DO YOU HAVE A PROBLEM WITH YOUR LIPS?

I read a story about a school that was having a lipstick problem. Yes, you heard me right... a lipstick problem! The story has it that the girls of the school were putting on their lipstick in the bathroom which was fine except they would kiss the mirror before leaving the bathroom. The janitor quickly got tired cleaning the ‘kissing lips’ off each day and told the principal about the problem. The principal led as many girls in the bathroom as possible and showed them the messy mirrors. The principal explained how much time was being wasted cleaning lipstick off the mirrors each day and asked the janitor to demonstrate how long it took to clean one of the mirrors. The janitor picks up a long-handled squeegee, dips in the toilet a few times, and uses that squeegee to clean the mirror. Since then they have not had that problem anymore!

Christians may not have lipstick problems, but often we find that we do have problems with our lips! Instead of having words of praise to our God coming from our lips, we speak words of fear and doubt and unbelief.

Don’t Worry

MT 6:25 "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 important than food, and the body more important 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 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?
28 "And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies 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, O 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.

What would cause us to have problems with our lips?

L- Lack of faith (or wrong focus)
MT 6:25 "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life,... 31 So do not worry, saying, `What shall we eat?' or `What shall we drink?' or `What shall we wear?'
‘Worry communicates lack of trust in God, complicates our ability to enjoy each day, and compromises our planning for tomorrow. Worry is not supposed to be a characteristic of those who are citizens of the kingdom of God.’ - David Jeremiah from ‘Sermon on the Mount: Tough Questions Answered By Jesus’

I- Insecurities
26 Look at the birds of the air;...28 "And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow.
27 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?
If worrying could add time to your life, how much longer would your life be?

P- Problem-focused
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, O you of little faith? ...
32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.

S- Self-centeredness
33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
His kingdom and his righteousness is sometimes paraphrased as God’s way of doing things. What is God’s way of doing things? GE 8:22 "As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease."
We can’t worry and seek his kingdom and his righteousness at the same time. When we worry, we are disobeying at least two commands: 1) the command not to worry and 2) the command to seek his kingdom
34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Conclusion:
Are you living by faith or fear and doubt?
Do you realize how much God loves you?
Do you focus the problem or the Problem Solver?