2. "Follow Your Heart" And 5 More Lies… Handle

3. When I'm hurting I look for wisdom everywhere And things that may have Meaning for me in that moment

4. "God will never give you More than you can handle"

5. Is it God? Just life? People? Consequences of decisions?

6. Is it God? Just life? People? Consequences of decisions? Most times, you won't know

7. Ultimately, God is sovereign

8. Ultimately, God is sovereign So let's go with "God will never…"

9. Who decides how much Is "more than you can handle"? - Break with reality? - Very depressed? - In need of meds? A bit anxious?

10. Threshold is different For each person

11. "God will never give you More than you can handle"

12. "God will never give you More than you can handle" Meant as encouragement

13. Comes from 1 Corinthians 10

14. Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall

15. No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not allow you be tempted beyond your ability…

16. …but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it - 1 Cor. 10:12-13

17. God will never allow you To be tempted beyond What you can escape Through his power and provision

18. "Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat - Luke 22:31

19. The scriptures do not promise… "God will never give you More than you can handle"

20. In vain

21. In vain What if I try to encourage But shipwreck someone's faith?

22. The real issues:

23. You will experience Heavy, crushing burdens Those burdens are a gift To teach you Faith, Humility And Community

24. God never intended for you To carry your burdens alone

25. God never intended for you To carry your burdens alone Isolating yourself And "being strong" is outside The will and purpose of God

26. When God allows More than you can handle It's a gift…IF you humble yourself Trust God and reach out To Community

27. How do we get there?

28. Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest

29. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls

30. Within religion, we can be Saddled with self-seeking And pride and harshness "Labor and are heavy laden"

31. …learn from me for I am gentle and lowly in heart and you will find rest for your souls

32. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light

33. For some of us Growing up in religion Our Faith is our burden And that's not God's plan

34. …this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome - 1 John 5:3

35. If your faith has become about Being right, pointing to self Speaking and judging callously You need to unburden yourself

36. Because a Faith that Points to me Is exhausting Gotta look right, be right Put everyone else in their place

37. And tends to upset Jesus ("Whitewashed tombs…")

38. We don't need anyone else On the cross That job has been filled And fulfilled

39. What else do we face That cause us to be stressed Depressed, worried and upset?

40. Health & Pain, Emotional Issues Money, Cars, Jobs Heating and Home Repairs Relationships and Family

41. Health & Pain, Emotional Issues Money, Cars, Jobs Heating and Home Repairs Relationships and Family What can we control?

42. Health & Pain, Emotional Issues Money, Cars, Jobs Heating and Home Repairs Relationships and Family We control our response

43. Anger Pride and Stubbornness "I can handle it myself!"

44. God never intended for you To carry your burdens alone Isolating yourself And "being strong" is outside The will and purpose of God

45. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble”

46. Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you- 1 Peter 5

47. Starts with humility Humility toward one another Conditioned upon humility God opposes the proud

48. Being "strong" and refusing to Seek out Faith Community Cheats me out of God's help And them out of blessing

49. But what about…?

50. Faith Community does need to Make sure the opposite is addressed "I'm always a victim…" "I'm a taker…" "I don't do anything wrong…"

51. Being "strong" and refusing to Seek out Faith Community Cheats me out of God's help And their blessing

52. 59 - # of "one another" and "each other" Verses in the New Testament

53. We: Comfort Help Restore Speak Truth Bear Burdens

54. Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted

55. Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ - Gal. 6:1-2

56. You will experience Heavy, crushing burdens Those burdens are a gift To teach you Faith, Humility And Community

57. God will never give you More than you can handle God will use everything to Remind you of your need for him And the people who love him

58. Those trials and burdens Are a gift The God can and will redeem For glory, joy, blessing

59. Practical: - Cultivate your Faith now Before things get bad

60. Practical: - Get involved in Community

61. Practical: - Help them with humility/grace- You'll need it one day

62. Homework: Meditate on: - Matthew 6:19-34 - James 1:2-8

64. Small Groups Tonight, Wed, Thurs Jan 26, 29, 30

65. Superbowl Food, Fun, Fellowship Next Week, 5:30 PM

66. 14 Days of Prayer and Fasting Feb. 17

67. The New MCW (Sweetheart Dinner) Men Meet Now