Follow Along with the Message

What Am I Living For?

Pastor Tom Lundeen

...the problem of stress isn't some recent ...

Stress isn't new and has always been a . 

Human beings have been dealing with stress since  entered our world. 

Since human beings have had stress in their lives for multiple millennia, this series is all about us learning how God wants us to  stress His way, and discover how we can move from constant stress to genuine rest. 

1. What is Stress?

Stress =   or  reaction, and happens automatically when we feel pressured/threatened.

• % of people experience stress that impacts their physical health; % of people impacts their mental health; % of people have trouble sleeping (American Institute of Stress, Sept. 2022).
• National Ag Safety Database estimates as much as % of illness and disease is stress-related.
• ...constant stress can increase your , suppress your immune system, and make your stomach ache...affect your blood pressure, weight, heart attack, stroke, other skin conditions... (Mayo Clinic).

While not all stress is ...stress in the 21^st century...can seem  most days. 

But we don't always tell ourselves the  about stress. 

So what's  our stress? 

How did Jesus  dealing with stress in a healthy way? 

2. He Knew Who He Was Trying to  (note John 5:30)

Jesus knew what He wanted to  with His life (note John 8:14; Luke 4:43).

Either priorities or pressures will  our lives. 

Establishing right will help us focus on what's really important (note Luke 9:51, 62; 10:40-42). 

No one can please everyone (not even ...). 

Note Matthew 3:17

When you don't know who you're trying to please, then you'll be  by: 

•  (always wondering what others think about me).
•  (always worried if someone is doing better than you).
•  (when someone disagrees with me and I don't know who I'm trying to please so I give in). 

We need to  who we're trying to please (note Matthew 6:33). 

If my ultimate focus is to please Jesus, and that's what I invest my time, energy, talents, and treasures to do, it  my life and it reduces pressure. 

From Stress to Rest in 2023: 

• We need to stop  our stress on everyone and everything else. 
• There are consequences to every choice we make (including ).
• But when I know who I'm trying to please, it helps  what consequences I need to choose. 
• So who are you trying to please? 
• If it's anyone or anything other than Jesus, life will be filled with doubts, , and constantly looking over your shoulder to see what others are saying about you. 
•  times in the New Testament Jesus challenged and invited people to Follow Me (note Matthew 19:21-22; John 21:19-22).
• Knowing who you're following in everything is how to experience rest instead of stress. 

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