Most Likely to Succeed
Judges 13
The Man Who Might Have Been: Samson Part 1
July 12, 2026
Potential is nothing more than unrealized possibility.
A series of contradictions
Judges 13:1
The Philistines came to a position of dominance over Israel
Judges 13:2-5
A baby, though sterile?!?
The Nazirite vow
Numbers 6:1-6
Judges 13:6-7
An angelic visit
Judges 13:8
“Tell us how to raise this child”
Judges 13:9-14
The angel of the Lord rarely announces a birth (Genesis 17:19)
Judges 13:15-23
The angel of the Lord was no normal angel. He was God manifesting himself in human form.
Judges 13:24-25.
We are told two things here: 1) the blessing of God rested on Samson from his birth.
2) The Spirit of God began to stir him as a teenager.
Mahaneh Dan was the staging area for the soldiers of the tribe of Dan.
Samson was chosen by God before he was born and uniquely gifted for the work God was calling him to do.
A word to parents: You are not responsible for how your children turn out, because godly parents don’t always produce godly children.
God doesn’t hold you accountable for the choices your children make. They will have to answer to God and won’t be able to use you for an excuse.
It’s not how you begin but how you end that makes the difference.
God Is For You
Romans 8:31-39 “No Separation”
July 5, 2026
WHEN THE , THE .
What, then, shall we say in response to these things? (v31a)
words words words
Silent Abundant Living
(Job 40:4) (Luke 19:40) (Romans 12:1)
How Jesus Secures Me:
1. God is : Failproof security (v31b)
2. Jesus is : A solid anchor point (v32)
(cf. 1 Cor. 3:11; Is. 28:26)
3. Jesus is : Highest-grade material (v33)
(cf. Rom. 4:5; 2 Cor. 5:21)
4. Jesus defends: Certified approval (v34)
5. Troubles: A category 5 test (vv35,38-39a)
6. God’s love : Guaranteed staying power (v37)
7. Our security is : Proven under load
(v39b; cf. Heb. 6:19)
This week when my faith is tested I’ll say,
“GOD IS . I AM .”
God Is For You
Week 4: Trust God (Romans 8:26-30)
June 28, 2026
GOD IS AT WORK
The Director knows . (Romans 8:26-27)
Our weakness cues. (v26)
what our hearts can’t articulate. (v27)
the Spirit would be our help. (Jn 16:7; 20:22)
The Director’s vision. (Romans 8:28-29)
As we groan, . (v28)
Our comfort is not God’s goal; . (v29)
The Director’s vision . (Romans 8:30)
PAST: . (Foreknew / Predestined)
PRESENT: . (Called / Justified)
FUTURE: . (Glorified)
Hope
Romans 8:18-25
God Is For You Part 3
June 21, 2026
will be a of the believer’s life
John 16:33
We need the of the Holy Spirit to , and we need the of the Holy Spirit to enable us to
Romans 8:18
Focus more on your than your
A biblical view of is based upon , not .
We have a tendency to our sufferings and only our future glory. Instead, we’re called to our sufferings while
is the endgame because and what sin has marred in human beings and in the world
Romans 8:19
Creation itself is straining to see the when Christians will be made complete.
Romans 8:20
God, in response to sin, was the one who to suffering.
Romans 8:21
With the return of Jesus, all of will be turned around and will be restored. Our will also be .
2Peter 3:13
Romans 8:22
All of creation or “sighing as with an affliction” – under some , as in
Romans 8:23
“firstfruits of the Spirit” – made in and in of the to come
2 Corinthians 5:5
Adoption – the child as full heir; the final stage of our adoption is still
Romans 8:24-25
Hope is that in the. We are called to trust in God as our hope.
The Spirit
Romans 8:12-17
God Is For You Part 2
June 14, 2026
Theme of Romans 8: Assurance in the Christian life comes from intimacy with the Spirit.
The necessity of the Holy Spirit in escaping the power of sin
Romans 8:12-13
Jesus’s death releases you from the penalty of sin; his resurrection releases you from the power of sin; released from the penalty of sin by his blood; released by the power of sin by his Spirit
Romans 8:13
We must fight by the power of the Spirit. The Spirit is not trying merely to curb your behavior; he is trying to change your heart.
Two aspects of putting the deeds of the body to death:
1) It has already been done positionally. (Galatians 5:24) 2) We must do it experientially.
(Colossians 3:5)
We must apply by faith what God has already done in fact.
Romans6:11
I cannot do it without the Holy Spirit; the Holy Spirit will not do it without me.
Romans 8:14
We are being led by the Spirit into Christlikeness.
Romans 8:15
We all yearn for someone to take care of us to love us perfectly. God satisfies that yearning in Jesus Christ.
When we cry out “Abba” God’s Spirit releases us from that fear, assuring us through the promises of Scripture that we are fully loved and protected by the Father.
Romans 8:16
The Spirit testifies through a changed life as you begin to see him grow in you the fruit of the Spirit and a desire for more of him.
Romans 8:17
What is coming to Christ, will now also be coming to us!
If you are willing to take hold of Jesus, with all the suffering and persecution and hostility and difficulty that goes with being a follower of Jesus, you will get all his glory!
Romans 8:1-11
God Is For You Part 1
June 7, 2026
The Trap
The Trap
Romans 8:1
If you are a believer, then , at this very moment you are secure.
Condemn = – or
The after the sentencing
If you are in Christ, you have been and will never have to pay the for your sins.
“no condemnation” it’s not based upon our but on our position. God declares it to
be so because of the
Romans 8:2
We are to put our now into , first by focusing on has done
on our behalf.
The gospel message is not just ” That’s an impossible message. It is
Romans 8:3
What the could never do, the did for us. There is in him.
Romans 8:4
The Spirit of God now enables us to live out by focusing on what has done for us.
We are not only to focus on what the , but also get hold of before
they get hold of us.
Romans 8:5-8
Romans 8:9-11
Your deals with theand your deals with
Christianity, plain and simple, is – all of you to all of him. The nature of
is that it is.
Deuteronomy 5:12-14
Stop
Dedicate it for – a day to
Exodus 20:8,11
– hard , deep
not
God himself took a
Genesis 2:1-3
God didn’t need , but he chose to as an .
Deuteronomy 5:12-14
– people are more than
The Sabbath was given to reflect on…
-Their (Deuteronomy 5:15)
-Their
Mark 2:27; Matthew 12:11-12
Jesus restored the as a day of , ,
Colossians 2:16-17
Jesus the Sabbath
Hebrews 4:9-10
The ultimately pointed forward to – he is the .
Hebrews 4:11
It is learning to over our . It’s a decision to honor God’s core value of over our .
Jesus can provide you with the inner rest you and I desperately need. He gives us his righteousness, safety, and identity. Without Jesus, you will work even while you are resting. With Jesus, you can rest even while you are working.
Work (Purposed Work)
Colossians 3:12-4:1; Genesis 1:27-31; 2:15
Being Human Part 7
May 24, 2026
All work is a
The Bible is a book written by about for , but too often in discussions on our gets ignored.
Genesis 1:26-28
There is an intrinsic connection between being made and being made.
The of work is affirmed for
Genesis 2:15
Work = ; keep =
Genesis 3:17-19
Work no longer becomes a way we, but is how we of our lives, and become. When we let our work , it will
: frustration, control, comparison, fear, overwork, identity-in-achievement.
Colossians 3:17, 23-24
We work
Psalm 139:13-16
for our work
Exodus 35:35
Exodus 31:1-5
The flows over all of our life. To as a way of life means we will .
Our work is a and a .
Minister and author Phillip Jensen puts it this way: “If God came into the world, what would he be like? For the ancient Greeks, he might have been a philosopher-king. The ancient Romans might have looked for a just and noble statesman. But how does the God of the Hebrews come into the world? As a carpenter.” (Timothy Keller, Every Good Endeavor)
Being Human
Week 6: Relationships (Genesis 2:18-25)
May 17, 2026
in the human story?
We were . (Genesis 2:18-25)
An is “not good.” (Genesis 2:18)
A part is incomplete. (Gen. 2:19-20)
brings us joy. (Genesis 2:21-25)
the parts. (Genesis 3)
drives us to the junk drawer. (James 4:1-4)
loves the junk drawer.(Proverbs. 18:1; 1 Peter 5:8; Hebrews 10:25)
Our Perfect Counterpart came to .(Eph. 2:13-16; 5:31-32)
the scattered parts fit together.
(Col. 3:12-15; Eph. 1:4-7)
is not yet a,
but it is a. (Acts 2:42-47; Rev. 21:3; 22:4-5)
We expect in relationships.
It’s time to
“My prayer is . . . that all of them may be one, Father,
just as you are in me and I am in you.” (Jesus in John 17:20-21)
Emotion (Emotional)
Psalm 42; Matthew 9:35-36; Genesis 2:23; 3:10
Being Human Part 5
May 10, 2026
Emotions are part of how we to the world, to one another, and to God
We have gotten this idea that don’t always go together – that there are feelings and there are feelings.
We pretend that everything is and that we don’t what we actually
Emotions are part of how , but since our emotions are sometimes .
The first emotion that we see a person experiencing is
Genesis 2:23
The second emotion was
Genesis 3:10
Emotions are to find their
Psalm 42:1-4
God welcomes us to express all that is ; it often brings both and
God by the Spirit’s working will help us to see if they are the right ones at the right time.
Emotion is a part of .
Matthew 9:35-36
Jesus
Matthew 26:38
Jesus tells his friends and asks them to .
Jesus prioritizes his over his .
Matthew 26:39, 42
What you but just because it’s real doesn’t mean .
Jesus is honest with God.
Matthew 26:39; Mark 14:36