The Bible Has the Answer for Chronic Anxiety

Pastor Robert Hammond, Long Hill Baptist Church, Trumbull, CT

Do you realize that the Bible teaches believers to fear just one thing?  That one thing is the LORD himself!  In Proverbs 9:10, the LORD inspired Solomon to write, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom…”   The simple truth is that a believer who has developed a Biblical fear of the LORD has nothing else to fear. 

More than 50 times throughout His Word, God has told his people to “fear not.” Why?  Our sin nature tends lead us to worry – to suffer anxiety.  In Timothy 1:6-7, Paul reminds us that   “… God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”  Praise God that the Bible gives us God’s own plan for overcoming fear and anxiety.

So, what can we do to overcome anxiety?

1. Be sure that you genuinely know Christ as your Savior.  In Matthew 6, Jesus promised to meet the needs of those who have first sought his righteousness, i.e. people who know Christ as their Savior.     The Bible teaches that, in order to receive forgiveness of sins, we must repent and receive Christ as our Savior.  To repent is simply to make a conscious decision to turn away from sin and to turn toward Christ.  The Bible say, "...there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth,"  (Luke 15:10).  The Bible promises that "...Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved," (Romans 10:13).  "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life," (John 3:16).  The Bible also teaches that, when we are genuinely saved, the Holy Spirit testifies in our spirit that we are saved.  In 1 John 4:13, the Bible says, “Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.”

2. Understand that anxiety is often like a dashboard warning light - alerting us to a problem that needs to be addressed.

In Psalm 32, David described a bout with emotional turmoil.  He attributed his experience to his failure to confess sin.  David reports that his gladness and joy were restored only when he confessed his sin to God!

In the Bible, we that Asaph experience emotional turmoil due to a sinful focus on self instead of God. In Psalm 77, Asaph described his emotional state using language that sounds strikingly similar to our modern notionof anxiety and depression.  Asaph’s turmoil resolved only when he shifted his focus from himself to the LORD. If your emotional health is suffering due to a prideful focus on yourself, ask the LORD forgive this sin.  Receive his forgiveness, instruction and joy.  Psalm 32:11 commands, “Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart.”

3. Ask the LORD to help you “fear not” -- because you belong to Him!  In Isaiah 43:1, the Bible says,  “But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.”

4. Ask the LORD help you give all your worries to Him daily in prayer.  In 1 Peter 5:6-7, the Bible says,  “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:  7Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.”

In Philippians 4:6-7, Paul writes, “Be careful (anxious) for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.  7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” 

5. Ask the LORD to help you focus your mind on Godly things.  In Philippians 4:8, Paul writes,  “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”
 

6. Ask the LORD to help you focus on His promises to meet the needs of believers rather than focusing on worries about your needs.  In Matthew 6:25-33, Jesus said,  “Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?  26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?  27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?  28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin… 31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?  32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.  33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”

7. Ask the LORD to help you see Him as a refuge from difficulties that might bring fear.  In Psalm 46:1-2, the psalmist writes,  “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.  2 Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea.”

8. Ask the LORD to give you peace in your heart.  In John 16:33 (Jesus said,  “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”

9.  Ask the LORD to help you “let not your heart be troubled.”  Ask Christ to grow your faith in his promises to meet your needs.  In John 14:1, Jesus said, “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.”

10. Ask the LORD to help you focus on the fact that He is in perfect control of all things.  In Job 42:2, Job says,   “I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee.”  In Psalm 33:11, the psalmist writes,  “The counsel of the LORD standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations.” And in Psalm 145:13, the Bible says,  “Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and thy dominion endureth throughout all generations…”  Understand that God even controls the weather.  In Jonah 1:4, we observe that  “the LORD sent out a great wind into the sea, and there was a mighty tempest in the sea, so that the ship was like to be broken.”

11.  Understand that our God is a God of great comfort.  In 2 Corinthians 1:3, Paul writes, "Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;" (2 Cor 1:3). And in John 14:18, Jesus says,  "I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you." In John 14:26, Jesus said, “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.”

If you would like to further discuss Biblical answers to personal struggles, contact Pastor Hammond at Long Hill Baptist Church, 203-268-5104 or hammond.robert@gmail.com.

The Greatest Gift of All

December 23, 2011
Pastor Hammond

(Praise God that, on December 22, 2011, the Trumbull Times ran this article exactly as it appears below).

Over the years, I have read innumerable Christmastime articles that reflect on the true meaning of Christmas.  Predictably,  they contend that Christmas is less about receiving gifts and more about time for family, reflection, and, of course, for giving gifts. 

 
That all sounds good.  But, I really like to receive gifts.  
 
Earlier this Christmas season, I was invited to share the story of the best gift that I ever received.  A friend invited me to share my story with a woman in his family who has been fighting a terminal illness.   I quickly accepted the invitation to visit her at a local nursing home.
 
When I entered her room, I introduced myself and prayed with her. Then, I began telling her the story of the most wonderful gift that I had ever received.
 
I told her how, when I was a boy, a man took a book and told me the story of a Father who understood the importance of giving like no one else.  The man described a Father who was so concerned for others that he was willing to send his only son to die for them. 
 
I told her how that Father’s gift was motivated by unfathomable love.  And I told her that his son shared that love so perfectly that he was willing to shed his blood and to die for me. 
 
Puzzled, the women in the hospital bed turned away.  And then she turned back toward me. 
 
I explained that the book that was read to me was the Bible. And I explained that Father who was described to me is God the Father.   I continued that the son who was offered by his own Father is the long-prophesied Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ. 
 
I explained that God the Father sent his son both to be born of a virgin in Bethlehem and to die on the cross at Calvary – exactly as had been prophesied in the Scriptures.  And I told her why he did that:  According the Bible, I am a sinner.  Because of that, I deserve death – eternal separation from God.  But, according to the Bible, “the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

I told her that I had received that gift and I explained how she might receive it, too.  I explained that the Bible teaches that our good works aren’t good enough to earn forgiveness. 
 
I told her how Jesus said, “ye must be born again.”   And I told her that Peter, the Apostle, said, “Repent (turn away from sin) … and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out.” I explained that Salvation is a free gift that must simply be received by turning away from sin and by placing one’s faith in Christ. 
 
That night, she too decided to receive the greatest gift that I have ever received – the gift of eternal salvation.  She prayed and received Christ as her Savior. Because of her decision to receive Christ, she may know with certainty that, whenever her battle with illness ends, she will be in Heaven with her Savior.  That’s a great Christmas gift indeed.
 
Have you received the greatest gift of all – the Lord Jesus Christ?

Why is our Worship Music Conservative?

Pastor Hammond

Music is an important part of worship at Long Hill Baptist Church. We understand that our goal in worship is to please the LORD (Rev. 4:11).  The Bible does not directly define a style of worship music that is most pleasing to the LORD.  That said, because our genuine desire is to please the LORD through our worship, it behooves us to search the scriptures for guidance in our approach to every aspects of worship – including the selection of worship music. 

What may we understand from Scripture?

1. We sing in worship services because the Lord instructs us to sing to Him!

(Colossians 3:16) “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord”

Above, we see that the purpose of worship music is to (1) “to teach and admonish” and (2) “to sing with grace in our hearts to the Lord."

Implications: 

• Our music should promote unity around sound doctrine rather than stylistic preferences;
• We should not use music that either teaches error or is likely to cause confusion about doctrine;
• We should avoid music that is more likely to encourage emotion than sound doctrine;
• We should avoid music that encourages prideful focus on self (grace is the unmerited favor of God!).

2. Worship music should encourage a worshipful attitude in the presence of God

Revelation 4:10-11: "The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created." 

Matthew 18:20:  "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." 

Implications:  Our music should promote a spirit of humility before our holy God rather than a desire to be entertained.

3.  Worship music should encourages worship in spirit and truth

John 4:23-24 "But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.  God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

Implications:  We should avoid music that emphasize or encourages an emotional response over genuine worship.  A strong emotional response may be from God – but certain styles of music have more potential to counterfeit genuine worship in spirit and truth.  Arguably, music that emphasizes a sensual beat tends to encourage a response that is more sensual than spiritual.  As such, we should avoid the sensual beats that are typically present in rock, pop and similar styles. 

4. Worship music should be consistent with our call to holiness / separation from worldliness

1 Peter 1:14-16 "As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:   But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy."

1 Peter 2:9-11: "But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:  Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.  Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;"

2 Corinthians 6:17-18:  "Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,  And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty."      

Implications:  (1) Our music should be different than the world’s music.  Visitors should hear a distinct difference between our music and the wicked music of the world.    This excludes all styles that are typically associated with sinful themes, e.g. rock, pop, hip-hop, country-western.  (2) Our music should reflect a commitment to ecclesiological separation, i.e. separation from unbiblical “Christian movements”   A large portion of the body of so-called contemporary Christian music (CCM) music has originated in Pentecostal / Charismatic churches.   “Shout to the Lord” was written by Darlene Zschech, an Australian Pentecostal worship leader.  Majesty” teaches the Pentecostal “kingdom-now” theology.

5.  Worship music should be consistent with the Lord’s desire for decency and orderliness

1 Corinthians 14:40:  "Let all things be done decently and in order"

Implication:  Avoid musical styles that tend to promote disorder 

6.  Worship music should be consistent with our call to avoid placing a stumblingblock before the brethren

Romans 14:13-14:  "Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother's way."

In summary, our worship music should …

• ... teach sound doctrine and reflect grace in our hearts;
• ... encourage a reverent attitude (reverence before the special presence of God);
• ... encourage worship in spirit and truth vs. counterfeit worship / emotionalism;
• ... be consistent with our call to holiness / separation from worldliness;
• ... promote an atmosphere of decency and orderliness;
• …avoid placing a stumblingblock before the brethren.

How important is it to join and remain faithful to a good local church?

Pastor Hammond

Harold Camping and his Family Radio network wrongly prophesied that “judgment day” would occur on May 21, 2011. He later revised his date to October 2011.   Mr. Camping’s false prophesy proves that he speaks “the thing which the LORD hath not spoken,” (Deut. 18:22).    

Mr. Camping’s departure from the truth is explained, in part, by his decision to resign his church membership in 1988.  How does this explain his error?  According the Bible,  local churches are the “pillar and ground of the truth," (1 Timothy 3:15 ).  Without the benefit of correction from fellow church members, Mr. Camping has strayed progressively further away from Biblical truth. His understanding has become so clouded that he’s proclaiming false prophesies.   Perhaps more egregious, however, is his teaching that other believers "should not be part of a local church.”   He’s perpetuating his error by calling others away from the very place where they might be corrected!  

The Family Radio website states "… we are now compelled to teach the Biblical truth that God has shifted the final task of world evangelism to individual Christians who are outside of a local congregation. In obedience to these Biblical teachings, Family Radio, which is completely outside of any church institution, and which is supported and administered by individual believers, does teach that today, as we are heading for the end of this world’s existence, we should not be a part of a local church,"   (Accessed May 18, 2011).   

Camping is wrongly teaching believers to depart from the very institutions that God has ordained for our instruction and correction!  In the New Testament, all ministries are carried-out in and through local church.  For example, Paul was sent out by a local church (Acts 13) to plant local churches.  Wherever people were saved, Paul both baptized and discipled those believers.  Paul also taught that men should be ordained to fill the two offices of local churches:  elder/bishop/pastor (Titus 1:5) and deacons (1 Timothy 3).

The conversion of the chief ruler of the synagogue at Corinth, Crispus, demonstrates that membership in a local church is God's plan for New Testament believers.   In Acts 13, Luke records that Paul preached the gospel to Crispus and others at Corinth (18:1-7). As a result of Paul's preaching, Crispus and others believed. (18:8).   Paul then baptized Crispus and the other believers (Acts 18:8; 1 Cor. 1:14) into the “one body” at Corinth (1 Corinthians 12:13).  After baptizing the new believers, Paul remained at Corinth to disciple the new church members for “a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them,"(18:11). Later, Paul also wrote two inspired epistles "...unto the church of God which is at Corinth..." In his first letter to the church at Corinth, Paul taught the baptized church members to observe the Lord's supper, i.e. he taught the ordidances of the local church.   In all of these facts, it may be observed that Paul had a deep commitment to the Lord’s plan to establish local churches and to edify believers in those churches.

For Harold Camping to call believers out of local churches is to call them out of God’s plan for His people;  It is to call believers away from the place where we “…fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:   In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit,”  (Ephesians 2:21-22).  

Pray for Harold Camping.  And pray for other believers who have resisted being baptized into one of our Lord’s local assemblies.  Today, let’s recommit ourselves to serving in and through the local church where God has placed us!  And if you're not already in a good church, please visit Long Hill Baptist Church in Trumbull this Sunday at 11:00.

Are Believers Allowed to Ignore Civil Authorities?

Pastor Hammond

Recently, I crossed paths with a car that was speeding down Main Street in Trumbull.  “Doesn’t that guy care about speed limits?,” I thought.   “How can he drive with so little regard for the safety of others?” Of course, I too am guilty of less than ideal driving at times.   What does the Bible say about obedience to laws?  

In Paul’s letter to the church at Rome, God calls Christians to exercise both lawfulness and love.   In Romans chapter 13, Paul writes, “Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers.”  All believers are called to submit to our civil authorities – and to the laws that they institute. Of course, that includes speed limits.   Obeying the speed limit has a practical value.  But Paul also offers spiritual reasons for submitting to the law.  He write, “For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.”  The authorities who write our laws are appointed by God; they are part of His plan.   Consequently, when we choose to break the law, we necessarily choose to disobey God.  “Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God,” writes Paul. 

Interestingly, the Bible says that each of our local leaders is a “minister of God,” (Romans 15:4).  God uses them for His purposes. And Christians who willingly submit to their authority are blessed with a clear conscience (v. 5).

Paul continues by encouraging believers to be obedient in several specific areas of civil life, including paying our taxes and rendering “honour” to our leaders.  “For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God's ministers, attending continually upon this very thing,” writes Paul.  ^“Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.” 

In Romans 13, Paul also reminds us that we're  called to exercise love toward our neighbors.  "Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the (Old Testament) law," (13:10).   When I choose to drive lawfully, I'm also choosing to exercise love toward my neighbors!

Given all of the above, I must ask myself if I would ever break the law.  The pray that the only law that I would willfully  break is a law that would be overtly contray to the Bible.  I would break a law that prevented me from carrying out any part of the great commission:  sharing the gospel, baptizing believers and teaching them to obey the entire Bible.

Today, let’s pray that the LORD will help us set a good example by obeying our local, state and federal laws – let’s live lawfully for Christ and for our neighbors.

_______________

On Wednesday nights at 7:00 PM we're studying through Paul's epistle to the Romans.