(Disclaimer: This transcript is auto-generated and may contain mistakes.)

Amen. All right, keep your place in Matthew chapter 6. We're gonna get back to Matthew chapter 6 later in the sermon. So we're talking about emotions and in this sermon series we're talking about, you know, different emotions that we will experience in our lives and how do we handle those emotions. This morning I want to talk to you about an emotion that many people suffer from, men and women, in the United States today and that emotion is anxiety. I want to talk about anxiety this morning. So what is anxiety? The definition of anxiety is actually the body's response to worry and fear. So it's basically what your body does to you when, you know, you worry or you are scared or you're fearful of things. There's a lot of real-life problems that anxiety can cause people. Some real-life facts for you about anxiety. Anxiety disorders are huge today. First of all, anxiety disorders differ from normal feelings of nervousness or anxiousness because they involve excessive fear and typically cause reactions out of proportion to the circumstances. Meaning that people, this is a scientific quote that I'm reading you here, not something that I made up, is basically they cause, it's basically something, you're fearful of something and then you get anxiety and it causes you to overreact to things basically is what they're saying here. Anxiety disorders can interfere with job performance, schoolwork, and relationships. So basically there's all sorts of disorders or diseases or whatever they call them and I'm not saying I advocate naming all those different things but this is what psychology will tell you today. Another quote here, anxiety can produce both physical and emotional symptoms. This is obviously true. People with generalized anxiety disorder experience restlessness, irritability, difficulty concentrating, chronic fatigue, nausea, dizziness, worsening worry or fear over extended periods of time. Once again, people just overreacting and they get even more worrisome and more fearful as anxiety steps in. So look, anxiety is something that has actual physical health effects and you can see that with people. It's not just a feeling and you know some shocking statistics, nearly 50% of Americans are diagnosed with depression are also diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. So it's closely tied with you know this depression you know pandemic that's going on today in the United States. It's been going on for years and so it leads into depression basically. We're going to talk about depression later. This sermon is not about depression but look, anxiety can cause you actual sickness is what I'm trying to get you to understand. I don't want to get too far into it but it can cause you you know actual illness that it can attack you and you can get sick. It can cause heart problems which is huge in the United States. So we see that you know even from a secular standpoint anxiety is something that is serious today. So can you experience anxiety as a Christian is the question and the answer to that is obviously yes. Okay but should you? You know plenty of people in the Bible were afraid. You know David was afraid. Turn to Psalm chapter 23 and I'll just read for you Psalm 56 3. The Bible says what time I am afraid I will trust in thee. So David here says in Psalm 56 he says when I'm afraid I'll trust in the Lord. So that's how he you know alleviates his anxiety. When he gets afraid of something he just trusts in the Lord. Look at Psalm 23 4. The Bible says yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil. Why? For thou art with me thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Turn to 1st Samuel chapter 4. So he's saying you know David seems like he had you know a pretty decent handle at least you know mentally on anxiety and how to control it by just trusting in the Lord. Alright now the Philistine army even got fearful in the Bible. The Philistine army the Philistines were known for war. They were known for having the most you know powerful the strongest army in you know the entire you know Holy Land the Promised Land and they even got afraid in the Bible. In 1st Samuel 4 look at verse number 6. And when the Philistines heard the noise of the shout they said what meaneth the noise of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews? And they understood that the ark of the Lord was come into the camp and the Philistines were afraid. And they said God has come into the camp and they said woe unto us for there had not been such a thing heretofore. Woe unto us who shall deliver us out of the hand of these mighty gods. These are the gods that smote the Egyptians with all the plagues in the wilderness. Be strong and quit yourselves like men oh you Philistines that ye be not servants unto the Hebrews as they have been to you. Quit yourselves like men and fight. That of course their captain telling them to quit being afraid right. So look it's not hard to find examples in the Bible of people being fearful. Christians and non-christians all right. So how can we solve this? Since Christians in the Bible you know we see that believers can even be fearful. You know what does the Bible say okay? Does it have an answer for us that is better than a pill? Because today you know if you go to a doctor and you say hey I just am experiencing a lot of anxiety. I'm experiencing a lot of you know of these you know fearful feelings that are causing me to overreact to things and be an anxious person in my life. Then it's causing me health problems you know they'll just give you a pill. They will they will not explore any of the root causes of your anxiety. Nothing. They will just give you something to take that will just calm you down right. So look let's start at the beginning. The body's response to worry and fear. That's what anxiety is right. So the root cause is worry. It's fear. So what's the main fear that we see that people have today that we're dealing with today? It's the actual fear of physically dying right. That's what everybody is worried about today. Turn to Matthew chapter 10. I mean that's what we've been dealing with for almost a year now is just people worried about physically dying in their life. Turn to Matthew chapter 10 and look at verse number 28. So how should we handle this? How should we handle the thought the fear of physically dying in our life? Now I mean this you say this might maybe this answer is more easier said than done but this is what the Bible says. Okay look at Matthew 10 28. The Bible says and fear not them which kill the body but are able to kill the soul but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. So look I mean ultimately the answer is this your salvation should comfort you. Your salvation should you know the only thing that we should fear is God because God is the one that can destroy your soul in hell but if you're saved you don't even have to worry about that anymore. But we are to fear the Lord right. So you're not you're to fear no man bodily. You're to fear no man physically. No physical harm should scare you. If it does it's a faith issue. It's a faith issue. So look I mean I don't look I don't want to be killed. You know we're out soloing yesterday and there's like some kind of gang thing. I mean I thought it was a little bit funny. Maybe I shouldn't have thought it was funny but there's like these cars chasing each other and like some kind of weird stuff was going on this on this block right. And I told my wife at the end of the block I'm like yeah we should probably move out of this block as fast as possible. She's like why what's going on? There's like cars doing cookies and the streets and people chasing each other angrily and all this kind of stuff. But look I mean I don't want to die right. I don't want to like be physically killed. I mean it's not something I'm trying to do right. I'm not trying to go out and get killed. But you know we do have a biblical right to self-defense by the way. Okay well I'll just read you a few verses. Turn to Exodus chapter 22. No turn to Luke 22. I'll just read you Luke 11 21. The Bible says when a strong man's arm keepeth his palace his goods are in peace. Exodus 22 2 says a thief be found breaking up and be smitten that he die there shall be no bloodshed for him. It says somebody breaks in your house and stealing your stuff you should be able to just kill them. That's it. All right. I mean that's that's the bottom line. The Bible teaches very clearly. Look at Luke 26 36. The Bible teaches very clearly the right to self-defense which is why we have that right. Well for the most part well maybe not so much anymore actually. But look at Luke 22 36. The Bible says again it says then he said unto them but now he that hath a purse let him take it and likewise his script and he that hath no sword let him sell his garment and buy one. Why? Because he's got you know you got to be able to defend yourself. You got to be able to defend you know the property that you have your purse your your money whatever. So but look and the bottom line is the point of the sermon is you're you have the the complete biblical right to defend yourself and your family against being killed against being attacked. But the bottom line is should that fight go bad you know we shouldn't worry about it. We shouldn't worry about it. I mean it's actually turned to Proverbs chapter 21 or just look at the front of your bulletin. It's actually a sin to be fearful for your life. The Bible says Proverbs 21 31 the horse is prepared against the day of battle but safety is of the Lord. I mean I love both parts of that verse where it says you know look safeties of the Lord. How many times have we said that verse? Safeties of the Lord. Safeties of the Lord. I think about that in situations like yesterday. Safeties of the Lord and I mean I believe it. I believe it. But I mean should I get killed soul winning? I mean you know that's a pretty good way to get killed I'd say. You know I mean that's a pretty good way to go out. I mean I don't want to go out tomorrow but I mean the point is safeties of the Lord but you look the horse is prepared for battle too. So you know you should have a sword. You should be able to defend yourself. You shouldn't just be some weakling you know that has no way to possibly defend himself or his family. I mean the horse is supposed to be prepared for the day of battle the Bible says. But in the end safety is of the Lord. So you ultimately don't have to worry about it. You don't have to be anxious about physically dying. Turn to Romans chapter 8. Turn to Romans chapter 8. Look at verse 15. Romans chapter 8 and verse number 15. The Bible says, for you have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear but you have received the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba Father. Turn to Revelation 21 8. Very familiar verse for any of you that go soul winning. The Bible says in Revelation 21 8 but the fearful it's the first one but the fearful and unbelieving and the abominable and murderers. When I go out soul winning I'm like look at this horrible list. Abominable and murderers and sorcerers and whoremongers. I mean there's some pretty bad things in this list but the very first one listed is the fearful. So if you're just this fearful person you know I mean the Bible says that's an actual sin. It's a lack of faith. You're not trusting in the Lord to be a Christian to be saved and to be fearful. It's a lack of faith. Look at Proverbs 9 and verse number 10. What should we fear? I mean it's really simple as a Christian on what we should fear and the Bible says in Proverbs 9 10 it says the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and the knowledge of the holy is understanding. Psalms 33 8 I'll just read it for you the Bible says let all the earth fear the Lord. If only all the earth feared the Lord. I mean if only all the earth feared the Lord then we just I wouldn't even have to continue with the sermon. But if only all the earth feared the Lord let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him. Now look so we see that you know really here's the thing you don't have to be fearful. I mean have you noticed the trend? I love trends. There is a definite trend on how godless someone is and how worried about coronavirus they are. If you haven't recognized that trend you're not paying attention. So look as a saved believer I'm not saying be stupid and not you know take anything seriously or whatever but look as a saved believer you can definitely tell that people who have faith in God are less afraid today than everybody else. And look if you have no idea where you're going or you think you just die and go in the dirt or whatever I mean I'd be afraid of dying too. Like I said nobody wants to I mean I don't want to physically die but I mean I'm not afraid to. I mean that's the bottom line. You can definitely tell that there's a difference in how fearful people are and how you know overreaching people want to be and how forceful they want to be on just making sure that nobody ever gets sick no matter what. And it's the godless that are doing that because they're afraid. They're fearful of everything and I mean for good reason when you think about it. I mean they don't know where they're going they're just gonna go on the ground. Who knows what they really believe and not what they're just saying in a Starbucks philosophy conversation you know. I mean who knows what they really believe but look we could ultimately the bottom line is you all you have to do is fear the Lord. End of sermon. Let's go have coffee. But no we're not gonna end here okay. So look fear of dying is an easy one. You know we should only fear the Lord is the easy overall answer here okay. But just a little bit of application this morning I want to look at what Americans are anxious over. What are Americans worried about? So I went actually looked up the top two things that Americans people that we see every day you're Americans right. What are we worried about in this country? What causes the most anxiety for Americans? Obviously fear of dying is one of them. We got that one out of the way. You don't have to worry about dying if you're saved. If you're not saved see us after the service and we will get you saved and then you don't have to worry about dying okay. So that one's solved all right. But the two main things is what I want to talk about this morning. The two main things that Americans have anxiety over and the first one is pretty obvious. The first one is money. The first one is money. Here's a here's a quote from Business Wire and I've known this for a long time because you'll hear this stat from from for decades and decades I think this stat has been the same. But the number one leading cause of divorce other than infidelity is money. Is money problems. From Business Wire here's a quote. The number one issue couples fight about is also a topic many couples avoid discussing. Money. According to a new survey money fights are the second leading cause of divorce behind infidelity. So it's basically someone's been unfaithful. That's item number one. But arguments over money or you know anxiety over money actually ends marriages. A lot of them. Turn to Matthew chapter 6. This is where we just read. Matthew chapter 6. So Jesus here pretty much gives us in Matthew chapter 6. Jesus here pretty much gives us you know the the philosophy that we should take towards money. Look at Matthew 6 verse number 24. So he's talking about things that you shouldn't worry about but he's kind of talking about this in the context of loving money too. So he's talking about these things in the context of people who are just you know they just they just love money and they can't get enough of it. So in Matthew 26 24 the Bible says no man can serve two masters for either he will hate the one and love the other or else he will hold to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. So he's like look you can't love me and money. Alright so you can't just you know be obsessed with money in your life. Alright so look there's a balance here and there's a there's a philosophy to this that you have to understand and I'm gonna try to get that across to you this morning. So he's talking about first he's like what you're gonna eat people being stressed out about not having enough to eat and he's like look God feeds the birds. I mean he loves you obviously way more than the birds why would he not make sure that you are provided for as far as having something to eat. Verse 28 he starts talking about clothing. I mean this is the two main things that you need. I mean you're saying clothing really I mean you don't need that much clothing to live in California but look coming from where I came from you don't have clothes you're gonna die. So I mean clothing is very important right look at verse number 28 and why take he thought for Raymond consider the lilies of the field how they grow they toil not neither do they spin and yet I say unto you that even Solomon in all his glory was not a raid like one of these wherefore of God so called the grass of the field which today is and tomorrow is cast into the oven shall he not much more clothe you oh ye of little faith so he's saying look God's gonna provide food and clothing for you he said for after these things do the Gentiles seek for your Heavenly Father knoweth what that you have need of these things but seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you so verse 33 is kind of important right so basically God is saying in Matthew chapter 6 he's saying look he's like you don't have to worry he just like don't love money because I will make sure that you have enough to eat and I will make sure that you have clothes to wear that's what he says he's like I took care of the lilies of the field as far as what they look like he's like I took care of the birds as far as what they eat he's like I love you way more than that he's like don't worry about it but then in verse 33 says seek ye first the kingdom of God so this is saying but look you just can't you just can't like just sit back and just lay down and go to sleep every day and think that you know everything is gonna be fine it says seek the kingdom of God you know so you say you know okay you're telling me that I'm not supposed to worry about money you're telling me that you know just don't worry about it but you know life is tough without any money right I mean I can remember times when you know we were struggling financially and and first of all those are good times because I always relate back to those times but you know the second you know what is the answer can I just lay around and not worry about money no I need to seek first the kingdom of God turn to 1st Timothy 5 8 1st Timothy 5 8 the Bible says but if any I'd not for his own especially of those of his own house he had denied the faith and is worse than an infidel so there are things that we should be doing there are things that we are supposed to be doing you know you're supposed to be going out and you're supposed to be working in 2nd Thessalonians 3 10 the Bible says again he says I'll just read it for you for even when we were with you this week commanded you that if any would not work neither should he eat so the Bible says look God's gonna provide for you God's gonna provide your food he's gonna provide your clothing but you better be doing what he told you to do you better be out there working or you know all bets are off basically you better be doing what you're supposed to be doing you better be seeking that kingdom of God you better be following what the Bible says you know but the bottom line is you say well you know I am working I am doing what I'm supposed to do but there's just no money there's just not enough money well look first of all let me point out that in Matthew chapter 6 it there's not a Mercedes in there okay it doesn't say it doesn't say you know hey you know I guarantee you a Mercedes that's not what it says it says you know what you'll have enough food and you will have clothing as long as you know you do these things that I tell you in the Bible that's what he tells you so look if you feel that you're struggling you know the bottom line is maybe you just need to do more maybe you need to do more you know here's the thing and I did a little exercise on this but here's the thing and I've been dealing with this for years and you guys and families with small children are gonna deal with this for years as you raise your family but here's the bottom line raising a family on a single income is not easy today it's not easy it's not easy especially when everything is priced and basically the economy is priced at two people working at this point I mean house prices car prices all these things they are priced for two people to be able to work and have an income and afford these things so that means you know look I went to the Chevy website and I figured hey I'm gonna I've never had a new car ever and I'm sure I never will because I would never want to do this I mean who would ever want to waste this much money on anything no matter how much money you have but I went and I built my own brand new pickup on the Chevy website and you can spend I got to the final price and I was picking all the options every good option that the 3500 dually with the diesel motor and I was just I was shopping right $82,000 you can spend $82,000 on a vehicle and my dad told me years ago he's like vehicle prices double every 12 to 15 years and I'm like no way don't believe you $82,000 he was right that means in 15 years a new pickups gonna cost you $165,000 I mean look it is not easy but you'll still be able to buy a $4,000 vehicle by the way right so who's smart all right but that's that's another series for another time okay all right now here's the bottom line it is difficult it is not easy in the country today because of the fact that things are just priced for to be affordable because look people are buying that $82,000 pickup if nobody could afford that $82,000 pickup it wouldn't be $82,000 it would be $40,000 okay but people are buying it because they can afford it because they're both working so it's harder for you if you're gonna have your wife stay home and raise your children and you're gonna homeschool your kids it's going to be difficult so here's the thing do what you're supposed to do and if you don't have enough do it harder that's the bottom line look the 40-hour workweek I know some of you guys are just getting into your careers and you're just getting started and you're working 40 hours a week and you're just that's your first full-time job and that's awesome but look that's just the beginning for you if you want to get married and have kids I haven't worked 40 hours a week in 20 years and look it's it's just it's if I worked 40 hours a week and that was it I'd be bored out of my skull at this point I don't know what I'd do with all the extra time that's where you're gonna have to get that's where you're gonna have to be because that's what it takes you're just gonna have to do it harder you know and it's possible so look after you do that after you do it harder and you're working hard and again it just don't worry about it just don't worry about it don't have anxiety about it God's gonna take care of it if you're doing what you're supposed to be doing as hard as you're supposed to be doing it you don't have to worry about it at all that's that's the answer for money that's the bottom line you're not to be worried about it you're not to be obsessed about it you're not to start to love it maybe when you get a little bit extra and you just start to just become obsessed with it you know that that's that's going the other way that's the other side of the spectrum so just work hard if it's not good enough work harder God's gonna take care of you don't worry about it leave the rest up to faith that's the bottom line that's the bottom line with money all right here's the second thing that Americans are most stressed about and I was a little bit surprised about this one maybe not that surprised and I'm trying I'm gonna try not to rabbit trail this one too much because there's a lot of different trails we could go down here but here's the thing the second thing that Americans are stressed and have anxiety over besides money is politics and leadership in Washington that's the second thing so you say I mean why why are people so stressed and I mean I guess I see it you know I see it with a lot of people most mostly secular people but look I'll tell you why I'll tell you why it can go too far okay so let me just rabbit trail it for just a few minutes and tell you why people are so stressed about it look here's my view on this whole thing on politics and where the country is going and we talk about this here and we fellowship about this all the time look I love this country I appreciate the fact that I grew up in this country and I mean but look what's happening to it upsets me and you know usually I'm pretty good about it brother Jim really got me worked up yesterday but normally I'm pretty good about it and I don't have much anxiety about it and I'm going to tell you why but look the reason that it upsets me so much is because I know what it was supposed to be I know where it started and what it was supposed to be I know what it was designed to be it's like a machine right you know you see a nicely designed machine and it was supposed to be used for this very specialty purpose of doing this job over here and then somebody is just wrecking the machine and it was an awesome machine I mean it was really cool and it got that job done really well and it was really you know well thought out and then you got you know stupid people took the machine and they just ruined it and they put a bunch of parts in there that weren't supposed to be in there doesn't even run right anymore and they got it and then not only that they have it doing a completely different job that the machine is not even good at I mean I don't know where that analogy came from but that's that's really what it is is I know what it was supposed to be and what it was supposed to do and so it upsets me when I see it ruined I mean so I mean look that's normal I mean the worst thing about it is the men that founded this country whatever you think about them they they warned us about this very thing I mean hundreds of years ago they warned us about that what they warned us about the immorality about that specific thing they warned us you know the biggest concern that they had government control they warned us about all these things as a matter of fact you know if you remember you know from from school or whatever you know in 1776 when the Revolutionary War was over we didn't have the Constitution at that point we had this thing called the Articles of Confederation it was a much less it favored the states more than the current Constitution does so it was a much less overreaching document than even the Constitution that we don't follow it today but look so there was this big argument that we needed a more powerful centralizing document to unite the state so this argument went on for almost ten years and it was this big debate in the country over the Articles of Confederation that eventually translated into the Constitution being ratified in 1789 you know more than ten years after the war was over okay but look in these in these papers there was something called the Federalist Papers where James Madison John Jay and Alexander Hamilton they made an argument towards the Constitution and against the Articles of Confederation so they were trying to get people to adopt the Constitution because people were very skeptical of giving the federal government any control all these states are like no no no so that's where these three men wrote these Federalist Papers and now if you've ever read the Federalist Papers first of all you should but the bottom line is in those Federalist Papers you see some of the arguments about some of the best arguments about what our country is supposed to be and how it was designed to operate now look I would guess that most public school students today could not even comprehend the Federalist Papers okay because public education has put our country in such a point where we literally do not have the aptitude to understand our own problems I mean the reading level that you have to have has to be higher than third grade fourth grade and fifth grade so if you can't comprehend your own problems what are the odds that you'll be able to fix them I'm trying to get you frustrated this morning I'm trying to show you where this anxiety over the you know the state of our country is coming from so look as it went from to finish the story as it went from the Articles of Confederation to the Constitution in 1789 the number one concern was an overreaching government was it too with it too much power would be in the hands of a centralized federal government you say ah nobody could have seen that coming let me read you some things here article 1 section 8 clause 1 of the current Constitution says this the Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes duties imposts and excises to pay the debts and to provide for the common defense and general welfare of the United States okay now people were freaking out over that statement that was one of the biggest problems that people had with the Constitution those two words general welfare because they're saying what the government can just provide for the general welfare of the people but then James Madison and these three men they explained that general welfare in that statement it just meant that all the states were to be treated fairly it did not mean that the federal government was to have any more control than the Constitution allows it to have okay so look it's exactly what happened today is what everybody was worried about right it was simply to state that Congress had to treat each state fairly and not favor one state over the other that's what that statement meant and according to James Madison the father of the Constitution the powers delegated to the central government quote are few and defined and those that remain are in the states those rights that are in the state's hands are numerous and indefinite Federalist number 45 so he's convincing people that hey that's not what it means that's not what it means James Madison in 1792 listen very carefully to this statement listen very carefully he says he made the following statement if Congress can employ money indefinitely he's again explaining away the concerns over this statement he's like if Congress can employ money indefinitely to the general welfare and are the sole and supreme judges to the general welfare they may take the care of religion into their own hands they may appoint teachers in every state county and parish and pay them out of the public treasury oh he's saying there could be such a thing as a public school teacher it's like that's the kind of a horrible thing that could happen if this statement is mistruth is what he's saying hello they may take into their he continues they may take into their hands the education of children establishing in like manner schools throughout the Union he's warning people he's saying hey that's not what it means because if it did meant that mean this this is what could happen the government could create schools he says they he continues they may press they may assume provision for the poor they may undertake the regulation of all roads in short everything from the highest object of state legislation legislation down to the most minute object of police would be thrown under the power of Congress for every object I have mentioned would admit the application of money and might be called if Congress pleased provisions for the general welfare of the people is this guy a profit no they weren't profits but they understood what the Constitution was and was not that's why look basically they were saying hey anything they could be called good for the people Congress could spend money on and regulate because listen folks if the government gives it to you they can control what you do with it they can dead sure tell you what to do with it but like I don't know you go to public school you got to get these shots I don't know like public school here's what we're actually going to teach you listen public school is the state church it's exactly what it is public school is the state religion of the United States why because they're teaching a worldview they're not teaching math and history and you know how to read like the kids can't even read they don't want you to know how to read it's like the Catholic Church why would we want you to learn how to read because then you're gonna realize that what we're teaching you is all wrong if you actually read a book I mean because all these things can be defined with the actual words of the men who didn't want this to happen who warned us about this so look as soon as the government can pay for your general welfare folks through health care education they can control your life they're like hey man we're paying the bill you do what we say I saw this coming years ago with the government health care thing good luck they're gonna tell you exactly what to do they're gonna tell you what's healthy let's let you get your guns too that's my opinion like you know what we found that it's not healthy to have guns in the home so thus everyone's on government health care so thus if you do have guns in the home you know have fun providing your own health care and there'll be no private insurance anymore because they've driven them out of the market but anyway that's another rabbit trail in itself all right so look you should be educated about these things you should be educated that let me bring it back around to the point of the sermon you should be educated about what the machine was supposed to be get off YouTube and read some books about where we came from get off the internet about the Illuminati and all the stupid garbage on the internet and just read some writings from the actual men that founded the country and what it was supposed to be look we are the ones that ruined it not them I'm not saying they were all saved or they were all Christians that's not what I'm saying at all what I'm saying is we took it and broke it not them I mean they tried to warn us so what's the point what's the point should we be I mean I'm stressed out right now should we be stressed and have anxiety about it the bottom line is look I mean get I'll give you another example I went to Costco a couple days ago with Garrett and there's some like booth out there it's like recall governor Newsom and I'm like okay you know so I stopped and and you know we we signed the thing or whatever Garrett had signed it months ago I'm like what when did you sign this thing but anyway so anyway we we signed the thing about recall governor Newsom and all this and I gave them some church invites and all this kind of stuff but look it's the same thing it's the same thing you go to gun shows I've been going to gun shows my whole life look you're gonna find some good you know like-minded sort of people there that you know are kind of fighting for freedoms and things like that you know the political rally this summer you know my wife and I stopped down there you know for you know against businesses being forcefully shut down and all it's just a show of body to the news kind of thing so show support yes good people there yes but these are mostly missed misguided people misdirected people all right you know let's go back to third grade again and talk about cause and effect okay here's why they're misguided because everyone is fighting the effects you see what I'm saying there's a cause and effect right I mean John got fired because he didn't go to work right so the effect is that he got fired the cause was he didn't go to work right so look everyone's fighting the effects gun control government overreach wicked governors turn to Proverbs chapter 28 these are all effects these are all the effects of what's going on look at Proverbs 28 to Proverbs 28 to this is just great this describes us so well here Proverbs 28 to I'm gonna wait for everybody to get there because this describes our country to a T right here Proverbs 28 to for the transgression of a land many are the princes thereof you know you know what that means that means when the land has many transgressions you're just gonna have like like an overreaching government it's like there's gonna be like many princes there's gonna be you know police everywhere government control everywhere and all this because look the land is a mess that's just gonna happen right I mean John Adams said we have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion they simply didn't give us a government that was able to control the people that we have today so what's the cause the cause is the people the cause is the morality of the people is gone so as I mean the Bible is the same thing you know the Bible shows the same thing in the Old Testament again and again and again when the people forget the Lord when the people go against the statutes of the Lord they go into bondage when the people love the Lord and they're following the law of the Lord they become free I mean it's it's so look at Hosea chapter 4 or turn to Isaiah 5 I'll read you Hosea 4 Hosea 4 6 says my people are destroyed for lack of knowledge because that was rejected my knowledge I will also reject thee that thou shalt be no priest to me seeing that thou has forgotten the law of thy God I will also forget thy children it's like you forget me I'm gonna forget you have a nice day good luck running a country like that you're gonna need many princes to run that country many princes so complaining about you know and making that your cause you're misunderstanding the problem see so I'm trying to make your your anxiety go away by understanding the problem first of all the problem is the people they've forgotten the Lord look at Isaiah 5 13 therefore I mean here it is right here therefore my people are gone into captivity because they have no knowledge and their honorable men are famished and their multitude dried up with thirst they forgot the Lord they forgot the Lord and they went into captivity so look don't miss the theme folks it's the same it's the exact thing happening to us today with obedience to the Lord comes a free nation that's the bottom line without it comes bondage and I don't care who defunds who or what happens with the riots and all this kind of stuff as we forget the Lord we will go into bondage it's gonna happen because that's what the Bible says we will have many princes this is the effect and the cause is is that we forgot the statutes of the Lord that's the bottom line so that's the problem we understand it we understand it so you say I'm still stressed I'm still I still have anxiety well now I'm gonna give you some action I'm gonna give you action what you should do so you don't have to have anxiety turn to 2nd Corinthians chapter 6 I'm gonna give you two steps to have zero anxiety about the disaster that I just told you about and it's a disaster it's a travesty I mean we had this beautiful thing we ruined it turn to 2nd Corinthians chapter 6 here's the first step here's the first thing that you need to do you're like there's no hope no there is hope for you there's always plan B in the Bible always look at 2nd Corinthians chapter 6 verse number 17 the Bible says wherefore come out from among them and be ye separate saith the Lord and touch not the unclean thing and I will receive you here's the bottom line here's step one get out of it get out of it detach from it oh they control me because they give me out take nothing from them take nothing from them get out that's right get out of the public church system get out of it there's no chance for success if you're in it because the government can control your life they can control your kids look here's the thing here's some hope it's not illegal to separate in this country I mean we here and here's the thing you can still home school you can still give your kids a godly education that's not illegal even in California the laws here are very open to homeschooling I'm thankful for that the laws in North Dakota were worse and more overreaching than they are here does that surprise you you have the right and the laws they do not touch you detach from it separate now look here's the thing it's hard to separate alone look we've done it it's hard to do that it's hard to separate alone it's not hard to separate with a group like this I mean do you feel separate today do you feel separated today do you feel isolated today no I mean you look forward to coming here because you get to see all your brothers and sisters and we get to fellowship together and I mean it's great look it's not hard when you're part of a good church it's not hard to separate you know you here have more friends and better friends and more like-minded friends than like 99% of the rest of the people in this city country whatever guaranteed guaranteed but hey you know I mean we're like-minded we see the problem we understand the problem separate separate that's that's the first thing and and look you can pay attention to what's going on and not get anxiety over it it's possible you can pay attention you know but just remember you know we're not a political action committee here right so what is our action but we are an action committee we're just not a political action committee but we are an action committee step two is this get involved now that we understand the problem let's change the people let's change the people because that's where the problem lies you see okay you know we recall Governor Newsom yeah that'd be cool if we could get that done but guess what the problem is still there the wicked people that put him in office are still there there's gonna put another wicked person in office I mean Ruth Bader Ginsburg she died thank God no I've been waiting my whole life to see Roe v. Wade overturned but the problem is the people the problem is the people I mean Republican governors had put in conservative justices for 30 years and then they vote for abortion I mean so look like I said Newsom getting thrown out of office would be great you know I mean if the conservatives in this country get that done whatever but that's not our goal here we're not a political action committee right so what wicked leaders understood but we are to focus on the spirituality problem with the people that's the bottom line look at Proverbs chapter 4 Proverbs chapter 4 Proverbs chapter 4 look at verse number 7 the Bible says wisdom is the principle thing therefore get wisdom this is wisdom right here and with all thy getting get understanding we talked about that raising your kids you know if you get you know you teach your kids to be obedient and you you teach them the Bible pretty soon they're gonna get that understanding of the Bible so people need wisdom turn to 2nd Peter chapter 3 so they need the gospel first that's what people need first right they need the gospel and then after they get the gospel they need the same thing that you need in 2nd Peter chapter 3 look at verse 18 the Bible says but grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ after people get saved after we go out and we get somebody saved they need to grow in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord they need to come to church they need to learn the Bible they need to I mean that's what will make them change their life and make a difference in this country so I mean that that's our action you know it's that spiritual battle I mean sitting around you know watching Fox News and getting yourself whipped up and with all this anxiety it it will do nothing but damage you it will change nothing in the country and like I said it can actually harm you physically I mean it can actually harm you physically get separated get involved and make an actual difference I mean you can do it look I mean here's some math you know if we started with a group of a hundred people and each one of those hundred people got one person saved every single year just think about that think about soul winner how many people you end up getting saved every year just think if you started with a hundred people and you got one person saved every year and then those people came and they got one person saved every year within like 30 years you'd have over a billion people saved I mean that's how that works a billion there's only seven billion people on the planet I mean that that's how that that's how that works that's how it should work I mean good churches could literally save the nation that that's that's what could happen so it's just like money it's just like money yep understand the problem understand the problem that's good to understand the problem but your action is to go to the people and bring the gospel to the people that is our action our action is not to you know just be this big political thing or whatever right so it's just basically do your part and then you don't have to worry about it you're doing your part you're being a watchman even if people don't listen we talked Wednesday you're you're being a watchman you're being a warning you're blowing the trumpet it's when you don't blow the trumpet is when you know you have blood on your hands the Bible says so look fear the Lord fear the Lord that's what we're supposed to be afraid of fear the Lord but draw lines on the things that you worry about in this country our action just remember you know is with the people you know so look don't worry about your physical life but you know defend your physical life if you have to and that of your family right I mean this is what we talk money take no thought about it but make sure you're doing what you need to be doing and if you're not doing it hard enough do it harder that's the bottom line with money politics understand the problem separate and then help us work to fix the people that's the whole thing and then you don't have to have anxiety about anything I mean you can pay attention but you don't have to have anxiety about anything if you think about it that way all right let's bow our heads and have a word of prayer