Does God Ever Give Us More Than We Can Handle?

One morning, after being woken up and trying in vain to get back to sleep, I headed out to the living room to read my Bible for awhile. I read Acts chapters 21-24 and was really encouraged by the stories of the Apostle Paul. These chapters tell about Paul's imprisonment over a course of several years and his appearance before several prominent leaders of the times to "plead his case".

It struck me that by holding him in prison and taking him from place to place, Paul's accusers may have thought they were silencing him and the message that he was spreading. After all, they'd got him off the streets and away from citizens who may be swayed by his teaching. Yet, on the contrary, God was using Paul's time in bondage to witness to some of the highest ranking authorities in the land.

Acts 23:11 confirms the Lord's hand in this: "But on the night immediately following, the Lord stood at his side and said, 'Take courage; for as you have solemnly witnessed to My cause at Jerusalem, so you must witness at Rome also.' "

This encouraged me in the thought that when we dedicate our lives to God and to his service, we never have to be afraid of where we "end up". Whether it be at a job site, at home, or (hopefully not!!) in prison, God's directing hand will always place us exactly where he wants us.

A lot of people like to quote what they think is a Bible verse: "God will never give us more than we can handle". That's not necessarily the idea and those words in that order are not actually found anywhere in scripture. What people are probably referring to is a misinterpretation of 1 Corinthians 10:13: "No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it."

The Bible is not saying that God will never give us more than we can handle---just ask Paul or Jeremiah or Job and you'll find that there are examples over and over in the Bible of those who were given more than they could bear on their own. What Paul is saying is that God will not give us more than we can handle with him. As long as we are in right relationship with God and attempting to walk within his will, we will be able to recognize him right there beside us, guiding and directing through the most difficult of circumstances.

Paul describes God's provision of help in 2 Corinthians 1:8-9: "For we do not want you to be ignorant, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead."

Many of us will go through trials of different sizes and severities and many of them will be impossible for us to bear on our own. We are very weak children. However, we have a great big God who delights in carrying us through the impossibly stormy times. What better place to be than right within the will of God!

This article was published in Issue #88 of The Christian Home magazine.

Linking with:
Wisdom Wednesdays @ Simply Helping Him 

Apple Cider Beef Stew

I came up with this great recipe for Beef Stew last fall and it was a huge hit at the taste-testing table!  I served it with my Autumn Spiced Cornbread and there was barely enough leftover for Daddy's lunch!

Apple Cider Beef Stew
 
Ingredients: 

• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1 1/2 pounds beef, cut into cubes
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1 cup sliced diced celery
• 10 cups beef broth*
• 2 carrots, sliced into rounds
• 2 medium potatoes, cut into cubes
• 2 cups apple juice**
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. each of nutmeg and cloves
• 1 can corn
• 1/2 c. cornstarch
• salt and pepper

*A less expensive way to do your broth is to buy bullion cubes and dissolve them in water.  A jar of cubes is likely the same price as a couple cans of broth---yet 1 1/2 cube gives you the same amount of broth as a can.  You will get significantly more broth out of the cubes than the can for the same price.

**I used leftover apple cider from Bible study the night before.  If you use spiced cider, you can eliminate adding the cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves.

In a large skillet over medium heat, brown the beef in the oil.

Add onion and celery and sauté for 3 to 5 minutes longer.  Transfer to a large saucepan or stock pot. 

Add beef broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Add the carrots, potatoes, apple juice, and 3 spices; simmer for about 30 to 40 minute longer, or until vegetables are tender. Add corn; continue cooking 5-10 minutes.

In a small bowl or cup, combine cornstarch with 1 c. cold water until smooth. Add the mixture to the simmering broth, a little at a time, until stew is thickened. Taste and add salt and pepper.

Serves 8 to 10

I hope you all enjoy this recipe!  Please come back and let me know if you tried it and how you liked it.  I'd love to hear other variations.  Did you add autumn vegetables like squash, zucchini or pumpkin?  How did you like it with the apple cider/juice?

Today I'm wearing the cute pink apron that I won from the lovely Connie of Living Beautifully.  I've got a whole list of things I want to bake today---hopefully I'll get some of them done! 

No Matter Who Is President, Jesus is King

Click here for my updated 2016 version of this article!

Did you know our President is just a man?

Don't read "just a man" as in "yeah, men, they're such idiots sometimes...".  Instead, read it as, "he's NOT GOD...he's just a man."

While this may seem a pretty obvious point, so many of us this week are putting a much too large burden of responsibility on the shoulders of a couple of guys who were created with the same relative bone structure as any of our own husbands, fathers and brothers.

I am so not into politics.  In fact, I had fully decided not to vote in this year's election because both candidates disgust me and I don't feel comfortable endorsing either one.  It was just yesterday morning---6 days before the day---that I quickly registered my husband and I online to vote...just in case we change our minds.

What I dislike most of all about politics is how it divides normally peaceable friends.  This is most obvious to me on Facebook where I can't wait for election time to be over so I can actually enjoy my friends again!  We all have our opinions---that's fine---the part that gets me, though, is how much faith people are putting into our next President.

Did you know that no matter who ends up with the title next week, Jesus is still King?  He is.  He's King.  He's in charge.  He's allowing all these things that we think we have so much control over to happen---regardless of what we want.  In fact, it might not even matter how we vote (gasp!!) because Romans 13:1 tells us that God appoints our leaders.

"Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God." ~Romans 13:1

I'm not saying that this gives us an excuse not to vote---though I'm also not going to advocate that it's everyone's Christian duty to vote---I really don't know how I feel about that.  What I do know is this:  God's laws and his plan for us are still the same---no matter what person or laws we vote into our small corner of the world.

Abortion?  It's the sin of murder, every time, whether it's lawful in America or not.  No matter how the baby came to be created.  There is never an excuse.  Making abortion illegal is not going to stop it from happening. 

Health Care?  God is the giver and taker of life and health---the healer and the one who chooses not to heal---no matter who is paying the doctor bills and whether or not one can afford care. 

Gay Marriage?  God established marriage as the very first human institution, not even a week into Creation.  One of the very first things he did is unite a man and woman in covenant for the remainder of their earthly lives.  So it doesn't matter what gays choose to do---any romantic/sexual union between anyone outside of God's established covenant of holy marriage under him is a sin.  No man-made law is going to change this.

Of course I'm not advocating that we all hide out and polish our holy halos, waiting for Jesus while the rest of the world goes to Hell---we are definitely called to fight evil in all places and be an example of Jesus to everyone.  One of the ways to do this is to be involved in influencing the way our country is run and what we allow it to stand for.

I am, however, definitely advocating that we don't put so much emotional energy into "fighting evil" that we end up fighting our friends, neighbors, fellow believers. 

No man is going to save us.  No laws, no freedoms, no lobbying, no nasty Facebook messages will make our situation better.  The only One who will bring change to the things we are so passionate about is Jesus.

If we put the same amount of energy, money and passion into sharing the Bible's truths that we do into political campaigning, just imagine the true changes that could come to America!