Ps Mark Evans
John 10:10
10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
Matthew 13:24-30
24 Here is another story Jesus told: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a farmer who planted good seed in his field. 25 But that night as the workers slept, his enemy came and planted weeds among the wheat, then slipped away. 26 When the crop began to grow and produce grain, the weeds also grew.
27 “The farmer’s workers went to him and said, ‘Sir, the field where you planted that good seed is full of weeds! Where did they come from?’
28 “‘An enemy has done this!’ the farmer exclaimed.
“‘Should we pull out the weeds?’ they asked.
29 “‘No,’ he replied, ‘you’ll uproot the wheat if you do. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest. Then I will tell the harvesters to sort out the weeds, tie them into bundles, and burn them, and to put the wheat in the barn.’”
"But that night as the workers slept, his enemy came"
1 Peter 5:8
8 Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for whom he may devour.
1 Peter 5:5-8
“God opposes the proud
but shows favor to the humble.”[a]
6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. 7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
8 Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
STEAL, KILL, Destroy
Destroy
Proverbs 16:18
Pride will destroy you and a proud attitude leads to ruin.
Steal
Distraction
Luke 10:38-42 (Mary & Martha)
38 As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. 39 She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. 40 But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”
41 “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, 42 but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”
Kill
The enemy of your life will try to kill you through the tyranny of stress and weight of anxiety
The Stress Test - AM I STRESSED?
Lauren - “Hey why are you still carrying those groceries?”
Mark - “I'm just collecting them”
Lauren - “Thats ridiculous, give them to me”
Mark - “No I don't want to I would prefer to hold on to them thanks”
Stress comes from collecting things that were meant to be carried to Jesus
To carry is not indefinite it's transitional
You were made to carry not to collect
Stress comes from a giving problem
He's asking you to cast your cares upon Him. Do you have a hard time giving what you have to God?
Thats why It is more blessed to give
Acts 20:35
Remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.
Don't Bottle up your emotions
You wouldn't do it with milk
We bottle up our emotions and they go funky - your attitude stinks!
YOU WEREN’T DESIGNED TO HOLD ONTO IT - YOU'VE BEEN DESIGNED TO POUR OUT WHAT YOU HAVE INTO OTHERS
So why is it that we hold onto grudges?
Luke 6:37-38
37 “Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn others, or it will all come back against you. Forgive others, and you will be forgiven. 38 Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.[c]”
FOR-GIVING
TO POUR OUT - IS BOTH THE ANTIDOTE FOR STRESS AND THE DEFINITION OF BEING BLESSED
In regards to your responsibilities, your emotions and your finances.. if you hold onto them you will become stressed and they will break you
You have been designed to give. God has woven the need to Pour it out into our human fabric
John 3:16
For God so loved the world that he gave...