Genesis

Blooming in the Desert

Genesis 37-50

Joseph: From Penthouse to Prison

             Genesis 39

Thriving Instead of Just Surviving

1. Refuse to become bitter.

Job 2:9-10           Ephesians 4:30-32

2. Decide to bloom where you are planted.

1 Corinthians 7:17, 20, & 24

3. Commit to do more than asked, and better than expected.

Colossians 3:17

4. Prepare for the battle incredibly well,but remember that God determines the outcome.

Proverbs 21:30-31

Genesis

WRESTLING WITH GOD

Genesis 32:22-32

JACOB’S WRESTLING MATCH

LIFE LESSONS FOR US

1. Eventually—every knee will bow.

Philippians 2:9-10

2. God blesses our cooperation.

Proverbs 1:7 & 9:10     Hebrews 11:6    Romans 12:1-2

3. Glorify God with our weaknesses.

2 Corinthians 12:7-10

4. It’s never too late to submit.

Jeremiah 18:1-8

Genesis

Forgiving Your Family

Genesis 25

Fixing Family Feuds:

             Genesis 25

Stop Sipping the Poison:

             Matthew 5:23-26, 6: 9-13, 18:15-35       Romans 12:17-21

– Forgive like we have been forgiving.

– Forgiveness doesn’t mean forgetting.

Be nice, not naive.

– Love is a choice, not an emotion.

– Let God bring justice, not us.

– We can only do  what we can do.

Genesis

Temptation, Trials, Testing, and Trust

Genesis 22

The Passage

             Genesis 22

Tested By God

             – Our faith will be tested – count on it.

                          1 Peter 1:4-7

– We’ll never be tempted beyond what we can bear.

1 Corinthians 10:13           James 1:2-4

Trust: Some Important Principles

1. Faith isn’t measured by what we believe, but by      what we do.

James 2:14-16

2. We don’t need more faith – we need more obedience. 

Luke 17:5-6

3. Biblical faith is about trusting God enough to do what He says.

Proverbs 19:3           Proverbs 14:12

Genesis

GREED & GENEROSITY

Genesis 13

ABRAM AND LOT

THE TRUTH ABOUT GREED AND GENEROSITY

1. Greed is a deadly spiritual poison.

2 Peter 2:6-9      Ephesians 5:5-7

2. Lot’s problem wasn’t money – it was the love of money.

1 Timothy 6:9-10      Proverbs 23:4-5     Proverbs 19:22

3. Greed flows out of our desire for respect and happiness.

4. Ironically, greedy people are despised and never satisfied.

5. The path to respect, satisfaction, and success starts with generosity.

Philippians 2:3-5

GENESIS

Abram: Into the Unknown

Genesis 12

AN AMAZING CALL

             Genesis 11:27-12:1

A GREAT PROMISE

             Genesis 12:2-9

A BIG PROBLEM

Genesis 12:10

A MESSY MISTAKE

Genesis 12:11-20

SOME THINGS TO CONSIDER:

–  Half truths are lies.

–  Faith is not the absence of doubt.

–  God works in the most hopeless situations.

GENESIS

NOAH AND THE FLOOD

Genesis 6-9

GOD’S JUDGMENT AND GRACE

WHAT WE DON’T KNOW

             –  The flood:

             –  The animals:

             – The people:

WHAT WE DO KNOW

Godly obedience will…

  – Set you apart from the crowd.

– Encourage others to follow.

– Bring salvation to others.

Godly obedience can get….

– Uncomfortable

– Smelly

– Painful

THE CHOICE WE’RE LEFT WITH

1 Peter 3:18-22

GENESIS

CREATED IN THE IMAGE OF GOD

Genesis 1:26-28

WHO ARE YOU?

             –  You are on purpose, not an accident.

             – You are valuable.

–  All human life is sacred and must be treated with dignity.

–  It is God who defines who we are.

A CLEARER VIEW…

More of an image of God– less of anything that distorts that image.