Now today I want to move away from James a little. Although I’m still linking this to James. Now there’s a couple of things in James that we’ve had. We’ve heard about trials. Well, first of all, we’ve heard that we are slaves of Christ, and I keep hammering it – there are no slides, by the way.
There are no slides because I want us to just spend time with God – together. Uhm. James told us that the slaves of Christ. He told us that our relationship to Christ is that of master slave. And we know what the master slave relationship is: that means when the master speaks, you obey. When the master speaks, you don’t ask why – you obey!

And also, in those days it was in the best interest of the master to treat slaves properly. In fact, slaves were doctors and architects and scientists. And they were bringing money to the master, you know? So, the good treatment of slaves was for the benefit of the master.

So it was not as we define a slave today where there was ill-treatment, and it doesn’t mean there was no ill treatment, it was there, but in the in the main that was not what slavery was about and people… actually some of them wouldn’t even want to not become slaves. They enjoyed being slaves. Some of them would bring their whole family as slaves. With this… and because they would have a good life. {???] So, James started by saying this, and then he went to the point that was very thorny amongst the people he was writing to, which was issued by a trial and temptations. I mean, these guys were going through a lot in the passage that we talked about.

And then he talked about the word of God. How are we to how they are to respond?
Well. And he said, during trials, we need to rejoice because we know that God sovereign over it and He is the one that is using those trials for a point, which is to mature us and grow us. Trials are all difficulty. Everything that is stressful to everything that comes in our lives. that causes us all sorts of issues.

And he says, our response to this should not be that of the wall that the of one who knows that God exists is sovereign. And He has allowed and tailored this for [us] and then he said we shouldn’t blame God when we sin during trials.

Because that is not God’s intention. When we’ve sinned during trials or do things that are not pleasing to God during trials, we can’t turn around and say: “But it is you, God, you made me do this because you bought this trial! “He said, “No! God can do [it!]

From God only good gifts come. So, when you do sin during trials, it is your fault and your desires that are driving you. So, if you have a financial trial and you steal, it’s you it’s not God! And he says, because God only gives good gifts, and He used salvation and He saved us and we all know we didn’t have [it], so He saved us! He saved us through the Word. And then he went to the Word. And he said, well, the Word of God does two things. One, it helps us to identify sin in our lives.

So, if you look… if you read God’s Word, you say; “Ohh…. I’ve been doing that!” God says: “No!” and it stopped. So that that’s the first thing. And secondly, he told us that our response to God’s word is to obey. But there’s really no other option. There’s no middle area, there’s nothing else. We just need to obey. We need to trust, and we need to obey.

But there’s one thing, and then that was really the end of James 1. But there’s one thing in there that is silent – that we are not talking about. Yes, trials may come and you might rejoice during trials. You might guard against temptations or you might be obedient, but doesn’t take away worry – does it?

I remember when Monica was in hospital, we would pray and ask the Lord to restore her. Yet we still worry! That doesn’t help – does it? There when someone is sick, when you are waiting for the results of an exam, when you are waiting for the results of a court case – anything that makes you anxious. Even if you leave it in the hands of the Lord and you say you know what the Lord will handle it. That worry is still there!

So, James doesn’t talk about, but Paul does. And that’s why I want us to go to James or to Paul and just say: “Paul, OK, I hear what James says… but what about this worry that I have? This… this mammoth anxiety that I have which is affecting me, which is overwhelming me, which is leading me towards hopelessness, because this thing is not resolving the way I hoped. It’s taking longer than I thought.

My son is not getting better. My this is not getting better. My boss still hates me – you know! How do I handle this?”

So, I want to start by going to a couple of scriptures [that will be] just showing examples of lack of trust in [God.] And we will go into what Paul says. Gradually we will get into that.

So the reason I didn’t push that is because I just want us to take our Bibles and walk with me through [it.]And then when I get off this pulpit, you can say: “Ah, you missed the point!” or “Praise the Lord for what He has [done!]”

So, turn with me to Matthew Chapter 14, and we will really spend time in Scripture….Matthew Chapter 14, starting at verse 22, and we will read until 31. I’m reading from the ESV.

Immediately, He made the disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He dismissed the crowds., And after he had dismissed the crowds, He went up to the mountain by himself to pray.

Who is this? This is Jesus. so, we get the content.

When evening came, He was there alone, but the boat by this time was a long way from the land, beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them.

And in the 4th watch of the night, He came to them, walking on the sea – this is Jesus.
But when disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It’s a ghost! “And they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take heart, it is I. Do not be afraid.”

We had those words in the somewhere – [in our prayer?]
And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it’s you, command me to come to you on the water.” He said, “Come.” So, Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord save me.” Jesus immediately reached out His hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O, you of little faith, why did you doubt?”

The big question is why did Peter sink?
Scripture tells us that Peter was already walking on the water. When he saw the wind, he became afraid, and he began to sink. Jesus’s response to Peter was a rebuke, indicating that Peter had little faith and therefore doubted. This resulted in Peter being afraid. Despite the miracle of walking on water. Die ou het klaar op die water geloop!
He was already walking on the water! Despite seeing himself walking [on the water.] Peter did not have enough faith to trust that Jesus will protect him from the wind. And he began to sink.

You see, Jesus can make me walk on water. But He is not so powerful that it can protect me from the wind! You see, Jesus is very powerful. He can create the heavens and the earth. He can create everything that we see around us. But He is not powerful enough to protect me from sangomas, from witches and from evil spirits. Ohh no, that one is out!

So, Peter’s fears, because of his doubt, was clearly directly linked to his little faith in Jesus. Peter is more like us today. Now, is it not? I just gave an example of Sangoma. And this is this is an issue. I wrote a blog article.
On…on… before I became a member of WBC, instead of preaching my wife to death! I opened a blog where I was just…. Please don’t go to the blogs!

At the beginning, I’m not very proud of those, but you can see how I’ve grown from them. But anyway, I haven’t deleted them.

So, one of these blogs is about ancestral sangomas and… and… and all of them. And of all the blogs I’ve written, the Lord is using that blog so much that I get questions after question after question after question, because there is no clarity! People trust God!

Is He… is He strong enough to protect me from witches?
Is He strong enough to protect me from muti?

Those are the goals… are the questions that I’m dealing with in that blog. It will be very interesting to go and read some of these questions because you can see where people are.
Because their trust in God is not complete. They believe that God can only handle certain [things.] But when it comes to African tradition and evil things… no, no, that one, I need to go see a sangoma next door. Because only he or she can protect me – not God!

Let us consider how many road accidents take place daily.
How many diseases are prevailing today?

There’s a bird flu running around at the moment which is catching [everyone]… well I suppose it’s time! How many bad things are taking place?

Armed robbery, rape, murder, house breaking etcetera. Since all of us as Christians believe, at least should, believe that God is in control of everything. Then it follows logically that God has protected us from all of it because they did not happen to us. That’s just logic.

He has on top of that, provided us with food, clothing and finances and health and all other good things in our lives. That’s what James said. If it’s good, it comes from God.

But a lot of people, for example, when COVID hit, they said, but when it comes to COVID, God cannot protect. I need to run to a vaccine. This vaccine is the beginning and end of everything. If I don’t have this vaccine, I’m going to die. This COVID is so strong that even God can do nothing.
This witchcraft is so strong that God cannot do anything about [it.]
But when it comes to my financial problems, God surely cannot help. He’s not powerful.
And when it comes to my marriage, ah…What does God know about me?
You cannot help me.
Employment issue?
My sick child, my unfaithful spouse, my joblessness, my disobedient child, my abusive spouse. Surely God cannot help. He is not powerful.

Yes, God might do all these other things, create heavens and…. but the troubles I’m facing now – He is just not powerful. Thanks God, I know you want to, but you just can’t. I know you love me. You are just not powerful. Jesus is saying to us, with that attitude, Oh you of little faith! Why do you doubt?

Turn with me to Matthew Chapter 6, and let’s hear from Jesus himself, about anxiety. Anxiety, worry, concern, deep concern.
Matthew Chapter 6 from verse 25. And we’ll read all the way to 30. Matthew Chapter 6, verse 25. This is the word of God.

Therefore, I tell you, do not be anxious. Worry that what anxious means worry.
Do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. It is, it is not life more than food and the body more than clothing. Look at the birds of the air they never sow, nor reap, nor gather into barns. And yet your heavenly Father feeds them and you not of are you not of more value than they? Which one of you, by being anxious, can add a signal hour to your span of life?
And why are you anxious about clothing?

Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow. They neither toil nor spin. Yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of them. But if God so chose the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He… will He not much more clothe you – look at that phrase. Oh, you of little faith.

So, what was the cause of anxiety here? The cause of anxiety or worry, was as a result of, again… little faith that they had on God to even provide- watch this- the most basic things like food and clothing. Jesus purposefully chooses the basic things that we need, which is to eat and to cover ourselves. Those, even those basic things, God says: “I will provide!”

Notice also that Jesus says in verse 27, that anxiety is so pointless, that it cannot even increase one’s life by a single day! Think about this practically. When any of us are in hospital and we are really, really sick. Will worrying ourselves to death make us come… to become better? No!

Will worrying say to God: “God, if it’s your time to take this person today, can you please add an extra day because I worry! – No!

Jesus is simply saying it’s pointless. So why are you putting yourself in this if when you worry, you’re making any difference in whatever you’re going through. Here you have Jesus clearly indicating that our anxiety is again directly related to our little faith.

Again, brothers and sisters, how much anxiety we have is directly linked to how little faith we have. You might think that this is only in the New Testament that people doubted God. Well, that’s not true. Turn with me to Genesis, in fact, don’t turn with me. Stay where you are. I’ll read this one for you because it’s only one verse.
Genesis chapter 17 verse 17 reads:

Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed and said to himself, shall a child be born to a man who is 100 years old? Shall Sarah, who is 90 years old bear a child?

Just think about this:
You come to your son, or your daughter and you say to them: “I’m gonna buy you a PlayStation!” Whatever the latest one is. And your child goes into the floor and starts laughing because they don’t think you’re capable. How would you feel?

I can already see what’s going to happen. [??? I signed. If you did that.???] There is mockery of the worst order! Not only do you doubt, but you mock. You laugh. This one! Does he think he can give me a child at my age?
Genesis 15 verse 8: “but he said, oh Lord God How am I to know that I shall possess it?
I hear you say you give me land. God, I know. How do I know?
How do I know to trust you?

I don’t know if I wanted it in writing. I’m just. Did you want God to put it in writing and sign and speak?
And even if God did that, you can’t hold God responsible!
Who do you think you are?
But this is doubt… this is what doubt does! What is the common theme between these two verses?
Abraham looked at his circumstances and simply doubted what he will have what God is promising. He had little faith in God to bring about the promises that God was making. God makes a promise to Abraham [and he] simply does not believe that God can do [it.]

This reminds me that God has given you, and I also the same point. In Hebrews 13:5, that you will never leave or forsake you. He said that! What is our response? We also laugh…. Ha! Ha! Ha!
Are you forsaking me a couple of times? Where were you when?
Where were you? When? Where were you in?
Others don’t trust. God also promised in 1 Corinthians 10: 13, the state in that He will not allow us to face trial and troubles that are beyond our ability to deal with. And on top of that, you will also provide us a way to escape, yeah…Oh yeah.
Where were you God?

When my son died, when my mother died.
When I lost my job, when I got sick.
Where were you?
And you want me to trust you?
No!

Yes, you can save me. I believe that.
This other stuff… just stay away from it. Given the level of anxiety. In all our lives and you, you might think, Tshepo, I don’t think like that. I don’t think God is incapable. Given the level of anxiety in our life.
Clearly, just like Abraham, we do not believe that God can fulfill the promise. You don’t. You just don’t!

If you look at the Trust in God Versus Anxiety Graph. The more the anxiety goes up. Do we trust God?
At what level is your anxiety About things in your life?
For some of us who work. I will not worry that we may lose our job, and if we do, what then? Or do we say well, even if we lose our job?
Or do you say I need to make plans? I need to make plans in case I lose. I don’t know what’s going to happen to me. What do we say?

I’m not saying we shouldn’t have wisdom and plan ahead that should not [??]
Someone asked me if you task God so much. Why do you have ADT?
We’re arguing about the issue of guns – I’m not big fan of guns.
And this person said: Oh well, I need a gun to protect myself.
So, I said I have God.
And he said, but why do you have ADT? If you really do – why do you have it?
How would you answer?
Do you have ADT because you don’t trust God? Or do you have ADT as a means that God can protect you?
The issue is -. Where do you put your trust?

Do I put my trust in the white and yellow ADT painted car that comes to my house, or do I trust God to use that guard to protect me?
Where’s your trust?
If you trust ADT, you don’t trust God. If you trust your gun, you don’t trust [God.] You just ask God – simple as that! If you trust your driving skills, you don’t trust God. But you trust God – [when] you use your driving skills to protect you. You trust God to use the gun that you have to protect you. But if the gun is the beginning and end of your trust – that’s the problem. I’m not saying guns are not and we don’t have a position as a church – maybe we should?

But I’m not saying that I’m just simply saying you trust in that more than you trust God that becomes a problem. Clearly, we believe that God simply cannot be trusted enough to fulfill his promises. Why else would be so much anxiety?

Let’s look at Judges. This you can turn with me to Judges, chapter 6, and we’re reading from 12-16. Don’t move fast enough. Don’t worry. It’s right there….
The verses down Judges chapter 6 from verse 12-16, and it reads:
And the Angel of the Lord appeared to him and said: The Lord is with you, almighty men of valour.
That how you pronounce that word VALOUR…Valour? My son would be correct… That word, whatever Monika said…

And Gideon said to him, please, my Lord, if the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us? [Give it.] If you are here with us, God then – why?
And where are all the wonderful deeds that our fathers recounted to us saying? Did not the Lord bring us from Egypt?

So not only. Not only does he say you say you’re with us, God, but look at us! Look at what we’re going through.
What is this?
You are with us, thing. If this is happening and on top of that, our fathers were saying all these things about you. Where are they? We are not seeing them.

But now the Lord has forsaken us, and giving us into the hand of the Midianites, and by the way, if you read Judges, you will know this has nothing to do with God. It’s because of their own sinful [hearts.]
But that was the question, and the Lord turned to him and said:
“Go in this might of yours….” You hear that!
” Go in this might of yours and save Israel from the hand of the Midianites. Do not I send?” and he said:
“Please Lord, how can I save Israel? Behold, my clan is the weakest in Manasah, and I am the least in my father’s house.”

And the Lord said to him: “But I will be with you. And you shall strike the Midianites with one hand.”

The point that is on our show with this is the question I’m talking about. If God is so with us and he is so loving and everything else. Why am I going through it?
What does Gideon attribute their troubles to and how does the Lord respond? Notice what Gideon says is invested If the Lord is with us, why then all this?

This is pretty much the world what the world says in attempting to show that God does not exist. And this is very famous on YouTube. They say it is because there is evil in the world, or if it does exist. Then he is neither powerful enough to stop evil things from happening, or he himself is evil. Who could have stopped evil but?
So, you see, if God existed, there won’t be evil. Because there’s evil. Either God is not powerful enough to stop. If he is powerful enough to stop it, then he’s evil. Because he chooses not to, and they think they’ve got [??] You might be saying, but that’s not correct, no?

Do your actions show when you go through trouble…. not pretty much as this?

Not in these ways. But by the levels.
Gideon is saying here that bad things were happening to them, would not have happened if God was with them. And the conclusion is therefore that God is not. Is that your conclusion?

But the reason why things are bad are happening to whole life. Because God is not.
Second, Gideon goes on to I accuse God or having failed to fulfill his promises. He has made it to them through their father. And notice how God responds to this doubt that he will be able to do what God says he must. God says to him. That I’ll be there with you.

Maybe you are also at this point questioning even the existence of God, which I hope, because of all the trouble. I remember when I was in hospital some years back, Jacques would remember it cause [of the pain I had. There was a time when I just asked God, I said, you know what?

I know you have a point in everything that happens, but do you really have a point with this pain? Never since. I had to repent immediately.
If you think that you are not Gideon. Just look back on your life. When you questioned God, do you really?
Are you really in my life?

The question is this. With the amount of anxiety, you find yourself. Do you believe that God is with you – Oh you who have little faith! Of what God can do. Does all of this show that people concerned simply did not ask for it? They did not believe what God says or believe in God’s ability. They did not believe in his power to protect – does this remind you of yourself?

You might be full of anxiety right now and even being overwhelmed. You might be feeling alone and defeated with nowhere to go. Might even feel that this is the end of the world and there is no hope. If this is you, hopefully this message will… It will rejuvenate that trust.

That was just the intro!
Only two [things.] And with the Philippians chapter 1.
And there’s only two points really to this.
One is trusting God –verses 5 and 6.
And benefits of trusting God – verses 7-11.
And we’re only reading from verse 5-7.