More Than a Story | Week 8 | Kirk Jones (7.19.26)

More Than a Story | Week 8 | Kirk Jones (7.19.26)

More than a Story | Exodus 1-4 Truly faithful people are faithful with what they do not want to be faithful with. (Exodus2:1-10) Complacent is the enemy of contentment. (Exodus 2:21) Faith that is powerful is personal. (Exodus 3) -We are not the person of our faith. -The Lord defines himself by His otherness. The Lord is Personal. (Exodus 4:1-17) -The personal nature of God is revealed through His Presence, His Power, and His Purpose. The personal nature of God answers our question, “Who are you?” The personal presence of God answers our question, “Who am I?” The personal power of God answers our question, “How will I?” The personal purpose of God answers our question, “Why will I?”

More Than a Story | Week 7 | Kirk Jones (7.12.26)

More than a Story - Genesis 50:15-26 People who do great things do hard things. -Do the good God gave you to do. Victor over Victim -We cannot live in the identity of a victim and live the life of a victor. -Is it victory if we never accomplish what we wanted, but we accomplish what God wanted? Good over Evil -A deep desire for God and His good destroys the ability of evil to define us. -Suffering explains struggles; it does not excuse sin. Grace over Revenge -Forgiveness does not excuse wrong; it releases it.

More Than a Story | Week 6 | Hayden Carter (7.5.26)

More than a Story | Joseph, Part 1 – The Power of Presence Genesis 37:2-8,18-24; Genesis 39:1-6,19-23; Genesis 50:19-20 When we are faithful to God, you may end up in the pit, or you may end up in the palace. Neither is the promise. The promise is that we get God. And He is faithful in both the pit and the palace. Resistance does not mean that you are not going in the right direction. God is with you in the pit. God is with you even in the detour. What looks like a detour may actually be the destination. Sometimes God will change your circumstances. And sometimes God is using those circumstances to change you.

More Than a Story | Week 5 | Kirk Jones (6.28.26)

More Than a Story | Jacob: Running, Returning, & Wrestling Genesis 28:10-22 & 32:22-32 The Lord seeks us in our running and our returning. -We behold what we believe, and we believe what we behold. We wrestle with the Lord running and returning. -Fear and awe are friends, not enemies. -“If” is sometimes a statement to test and sometimes a statement of trust. We wrestle differently when returning than when running. -Everyone who knows God’s goodness is generous. -Closeness with God humbles and empowers. Devotional Truth to Consider this Week: -The prophet Hosea looks back at the story of Jacob in the struggles and sins of his descendants. Spend some time this week considering this passage in light of Jacob’s story and consider these truths. Seeking God (Hosea 12:1-6) 1. Strive – Are you striving with or against God? 2. Weep – Is your weeping in repentance or defiance? 3. Seek – Are you seeking the favor of God or the God of favor? 4. Hold on – What are you holding onto most tightly?

More Than a Story | Week 4 | Kirk Jones (6.21.26)

Jacob & Esau: The Value of a Cup of StewGenesis 25:29–34Don’t just believe the promise made; believe the Promise Maker.• Don’t let rivalry ruin you.• Valuing what we have is necessary to value what is ahead.• What we feed first defines us most.• Grace affords us what we cannot afford ourselves.It’s just a cup of stew.• Some things we can’t buy back.• Guard your appetites.• Desire does not create value.• Righteousness is not instant fulfillment.• Sinfulness cannot satisfy what God designed for righteousness.