The Job & Joseph stories remind us that our lives fit into a holy plan beyond what out minds can comprehend. A study on coping with grief Laurel Canyon, Columbus, Ohio Wilson Adams A Search for Sense in Tragedy Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil…” Introduction The numbers 9-1-1 strike a responsive cord in all of us as the evil of that day has been etched permanently in our collective consciousness. It is the same terrifying silence that grips us when we hear the latest report of another senseless shooting—Columbine, Virginia Tech., Ft. Hood, Tucson, Aurora… And each time we are left to wonder—Why? Tragedy, which seems to happen so randomly, makes our world a very scary place. The problem is not that something bad happens to innocent people—accidents, for example, happen daily. The Why? question, however, is always the same. If there is suffering in the world (and there is), we at least want some reason for it, predictability to it, and preparation for it. It is the apparent randomness of tragedy that is most terrifying. 1. Job and Joseph had no idea how their hardship would impact lives for generations. The same is true with you. 2. Your life is like a huge landscape that extends far beyond what the eye can see. And who knows…how one experience—so singularly horrible—can set in motion a chain of events that will bring about good for years to come (Rom.8:28). God can triumph over evil—if you let Him work in your life. III. Two Truths A. Suffering is part of the freedom of ________. God gives to each the freedom to choose. And some will make wrong choices! —choices that affect others in tragic ways. However, because some make evil choices, do you want God to take away the right that He gives to all mankind? B. Suffering is no respecter of _________. “Why me? Perhaps the better question might be—“Why not me?” What makes me so special as to be delivered from all pain and loss? A world of fairness gives us what we want. A world of grace gives us more than we deserve. Sometimes there are no answers. Like Job, we close our mouth and acknowledge the workings of God even in ways we do not understand. Additional material about surviving grief can be found in the book, “A Life Lost and Found—A Journey of Hope & Healing” by Wilson Adams and David Lanphear. If interested in a copy, see Jason Hardin. Or visit: www.courageouslivingbooks.com Veterans of war under- stand the terror of randomness as the arbitrariness of death onon the battlefield has left many a soldier asking the same haunting question. And those left unscathed (physically) often feel guilty, angry, and empty. If only I had stayed longer…taken another route… Thus, in a strange sort of way, we blame ourselves. I. Two Questions A. “Why?” The reason for the Why question is because we expect order in life. God, after all, orders His world (Gen.8:22; 1 Cor.14:33), and so we try and order ours. We surround ourselves with watches, clocks, and calendars—because we want order. But it doesn’t always work. • a family lives comfortably in a Midwestern town and suddenly their lives are shattered by a storm • a middle-age man eats right and exercises to fight off heart disease and comes down with cancer • a woman enjoys years of marriage and motherhood only to be raped as she jogs near her home • a husband takes a long-awaited trip with his family and a terrible crash occurs the result of a drunk driver 1. Where is the “order” in each of those situations? And how do you answer “the” question—“Why?” 2. One day we wake up and realize what only wisdom will deliver—that much of what happens is outside of our control. Sometimes there are no satisfactory answers. Or sensible pattern. Or rhyme-reason (at least to us). B. “What if?” The second question places blame upon ourselves. It says in essence, If I had done something differently, this would not have happened.

There is no Sermon Outline (pdf file) for “Lord, Do You Not Care?” Quite Moments with Jesus Wilson Adams Staring connected is big business in our techno-culture. Smart phones, e-mail, Facebook, Texting and Twitter give us instant access 24/17/365. And while that has its advantages, it has equal disadvantages.For example, how much time do we spend building face-to-face relationships? Have we become addicted to phones and laptops to the point that a keyboard or I-Pad is the same to us as a nicotine fix is to a tobacco addict? Some can't seem to live without them! To some, the very idea of "unplugging" and spending quiet moments with real people is unnerving. That's sad. And how much time do we spend in quiet moments with God? Is God some distant Deity or is He your friend and confidant with whom you walk each day? That's not a hard question. Do you know about Him or do you know Him? That's not a hard question either.The majority has little understanding of how the Creator seeks intimacy with the created (lsa.43:7; John 3:16). It's equally sad how a great number of believers engage in a shallow "Sunday-only" relationship with Him-as if God lives in a box we drag out on the first day of the week. Jesus said, "This is eternal life that they may know Him" (John 17:3). How well do you know Him?* How many times have you talked on the phone this week versus how Many times you have talked with Him?* How often do you connect with friends on Facebook versus how often you connect with Him in His Book?* How many quiet moments have you had this week when you allowed yourself to find peace in His presence? Do you need to unplug? It's amazing how quiet music (or quiet nothing) can calm frazzled minds and restore a sense of calm and well-being. How many times did Jesus get away from the hustle-bustle of the day's busyness and find a quiet place to pray? Luke 5:16 says He did it often. Was He less busy than you? There never has been One with more to do and less time to get it done than Jesus. Yet He made time for what mattered. Do you? Unplug the cord, hit the "OFF" button on the remote, open your Bible, find your prayer closet, and enjoy some quiet moments with the Lord.

Facing Life with Faith Hebrews 10:35-39; 11:1-6 Life is hard and some days it gets harder. The easiest response to threatening and overwhelming problems is to panic, throw away our faith, and quit on God. The Hebrew writer says—that’s the one thing we cannot do: “We are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the preserving of the soul” (v.39). Faith! I don’t know anyone who doesn’t need more faith and a deeper conviction in the things of God. So, let’s quit pretending like we have all the answers and that we have it all together all the time. In fact, let’s quit pretending that we never worry or question or doubt, because…that’s phony. Everyone at different points along the path of life struggles with faith. You aren’t the only one… 3. BTW, don’t try and fake it with God. “I’ll read the Bible more and make up for my lack of faith.” Uh, no. Verse 6 doesn’t use the word “improbable” or “unlikely,” but “impossible.” Without faith it is impossible to please God. There are no substitutions. E. Faith means we believe God is ______, v.6. Here is a personal question: Can someone come to the conclusion that God is real by watching your life and how you respond to life’s hardships? In other words, when besieged by difficulties, do you show your faith or do you fall apart—as if God doesn’t even exist? F. Faith understands that God rewards the __________, v.6. The word “seek” means to search for with diligence; to require. Real faith goes beyond just believing God exists—real faith believes God has the power to see me through. III. Two Final Questions: A. Why is faith so hard for me? There is an answer: • Maybe its fear… • Maybe it’s bitterness and anger… • Maybe it’s pride… • Maybe it’s hypocrisy… B. Why is it so hard to live one day at a time? The Scriptures tell us to do that (Ps.90:12; Matt.6:34; Ps.118:24). But how? There’s only one way: FYI: Material for the “Where is God When I Hurt?” series is condensed from the book, A Life Lost & Found—A Journey of Hope & Healing by Wilson Adams & David Lanphear. If interested in the book, visit: www.onestone.com

A Search for Sense in Tragedy Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil…” Introduction The numbers 9-1-1 strike a responsive cord in all of us as the evil of that day has been etched permanently in our collective consciousness. It is the same terrifying silence that grips us when we hear the latest report of another senseless shooting—Columbine, Virginia Tech., Ft. Hood, Tucson, Aurora… And each time we are left to wonder—Why? Tragedy, which seems to happen so randomly, makes our world a very scary place. The problem is not that something bad happens to innocent people—accidents, for example, happen daily. The Why? question, however, is always the same. If there is suffering in the world (and there is), we at least want some reason for it, predictability to it, and preparation for it. It is the apparent randomness of tragedy that is most terrifying. 1. Job and Joseph had no idea how their hardship would impact lives for generations. The same is true with you. 2. Your life is like a huge landscape that extends far beyond what the eye can see. And who knows…how one experience—so singularly horrible—can set in motion a chain of events that will bring about good for years to come (Rom.8:28).

How to Lose an Entire Generation A. In Joshua 24:13-18, that conquering leader of Israel reminded the people of their covenant with God. B. Joshua 24:31 serves as an incredible testimony to the character of several generations of people. C. But Judges 2:10-11 represents a tragic turning-point in Israel’s history. D. What can we learn in an effort to “work out our own salvation” and impact the generations to come? How an Entire Generation of People Lost Its Way: 1. They stopped ________________ (Josh 24:19-28; Judges 2:6-10, 16-17a). 2. They ________________ the LORD who had brought them out of Egypt (Judges 2:11-12a). 3. They went after other _______ of the peoples around them (Judges 2:12-13, 17a). 4. They turned ____________ from the way in which their fathers had walked (Judges 2:17b). 5. They sought God’s intervention on their ________, when they felt like it (Judges 2:18). 6. They refused to ____________ (Judges 2:19). 7. They reaped the bitter _________ of rebellion (Judges 2:20-3:7). What Can We Do to Faithfully Pass Along the Greatest Inheritance of All (Prov 13:22)? 1. We must ____________ (Luke 8:8). 2. We must remain steadfastly faithful to the Lord who has delivered us from bondage (Rev 2:10). 3. We must keep ourselves from ________ (1 John 5:21). 4. We must ask for and walk in the ancient paths (Jer 6:16). 5. We must seek God on ______ terms (Rom 12:1-2). 6. We must be humble people of repentance and confession (1 John 2:1). 7. We must be filled with the fruit of ____________________ to the glory of God (Phil 1:9-11).

7 D’s to Pray for Your Heart A. Our heavenly Father teaches that our hearts can be “inclined” in different directions (Psa 119:33-40). B. Consider 7 D’s to “incline” your heart toward God this week. 1. __________: “Whatever it takes, Lord, give me delight in you as the greatest treasure of my heart.” • Psalm 37:1-6 - “Delight yourself in the LORD…” 2. __________: “Whatever it takes, Lord, align the desires of my heart with yours.” • Matthew 6:9-10 - “Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” 3. _________________: “Whatever it takes, Lord, increase my awareness of my dependence on you in everything so that I will live continually by faith.” • John 15:1-5 - “Apart from me you can do nothing.” 4. ________________: “Whatever it takes, Lord, teach me to discern good from evil through the rigorous exercise of constant practice.” • Hebrews 5:11-14 - “The mature...have their powers of discernment trained…” 5. ________________: “Whatever it takes, Lord, keep me desperate for you, because I tend to wander when I stop feeling my need for you.” • Psalm 73 - “Whom have I in heaven but you?” 6. _____________: “Whatever it takes, Lord, discipline me for my good that I may share your holiness and bear the peaceful fruit of righteousness.” • Hebrews 12:3-11 - “The Lord disciplines the one he loves.” 7. _____________: “Whatever it takes, Lord, increase my resolve to do your will with all diligence.” • 1 Corinthians 15:58 - “Be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord.”

Jacob, a Ladder, Jesus, and You I. Jacob A. He was a grandson of _____________ (Gen 12:1-3) and a son of __________ (Gen 26:2-5). B. His name meant “he __________,” and Jacob was living up to the description. 1. He had convinced his older brother Esau to “sell” his birthright (Gen 25:29-34). 2. He had deceived his father Isaac into blessing him as if he were the firstborn (Gen 27:1-40). C. Now, Esau is simply waiting for the right time to kill his brother Jacob (Gen 27:41-45). II. A Ladder A. Jacob is on the way to Haran, to his uncle Laban, “until [Esau’s] fury turns away” (Gen 28:10-11). B. “And he _______________…” (Gen 28:12-15) 1. “There was a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven. ”2. “The ___________ of God were ascending and descending on it!” (Zech 1:10; Heb 1:14) 3. “The LORD stood above it and said…” C. “Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said…” (Gen 28:16-22) 1. “Surely the _________ is in this place, and I did not know it. ”2. “How awesome is this place!” 3. “This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of ______________. ”4. “...then the LORD shall be my God...” III. Jesus A. John has announced “the _________ of God, who takes away the sin of the world !” (John 1:29). B. Jesus has encouraged the first disciples to “Come and you will see” (John 1:35-42). C. The next day, he finds Philip and says to him, “_______________ me” (John 1:43-51). D. Philip finds Nathanael, who is very skeptical, but quickly changes his estimation (1:45-51). 1. Nathanael: “Truly the Son of ________ is in this place, and I did not know it. ”2. Nathanael: “How awesome is Jesus of Nazareth, the King of Israel!” 3. Jesus: “You will see heaven _______________, and the angels of God... ”4. Jesus: “Are you willing to recognize and follow me as Savior and Lord?” IV. You A. Jesus serves as the only ___________ between heaven and earth, God and men (John 14:1-7). B. Jesus is the one and only “__________________” (1 Tim 2:1-7; Heb 9:15-28; 12:18-29).

Lessons from Nehemiah: What it Means to Have Faith It takes only one person to make a difference. Nehemiah faced a great challenge, but he had great faith in a great God. 1. He had the faith to __________. 2. He had the faith to ____________. Nehemiah 2:4: "Then the king said to me, "What are you requesting?" So I prayed to the God of heaven," 3. He had the faith to be a __________. Nehemiah 2:17: "Then I said to them, "You see the trouble we are in, how Jerusalem lies in ruins with its gates burned. Come, let us build the wall of Jerusalem, that we may no longer suffer derision." Nehemiah 2:18b: "..,And they said, "Let us rise up and build." Sometimes life is difficult. But we must have faith, 1 Corinthians 15:58: "Therefore, my beloved brothers,be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor's not in vain."

When am I Ready to be Baptized? A. A crowd is a large number of people who may or may not have intentionally gathered together, B. An audience is i group of spectators who have gathered to listen or to view and are providing theopportunity to be heard or seen. C. A participant is a person who takes part in, has a share in, or participates, D. Let's use that understanding to answer a very important question: "When am I ready to be baptized?" "When am I Ready to be Baptized?" Questions to Uncover the Answer: * "Do I recognize my need for a ______ ?” (Matt 5:3; Heb 11:6) * "Am I ________ for what I have done against God?" (Matt 5:4; 1 John 3:4; Psa 51:4; 2 Cor 7:9) * "Am I willing to become a ________ with Jesus?" (Rom 6:1-11) > "To welcome Jesus ________ as of my life?" (Matt 5:5; 2 Cor 5:10; Acts 5;31) > "To develop a hunger and thirst for ____________ ?" (Matt 5:6; Heb 5:14) > "To ___________ my allegiance to Jesus?" (Rom 10:9; Matt 10:32) > "To answer the call to be __________________ ?" (1 Pet 1:13-15) > "To ____________ ?" (John 4:24; Rom 12:1-2) Answers to Common Concerns: * "I'm not good enough yet to dedicate my life to Jesus." (Rom 5:6-8)* "But what if I mess up and sin after I respond to the gospel?" (1 John 2:1)* "Why should I become a Christian now? Can'l I wait?" (James 4:13-14)* "I'm not sure I know enough yet," (Acts 8:26-39)

The Forgotten Vow Genesis 35:1-7 Application: 1. God expects us to _________ the ____ we make. Ecclesiastes 5;2-5 2. We are prone to _______ our vows when God has _______ his side of them. 3. We are prone to _____our vows when things are going ________. Deuteronomy 8:11-20 4. lf we have __________ our vows, we need to _______ ________ to the ________.Revelation 2:4-5 5. When we ______ our _________ vows, there is renewed _______. 1 John 1:9 lmportant vows we make: . To Be Baptized. Marriage Vows. Church Membership. Vows elders & deacons make regarding the church. Vows church members make regarding their elders & deacons. Live a life of obedience & service to Him Ecclesiastes 5:4-6 James 5:12 Deuteronomy 23:.21-23 Numbers 30:1-16 Acts 5:1-11 Psalm 116:14-19 Matthew 5:33-37 1 Samuel 1:11 Psalm 50:15 Numbers 29:39 Matthew 19:5-6 Proverbs 20:25 Leviticus 5:4 Judges 11:29-40 Ephesians 5:33