Beyond the Weekend: EPIC
Stories of Trust, Failure and Faith That Point to Jesus
What does it look like to believe God, not just believe in God? This fall, we're diving into the raw, unfiltered stories of biblical heroes who wrestled with doubt, took dangerous detours, and discovered that trusting God means following him even when you can't see the outcome. Their epic journeys of trust, failure and faith all point to the ultimate hero—Jesus.
Key Messaging Points:
- There's a difference between believing in God and believing God
- God speaks in life's detours and disruptions
- Wrestling with God transforms us
- Trusting God means obeying before you see the outcome
- Every story of human struggle points to Jesus
Solomon
Read: 1 Kings 4:20-34 Listen: 1 Kings 4
During Solomon’s lifetime Judah and Israel, from Dan to Beersheba, lived in safety, everyone under their own vine and under their own fig tree. 1 Kings 4:25
David has died, and his son, Solomon, is crowned king. Solomon begins well. He leads with God-given wisdom and places God’s Word at the center of both his private life and public leadership. Israel flourishes. This is Israel’s “golden age” of peace, safety, prosperity and security. But this season does not last. Solomon slowly drifts through the end of his reign. His character erodes. His heart becomes divided. The beautiful beginning ends in tragic compromise. And the generation after Solomon ends up politically fractured and spiritually adrift.
Solomon’s story has powerful lessons for us today. His story teaches us that a wise life is not only about how you start but who you are becoming. Wisdom is not merely intelligence or information. True wisdom is humble obedience. Solomon tells us, “above all else, guard your heart” (Proverbs 4:23). We must watch our desires, motives and loves because our heart determines our direction. Solomon’s life is also a warning. Few people self-destruct with one decision. Most fall through a long series of tiny, tolerated compromises. A wrong love here. A secret indulgence there. Small moments where we choose self over God.
TODAY: Pray and ask God to show you the true condition of your heart. Ask him to protect your inner life so your outer life stays on the right path. Consider using the prayer template provided in Psalm 139:23-24: “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”
