Beyond the Weekend: EPIC
Stories of Trust, Failure and Faith That Point to Jesus
What does it look like to believe God, not just believe in God? This fall, we're diving into the raw, unfiltered stories of biblical heroes who wrestled with doubt, took dangerous detours, and discovered that trusting God means following him even when you can't see the outcome. Their epic journeys of trust, failure and faith all point to the ultimate hero—Jesus.
Key Messaging Points:
- There's a difference between believing in God and believing God
- God speaks in life's detours and disruptions
- Wrestling with God transforms us
- Trusting God means obeying before you see the outcome
- Every story of human struggle points to Jesus
Assess
Read: Nehemiah 2:11-18 Listen: Nehemiah 2
By night I went out through the Valley Gate toward the Jackal Well and the Dung Gate, examining the walls of Jerusalem, which had been broken down, and its gates, which had been destroyed by fire. Nehemiah 2:13
Nehemiah takes a midnight ride around Jerusalem, three days after arriving. God had impressed upon Nehemiah’s heart a desire to rebuild the city wall. Before he could create a plan for the work ahead, it was important for him to assess the damage to the walls honestly. He needed to know the extent of the work ahead.
In a similar way, there will be seasons when we face a rebuild. To start well, we need to make an honest assessment of where things stand. Such an appraisal could be related to many issues, including how well we have been dealing with anger and any relationships we’ve damaged, the state of our finances and the reality of our debt or generosity, or the health of our marriage and family relationships. Any progress or change in our lives requires taking an honest look at where we are in the moment. The change process is like charting a long trip—it is impossible to map out an accurate course if we do not understand the starting point.
TODAY: Talk with someone who knows you well and ask them to help you assess your life. For instance, assess the health of your marriage or a close relationship by asking this individual, “On a scale of one to ten, how healthy do you believe our relationship is?” Or, to better understand your own character, ask a trusted friend: “What is one area of my life that you believe has the most room for growth?”
