Paul warns the church not to pursue selfish ambition or vain conceit, but to have the same mindset as Christ, who gave up His divine privileges to serve mankind. May the Spirit give God's people ambition to love their neighbor as Christ first loved them.
Faith is not a new lens on life that helps us see or have all the answers. Faith is accepting that we don't have all the answers, but we trust the One who does. When Paul gets stuck in prison, he doesn't know whether he will live or die, but he commits himself to the preaching of the gospel and the unity of the Philippian church. With faith, we can persevere through whatever opposition comes our way.
Paul develops a spiritual partnership with the church in Philippi. He prays for them and takes time in his letter to encourage them and point them to Jesus. How can we spiritually partner with others today?
Scripture is clear – repent and be baptized for the forgiveness of sins. What is baptism? Why does Fern Creek baptize by immersion? Let's look at Scripture and encourage folks to make a decision for Jesus today!
Jacob has lived in Egypt for 17 years. The timer has run out and Jacob is about to die. Before he dies, he does several incredible things that teach us how to die well. Jacob rallied. Jacob recognized his blessings. Jacob blessed his family.
One of the most beautiful stories of the Old Testament, Jacob will be reunited with his long, lost son, Joseph, at 130 years old. The trip getting there is hard, but the joys he’ll experience are life changing. Today we learn you’re never too old to learn to dance.
Joseph hadn’t seen his brothers since the ol’ thrown into a cistern and sold into slavery debacle. Now, he’s reunited with them during a great famine, and he holds the key to their next meal. How will Joseph handle this reunion? Will he forgive or will he take revenge?
God uses Joseph to help the Pharaoh interpret his dreams, and Joseph gives all the credit to God. How does God want us to bring His light into the dark places of this world? How can we impact our community and point people to the work and glory of God?
In the face of temptation, Joseph passes his test with faithful integrity. He refuses to sleep with another man's wife. His reward, however, is false accusation and a prison sentence. What are we to make of a season in Egypt?
After deciding to sell his brother as a slave, Judah runs away and makes some more bad decisions. Finally, after a wild turn of events that you won't want to miss, he realizes that even a pagan, Canaanite woman is more righteous than he is. Let's open Genesis 38 together.
Jacob's playing favorites with his kids leads him to getting deceived once again. What does Joseph's dream mean? How will it impact his future? Let's open Genesis 37 together.
What does God do in response to the horrific events from Genesis 34? He shows up. He speaks. He renews His covenant with Jacob and protects Jacob's family. God's grace is beyond our comprehension, but it means that in our mess, we don't have to run harder. We can run to the Father.
Genesis 34 is one of the most difficult chapters in all of Scripture. Jacob's disobedience leads to a horrible consequence for his daughter, Dinah. Jacob's sons make the matter worse, and we've got to sit in the weight of this mess.
After wrestling with God through the night at 100 years old, Jacob receives a new name from God. Jacob has been changed. He's no longer identified as a deceiver, but as one who has wrestled with God and overcome.
There is no description that really fits this passage of Genesis...the bottom line is that God's grace is always greater than our sin. God had a plan for this family, and He would see it through no matter what mess they caused.
If the Lord disciplines those whom He loves, then He must really love Jacob. Jacob received his family's blessing by deceiving his father, and now he's deceived in the bedroom. We must learn to do life as a divine duet and not a solo performance.
Hispanic Minister, Michael Hook, walks us through Genesis 28. Jacob encounters God in a dream, realizing that God is real and beside Him at all times.
In the mess of Isaac's family dysfunction, the seed of the Genesis 3:15 head-crusher is preserved. God's grace shows up in the most sinful of places. Jacob and Esau fight over the birthright and blessing of their father.
Genesis 24 – the one where Abraham gets Isaac a wife. God's plan keeps moving forward, in and around the prayers of His people. See how God passes down the baton of faith from Sarah to Rebekah.
When Hagar and her son, Ishmael, are kicked out of Abraham's quarters, they begin to lose faith that God is with them. But it's under a bush in the desert of Beersheba where they encounter God's provision and grace. We are praying for you!