don't worry

You know my brothers, in my heart, right now there is a sense of -how can I say- there's an overwhelming feeling of how God responds to our hearts and our needs. There is an overwhelming sense of how the Lord responds to our hearts. Before I came down here, I was thinking and reflecting on different texts and one of the things that I wanted to share with you tonight was precisely that. I am coming across the text that says 'This generation adores me with its lips, but its heart is far from me'.

It was one of the texts I came across and hearing these words that were shared now, the truth is that it brings me a sense of having to recognize that God always seeks to confirm these things to his people, my brothers. God will always find a way to bring a word that reaches the heart.

And do you know why I tell you this, my brothers? Me in my pastoral capacity when I look around here and I start to think “Wow, Lord! There are so many needs out there and so many people who have so many requests, so many problems, so many ups and downs, and I say to myself, it's like having a list - which one do I choose to be able to preach?

And you know what, my brothers? For me that is impossible. But God in some way or another takes care that his word reaches where it has to go. The Word of God is 'alive and effective', that is something it says in the Book of Hebrews.

The word of God is alive and effective and sharper - indeed I am going to read it to you -: "Sharper than any two-edged sword that penetrates to split the soul and spirit, the joints, the marrow and discerns the thoughts and the intentions of the heart.

That last part of that verse, my brothers, you know what? It has always captivated me in one way or another because you can arrive here with intentions that can be hidden from me. I don't know what's there behind your eyes. I cannot see what is behind his chest, hidden in his heart.

I can't see it. Maybe I can imagine it but I can't discern it as it is. But God in his sovereignty does see it. He knows when we come here with half-nebulous intentions and he also knows when we come here with genuine intentions to say, 'Lord, look, I need you. I need you to intervene in my life.

And I've been thinking through all these things and I say to myself, look, Lord, now at the end of the day the most we can do is say, "Look, Dad, you're the one with the answer."

There is a passage in the Book of John where Jesus was confronting different people about who He was. Jesus was saying that He is 'the bread of life and whoever comes to Him and eats from Him will never hunger.'

These words that Jesus was saying were words that scandalized many. Because people thought they had to really bite into a song to Jesus, but that's not what He was saying. What He was saying, the word that He was giving, that He was communicating. And at one point He himself confronted his disciples and said to them 'Do you also doubt the words that I am telling you? Are you finding it difficult to receive what I am saying?’

And look, you know what? If Jesus were to ask each of us that question right now, I am sure that in some corner of our hearts we would say 'Look, yes, Lord, there are times when it is difficult for me to chew things that you give me, or to live or adjust my life to what You have for me, to what You want to do with me. There are times when it is difficult for me

But here in this passage look at the response that Peter gave to Jesus. He said to him: “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of life”. Who shall we go to? That sounded like 'we've tried everything, we've investigated, we've checked with this one and that one and the other one.

I mean, don't you imagine yourself when you have your problems? If you are a person who, perhaps like me, is not such an introvert but feels comfortable talking about things with another person to seek advice, to seek a type of advice and know how to make decisions, look to listen to those voices, in some way or another what we are doing is exposing our hearts so that God gives us direction in some way or another.

God if it can be revealed to our lives. God can speak to our hearts in a very direct way. But I also believe in the revelation that God gives us through the advice of other people, the experiences that other people have lived.

And you know what, my brothers? I want to encourage you tonight by telling you something. I'm sure they're going to laugh when I tell them this. I have to make them laugh, they have been too serious tonight, I have to make them laugh one way or another.

How many of you have heard the phrase that goes 'Hakuna Matata'? How many saw the movie 'The Lion King'? Let see the hands, how many saw the movie 'The Lion King? OK. Look, you know what? I'm not doing a bad promotion for Disney or anything like that. Because I know that there are people who say that those Disney movies are from the devil or things like that. Please don't target anyone, please. Don't hit me in the head.

But look, that phrase is real. I thought that phrase was an invention from the movie. But when that movie came out I liked it so much that I got the soundtrack of that movie. But I did get the soundtrack of the original African choir that sings the songs from the movie. And you know what? In that song comes the song of that choir singing Hakuna Matata. Hakuna Matata is an African expression that means 'no problem'. That is what Hakuna Matata means in African.

And you know what? That expression comes from the Bible. Do you know where that expression is found in the Bible? Go with me to Matthew, chapter 6. Please, don't go around saying, 'Look, Pastor Omar is preaching about Disney movies, please.' It's more if I had planned this ahead of time I would even put the movie clip and everything there when the song comes out [sings] but I'm not going to do that.

Look at this, where this expression comes from in the Bible. Matthew Chapter 6 verse 31. Add it there Marlene, verse 31. Okay, look at it there. What does verse 31 say? "Don't worry" Do you know what "don't worry" means in the version according to Pastor Omar Soto? Don't worry. Hakuna Matata. Look, I give you permission. Tell the person next to you 'Hakuna Matata'

Look, my brothers. I know it's good to laugh, but you know what? In the midst of all this, I recognize that there are some realities in life that are very difficult to deal with. And there are times when the stress of life weighs, weighs, tends to weigh on our shoulders and I know that the struggles that we have in different ways, in different ways, that these struggles can manifest; look, there are times that overwhelm us.

And we ask ourselves 'what am I going to do? What am I going to do with this boss of mine who is making my life miserable? What am I going to do with this spouse, instead of helping me what I feel is that they are a big impediment for me? What am I going to do with this son, with this daughter? And perhaps the children will say, what am I going to do with this father or this mother?'

There are times when you have such internal issues, that you have struggles that you have not shared with anyone and you say to yourself, 'Lord, what am I going to do with this carnal mentality that sometimes exists in me? That I try to think in a dignified way, holy as You command; but my flesh is so weak that I can't give 'like who says- foot with ball'. What if I'm struggling with such a strong addiction and I've been struggling with this for years and years and I can't overcome it in different aspects. And then in the midst of all that stress, we start thinking things that we don't even have to think about.

And there are times when we even dare to think 'My God, am I possessed by a pigeon or something? In the name of Jesus, may God rebuke. Is there a cat locked inside me? Where is he to get me off my back?

Look, my brothers, Jesus himself said that we in the world are going to have affliction. We are going to have people step on the calluses of both feet at the same time, not one, both. And in the same way you will also step on other people's corns. Don't think that you are going to get stepped on all the time! You are also going to step on other people's feet. Intentionally or unintentionally.

But in the midst of all those things, in the midst of all that stress when you come here to this church or when you come home and you kneel next to your bed or next to the toilet or next to the dining room table, you kneel down and say 'Lord what am I going to do? I can not anymore. I have a stress that is overwhelming me'

Look, you know what? Hakuna Matata. No problem. Don't worry. Peace Peace. My brothers, it is so easy to forget the words that Jesus himself has given us. Those words that I am saying, in your Bible, do they appear in red or in black? If they come out in red, do you know who is saying them? He Himself, He Himself is telling you 'Don't worry'.

What is the answer it gives us? What does verse 33 say?

All other things are going to be added to it, my brothers. Because? Is it so difficult to obey such a beautiful and special call? Why is it so easy for us to forget ourselves, day after day when we walk out the door of our houses? We went out and it's like those words went to fit.

'Okay, I have to make this report to my boss' or 'I have to order so many things' or 'I have to cook so many things' or 'I have to wash so many things' or 'I have to go to this place, what if I have to go there', 'what if they are going to pull out a tooth, what if they are going to give me a discount or what…' You name it, fill in the blank.

So many things that can become so easy for us to forget that what the Lord tells us 'Look, look for me first and all the other things that you need will fall into place'. Look, if you don't believe me, believe Him. Please, believe Him. I never tire of saying this. Let's hold God accountable to his own words.

When you find yourself in that eagerness, in that anxiety, look, get closer to God and say 'I don't want to worry, so I'm looking for you'. But if you look for Him. Look at this, it's like a tango: 'It takes 2 to tango'. I don't dance tango like that, it's because I do this strange movement. I know that there are times when you have to lift your leg like that and everything. But the point is that 'It takes 2 to tango'. I can come before God and God will give an answer. In other words, God is going to take a step and He is going to wait for me to follow that step. I can't stay like this surrendered and may God drag me everywhere dancing like this no, no.

In the dance, both people are needed and required so that it can flow. Therefore, when we approach before God, let us not approach in front like this, hoping that everything will work out as if it were a magic wand and that everything will happen. Look, we have to do our part.

What that text is implying is that. I have to seek first that God can supply each of those needs. If I don't give that part of me to search, to move actively, to take action, to take risks, look at the rest of the things that won't happen. What's more, -wow, how revealing!- those words of Jesus are an act of faith. It is an act of faith, because the mere fact that I go looking for God is first because I am trusting that what comes next is going to happen.

Now but not the mere fact that I seek God just for the sake of getting the results. I have to get closer to God because precisely because of what was shared with us a few minutes ago. The mere fact of being close to the heart of God. The mere fact of being close to the heart of God, of being able to experience the love of God. Of me giving him love because He has given love to me first.

When I enter into that relationship, into that connection of love; look, that's why it says that 'everything else is going to flow, it's going to fall into place'.

When a marriage is experiencing turbulence they say “Houston, we have a problem” and they are there as if the plane dropped or not. What's going on? It's like, have you seen that image of two donkeys that are tied by the same rope and one wants to eat grass on one side and the other wants to eat grass on the other side and they are hanging themselves because they both want to leave at the same time? by your side? There is no love relationship there.

Now when they meet in the middle and talk and whisper to each other, you know, they caress a little and come to an agreement, Okay, 'Look, we're going to do this: we're both going to eat together here first and then we're both going to eat together and we eat here on the other side'.

When there are entities that enter into that type of relationship of harmony, of fluidity, look, everything else falls into place. It is so simple and so difficult to be able to do that too. It's something as simple as that.

When we manage to live in that harmony of God's love, of the love that God gives us and the love that we can express to each other through fraternal ties of brotherhood... look, my brothers, believe God that it is a mysterious thing : all other things will fall into place.

But for that to take place I have to do my part. If I enter into that love relationship pointing fingers at whoever the opponent is saying 'the problem is with that person and not me. I'm fine,' then look at Hakuna Matata again.

Let's not worry, my brothers. I want you to leave here with that phrase today. Don't worry, don't worry. And maybe I'm asking something inhuman of you because it's a human thing to worry. But when you are worried or worried, remember that phrase. Say it: Hakuna Matata.

Don't start saying meditations like that, yoga-type things, that's not going to make it any easier for you. Look, focus on the Lord, seek Him. Seek Him and you will see how all other things will fall into place.

Again: don't believe me, believe God because those are His words. He knows what He has for each of your lives. He knows what he has for his heart, for his future. He knows what he has in store for you. He knows where you have crossed, He knows what you have done, intentionally or not. If you say 'Oh, Lord, it was unintentionally wanting to', well, you know what? Intentionally or involuntarily He knows what we have done. He knows what our stupidities have been and He knows what our good deeds have been.

At some point we are going to have to face consequences. Look, consequences we're always going to have to deal with. But facing consequences without God's company versus facing consequences with God's company, insurance, and power: those are two very different stories. So, my brothers, get out of here today - I'm not throwing it away, for the record - but get out of here today with that certainty.

Leave here today with that certainty. I believe that these words that I am saying, many of you can testify to precisely that: how you have experienced the hand and provision of God in your lives in one way or another. It may be that some of you are in the situation that even a Hakuna and Matata cannot come out of your mouth.

But look, if you manage to focus on God, on seeking Him and perhaps I'm not saying that you stop every day to pray, I'm not saying that. Seeking God is done 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You connect with God, whether you are taking a test, whether you are typing something on the computer, whether you are listening to the latest record from I don't know who has come out. I was going to say someone else, but if they say Michael Weed, okay… Whatever you are doing, you can connect with God.

When you shake hands with someone, you are connecting with God. Because there is something of God in that person, even if he is the biggest bandit or the biggest bandit, with everything you are connecting with God. Because he is a son or a daughter of God, because he is God's creation. And by connecting with that person in some way or another I know that my situation, my personal requests are connecting with God's.

Every time that I as a Pastor sit in counseling or sit down with someone to chat or talk in a healthy way, I know that those moments become a prayer before God, they become an offering, a sacrifice because I I am joining another person. And those two people having something in common focused on the power and love of God, look, the two people became a sacrifice to God. We smell God, because God makes himself present and real in us.

So my brothers, go with that certainty today. That when you find yourself in the middle of whatever your rice with oxen may be, there in the middle of it you can find that ingredient of God that can give seasoning to everything and that can organize all things in your life. Remember that word "Do not worry."

Do not worry, seek to connect, seek to unite with the heart of God and you will see how God is going to allow all other things to fall into place. Whatever it is, my brothers, when I say fill in the blank, I mean it: fill in the blank. I say it. Whatever it is. In your life or in someone else's life fill in the blank and lastly – this is the hardest part – be willing to make changes.

Be willing to make changes. Don't expect to see different things if you don't do different things. The worst thing in life is wanting to see different things doing the same thing all the time. If that is your strategy, I hope to see you in my office, to pray for you and give you a tissue so you can cry.

But if you want to see different things in your life, dare to do different things. Dare to think differently, dare to see people differently. Instead of saying 'here comes this one -you know what- better say here comes a son or daughter of God'. Let's see how we can connect with God through this person. Or how you can make it easier for that person to connect with God through you.

So I'm going to shut my mouth. The message has already been said, we are going to stand up and we are going to pray. Do you know the Hakuna Matata song? In major please. Oh, that would be outrageous! Get them to sing that song. I'm crazy, but it's not that bad.

Father, in the name of Jesus we come to you, Lord. Oh my God! Because there is no one more beautiful and there is no one who feels sorry for us like you. There is no one who has a heart desire to be able to intervene in our lives like you.

You are the one who is aware of each of the sighs that come out of our being. You are the one who is aware of each of our anxieties that inhabit each end of the nerves of our system.

You are the one who knows, Lord, our longings and our deepest desires, Lord that there are times when they consume us inside, to see them and come true, touch them and live them, savor them, Lord.

You know all those things. Father, you know my brothers and sisters who have arrived, my God, in the midst of situations that they do not know how they will turn out and to those people, Lord, I say in your name: do not worry. Seek God, seek God. Humble your ego in such a way that you can seek God first to find in Him healing, strength, power, peace, wisdom, discernment to know how to navigate the different situations you have in your life.

And Lord, Father, I know that perhaps there will be situations that will not work as some expect. There are going to be some results that for some people are going to be very harsh and very difficult to deal with. But You are the God who is with us even in those valleys of shadows or death.

You are the God who goes with us through those vales of tears and You promise that those tears will be changed into springs for our lives, for the lives of others.

So, Lord, I ask that You strengthen those people to whom these words that I am saying are given and that You give them the firmness and courage to know how to wait on You, Lord, through the trials of their lives. And to be able to see that sunlight rising on the other side of the horizon with new life, with a new hope, with a new purpose, with a new intention.

And the rest of us who are walking on a fixed path, Lord, firm that we do have our ups and downs but that we are dealing with each one of them, keep giving us Your coverage, Lord, keep giving us your strength, keep speaking to us as long the way

May we continue to have encounters with you, Lord, through different things around us, different people, different messages that You can convey to us. Be you that compass, be you that north star that directs our step at every moment, Jesus.

Guide each of my brothers and sisters, Lord. Once again I ask that You minister your peace to them, your peace that surpasses all understanding, your peace that covers our hearts in your son Jesus, your peace not as the world gives it but only You know how to give it.

That is the peace that I minister over the hearts of my brothers, today.

Take us safely to our homes, Lord. That we can have a quiet, deep, restful rest and Father that tomorrow if you allow it, my God, that we can get up with new strength, that we can face the surprises of life with joy, with courage, with confidence in you and that those hard and difficult moments also give us the firmness we need to know how to cope with them, my God.

Trusting in you, looking for you, trusting in your word that by looking for you Lord, You will allow all other things to fall into place. We entrust our lives to your care and your hands. We ask all these things in the name of your son Jesus to whom we give all the glory and all the honor forever and ever.

Amen and amen. Thank you Lord, thank you Jesus.