TODAY’S DAILY READING: Genesis 29-30 & Matthew 15
Old Testament: Genesis 29- Dysfunctional
Genesis 29:26
“And Laban said, ‘It must not be done so in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn.’”
All families have some level of dysfunction, but Jacob’s household was a mess. What started with a surprise unveiling the morning after the wedding, grew into a family with two wives competing for the love of one husband. As time moved on, things got worse rather than better. Children were born into the family out of wedlock, and his wives were making back room deals as to who was going to spend the night with Jacob. It is little wonder, when these kids grew up, they had emotional issues and were willing to sell a brother into slavery. What happened to this family to create… Read More
Genesis 30- Plotting And Scheming
Genesis 30:32
“Let me pass through all your flock today, removing from there all the speckled and spotted sheep, and all the brown ones among the lambs, and the spotted and speckled among the goats; and these shall be my wages.”
After faithfully serving Laban for twenty years, Jacob decided it was time to return to Canaan. As he prepared to depart, Jacob and Laban met together to discuss his future wages. They determined that all the speckled and spotted sheep would belong to Jacob and the rest would remain with Laban. Later, in Genesis 31, we find this idea was given to Jacob in a dream where the Angel of the Lord appeared to him. We find with Jacob, a vivid illustration of the promises of God being pursued in the arm of the flesh
Rather than trusting that God would provide whatever number of sheep He wanted him to … Read More
New Testament: Matthew 15- Ministry Principles
Matthew 15:36
“And He took the seven loaves and the fish and gave thanks, broke them and gave them to His disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitude.”
It is against the law to give away what you do not own. If it does not belong to you, it is not yours to give. That is one of the most basic principles that governs when serving Jesus. If we want to help others walk with the Lord, we must first receive from the Lord. The story of the loaves and fish illustrate that principle quite well. The disciples took what they had, brought that to Jesus; … Read More
Isaac was ill and thought death was at his doorstep, so he sent his son Esau into the field to hunt and make him his favorite meal. It was his intention, at the meal, to pass a blessing on to Esau. When Rebekah heard his plan, she came up with a scheme of her own. She knew God intended this blessing for Jacob, so she got an animal skin, prepared a meal, and attempted to deceive her husband. Jacob dressed for the part and brought the… 
As Peter’s eyes left Jesus and began to focus on his surroundings, his great faith failed and he began to sink. In desperation he cried out, “Lord, save me” to which Jesus replied, first with a stretched out hand, then with gentle rebuke.
A few years back, an interesting term began to circulate through the church. The term I am referring to is “generational curse.” It meant families were cursed by the sins committed in generations passed. Once this diagnosis was given, an elaborate system was developed to rid the families of this curse. The basis for the curse was a poor understanding, and improper application of the idea that the sins of the fathers… 
Abraham was not an emperor or a king, He was not an author, an artist or even a relatively famous man in his day. Yet, he has become one of the most influential individuals in all of history. He is a main character, not only in the book of Genesis, but in the entirety of the Bible. He is called the father of faith, and his story has been a source of encouragement for generations. What was it about this nomadic shepherd… 
Relationships are a key part of life. Healthy relationships lead to a good life, and unhealthy relationships will make life very difficult. The most important earthly relationship is marriage, and who you marry is one of the most important decision in life (second only to receiving Christ.) Solomon wrote “He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the Lord” (Proverbs 18:22). Genesis 24 tells the story of how Isaac and Rebekah met. Their story… 
On the day Isaac was weaned, Abraham and Sarah celebrated by throwing a party. Because they had waited so long for a son, and since Abraham’s camp was large, this would have been quite a celebration. Tragically, this joyous occasion is cut short when the teenage son of Hagar began to mock… 
Jesus declared the whole Bible testified of Him. Sometimes, the testimony is the form of prophecy, other times, it is in the form of a type, or illustration. Here, we find a vivid illustrative picture of the cross of Christ. Let’s examine the details.
The circumstances of life often cause us to question God. It is hard sometimes to reconcile what we are going through with who God is; compassionate and good. This happened to John the Baptist. From the words of Jesus, we know John was the greatest man to have ever lived. He was a man that preached the gospel to thousands, the man who pointed the way to Christ, and the man… 
I remember growing up with the story of Paul Revere riding through the New England countryside, heralding the message that the British were coming. In the version I was told, he rode from town to town warning the people who responded by preparing themselves for battle. Lot, like Paul Revere, was given a warning. His warning came by… 
These twelve ordinary men were chosen, empowered, and sent by Jesus into the world with the simple message of salvation. As a result, their lives have transformed the world.
This question was not asked on a theology exam, but in a real life situation. A one hundred year old man, and a ninety year old barren woman, were promised a child from whom a great nation would be established. The promises of God were met head on by the circumstances of life, making them seem so far-fetched, both Abraham and Sarah laughed. It was not improbable for a 90 year old woman to have a child, it was impossible. Not only was she passed the age of child bearing, but she had been infertile her whole life. What did not happen in her youth, could not happen in her old age. Yet in these circumstances, God made a promise. When the… 
This chapter introduces us to a man who is facing one of life’s greatest challenges; that of a terrible physical disorder. Being a paralytic would mean he not only missed out on much of the experiences of life that we take for granted, but also, he would be totally dependant upon others. He was not even capable of getting to this home on his own.
Abraham had every reason to be afraid. He had just mounted a surprise attack against the forces of king Chedorlaomer and stole back all the spoils of Chedarlaomer’s victory over the king of Sodom. It seems obvious, this king would soon return with his armies and attempt to wipe out Abraham. I love…
We have four sons and had to select names for each of them. When making our decisions, we looked through name books, considered family names, then ultimately chose names that we liked. Very little consideration was given to what, if anything, the names actually meant. In Biblical times, names mattered much more than they do today. A person… 
Abram’s encounter with Melchizedek is one of the most interesting and encouraging stories in Scripture. The scene is set for their meeting in the previous chapter, where we find Lot departing from Abram, and moving to the plains outside the city of Sodom. What seemed to be a brilliant business decision, turned out to be a costly moral one, as Lot is soon caught up in the ways of Sodom. When fighting breaks out between nations, Lot finds himself taken captive as a POW, and led to Elam where he will become… 
Jim Gallagher 