NEW ENGLAND AND APOLLO BEACH LOCATIONS:

AUGUST 21 – REALLY BIG WEDNESDAY – FASTING BEGINS AFTER LUNCH ON SUNDAY, AUGUST 18 AND CONTINUES THROUGH BREAKFAST ON THE 21.  NEW ENGLAND WILL HAVE A WORSHIP HOUR ON TUESDAY, AUGUST 20 IN THE EVENING.  

NEW ENGLAND:

NO TUESDAY CAFE ON AUGUST 20.

Check the Events Page for What is Happening (not everything is listed here) (waterschurch.org/events):

NEW ENGLAND LOCATIONS:

Abundant Hope Fundraiser: There is still some time to get your donations in!  Just let us know if you plan on donating a themed basket or service so we can plan. Thanks!

PAT BARRET CONCERT INFO:

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

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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: Ecclesiastes 11

Ice breaker:

Q. What is something other people in the group may not know about you?

Sometimes in life we get stuck, we feel stuck, or don’t realize we are about to get stuck.

Everything God CREATED is made to MOVE.

You are moving right now.  Your body is moving as you speak.  You are even moving cosmically.

Your emotions may weigh you down, your past may weigh you down, and your future may paralyze you with stress, but you should always be moving forward and not stopping in life. 

You cannot stay where you are.   Movement happens with or without your permission.  It is a life of faith not a life of certainty.

Key idea #1: I don’t KNOW

You cannot let the storms of life stifle you.  Jesus is Lord of the storm.

You don’t know but He knows. There is a lot about life none of us know.

Key idea #2: I must GO.

Just because you don’t know does not mean you cannot go, or just because you are not sure does not mean you can’t take a risk.  You don’t know a lot, but you can accomplish very much at the same time. 

God is a big fan of faith.  We live by faith. Without faith we cannot do what God wants.

Hebrews 11:6

He has given you faith not just to get to heaven, but so you can do great things in Jesus name.

Q. How does your faith help you keep moving forward when you feel stuck or when you are uncertain about your future? Can you share any scripture verses that help you?

Get unstuck:

1. STOP playing it SAFE.

Ecclesiastes 11:1 (ESV)

Cast what you have now on to the unknown of what could be later.

In order to see your life move forward get into the habit of taking some of what you have and throwing it into risky endeavors that only pay off in the distant future.  You cannot hold onto everything.

What portion of your plans are long distance plans that may or may not pay off in the future?  Stop paying it safe.

RISK is GOOD when God is INVOLVED.

Life is risky.  You are not getting out alive so you better live before you die.

The Devil tries to get you take the wrong risk.  He tries to get you to take risks with sinful indulgences. He front-loads them with pleasure and back-loads them with pain. 

God front-loads minimal pain and back-loads it with lots of pleasure.  Eternal joy in Jesus Christ!

1 Kings 10:22 (ESV)

Solomon waited one thousand and ninety-four days for one day.  You have to have patience if you are going to be in the risk business.

If you want things to change make some decisions today that you will wait to see happen in the future.

Jesus encouraged risk.  We are here because His disciples took risks.

Don’t live in fear, live in faith.

Q. Can you share an example of a risk you took that paid off or one where you are still waiting to see the results?  How does your faith influence your willingness to take risks today?

Get unstuck:

2. STOP sinking EVERYTHING into ONE thing.

Ecclesiastes 11:2 (ESV)

Give portions of your life to an indefinite number of opportunities.

Don’t put all your eggs in one basket meaning don’t put all of your life into one single thing.

Who can you get to know?  What is something you can learn?

Some endeavors may fail so have some options on the table.  Diversify your hobbies, investments, and interests etc.

Try different things, life is short.  God has many opportunities for you.

Q. What are some new opportunities, relationships, or hobbies that you feel God might be calling you to invest in?

Get unstuck:

3. STOP the PARALYSIS of ANALYSIS.

There is no where in life where everything is exactly right. 

Ecclesiastes 11:3 (ESV)

Learn to embrace what you cannot do anything about and don’t let it stop you in life.

Ecclesiastes 11:4 (ESV)

If you wait for perfect conditions you will get nothing done.

There is no such things as being 100 percent sure.

Ecclesiastes 11:5 (ESV)

How your life becomes a human life is a complete mystery. You are a work of God even before you took your first breath.  There is a lot of mystery to life, embrace it.  Sometimes we over think it and stifle what can happen. 

(Leader – choose one or both of the following):

Q. Can you share a situation where you  decided to move forward despite not having all the answers?  How did that decision impact your faith and progress in life?

Or

Q. What might you be overthinking or waiting for the perfect conditions that keep you from moving forward on something?

Get unstuck:

4. STOP thinking about QUITTING.

Ecclesiastes 11:6 (ESV)

When you try something, even if there are rocky moments, don’t quit.

Galatians 6:9 (ESV)

We are tempted to give up even when doing good.  Rewards come to those who don’t give up.  When you are tempted to quit realize you have something to quit.

Dont give up!  God is with you.  God is for you.

Ecclesiastes 11:7–8 (ESV)

Q. Can you share an example of a time when persistence paid off for you? How can we encourage one another to stay committed and trust in God’s presence even during tough times?

.Life’s greatest risk: PUTTING your FAITH in CHRIST.

But the reward is OUT OF THIS WORLD!

Ecclesiastes 11:9 (ESV)

Challenge: This week, ask the Holy Spirit to show you someone who might be struggling with feeling stuck or giving up.   Offer support and remind them of God’s presence and faithfulness.