"Follow Your Heart""Follow Your Heart"

And 5 More Lies…And 5 More Lies…HandleHandle

When I'm hurtingWhen I'm hurtingI look for wisdom everywhereI look for wisdom everywhere

And things that may haveAnd things that may haveMeaning for me in that momentMeaning for me in that moment

"God will never give you"God will never give youMore than you can handle"More than you can handle"

Is it God?Is it God?Just life?Just life?People?People?

Consequences of decisions?Consequences of decisions?

Is it God?Is it God?Just life?Just life?People?People?

Consequences of decisions?Consequences of decisions?

Most times, you won't knowMost times, you won't know

Ultimately, God is sovereignUltimately, God is sovereign

Ultimately, God is sovereignUltimately, God is sovereign

So let's go with So let's go with "God will never…" "God will never…"

Who decides how muchWho decides how muchIs "more than you can handle"?Is "more than you can handle"?

- Break with reality?- Break with reality?- Very depressed?- Very depressed?- In need of meds? A bit anxious?- In need of meds? A bit anxious?

Threshold is differentThreshold is differentFor each personFor each person

"God will never give you"God will never give youMore than you can handle"More than you can handle"

"God will never give you"God will never give youMore than you can handle"More than you can handle"

Meant as encouragementMeant as encouragement

Comes from Comes from 1 Corinthians 101 Corinthians 10

Therefore let anyone who Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands thinks that he stands take take

heed lest he fallheed lest he fall

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

……but with the temptation but with the temptation hehe will also provide will also provide the the

way of escape, thatway of escape, that you may be able to you may be able to

endure itendure it- 1 Cor. 10:12-13- 1 Cor. 10:12-13

God will never God will never allowallow you youTo be To be temptedtempted beyond beyond

What you can escapeWhat you can escapeThrough his power and provisionThrough his power and provision

"Simon, Simon, Satan has "Simon, Simon, Satan has askedasked to sift you as wheatto sift you as wheat

- Luke 22:31- Luke 22:31

The scriptures do The scriptures do notnot promise… promise…

"God will never give you"God will never give youMore than More than youyou can handle" can handle"

In vainIn vain

In vainIn vain

What if I try to What if I try to encourageencourageBut shipwreck someone's faith?But shipwreck someone's faith?

The real issues:The real issues:

You will experienceYou will experienceHeavy, crushing burdensHeavy, crushing burdens

Those burdens are a Those burdens are a giftgiftTo teach you Faith, HumilityTo teach you Faith, HumilityAnd CommunityAnd Community

God never intended for youGod never intended for youTo carry your burdens aloneTo carry your burdens alone

God never intended for youGod never intended for youTo carry your burdens aloneTo carry your burdens alone

Isolating yourself Isolating yourself And "being strong" is outsideAnd "being strong" is outsideThe will and purpose of GodThe will and purpose of God

When God allowsWhen God allowsMore than you can handleMore than you can handle

It's a It's a gift…gift…IF you humble yourselfIF you humble yourselfTrust God and reach out Trust God and reach out

To CommunityTo Community

How do we get there?How do we get there?

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

Take my Take my yokeyoke upon you, and upon you, and learn from me, for learn from me, for I am gentle I am gentle

and lowlyand lowly in heart, and you will in heart, and you will find rest for your soulsfind rest for your souls

Within religion, we can be Within religion, we can be Saddled with self-seekingSaddled with self-seeking

And pride and harshnessAnd pride and harshness

"Labor and are heavy laden""Labor and are heavy laden"

……learn from melearn from mefor I am for I am gentle and lowlygentle and lowly in heart in heart

and you will find rest and you will find rest for your soulsfor your souls

For my For my yokeyoke is easy, and is easy, and my my burdenburden is light is light

For some of usFor some of usGrowing up in religionGrowing up in religion

Our Faith is our burdenOur Faith is our burdenAnd that's not God's planAnd that's not God's plan

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

If your faith has become aboutIf your faith has become aboutBeing right, pointing to selfBeing right, pointing to self

Speaking and judging callouslySpeaking and judging callouslyYou need to unburden yourselfYou need to unburden yourself

Because a Faith that Because a Faith that Points to mePoints to meIs exhaustingIs exhausting

Gotta look right, be rightGotta look right, be rightPut everyone else in their placePut everyone else in their place

And tends to upset JesusAnd tends to upset Jesus("Whitewashed tombs…")("Whitewashed tombs…")

We don't need anyone elseWe don't need anyone elseOn the crossOn the cross

That job has been filledThat job has been filledAnd fulfilledAnd fulfilled

What else do we faceWhat else do we faceThat cause us to be stressedThat cause us to be stressedDepressed, worried and upset?Depressed, worried and upset?

Health & Pain, Emotional IssuesHealth & Pain, Emotional IssuesMoney, Cars, JobsMoney, Cars, JobsHeating and Home RepairsHeating and Home RepairsRelationships and FamilyRelationships and Family

Health & Pain, Emotional IssuesHealth & Pain, Emotional IssuesMoney, Cars, JobsMoney, Cars, JobsHeating and Home RepairsHeating and Home RepairsRelationships and FamilyRelationships and Family

What can we control?What can we control?

Health & Pain, Emotional IssuesHealth & Pain, Emotional IssuesMoney, Cars, JobsMoney, Cars, JobsHeating and Home RepairsHeating and Home RepairsRelationships and FamilyRelationships and Family

We control our We control our responseresponse

AngerAngerPride and StubbornnessPride and Stubbornness"I can handle it myself!""I can handle it myself!"

God never intended for youGod never intended for youTo carry your burdens aloneTo carry your burdens alone

Isolating yourself Isolating yourself And "being strong" is outsideAnd "being strong" is outsideThe will and purpose of GodThe will and purpose of God

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

Humble yourselves, therefore, Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so under the mighty hand of God so

that at the proper time he may that at the proper time he may exalt you, exalt you, casting all your casting all your

anxieties on him, because he anxieties on him, because he cares for youcares for you- 1 Peter 5- 1 Peter 5

Starts with humilityStarts with humilityHumility toward one anotherHumility toward one another

Conditioned upon humilityConditioned upon humilityGod opposes the proudGod opposes the proud

Being "strong" and refusing toBeing "strong" and refusing toSeek out Faith CommunitySeek out Faith Community

Cheats me out of God's helpCheats me out of God's helpAnd And them them out of blessingout of blessing

But what about…?But what about…?

Faith Community Faith Community doesdoes need to need toMake sure the opposite is addressedMake sure the opposite is addressed

"I'm always a victim…""I'm always a victim…""I'm a taker…""I'm a taker…"

"I don't do anything wrong…""I don't do anything wrong…"

Being "strong" and refusing toBeing "strong" and refusing toSeek out Faith CommunitySeek out Faith Community

Cheats me out of God's helpCheats me out of God's helpAnd their blessingAnd their blessing

5959 -- # of # of "one another""one another" and and "each other""each other"Verses in the New TestamentVerses in the New Testament

We:We:ComfortComfortHelpHelpRestoreRestoreSpeak TruthSpeak TruthBear BurdensBear Burdens

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

Bear one another's Bear one another's burdens,burdens, and and so fulfill the law of Christso fulfill the law of Christ

- Gal. 6:1-2- Gal. 6:1-2

You will experienceYou will experienceHeavy, crushing burdensHeavy, crushing burdens

Those burdens are a giftThose burdens are a giftTo teach you Faith, HumilityTo teach you Faith, HumilityAnd CommunityAnd Community

God will never give youGod will never give youMore than you can handleMore than you can handle

God will use everything toGod will use everything toRemind you of your need for himRemind you of your need for himAnd the people who love himAnd the people who love him

Those trials and burdensThose trials and burdensAre a giftAre a gift

The God can and will redeemThe God can and will redeemFor glory, joy, blessingFor glory, joy, blessing

Practical:Practical:

- Cultivate your Faith now- Cultivate your Faith nowBefore things get badBefore things get bad

Practical:Practical:

- Get involved in Community- Get involved in Community

Practical:Practical:

- Help them with humility/grace-- Help them with humility/grace-You'll need it one dayYou'll need it one day

Homework:Homework:

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

Small GroupsSmall Groups

Tonight,Tonight, Wed, Thurs Wed, ThursJan 26, 29, 30Jan 26, 29, 30

SuperbowlSuperbowl

Food, Fun, FellowshipFood, Fun, FellowshipNext Week, 5:30 PMNext Week, 5:30 PM

14 Days of Prayer and Fasting14 Days of Prayer and Fasting

Feb. 17Feb. 17

The New MCWThe New MCW(Sweetheart Dinner)(Sweetheart Dinner)

Men Meet NowMen Meet Now