Water's Edge: 2011 - 2014

The Story Chapter 17 - Jeremiah

What is your vocation for God's calling? Be an example in your faith. To be genuine. To be authentic. Focus on your character.

A Dicken's of a tale: As known - Scrooge's final transformation is a true spiritual rebirth, but also a story of redemption. How has God delivered you?

Seek and Ye Shall Find.

Advent is a great time to do a personal inventory on your spiritual life.

Angel of the Lord - the Lord is now among us after appearing to Mary and Joseph communicating God's deliverance of His son and our salvation.

God’s Justice + God’s Love The Book of Ruth recalls the familiar story of Naomi, a Judean woman who lost her husband and two sons while living in Moab, and her devoted daughter-in-law Ruth, a Moabite. Out of loyalty to her mother-in-law, Ruth decides to return to Bethlehem with Naomi, rather than remaining with her own family in Moab. As these two destitutewidows return to Bethlehem, Naomi counsels Ruth on how to make her way and find acceptance in a new community.

The Call vs. The Culture - An Eternal Problem After the death of Joshua, God’s people felt this pull of worldly culture and a destructive pattern emerged: o Israel turned again and again to the worship of pagan gods. o God brought divine judgment. o Israel cried out for God’s help. o God raised up a judge to save them. This cycle of sin became the pattern of life in Israel for the next 300 years. God is never bashful about His intentions for His people. He never tolerates sin and, at the same time, never breaks His covenant with His people. Israel may not have fully understood God’s discipline, but over and over He had to bring them to their knees in order to bring them to Himself.

Punishing only those guilty of crimes (Deuteronomy 24:16)and limiting the use of deadly force to the defense of innocent others or oneself. 1. The term “holy war” is never used in Scripture. 2. The wars are, in part, an expression of judgment on the evil in certain cultures. 3. Practices in worship of false gods seduces worship of the true God. 4. God plays no favorites.

Wanderings - Faith in God’s promises will be rewarded. Doubt will be punished. Joshua and Caleb said, “If the Lord is pleased with us, he’ll lead us into that land. … He’ll give it to us” (Numbers 14:8).

“[God's people] answered with one voice. They said, 'We will do everything the Lord has told us to do' " (Exodus 24:3). Following God’s laws results in righteousness.

If Joseph’s life nearly gives the whole redemption thing away, then the story of Moses and the Exodus from Egypt removes all doubt; God doesn’t just telegraph where He might be going, He shows His hand, lays His cards on the table, and makes His long-term plan – The Upper Story – as clear as day.

Sermon from October 14

Because of God’s personal involvement in Joseph's life, he was was able to save his family from hunger. Joseph was in position to bring his family to Egypt and give them the most fertile land to work.

This week we take a look at the differences between Lot and Abram.

This week in The Story, we see how God uses less than perfect people to do great things for His Kingdom when they walk in faith.

This week in The Story sermon series, Bill and Nate dived deeper into what we read, heard, and reflected on in the opening chapter of The Story.

We enjoyed an inspiring sermon this week by guest speaker Larry Patton, the founder of Hurdling Handicaps. Larry's personal testimony of living with cerebral palsy grips the hearts of audiences, inspiring them to overcome their own obstacles, just like Larry did.

Bill introduced our fall Sermon series entitled The Story. The Story's concurrent all-church sermons, small-group studies, and children's curriculum will sweep you into the unfolding progression of Bible characters and events chronologically from Genesis to Revelation.

This Sunday, we looked at the personal struggle between the fear of our own humanity and failures, and in light of them, allowing Jesus to help us live the life for His kingdom that He always imagined for us.