Abundant Hope Baby Clothes Collection:  Collection for Abundant Hope Pregnancy Resources Center: We’re partnering with Abundant Hope Pregnancy Resource Center to collect toddler clothing sizes 12m to 3T. They provide critical support for local families, from unplanned pregnancy counseling to parenting aid, all free of charge. Due to an unprecedented demand, the Center is in emergent need for new baby and toddler clothing. Let’s show our community the love of Christ. Please drop your new clothes donations in the giving boxes at all New England locations beginning this Sunday.

SAVE THE DATES: 

(Registrations will be available soon)

June 1 All Around the World Scavenger Hunt 2024 9-12 (All ages)  – New England Locations Only

June 1 Women’s Breakfast 10-12 – Apollo Beach Only (16 +)

July 13 Women’s Breakfast 10-12 – New England Only (16+)

For this week’s Announcements please visit: (waterschurch.org/events):

NEW BOOK BY PASTOR TIM: “ENDING EMPTINESS” now available in our Lobbies, Kindle, and Nook endingemptiness.com

Book Signing & Celebration: All are welcomed to join Pastor Tim for some light refreshments immediately following service on both Saturday and Sunday second service, May 18th & 19th [THIS WEEKEND!], in the North Attleboro Lobby as he discusses the inspiration behind Ending Emptiness and why its message is so important for today’s Christians– now more than ever. So, come hang out for a bit, chat, ask questions, and bring a friend!  Now is the time to discover God’s wisdom that leads to a life of endless abundance.

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Reminders:

✳ Please regularly check your Planning Center profiles for requests to join your life groups, remove members from the list that no longer attend, or add members not listed. Please ensure that you have added no-reply@churchcenter.com to your email contacts so that you do not miss an email from Planning Center and encourage your members to do so as well.  This will ensure you do not miss a member request or any emails that come from the Planning Center site. Thank you!

Waters Class Schedule:

• 1st Sunday: Discover Waters – after 1st service
• 2nd Sunday: NO CLASSES
• 3rd Sunday: Connect Class – after 1st service
• 4th Sunday: Baptism Class – after 1st service

Waters Help: Need marriage and family care  or have a group member in need of marriage and family care?   Click here:  help resources page  or visit waterschurch.org/help

Location Text Alerts:

Key Verse: Titus 2

Ice breaker

Q. If you could pick a theme song for your life, what would it be?

Key Verse 2 Corinthians 4:3-4

In First Corinthians, Paul tells them that the Spirit of God is moving among them, but later there became a spirit of carnality and division among them. 

Paul rebuked the Corinthians for not putting their trust in God but in man.

There are 3 types of people:

Natural Man

The natural man cannot comprehend spiritual things.  They have no clue about the purposes and work of God.

Carnal Man

The carnal man makes a commitment to God but is still caught up in the world and does not understand the matters of God.

Spiritual Man

The spiritual man understands that the ‘just shall live by faith’ and what God is doing and what He will do in the future.

Q. How has your understanding of spiritual truths evolved from being more like a natural man, a carnal man, to a spiritual man? What were key moments or insights that helped shift your understanding?

Satan is the God of this evil world.  We are living in an evil world and it is only going to get worse.  People openly worship Satan and curse God and the Bible.  Evil men and women are in the grip of Satan.

You cannot deny the fact we are living in an evil world. Satan has become the god of this world.  He is a usurper.  He deceived Adam and Eve and took control of the earth.  He is a deceiver and a thief. 

People do not want to hear about satan, but Jesus said that he is the most destructive power on the face of the earth.

Ephesians 6:12

We, as Christians, are in a battle every single day.  The evil one blinds people.  The Church needs to understand that satan blinds people.

Seven things Satan blinds people to:

1. He blinds people to God’s love.

John 3:16; John 15:13

He tries to make people think that God could not possibly love them because of all the suffering and brokenness in the world.

The Bible is God’s love letter to each of us.  God loves people.  He does not just say that He loves us, but He demonstrates to us by sacrificing Himself for us.  Jesus came to die for our sins.  He could have called seventy-two thousand angles but He did not (Matthew 26:53).

God’s love is everlasting, it never stops.

Q. How does the belief that “God could not possibly love them because of all the suffering and brokenness in the world” impact people’s acceptance of God’s love? Discuss personal or observed experiences where this lie has influenced beliefs.

2. He blinds people to God’s goodness.

Psalm 24:8; Exodus 33:18-23; 2 Chronicles 5:13

God is a good God.  When we worship Him, his glory comes down.  It is a touch of Heaven. God is good and His mercy endures forever (Psalm 136:1).

Psalm 23:6

When we go through the storm and the valley we look behind us and see His goodness and mercy following us.

3. He blinds people to the consequences of sin.

Romans 6:23 ; Galatians 6:7-9; Ecclesiastes 8:11

People do bad things and get away with it but Judgement Day is coming.  Everyone is going to stand before the Lord one day.

4. He blinds people to the reality of Hell.

Matthew 25:41

There are even preachers who tell us there is no Hell, and that everyone is going to Heaven.  Hell was not prepared for us, it was prepared for the Devil and His angels.  His destiny is the lake of fire and he will be tossed into the lake of fire for all eternity.

God does not want anyone to go there.  He is long-suffering not wishing that any should perish, but all should reach repentance (2 Peter 3:9).  Judgment does not come suddenly, He is long-suffering. 

Q. Given that some teachings might downplay or deny the existence of Hell, how can Christians address these views both biblically and compassionately? Discuss the importance of understanding and teaching about Hell in a way that emphasizes God’s justice and mercy.

5. He blinds people to the way to Heaven.

John 14:6

There is only one way to Heaven.  Jesus is the only way.  No one else died for our sins.

6. He blinds people to salvation.

Luke 18:9-14

The tax collector was forgiven and changed because he was willing to confess he was a sinner in need of salvation.

Romans 3:23

We all need salvation, every one of us. We are not bad enough and we are not good enough either.

Leader, choose one of the following questions depending on how your conversation is going:

Q.  Considering that Satan blinds people to their need for salvation, what are effective ways to communicate the gospel so that it resonates with those who may be indifferent or hostile towards the message of Christianity?

OR

Q. How does the awareness of our sinfulness impact our understanding and acceptance of salvation? Discuss examples from your own life or from what you have observed in others about coming to this realization.

7. He blinds people to the power of the Gospel.

Romans 1:16

There is no power as powerful as the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Nothing has as much impact on the human race as the Gospel.

It started with a few uneducated men, filled with the Holy Spirit who spread the Good News.  It is the most powerful message in the world!

John 14:3

Challenge: Dedicate some time each day to pray specifically for the spread of the Gospel in your community and for the removal of Spiritual blindness in those who have not yet believed.

Ask the Holy Spirit to open the door to share the Gospel with a non-believer.