MAX LUCADO, DAVE RAMSEY, MARK BATTERSON,
Not only have I heard Randy Frazee teach these messages, but I have seen him livethem. I am honored to partner with him in ministry, and I have no hesitation torecommend this book to you.MAX LUCADO, pastor and bestselling authorI’m privileged to call Randy Frazee my friend, and I know one important thingabout him: he is a man of the Word. He loves the Bible, and he loves people. What’smore, he’s uniquely qualified to explain how our Lower Story fits into the UpperStory of God’s plans and purposes. This a story you really need to read.DAVE RAMSEY, bestselling author andnationally syndicated radio show hostI love a good story. I love hearing them, reading them, and telling them. There’snothing like a good story to reach a heart, heal a hurt, kindle hope, or even causea life to change direction. What Randy Frazee has done in The Heart of the Story isto masterfully weave together from the pages of Scripture the grand story of God,and he tells us the story in a way that not only gets at God’s heart, but gets to ourhearts as well. If you want to get drawn into a really compelling story that promisesto change your life forever, read The Heart of the Story.MARK BATTERSON, New York Timesbestselling author of The Circle Maker andlead pastor of National Community ChurchThe Heart of the Story lifted my chin, time and time again, reminding me toreckon God’s promises with my problems. We so easily default to an earthboundperspective. But God is always writing a bigger story with our lives. Randy Frazeeunpacks Scripture with passion, clarity, and conviction. He’s one of my favoriteguests on the show because he truly believes what he reads in Scripture. May theepic kingdom story come to life as you work your way through the pages of thismasterful book.SUSIE LARSON, talk radio host, national speaker,and author of Your Powerful Prayers9780310349365 HeartStory int SC.indd 111/8/16 4:49 PM
I love the heart, insight, and teaching of Randy Frazee. I had the privilege ofperforming a song for The Story project— “How Love Wins”— inspired by themessage of this book. The song takes the point of view of the thief alongside Jesusat the crucifixion. When Jesus shouted, “It is finished,” the world thought he wasadmitting he was finished. But from the Upper Story perspective, Jesus was declaringthat his work of redeeming us was finished on the cross, and a new beginning wasborn. This is just one of the life- transforming nuggets in the pages of The Heart ofthe Story. Read it, and you may just find a new beginning for yourself.STEVEN CURTIS CHAPMAN, singer/songwriter andauthor of Cinderella: The Love of a Daddy and His PrincessThe Bible, the whole Bible, is put together and displayed as a single sweeping narrative in this extraordinary work of storytelling. Randy Frazee has invested a lifetimemaking God’s Word useful, interesting, and accessible. This is his masterpiece!BOB BUFORD, founder of Leadership Networkand author of Halftime and Finishing WellOur church has grown so much going through The Story. I’m excited to take themthrough The Heart of the Story and see the Bible come alive for our people!MARK HALL, lead singer of Casting Crowns and author of ThriveRandy Frazee is not just a gifted leader and communicator; he is also a man with aunique ability to take the powerful things of God and present them to this generationwith clarity and purpose.LEON FONTAINE, CEO of Miracle Channel, senior pastor of SpringsChurch (Canada), and television host of The Spirit Contemporary LifeThe Heart of the Story is a brilliant work reminding us that the Bible is a collectionof narratives that make up the story of God. Randy Frazee artistically guides us todiscover our place in God’s story. If you, like me, have always craved to know yourrole in the unfolding story of God, you’ll want to read and share this book withothers. The Heart of the Story is a gift.DAVE FERGUSON, lead pastor of Community Christian Church, leadvisionary of NewThing, and author of Finding Your Way Back to God9780310349365 HeartStory int SC.indd 211/8/16 4:49 PM
The Bible is not a series of isolated fairy tales. It’s one story, told in hundreds ofchapters and in a compelling journey. Randy Frazee invites us— and then he takesus on that journey. And you will want to join him on it!ED STETZER, Billy Graham Distinguished Chair, Wheaton CollegeAs a songwriter, I’ve always been passionate about the power of a story. That’s one ofthe reasons I’ve connected so deeply with Randy Frazee’s book The Heart of the Story.Finding our story in the midst of the greater story that God is telling truly is themission we’re all on, and this book helps us find the heart of the story along the way.MATTHEW WEST, award- winning singer/songwriterIf you live in the world of business, you can easily get stuck in the earthboundstory of your work. Randy Frazee gently repositions our eyes and priorities towardGod’s grand narrative, one in which you will see yourself clearly as you live outyour calling. As you ponder these stories, you’ll feel God’s vertical tug on yourspreadsheet- driven, people- problem world and discover how to raise the cross at thecenter of the marketplace. In Randy’s words, you’ll find your story in God’s story.GREG LEITH, CEO of ConveneWe live in the Lower Story. It’s hard for us to see around the next bend in the road,let alone a generation or millennia. God sees everything from the Upper Story. Hewrote the beginning and is orchestrating how the story ends. The Heart of the Storygives a glimpse into God’s Upper Story and provides a road map for aligning ourstory to his story. Randy Frazee’s teaching has deeply influenced my personal life,teaching, and the congregation I lead. It will do the same for you!DR. BENJI W. KELLEY, founding pastor ofNewHope Church, Durham, North Carolina9780310349365 HeartStory int SC.indd 311/8/16 4:49 PM
AL SO BY R ANDY FR A ZEEThe Christian Life Profile AssessmentThe Connecting Church 2.0The Heart of the StoryMaking Room for LifeReal Simplicity (expanded edition of MakingRoom for Life; with Rozanne Frazee)Renovation of the Heart: Student Edition (with Dallas Willard)Think, Act, Be Like Jesus9780310349365 HeartStory int SC.indd 411/8/16 4:49 PM
THE HEARTOF THE STORYDISCOVER YOUR LIFE WITHIN THEGRAND EPIC OF GOD’S STORYRE V ISED AND E X PANDEDRANDY FRAZEE9780310349365 HeartStory int SC.indd 511/8/16 4:49 PM
ZONDERVANThe Heart of the StoryCopyright 2011, 2017 by Randy FrazeeRequests for information should be addressed to:Zondervan, 3900 Sparks Dr. SE, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49546ISBN 978-0-310-34936-5 (softcover)ISBN 978-0-310-35004-0 (ebook)Library of Congress Cataloging- in- Publication DataFrazee, Randy.The heart of the story : tracing God’s big idea through every story in the Bible /Randy Frazee.p. cm.Includes bibliographical references.ISBN 978-0-310-33272-51. Bible— Criticism, interpretation, etc. 2. Bible stories. I. Title.BS511.3.F73 2011220.9'505—dc22 2011012862Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version , NIV . Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reservedworldwide. www.Zondervan.com. The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarksregistered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc. Scripture quotations marked ESV are taken from the ESV Bible (The Holy Bible, English StandardVersion ), copyright 2001 by Crossway , a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Usedby permission. All rights reserved.Scripture quotations marked NASB are taken from the New American Standard Bible , Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Usedby permission. www.Lockman.org.Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of TyndaleHouse Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.Scripture quotations marked MSG are taken from THE MESSAGE. Copyright by Eugene H.Peterson 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress. All rightsreserved. Represented by Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.Any Internet addresses (websites, blogs, etc.) and telephone numbers in this book are offeredas a resource. They are not intended in any way to be or imply an endorsement by Zondervan,nor does Zondervan vouch for the content of these sites and numbers for the life of this book.All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, ortransmitted in any form or by any means— electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or anyother— except for brief quotations in printed reviews, without the prior permission of the publisher.Cover photography: Getty ImagesInterior illustrations: Cally VickInterior design: Kait LamphereFirst printing November 2016 / Printed in the United States of America9780310349365 HeartStory int SC.indd 611/8/16 4:49 PM
To Mike Reilly— you have aligned your life to God’s Upper Story,and I am one of many who have received the blessing.May God continue to blow wind in your sailsas you press forward in your adventure in serving others.9780310349365 HeartStory int SC.indd 711/8/16 4:49 PM
9780310349365 HeartStory int SC.indd 811/8/16 4:49 PM
CONTENTSForeword by Max Lucado . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11Preface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13Timeline of The Story . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17Introduction: The Art Gallery and the Mural . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23MOVEMENT ONE: THE STORY OF THE GARDEN. . . 311. Creation: The Beginning of Life as We Know It. . . . . . . . . . . . 33MOVEMENT TWO: THE STORY OF ISRAEL. . . . . . . . 432.3.4.5.6.7.8.9.10.11.12.13.God Builds a Nation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45Joseph: From Slave to Deputy Pharaoh. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53Deliverance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63New Commands and a New Covenant. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71Wandering. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79The Battle Begins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91A Few Good Men . . . and Women. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101The Faith of a Foreign Woman. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109Standing Tall, Falling Hard. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117From Shepherd to King. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125The Trials of a King . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133The King Who Had It All. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1439780310349365 HeartStory int SC.indd 911/8/16 4:49 PM
14.15.16.17.18.19.20.21.A Kingdom Torn in Two. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151God’s Messengers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159The Beginning of the End (of the Kingdom of Israel). . . . . . . 169The Kingdoms’ Fall. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179Daniel in Exile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189The Return Home. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197The Queen of Beauty and Courage. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207Rebuilding the Walls. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215MOVEMENT THREE: THE STORY OF JESUS . . . . . . 22122.23.24.25.26.27.The Birth of the King. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223Jesus’ Ministry Begins. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231No Ordinary Man. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239Jesus, the Son of God . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247The Hour of Darkness. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255The Resurrection. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263MOVEMENT FOUR: THE STORY OF THE CHURCH . 26928. New Beginnings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27129. Paul’s Mission. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27930. Paul’s Final Days. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 287MOVEMENT FIVE: THE STORY OF A NEW GARDEN . 29531. The End of Time. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 297Conclusion: Your Part in the Story. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 305Acknowledgments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 308Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3119780310349365 HeartStory int SC.indd 1011/8/16 4:49 PM
FOREWORDBY MAX LUCADOAbove and around us, God directs a grander saga, written by his hand,orchestrated by his will, unveiled according to his calendar. His “UpperStory” details his plan of redemption. He is creating an eternal people for aneternal place.Without the lens of the Upper Story, the events of the “Lower Story” perplexand confuse us. They create moments of confusion in which we feel too old,too small, unqualified, or outnumbered. But in the context of his Upper Story,our Lower Story moments make sense.Look at young Joseph in the Egyptian prison. A bright, talented youthwasting away behind bars. Imprisonment makes no sense— from the LowerStory angle. But from the Upper Story, we see something else. We see Godprotecting the youth in prison so he can use him in the palace. Joseph issentenced today so he can serve God tomorrow and save the children of Israelfrom fam
DAVE RAMSEY, bestselling author and nationally syndicated radio show host I love a good story. I love hearing them, reading them, and telling them. There’s nothing like a good story to reach a heart, heal a hurt, kindle hope, or even cause a life to change direction. What Randy Frazee has done in The Heart of the Story is
-Max Lucado - Fearless -Max Lucado - Outlive Your Life -The Story (done in partnership with Max Lucado) -Francis Chan - Crazy Love -Faith Commander (a study done by Duck Commander) -Believe (done in partnership with Max Lucado) The Administrative Council approved a Home Communion & Visitations Pastor Brad is putting out an open invitation
RADIO CONTROL . A radio control unit can be supplied to add to the control valve kit. . BHW wiring looms for control valves are supplied as complete kits (see kits listing, page 3). . Ramsey HDP 34.9 35 50 176 Ramsey RPH 42.2 45 57 155 Ramsey HDP 42 57 75 138 Ramsey 53.3 45 57 176 Ramsey 133.4 70 100 176 Ramsey H246 40 50 172 Ramsey BH550 .
Life Lessons - Book of 1 Corinthians Lucado, Max 1 Corinthians Books of the Bible Study Guide Life Lessons - Book of Genesis Lucado, Max Genesis Books of the Bible Study Guide Life Lessons - Books of 1 & 2 Peter Lucado, Max 1 & 2 Peter Books of the Bible Study Guide Life-Changing Lessons
10/17 Outlive Your Life by Max Lucado Lelion Elledge 10/24 Outlive Your Life by Max Lucado Philip Bell 10/31 Outlive Your Life by Max Lucado Brad Christie 10/3 10/3 Short Stories By Jesus by Amy-Jill Levine David Gardner 10/10 Short Stories By Jesus by Amy-Jill Levine – Kirkin’ Luke and Carson .
t h e lucado ENCOURAGING WORD bible Max Lucado GENERAL EDITOR www.ThomasNelson.com
Matthew 27 Matthew 28 Mark 1 Mark 2 Mark 3 Mark 4 Mark 5 Mark 6 Mark 7 Mark 8 Mark 9 Mark 10 Mark 11 Mark 12 Mark 13 Mark 14 Mark 15 Mark 16 Catch-up Day CORAMDEOBIBLE.CHURCH/TOGETHER PAGE 1 OF 1 MAY 16 . Proverbs 2—3 Psalms 13—15 Psalms 16—17 Psalm 18 Psalms 19—21 Psalms
Dave Ramsey has made a national name for him-self guiding people out of debt. I occasionally listen to his show (Ramsey and I both live in Nashville), and I applaud much of what he tells his listeners. In particular, Ramsey stresses the importance of hav-ing a specific budget and communicating with one’s spouse about money.
ANSI A300 defines as a tree risk assess-ment: “A systematic process used to identify, analyze, and evaluate risk.” “Mitigation” is a term that I see com-monly used inappropriately. In the Standard, it is very clearly defined as the process of diminishing risk. We do not eliminate risk in trees when we perform some form of mitigation practice. We are minimizing the risk to some .
