God keeps His word!   He told Abraham his descendants would go to a foreign land, and now they are traveling to Egypt. On the way, He reminds Jacob that He will make them a great nation, but little could Jacob have known then how! God’s providential power is on display.

The tension that has been building since Joseph’s brothers first came to Egypt is released as he reveals who he is! They are frightened, but need not be: Joseph sees God’s sovereign hand at work, preserving a nation, and restoring a family. This is what God can do!

Twenty years after being sold by his brothers, Joseph is ruling Egypt. Not knowing it is him, they stand before him in need of food. Have their hearts changed? The tension reaches a fever pitch as Joseph instigates a test to determine if their spiritual transformation is real.

Do not be afraid or discouraged. The battle is not yours, but God’s. 2 Chronicles 20:15 The story of Jehoshaphat’s lesson for us.

What God Wants to Give You for Christmas… A Gift That Keeps on Giving… Forever

What God Wants to Give You for Christmas: A Star to Follow

What God wants to give you for Christmas – Peace on Earth

This is a time to reflect thanksgiving and praise to God and each other. 

The famine forces Joseph’s brothers back to Egypt for a second time. God awakened their guilt the first trip; now, spiritual transformation is exhibited in selfless behavior. The wintry chill of guilt melts into the spring of concern for others, confession, and peace.

The Awakening of Conscience – Hunger is a great motivator, and in Genesis 42, God uses it to draw Joseph’s brothers to Egypt. There, God uses Joseph to expose their spiritual guilt. Admitting their sin was the first step in transforming this dysfunctional family into a godly nation.

Living as a Christian in the world can feel like a fish out of water! We are aliens and strangers, but greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world! God is preparing us for service in a hostile environment, we just don’t know how or when. So be ready!

There are many ‘prisons’ in life, often hidden from view. Spiritual prisons are worse than physical ones. We cry out for God to deliver us, but sometimes it seems He has forgotten us. God doesn’t do that. He’ll never forsake you. As you dream, never stop trusting in God!

Love one another. As I have loved you.  One another is used in the bible numerous times. Let’s dig in to some of them.

As Genesis 39 opens, Joseph is in slavery in Egypt. That’s bad, but he’s about to go from the frying pan into the fire!

Count your losses, consecrate your life, concentrate your longings.

A Servant of Concern, Commitment, and Character.

James 4.17 says, “To one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin.” God’s perspective on sin, and His ability to sovereignly bring good out of a corrupt situation, is on display in our passage today – the scandalous story of Judah and Tamar.

That’s our story today: Joseph heads straight into a predictable disaster! He escapes death, but is sold into slavery. This leads to lies, and his father’s grief. But God has a hand in it all.

The final section of Genesis, the toledot of Jacob, begins abruptly in Genesis 37 with the revelation of a dysfunctional family. Emotions run hot, and divisions run deep. There are hints of what is to come, and behind the scenes, the hand of God is guiding it all.

The Epistle of Philippians is a favorite for many Christians because it oozes with optimism!  Against all odds, Paul sees a ‘silver lining’ to the ‘dark clouds’ of spiritual opposition surrounding him. What ‘lessons for life’ can we apply in our lives this coming year?

For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. This doxology at the end of the Disciple’s Prayer declares that God is God, and we are not! He is omnipotent, eternal, glorious King of the universe! These words express our submission to Him.

Dr. Hormoz Shariat shares a morning full of hope and positive news about the growth of Christianity in Iran today.

The last request in the Disciple’s Prayer has troubled Christians for centuries: Does God ‘lead us into temptation’? What is Jesus telling us to ask for? The answer to those questions reveals that God knows the dangers of testing, and wants us to have victory over sin.

Jesus instructed His disciples to pray, ‘And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.’  This is the only mention in this prayer our action – how we have forgiven others.  How much have you forgiven others? How much do you need forgiveness?

Jesus tells us to ask for forgiveness: Why? Because our spiritual position doesn’t guarantee our spiritual condition. A disciple of Jesus has eternal life by faith; that’s his position. But fellowship with God requires ongoing forgiveness of sin; that’s our condition.

“Give us this day our daily bread…” Those familiar words from the Disciple’s Prayer have been often misconstrued in our materialistic world. A closer look reveals that disciples recognize their dependence on God for each day’s needs, and trust in Him completely.

Are you responding properly to God’s earthly authorities?  What are God’s principles for properly understanding authority?  Where is God’s authority on earth now? What can we learn from Christ’s future 1,000 year reign on the earth? How can we respond better?

How can I know His will? How does God help us do His will? How can we be more submissive to His will?

“Your Kingdom come.” This brief request in the Disciple’s Prayer is significant for our lives today and points with hope to the future. Yet many Christians rarely think of this kingdom. What are we missing? The culmination of God’s plan – and motivation for life right now!

What is Hallowed? A Hallowed Heart is Humble. A Hallowed Heart Loves.

Be a Man, Know the Word, Walk the Walk, Leave a Legacy.

He is a Divine Father, lovingly corrects us, provides for our needs, gives us His wisdom, and always seeks us out.

Prayer was important to Jesus. He spent time in prayer, exhorted His disciples to pray, and taught about prayer. Prayer is important to us too. This summer we’ll focus on Jesus’ prayer in the Sermon on the Mount – The Lord’s Prayer, but really a disciple’s prayer. But first let’s hear Jesus’ do’s and don’ts for when you pray.

It may seem crazy, but the best investment a Christian can make by far is to give of time, talent, and treasure to the Lord. To be a giver reflects the heart of Christ. Where your treasure is, there your heart is. Have you made a conscious decision to give to the Lord?

The 7 – “I AM” statements of Jesus Christ

Genesis 36 is a tiresome and seemingly useless list of Esau’s family tree…but it tells a story. Esau conquered the land of Edom; his sons and grandsons are prosperous and powerful. In contrast, Jacob is in Canaan, going nowhere. Why? What lessons are there for us here?

It’s Sunday, first day of the week – but not just any week: the week Jesus was crucified. More has been written about this week than any other in history. A third of the Gospels focuses on this week! This is the day of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem…and a day of tears.

After spending the night in Bethany, Jesus and his disciples walked to Jerusalem each morning. Monday, Jesus cursed a fig tree without fruit, Tuesday, it was dead. In between, He chased business people out of the temple. What do these two episodes teach?

With His death approaching, Jesus condemned the Jews, prophesied coming tribulation, and His triumphant return to earth. He foretold His crucifixion, and Judas secretly arranged with Jewish leaders to betray Him. Jesus sent His disciples to prepare for the Passover…

Darkness falls, beginning a very dark day. Passover points back to a historic event in Israel’s history, but tonight it will become a symbol of deliverance for all mankind. Israel’s Messiah is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! His words on the cross show it.

After Jesus’ resurrection, He was on earth for almost six weeks. He taught of His kingdom and told followers to stay in Jerusalem till the Holy Spirit came. Then He ascended up into the clouds, out of their sight. Is this important? Yes! What does the ascension teach us?

Whether we realize it or not, we all make spiritual decisions in life, and what we decide makes a big difference. This month at NBBC, we’ll focus on four decisions that can change the trajectory of our lives. The most critical of all is making a decision for Christ.

Last week we focused on the most fundamental spiritual decision a person can make, a decision for Christ, to believe in Him and trust Him every day. But the next step is one Jesus Himself calls each of us to make – to be a follower or disciple. This decision has a price.

If Friday was God’s ‘D-Day’ in the war against sin, Sunday was His ‘V-Day’ – victory over sin and death. ‘Resurrection Day’ was a day like no other before or since, and no one who knows the joy of what it achieved ever tires of hearing about it. Let’s revisit it today.

Grace is at the heart of Christianity, yet too often it is missing from our Christian experience. Satan misrepresents and cheapens grace, and many believers have lost hold of it. But if you make a decision to choose grace, your life will be a shining witness for Christ.