Have You Misunderstood the Conditions of Following Jesus?

After Abraham had passed the test with his son Isaac, God said an amazing thing to him.

"Because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son,
I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring . . ."
Genesis 22:16-17

Did you catch that? God said he would fulfill his covenant promises to Abraham because he had obeyed. So, if Abraham had not obeyed, God would not have fulfilled his promises? Is that how our relationship with God works? What did Jesus say about it?

"Any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple."
Luke 14:33

As we continue to study the life of Abraham and observe his obedience without limits, we will understand more deeply what it means to follow Jesus in the New Covenant. Listen to Part 2 of a teaching series on Obedience Without Limits from Genesis 22.

God's Mission: To Bless All the Nations of the Earth THROUGH US

There is a strong movement in American Christianity that is self-serving. Many claim to know Christ and maintain serving self as their primary agenda. It is enlightening to observe the way that God establishes a covenant relationship with Abraham. God's covenant with Abraham is fulfilled in us through the New Covenant, and therefore sets the pattern for our covenant relationship with him.

We discover in Genesis 18:16-19 (again) that the purpose of God's covenant with Abraham, and with us through Christ, is to bless all the nations of the earth. Being in covenant with God means we understand and accept this purpose as part of our relationship with God, 

I hope you will receive clarity and passion for God's mission through us by listening to this sermon on Genesis 18:16-19. 

Leadership: Don't Try to Make Them Happy (Gen 16)

This is a recording of the second teaching on leadership from Genesis 16. Leaders often fall into the trap of trying to keep their people happy. Instead, we can learn to lead by biblical conviction and self-sacrificing love. 

Do You Know Where You Are Leading Your Family?

When Sarai suggested that Abram marry her servant so he could have a son, Abram blew it. We can learn from Abram how NOT to be a leader.

This is a recording of a teaching from Genesis 16. We can trust God by leading with godly conviction and love. 

1. Submit to God’s mission for you and your family.
2. Take responsibility to lead your family.

How to Trust God When Life is Hard (and It Will Be)

Here is a recording of a sermon I gave on Genesis 15 about Trusting God for His Promises. Here are the main points: 

1. We can trust God for his promises even when the way is difficult (and it will be).
2. We can trust God for his promises as he works his perfect timing.
3. We can trust God for his promises because he has made a covenant with us.

You Can't Choose Your Consequences

This is a recording of a teaching on Choices and Consequences from Genesis 9:18-29. Here is the basic outline:

1. Doing what is right brings good and doing what is wrong brings trouble.

2. Our choices affect others.

• Our sin presents a moral crisis for others.
• Our choices pass on a legacy to our children.
• Our choices bring honor or dishonor to others.

3. Our choices affect our freedom.

What Happens When we Handle Problems Without God

Here is a recording of a teaching I gave at Highland Christian Fellowship last Sunday, Jan 3, 2016, on Genesis 12:10-20. Abram decided to hatch his own plan for avoiding trouble instead of trusting God. Not a good idea.

What We Really Ought to Be Afraid Of

We fear many things. Unfortunately, we often fear the wrong things. We fear losing a loved one, not being able to pay the bills, losing our jobs, losing possessions, getting a disease. But the greatest threat in our lives is a threat to our spiritual well-being. The greatest threat is sin.

In Genesis 6:1-7, we discover how wicked the world was before God destroyed it with the flood. As we observe this wickedness, we are able to learn about the nature of human sinfulness. Here are the main ideas:

1. This sinfulness of man comes from choosing fleshly desires over spiritual priorities.
2. The sinfulness of man is infectious.
3. The sinfulness of man is a condition of the human heart.