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Philemon 4:6-7
“Be careful for nothing”; that is, “BE ANXIOUS ABOUT NOTHING”; no anxiety ought to be found in the believer. Great, many, and varied, may be our trials, our afflictions, our difficulties, and yet there should be no anxiety under any circumstances, because we have a Father in heaven who is almighty, who loves His children as He loves His only begotten Son, and whose joy and delight it is to succour and help them at all times and under all circumstances.
Therefore anxiety should not be found in the children of God, but we should attend to the exhortation given us in this verse: “BE ANXIOUS ABOUT NOTHING; BUT IN EVERYTHING BY PRAYER AND SUPPLICATION WITH THANKSGIVING, LET YOUR REQUESTS BE MADE KNOWN UNTO GOD”.
Here notice particularly the following points:
1)“IN EVERYTHING”, that is, not merely when the house is on fire, not merely when the beloved wife is dying, not merely when our children are on the brink of the grave, but in the smallest matters of life, bring EVERYTHING before God, the little things, the very little things, what the world called trifling things -EVERYTHING -living in holy communion with our Heavenly Father, and with our precious LordJesus Christ, all day long. And when we awake at night, by a kind of spiritual instinct again turning to Him, and speaking to Him, and bringing our various little matters before Him in the sleepless night, the difficulties in connection with our family, our servants, our trade, our profession, whatever tries us in any way, speak to the Lord about it. And in like manner, our joys, our easy days, speak to the Lord about them, and ask Him to help. Ask Him to help regarding EVERYTHING.
(2)“BY PRAYER AND SUPPLICATION”, taking the place of beggars, with earnestness, with perseverance, going on, and waiting, waiting, waiting on God.
(3)“WITH THANKSGIVING.” We should at all times lay a good foundation with thanksgiving. If everything else were wanting, this is always present, that He has saved us from hell. Then, that He has given us His Holy Word -His only begotten Son, His choicest gift -and the Holy Spirit. And therefore we have always abundant reason for thanksgiving. Oh, let us aim at this!
What is the result of this?
“AND THE PEACE OF GOD WHICH PASSETH ALL UNDERSTANDING, SHALL KEEP YOURHEARTS AND MINDS IN CHRIST JESUS.” We shall have the peace of God. And this is so great a blessing, so real a blessing, so precious a blessing, that it must be known EXPERIMENTALLY to be entered into, for it passeth understanding. Oh, the peace of God, how EXCEEDINGLY precious this blessing!
See therefore how we get this peace of God, through attending to this exhortation, that in EVERYTHING, in the most minute affairs of life, we let our requests, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, be known unto God. And further, that we seek to the utmost to avoid anxiety. Oh, let us lay these things to heart, and the result will be, if we habitually walk in this spirit, we shall far more abundantly glorify God, than as yet we have done.
