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[0:00] As the Lord shall be pleased to help me, I shall call your attention to a subject you will find in the Epistle to the Philippians, chapter 4, and verses 6 and 7.

[0:16] Be careful for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God.

[0:32] And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

[0:45] Chapter 4, the Epistle to the Philippians, and verses 5 and 6.

[0:57] This is a word which is wonderful in its comprehensiveness.

[1:08] For when it is interpreted aright, and a gracious understanding of the truth of it is entered into, it just makes it plain that God is approachable for everything and everywhere.

[1:26] Wherever you may be, as you journey on through life, you have this privilege of a God to go to, and a God who is ready to save, able to deliver, who delighteth in mercy.

[1:53] And if you view his dealings aright with poor sinners down through the ages, you will find no sinner was ever yet empty sent back, who came seeking mercy for Jesus' sake.

[2:10] And now I want for a little while to look at this word from two or three viewpoints.

[2:22] And it was then, first of all, to the godly Philippians. I've told you often about the church at Philippi, and you will remember how the Apostle Paul was greatly attached to the church of Christ there.

[2:41] I've tried to think sometimes, what one whom God has sent to preach must feel like to be so helped to labor that there should be a church of Christ founded and built up under one's ministry.

[3:00] It is a wonderful privilege, and that was given to the Apostle Paul, to found several churches and see them built up in the blessing of God resting upon them.

[3:19] And he had a special feeling toward the church at Philippi. And it is evident, they had a special feeling toward the Apostle Paul.

[3:31] Because I read to you, now ye Philippians know also, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me, as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only.

[3:53] And now this word opens with a caution. Be careful for nothing. And yet you will need to be careful to view this word in heaven's own light.

[4:12] Otherwise, you might fall away to a fatalistic spirit, and settle down and be at ease. Oh, that will never do.

[4:26] And is not allowable for people taught of God. Be careful for nothing. I will look at it, and give you what I judge is the interpretation of it.

[4:45] There is that about us that is always being careful. How shall we do? In this matter, or that. What shall we eat?

[4:57] What shall we drink? Wherewithal shall we be clothed? And you might say, all these things are lawful things to think about.

[5:09] And they are. But then the great thing is to think about lawful things lawfully. Remember that. You may think about lawful things, and fall apart to many anxious thoughts, as though, as though, when you inquire, how shall we do in this, as though God will not be willing to do anything in regard to it.

[5:41] What shall we eat? What shall we drink? You may think about that, and forget, lachee anything by the way, and they answered nothing.

[5:57] And you might think of that question, wherewithal shall we be clothed? And God may inquire of you, have I been a barren wilderness unto you?

[6:09] Have I ever failed you regarding what you eat, what you drink, wherewithal, ye shall be clothed? It is good to get back to this line of things.

[6:25] Thy love in times past forbids me to think thou wilt leave me at last in trouble to sing. Each sweet Ebenezer I have in review confirms thy good pleasure to carry me right through.

[6:39] And now this wording, be careful for nothing, has got deep down according to the original, so godly scholars tell us, and in nothing be over-anxious.

[6:51] There is a tendency for all of us to be over-anxious. We have matters to attend to, difficulties to face, responsibilities weighing heavily upon us, and we turn these things over and over in our minds, and our minds get up to such a tension, and we find ourselves living under such a stress and strain, and we have overlooked the fact that Jesus ready stands to save you.

[7:30] Full of pity, joined with power, he is able, he is willing, doubt no more. The teaching here, is that you should seek to live that life the Apostle Paul was enabled to do.

[7:48] The life I now live, I live by faith upon the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Continue in instant in prayer. Pray without ceasing.

[8:03] In everything by prayer, and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your request be made known unto God. Let us look at this caution just a little.

[8:15] Be careful for nothing. And it means you are not to try to arrange matters according to your own viewpoint of things.

[8:29] You might sit down and view your everyday lives, and turning your back on guard, and not seeking his aid, you might begin to plan and purpose.

[8:42] We would do this, we would do that. And now this word is a caution. When you feel like that, be careful for nothing.

[8:57] Thy whole dependence on me fix, nor entertain a thought thy worthless schemes with mine to mix, but venture to be naught.

[9:09] And it has got this meaning, be careful for nothing. Lean not on any earthly prop, whatever, or whoever it might be.

[9:28] There is a striking word in Micah I thought on many times, and it says, Trust not in a friend, put not confidence in a guide, for the most upright is as a thorn hedge.

[9:47] And now you might weigh that up, as God shall help you. A thorn hedge is very useful. The husband man is glad of it, and it is a protection.

[10:03] Keeps the stock in, keeps other things out, but to lean on it, you will find the folly of doing that. And now we are to so live with those whom we esteem for the truth's sake.

[10:22] Love them as brethren, pray one for another. But we are not at any time to be allowed to lean upon any one of them, because if we do, we shall find whoever it is, is a man of like passions as we are.

[10:39] And to do that, we shall find cease she from man whose breath is in his nostrils, for wherein is he to be accounted of.

[10:51] Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not to thine own understanding. Be careful for nothing. And you will find as you journey on through life, as I have told you a hundred times and more, that you have got to learn to be shut up to God.

[11:11] In all his dealings with you, you and I have got to learn vain is the help of man. God is greater than man. Yes.

[11:24] Be careful for nothing. Then, then to have recourse to God, pour a prayer in time of need. Feel the balm of Jesus' blood, this is to find a friend indeed.

[11:39] Another thought in this wording, be careful for nothing, means that you are not allowed to go down to Egypt for help. Not if you are taught of God.

[11:51] And you get some illustrations of it in the word of God itself. I have told you not once or twice about Jehoshaphat when he made an alliance with godless Ahaziah, Israel's king, to build a navy and the purpose of it was to get gold.

[12:12] But then, Jehoshaphat, godly man that he was, was being careful and he should not have made an alliance with one who was ungodly, a partnership.

[12:26] And so you read, the ships of Jehoshaphat were broken as he ongibur. And sometimes when godly men in business have been tempted and have been careful and linked up with those who were ungodly, who had got means to strengthen their business and accepted them in partnership, what have they found?

[12:52] In the ultimate issue, the partnership must be broken because it is shipwrecked. Can two walk together except they be agreed?

[13:06] You and I have got to learn to walk with God and it is good to live like that. Yes, he hath showed the old man what is good.

[13:20] What doth the Lord require more of thee but to do justly and love mercy and walk humbly with thy God? If you are helped to do that, you will be careful for nothing because you will cast all your care upon him and you will find he careth for you.

[13:42] It is a good life to live and the angel did wondrously and Manoah and his wife looked on. Be careful for nothing.

[13:53] One more interpretation of it is this. You must never limit the Lord. People do it. I have noticed for many years in my ministerial life, in our own denominational life, there is a terrible tendency to limit the Lord and to limit the grace of God.

[14:18] But you must not do it. The word of God does not allow it. God is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we can ask or even think according to the power that worketh in us.

[14:35] Yes. You must never limit the Spirit of God as to what he might be pleased to do in calling sinners by grace.

[14:46] You must never limit the grace of God as though you see some poor sinner who seems to be such fit fuel for hellfire that you are sure the grace of God could never deal with such in one and fit him for the skies.

[15:02] You are not allowed to think like that for those thoughts are God dishonoring. Be careful for nothing. In everything pray.

[15:16] That is the word of the Lord for you. Preacher and people alike. The remedy lies before thee. Pray. In everything.

[15:27] I said it was comprehensive. And it is. It includes those things that burden you this Sabbath afternoon. Things that perplex you.

[15:42] Things wherein you feel to need divine aid to know what to do. Maybe things to do with tomorrow that have got to be attended to. And as yet you know not how to proceed.

[15:53] Included in everything poor sinner. The Lord bless you. Commit thy way unto the Lord. Trust also in him and he shall bring it to pass in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving.

[16:11] Let your request be made known unto God. Be careful for nothing. And then there is one instance I like to think about in connection with this word.

[16:24] Be careful for nothing. You read about it in the history of the Israel of old. At one time in Judah there was one king named Amaziah.

[16:37] And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord but not with a perfect heart. Therefore not having a perfect heart he sought to be careful.

[16:48] He thought his own thoughts and he made plans. And he was concerned to go to war against his enemies and he thought the right way to approach the matter was to hire some of the mighty men of valor in Israel and add them to Judah's army and then go forth to undo his foes.

[17:17] and he set this plan afoot and he hired these men as the word of God tells us for a hundred talents of silver.

[17:31] When his plan was just ready to be brought to fruition as Amaziah thought the word of God says but there came a man of God to him saying O king let not the army of Israel go with thee for the Lord is not with Israel to wit with all the children of Ephraim but if thou wilt go do it be strong for the battle God shall make thee fall before the enemy for God hath power to help and to cast down.

[18:04] And Amaziah still being careful said to the man of God but what shall I do for the hundred talents which I have paid to the army of Israel?

[18:16] And the man of God answered the Lord is able to give thee much more than this. Oh I like that line of things the Lord is able to give thee much more than this a hundred thousand talents.

[18:33] The Lord declares the gold and silver is mine. All the earth produces I have created it. The cattle upon a thousand hills all are mine.

[18:48] Yes. And so you have got much to encourage you in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving to let your request be made known unto God.

[19:08] What you and I need is grace every day to allay that anxiety that possesses us. Sometimes it seems to fit in with people's temperaments as they were born and to a great degree they cannot help it working night and day in their make-up but still godly people know that just shall live by faith when all is said and done.

[19:38] Be careful for nothing. And now that is the caution. And now here is the counsel. In everything by prayer and supplication let your request be made known unto God.

[19:56] What is the difference between prayer and supplication? It would be very difficult to define the difference but difference there is.

[20:10] Prayer may be looked upon as that which is set forth in words when you appear before God and your mind is quiet and you desire to wait upon him and wait for him.

[20:38] And now supplication is when you need immediate help and you find in the word of God it is set forth by a look a desire a groan a wish thoughts within and like David says in one place my heart is sore pained within me the spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings that cannot be uttered and that is supplication you watch a babe when it is ill looking at its mother for help and cannot say anything at all as yet in words in the babe's eye is supplication and appeal the mother's heart interprets it yes and prayer is the burden of a sigh the falling of a tear the upward glancing of the eye when none but

[21:48] God is near prayer oh it is good when you can pray whenever you feel help to do it make the most of it it is a wonderful mercy to get a little help to pray I think of the epistle of James where you read and Elijah prayed and it rained not and it says in the margin Elijah prayed in his prayer I like that rendering do you always feel that you pray in your prayers I wish I could feel like that sometimes it seems words words put together and you cannot feel out of the abundance of the heart the mouth is speaking in I still feel like I used to feel when I began to preach nearly 50 years ago that I would rather try to preach two sermons than pray in public once

[22:50] I've never lost that feeling when I pray I speak to God when I preach I am before God speaking to men yes but in everything by prayer and supplication let your request be made known unto God everything and that includes things which you might have Satan suggest to you are altogether too trivial to pray about eh but there is nothing too trivial for you to ask divine aid in regard to it when you have leisure time read through the word of

[23:51] God again where it describes how God gave to Moses the pattern how the tabernacle was to be built and it is amazing how God goes down to the very smallest details and some things that seem very familiar as you read but every little detail nothing was omitted there was nothing whatever overlooked all the details were given and now that means that even things that devil might suggest are too trivial you are welcome to bring those things before God if you feel to need his aid to attend to the same you dear young people might remember that because it could be possible that some of you brought up as you are having heard about God all your life long you might even venture to bow your heads over your school desk and ask

[25:02] God to help you to pass your exams and he can do things like that and he has done it for many a young scholar it comes in everything if you are going into a new situation to earn the bread which perishes going in a way you have not gone heretofore you have got this privilege to ask God to bless you as you go forth where you are going in all ways acknowledge him and he should direct thy paths everything great word nothing outside it comprehensive inclusive in everything and now let us look at this everything suggest just some things in everything you will be concerned in letting your request be made known unto

[26:09] God and mark that word in it is very beautiful I feel let your request be made known unto God you see there are some things some of you dear people some of you young people I hope you have deep down in your hearts a concern that God will be pleased to lead you in the way everlasting give you the same religion of one like it which you know he has given to your godly father godly mother as the case may be have you made it known unto God that you would like to possess it the soul that with sincere desires seeks after Jesus love that soul the Holy Ghost inspires with breathing from above yes let your request be made known unto

[27:12] God and in doing it pray if thou canst to canst not speak but pray with faith on Jesus name your request be they great or small and not thinking too much of the small but thinking of the great remember this thou art coming to a king large petitions with thee bring for his grace and power such none can ever ask too much open thy mouth wide you will read in the word of God and I will fill it do any of you say show me a token for good let your request be made known unto God is it your concern to have some religion to live by and to die by and that you might be of a truth a pilgrim to

[28:12] Canaan bound let your request be made known unto God do you feel in your everyday life that you need divine aid to live as you want to do before God do you feel your need of wisdom to handle life's matters wisely if any man lack wisdom let him ask of God who giveth to all men liberally and operadeth not and it shall be given him let your request be made known unto God show me now thy way lead me in thy truth and teach me it may be your request is that you might obtain mercy you feel your guiltiness before God your undone state in the Adam fall you feel you can understand a little how the publican felt

[29:17] God be merciful to me a sinner then mercy is your request let your request be made known unto God you shall know Jesus blood through earth and skies mercy eternal mercy Christ it might be you feel to need grace to help you in everyday life you know one of my favorite petitions is let thy good spirit rule my heart govern all my words and ways let grace abound in every part teach my tongue to speak thy praise yes let your request be made known unto God if you feel to need more grace and there is a word to plead he giveth more grace and how much some of us feel to need it none of us have got much grace we should be very glad sometimes to be quite sure that we did possess the grace of

[30:32] God and that we could say as the apostle Paul and he called me by his grace but his grace that makes men feel their need and cry to God for more let your request be made known unto God now there might be one outstanding request and that is you want to know the sweets of forgiveness of sins you want that great inestimable favor to behold the lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world you want to feel that the great question is put out of question that matters are right between your soul and God in that you can say my beloved is mine and I am his let your request be made known unto

[31:33] God oh how many these requests will be they will well up in your breast day by day and then there will be this request every day you will find that troubles will come and encroach upon life's pathway and when they do if you were taught of God you want to know the wondrous mercy of what sanctified trouble is and that means for trouble coming into your life to be overruled for your soul's profit and peace and for you to be able to say it is good for me that I have been afflicted that I might learn thy statutes and to find the Lord is good a strong hold in the day of trouble and he knoweth them that trust in him sanctified trouble is a wonderful favor let your request be made known unto

[32:47] God it might be some of you those who are old and grey headed especially but remember this it can fit in with all in life's afternoon or morning either you might have a request well enough within to be prepared to die a great word prepared to meet thy God a certainty awaiting us at the end of life's journey even to meet thy God what then how stands the case my soul with thee for heaven are thy credentials clear and now that is your request you want clear credentials you want the assurance you so you

[34:07] DOU And then, there is consolation here, and it says, be careful for nothing but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, whatever you do, do not overlook it.

[34:35] Thanksgiving, you have abundant cause to render it unto God. Let not his mercies lie forgotten in unthankfulness and without praises die.

[34:51] Let your request be made known unto God what will be the outcome. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

[35:08] Keep your hearts and minds. Your heart will not be churned up. What shall we do? How shall we do?

[35:20] And varied questionings as to how you shall go on in life's journey. Your mind will be quieted.

[35:31] You will have a sweet consciousness. The Lord of hosts is with us. The God of Jacob is our refuge.

[35:42] It has got this meaning, so godly scholars tell us in the original. Your hearts and minds will be garrisoned.

[35:56] The peace of God will possess you. A wonderful feeling it is. And you will be helped to say, It is the Lord.

[36:08] Let him do what seemeth him good. It is the Lord enthroned in light whose claims are all divine, who has an undisputed right to govern me and mine.

[36:21] The peace of God. And that means peace on earth and mercy mild. God and sinners reconciled. The peace of God which passeth all understanding.

[36:34] You can never get at it by reasoning. No. It is communicated by God. It is that which a man cannot receive, except it be given him from heaven.

[36:50] It comes as a still small voice. And when it comes, you understand what Job sets forth. When he giveth quietness, who then can make trouble?

[37:04] All agitation is allayed. All anxiety. All anxiety. And you are just shut up to God. And you can feel then, Let but my faint in heart be blessed with thy sweet spirit for its guest.

[37:22] O God to thee, I leave the rest. Thy will be done. The peace of God which passeth all understanding, And you keep your hearts and minds.

[37:36] It will keep your thoughts well balanced. It will keep your judgment well informed. You will not be looking askance at the dealings of God, And saying, Jacob like, All these things are against me.

[37:54] No. It will keep you sober. In your feelings, Your spirit. Yes.

[38:06] And you will be on the stretch To hear what God the Lord has to say to you. In all his dealings with you. And when you do hear what God the Lord has to say, What will it be?

[38:21] Follow me. Follow me. My sheep hear my voice. I know them. And they follow me.

[38:35] Your hearts and minds Are all alert to do it. And straightway, They left all And followed him.

[38:50] And you will have that feeling. To do likewise. Jesus, Engrave it on my heart, That thou the one thing needful art.

[39:05] I would from all things parted thee, But never, Never, Never, Never, Lord, From thee. And now that is the beautiful outcome.

[39:17] When grace is given to you. To walk out this truth. Before us, Be careful for nothing. But in everything. But in everything by prayer and supplication, With thanksgiving, Let your requests be made known to God.

[39:36] And as you have helped to do it. You will say with the psalmist, Blessed be God, For he hath heard my prayer, And hath turned away his mercy from me.

[39:50] And for the wonders God has wrought, Let us each our praises give, And by sweet experience taught, Call upon him while we live.

[40:02]  Amen.