The "Patriarchs"

Dennis McCallum

Genesis 37:2-45:28

The story of Joseph, a beloved son of Jacob who is betrayed and sold into slavery by his brothers, is a story of forgiveness and redemption. Through over a decade of further betrayal, suffering, and despair God continually works and brings him into a position of power as the right hand man of Pharaoh, the ruler of Egypt. Joseph's brothers come to Egypt during a famine to buy grain and find the brother they had betrayed. Joseph forgives his brothers and is finally reunited with his father. Over and over in Joseph's life, God proves his amazing power to bring about good in spite of evil.\r\n

The Love Equation

Ryan Lowery

Ephesians 3:13-21

Paul stands strong in his faith despite his circumstances. He is imprisoned yet confident that God is powerful and his mission to spread the love of Christ will continue. Paul's focus on eternity and God's promises help him recognize his circumstances are temporary. This challenges us on how we tend to deal with our difficult circumstances. Often we seek sympathy or try to disconnect from our problems rather than focusing on eternity and God's strength.

Experiencing God's Rest

Conrad Hilario

Genesis 2:2

The author of Hebrews details the promise of God's rest, which is not a physical rest in this life or eternal rest in heaven but rather the act of trusting Christ to do for us what we cannot do for ourselves. While the Israelites were promised God's rest in the Promised Land in the books of Exodus, Joshua, and Deuteronomy, New Testament Christians can experience God's rest in this life through actively placing their faith in the finished work of Christ.

Jesus Identifies With US

Jim Leffel

2 Corinthians 5:21

The genealogy of Jesus reveals that God sent Jesus to identify with all nations as the son of God. Jesus withstanding temptation from Satan shows us how to depend on God to meet our needs and how to resist the Word System (kosmos). We need to learn to rely on God's Word as a source of life and use it to defend ourselves against Satan's schemes. Rather than putting God to the test, we should follow His lead.

The Danger of Saying "No" to God

Chris Hearty

Exodus 17:1-7

Jesus is superior to Moses because of His deity and position as God's son, and the author of Hebrews exhorts his audience to hold firmly to the grace that Jesus offers instead of Old Testament rituals. He also warns believers of the dangers of a hardened heart through the example of the Israelites' refusal to enter the Promised Land. It is never too late to return to God and experience His grace.

Key Principles of Healthy Relating

Gary DeLashmutt

Matthew 7:1-12

The Golden Rule, as taught by Jesus, is to treat others the way that we would want to be treated. It's clear from the rest of Sermon on the Mount, however, that God's priority for Christians is not simply following a rule but rather to develop healthy relationships in multiple facets. Jesus gives four supplementary principles for healthy relating: 1) do not view others with a critical spirit ; 2) resolve conflict with an attitude of humility; 3) relate to fools in a wise way; and 4) ask for God's enabling power in relating to others. By applying these principles to their personal relationships, believers can be a light to the world and more effective examples of God's love.

Being Known by God

Chris Hearty

Psalms 139

David rejoices in God's divine attributes. The psalmist meditates on three key characteristics of God's nature: His omniscience (God is all-knowing), omnipresence (God is everywhere), and omnipotence (God is all-powerful). David rejoices in being completely known by God and models how to ask for His divine leadership. David unpacks personal implications of each of these truths.

Key Elements of Daily Private Prayer

Gary DeLashmutt

Matthew 6:6-13

It is important for all Christians to develop a personal, private spirituality with God, and Jesus models that kind of spirituality through the Lord's Prayer. The Lord's Prayer provides a valuable framework for private prayer while also emphasizing three important truths: 1) God is our loving Father and we are his children; 2) God is our rightful King and we are His servants; and 3) God is our Provider and we are dependent on Him daily. We as Christians can pray along these lines daily and as a result develop a deep personal relationship with God.

Waiting on God

Chris Hearty

2 Samuel 23:13-17

In David's psalm he shares his longing to dwell with the Lord forever. David models spiritual confidence in the face of adversity and human opposition. He expresses God's trustworthiness and encourages the assembly to endure in waiting on the Lord.