STRESS-FREE LIVING? - WHERE DO I BEGIN.....read on...

A LOOK AT THE MOST POPULAR VERSE ON AMAZON.COM

The greatest online retailer in the world is Amazon.com. They just reported that the most popular bible verse in the 20 year history of what began as a used book clearing house, by former school teacher Jeff Bezos is from Philippians 4:6-7! This is highly unusual when you look at the millions and millions of books and other items which have crossed this amazing company over two decades. The highly advanced Amazon search engine selected this verse as the most popular of every book that has ever crossed its path. These books range from mega-million bestsellers from the Bible all the way over to the Harry Potter series and everything in between. 

The fact that Philippians 4:6-7 beat out such culturally popular verses like Jeremiah 29:11 or John 3:16 or Proverbs 3:5-6 or the favorite of all secular humanists: “judge not less ye be judged”, speaks very loudly. This passage starts of like this: “Be anxious for nothing….

But do the folks who write these in their books, ebooks, audio-books and such, do they really live by these words? They sure do quote the passage a lot. When some of the top selling medication for decades are anti-depressants, tranquilizers and sleeping pills, you know these words are just, well….words to most people! If folks have to drink wine, beer and assorted cocktails to “wind down” or “relax” etc…..then the hidden cultural enigma is even more critical than first thought.

Lest anyone think, that we think that the rest of us got it all together, nothing could be further from the truth. The matter of, and concerning Faith, involves work. We are not just given the gift of Faith, through the Grace and Goodness of God, to sit on our salvation, searching the Eastern Sky for the Return of the King.  As for the unsaved, who just loves the sound of this quote from Philippians 4:6-7 and use Scripture in their own books to make a point – good for you. Now they need to go the extra mile and believe what the Word says.

So what does this Word actually say? It reads: “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:6-7 NKJV).

There are literally over 15 full length sermons in this one sentence, which occupies two verses of Scripture. We obviously cannot do 15 Sundays of messages here in one posting, but for us to grasp any of it, it is necessary to begin at the end of the passage – “THROUGH CHRIST JESUS”! NOTHING, absolutely NOTHING is possible, probably or ANYTHING WITHOUT JESUS CHRIST. He is the end of the Story, He is the beginning of the Story and He IS the story. Once we know this, through every fiber of our being and once we recognize, repent and receive Him as Lord and Savior, then and ONLY THEN, we can go back to the beginning of this passage. Having arrived at the point of "being anxious for nothing", we can proceed FROM there, with the blessed assurance of the true believer.

NEXT: WE START BREAKING DOWN THIS PASSAGE TO SEE WHERE THE LORD LEADS US. THERE IS NO LIMIT TO THE HEIGHTS AND THE DEPTHS AND WIDTH OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE HOLY, ONCE WE SET OUR MINDS TO CAMPING ON THIS WORD, HIS WORD AND THE WONDER OF HIS TRUTHS. THE PLANS AND PURPOSES OF EVERY WORD OF EVERY PHRASE WILL BECOME CLEAR, ONCE WE EXAMINE PHRASE BY PHRASE.