Gabriel’s message to Mary troubled her because she was confused by God’s plans. Luke 1:9 Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean. 30 “Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God! 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him …
I think every pregnant woman wonders, “What will my child be like?” God revealed what Hagar’s child would be like to encourage her in a difficult time. Genesis 16: 10 Then he added, “I will give you more descendants than you can count.” 11 And the angel also said, “You are now pregnant and will give birth …
Throughout history, people have made culturally acceptable but morally wrong decisions with unexpected consequences. Our founding fathers had a chance to outlaw slavery in 1776, but did not. Slavery was culturally acceptable at the time. This morally wrong decision would impact millions of people and have lasting repercussions to this day. God gives a rule …
We see Abram can trust God when the path is unclear. God made a promise of land to Abram through a covenant. Genesis 15: 18 So the Lord made a covenant with Abram that day and said, “I have given this land to your descendants, all the way from the border of Egypt to the great …
Receiving God’s promises entails engaging in God’s plans. Abram had been on a journey of faith in God since he left Ur years before. Genesis 12: 1The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you. 2 I will make …
The story of the Tower of Babel begins a pattern of consequences seen throughout Scripture. You may wonder why we started a series on Abraham’s faith journey with this story. First of all, it is the story that immediately precedes God’s call to Abraham and provides context. Secondly, it also demonstrates how God works with …
Redirected efforts result in a new start, something you may have experienced. Many times, when life comes to a dead end, it is a way for the Lord to redirect us so we can begin again. The Lord can use the loss of a job, a health issue, or other difficulty in life to redirect …
Have you ever considered heavenly interruptions and where you would be without them? Peter, Andrew, James, and John were a fisherman before the Lord called them to be disciples. Noah was going about his life until the Lord called him to build an ark to save his family from the great flood. The Apostle Paul …
Don’t let evil cloud God’s plan. Many people struggle with this trap from the enemy. It can be discouraging to look at everything happening and question if God is in control. As the women walked to the tomb on Resurrection Sunday, they were probably sad, quiet, and grieving over the death of Jesus. Jesus’ death …
Jesus’ promise of His resurrection before he entered Jerusalem must have puzzled the disciples. Luke 18:31 Taking the twelve disciples aside, Jesus said, “Listen, we’re going up to Jerusalem, where all the predictions of the prophets concerning the Son of Man will come true.[1] As Jesus takes the disciples aside to speak to them, there is …