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Thrive.Church Weekly Message
Thrive.Church Weekly Message
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Thrive.Church wants to make a difference in your life, in the community and in the world.
Our mission is to make fully-devoted followers of Jesus Christ.
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Unless noted, all scripture is from the New Living Translation
Our mission is to make fully-devoted followers of Jesus Christ.
If you are a first-time guest you can fill out this form to get connected: https://thrive.church/connect/
If you would like to give financially you can do so here: https://thrive.church/give/
If you need any prayer you can send prayer requests here: https://thrivect.churchcenter.com/people/forms/13260
Watch full services, Sundays 9:30am, 11am, & 6pm at https://live.thrive.church
Unless noted, all scripture is from the New Living Translation
469 Episodes
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[Genesis 22:1-2] Some time later, God tested Abraham's faith. "Abraham!" God called. "Yes," he replied. "Here I am." [2] "Take your son, your only son--yes, Isaac, whom you love so much--and go to the land of Moriah. Go and sacrifice him as a burnt offering on one of the mountains, which I will show you."God doesn't ask for the ______________ that's ______________ to give.[Genesis 22:3-4] The next morning Abraham got up early. He saddled his donkey and took two of his servants with him, along with his son, Isaac. Then he chopped wood for a fire for a burnt offering and set out for the place God had told him about. [4] On the third day of their journey, Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. [5] "Stay here with the donkey," Abraham told the servants. "The boy and I will travel a little farther. We will worship there, and then we will come right back."God doesn't always ______________ what He is doing[Hebrews 11:19] Abraham reasoned that if Isaac died, God was able to bring him back to life again. And in a sense, Abraham did receive his son back from the dead.God ______________ keeps His ______________.[Genesis 22:6] So Abraham placed the wood for the burnt offering on Isaac's shoulders, while he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them walked on together,[John 19:17] Carrying the cross by himself, he went to the place called Place of the Skull (in Hebrew, [Golgotha]).The mountain of _________________ is always moving toward the mountain of ___________________.[Genesis 22:7] Isaac turned to Abraham and said, "Father?" "Yes, my son?" Abraham replied. "We have the fire and the wood," the boy said, "but where is the sheep for the burnt offering?"[Genesis 22:8 ESV] Abraham said, "God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son." So they went both of them together.Faith does not require knowing _________; it requires trusting _________.[Genesis 22:9-10] When they arrived at the place where God had told him to go, Abraham built an altar and arranged the wood on it. Then he tied his son, Isaac, and laid him on the altar on top of the wood. [10] And Abraham picked up the knife to kill his son as a sacrifice.Faith is forged in the ______________ before God intervenes.[Genesis 22:11-12] At that moment the angel of the LORD called to him from heaven, "Abraham! Abraham!" "Yes," Abraham replied. "Here I am!" [12] "Don't lay a hand on the boy!" the angel said. "Do not hurt him in any way, for now I know that you truly fear God. You have not withheld from me even your son, your only son."[Romans 8:32 NLT] Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won't he also give us everything else?[Genesis 22:13-14] Then Abraham looked up and saw a ram caught by its horns in a thicket. So he took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering in place of his son. [14] Abraham named the place Yahweh-Yireh (which means "the LORD will provide"). To this day, people still use that name as a proverb: "On the mountain of the LORD it will be provided."God tests to ______________, not to ______________.[John 1:29] The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!
[Judges 6:1-5] The Israelites did evil in the LORD's sight. So the LORD handed them over to the Midianites for seven years. [2] The Midianites were so cruel that the Israelites made hiding places for themselves in the mountains, caves, and strongholds. [3] Whenever the Israelites planted their crops, marauders from Midian, Amalek, and the people of the east would attack Israel, [4] camping in the land and destroying crops as far away as Gaza. They left the Israelites with nothing to eat, taking all the sheep, goats, cattle, and donkeys. [5] These enemy hordes, coming with their livestock and tents, were as thick as locusts; they arrived on droves of camels too numerous to count. And they stayed until the land was stripped bare.Pressure doesn’t just shape ________________ it shapes how you see ________________.[Judges 6:11] Then the angel of the LORD came and sat beneath the great tree at Ophrah, which belonged to Joash of the clan of Abiezer. Gideon son of Joash was threshing wheat at the bottom of a winepress to hide the grain from the Midianites.God doesn't call who you ________________ but who you are ________________ to be.[Judges 6:12] The angel of the LORD appeared to him and said, "Mighty hero, the LORD is with you!"God doesn't wait for you to have ________________ to give you a ________________.[Judges 6:13] "Sir," Gideon replied, "if the LORD is with us, why has all this happened to us? And where are all the miracles our ancestors told us about? Didn't they say, 'The LORD brought us up out of Egypt'? But now the LORD has abandoned us and handed us over to the Midianites."What you believe about ________________ will always shape what you believe about ________________.[Judges 6:14] Then the LORD turned to him and said, "Go with the strength you have, and rescue Israel from the Midianites. I am sending you!"When God chooses someone he _________ what they ________.You have all the ________________ that you need right now![Judges 6:15-16] "But Lord," Gideon replied, "how can I rescue Israel? My clan is the weakest in the whole tribe of Manasseh, and I am the least in my entire family!" [16] The LORD said to him, "I will be with you. And you will destroy the Midianites as if you were fighting against one man."Our identity shouldn't be in _________-confidence it should be in _________-confidence.[John 15:5] "Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.[Hebrews 11:33] By faith these people overthrew kingdoms, ruled with justice, and received what God had promised them.
You will never take ground with your ____________ if you haven't taken ground in your ____________.[Numbers 13:32-33] So they spread this bad report about the land among the Israelites: "The land we traveled through and explored will devour anyone who goes to live there. All the people we saw were huge. [33] We even saw giants there, the descendants of Anak. Next to them we felt like grasshoppers, and that's what they thought, too!"You can take people out of ______________ in a moment, but it takes a long time to get the ______________ out of people.God wants us to experience __________________![Psalm 34:3 ESV] Oh, magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together!What you __________________ in your mind will __________________ your life.[2 Corinthians 10:5 NIV] We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.Your mind is the territory the enemy fights __________________ for.[Joshua 1:6-9] "Be strong and courageous, for you are the one who will lead these people to possess all the land I swore to their ancestors I would give them. [7] Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do. [8] Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. [9] This is my command--be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the LORD your God is with you wherever you go."Meditation is filling your mind with _____________________ until it changes who you are.[Numbers 13:16] These are the names of the men Moses sent out to explore the land. (Moses called Hoshea son of Nun by the name Joshua.)Taking ground in your mind requires __________________ while still __________________.[Joshua 3:15a] It was the harvest season, and the Jordan was overflowing its banks.
If you ____________________ who God is, you will misunderstand ____________________ else.[Exodus 3:1 ESV] Now Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian, and he led his flock to the west side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God.God speaks clearly in ____________________ seasons.[Exodus 3:2 ESV] And the angel of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush was burning, yet it was not consumed.God’s presence ____________________ us.[Exodus 3:3 ESV] And Moses said, "I will turn aside to see this great sight, why the bush is not burned."Revelation begins with ____________________.[Exodus 3:4 ESV] When the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, "Moses, Moses!" And he said, "Here I am."Before God ____________________ what He will do, He ____________________ who He is.[Exodus 3:5 ESV] Then he said, "Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground."Holiness is not a ____________________, it is God's ____________________.[Exodus 3:11, 14 ESV] But Moses said to God, "Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?" [14] God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM." And he said, "Say this to the people of Israel: 'I AM has sent me to you.'"Your ____________________ does not rest on who you are, it rests on who God is.[Exodus 4:10-11 ESV] But Moses said to the LORD, "Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue." [11] Then the LORD said to him, "Who has made man's mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the LORD?Don't let your ____________________ turn into ____________________.[Isaiah 43:1-3a] But now, O Jacob, listen to the LORD who created you. O Israel, the one who formed you says, "Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine. [2] When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you. [3] For I am the LORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.
If our faith is only shaped by our _____________ we stop reaching for the _____________________.[Psalm 13:1-2] O LORD, how long will you forget me? Forever? How long will you look the other way? [2] How long must I struggle with anguish in my soul, with sorrow in my heart every day? How long will my enemy have the upper hand?Over time our faith can shift from _____________________ to _____________________.[Joshua 9:14-15] So the Israelites examined their food, but they did not consult the LORD. [15] Then Joshua made a peace treaty with them and guaranteed their safety, and the leaders of the community ratified their agreement with a binding oath.Even if our faith starts _____________________, God is not _____________________.[Joshua 10:5] So these five Amorite kings combined their armies for a united attack. They moved all their troops into place and attacked Gibeon.God can _____________________ even the parts of our story that started _____________________.[Joshua 10:12-14] On the day the LORD gave the Israelites victory over the Amorites, Joshua prayed to the LORD in front of all the people of Israel. He said, "Let the sun stand still over Gibeon, and the moon over the valley of Aijalon." [13] So the sun stood still and the moon stayed in place until the nation of Israel had defeated its enemies. Is this event not recorded in [The Book of Jashar]? The sun stayed in the middle of the sky, and it did not set as on a normal day. [14] There has never been a day like this one before or since, when the LORD answered such a prayer. Surely the LORD fought for Israel that day!The God who created _____________________ is not _____________________ by it.[Ephesians 3:20-21] Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. [21] Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.Unanswered prayers don’t mean God is ________________.
[Exodus 3:17] I have promised to rescue you from your oppression in Egypt. I will lead you to a land flowing with milk and honey--the land where the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites now live."'Some people see __________________, while others see __________________.[Numbers 13:30-33] But Caleb tried to quiet the people as they stood before Moses. "Let's go at once to take the land," he said. "We can certainly conquer it!" [31] But the other men who had explored the land with him disagreed. "We can't go up against them! They are stronger than we are!" [32] So they spread this bad report about the land among the Israelites: "The land we traveled through and explored will devour anyone who goes to live there. All the people we saw were huge. [33] We even saw giants there, the descendants of Anak. Next to them we felt like grasshoppers, and that's what they thought, too!"Faith doesn’t deny obstacles it __________________ them through God.[Numbers 14:10] But the whole community began to talk about stoning Joshua and Caleb.It takes endurance to stand in the face of __________________.[Numbers 14:24] But my servant Caleb has a different attitude than the others have. He has remained loyal to me, so I will bring him into the land he explored. His descendants will possess their full share of that land.Waiting isn't __________________ as long as your faith stays __________________.[Joshua 14:10-12] "Now, as you can see, the LORD has kept me alive and well as he promised for all these forty-five years since Moses made this promise--even while Israel wandered in the wilderness. Today I am eighty-five years old. [11] I am as strong now as I was when Moses sent me on that journey, and I can still travel and fight as well as I could then. [12] So give me the hill country that the LORD promised me. You will remember that as scouts we found the descendants of Anak living there in great, walled towns. But if the LORD is with me, I will drive them out of the land, just as the LORD said."Mature faith doesn’t ask for __________________ it asks for an __________________.[Judges 3:9-11] But when the people of Israel cried out to the LORD for help, the LORD raised up a rescuer to save them. His name was Othniel, the son of Caleb's younger brother, Kenaz. [10] The Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he became Israel's judge. He went to war against King Cushan-rishathaim of Aram, and the LORD gave Othniel victory over him. [11] So there was peace in the land for forty years. Then Othniel son of Kenaz died.__________________ is formed through obedience.[James 1:3-4] For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. [4] So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.
We are not formed in ________________.[Nehemiah 1:3-4] They said to me, "Things are not going well for those who returned to the province of Judah. They are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem has been torn down, and the gates have been destroyed by fire." [4] When I heard this, I sat down and wept. In fact, for days I mourned, fasted, and prayed to the God of heaven.Who is __________________ you?[Nehemiah 3:27-28] Then came the people of Tekoa, who repaired another section across from the great projecting tower and over to the wall of Ophel. [28] Above the Horse Gate, the priests repaired the wall. Each one repaired the section immediately across from his own house.Who you build ________________ shapes who you _____________________.[Nehemiah 4:1-3] Sanballat was very angry when he learned that we were rebuilding the wall. He flew into a rage and mocked the Jews, [2] saying in front of his friends and the Samarian army officers, "What does this bunch of poor, feeble Jews think they're doing? Do they think they can build the wall in a single day by just offering a few sacrifices? Do they actually think they can make something of stones from a rubbish heap--and charred ones at that?" [3] Tobiah the Ammonite, who was standing beside him, remarked, "That stone wall would collapse if even a fox walked along the top of it!"Relationships are never ________________; they _____________ you.[Job 2:13] Then they sat on the ground with him for seven days and nights. No one said a word to Job, for they saw that his suffering was too great for words.Sometimes the most spiritually ______________ thing you can do is sit with someone in _________________.[Job 16:2-3] "I have heard all this before. What miserable comforters you are! [3] Won't you ever stop blowing hot air? What makes you keep on talking?Not every voice is a ______________ voice.[Nehemiah 6:15-16] So on October 2 the wall was finished--just fifty-two days after we had begun. [16] When our enemies and the surrounding nations heard about it, they were frightened and humiliated. They realized this work had been done with the help of our God.We don't take ground _________________.
A life of taking ground in our faith is not a life of adversity, rather it is the of having gone through adversity with our eyes fixed on God.[Daniel 1:5, 8-9 NET] So the king assigned them a daily ration from his royal delicacies and from the wine he himself drank. They were to be trained for the next three years. At the end of that time they were to enter the king’s service. [8] But Daniel made up his mind that he would not defile himself with the royal delicacies or the royal wine. He therefore asked the overseer of the court officials for permission not to defile himself. [9] Then God made the overseer of the court officials sympathetic to Daniel. God can do the ______________ when your aim is to please him.[Daniel 2:14-18 NET] Then Daniel spoke with prudent counsel to Arioch, who was in charge of the king’s executioners and who had gone out to execute the wise men of Babylon. [15] He inquired of Arioch the king’s deputy, “Why is the decree from the king so urgent?” Then Arioch informed Daniel about the matter. [16] So Daniel went in and requested the king to grant him time, that he might disclose the interpretation to the king. [17] Then Daniel went to his home and informed his friends Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah of the matter. [18] He asked them to pray for mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery so that he and his friends would not be destroyed along with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. [Proverbs 2:6 ESV] For the Lord gives wisdom, from his mouth comes knowledge and understanding. We gain ground by God for wisdom. [Daniel 3:16-18 NET] …“We do not need to give you a reply concerning this. [17] If our God whom we are serving exists, he is able to rescue us from the furnace of blazing fire, and he will rescue us, O king, from your power as well. [18] But if he does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we don’t serve your gods, and we will not pay homage to the golden statue that you have erected.”[Daniel 6:10-11 NET] When Daniel realized that a written decree had been issued, he entered his home, where the windows in his upper room opened toward Jerusalem. Three times daily he was kneeling and offering prayers and thanks to his God just as he had been accustomed to do previously. [11] Then those officials who had gone to the king came by collusion and found Daniel praying and asking for help before his God.Through Daniel’s life he cultivated a _________ of prayer and ____________ . [1 Thessalonians 5 NIV] Rejoice always, [17] pray continually, [18] give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.[Proverbs 4:20-27 NIV] My son, pay attention to what I say;turn your ear to my words.[21] Do not let them out of your sight,keep them within your heart;[22] for they are life to those who find themand health to one’s whole body.[23] Above all else, guard your heart,for everything you do flows from it.[24] Keep your mouth free of perversity;keep corrupt talk far from your lips.[25] Let your eyes look straight ahead;fix your gaze directly before you.[26] Give careful thought to the paths for your feetand be steadfast in all your ways.[27] Do not turn to the right or the left;keep your foot from evil.[Hebrews 12:1-3 NIV] Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us (let’s gain ground!),[2] fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. [3] Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. The daily habits that we ___________ determine the ___________ of our life.
Christmas is the beginning of your CALLING.[John 8:12] Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, "I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won't have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life."God's Light wants to work THROUGH you.[Matthew 5:14] "You are the light of the world--like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden.You are not just saved from the DARKNESS, you are sent INTO it.Darkness is not your ENEMY, it is your ASSIGNMENT.[Matthew 5:14-16] "You are the light of the world--like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. [15] No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. [16] In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.Faith was never meant to be INVISIBLE.[Matthew 5:13] "You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless.The light grows in COMMUNITY, not in ISOLATION.Light shines through your STORY not your PERFECTION.[Revelation 12:11a] And they have defeated him by the blood of the Lamb and by their testimony.The light has come TO you so that it can move THROUGH you.[Matthew 28:18-20] Jesus came and told his disciples, "I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. [19] Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. [20] Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age."
Christmas is the moment where the _____________ breaks the ___________________.[John 1:9] The one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.When God reveals His _____________, nothing stays the _____________.[Micah 5:2] But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, are only a small village among all the people of Judah. Yet a ruler of Israel will come from you, one whose origins are from the distant past.God is never _____________.[Luke 2:6-7] And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. [7] She gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them.God didn't _____________ for us to come to Him.[Philippians 2:6-7] Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. [7] Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form.Everyone is _________________ at the ________________.[Isaiah 59:2a] It's your sins that have cut you off from God.God’s solution to ___________________ is a Person.[Luke 2:8-10] That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. [9] Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord's glory surrounded them. They were terrified, [10] but the angel reassured them. "Don't be afraid!" he said. "I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people.God reveals His Light to the ones the world _____________.[Luke 2:15] When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, "Let's go to Bethlehem! Let's see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."[John 1:12] But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.
Even when you ___________________ God to move, you still have to ___________________ for Him.[Psalm 130:6 NIV] I wait for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning, more than watchmen wait for the morning.God often grows the miracle in ___________________ places before He reveals it in ___________________ places.Waiting ___________________ us while the thing God is doing in you is still ___________________ to others.[Psalm 27:13-14 NIV] I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. [14] Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.After the ___________________ comes the waiting.Faith is believing God is ___________________ even when you can’t ___________________ it.[Matthew 1:19-21] Joseph, her fiancé, was a good man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly. [20] As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. "Joseph, son of David," the angel said, "do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. [21] And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins."How you _____________ while you wait says more about your ___________________ than how you act after God comes through.[Luke 1:46-49] Mary responded, "Oh, how my soul praises the Lord. [47] How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior! [48] For he took notice of his lowly servant girl, and from now on all generations will call me blessed. [49] For the Mighty One is holy, and he has done great things for me._______________ sustains your __________ while you wait.[Isaiah 40:29-31 ESV] He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. [30] Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; [31] but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.
God is ___________________ long before you see Him ___________________.[Isaiah 40:3-5 NIV] A voice of one calling: "In the wilderness prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. [4] Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain. [5] And the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all people will see it together. For the mouth of the LORD has spoken."[Matthew 3:1-2] In those days John the Baptist came to the Judean wilderness and began preaching. His message was, [2] "Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near."God uses the ______________________ to prepare you.[Luke 3:15] Everyone was expecting the Messiah to come soon, and they were eager to know whether John might be the Messiah.Repentance is turning away from _________________ and towards what God is ___________________ to do.[John 1:5-7, 9] The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it. [6] God sent a man, John the Baptist, [7] to tell about the light so that everyone might believe because of his testimony. [9] The one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.Preparation is living with ___________________ even before you see it.The preparation always comes before the ______________.[Hebrews 11:8] It was by faith that Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land that God would give him as his inheritance. He went without knowing where he was going.The Lord never asked for a ___________________ heart, He asked for a ___________________ one.[Psalm 130:5 NIV] I wait for the LORD, my whole being waits, and in his word I put my hope.
[Isaiah 9:1] Nevertheless, that time of darkness and despair will not go on forever. The land of Zebulun and Naphtali will be humbled, but there will be a time in the future when Galilee of the Gentiles, which lies along the road that runs between the Jordan and the sea, will be filled with glory.Darkness doesn't always mean __________________.God does some of His best work in the ________________.[Isaiah 9:2 NIV] The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.Faith isn’t denying the __________________, it’s declaring the __________________.[Isaiah 9:6 NIV] For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.God’s Light rarely arrives the way we __________________, but always in the way we __________________.[Daniel 8:13-14] Then I heard two holy ones talking to each other. One of them asked, "How long will the events of this vision last? How long will the rebellion that causes desecration stop the daily sacrifices? How long will the Temple and heaven's army be trampled on?" [14] The other replied, "It will take 2,300 evenings and mornings; then the Temple will be made right again."[John 8:12] Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, "I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won't have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life."The Light that came into the world still _________________, still breaks through, and still __________________.[John 1:4-5 NIV] In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. [5] The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.Darkness doesn't _________________ a ________________ against the light![2 Corinthians 4:6-7] For God, who said, "Let there be light in the darkness," has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ. [7] We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves.
[Psalm 19:1-4] A psalm of David. The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship. [2] Day after day they continue to speak; night after night they make him known. [3] They speak without a sound or word; their voice is never heard. [4] Yet their message has gone throughout the earth, and their words to all the world. God has made a home in the heavens for the sun.Creation is __________________ God.[Psalm 150:6] Let everything that breathes sing praises to the LORD! Praise the LORD!God didn’t just create life to __________________, He created it to __________________.[Romans 1:20-21] For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God. [21] Yes, 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.Creation is inviting us to praise the __________________.[1 Thessalonians 5:18] Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.Gratitude __________________ the mind.[Proverbs 17:22] A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person's strength.When we stop giving _________, everything begins to ________.[James 1:16-18] So don't be misled, my dear brothers and sisters. [17] Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow. [18] He chose to give birth to us by giving us his true word. And we, out of all creation, became his prized possession.You are God's __________________ possession.[Psalm 100:1-5] A psalm of thanksgiving. Shout with joy to the LORD, all the earth! [2] Worship the LORD with gladness. Come before him, singing with joy. [3] Acknowledge that the LORD is God! He made us, and we are his. We are his people, the sheep of his pasture. [4] Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and praise his name. [5] For the LORD is good. His unfailing love continues forever, and his faithfulness continues to each generation.You’re not a __________________ object in a cosmic accident.[Psalm 148:1-5] Praise the LORD! Praise the LORD from the heavens! Praise him from the skies! [2] Praise him, all his angels! Praise him, all the armies of heaven! [3] Praise him, sun and moon! Praise him, all you twinkling stars! [4] Praise him, skies above! Praise him, vapors high above the clouds! [5] Let every created thing give praise to the LORD, for he issued his command, and they came into being.
[Colossians 1:16a NIV] For in Him all things were created, things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible....[Proverbs 25:2 ESV] It is the glory of God to conceal things, but the glory of kings is to search things out.[1 Corinthians 3:18-20 NIV] Do not deceive yourselves. If any of you think you are wise by the standards of this age, you should become “fools” so that you may become wise. [19] For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight. As it is written: “He catches the wise in their craftiness”; [20] and again, “The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile.”[Romans 1:20 NIV] For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.As science progresses, more and more of the evidence points to a wise and intelligent being who created all things.[Proverbs 18:15 NIV] The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge, for the ears of the wise seek it out.” –[Job 12:7-10 NIV] “But ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds in the sky, and they will tell you; [8] or speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish in the sea inform you. [9] Which of all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this? [10] In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind.God designed all things with purpose and for purpose.There are no accidents in God’s creation.God is not a God of blind indifference who just set things in motion. He is a God with a plan for every creature under heaven.[Psalm 104:24 NET] How many living things you have made, O Lord! You have exhibited great skill in making all of them; the earth is full of the living things you have made.The very hairs of your head were ordained by God, the color of your skin, the way you look, the interests or gifts that God gave you.[Luke 12:6-7 NIV] Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. [7] Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.[Matthew 6:26 ESV] Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?[Luke 12:24 ESV] Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds![John 1:1-5 ESV] “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. [2] He was in the beginning with God. [3] All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made. [4] In him was life, and the life was the light of men. [5] The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
[Job 26:8] He wraps the rain in his thick clouds, and the clouds don't burst with the weight.Every system relies on _________________.[Psalm 104:24] O LORD, what a variety of things you have made! In wisdom you have made them all. The earth is full of your creatures.All throughout creation, we see a divine ________________.Nothing thrives in _________________.[Colossians 1:17] He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together.There’s a _________________ holding everything together.[Genesis 2:18] Then the LORD God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is just right for him."Everything in creation was declared _________________ except _________________.[1 Corinthians 12:18-20; 25-27] But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where he wants it. [19] How strange a body would be if it had only one part! [20] Yes, there are many parts, but only one body. [25] This makes for harmony among the members, so that all the members care for each other. [26] If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad. [27] All of you together are Christ's body, and each of you is a part of it.Our relationship with God is built on _________________.[John 15:4-5] Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me. [5] "Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.And you are called to _________________ to the life around you.
We live in a world designed not just for ________________, but for ________________.[Ecclesiastes 3:11] Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God's work from beginning to end.We don't need beauty to ________________, but is makes us feel ________________.[Genesis 1:29-31] Then God said, "Look! I have given you every seed-bearing plant throughout the earth and all the fruit trees for your food. [30] And I have given every green plant as food for all the wild animals, the birds in the sky, and the small animals that scurry along the ground--everything that has life." And that is what happened. [31] Then God looked over all he had made, and he saw that it was very good! And evening passed and morning came, marking the sixth day.God created ________________ and the ________________ for us to enjoy it.[Ecclesiastes 9:7-8] So go ahead. Eat your food with joy, and drink your wine with a happy heart, for God approves of this! [8] Wear fine clothes, with a splash of cologne!He didn’t have to ________________ it this way, but He ________________.[Psalm 27:4 ESV] One thing have I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to inquire in his temple.Beauty leads us beyond the ________________ we see to the ________________ who made it.Beauty is a reflection of God's ________________.[Romans 1:20-22] For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God. [21] Yes, 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. [22] Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools.
[Psalm 139:13-16] You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother's womb. [14] Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous--how well I know it. [15] You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. [16] You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.Something as ________________ as your body doesn’t happen by ________________.[Genesis 2:7] Then the LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground. He breathed the breath of life into the man's nostrils, and the man became a living person.You are literally ________________ bought to ________________ by the breath of God.[Proverbs 4:23] Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.[Proverbs 2:6] For the LORD grants wisdom! From his mouth come knowledge and understanding.Design and ________________ don't come from ________________.[Exodus 4:11] Then the LORD asked Moses, "Who makes a person's mouth? Who decides whether people speak or do not speak, hear or do not hear, see or do not see? Is it not I, the LORD?Your voice is a custom ________________ made by God himself.Only God could create something as ________________ as our ________________.All the information to create ________________ is contained in a single ________________.[Ephesians 2:4-5] But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, [5] that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God's grace that you have been saved!)
If life was given on ________________ then you are here on ________________.[Acts 17:24-25] "He is the God who made the world and everything in it. Since he is Lord of heaven and earth, he doesn't live in man-made temples, [25] and human hands can't serve his needs--for he has no needs. He himself gives life and breath to everything, and he satisfies every need.Only God has the power to give something _____________.[Genesis 2:7-8] Then the LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground. He breathed the breath of life into the man's nostrils, and the man became a living person. [8] Then the LORD God planted a garden in Eden in the east, and there he placed the man he had made.Every living thing bears the ____________________ of God.[Psalm 104:24-25] O LORD, what a variety of things you have made! In wisdom you have made them all. The earth is full of your creatures. [25] Here is the ocean, vast and wide, teeming with life of every kind, both large and small.No system runs perpetually on its own unless someone ________________ it to.[John 10:10 ESV] The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.In a world filled with ________________, so many people are walking around spiritually ________________.God wants to set us free from ________________.[Ephesians 2:4-5] But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, [5] that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God's grace that you have been saved!)
[Psalm 19:1-2] The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship. [2] Day after day they continue to speak; night after night they make him known.[Romans 1:20] For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.Science and Scripture are not _______________.Believing the universe came from _______________ takes more _______________ than believing it was designed.[1 Timothy 6:20-21] Timothy, guard what God has entrusted to you. Avoid godless, foolish discussions with those who oppose you with their so-called knowledge. [21] Some people have wandered from the faith by following such foolishness. May God's grace be with you all.All truth is God’s _______________.[Genesis 1:14] Then God said, "Let lights appear in the sky to separate the day from the night. Let them be signs to mark the seasons, days, and years.Our universe is a precise _______________ perfectly tuned by it _______________.[Psalm 104:19] You made the moon to mark the seasons, and the sun knows when to set.The most _______________ and _______________ explanation for the universe is a creator.[Hebrews 3:4] For every house has a builder, but the one who built everything is God.Every Design needs a _______________.[Job 38:31-33] "Can you direct the movement of the stars--binding the cluster of the Pleiades or loosening the cords of Orion? [32] Can you direct the sequence of the seasons or guide the Bear with her cubs across the heavens? [33] Do you know the laws of the universe? Can you use them to regulate the earth?You are not an ___________, you are here on _______________.[Colossians 1:16-17] for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can't see--such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him. [17] He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together.If God can hold the _______________ together, He can hold _______________ together.[John 1:1-4] In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. [2] He existed in the beginning with God. [3] God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him. [4] The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone.




















