. But wherever you are, let's read this out loud. And as we do, hear it as the word of God to us right now. Philippians chapter four, verse one, we'll go through verse nine today. This is the word of God. Let's say it out loud together, wherever we are in this room and all kinds of places where we're gathered, literally around the world. Let's say it together. …
… Don't 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. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there's any excellence, if there's anything worthy of praise, think about these things. How can you not be anxious about anything? Here's how you think about what is true. It's the same exact word that Paul uses in Ephesians chapter six, verse 14. put on truth some people say you have to check your mind at the door to become a Christian to have faith and that is the farthest thing from the truth faith in Jesus revolves around and requires thinking all the time about what is true worldliness involves not thinking just go along with what the world says about money and sex and ambition and a million other things Christianity says, no, think about what's true. …
… me. He calms me and he covers me. Be anxious for nothing but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known to God and he'll calm you and the peace of God which surpasses all understanding will God cover your heart and your mind in Christ Jesus let me ask you a question I gotta move on has anybody been covered by God has anybody been calmed by God he shall set me up on a rock. I was shouting over the fact he covered me. But that wasn't my shouting this season. It's the fact, Miss Valerie, he'll calm you. He shall set me up upon a rock. Verse 6, and now shall my head be lifted up above my enemies round about me. Watch this. This is military language because if you're in a fight and you're set up on a rock, nobody can sneak up on you. You see them before they see you. So God will put you in a position of victory. Not to be seen but so you can see. …
… real quick, where it says, Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. The peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Something that's really convicting to me lately is that I think we all want this, the peace of God, but sometimes we resist. the God of peace. The question becomes, how can I expect the peace of God in my life if I reject the God of peace when he comes to show me how to live? In other words, if he's showing me something that I need to let go of, if he's showing me something that I need to keep limited, if he's showing me something I need to walk around and not engage, if he's showing me something that I need to add or subtract from my life, and I insist on being stubborn, how can I expect the peace to come to my heart if I ignore the source who gives it? …
… here, but for everyone. All right, so we're in Philippians 4, starting in verse 6. It says this, Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your request to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, if anything is excellent or praiseworthy, think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me or seen in me, put it into practice and the God of peace will be with you. Let's pray. Lord, we thank you that your word is a lamp into our feet and a light into our path. God, we open up our hearts to hear from you today. Lord, we know that sometimes Mother's Day can be a day that is painful, but we're here, Lord, and we want to hear from you. Would you shine your light in the darkest areas of our hearts today? Lord, use me now. It's in your name I pray. …
… for nothing. Keep sitting there. I feel like preaching now. 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 keep your heart in your mind. Every need You has got to bow. Fish don't even have knees and they still got to bow to what Jesus says. So I don't know how I'm going to catch him I don't know how it's going to work out But I know he's God I know he runs the whole universe And I refuse to live my life worried When all of it is in his hands He's omniscient He knows where the fish are He's omnipotent He can make the fish go to your net And somebody in this church with the three minutes I got left ought to really thank God he'll send the blessing to you he will fill your net with a blessing you couldn't catch on your own he'll redirect every fish redirect every opportunity and what you trying to catch he'll just put it right in your net can you give him any kind of praise and shake your neighbor's hand like you're going to shake it off and use hand sanitizer later and say neighbor don't worry this year check your
… Let me read it again out of the New Revised Standard Version. Philippians chapter 4, verse 4 through 9. and I'm gonna dance around and I want you to get some new insights that you didn't even get last week Philippians 4 verses 4 through 9 out of the new revised standard version is coming up on your screen reads like this rejoice in the Lord always again I will say rejoice let your gentleness be known to who everyone why the Lord is near read it with me come on do not worry about anything but in everything come on by prayer and supplication with what 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 come on let's keep reading verse 8 finally beloved whatever is true whatever is honorable whatever is just whatever is pure whatever is pleasing whatever is commendable if there is any excellence if there is anything worthy of praise think about these things verse 9 keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me and the god of peace will be with you now if you want a recipe for joy if you want a recipe for celebration in your life incorporating this in your life you need these verses but you just don't need the text you need the context Paul is in jail writing to the first church he planted on on European soil the …
… Verse 6, put it on the screen. Do not worry about anything, but in everything, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. Put that camera right on me. Can I tell you a secret? The secret to your celebration is knowing that you have access to divine communication. Listen, it ain't deep, it's direct. When you trust God, peace is in that place. You didn't hear me. I said when you trust God, peace is in that place. if it works out if it doesn't if they accept me if they don't if it works the way i want it to or if it doesn't i trust god and so after i celebrate after i concentrate now i'm gonna communicate and i'm gonna have a prayer moment with the one i trust and say god is me look and watch this when it come to prayer you ain't got to be deep god is me yeah it was an old deacon and an old deacon used to get down on his knees. …
… that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in the time of need. We will be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, make our requests known, and you, God, will oversee the rest. And because of your promises, we intercede and petition you on behalf of your servant leader, Howard John Wesley. As a son, relative, father, friend, fraternity brother, we retreat your blessings over his personal life as he daily seeks your guidance and heeds your counsel. As a pastor, preacher, teacher, scholar, activist, community leader, mentor, and so much more, we request blessings according to your call upon his life. for his daily communion and heightened intimacy with you. Permit him to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior for his physical and mental well-being, sportsmanship, hobbies, and interests, travels, and the desires of his heart. We petition your blessings over his regeneration, renewal, refreshment, relaxation, rest, release, and re-entry into your service. During this tranquil period of Selah, we call upon your blessings to manifest in him a new creation in Christ, not yet realized, so that it can clearly illuminate God's goodness and God's greatness. …
… Doesn't that Paul say, don't be anxious about anything but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. He'll put a garrison of troops around you, angelic troops around you to protect you. You see, if I'm not trusting in His trustworthiness, I'm going to fret, and I'm going to worry, and I'm going to be anxious, and I'm going to be concerned. I'm going to try to manipulate, and I'm going to try to change my circumstances. But you know what? If He's a faithful God, and He is, I don't have to worry and fret. I can say, thank you, Father, that you're in control. This is painful. I don't like it. If you ask me, God, I'd like to get out now. I'd like to be catapulted out of this, but Lord, you know better than I do. And so I'm going to trust you to keep me here until you've accomplished your purpose. I'm not going to worry about my circumstances or people's attitudes. …
… PAUL SAID, BE CAREFUL FOR NOTHING, THAT IS DON'T WORRY ABOUT ANYTHING, BUT IN EVERYTHING BY PRAYER AND SUPPLICATION WITH THANKSGIVING LET YOUR REQUEST BE MADE KNOWN UNTO GOD. THE REASON YOU'RE SO FULL OF CARE AND, AND WORRY RIGHT NOW IS YOU'VE NOT TRULY LEARNED HOW TO PRAY. IN EVERYTHING BY PRAYER AND SUPPLICATION, YOU ARE TO ASK GOD FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU NEED. YOU KNOW, A GOOD TEST OF ANYTHING, WHETHER IT'S RIGHT OR WRONG FOR YOU TO HAVE IT IS, CAN YOU ASK GOD FOR IT? NOW IF YOU DON'T FEEL YOU CAN ASK GOD FOR IT, YOU REALLY DON'T HAVE ANY BUSINESS WITH IT. YOU SEE, WE'RE TO PRAY ABOUT ANYTHING. IF IT'S WRONG TO ASK GOD FOR IT, IT'S WRONG TO HAVE IT OR TO DO IT. DON'T DIVIDE YOUR LIFE UP into the secular and the sacred. Don't say, well, there's certain things I can pray about and certain things I don't pray about because God's not interested in those things. Oh, no. Can you imagine Jesus living that way? You see, to a Christian, all things are sacred. …
… But prayer and supplication With thanksgiving Let your requests be made known to God And the peace of God Which passes all understanding Shall garrison you about Shall keep your hearts and minds In Christ Jesus If that doesn't invoke gratitude, my friend, tell me what will. And the last word is reverently. To come to him reverently. Not carelessly, but reverently. Think about this. The God who hung the sun on nothing and hung this old globe on nothing and keeps the waters from falling off of it. this same God who created the intricacies of the human life who created the ant and gave that ant the capacity and the ability to provide for himself who created the bird who knows exactly where to fly when nobody ever taught it nobody ever taught a bird how to build a nest they come into the world God having created them with such capacity the God who knows every single name of every single fish on the bottom of a giant Pacific, miles deep, who knows everything out there in all the galaxies and all the stars, if you are willing to listen, God is willing to speak. …