If you are interested in starting a micro church or hosting a small group in your home with like-minded individuals, we've got you covered. Our library of resources includes video messages and study questions for both group leaders and participants. To gain access to these resources or request access to our message videos, please get in touch with me at danhollandC3@gmail.com.
Genesis 47 is a pivotal chapter because it sets us up for the back story of Exodus because Moses answers the question: “How did the Israelites end up as slaves in Egypt?” This is a fascinating chapter, and it gives the details of the settlement of Jacob's family in Egypt during a severe worldwide famine. If you are interested in starting a micro church or hosting a small group in your home with like-minded individuals, we've got you covered. Our library of resources includes video messages and s...
Genesis 45 opens on an emotionally charged note. Joseph realizes that he loves his brothers. After all his angry posturing towards them, he breaks down. Joseph is weeping, and his brothers are, understandably, terrified. Here’s my question. What made the difference for Joseph? I think Judah’s love and kindness touched Joseph so profoundly. Kindness is a language everybody understands. If you are interested in starting a micro church or hosting a small group in your home with like-minded individu...
Have you ever said, “If I ever see __________ again, it will be too soon.” Just fill in the blank. In our story today, Joseph’s brothers go to Egypt. Joseph hadn’t seen his brothers for 22 years. The last thing they expected was to see each other again! In their wildest imagination, they never expected to see each other again, but here they were. There were a lot of reasons why these people never wanted to see each other again. (Genesis 42-44) If you are interested in starting a micro church or ...
At this point, Joseph was 28 years old and had been in prison for about 8 years. He interpreted the dreams for two of the prisoners – the cupbearer and baker. He told the cupbearer that he’d be restored to his position and the baker that he would be put to death. The baker was put to death, and the cupbearer was restored to his position in service to Pharaoh. And really Jospeh had only one request…which was to put in a good word on his behalf. He said, “Mention me to Pharoah and get me out of th...
The first 17 years of Joseph’s life were like a fairytale. Of his eleven brothers and one sister, his dad loved him best, and everybody knew it. His life was good. But his life quickly shifted from fairytale to nightmare. But why is this story important? If they didn’t know how they ended up in Egypt, they’d know after hearing the story of Joseph. And Joseph predicted that God would take them back to Canaan, and he did…470 years later. Joseph believed that while people may do hurtful things to u...
Joseph’s brothers didn’t even fake it with Joseph…they hated him and were jealous of him. Worse of all, they were indifferent to him as a human. They thought seriously about killing him. Then, they decided to make some money from him by selling him to the Ishmaelites. In this passage, Joseph comes across as a spoiled, arrogant know-it-all. He had two dreams, both of which indicated that he would be the patriarch and head of the family one day. Out of ten boys, he declares himself to be the one t...
Before we close out this section about the life of Jacob…before we turn our attention to his boys, we need to take a brief look at chapters 35–36. This chapter begins with God reiterating his promises to Jacob. Why did He bother to do that? To remind us that Jacob was still the child of God's promise despite all the dirty water that had gone under the bridge. Despite lying to his father. Despite how he treated his brother. Despite his lies. It was a new day…and he was a new man in many ways. Whe...
As we continue the saga of Jacob, we come to a critical moment in Jacob’s life. He had done a lot of things that he probably wasn’t proud of and now he was having to face some of those things. Chapter 33 opens with these words, “Jacob looked up and there was Esau…” (33:1). The last time Jacob had seen his twin brother Esau was about 20 years ago. If this were an epic mini-series, there would be a flashback to when he deceived his father, Isaac, by pretending to be Esau and stole Esau’s blessing....
The first half of his life could be summed up in one word, “con man.” Sure, he was a family man and businessman, and his name will be changed to Israel later in life, but what stands out most during that time of his life is that he was a hustler. He was calculating, sneaky, and shrewd at every turn! He manipulated people and situations to get what he wanted. All he needed to succeed was opportunity and rationale, and he was off to the races. Point is…Jacob was driven to use whatever means necess...
It’s important to remember that even though God chose Jacob before he was born, He still needed to bring him to a place where he would encounter God and be radically changed from the inside out. The turnaround in Jacob’s life began with a crisis. He was stuck. He was afraid. And, in that situation, he did what many of us do when we are stuck and afraid—he prayed. Here’s the thing…He didn’t deserve to be loved by God. He knew that. Here’s what happened. Genesis 31-32 If you are interested in star...
Jacob was a wicked, deceitful, dishonest, and promiscuous man. Yet, despite his terrible behavior, he always came out on top. Jacob’s story is one long litany of self-centeredness, deceit, and success. As we read it, we need to ask the question: “Why?” Why was such a rotten character blessed so profusely? Through this process, we might gain insight into ourselves and our beliefs about God. Genesis 27-28 If you are interested in starting a micro church or hosting a small group in your home with l...
Abraham had two sons. According to the text, Ishmael did not resemble his father, spiritually, at least. He did not receive God's covenant promises or possess his father's generous nature. Instead, his family “lived in hostility toward all their brothers” (25:18). Isaac, on the other hand, was a carbon copy of his father - which was both good and bad. Like father, like son, for better or worse. Let’s notice the family resemblance between Isaac and his father, Abraham, learning some lessons along...
Let's explore the behind-the-scenes story that reveals something different and refreshing about God. This story teaches us how to ACT and guides us on how to THINK about God. The story showcases the faith and character of Abraham, Eliezer, and Rebekah. But God was the one working behind the scenes to bring these two young people and their families together. Genesis 23-24 If you are interested in starting a micro church or hosting a small group in your home with like-minded individuals, we've got...
The resurrection of Jesus from the dead is the most significant event in human history, changing the game for all of us. It serves as a critical link between the book of Revelation and the book of Genesis, forming the foundation and cornerstone of Christianity. This event is the central focus of history, and without it, time itself would be different. The impact of the resurrection is not limited to the mere occurrence of the event but extends to how it influences our lives. The most extensive t...
Are you finding it difficult to take God at his word? Then you need to hear the opening lines of Genesis 21:1–2: “Now the LORD was gracious to Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did for Sarah what he had promised. 2 Sarah became pregnant and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the very time God had promised him.” Isn't that good to hear? Although it took 25 years, God didn't forget his promise to Sarah (17:19). Unlike us, God never forgets, overlooks or ignores his word. He is always willin...
In Genesis 18, we find Abraham pleading that God might spare the city of Sodom. Yes, he pled, primarily on behalf of the righteous, but his plea was that God spare the entire city! He asked if the Lord would judge the righteous and the wicked the same way. Sadly, the next chapter informs us that there were not even ten righteous people in the whole place. A look around the city reveals that many of these unrighteous people looked a lot like those we interact with daily. In fact, they looked a lo...
In the book of Genesis, we can find answers to some of life's questions. One of the big questions is, “What is faith?” What does it mean to believe God? We’ve seen that Abraham was sometimes as unpredictable as the wind. But, despite his foolishness at times, we can learn a great deal from him regarding faith. What it is. What it is not. Specifically, in chapters 15-18, we can see how Abram was a man of faith, not because he was perfect, but because God is perfect. Throughout the story, God is t...
Abraham’s story reminds me of reality TV b/c there is lots of drama. One minute, we’re hugely impressed by Abraham’s faith, and the next, we’re disgusted by his lack of faith. What is up with that? We have to remember that Moses is writing the story of real people living out real faith in the real world. And it’s messy! In one episode, we say to ourselves, “Abraham believed God!” But in the following episode, we’re saying to ourselves, “Abraham believed God?” b/c we see him fathering an illegiti...
At the end of chapter 12, Abram's choices feel like they will undermine all of God’s promises. There have been times when I have felt like maybe I messed up God’s plans. Have you ever felt like that too? We are reading through Genesis. Today, our focus is on chapters 13 and 14. We’re coming from chapter 12, where God called Abram to follow him, and one minute, we’re hugely impressed by Abram’s faith, and the next, we’re disgusted by his lack of faith. What is up with that? We have to remember th...
Chapter 12 signals a new beginning because it represents a turning point in the history of God’s relationship with humanity. In Genesis, we are looking at the beginning of everything. Today, our focus is on the beginning of getting humans back to believing God. The question is whether humans will believe God or try to outsmart God. In this chapter, we read about God’s calling of Abram. And the calling of Abram…who is the beginning of the nation of Israel…is a story of tremendous significance. If...
We are in Genesis 10 and 11. After Noah and his sons exited the ark, God gave a command. He told them to replenish the earth. But God's command to replenish the earth is ignored. Today, we’ll see how that worked for them. If you are interested in starting a micro church or hosting a small group in your home with like-minded individuals, we've got you covered. Our library of resources includes video messages and study questions for both group leaders and participants. To gain access to these reso...
Genesis chapters 8 and 9 are literally filled with rainbows and sunshine! It’s where we learn about the Covenant God made with Noah and all humans, promising no more global destruction despite humanity's inclination to evil. It’s where God commands, "Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth." It’s also where we learn about the origin of rainbows and BBQ, and shortened life spans for humans. Let’s talk about the flood…it’s meaning and impact. If you are interested in starting a micro...
Last time, we talked about the first humans on earth. This week, Moses fast-forwards his inspired story 1500 years, from Adam and Eve to Noah. Moses starts this section by fast-forwarding through ten successive generations. In chapter 5, the ten patriarchs' lives are painted in broad strokes – they were born, grew to manhood, married wives, had children, and then died – but two stand out: Enoch, distinguished in holiness, and Noah, born in a time of moral decline. During that time, God attempted...
If you are interested in starting a micro church or hosting a small group in your home with like-minded individuals, we've got you covered. Our library of resources includes video messages and study questions for both group leaders and participants. To gain access to these resources or request access to our message videos, please get in touch with me at danhollandC3@gmail.com.
Where did Genesis come from, and why should we bother to read and understand it? That’s a good question! Here’s some back story…Moses wrote Genesis, most likely during the 40 years of Israel’s wandering in the desert (1446-1440 BC). But while Moses carried the Ten Commandments down from Mt. Sinai, the story didn’t start there. Moses knew that THE COMMANDS OF GOD FLOWED FROM THE HEART OF GOD. But the people didn’t know that. They didn’t know why the rules were changing. Maybe they wondered: “Why ...
If you are interested in starting a micro church or hosting a small group in your home with like-minded individuals, we've got you covered. Our library of resources includes video messages and study questions for both group leaders and participants. To gain access to these resources or request access to our message videos, please get in touch with me at danhollandC3@gmail.com.
We might not be able to pinpoint the exact date of Jesus’s birth, but we do know this: God could not have chosen a better time. This was the exact right time for Jesus to be born. The most interesting thing to me is that God always knew exactly WHEN Jesus would be born. In Jesus' birth, God fulfilled not just one but more than 300 prophecies. The WHEN of the Christmas story reminds us that God's timing is always perfect. Though it might not always feel that way, we can trust that God is working ...
Our investigative journey continues into the 'Where' takes us to the pages of Luke's Gospel. This passage paints a vivid picture of the place where the greatest story ever told began: Bethlehem. As I think about Bethlehem’s history I am reminded that much of God’s greatest work is done in unexpected ways, by unexpected people, in unexpected places. It is often the places that we don’t expect to find God that we do. Luke 2:1-7 If you are interested in starting a micro church or hosting a small gr...
Today, our focus is on "WHAT: A Christmas Miracle." WHAT had to happen for this story to unfold. For King Jesus to be born, he first had to be conceived. That is what had to happen, but how did it happen? When a chaste teenager shows up pregnant there is no other explanation other than it was a miracle. Many have a hard time buying this story because it is scientifically impossible for a women to get pregnant without the seed of a man. So, they write this story off as a fairy tale or a lie told ...
