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
Dead End
Read: Exodus 2 Listen: Exodus 2
“During that long period, the king of Egypt died. The Israelites groaned in their slavery and cried out, and their cry for help because of their slavery went up to God.” Exodus 2:23
Four hundred years after Joseph, the Israelites are enslaved by a new pharaoh. God blesses them with great growth, which makes Pharaoh afraid. During this time, Moses is born under an order to kill all Hebrew baby boys. He is rescued by an Egyptian princess and raised in the palace, safe from slavery. Though raised as part of Pharaoh’s household, Moses chooses to identify with his people, the Hebrew slaves. After a mistake forces him to flee, he spends forty years in a foreign land as a shepherd. It seems his life has come to a dead end, but in the desert, God meets him and begins his plan of rescue.
God often does his best work in the deserts and dead ends of life. Even when he seems silent, he is working. Nothing can stop his plans. The same is true for us. When grief feels overwhelming and there seems to be no way forward, when disappointment leaves us wondering what God is doing, when failure feels final, we can have faith that God is working. He calls us to turn to him and trust him in every season.
TODAY: Throughout your day, return to God with a prayer of gratitude, no matter your feelings or circumstances. Over time, gratitude will naturally flow from a heart convinced of its need for God. “God, I trust you are at work in my life. Thank you for ______________.”
