Boogie Monster

Joke:  The Sunday morning service was going quite smoothly when suddenly a flash of light and a cloud of smoke appeared in front of the pulpit followed by a large BOOM.

When the smoke cleared, the congregation was astonished when they saw a figure complete with horns, pitchfork and a tail standing in front of them.

Immediately, panic set in.  People started crowding through the doors, trampling each other in their rush to get away.

Satan watched the exit with great glee, but his mood was disturbed by the sight of one man still lounging comfortably in his seat.

“Do you not know who I am?” Satan thundered. The man’s reply was nonchalant, “Sure do.” Satan was puzzled for sure. “Do you not fear me?” “Nope.” “Why not?”

The man seeming irritated by the question said, “What for? I’ve been married to your sister for 35 years!”

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Let’s be honest for a moment we have all experienced Boogie Monsters.  No, not the ones hiding under your bed.   I’m talking about fears and worries,   About being scared of something. . .worried about something.  Scripture tells us not to worry.  365 times to fear not or don’t be afraid.

However, most if not all of us have worried about something at some time.

When the bank account is lacking, we worry about how we are going to pay rent or buy groceries.

Some worry about rather people will like them or not.

And in regard to that let me just say this. . .

Someone once said, “You probably wouldn’t worry about what people think of you if you could know how seldom they do.”

But yet we do. . .

And truth is, worry has the ability to stop us in our tracks.

It’s that fear of what if. . .

But, you can choose to let worries control you or you can take them to God and learn to experience His peace in the midst of your storm.

As we see people, as you arrived here today, if there was someone that had gotten a haircut, that didn’t wear a matching outfit, or if they had a bad hair day you may have been able to pick up on those things, you might have noticed them.

But if there is someone here that brought their worries and fears of the circumstances they may be going through right now you and I might miss it.  Because it is far more difficult for us to see the worry and fears that some carry because truth is a lot of times we just keep those on the inside.  We hide them so know one knows about them.

I’m not suggesting we do that, but truth is many of us do.

(talk about that)

But let me say something you may already know.   God knows, He sees and He cares.

Corrie TenBoom once said, worry doesn’t empty tomorrow of it’s sorry, it empties today of it’s strength.

We all have fears, there is FOMO the fear of missing out.   Fear of crowds, fear of heights.  One of the more recent on the list, by the way the list seems endless, but a more recent is nomophobia.  Any ideas?  That’s the fear of being without your phone.  There are fears of all sorts of things.

Worry it’s something that we all do.  Fear it’s something most have.  If we were to go around the room today I dare say most of us here or watching online could share about their Boogie Monsters, their worries and fears.

But to be honest worry should lead us to draw closer to God.

I’m pretty sure that most of us have worried about things we never should have worried about in the first place.

Worried that something you thought could or might happen, but never did happen.   And by the way over 90 percent of what we worry about never happens anyway. . .yet we still worry.

What if they have more likes then me on Facebook?

What if they don’t like me?

What if they laugh at me?

What if I invite them to church and they refuse?

What if they make fun of me?

What if. . .

If there was anyone who had an opportunity, maybe even a right to worry it was Paul.

He was under arrest.   Waiting on a sentence that could condemn him to death.

Listen to how Paul describes some of the things he has dealt with.

2 Corinthians 11:22–27 (NIV): Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they Abraham’s descendants? So am I. 23 Are they servants of Christ? (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more. I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. 24 Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, 26 I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. 27 I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked.

Yet through it all he saw the faithfulness of God.

During one of Paul’s shipwrecked ordeals after they arrive on the island of Malta, Paul is gathering some sticks and. .

Acts 28:1–6 (TPT): After we had safely reached land, we discovered that the island we were on was Malta. 2 The people who lived there showed us extraordinary kindness, for they welcomed us around the fire they had built because it was cold and rainy. 3 When Paul had gathered an armful of brushwood and was setting it on the fire, a venomous snake was driven out by the heat and latched onto Paul’s hand with its fangs. 4 When the islanders saw the snake dangling from Paul’s hand, they said to one another, “No doubt about it, this guy is a murderer. Even though he escaped death at sea, Justice has now caught up with him!” 5 But Paul shook the snake off, flung it into the fire, and suffered no harm at all. 6 Everyone watched him, expecting him to swell up or suddenly drop dead. After observing him for a long time and seeing that nothing unusual happened, they changed their minds and said, “He must be a god!”

And yet Paul writing from a Roman prison says. . .

Philippians 4:6–7 (NLT): Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

Paul is trying to tell us that when you feel the need to worry let it lead you to God instead.

Worry about nothing, pray about everything. . .

Listen you can tell God what you need.   He’s Papa, He cares.   And He is able to bring a peace that passes all understanding even in the middle of the chaos.

God Is Bigger Than Your Biggest Worry, bigger than all the Booger Monsters that come your way.

Matthew 6:25–34 (NIV): Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? 28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

(Story of how you bringing a legitimate worry to God) – tell about having no money, appt. opening up, and a the check arrived from money given.

Knowing God is there, reminds you that you don’t have to face it alone.

Remember church, during the dark and difficult seasons of worry, God is there.  (Ecclesiastes talk about seasons 28 mentioned).  He’s with you, he cares about you and He is the one that can bring you peace.

Scripture promises. . .

Psalm 23:4 (KJV): Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

The same God that created the mountains, oceans, and stars. . .is the same God that is right there with you in the midst of your life, in the midst the storms, the chaos, disappointments, in every circumstance He is there.

He will never lead you or forsake you.  Oh listen you may still have struggles (talk about that)

Bit when you draw near to God, God will draw near to you.

I want to show you this video from the Skit Guys it’s where the idea for this message came from.  When they finish we will pray together and I want to share one more Scripture before we close out today.  But before I do that watch this. . .

Show Video Boogie Monsters

Prayer

John 14:27 (NLT): 27 “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.