When suffering lasts longer than you expected, it’s easy to wonder if your faith has failed but God says something different is happening beneath the surface.

So many people out there are running round like chickens with their heads cut off. Flapping and carrying on. And we wonder why stress and anxiety are the scourges of our lives. It's time to sit down and shut up.

This week on the program we're looking at five practical ways to banish worry and fear from our lives. Today is the fourth of those and it's really simple. It's this. Sit down and shut up.

Sorry to be that blunt and that direct. But sometimes I think that what happens is that we get so caught up in the hurley burley of life that we never stop to rest and reflect. You know what happens. Everybody else is so caught up racing around and doing this and doing that. And so we all go racing around and crashing into one another. It's like a pressure cooker without a release valve. And that pressure causes stress and anxiety. Worry and fear. We lose sight of the big picture.

And there's something very special that happens when we just get still for a bit. Just pull away from it all and get still before God.

So if you remember just one thing from today it's this. Sit down and shut up. Get still. Get still before God.

That's what we're going to be talking about today on the program. And I can tell you, from my life. Which is far busier than I would ever like it to be. This really, really works.

God's peace. God's rest in our hearts. How do we get our hand on that? How do we actually experience that amidst a busy life? Well the answer is in one of my favourite psalms, Psalm 46. Let me share it with you:

God is our refuge and strength. The very present help in time of trouble. Therefore, we will not fear though the earth should change and the mountains shake in the heart of the sea and the waters roar and foam through the mountains. Though the mountains tremble in it's tumult.

There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God. The holy habitation of the Most High. God is in the midst of that city. It shall not be moved. God will help when the morning dawns. The nations are in uproar, the kingdoms totter. He utters His voice and the earth melts.

The Lord of hosts is with us. The God of Jacob is our refuge. Come; behold the works of the Lord. See what desolations He had brought on the earth. For He makes wars decease to the end of the earth. He breaks the bow and shatters the spear. He burns the shields with fire.

Be still, and know that I am God! I am exalted among the nations. I am exalted on the earth. The Lord of hosts is with us. The God of Jacob is our refuge.

See the psalmist here, at the beginning, with the earth-shaking and the mountains shaking and the sea foaming. He's painting a picture of uproar and tumult. I mean the Hebrews love picture language like that.

Now when it comes to fear it seems that we have short memories. We go through something scary and God shows up and somehow it works out fine. Perhaps, maybe we remember to say, "thank you God". Maybe we don't. And then things calm down again. And they go along just brilliantly for a while.

And then BANG, the next storm hits. And it's raging and we're afraid and we're fearful. And life's a mess. We're running around like chooks with their heads cut off. And we're living through that excruciatingly, debilitating, immobilising fear that comes when the ground moves beneath our feet.

And we forget. We forget to look back and remember all the times that God's brought us through those storms before. And even if we don't have many of those to look back on. Let's say we have none of those to look back on.

Let's assume, worst case. Let's assume that you and I have just, this moment, given our lives to Jesus Christ and come to faith in Him. Just this moment, we've put our lives in His hand. So we don't have a

Missed trains. Missed phone calls. Missed chances. Most of us know what it's like to be just a little too late—and how it feels when the moment's gone. Some windows don't stay open forever.

In 1986, Halley's Comet passed close enough to the Earth to be visible to the naked eye. Crowds gathered. People camped out. But most said, "Eh, maybe next time." 

Yeah, okay, but the next time wouldn't be until 2061. A moment came … and went. For most, it was a once-in-a-lifetime chance but, for whatever reason, they missed it. Full stop. End of story.

Okay, no big deal, you might be thinking to yourself. Agreed. But what if you missed your once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to alter the course of your eternity - forever and ever, without end? That'd be a tragedy of epic proportions, wouldn't you say?

Isaiah 55:6 So you should look for the Lord before it is too late. You should call to him now, while he is near.

God isn't hiding. He's not playing games. He's here. Right now. But through the Prophet Isaiah, He's giving us a clear and present warning: seek Him now—while you still can.

Because life has windows. Moments. Seasons. And when your heart stirs—when something in you knows that it's time to reach out to God—that's not random. That's Him drawing you near.

Don't brush it off. Don't say, "I'll deal with that later." Later isn't promised.

The call here isn't complicated. It's not "clean yourself up" or "figure everything out."

It's simple. Call to Him. Search for Jesus while He's still near. Because when He shows up in your story, absolutely the wrong response … is no response. The window's open. Don't miss it.

That's God's Word. Fresh … for you … today.

When a marriage drifts into quiet distance without any dramatic cause, Scripture offers a path back to love that runs deeper than feelings.

There's a very good reason why mountain climbers drive metal stakes into the rock. It's not for the climb up. It's for when things go wrong—the wind, the slip, the sudden drop. When everything gives way, they need something that won't.

In 1940, engineers began building the Tacoma Narrows Bridge in Washington State. It looked strong. It stretched nearly a mile. It was praised for its sleek design. But they didn't calculate adequately for the wind. Just four months after it opened, it twisted apart and collapsed in spectacular fashion. Why? Because the foundations weren't strong enough to keep the whole thing intact.

I wonder, how often have you made the same mistake? You have some great idea, you race forward into what seems good to you, but again, you've underestimated the headwinds that inevitably strike.

There is an alternative.

Isaiah 26:4 Trust in the Lord forever, because the Lord is the Rock, the Lord will always protect us. 

It's easy to trust God when the going's easy. But this verse isn't for those easy times. It's for when the winds pick up—when what you thought was stable starts to twist and creak.

Trust in the Lord forever, because the Lord is the Rock. Not a theory. Not a feeling. Not a Sunday-school slogan. Your Rock—unshakable, immovable, forever. You don't have to be strong. You don't have to know how it ends. You just need to be anchored.

So drive your stake in deep and say, No matter what shakes—I will not be moved. Because your Rock won't be.

That's God's Word. Fresh … for you … today.

Fear and worry and stress and anxiety are out there in plague proportions. But there's one thing – just one thing – that can make a huge difference in this area of our lives. In fact this one thing is the most important thing I know about banishing fear from our lives.

Isn't it amazing what a difference a comforting word can make from a friend. You know, when you're under pressure and stress and racing around. And someone just gives you call to say, "I was thinking of you. How are you going?" Or they see the pressure you're under and they say, "Have you ever thought of this?" Or they just give you different slant on things. And in an instant, a word from a friend can calm the spirit. It can set at rest the racing heart. Its like it's a word in time. Just at the right time.

Problem is, in this busy hectic world that we live in, it seems to happen less and less these days, doesn't it? But fortunately God hasn't stopped speaking. Fortunately He has some words of wisdom. And encouragement. And comfort. And when He drops them into our hearts, just at the right time, they have this incredibly calming, healing effect. Even for the most harrowed of souls.

A word in time from God. That's what we're going to be taking a look at today.

I want to share with you the most important thing that I know about banishing fear and worry from our lives. The most important thing. The most affective thing. And it comes from the last part of chapter 4 in the Book of Philippians. It's what we've been looking at this week on the program.

It's the apostle Paul. He is on death row. He is writing to his friends in the Church in Philippi. In the process he's sharing his experience and teaching us how to banish fear from our lives. From the most dire circumstances, you or I, could ever imagine. He's on death row. Here's what he says. Philippians chapter 4, verses 10 to 13:

I rejoice in the Lord greatly but now, at last, you have revived your concern for me. Indeed you were concerned for me but you had no opportunity to show it. Not that I'm referring to being in need for I have learned to be content with whatever I have. I know what it is to have little and I know what it is to have plenty.

In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being well fed and of going hungry and of having plenty and of being in need. For I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.

Paul was an itinerant minister who travelled across much of the known world and a good part of that time he spent in jail. And he's writing here, to his friends in Philippi, about his physical needs. Obviously they've cared for him and provided for him. And sent him money and resources when he's been in need. And he's been saying 'Thank you', that's a good thing.

I love how much of God's word, you know, is about real practical things in people's lives. But even in this he takes the opportunity to teach them something. And I believe that God, today, is taking this opportunity to teach us something. Here it is:

For I have learned to be content with whatever I have. I know what it is to have a little, I know what it is to have plenty. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being well fed and of going hungry. Of having plenty and of being in need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.

Paul's saying, "You know something, it doesn't matter what circumstances I'm facing." How often do you and I think that our joy and our peace depend on our circumstances? Paul's saying, "No, no. Forget the circumstances. Doesn't matter what's going on in my life. Good or bad. Plenty or little. A full stomach or starving. I have learned, learned practically in my own experience, how this works. I have learned the secret. The secret of getting through any or all circumstances and that secr

Many people begin reading the Bible are surprised by stories that feel disturbing or confusing. Here’s why Scripture honestly reveals human brokenness, how difficult passages point us to Jesus, and why your questions do not scare God.

Have you ever woken up parched— with a dry mouth, a scratchy throat, craving water like it's the only thing that matters? Physical thirst is brutal. But soul-thirst? That's a different kind of ache. One you can't quench with just a glass of water.

Back in 1901, amidst the blazing heat of Western Australia's goldfields, prospectors had to dig deep—sometimes hundreds of feet—just to hit water. Many of them died trying. Not because there was no water, but because they didn't know where to dig—or they gave up too soon.

The desert wasn't just hot. It was lethal. Something that King David of Israel knew all too well:

Psalm 63:1 God, you are my God. I am searching so hard to find you. I am thirsty for you like someone in a dry, dry land where there is no water.

David wasn't merely being poetic. He was literally in the wilderness, running for his life. No temple. No crowds. No comfort. Just dry, lonely, desperate terrain. And yet—what did he want more than water? God.

Because when your soul's parched, when you've tried everything and yet nothing seems capable of satisfying that deep thirst—God is the only one who can revive you. Not wealth. Not comfort. Not religion. Not rituals. A deep, genuine relationship with God Himself.

Look, the question isn't whether or not God's there. Of course He is. The question is—are you digging in the right place? Or are you perhaps too tired to search?

God doesn't hide from the thirsty. He satisfies them.

So if your soul is dry today, begin with this cry: "God, you are my God." And don't stop searching.

Because that's His Word. Fresh … for you … today.

The experts tell us that each of us has about 70,000 thoughts each day. That's rather a lot. And it's what we do we our thoughts – our think time – it's the thoughts we have, that have such a huge impact on the lives we lead.

Worry and fear are a plague on the lives of so many people. Oh sure, we don't like to admit it. We don't like to show it. Although the reality is, you can't really help it.

Ever sat on a train or a bus or even on a park bench for that matter, and looked at the faces of the people around you? Some of them are bored but many, many others have a furrowed brow. And when they move, you can just tell, through their body language, that they're suffering from stress.

In fact, stress is one of the greatest ills in our society. Depending on where you live, the surveys tell us between 1/2 and 3/4 of all people suffer from unhealthy levels of stress.

Stress is just today's word for worry and fear. So today, today we're going to take a look at just one thing. One really practical thing that you and I can do that will help banish worry and fear and the stress that comes from those two, from our lives for good. I have to warn you, this actually works. So if you don't want to get rid of fear and worry and stress, do something else right now.

If you talk to a pastor, he'll probably tell you that the thing that you have to do to get rid of fear and worry is to have faith. That's what you need. Trust in God. It will all work out. Actually, I agree with him. But there's something else. It's knowing how to have faith. It's knowing how to apply our faith to the realities of life.

Today I want to share with you, one very practical 'how to' tip. We're going to do that through the apostle Paul. Locked in a dungeon on death row. And if anyone had any reason to worry it was this man, Paul.

We're going to look at what he wrote to his friends in Philippi. It was a letter that he wrote. We now know it as the Book of Philippians in the New Testament. We'll have a look at what he wrote about this whole subject of not being afraid. It comes from Philippians chapter 4, verses 8 and 9. He says:

Finally my beloved. Whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is just, pure and pleasing, whatever is commendable. If there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me and the God of peace will be with you.

Now I want to start with that last bit first. And there's a reason for that. Because what Paul's telling us here, is that he himself has discovered how to have God's peace. How not to be afraid. How not to spend his life worrying. See, this is not some theory lesson. This is a guy on death row explaining how to have peace. He says:

Keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me and the God of peace will be with you.

So Paul's saying, 'You guys know my life. You know how often I've been threatened. You know how often people have risen up against me when I got up to speak and how often they've wanted to harm me and kill me. You've seen all of that. You know that. You've seen me in action and you've seen how I coped with the pressures and the threats.

You want to have the same peace as I've got? You want to have a life free from fear and worry? Then do the things that you've seen me doing and the things that I'm telling you about now and you will have that peace too. God's peace.'

I think that's fantastic. Because what we're about to look at is proven. It works in the direst of circumstances. Doesn't that excite you? You know, there's not a one of us who doesn't have some reason to worry. There's not a one of us who isn't going through some storm right now. And just in case there's the odd person who isn't. Just rec