Bearing or Baring Secrets?: Biblical principles for knowing when to "bear" a secret and when to "bare" a secret.

Hymns & Songs: "Be Thou My Vision" "Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee" "Praise to the Lord, the Almighty" "My Life is in Your Hands" "Shout to the Lord"

Sermon Notes: The Nature of Secrets Secrets give us previously hidden information Secrets give us power Secrets expose wrong doing (Luke 12:2-3)

When is it appropriate to bear a secret? When sharing it would diminish a surprise (Jeremiah 29:11; I Corinthians 2:7-10) When sharing it causes damage to others (James 3:5; Proverbs 11:12-13) When doing so enhances our relationship with God (Psalm 91:1-4; Judges 16:16-18)

When is it appropriate to bare a secret? When it could become destructive to our relationship with God (II Samuel 12:13; Psalm 51: 1,3, 10-12; Psalm 139: 23-2) When it helps to ease a burden (Galatians 6:2) When it is too good to be kept (I Corinthians 4:1)