Scripture Reading — Genesis 32:22-23“Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome.”— Genesis 32:28Jacob was a schemer. It came naturally. His mother was a schemer, and so was his father (see Genesis 26-27). Scheming was part of
Scripture Reading — Genesis 21:1-21“Lift the boy up and take him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation.”— Genesis 21:18God is faithful beyond our ability to think or imagine.Some years earlier, Sarah (formerly Sarai) had come up with a plan to produce an heir for Abraham (formerly Abr
Scripture Reading — Genesis 15:1-21“Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward.”— Genesis 15:1How long can you live on a promise? Abram and Sarai had lived with God’s promise of a child for many years. Their faith was being tested, and their hope was beginning to fade.One even
Scripture Reading — Genesis 12:10-20Pharaoh . . . sent [Abram] on his way, with his wife and everything he had.— Genesis 12:20It was a time of famine, and Abram and Sarai needed food. There was food in Egypt, but going there could be dangerous. (This would not be the first time God’s people sought f
Scripture Reading — Genesis 12:1-8“Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.”— Genesis 12:1Abram and Sarai will become key figures in the story of God’s covenant and his plan for salvation.When we first meet this couple, they do not have children (Gen
Scripture Reading — Genesis 9:1-17God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant . . . between me and all life on the earth.”— Genesis 9:17God works in line with his character and principles—and he has made those clear to us, as we can see in this passage and in others. For example, there are c
Scripture Reading — Genesis 4:1-12, 25-26“God has granted me another child in place of Abel, since Cain killed him.”— Genesis 4:25God had told Adam and Eve that there would be consequences for their sin. When Eve gave birth to Cain and then Abel, she experienced the pain of childbirth—but, sadly, mo
Scripture Reading — Genesis 3:1-15“I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”— Genesis 3:15The story in Genesis 3 is often described as “the fall into sin.” Adam and Eve started with a wonderful, day-by-da
Scripture Reading — Lamentations 3:19-26His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.— Lamentations 3:22-23Have you ever lost sleep because your mind and heart were busy or burdened? You can lie down and try to fall asleep, but sleep won’t come.Jeremiah surely k
Scripture Reading — Psalm 23:1-6Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me. . . .— Psalm 23:4Bible teachers have often wondered about the setting of this song of David. When was it written?In Psalm 23 we find descriptions of the work of a young man who he
Scripture Reading — Hebrews 10:19-25Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together . . . but encouraging one another. . . .— Hebrews 10:24-25Before the pandemic, our church had a chance to take part in a soup contest called “Soup’s On” for t
Scripture Reading — 2 Kings 5:1-19“If only my master would see the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.”— 2 Kings 5:3I love this Bible story for many reasons. Naaman was a guy who had everything. As an army commander, he could tell people what to do and where to go. He also h
