Big God More than Enough Greatest struggles: - Thinking you own it - Thinking it's on you - Which causes great stress

Big GodBig God

More than EnoughMore than Enough

Greatest struggles:Greatest struggles:

- Thinking you own it- Thinking you own it- Thinking it's on you- Thinking it's on you- Which causes great stress- Which causes great stress

Just isn't enoughJust isn't enoughEven with faithEven with faith

Bailing waterBailing waterMy ship is sinkingMy ship is sinking

Where's Jesus?Where's Jesus?

Is it all on you?Is it all on you?

Are you finding identity/worthAre you finding identity/worthIn someone or something?In someone or something?

Are you wondering whereAre you wondering whereJesus is?Jesus is?

2 Familiar Stories2 Familiar StoriesActually happenedActually happenedYet Parables of our FaithYet Parables of our Faith

In a boat- in the sun- all dayIn a boat- in the sun- all dayTeaching the crowdsTeaching the crowds

...when evening had come, ...when evening had come, Jesus said to them, “Let us go Jesus said to them, “Let us go across to the other side”across to the other side”

And leaving the crowd, they And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, took him with them in the boat,

just as he was. And other just as he was. And other boats were with himboats were with him

And a great windstorm arose, And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. But he was already filling. But he was in the stern, asleep was in the stern, asleep on the cushionon the cushion

When the fishermen freak outWhen the fishermen freak outIt's time to…It's time to…

And they woke him and said to And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care him, “Teacher, do you not care

that we are perishing?”that we are perishing?”

And he awoke and rebuked the And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” “Peace! Be still!”

And the wind ceased, and there And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.was a great calm.

He said to them, He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have “Why are you so afraid? Have

you still no faith?”you still no faith?”

It's not It's not thatthat they ran to him they ran to him

It's not It's not thatthat they ran to him they ran to him

But But whenwhen they ran to him they ran to himAnd And howhow they ran to him they ran to him

Where was Jesus?Where was Jesus?

Wrong question-Wrong question-Where were they?Where were they?

When we seek Jesus firstWhen we seek Jesus firstInstead of handling it ourselvesInstead of handling it ourselves

We discover the basic truth:We discover the basic truth:

Jesus is Jesus is (more than)(more than) enoughenough

And they were filled with great And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”wind and the sea obey him?”- Mark 4:35-41- Mark 4:35-41

Would they still dealWould they still dealWith weather?With weather?

Jesus is enoughJesus is enough

We don't have to beWe don't have to beThe disciples…The disciples…

When we remember:When we remember:

- His power- His power- His presence- His presence- His concern- His concern

And go to him first instead of:And go to him first instead of:

- Going it alone- Going it alone- Freaking when it goes sideways- Freaking when it goes sideways- Accusing him of not caring- Accusing him of not caring

She's an outcastShe's an outcastA villager without a villageA villager without a village

The women are scaredThe women are scaredAnd disdainfulAnd disdainful

Living Water…Living Water…

““Everyone who drinks of this Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will I will give him will never be never be thirsty again.thirsty again.

The water that I will give him will The water that I will give him will become become in him in him a spring of water a spring of water

(satisfying thirst)(satisfying thirst) welling up to welling up to (ending in)(ending in) eternal life” eternal life”

- John 4- John 4

Shyeah!Shyeah!

Call your old man…Call your old man…

Call your old man…Call your old man…"I ain't got one!""I ain't got one!"

5 Husbands5 HusbandsLiving with a 6Living with a 6thth Guy Guy

She has religionShe has religionAnd beliefs and faithAnd beliefs and faith

She has religionShe has religionAnd beliefs and faithAnd beliefs and faithBut…it hasn't satisfiedBut…it hasn't satisfied

Looking for love and purposeLooking for love and purposeFulfillment and valueFulfillment and value

In relationshipsIn relationshipsRather than in GodRather than in God

And Jesus is offeringAnd Jesus is offeringTo be To be (more than)(more than) enough enough

To satisfy her needTo satisfy her needFor purpose and value For purpose and value

And identityAnd identity

She's gonna take the dealShe's gonna take the dealAnd find real lifeAnd find real life

Will she stillWill she stillHave to deal withHave to deal withHer reputation and their stares?Her reputation and their stares?

Will she stillWill she stillHave to deal withHave to deal withHer reputation and their stares?Her reputation and their stares?

Will Jesus still be enough?Will Jesus still be enough?

Having faithHaving faith

Yet seeking fulfillment and Yet seeking fulfillment and meaning and sense of selfmeaning and sense of selfOutside that faithOutside that faithLeads to Leads to soul thirstsoul thirst

Jesus wants us to knowJesus wants us to knowWe don't have to beWe don't have to be

The woman at the wellThe woman at the well

Jesus is Jesus is (more than)(more than) enough enough

Jesus is Jesus is (more than)(more than) enough enoughWhen he's the Priority- directsWhen he's the Priority- directsAnd the Source- satisfiesAnd the Source- satisfies

Thorns hurt…Thorns hurt…

""I I am enough"am enough"- 2 Cor. 12:9- 2 Cor. 12:9

If Jesus is enoughIf Jesus is enoughNothing else is necessaryNothing else is necessary

If Jesus isn't enoughIf Jesus isn't enoughNothing else will satisfyNothing else will satisfy

You have been madeYou have been madecompletecomplete in him in him

- Col. 2:10- Col. 2:10

His divine power has given us His divine power has given us everything we needeverything we need for life and for life and godliness through our knowledge godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own of him who called us by his own glory and goodnessglory and goodness- 2 Peter 1:3- 2 Peter 1:3


For some of usFor some of usFreedom begins today= Freedom begins today= Opening our clutched handsOpening our clutched hands

And giving over our securityAnd giving over our securityIdentity and future to JesusIdentity and future to Jesus

Jesus is Jesus is (more than)(more than) enough enough means…?means…?

Great! I don't have to doGreat! I don't have to doAnything…Anything…

"I'll pray and sit here"I'll pray and sit hereGod will bring a wife…"God will bring a wife…"

"The job will come to me…""The job will come to me…"

"Church will be about me"Church will be about meAnd what I want…And what I want…I'm there to be served!"I'm there to be served!"

"Relationships are about me"Relationships are about meAnd my needs…"And my needs…"

……be doers of the word, and not be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving hearers only, deceiving

yourselvesyourselves- James 1:22- James 1:22

"Faith without works "Faith without works is dead, Jim!"is dead, Jim!"- James (OST Version)- James (OST Version)

We still workWe still workNot Not for for approvalapproval

But But fromfrom approval approval

We becomeWe becomeOthers-centeredOthers-centered

Else we have religionElse we have religion

Not faithNot faith

Do nothing from selfish ambition Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count or conceit, but in humility count others others more significant more significant than than yourselves…yourselves…

Let each of you look not only to Let each of you look not only to his own interests, his own interests, but also but also to to

the interests of othersthe interests of others- Phil. 2:3-4- Phil. 2:3-4

Jesus is Jesus is (more than)(more than) enough enoughTo meet our needsTo meet our needs

As we deny ourselvesAs we deny ourselvesAnd follow himAnd follow him

Jesus is Jesus is (more than)(more than) enough enough means…?means…?

We still face danger and trialsWe still face danger and trials

And we prayed to our God And we prayed to our God and and set a guardset a guard as a protection as a protection against them day and nightagainst them day and night- Neh. 4:9- Neh. 4:9

Pain doesn't disappearPain doesn't disappear

Five times I received at the hands Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty of the Jews the forty lashes less one. lashes less one.

Three times I was Three times I was beaten with rods. Once beaten with rods. Once

I was stoned. Three times I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and I was shipwrecked; a night and

a day I was adrift at sea;a day I was adrift at sea;

……on frequent journeys, in danger on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles…danger from Gentiles…

……danger in the city, danger in danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, the wilderness, danger at sea,

danger from false brothers;danger from false brothers;

……in toil and hardship, through in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure.cold and exposure.

And, apart from other things, And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me there is the daily pressure on me

of my anxiety for all the churchesof my anxiety for all the churches2 Cor. 11:24-282 Cor. 11:24-28

It's not a failure of faith to goIt's not a failure of faith to goThrough hardship and dangerThrough hardship and danger

Physical and emotional painPhysical and emotional pain

The failure of faith The failure of faith is to think we have to be is to think we have to be delivered from pain in order for delivered from pain in order for Jesus to be presentJesus to be present



Means he'll take me throughMeans he'll take me throughUntil he's ready to take me homeUntil he's ready to take me home


Means there's peace and joyMeans there's peace and joyIn the pain and hardshipIn the pain and hardship

I can do all things through Christ I can do all things through Christ who gives me strengthwho gives me strength

- Phil. 4:13- Phil. 4:13


Means there's redemption and Means there's redemption and purpose in the trial (and sin)purpose in the trial (and sin)

Count it all joy, my brothers, Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces testing of your faith produces steadfastnesssteadfastness- James 1- James 1


Means there's freedom and restMeans there's freedom and restIn a world seeking approvalIn a world seeking approval

How do I knowHow do I knowIf Jesus is If Jesus is (more than)(more than) enough enough

In my life?In my life?

Is my value internal or external?Is my value internal or external?

Woman at the well-Woman at the well-My actions will tellMy actions will tell

Do I need approval of othersDo I need approval of othersTo feel OK about myself?To feel OK about myself?

How do I knowHow do I knowIf Jesus is If Jesus is (more than)(more than) enough enough

In my life?In my life?

Are trials reasons to freak out?Are trials reasons to freak out?

To work hard by myself?To work hard by myself?

Or to trust God and praise himOr to trust God and praise himFor what he's doing?For what he's doing?

Does knowing Jesus make me Does knowing Jesus make me Entitled, demanding to be served Entitled, demanding to be served According to my desires?According to my desires?

Or others-centered and readyOr others-centered and readyTo carry a cross?To carry a cross?

We train disciples to change We train disciples to change their world for Jesustheir world for Jesus

Because they live what they Because they live what they know to be true: know to be true: Jesus is Jesus is (more than)(more than) enough enough

Pearl of great pricePearl of great price

Halloween Halloween

Thank you!Thank you!

We are so honoredWe are so honored

To serve JesusTo serve JesusWith youWith you

THANK YOU!!!THANK YOU!!!

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Big God More than Enough Greatest struggles: - Thinking you own it - Thinking it's on you - Which causes great stress