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A podcast that is meant to encourage you and help you grow in your life with God.
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4 days ago
4 days ago
Title: “ Keeping the Faith”
Text: Exodus 6-11
Introduction:
A. Call
- God calls Moses in Exodus 3 and 4.
- He understands Israel’s affliction and pain.
- He promises deliverance and rest. Relate this as a type of Salvation as a whole.
B. Command
- God gives Moses a specific command to deliver people in Exodus 3 and 4.
- Tells Moses everything He needs to know and exactly what to do.
- relate this to service as a whole.
C. Consistency
- God calls Moses and commands him.
- In exodus 5 Moses faces discouragement. He and Aaron are blamed by Israel. Pharaoh refuses to listen, and his people follow him blindly. (Contrast to earlier in book when midwives defied Pharaoh by not murdering male babies and pharaohs own daughter disobeyed him by saving Moses)
- tie consistency in with the title “keeping the faith”
Outline:
Exodus 6–11 shows Moses and Aaron facing growing resistance and pressure as they obey God.
In Exodus 6, Moses feels discouraged. Pharaoh has already made Israel’s labor harder, and the people are losing heart. Even after God renews His promises, the Israelites “hearken not” because of their suffering.
In Exodus 7–10, Moses and Aaron repeatedly confront Pharaoh. Through the escalating plagues, Pharaoh’s heart is hardened—sometimes by himself, sometimes by God. Each time relief comes, Pharaoh backs out. The tension increases, and opposition becomes more intense.
By Exodus 11, Moses announces the final plague. The conflict has reached its peak. What began as doubt and discouragement has turned into a full spiritual and political showdown, with Moses standing firm—but under immense pressure.
To keep the faith, Remember three things:
1. There is Provision found in God’s Promises.
- Provision - "the action of providing or supplying something for use."
- God always makes a way.
- He is working in the background despite the actions of others.
- (strength - Phil 4:13; Philippians 4:19 - But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.)
2. There is Perseverance found in God’s Presence.
- God remains with His people through plagues and pressure
- God promises to never leave us or forsake us.
- Hebrews 13:5 - Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
- His strength is make perfect in weakness.
- He will give us what we need for each task
3. There is Power found in God’s Purpose.
- God’s purpose carries power because it will be accomplished, regardless of opposition.
-God’s purpose overrules human resistance.
- “Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the LORD that will stand.”— Proverbs 19:21
Conclusion:
Gladiator illustration
- They were equipped for battle.
- They were empowered by their commander.
- And they were devoted to their leader
A special thank you to my Friend Michael Barnette for the song "All things new" and to my friend Dave Compton for the opening remarks.
To contact me, please email me at preachtheword@zohomail.com
Tuesday Mar 10, 2026
Tuesday Mar 10, 2026
Title: "Going against the Mob"
Text: Exodus 5
Theme: Mob Mentality
Introduction:
People can change when they are in crowds. We can lose our identity and critical thinking to something called a "Mob Mentality".
Herd Mentality: "the tendency of the people in a group to think and behave in ways that conform with others in the group rather than as individuals" - Webster
"Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect," - Mark Twain
Stanford Prison Experiment
Prisonexp.org
" WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU PUT GOOD PEOPLE IN AN EVIL PLACE? DOES HUMANITY WIN OVER EVIL, OR DOES EVIL TRIUMPH?"
"How we went about testing these questions and what we found may astound you. Our planned two-week investigation into the psychology of prison life had to be ended after only six days because of what the situation was doing to the college students who participated. In only a few days, our guards became sadistic and our prisoners became depressed and showed signs of extreme stress..."–Professor Philip G. Zimbardo
Mob Mentality is a real psychological phenomenon. It can affect our: Behaviors; Morals; Emotional state; Intelligence; and even our Identity.
Bible Examples:
- Israel (Golden Calf; The large group with Korah; murmuring in the wilderness; refusal to go into the Promised land; Angry mob at Jesus crcifixion; The Mob who went against Stephen
- The Mob at Sodom
- Joseph's Brothers
- Riot in Ephesus against Paul
Historical Examples:
- New York Blackout of 1977
- Gordon Riots (London)
- Nazi Germany
Fiction examples:
- Lord of the Flies by William Golding
- Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
- 1984 George Orwell
Practical Examples:
- Wanting to be accepted (standing up video)
- Trends on Social media
- Social Gatherings
- Groupthink at work
- Us vs them mentality
- Cancel Culture
Before we self reflect, let's look at Exodus 5 and see how a Mob Mentality surfaces in our story.
Moses and Aaron obeyed God as individuals. They responded to God's command to deliver His people from Egypt. Unfortunately for them, they faced this Mob Mentality with not only Egypt, but with their own people. Not only did Moses and Aaron have to fight the Mob of Egypts Oppression and Slavery, they also had to fight the Mob of Israel's pessimism and hopelessness.
A. Egypts Blind Obedience and Defiance
- There was behavior of Ignorance with Egypt. No record of any discernment of Egyptian leaders showing Pharaoh's autocratic system. Think of how far we have come from the midwives who resisted Pharaoh, from his own daughter who took a huge role in saving Moses. These people were not puppets.
- There was Character and identity displayed in the early chapters of exodus. Now there appears to be silence and blind devotion.
B. Israel's Blame and Discouragement (Israel blames Moses)
- Israel blamed Moses for making things worse
- The foreman approach Moses and Aaron
- Israel chose to be discouraged over keeping Faith in God
It's time to self-reflect on Mob/Herd mentality and ask those hard questions: 1.) Do I see this? 2.) How do I guard against it? 3) Am I someone who does this?
- Here is the million dollar question... If I can change so easily depending on who is around me or the circumstances I am in... than who am I?
Outline: Go against the Mob
Three Words:
I. Identity
- know who you are.
- ** personality test** pros and cons of each. Too confrontational; too passive (peace keeper. Difference between peace maker and keeper. We know scripture teaches us that peace is not the opposite of tribulation. Real peace is found in Tribulation.)
- This is why knowing who you are in Christ is so important
- know why you believe what you believe
- Community becomes our identity if we are not careful. Have a strong identity in Christ.
- Our Identity will determine how we handle this. Message (Politics, etc.) Illlust. Of passive aggressive sermon
John 6:64-69
64But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him. 65And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father. 66From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. 67Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? 68Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. 69And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.
II. Insight
- Ask for Wisdom
- Get Knowledge
- Pray for Discernment
James 1:5 - If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
James 3:17 - But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
Proverbs 3:13 "Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding."
- There is a difference between Group Decisions; Social norms and Mob/Herd Mentality or Groupthink. A huge difference between being a law abiding citizen and a person who loses all rational thinking because of a group.
- Stopping and thinking. Knowing when to pause, process, and leave conversations or situations.
- Why am I doing what I'm doing? Why do I believe what I believe? Why do I spend so much time with ...? Why am I so passionate about...? Will this even matter in Eternity? Etc.
- Having insight is critical for our duty as Christians. We need to pray for Wisdom and Discernment ( our tasks; beliefs, passions; etc.) MARS hill example
III. Intent
- know the Why
- What are our goals? (Peacekeeper vs peacemaker)
- "What you do is who you become"
A special thank you to my Friend Michael Barnette for the song "All things new" and to my friend Dave Compton for the opening remarks.
Tuesday Mar 03, 2026
Tuesday Mar 03, 2026
Title: God's Answers for our Distress
Text: Exodus 3,4
Theme: Mental Health
What if I am not good enough? What if no one believes me? What if I mess up? What if something goes wrong?
There are many uncertainties we can face before undertaking a task. Some of them can be healthy, others can be unhealthy.
Introduction:
A.E.W. Mason's novel "The Four Feathers" is about a young British officer, Harry Feversham, who resigns from his regiment just before deployment to the Sudan. He is branded a coward by his fiancée and three fellow officers and friends, who each send him a feather to symbolize his cowardice. To restore his honor, Harry goes to the Sudan in disguise to prove his bravery and save his friends' lives. The orders to go to the Sudan leave Harry feeling uncertain. He is conflicted about the thoughts of war, and does not want to leave his fiancée. His friends and fiancée see his actions as cowardly, but it was also a very human response to the uncertainty he was feeling. Life can be very unpredictable, and the anxiety, fear, and doubts that Harry experiences are something we can all relate to one way or another.
We also see Moses's uncertainty in response to God's call to deliver Egypt.
The story so far:
Exodus 1 describes the Israelites' enslavement in Egypt and Pharaoh's attempts to control their population growth through forced labor and the killing of male babies, which the Hebrew midwives defied. Exodus 2 details the birth of Moses, his mother's plan to save him in the Nile, his rescue by Pharaoh's daughter, and his eventual growth to adulthood. It also covers Moses killing an Egyptian for beating a Hebrew slave, fleeing to Midian, and the circumstances that led to his escape.
The Israelites are in bondage in Egypt. Pharaoh has attempted to control them not only by cruel means of enslavement, but also by killing the boy babies. A little baby boy named Moses is born, and he is ultimately saved by Pharaoh's daughter, with the help of his sister. He is nursed by his own mother but is raised by Pharoahs daughter. The Israelites are still enslaved and a grown up Moses witnesses the mistreating of an Israelite by an Egyptian, and kills the Egyptian in cold blood. Fearing for his life, Moses fleas to Midian where he meets his wife and begins a new life as a Shepherd.
This leads us to God's call of Moses. Moses is tending to his father-in-law's flock of sheep when he receives his divine calling.
The call of God to Moses:
A. Clear
It is clear to Moses that this call is from God. God uses a burning bush that is not consumed by the fire to get Moses attention. This bush can be seen as a picture of Israel (on fire from the persecution of Egypt, but not totally consumed). God speaks to Moses in a clear voice and Moses knows who he is talking to. (God deserves our reverence. God's Word is clear to us. Tasks taht are unclear are hard. It's hard following leadership taht is unclear and non consistent illustration)
It is clear to Moses what God is calling him to do and why.
"The most important role of a leader is to set a clear direction, be transparent about how to get there and to stay the course." — Irene Rosenfeld.
"Clarity is kindness." — Jacqueline M. Usher
B. Comprehensive
"We will cross that bridge when we get there"; "I dont think that is going to happen"; "We can what-if this thing to death" are not words God gives Moses. (Illustration of being able to have a dialogue instead of a monologue when you command and challenge people.) God answers Moses questions and concerns with clear and direct responses. He tells him exactly what he will encounter and promises to give him what he needs. This is an example we should all follow.
C. Crucial
God's people have cried out to God for help and God is answering them. The call God is giving Moses is a crucial call. Not every opportunity is a crucial one and it does not demand our attention. God has made it clear to Moses that this call is from him, what he needs to do, and why he needs to do it. The why of our current objective is essential.
Before we get into Mosess uncertainty, let's keep a couple of things in mind:
Moses nearly escaped death as a baby. Egypt was a dangerous place, and the times had changed drastically after Joseph died and a new Pharaoh came into power.
Moses murdered an Egyptian, and the act was known. He fled Egypt for his life. His life started in Egypt by escaping death, and he left Egypt to escape death. Now God is calling him back.
Moses grew up in disguise as an Egyptian. While God's people were enslaved and suffering, Moses was in the house of Pharaoh, being raised by his daughter. Now, God is calling Moses to deliver these people and lead them.
History tells us that Moses fled Egypt when he was around 40 years old, the call of God to Moses doesn't take place until Moses is 80 years old.
The next three words describe words that make any task difficult, and God has answer for each one: 1.) Adversity; 2.)Anxiety; and 3.) Agreements.
Outline:
I. God has an answer for our Adversity - Exodus 3:10-22
God tells Moses who He is "I AM" The God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph
God gives Moses what he needs for the Egyptians.
Isaiah 41:10, God will strengthen and help us, and John 16:33, where Jesus says he has overcome the world and we can have peace. Joshua 1:9, Philippians 4:13, and Psalm 46:1.
Overcoming the world
Psalm 11:2, "For, lo, the wicked bend their bow, they make ready their arrow upon the string, that they may privily shoot at the upright in heart."
II. God has an answer for our Anxiety - Exodus 4:1-9
Philippians 4:6-7 "6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."
Summarize Exodus 4:1-9
III. God has an answer for our Agreements - Exodus 4:10-17
10 And Moses said unto the Lord, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.11 And the Lord said unto him, Who hath made man's mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the Lord?12 Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say.
I'm too ....... (I'm clumsy;'m stupid; etc.)
(Bible College)
I'll always be in bondage/addicted... PSALM 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
God won't forgive me/doesn't care." T(Romans 8, 1 John 1:9).
My mistakes define me (2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.).
I'm not good enough 2 Cor 12:9 "And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me."
Conclusion:
God has an answer for:
Our Adversity
Our Anxiety
Our Agreements
A special thank you to my Friend Michael Barnette for the song "All things new" and to my friend Dave Compton for the opening remarks.
Tuesday Feb 24, 2026
Tuesday Feb 24, 2026
Title: The Faith that Overcomes
Text: Exodus 2
Theme: Faith
Key Verse: Exodus 2:23-25
Introduction:
Exodus 1 describes the Israelites' enslavement in Egypt and Pharaoh's attempts to control their population growth through forced labor and the killing of male babies, which the Hebrew midwives defied. Exodus 2 details the birth of Moses, his mother's plan to save him in the Nile, his rescue by Pharaoh's daughter, and his eventual growth to adulthood. It also covers Moses killing an Egyptian for beating a Hebrew slave, fleeing to Midian, and the circumstances that led to his escape.
Exodus 2:23-25 "23 And it came to pass in process of time, that the king of Egypt died: and the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage. 24 And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob.25 And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God had respect unto them."
What are stress responses? Stress responses are our natural responses to perceived threats or challenges. You have probably heard of fight or flight, but there are two others: freeze or fawn.
Fight: You confront the threat head-on.
Flight: You run from the threat.
Freeze: You don't move because of the threat.
Fawn: You appease the threat. (Extreme passive, people pleasing, etc)
There are many scenarios we can use, but let's say you are at work and witness a coworker yelling at another coworker, which you perceive as a threat.
Fight: You immediately step in and confront the threat head-on. You may yell back, physically restrain, tackle, or take any other necessary action to stop the threat, regardless of the context. In this scenario, you take the side of the victim.
Flight: You walk away. You turn around and leave the room, or pretend you never saw it. You go and ask for help. Regardless, your response involves you running away.
Freeze: You stand there and do nothing.
Fawn: You appease the aggressor. You give in to their demands and do what you can to calm them down. In this scenario, it could almost appear that you are taking sides with the aggressor.
(Flop= total resignation)
Just like you, I have reacted in all four of these ways at different times in many stories. Scenarios where I stayed and fought, where I ran away, froze, or yielded. Here are some biblical examples:
Fight: Moses sees an Egyptian mistreating an Israelite, so he kills him. Cain killed Abel because God rejected Cain's offering of good works.
Flight: Moses ran because of Pharaoh. Adam and the woman ran because they realized they were naked. Elijah ran to the Juniper tree.
Freeze: Based on what scripture tells us, Moses just stood there and feared when he realized others knew that he had killed the Egyptian. That is a freeze response. Saul, Jonathan, and the rest of the Israelites when Goliath initially challenged them.
Fawn: Prov 29:5"A man that flattereth his neighbor Spreadeth a net for his feet." , Proverbs 29: 26 "Many seek the rulers favor; but every man's judgment cometh from the LORD"
These are not healthy ways to respond. However, being able to perceive a threat and survive is by design. God gave us defense mechanisms that can sense danger and react to threats. However, it is essential to note that God does not want us to live in a state of constant fear and survival. Fight, flight, freeze, and fawn are all rooted in Fear.
2 Timothy 1:7: For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
So what is the alternative response to threats?
(explain the the three enemies)
1 John 5:4: For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
NOTICE the last three words: "Even our Faith"
Faith: David fought Goliath, but this was not a response of fear. This was a response of Bravery and Courage rooted in David's Faith in God.
Faith: Joseph ran from Potiphar's wife. Not because he was afraid of her, but because of His Faith.
Faith: Job was still and sat in dust in ashes. Not because he was frozen in fear, but because of His Faith that God knows best.
Faith: Jesus told us to turn the other cheek, not to keep the peace by fawning out of fear to our oppressor, but to attempt to make peace by loving, praying for, and giving the truth to your oppressor. This is not fawning, but Following God and deeply rooted in Faith.
1 John 4:18 - There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.
Fight, flight, freeze, fawn, or even flopping are rooted and fear. The other option is FAITH.
Outline:
Exodus 2:23-25 "23 And it came to pass in process of time, that the king of Egypt died: and the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage. 24 And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob.25 And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God had respect unto them."
I. Faith in God's Providence (Sovereign Control)
- His Divine and total Governance over all things. He upholds and directs all things to His ultimate Will.
- Children of Israel were in bondage, but had Faith that God was ultimately in control
- Some verses about God's Providence:
- [ ] - Genesis 50:20 "But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive"
- [ ] - Psalm 135:6 "Whatsoever the LORD pleased that did he in the heaven, and in the earth, in the seas, and all deep places."
II. Faith in God's Protection
- God protects His Children. Children of Israel cry out to God and He hears them.
- "He that dwellers in the secret place of the most High shall abide under that shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge, and my fortress: my God' in Him will I trust."
- Leah Example
III. Faith in God's Promises
- Proverbs 3:5,6
- Emphasis on the last part "lean not unto thine own understanding"
- Trust is the key to intimacy
- Johnathan example 1 Sam 14
A special thank you to my Friend Michael Barnette for the song "All things new" and to my friend Dave Compton for the opening remarks.
To contact me, please email me at preachtheword@zohomail.com
Tuesday Feb 17, 2026
Tuesday Feb 17, 2026
Title: "The Real You Comes Out" or "True Character Reveals Itself"
Text: Exodus 1
Theme: Character
The definition of the word Character is "the mental and moral qualities distinctive to an individual."
Your character reveals the kind of person you are. It shows your true personality, underlying beliefs, top priorities, and deepest desires. Character reveals itself over time, mainly in moments of adversity, failure, or triumph.
Some practical examples include doing the right thing when no one is watching, having the power or position to get away with something but refusing to do so, or choosing to take the moral high ground in a situation where you were wronged and can exact revenge.
There are Biblical examples of True Character:
David's true Character revealed itself in many different scenarios. As a young shepherd boy, he protected his flock by killing a lion and a bear. He defended the name of God and Israel by slaying the Giant Goliath. In all of this, he remained humble and gave God the Glory. As the future King of Israel, he had the opportunity to kill King Saul after being wrongfully hunted because of jealousy. David was not only anointed by God, but he was loyal to the King and country and a valiant warrior. Saul was so jealous of David that he tried to kill him, but his life was spared twice by David, in the cave of Adullam and the wilderness of Ziph. When he was King, David committed a great sin by having Uriah the Hittite put in the heat of the battle because he desired Uriah's wife, Bathsheba, and committed adultery with her. David's Character comes to light when he acknowledged his sin and repented in Psalm 51.
Joseph showed his true Character after being betrayed by his brothers and wrongfully accused by Potiphar's wife, but then eventually rose to power and had an opportunity to get even.
On earth, the Lord Jesus was challenged, interrupted, opposed, and mistreated; yet, in every situation and scenario, He demonstrated love, humility, patience, kindness, and compassion.
True Character reveals itself in Exodus chapter 1. Exodus chapter 1 is a continuation of the last chapter of Genesis. Joseph has passed away, but the Israelites are still in Egypt and have multiplied. There is a new King of Egypt, a different Pharaoh than the one Joseph had, and he sees the children of Israel as threats and chooses to be cruel by enslaving them and giving them taskmasters. They are obedient and built "treasured cities" for Pharaoh and even continued to multiply. Pharaoh sees them as a threat and tells his midwives to kill the Hebrew babies when they are born if they are male. The midwives refused to do this because they feared God, which in turn brought them blessings from God. The chapter concludes with Pharaoh commanding Egypt to murder the Hebrew babies that were born male by throwing them into the River.
How is true Character revealed in Exodus chapter 1?
(Maybe combine these? Remove them and then combine?)
God
- God keeps His Promises.
- God is Merciful
- God reveals Himself and is Gracious
Pharaoh
- He saw them (Israel) as a threat and a foe (Herod and Jesus' example). Why are your enemies your enemies?
- He conspired against them using harsh methods and unspeakable acts of violence against innocent babies.
The Midwives
- Feared God
- Chose to disobey Pharaoh. They refused to kill innocent children even after their own King told them to.
The Children of Israel
- Obeyed Pharaoh despite being oppressed.
- Gave the Word of God to the midwives.
As an application...
Read Title: "The Real You Comes Out" or "True Character Reveals Itself"
Q: WHO ARE YOU?
The Real you will be revealed...
A. Time
Time is a wonderful truth teller.
First impressions, cultural norms, performances, can all be masks of a person's Character.
Over time, how a person spends their time and how much time is spent with someone will reveal who they are.
(Work illustration)
- Best Resume and impressive clothes
- But over time, you will reveal if you were a good hire through (being on time, taking ownership, handling conflict, interruptible, etc.)
- You can "fake it til you make it" all day long, but what happens once you make it? (If you have the skillset for that job, and you just did what was needed to help get the job, you'll be fine...but if not, your in trouble)
You can use this for other areas of life (Finding a mate... impressing a person but then a marriage falls apart; reaching a goal... losing weight but gain in all back because no lifestyle change )
B. Trials
"Listen to what people say when they are mad, that's when the truth comes out."
Ziad K. Abdelnour (Zee-ad K. Ab-del-NOOR)
“You find out who your real friends are when you’re involved in a scandal.” — Elizabeth Taylor
One of the best ways to show a persons true colors is who they are during trials.
- During and after conflicts/scandals/etc.
C. Tribe
If you truly want to get to know me, ask my Wife and Children who I am. Look to my friends and close family to figure out who I really am.
Family of some of the most renowned people have later came out and revealed who they really were. Who you are at work and Church is one thing. Who you are at home is another.
RECAP:
The Real You comes out...
The Lord Jesus said "...for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh" - Matthew 12:34b
Exodus 1 tells us what we need to expect out of the rest of the Book ( A Merciful, Faithful, and Gracious God)
Outline:
True Character Reveals itself through:
I. Our Identity
2 Corinthians 5:17 "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."
- Our old nature of: Shame, Lying; blame shifting; anger; hate; etc. is no longer our nature. We now want love, peace; joy; forgiveness
- Giving into sin is not who we want to be (Romans 7 tongue twister)
- Going against the Mob illustration
II. Our Intentions
Mark 16:15 "15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature."
Phil 1:21 "21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain."
There is an old saying that who you are when no one else is around is who you really are. This is very true. These are some very deep questions to ask ourselves.
III. Our Influence
Jim Rohn once famously stated, “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with“.
Later on, we see examples of how Egypt and Israel will act and behave with a Mob Mentality.
Proverbs 13:20 "He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed,"
Conclusion:
- Who are you?
- The people who see the real you, what do they see?
- What do you want the people who know you best to say about you as a recap of who you really are?
A special thank you to my Friend Michael Barnette for the song "All things new" and to my friend Dave Compton for the opening remarks.
Tuesday Feb 10, 2026
Tuesday Feb 10, 2026
Title: Joseph, the son of Jacob, a type of Jesus Christ.
Text: Gen. 37-45
Key Verses: Gen. 37:1-11
Introduction:
Who? Joseph, the son of Jacob
What? The most complete type of Jesus Christ in all the Bible
Where? The Old Testament
When? The Genesis stage (1898—1806 Joseph timeline)
Why? A divinely appointed illustration of the ministry and exaltation of Jesus Christ through the life of Joseph.
Type - “A divinely appointed illustration of some scriptural truth.” Derived from Greek word “tupos” – impression, stamp, pattern, or form “A type must never be used to teach a doctrine, but only to illustrate a doctrine elsewhere explicitly taught.” – Dr. J. Edwin Hartill
How? Genesis 37:1-11
Genesis 37:1-11
King James Version
37 And Jacob dwelt in the land wherein his father was a stranger, in the land of Canaan.
2 These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brethren; and the lad was with the sons of Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah, his father's wives: and Joseph brought unto his father their evil report.
3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colours.
4 And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him.
5 And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it his brethren: and they hated him yet the more.
6 And he said unto them, Hear, I pray you, this dream which I have dreamed:
7 For, behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright; and, behold, your sheaves stood round about, and made obeisance to my sheaf.
8 And his brethren said to him, Shalt thou indeed reign over us? or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us? And they hated him yet the more for his dreams, and for his words.
9 And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me.
10 And he told it to his father, and to his brethren: and his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth?
11 And his brethren envied him; but his father observed the saying.
- His Caption: v.2a “Joseph”
- Joseph
The two names of Joseph typify the Lord Jesus Christ.
- Joseph – “let him add, he increases” (Cloud), is symbolic of the earthly nature of the Lord Jesus."Joseph means adding (see Genesis 30:24).
Genesis 30:24 24And she called his name Joseph; and said, The LORD shall add to me another son.
The first Adam was the great subtractor, the last Adam is the great Adder: through the one, men became lost; by the other, all who believe are saved. Christ is the One who "adds" to Heaven's inhabitants. It was to this end that He came to this earth, tabernacled among men for more than thirty years, and then died on the Cross: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit" – A.W. Pink
- Zaphnathpaaneah – “Revealer of secrets” (Cloud) is symbolic of the Divine nature of the Lord Jesus. Joseph was the revealer of secrets in many ways. He revealed the hearts of both his Father and his brethren. When the Lord Jesus came, He revealed the heart of the Father as well as exposing the heart of His brethren.
John 1:18 18No man hath seen God at any time, the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
Joseph was given this second name by Pharaoh because of his wisdom and understanding in interpreting dreams. Jesus Christ has all wisdom and understanding.
Psalm 147:5 5Great is our LORD, and of great power: his understanding is infinite.
“His understanding is infinite. To His intelligence there is no number: though He numbers the stars, His understanding is without number. It is infinite; therefore, He can know, as He can do, all things.” – Adam Clarke
Jesus
There are many titles for Jesus; Lord, King, Creator, Alpha and Omega, etc. The two names are Jesus and Christ.
- Jesus – “Savior” This was His earthly name given to Him because He would save His people from sin.
Matthew 1:21 21And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins.
- Christ – “Messiah, The anointed one”
“Messiah refers to the fact that Jesus was anointed by the Spirit of God and is the One chosen by God to be Lord and Savior.” – David Cloud
Isaiah 11:1-5 1And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: 2And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD; 3And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears: 4But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth: with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked. 5And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins.
“It is striking to notice that the Lordship of Christ is never divorced from His Saviorhood. Wherever He is presented to us in the pages of the New Testament as our precious Savior, He is also mentioned as God’s anointed one.”
- His Career: v.2b
“Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brethren;”
Matthew 15:24 “But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”
Joseph as a shepherd, “feeding the flock”, points to the earthly ministry of Christ, who inclined to the needs of others.
Matthew 9:36 - But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.
“No figure of Christ is more beautiful than this: our favorite Psalm (the twenty-third) presents Him in this character. One of our earliest conceptions of the Savior, as children, was as the Good Shepherd. The figure suggests His watchful care, His unwearied devotion, His tender solicitude, His blessed patience, His protecting grace, His matchless love in giving His life for the sheep.” – A.W. Pink
- His Character: v.2
“and the lad was with the sons of Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah, his father's wives: and Joseph brought unto his father their evil report.”
Joseph displays his character early on by opposing evil and speaking the truth. Joseph did not give his father an evil report, because he himself was trying to be spiteful, but because he was upright, and he loved the truth. Saying nothing about his brother’s evil ways would have only meant Joseph partook in it.
James 4:17 “Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.”
Because of his uprightness and honesty, he was hated by his brethren.
John 7:7 7The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil.
John 8:40 “But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham.”
D. His Coat
Gen 37:2,3
Genesis 37:3 3Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colours.
-Designed just for him by his Father, put on by his father
God has put something on every one of His Children- His Righteousness
Illustration of Self Righteousness
*This Garment Represents the believer's Change- Rom 3:22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:
Eph 4:24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
Outline: Gen. 37:1-11
- His Ridicule & Rejection: Gen 37-39
- His Response & Revelation: Gen 40
- His Restoration & Rise: Gen 41-45
A special thank you to my Friend Michael Barnette for the song "All things new" and to my friend Dave Compton for the opening remarks.
Tuesday Feb 03, 2026
Tuesday Feb 03, 2026
Title: Jacob’s Turning Point
Text: Genesis 32:24-30
Theme: Jacob yielding to God
Key Verse: Gen 32:24
Wrestling Match that happens to be the turning point of Jacob’s life
Turning Point (Webster’s Dictionary)- a point at which a significant change occurs.
Read Title: Jacob’s Turning Point
Introduction:
- Who?
- Jacob (heel-catcher, deceitful, clever)
- Son of Isaac, grandson of Abraham, Father of Joseph
- Inherited Abraham’s blessing and became the father of the 12 tribes of Israel
- What?
- In this passage, we see his Surrender to God (Peak of his life, turning point)
- Where?
- Peniel (the face of God)
- Him and his family are leaving Haran and going to Bethel
- When
- Dated at 1906 B.C.
- after Jacob left Laban(uncle) and before he was reunited with Esau (brother)
- Joseph was very little at this time, Benjamin had not been born yet
- Why?
- He was told to return to Bethel by the Lord in a dream (Gen 31:11-13)
- God had a plan for Jacob and his 11 sons and it wasn’t in Haran, it was in Bethel
- Now, Bethel is very important place in the life of Jacob. God is calling him back
•How?
- Jacob’s Backsliding (very important verse – Gen 25:19-26)
- Jacob was God’s representative. God made a promise to Abraham that he would be the Father of a nation, confirmed it with Isaac, and confirmed it with Jacob. The chosen line that would lead directly to Christ.
- Before Jacob can bear any fruit and be of any service he needed a turning point. Even though he was saved, he had made a lot of carnal decisions.
- Younger of two, twin brother named Esau (wrestled in the womb)
- Esau – red, earthy – was a man’s man. He was Isaac’s favorite. (All-American Boy) he was very physical, athletic
- Jacob – Mama’s boy, he did what his mommy told him to do, very deceitful and clever
- Birthright – one who had it was the head of the home, who also would be the line to Christ (the priest of the family)
- Jacob had a hold of Esau’s heel when they were born, he was constantly trying to get that position of the older brother
- Esau could care less about the birthright, he didn’t care about being the spiritual leader of the home. He was red “earthy” he represents the flesh. He acted as if he was going to starve to death – this isn’t true. A boy out of the house of Abraham is not going to starve to death! He wanted it right then and there.
- God had already promised Rebekah that Esau would serve Jacob (“the elder shall serve the younger”) Instead of waiting on God, he does it his way, tricky deceitful way.
- Isaac requested that Esau would go make him some venison so he could bless him.
- The blessing that Isaac received had to be passed on, so he wanted to pass it down to Esau.
- Instead, he passed it on to Jacob…dressed like Esau. (Rebekah dressed Jacob up like Esau and they tricked Isaac)
- However, something is missing. (illustration of this story)
- God has already promised this to Jacob!
- In the life of Jacob (as well as home of Isaac), you will find there is a lot of unnecessary sin. There is trickery, bargaining, heartache, deceit, and it is all unnecessary. God has already promised him these things, but he was carnal, he was living in the flesh!
- Illustration of 1 John 1:9
- Rebekah wanted him to leave to protect him from Esau “few days, until thy brother’s fury turn away” this turned into a 20 year Journey! Rebekah would never see her son again.
- Salvation at Bethel – Gen 28:13-16 (compare to verse 20-22)
- Abrahamic covenant confirmed
- Dreams a dream (ladder going to heaven with Angels ascending and descending, Lord at the top)
- This is the place of Jacob’s salvation, up to this point there was greed and selfishness. Now Jacob is a changed man and had given his heart to God. However, he does not always live for him the way he should.
- He arrives at Haran and meets Laban’s 2 daughters (Rachel and Leah)
- Rachel was beautiful, well desired, and loved by Jacob
- Leah was…..well, Leah was Rachel’s sister
- “tender eyed” – she wasn’t beautiful
- Rachal was a tree that blossomed, Leah was a girl who fell from the tree and hit every branch of the way down.”
- Jacob served for Rachel but got Leah, He reaped what he sowed. He was cocky and clever, and his life would show how he had to pay for that.
- He serves 14 years and now has 2 wives (polygamy)
- God does not approve of this!
- Just because it is in the Bible doesn’t mean God approves of it. Did God approve of what Adam did in the garden? Did he approve of David numbering the people?
- Jacob is backslidden and has many family troubles because of it. God has already made him a promise but Jacob did things his own way, and he suffered greatly for it.
- God does not approve of this!
He is told of God to leave
He is accused of his uncle for stealing, many family problems
Genesis 32:9-10
Jacob’s burden (his uncle behind him, and his angry brother ahead of him)
He cries to God for His mercy, He pleads and begs
So,what does he do? He goes back to his old ways (Gen 32:17-20)
- Butter him up
- Bribe him with hundreds of animals, his stocks
- Illustration of how we bring our burdens before God then carry them back with us and try to handle it our way.
- Jacob’s Blessing – Gen 32
Jacob figures it is best to split up the group, so if Esau comes to avenge himself he can only get half of what he has.
He sends his family before him and now he is alone. All by himself, and he wrestles with someone.
Hosea 12:1-5
The man he wrestled with was no other than Jehova, the preincarnate Christ.
He wrestles with God and limps away a blessed man. A devoted man. God’s man.
This was the turning point in Jacob’s life
- How much?
Read Title: Jacob’s Turning Point
Turning Point (Webster’s Dictionary)- a point at which a significant change occurs.
Jacob was God’s man, he was God’s representative. But he did not have a good testimony
“At Bethel he became a son of God, here he became a saint of God. He came away from Bethel with a new spring in his step; he came away from the Jabbok with a lasting limp in his walk. At Bethel he died to his sin; here he died to self.” – Dr. John Philips, Exploring Genesis
Are you backslidden?
Are you carrying your own burden?
If so, you need to turn things around.
Outline: “Jacob’s Turning Point”
How did Jacob turn things around?
- When he Got Alone – v.24
“There are so many people who want to get together to have a great prayer meeting or other great gatherings. Friend, have you ever tried being alone? That is where God will meet with you. Take the Word of God and go off alone with Him. It will do you a lot of good.”
- Dr. J. Vernon McGee
Need to turn things around? Get alone with God.
Proverbs 18:1 - Through desire a man, having separated himself, seeketh [and] intermeddleth with all wisdom.
We need to have our time alone with God. Yes, we need our time with the Brethren, but we also need that time with God!
We need to listen to that “still small voice”
1 Kings 19:11-13King James Version (KJV)
11 And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord. And, behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the Lord was not in the earthquake:12 And after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.
We have a hard time listening to God, because we don’t get alone with Him!
Illustration of how loud the world can be. How loud the Church can be.
Jacob had so much going on, he knew who he is, where he was going, but he was doing things his way! His life turned around when he got alone with God.
II.When he Got a Whooping (Chastised) – v.25
He wrestled with the Lord, and the Lord would end up crippling him.
Hebrews 12:6 6For whom the LORD loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
Jacob’s turning point came when he was whooped.
We can get nowhere as Christians by struggling with God.
God had to break Jacob…literally. God had to cripple him.
- When he Gave Up (Yielded) – 26-30
Jacob is no longer wrestling here. He is holding on, he has gave up.
Laban is behind him, Esau is before him, his troubles are all around him and God is right in front of him: and Jacob is not going to let go.
Whatever it is in your life that is keeping you from the fellowship with God, give it up.
Yield to the Lord. No more trickery, selfishness, no more doing things my way. Let’s do things God’s way.
Illustration of God’s people who still try to do things their way. (we know what’s right, we know what the Bible says, but we do it anyway) Time to give up! Time to tap out! Time to let go!
His name is changed from Jacob (trickster, deceitful) to Israel (“for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men and hast prevailed”
Conclusion: “Jacob’s Turning Point”
- When he Got Alone – v.24
- When he Got a Whooping (Chastised) – v.25
- When he Gave Up (Yielded) – 26-30
A special thank you to my Friend Michael Barnette for the song "All things new" and to my friend Dave Compton for the opening remarks.
Tuesday Jan 27, 2026
Tuesday Jan 27, 2026
Text: Genesis 32:24-30
Title: Make it count
Theme: Living for the Lord and letting Him use you
Introduction:
Jacob inherited Abraham’s blessing and became the father of the 12 tribes of Israel. He was God’s representative. God made a promise to Abraham that he would be the Father of a nation, repeated it to Isaac, and confirmed it with Jacob. The chosen line that would lead directly to Christ.
Genesis 25:23 23And the LORD said unto her, two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger.
In these passages, Jacob is wrestling with none other than the Pre-incarnate Christ (confirmed in Hosea 12:3-5)
- He is given a New name: His name is changed from Jacob (heel-catcher, crooked, deceitful, clever) to Israel (One who has power with God)
- He is given a new walk: His thigh is out of joint from the result of the wrestling match
That’s what the Lord can do for us. He can give us a new name and a new walk. He can take someone that is crooked and deceitful and turn it into one who has power with God. He can take a life full of heartache and defeat and turn it into triumph.
- The Shortness of Days
- Brevity - Brief
- “The greatest surprise of life to me is the Brevity of life.” – Billy Graham
- James 4:14 14Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.
- Job 14:1 1Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble.
- Jacob had about 147 years for God. He had a purpose for being on this earth and then it was over.
- We need to realize that we only have a short time to serve the Lord
- The Significance of Decisions
- Not only are our days short, but we should realize the importance in the decisions we make and how precious time is. The decisions we make are critical regarding if our days count for Christ or not.
- “Don't count the days, make the days count.” (illustration of second shift – more worried about how much time left instead of what you are going to do with the time) Wasting time worried about how much time is left and not doing anything productive. We are more worried about time itself than what we do with.
- “Make today count, you’ll never get it back” (never get today back, did you spend time with the Lord, did you Worship? You will never get services back). I will never get 19 years of ministry back (relate to people) but let’s let the rest of our days count.
Did you know that there is a difference between being active and being productive?
- The Contrast of Mary and Martha: (Luke 10:38-42)
- Jesus enters the house of Mary and Martha
- Martha was “cumbered about much serving”(cumbered – distressed, distracted, burdened, troubled) while Mary sat at the feet of Jesus and heard His Word.
- Martha asked Jesus if He cared that Mary left her to serve all alone and said “bid her therefore that she help me.” (bid-to speak, call, or to invite)
- Luke 10:41-42 41And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: 42But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.
- The Contrast of Mary and Martha: (Luke 10:38-42)
(Some things we need to consider regarding making our days count for Christ; The Shortness of Days, The Significance of Decisions)
- The Symbols of Devotion
- Bible Characters who made it count: (not men we are glorifying, but men who glorified Christ!)
- Apostle Paul:
- Saul of tarsus: named changed to Paul at His conversion. A Chosen Apostle of Jesus Christ. The apostle to the Gentiles!
- Missionary and Church builder
- Wrote 14 of the 27 books of the N.T.
- Three major Missionary journeys
- 2 Timothy 4:6-7 6For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. 7I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:
- John the Baptist:
- The Forerunner of Jesus Christ (Forerunner - one who precedes a messenger, sent in advance.)
- Obedient and submissive to the Lord and His Will
- O.T. Prophet on the pages of the N.T.
- Friend of the Bridegroom “rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled.”
- It wasn’t about John, it was about Christ
- John 3:30 30He must increase, but I must decrease.
- The very man people confused with Christ because of His Testimony
- Apostle John:
- “The Disciple whom Jesus loved”
- It is said that John only had about a 600 word vocabulary, yet God used Him to write 5 books of the Bible
- Gospel of John reaches back into eternity than any other book, the book of Revelation reaches into eternity more than any other book.
- King David: A man after God’s own heart
- Samuel – the circuit riding preacher
- Peter at Pentecost
- Job and his integrity
- Abraham and His Faith
- Joseph and His Purity
- Ruth and her lineage
- Caleb and Joshua and their Courage
Question: Why Jacob? Of all these great examples of men and women who made their lives really count for God, why is our main text dealing with Jacob?
- Not only is Jacob right up there with people who’s life counted for God, Jacob is a type of the Believers two natures “The man of two natures”
- In the Bible, (a lot in Genesis) you have different “types”
- Type – “A divinely appointed illustration of some scriptural truth.”
- “A type must never be used to teach a doctrine, but only to illustrate a doctrine elsewhere explicitly taught.” – Dr. J. Edwin Hartill
- John 3:14 14And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:
- Serpent = the sin of the people. They needed to look to it for healing.
- Christ was made sin for us on the cross of Calvary. HE bore our sins.
- As Moses lifted up the Serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up.” – A divinely appointed illustration
- Jacob is a type of the Believer and our two natures.
- “Jacob is an outstanding illustration of the presence and conflict of the natures within a believer. Similar to Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde of Robert Louis Stevenson’s story, Jacob is good and bad; he rises and falls, yet in spite of his failures was a chosen instrument.” Dr. Herbert Lockyer
- In order for Jacob to make his life count, he had to totally yield to God.
What about you, are you making your life count for Christ?
Discussion: “Make it Count” Genesis 32:22-30
Three things we will need if we want to make our life count:
- A Place of Salvation: Gen 28:10-22
- Bethel – House of God
- Jacob flee’s his home in fear of his life because of his brother, Esau. He leaves Beersheba to go to Haran and on the way he stops for some rest (roughly 40 miles in one day) He lays down to go to sleep (stone for a pillow) and dreams a dream:
- Genesis 28:12-15 12And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it. 13And, behold, the LORD stood above it, and said, I am the LORD God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed; 14And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed. 15And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of.”
- The Lord Jesus is the ladder. The angels are ascending and descending upon Him, they were ministers to Him who are subject to His command. He confirms the Abrahamic covenant to Jacob and tells Him, “I will not leave thee.”
- Genesis 28:18-19 18And Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put for his pillows, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil upon the top of it. 19And he called the name of that place Bethel: but the name of that city was called Luz at the first.
- This is the place of Jacob’s Salvation. (OT Prophet, looking to the Cross)
- Before we can do anything to make our lives count, there has to be a place of Salvation.
- We must come to God’s terms of Salvation (Jesus Christ)
- The sin problem must be taken care of! (Adams failure, mankinds total depravity)
- A Period of Seclusion v.24
Seclusion: the state of being private and away from other people:
If we want our lives to count for God, there has to be a period of seclusion with Him.
Proverbs 18:1 - Through desire a man, having separated himself, seeketh [and] intermeddleth with all wisdom.
“There are times when solitude is better than society, and silence is wiser than speech. We should be better Christians if we were more alone, waiting upon God.”
– C.H. Spurgeon
“Friend, have you ever tried being alone? That is where God will meet with you. Take the Word of God and go off alone with Him. It will do you a lot of good.”
-Dr. J. Vernon McGee
People are afraid of silence - Recent studies “show that the constant accessibility and exposure to background media has created a mass of people who fear silence.” (background noise, music, tv on, always distracted and busy with a lot of noise – cannot even sleep in silence)
Jacob had enemies and distractions all around him (example of how there is enough going on to keep us distracted/busy until the day we die!)
1 Kings 19:12 “And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.”
- A Position of Surrender v.26
If we are going to live a life that counts for Jesus Christ, we have to surrender to Him!
- We need to surrender to God on a daily basis (Paul – I die daily)
- Jacob has;
- The World behind him – Laban
- The Flesh ahead of him – Esau
- God right in front of Him (give me what I need!)
- Took his brother’s birthright
- Took his brother’s blessing
- Flee’s to Laban his uncle (Bethel experience)
- Deceived into marrying Leah (worked 7 for Rachel, got Leah and then additional 7 for Rachel)
- Wages were changed 10 times
- Increased his livestock, becomes wealthy
- Sneaks off with his wives, children, livestock. His wife Rachel steals one of her father’s false gods.
- He is fearing for his life because he believes Esau to still be after him.
In order for Jacob to make his life count, he needed to Surrender to the Lord.
Conclusion:
Want to make your life count? There needs to be:
- A Place of Salvation
- A Period of Seclusion
- A Position of Surrender
Solomon was away from God in Ecclesiastes he tried just about everything under the sun to satisfy himself and he came to the conclusion
Eccl 12:13 “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.”
A special thank you to my Friend Michael Barnette for the song "All things new" and to my friend Dave Compton for the opening remarks.
Tuesday Jan 20, 2026
Tuesday Jan 20, 2026
Outline: When We Do Things Our Way;
- There is Division: V.1-5 The Selfishness of Isaac
- Isaac was no doubt a great man in the Bible. However, we see a weakness of his, Esau.
- “Esau” red, earthy, only interested in the things of man. He’s a type of the flesh.
- Our weakness is the flesh (illustration) We know what God has said, we know what’s in His Word, but because of our flesh, we do things our way. (illustration of Churches)
- There is Deceit: V. 6-33 The Subtilty of Rebekah and Jacob
- Subtil – “deceitful, crafty, cunning with guile”
- The Home of Isaac, the son of Abraham, where the Father of the nation of Israel lives, is a home full of deceit and lies.
- Just because something is God’s will doesn’t give us the right to go about it the wrong way.
- Illustration of justifying sin (Saul, Sampson, Jacob)
- Lot fled from Sodom and Gomorrah, after he lived there, after his family was lost, and after he made a mess of things.
- Sampson destroyed many of the Philistines, after he led a rebellious life, after he chased after strange women, after he told his heart, after he lost all his strength, after he was made a fool of after being disobedient to God.
- Saul made sacrifices to God. After he blatantly disobeyed Him, after He tried justifying his wrong actions.
- Jacob became the Father of the nation of Israel, after he lied to his father on his death bed.
- God’s way is perfect, just, pure, righteous.
- If we do things our way, sooner or later we will be deceitful. (self-justification, pride, mockery, self-righteousness)
- Not only do we deceive others, we deceive ourselves. (Think of Isaac, his walk with God, his marriage, his children)
- Illustration of how people trick themselves into thinking they are right because they are so dead set on doing tings their way.People today who will amen this message will get up and leave with bitterness, lust, and self fulfillment.
- There is Danger: V. 34-46 The Struggle of Esau and Jacob
- Isaac has made his choice, and it wasn’t God’s choice. On his deathbed he was lied to by his son and wife.
- Rebekah, made her choice. Even though it was God’s choice, she did it her way and she lied to the very man she loved before she even knew. (illustration of the Church) THOU HAS LEFT THY FIRST LOVED. She loses one son to anger and the other son to deceit. She did what God said He was going to do all along, but she did it her way, and what did she lose >>>> (She lost her family.)
- Esau – only cared about himself, hatred in heart
- Jacob – liar, cunning
There is a house divided, broken hearts, a broken home all because they did it their way.
A special thank you to my Friend Michael Barnette for the song "All things new" and to my friend Dave Compton for the opening remarks.
Tuesday Jan 13, 2026
Tuesday Jan 13, 2026
Title: “When We Do It Our Way”
Text: Gen 25:23; Gen 27
Theme: What happens when we do things our way
Introduction:
- Who?
- Isaac and Rebekah
- What?
- Jacob and Esau
- When? 2006 BC
- People
- Isaac
- promised by God to inherit the blessing of his father (miracle baby)
- Well-digger “laughter”
- Type of Jesus Christ
- Miraculous birth
- Offered as a sacrifice
- Given a bride by the Father
- Loved by His Bride
- Inherited His Father’s Wealth
- Rebekah
- Isaac’s wife, the mother of Jacob & Esau
- A type of the Church (she was told about Isaac by His father’s servant, loved Him before she met him, and trusted he was who his servant said he was. She was wiling to leave it all behind to go follow him)
- Jacob
- Younger son
- heel catcher, deceitful, clever
- Inherited Isaac’s blessing and became the Father of the 12 tribes of Israel
- Mama’s boy, he did what his mommy told him to do, very deceitful and clever
- Esau
- Eldest son
- Not interested in God, only in earthly things
- Edomites
- red, earthy – was a man’s man. He was Isaac’s favorite. (All-American Boy) he was very physical, athletic
- Isaac
- Plan– Gen 25:21-26
God has made it very clear what will happen, and spoiler alert, it does happen. He is very specific, He is very to the point. This is not a riddle, this is not a vision or a beautiful poem that can be interpreted by a Mother to mean what her heart desires it to mean. Verse 23 starts out with “And the Lord said unto her” and it ends with “the elder shall serve the younger.” When they were born, Esau came out first, he’s the oldest, Jacob came out next, he had his hand attached to his heel. This was pre-ordained. God knew Esau’s descendants would be enemies of Israel. He knew Jacob would be in the very lineage of Jesus Christ.
- Problems
Gen 25:27,28 (Favoritism in the home)
- Took his brother’s birthright – Gen 25:27-34
- Birthright – one who had it was the head of the home, who also would be the line to Christ (the priest of the family)
- Jacob had a hold of Esau’s heel when they were born, he was constantly trying to get that position of the older brother
- Esau could care less about the birthright, he didn’t care about being the spiritual leader of the home. He was red “earthy” he represents the flesh. He acted as if he was going to starve to death – this isn’t true. A boy out of the house of Abraham is not going to starve to death! He wanted it right then and there.
- God had already promised Rebekah that Esau would serve Jacob (“the elder shall serve the younger”) Instead of waiting on God, he does it his way, tricky deceitful way.
- Took his brother’s blessing – Gen 27
- Isaac requested that Esau would go make him some venison so he could bless him.
- The blessing that Isaac received had to be passed on, so he wanted to pass it down to Esau.
- Instead, he passed it on to Jacob…dressed like Esau. (Rebekah dressed Jacob up like Esau and they tricked Isaac)
- Isaac was troubled, and Esau was in a rage. He hated his brother and was going to kill him. Rebekah has Jacob to go flee to her brother Laban in Haran “few days, until thy brother’s fury turn away” this turned into a 20 year Journey! Rebekah would never see her son again.
“My Way” was a song written in 1969 by Paul Anka, and composed and co-written by Jacques Revaux. It was written for and sung originally by Frank Sinatra. It was also sung by other popular artist such as Elvis Presley and Sid Vicious (Sex Pistols). The song is played a lot during funerals in the UK. The song is nothing more than a swan song and a summary of a man who lived his life “his way”. After a life of decisions, regrets, and various outcomes, the song closes with “Yes, it was my way.” The song is blatantly selfish and focuses on one thing and one thing only, doing things our way. Pleasing the flesh, putting ourselves above others, making hard decisions based on what we want, facing the music and having regrets because we have to be first.
In this story, we have 4 individuals who sang the same song. At the end of Chapter 27, a chapter of lies, betrayal, greed, selfishness, and a broken family, Isaac, Rebekah, Esau, and Jacob could all simply say “Yes, it was my way.”
A special thank you to my Friend Michael Barnette for the song "All things new" and to my friend Dave Compton for the opening remarks.