Jacob’s DreamsGod communicated directly with Abraham, and Isaac heard the Angel of the Lord stop his father from sacrificing him on the altar at Moriah. Jacob, however, seemed to struggle with his relationship with God, coming into conflict with his brother and deceiving his father. The first time the Bible records that God directly spoke to Jacob

1. Reading the Bible with the Goal of Obedience and ApplicationWe have all heard about the necessity of reading the Bible. Pastors, Bible teachers, and writers can sound like a broken record when they keep insisting on the need for Scripture engagement. Everyone has heard the message already, so why keep emphasizing it?We need a steady diet of fill

When Was Judaism Founded Part 3: Moses Moves the Twelve Tribes Out of EgyptThe currently accepted approximation for the Exodus is thought to be 1446 B.C.E. This estimation is often based on 1 Kings 6:1.“In the four hundred and eightieth year after the Israelites had come out of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon’s reign over Israel, in the month

1 Chronicles paves the wave for the Messiah. It encourages the people to build a physical temple, to long for a new king, etc. But it was also there to create a hope for the Ultimate Rescuer to come and redeem the people. 1 Chronicles tells us that God isn’t through with people. There is a reason to hope. We see in the New Testament that Christ is

Why Are the Sons of God Presenting Themselves to the Lord?In the Bible, there are instances where God sends angels to deliver reports or messages concerning the state of affairs on earth. These angelic missions communicate between the divine realm and humanity, often conveying important information, warnings, or revelations.In the opening chapters

Genesis 4:6-7 says, “Then the Lord said to Cain, ‘Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.’”Abel Points to JesusWhen we consider the death of Abel – the first death recorded in

God also added to this commandment the reality that anyone would suffer consequences if they hated Him, but those who loved Him would be shown His love and mercy. God stated in this second commandment that, “I the Lord your God am a jealous God.” God was not meaning that He is jealous of people or has a toxic jealousy that we see when one person lo

“Now when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushes against the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; and they were defeated” (2 Chronicles 20:22).Gratitude by faith, for who He is, what He has done, and also what He is able to do, even as the Enemy is poised to strike can help to carry us on to God’s best

1. Cleansing of the Temple and Cursing the Fig Tree Matthew 21:1-22; Mark 11:1-26; Luke 19:28-48You might call this the triumphal entry, but the way the gospel writers frame this, it seems like anything but triumphal. If you read the Psalm of Solomon, Jewish apocryphal literature, you get a glimpse at the Messianic expectation. This is what they ex

What Does the Bible Have to Say about Israel? Israel: the geographic center. “See, I have set thee in the midst of the nations (Ezekiel 5:5). Israel, called “the navel of the earth,” is strategically located at the hub of three continents.Israel: the revelation center. From this land, the land of Moses, the prophets and the apostles, came the Word

1. A Prayer for Justice in Our NationOh Lord,You know that we are a woefully imperfect people. Thousands of years ago, you told your people, the Israelites, that your ideal was for them to be in perfect relationship with you. You set prophets over them, leading and guiding them in spiritual righteousness so they could walk well with you at their he

Many a deconstruction story begins with some sort of injustice. Maybe your loved one or someone they care about was harmed. Perhaps they’ve heard one too many stories about yet another church scandal. Whatever the situation, your loved one is likely trying to make sense of it within their worldview.Affirm their desire for truth and justice. Their h

The time may come for some tough love and boundaries to be in place, without you losing your relationship with that person.Four Ways to Stop Enabling and Start Truly HelpingTough love doesn’t have to be as brutal as people make it out to be, but it may be necessary if your loved one, friend, co-worker, church member or someone else can’t seem to (o

- An heir and a joint heir with Jesus Christ (Romans 8:17)- A royal priesthood, a holy nation, a unique people (1 Peter 2:9)- Chosen (1 Peter 2:9) and blood bought (1 Peter 1:19)- Redeemed (Colossians 3:13) and blessed (Ephesians 1:3)The unbelieving and faithless spies said what they thought was truth: We are mere grasshoppers and they are giants.W

The Reformation also led to the birth of new Protestant denominations, each with its own interpretation of Scripture and style of worship. Lutheranism, Calvinism, Anglicanism, and Methodism emerged as distinct traditions, each offering believers a unique way to express their faith. These new movements created a diverse Christian landscape, giving p

Jesus illustrated this in His ministry with the story of Lazarus and the rich man, recorded in the Gospel of Luke. In this story, Jesus explains that when a poor man named Lazarus begged for scraps, a rich man ignored him and showed him no mercy. When Lazarus died, he went to Paradise, called Abraham’s bosom in the story. When the rich man died, he

The Goliaths in Our Lives We can all relate to times in our lives when the odds were stacked against us; this Old Testament story of a shepherd boy bringing down a battle-worn warrior of gigantic proportions reminds us that we too, can defy the odds. It connects us with the story of our Redemption through Christ that God has woven into our hearts.

Despite Jesus’ repeated teachings about His impending arrest, suffering, and death, the disciples struggled to fully comprehend the nature of His mission. The common perspective of the Messiah by Jews of the day expected Jesus to claim an earthly throne in Jerusalem. The Suffering Servant prophecies were considered by most scholars to be a separate

My friend just experienced what he thinks is the greatest loss ever when his wife died. Please show Yourself to him so he will embrace you as His Lord and Savior. He doesn’t know that to save his life is to lose it, but to lose his life for You is salvation (Mark 8:35). You know his wife didn’t know you. Help him to see the truth and enjoy life for

There is one major difference between this type of theocracy and the one experienced in Israel. In Israel, when they followed God’s rule, the entire nation flourished. As the Psalmist wrote,Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people he chose for his inheritance. (Psalm 33:12)When the leaders of Israel followed God’s rule, the nation ex