Do you ever wonder why things happen the way that do? We may never fully understand why, but for those who believe the Bible, we can trust that God’s hidden hand is there weaving it all together for His good purposes. Theologically, we call this divine providence. And Genesis 42-47 unfolds one of Scripture’s most…
Every single day, you and I face temptation to sin. How should we handle those situations effectively and successfully? Well, Genesis 39 presents one of Scripture’s most powerful examples of how to do that. Joseph, far from home and flourishing in Potiphar’s household, faced repeated advances from his master’s wife. His response demonstrates a masterclass…
Have you ever been thrown into a situation so dark, so painful, that it felt like the end of everything God promised you? What if that pit is actually the pathway to your purpose? We read in Genesis 37 that Joseph’s brothers stripped him, threw him into a dry cistern, and left him for dead.…
Have you ever felt God whisper a promise to your heart, only to watch your circumstances move in the complete opposite direction? You’re not alone—and you’re in good company. We read in Genesis 32 that, at seventeen, Joseph received dreams that seemed impossible: his brothers’ sheaves of wheat bowing to his; the sun, moon, and…
My two nephews back in Kentucky are both wrestlers for their school. And not to be that uncle who brags, but they’re pretty dog-gone good. They’ve already faced some tough opponents in their short careers. And I’m sure as they continue on the competition will on get tougher. But could you imagine how hard it…
The deceiver was deceived. Isn’t it satisfying to see people reap what they sow? Jacob, who once disguised himself to steal his brother’s blessing, now stood blindsided on his wedding morning in Genesis 29. The veiled bride he had worked seven years for wasn’t Rachel—it was her older sister Leah. Laban’s words, Rachel and Leah’s…
As we turn to Genesis 28, Jacob was, in a sense, running—fleeing his past, uncertain of his future, sleeping on stones in the wilderness. Yet it was there, in his most vulnerable moment, that God met him in a dream with an extraordinary promise: “I am with you and will watch over you wherever you…
You know, the Bible mirrors life. Therefore, it often gets messy. And that’s exactly what we see in Genesis 27. There’s no way to sanitize the family drama we see here. Isaac plays favorites with Esau while Rebekah does the same with Jacob. Rebekah schemes and manipulates everybody. Jacob lies directly to his blind father.…
In Genesis 25, we come across a story that is both intriguing and troubling. Isaac, who is Abraham’s son of Promise, and his wife Rebekah had tried for twenty years to have children. When Rebekah finally conceived, what should have been nothing but joy soon turned to distress. What seemed like a double blessing in…
Have you ever been given what seemed to be an impossible task by somebody? Maybe life itself feels that way sometimes. As Abraham grew old, we read in Genesis 24 that he called his servant and laid on him what probably felt like an impossible task: go to my homeland and find the right wife…