Faith

From “In the Beginning” to Amen // The Slide Towards the Casual God is Holy, Not Ordinary Isaiah 6:3 (ESV)“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts…” Leviticus 10:3 (ESV)“Among those who are near me I will be sanctified…” Proverbs 9:10 (KJV)“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” God is Loving — But Deeply Worthy of Reverence Casualness Can Lead to Spiritual Drift Galatians 6:7-10 (NIV)“God is not mocked…don’t sow to self… be about what He is about.” Romans 11:22 (ESV)“Note then the kindness and severity of God…” The Balance Irreverence Toward God has Serious Consequences The Lord’s Presence - The Attack on Ai and the Defeat Joshua 7:10-12 (NIV)“The Lord said to Joshua, ‘Stand up! What are you doing down on your face? Israel has sinned; they have violated my covenant, which I commanded them to keep. They have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen, they have lied, they have put them with their own possessions. That is why the Israelites cannot stand against their enemies; they turn their backs and run because they have been made liable to destruction. I will not be with you anymore unless you destroy whatever among you is devoted to destruction.’” 1 Samuel 4 (ESV)“By the time of Samuel the Ark had become an amulet and was used casually as a good omen or good luck charm and God let’s it be taken.” The Lord’s Portion - Achan’s Sin Joshua 7:1 (NIV)“But the Israelites were unfaithful in regard to the devoted things; Achan son of Karmi, the son of Zimri, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of them. So the Lord’s anger burned against Israel.” The Lord’s Counsel - The Gibeonites Joshua 9:14-15 (NIV)“The Israelites sampled their provisions but did not inquire of the Lord. Then Joshua made a treaty of peace with them to let them live, and the leaders of the assembly ratified it by oath.- it all looked right so they forgot to ask God for his counsel.” James 1:5 (NLT)“If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.” The Lord’s Name - Commandment Exodus 20:7 (NLT)“You must not misuse the name of the Lord your God. The Lord will not let you go unpunished if you misuse his name.” The Lord’s Word - Every Word is God- Breathed and Useful The Lord’s Church - His Body - His Representation

From “In the Beginning” to Amen // Idolatry - What’s the Big Deal? Deuteronomy 30:11-20 (NIV)“Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach. It is not up in heaven, so that you have to ask, ‘Who will ascend into heaven to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?’ Nor is it beyond the sea, so that you have to ask, ‘Who will cross the sea to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?’ No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it. See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction. For I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess. But if your heart turns away and you are not obedient, and if you are drawn away to bow down to other gods and worship them, I declare to you this day that you will certainly be destroyed. You will not live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess. This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.” Half HeartednessDeuteronomy 16:21 (NLT)“You must never set up a wooden Asherah pole beside the altar you build for the Lord your God.” James 1:5-8 (NLT)“If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do.” Idolatry Robs Us of Our True God Designed Humanity Idolatry is Misplaced Identity, Trust and Dependance Idolatry Reshapes Behavior Romans 1:21-25 – 21 (NLT)“They knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused. Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools. And instead of worshiping the glorious, ever-living God, they worshiped idols made to look like mere people and birds and animals and reptiles. So God abandoned them to do whatever shameful things their hearts desired. As a result, they did vile and degrading things with each other’s bodies. They traded the truth about God for a lie. So they worshiped and served the things God created instead of the Creator himself, who is worthy of eternal praise! Amen.” Modern Idolatry May Well be Good Things Turned to Ultimate Things Idolatry May Be Just Hiding Inside Normal Life Here are a few simple questions way identify modern idols are:1. What do I fear losing the most?2. What do I think I need to be okay?3. What do I organize my life around?4. What hinders my giving or generosity? So, in everyday life, idolatry isn’t about statues—it’s about substitutes. Therefore, we have to ask... is there anything that plays the role the Bible says belongs to God alone?

From “In the Beginning” to Amen // Love + Obey Note for online notes section only:Here in the first 12 chapters of the book of Deuteronomy, Moses reintroduces the law and the promises of God to the next generation who will be the ones to enter into the promised land. Moses reinforced the character of God and the importance of His covenant of love with His people, warning the Israelites to be faithful to the Lord, unlike their fathers who had rejected the Lord and His promises just 40 years prior. Deuteronomy 5:1-21 (ESV)“And Moses summoned all Israel and said to them, ‘Hear, O Israel, the statutes and the rules that I speak in your hearing today, and you shall learn them and be careful to do them. The LORD our God made a covenant with us in Horeb. Not with our fathers did the LORD make this covenant, but with us, who are all of us here alive today. The LORD spoke with you face to face at the mountain, out of the midst of the fire, while I stood between the LORD and you at that time, to declare to you the word of the LORD. For you were afraid because of the fire, and you did not go up into the mountain.’ He said, ‘I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments. You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain. Observe the Sabbath day, to keep it holy, as the LORD your God commanded you. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter or your male servant or your female servant, or your ox or your donkey or any of your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates, that your male servant and your female servant may rest as well as you. You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the LORD your God brought you out from there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore the LORD your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath day. Honor your father and your mother, as the LORD your God commanded you, that your days may be long, and that it may go well with you in the land that the LORD your God is giving you. You shall not murder. And you shall not commit adultery. And you shall not steal. And you shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. And you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife. And you shall not desire your neighbor’s house, his field, or his male servant, or his female servant, his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor’s.’” The Lord your God X 132 For your Good X 14 Fear the Lord X 8 Three Benefits of Obedience We Reap the Fruit of His Righteous Life Deuteronomy 6:3 (NKJV) “…that it may go well with you, and that you may multiply greatly, as the LORD… promised you, in a land flowing with milk and honey.” Proverbs 14:14 (ESV) “The backslider in heart will be filled with the fruit of his ways, and a good man will be filled with the fruit of his ways.” John 14:15 (KJV) “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” We Announce What God is Like Deuteronomy 4:5-10 (ESV)“See, I have taught you statutes and rules, as the LORD my God commanded me, that you should do them in the land that you are entering to take possession of it. Keep them and do them, for that will be your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples, who, when they hear all these statutes, will say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’ For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as the LORD our God is to us, whenever we call upon him? And what great nation is there, that has statutes and rules so righteous as all this law that I set before you today? “Only take care, and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things that your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. Make them known to your children and your children’s children— how on the day that you stood before the LORD your God at Horeb, the LORD said to me, ‘Gather the people to me, that I may let them hear my words, so that they may learn to fear me all the days that they live on the earth, and that they may teach their children so.’” We Have Confidence in Truth Proverbs 14:12 (NKJV)“There is a way that seems right to a man but in the end it leads to death.” Psalm 119:160 (ESV)“The sum of your word is truth.” Psalm 19:7 (ESV)“The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the Lo

From “In the Beginning” to Amen // How to Put on Your Socks 1. How do I think about my place with God?Numbers 6:22-26 (ESV)“The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ‘Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying,Thus you shall bless the people of Israel: you shall say to them,The Lord bless you and keep you;The Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you;The Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.’” 2. How do we handle extenuating circumstances?Numbers 9:9-14 (ESV)“The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ‘Speak to the people of Israel, saying, If any one of you or of your descendants is unclean through touching a dead body, or is on a long journey, he shall still keep the Passover to the Lord. In the second month on the fourteenth day at twilight they shall keep it. They shall eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. They shall leave none of it until the morning, nor break any of its bones; according to all the statute for the Passover they shall keep it. But if anyone who is clean and is not on a journey fails to keep the Passover, that person shall be cut off from his people because he did not bring the Lord's offering at its appointed time; that man shall bear his sin. And if a stranger sojourns among you and would keep the Passover to the Lord, according to the statute of the Passover and according to its rule, so shall he do. You shall have one statute, both for the sojourner and for the native.’” 3. How do we handle insecurity?Numbers 12:1-2, 10, 15-16 (ESV)“Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married, for he had married a Cushite woman. And they said, ‘Has the Lord indeed spoken only through Moses? Has he not spoken through us also?” And the Lord heard it… When the cloud removed from over the tent, behold, Miriam was leprous, like snow… So Miriam was shut outside the camp seven days, and the people did not set out on the march till Miriam was brought in again. After that the people set out from Hazeroth, and camped in the wilderness of Paran.’” 4. How do we handle a husband’s jealousy?Numbers 5:27-28 (ESV)“And when he has made her drink the water, then, if she has defiled herself and has broken faith with her husband, the water that brings the curse shall enter into her and cause bitter pain, and her womb shall swell, and her thigh shall fall away, and the woman shall become a curse among her people. But if the woman has not defiled herself and is clean, then she shall be free and shall conceive children.”

From “In the Beginning” to Amen // Leviticus…Real or Not? The Blue Dye Decree: No man shall dye his garment blue. Blue is a sacred color and reserved for garments of the High Priest.The Rash Quarantine: If you have a persistent skin rash or an "itch" that looks suspicious, you are legally required to go to the priest. He will lock you in a house for seven days to see if the rash gets better and then if you can return to society. The Grape Law: If you are harvesting your vineyard and drop a grape, you are legally forbidden from picking it up. You must leave it for the poor and the alien. The Grasshopper Rule: If a grasshopper or cricket falls or jumps into a pot you must break the pot because it will be considered unclean forever. The Right Foot First Stipulation: When entering the Tabernacle, a man shall lead with his right foot; for the left is the side of weakness, and the right is the side of the Lord's strength. The Standing Ovation Statute: You are commanded to stand up whenever an elderly person enters the room as a sign of respect and fear of God. The Holy Kiss Directive: Always greet one another with a holy kiss. The Mixed-Fiber Ban: You are prohibited from wearing clothing woven from two different types of thread. GleaningLeviticus 19:9-10 (NIV)“When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Do not go over your vineyard a second time or pick up the grapes that have fallen. Leave them for the poor and the alien. I am the Lord your God.” The Year of Jubilee – The Great Reset Leviticus 25:8-34 Leviticus 25:23-24 (NIV)“The land must not be sold permanently, because the land is mine and you reside in my land as foreigners and strangers. Throughout the land that you hold as a possession, you must provide for the redemption of the land.” Leviticus 25:35-36 (NIV)“If any of your fellow Israelites become poor and are unable to support themselves among you, help them as you would a foreigner and stranger, so they can continue to live among you. Do not take interest or any profit from them, but fear your God, so that they may continue to live among you.” "The Church is the Church only when it exists for others...not dominating but helping and serving. It must tell men of every calling, what it means to live for Christ - to exist for others."- Dietrich Bonhoeffer (Letters and Papers from Prison) “At the first onset of the disease, unbelievers pushed the sufferers away and fled from their dearest, throwing them into roads before they were dead…they treated unburied corpses as dirt, hoping to avert the spread of the disease.”- Bishop Dionysius of Alexandria, 260 AD “But Christian doctrine provided a prescription for action. While many were running for their lives, Christians were risking their own, taking care of the sick and those in need. In short, the core values of Christianity, love and charity, were acted upon by the believers of the day.”- Rodney Starck Ephesians 2:10 (NIV)“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” John 10:10 (NIV)“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”

From “In the Beginning” to Amen // Strategies of the Enemy (Exodus) There are Five Strategies I Want to Look at: (I’m sure there are others too) 1. DiscouragementDiscouraged by CircumstancesExodus 6:9 (NLT)“So Moses told the people of Israel what the LORD had said, but they refused to listen anymore. They had become too discouraged by the brutality of their slavery.” Discouraged by the EnemyExodus 13:17-18 (NLT)“When Pharaoh finally let the people go, God did not lead them along the main road that runs through Philistine territory, even though that was the shortest route to the Promised Land. God said, “If the people are faced with a battle, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.” Discouraged by One AnotherNumbers 32:7-9 (NIV)“Why do you discourage the Israelites from crossing over into the land the Lord has given them? This is what your fathers did when I sent them from Kadesh Barnea to look over the land. After they went up to the Valley of Eshkol and viewed the land, they discouraged the Israelites from entering the land the Lord had given them.” Antidote: Encourage and Build UpHebrews 3:13 (ESV)"But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called 'Today,' so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness.” Hebrews 10:24-25 (NIV)"...Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together... but encouraging one another.” 1 Thessalonians 5:11 (NIV)“Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” 2. DistractionAntidote: Stay FocusedHebrews 12:1-2 (NLT)“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith.” 3. Disruption/DivisionAntidote: Walk in Unity1 Corinthians 1:10 (NIV)“I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought.” Philippians 2:2 (NIV)“Then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind.” Colossians 3:13-14 (NV)“Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.” 4. DeceptionAntidote: Hold Fast to TruthJohn 8:32 (NIV)“And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 17:17 (NIV)“Jesus said, ‘Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth’.” Psalm 51:6 (ESV)“Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.” 5. DestructionAntidote: Choose LifeProverbs 14:2 (NIV)“There is a way that seems right to man, but the end of it is destruction.” Acts 2:21 (NLT)“But everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” 2 Samuel 22:2 (ESV)“The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer."

From “In the Beginning” to Amen // Gifted by the Spirit of God for WorkBezalel and Oholiab Exodus 31:2-3 (NLT)“Look, I have specifically chosen Bezalel son of Uri, grandson of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. I have filled him with the Spirit of God, giving him great wisdom, ability, and expertise in all kinds of crafts.” 1 Corinthians 12:4-11 (NIV)“There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.” Romans 11:29 (AMP)“For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable [for He does not withdraw what He has given, nor does He change His mind about those to whom He gives His grace or to whom He sends His call].” James 1:17 (NIV)“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, with whom there is no change or shifting shadow.” Ephesians 2:8-10 (NIV)“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Do What’s in Your Heart to Do and Do It to the Best of Your Ability

From “In the Beginning” to Amen // Crossing the Red Sea Exodus 14:1-31 (ESV)“Then the LORD said to Moses, ‘Tell the people of Israel to turn back and encamp in front of Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, in front of Baal-zephon; you shall encamp facing it, by the sea. For Pharaoh will say of the people of Israel, ‘They are wandering in the land; the wilderness has shut them in.’ And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and he will pursue them, and I will get glory over Pharaoh and all his host, and the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD.’ And they did so. When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, the mind of Pharaoh and his servants was changed toward the people, and they said, ‘What is this we have done, that we have let Israel go from serving us?’ So he made ready his chariot and took his army with him, and took six hundred chosen chariots and all the other chariots of Egypt with officers over all of them. And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued the people of Israel while the people of Israel were going out defiantly. The Egyptians pursued them, all Pharaoh’s horses and chariots and his horsemen and his army, and overtook them encamped at the sea, by Pi-hahiroth, in front of Baal-zephon. When Pharaoh drew near, the people of Israel lifted up their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians were marching after them, and they feared greatly. And the people of Israel cried out to the LORD. They said to Moses, ‘Is it because there are no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? What have you done to us in bringing us out of Egypt? Is not this what we said to you in Egypt: ‘Leave us alone that we may serve the Egyptians’? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness.’ And Moses said to the people, ‘Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will work for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again. The LORD will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.’ The LORD said to Moses, ‘Why do you cry to me? Tell the people of Israel to go forward. Lift up your staff, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, that the people of Israel may go through the sea on dry ground. And I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they shall go in after them, and I will get glory over Pharaoh and all his host, his chariots, and his horsemen. And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I have gotten glory over Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen.’ Then the angel of God who was going before the host of Israel moved and went behind them, and the pillar of cloud moved from before them and stood behind them, coming between the host of Egypt and the host of Israel. And there was the cloud and the darkness. And it lit up the night without one coming near the other all night. Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the LORD drove the sea back by a strong east wind all night and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided. And the people of Israel went into the midst of the sea on dry ground, the waters being a wall to them on their right hand and on their left. The Egyptians pursued and went in after them into the midst of the sea, all Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots, and his horsemen. And in the morning watch the LORD in the pillar of fire and of cloud looked down on the Egyptian forces and threw the Egyptian forces into a panic, clogging their chariot wheels so that they drove heavily. And the Egyptians said, ‘Let us flee from before Israel, for the LORD fights for them against the Egyptians.’ Then the LORD said to Moses, ‘Stretch out your hand over the sea, that the water may come back upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon their horsemen.’ So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to its normal course when the morning appeared. And as the Egyptians fled into it, the LORD threw the Egyptians into the midst of the sea. The waters returned and covered the chariots and the horsemen; of all the host of Pharaoh that had followed them into the sea, not one of them remained. But the people of Israel walked on dry ground through the sea, the waters being a wall to them on their right hand and on their left. Thus the LORD saved Israel that day from the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. Israel saw the great power that the LORD used against the Egyptians, so the people feared the LORD, and they believed in the LORD and in his servant Moses.” God heard the people’s cry for deliverance from oppression God’s Victory was decisive Deliverance for His people Demonstrated absolute power over Egypt Earned the trust of his people There was so much more to learn about Him Exodus 6:2-3 (NIV)“I am the LORD (YHWH). I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, as God Almighty (El Shaddai), but by my name YHWH I did not make myself known to them.” Exodus 33:13 (

From “In the Beginning” to Amen // Job Part 2 Job 38:1-3 (NLT)“Then the Lord answered Job from the whirlwind: Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorant words? Brace yourself like a man, because I have some questions for you, and you must answer them.” Job 38:16 (NLT)“Have you explored the springs from which the seas come? Have you explored their depths?” Job 39:1-2 (NLT)“Do you know when the wild goats give birth? Have you watched as deer are born in the wild? Do you know how many months they carry their young? Are you aware of the time of their delivery?” 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 (NASB)“He has said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.’ Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore, I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Chris's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.” 1. Recognize God’s Supremacy and bow before him2. Recognize God’s Sovereignty and let it be your comfort (He is Good)3. Pursue a right view of God and a right view of self (Humility)4. Repent of pride and arrogance5. Take a posture of surrender

From “In the Beginning” to Amen // Faith Under FireJames 1:19 NLT“Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry.” Be careful who you listen to…Sufferers attract fixers.Set up a filter based in faith and fact before you start listening Hold Fast to Faith… Even in the Silence… Job 13:15 KJV“Even though he slay me, yet will I trust him.” Job 19:23-27 NLT“Oh, that my words could be recorded. Oh, that they could be inscribed on a monument,carved with an iron chisel and filled with lead, engraved forever in the rock. But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and he will stand upon the earth at last. And after my body has decayed, yet in my body I will see God! I will see him for myself. Yes, I will see him with my own eyes. I am overwhelmed at the thought!” What do we have when all we love and value is stripped away? James 5:10-11 NLT“For examples of patience in suffering, dear brothers and sisters, look at the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. We give great honor to those who endure under suffering. For instance, you know about Job, a man of great endurance. You can see how the Lord was kind to him at the end, for the Lord is full of tenderness and mercy.” James 1:2-6 NLT“Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing. If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind.”

From “In the Beginning” to Amen // Used, Abused, Abandoned but Not Forgotten HagarGenesis 16:3-13 Used/Despising Genesis 16:4 NLT “So, Abram had sexual relations with Hagar, and she became pregnant. But when Hagar knew she was pregnant, she began to treat her mistress, Sarai, with contempt.” Abused - MistreatmentGenesis 16:6 NLT“Abram replied, ‘Look, she is your servant, so deal with her as you see fit.” Then Sarai treated Hagar so harshly that she finally ran away.’” Abandoned In light of the contempt, Sarai gets sick of it. Abram gets sick of hearing about it, and the thing continues to be a big mess. Abram says to Sarai… “Do as you see fit,” in essence washing his hands of the story. Hagar now gets shipped off to the wilderness with very limited resource. But Not Forgotten· God heard the boy crying and heard Hagar’s affliction and her pain.· God is near to the brokenhearted and comes close to those who are crushed in spirit.· God provides and promises to bless Ishmael and his inheritance TamarGenesis 38:6-30 Used/AbusedWicked husbands - Second son, particularly… wants the sex but not the responsibility AbandonedSent away from the household of Judah to her own parents’ house under the ruse of waiting for the third son, which Judah had no intention of giving. Tamar has a ‘black-widow’ label attached to her. She has become the one at fault… not the evil brothers. · Tamar is put on parade in front of the people and about to be burned for her ‘sin’. Alone… But Not ForgottenShe is named in the lineage of Jesus… Out of the scandal and mess of Judah’s life comes the reminder that in God’s time, he will work his purposes.... Who would have thought that from the union of Judah and Tamar, we would have the line of Jesus… God is out to redeem lives, not just condemn lives! JosephGenesis 37:1-36, 39:1-50:26 USEDInterpreted dreams and immediately forgotten AbusedStripped of his Robe, his reminder that he was loved· Thrown in a pit· Sold to the Ishmaelite traders· Sold as a slave in Egypt Abandoned· Joseph is falsely accused of attempted rape by Potiphar’s wife after he refused to sin against God.· Based on these lies, his master abandoned him to a royal prison.· Forgotten by Others: Even after helping the cupbearer in prison, he was forgotten for years. But Not Forgotten· The phrase "The Lord was with Joseph” appears repeatedly in Genesis 39, highlighting God's constant companionship even in the pit and the prison.· God granted Joseph favor with his captors and success in his tasks, even in slavery and prison.· There is Purpose in Pain: God used these trials to build Joseph's character and prepare him for his future role in saving Egypt and his family from famine, demonstrating that what was intended for harm, God used for good.

From “In the Beginning” to Amen // Faith to Start Walking & the Faith to Keep Walking Genesis 12:1-3,7 (NIV)The Lord had said to Abram, ‘Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.’ The Lord appeared to Abram and said, ‘To your offspring I will give this land.’ So he built an altar there to the Lord, who had appeared to him.” Fear and doubt are very real enemies. Time can become a very real enemy. Romans 4:16-25 (NIV)“Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham's offspring---not only to those who are of the law but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all. As it is written: ‘I have made you a father of many nations.’ He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed---the God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were… Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, ‘So shall your offspring be.’ Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead---since he was about a hundred years old---and that Sarah's womb was also dead.Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. This is why ‘it was credited to him as righteousness.' The words ‘it was credited to him’ were written not for him alone, but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness---for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.” God Who Calls and LeadsGod Who ProvidesGod Who is All SufficientGod Who is Our Refuge and StrengthGod Who is a Good FatherGod Who Knows No Shadow of TurningGod Who Knows Us by Name and Calls Us by NameGod Who is Always FaithfulGod Who is the Same Yesterday, Today and ForeverGod Almighty Philippians 1:6 (NIV)“…being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

From “In the Beginning” to Amen // Introduction to the Bible Translation Philosophies of Different BiblesFormalFunctionalDynamicParaphrase Formal Translation - The motto for this is “as literal as possible, as free as necessary.”· There is usually some indication of the form/structure of the underlying Hebrew and Greek.· Keeps Hebrew/Greek metaphors and idioms intact, which means even if the saying is dead or non-relevant, it will stay as is.Examples: KJV, NKJV, ESV Functional - The motto here is “translate the meaning.”· The focus is to get to the meaning of the text, which means it will naturally step closer to interpretation of unclear passages.· It’s usually easier to read and follow.· It captures thoughts and phrases in a more concise way.Examples: NIV, CSB (Christian Standard Bible) Dynamic - The motto is “translate for readability and accessibility.”· It is highly readable.· Modernizes dead metaphors and idioms so we can try to understand what they actually mean.· It is more theologically accessible.· A step further into interpretation.Examples: NLT, Amplified Paraphrase· A Retelling: It's a retelling of the biblical message from a modern perspective, not a literal rendering· Easy to Read: Designed for accessibility, it reads at a much lower grade level, making it popular for first-time Bible readers.· Interpretive: It offers an interpretation of the text, which can differ from other versions.· Good for Overview: Useful for getting a feel for familiar passages in a fresh way. Examples: Message, Passion The Layout of the Bible - Old Testament· The Bible is the historical account of God’s creation, pursuit of, and engagement with mankind through a specific lineage.· The traditional layout has books of the Bible in groupings by type of literature.· Historical, Law, Wisdom/Poetic, Prophetic· The Chronological version puts it in the order of events and God’s interaction and man’s response throughout the historical narrative.