Are You Lookin’ at Me?

God gives us greatness, but greatness requires risk. Self-consciousness can prevent us from taking those risks, and accomplishing something really great. Guest speaker: Todd Cullop. From December 30, 2012

Keeping Watch (Christmas Message)

Have you ever wondered why, when the angels announce Jesus’ birth to the shepherds, they don’t give ‘em an address or something? Who are these guys and how’d they know where to go? From December 23, 2012

The Story of Joseph #35: Lord of the Feast

To those who are starving, the man with food is king. Pharaoh is Lord of the famine, but Joseph is Lord of the feast! From December 16, 2012

The Story of Joseph #34: The Harvest Years

Joseph has just seven years to prepare to feed the world for seven whole years! And if he fails … well, pretty much everyone dies! From December 2, 2012

The Story of Joseph #33: The Last Laugh

We shouldn’t dismiss this part of Joseph’s story as a fairytale, or something to rush through on the way to the New Testament, or we’ll miss so much! From November 25, 2012

Habits of Prayer

There have been many messages about getting into the habit of prayer. And that’s good … but it can be bad, too. Guest speaker: Todd Cullop. From November 18, 2012

The Story of Joseph #32: The Last Laugh

The greatest foreshadow of the Savior’s sacrificial death for sin is named Laughter (Isaac). Why? Well, just like Joseph, Jesus gets the last laugh! From November 11, 2012

The Story of Joseph #31: Seizing the Opportunity

Keep this in mind, because it’s true of everyone we encounter: God is speaking to them and He wants to ease their troubled hearts and minds. From November 4, 2012

The Story of Joseph #30: Joseph’s Appearance

God has been working in Joseph’s heart. And Joseph is embracing and displaying his true identity even now, even here. How about you? From October 28, 2012

Missions Sunday

Just like parents long for their children, God longs for each of us. Even those who don’t follow him. Especially those who don’t follow him! Speakers: Todd Cullop and Nick Harris. From October 21, 2012

The Story of Joseph #29: Nightmare on the Nile

When you’re having a bad dream, isn’t it wonderful when someone wakes you up, and you open our eyes and realize all is not lost? From October 14, 2012

The Story of Joseph #28: Dating Joseph

At the end of the day the credibility of God is founded on the reliability of His Word because, when I’m most tempted to doubt Him, I have to rely on what His Word says about Him! From October 7, 2012

The Story of Joseph #27: The White Space

How do you trust God when He appears untrustworthy? How do you remain faithful when circumstances suggest that He isn’t?! From September 30, 2012

The Story of Joseph #26: The Butler Didn’t Do It

Those, whose eyes are open to the obvious, have both the joy and the obligation of sharing the whole truth of salvation. From September 16, 2012

The Story of Joseph #25: Serving Time

As chapter 40 unfolds, Joseph is learning the great truth of what true greatness is. God defines success by our depth of intimacy with Him, and our ministry to others. From September 9, 2012

The Story of Joseph #24: The Pit of Despair

Here’s an obvious truth that’s easily overlooked: when you’ve descended to the bottom of the pit, stop looking down! We are never more tempted to despair than when life is unfair. From September 2, 2012

Complete Joy

Joy isn’t like happiness. Happiness is fickle and fleeting and it comes from externals. Joy is this deep … something … that passes all understanding. Guest speaker: Todd Cullop. From August 26, 2012

The Story of Joseph #23: Convictions

If Potiphar knew that Joseph was innocent of attacking his wife, why did he imprison him? And if he knew his wife was guilty, why’d he pardon her?! From August 19, 2012

The Story of Joseph #22: Screaming for Love

Freud said spiritual longings are just frustrated sexual desires. But, what if our sexual desires are frustrated, foreshadowed, spiritual longings? From August 12, 2012

The Heist

There is an enemy to your life story. And he wants to steal whatever God is doing in your life. Guest speaker: Chris Herbert. From August 5, 2012

The Story of Joseph #21: The Grip of Lust

Lust is different from most other sins. We weren’t designed to hate or kill. But sexual desire is part of our created-identity (like hunger). So, lust is a natural appetite, out of control. From July 29, 2012

The Story of Joseph #20: Master Desire

Joseph is handsome but not perfect. This isn’t a story about a man who can’t be tempted. It’s a story of a deprived man, facing the toughest temptation of his life! From July 22, 2012

The Story of Joseph #19: Power House

As his attendant, Joseph now shares Potiphar’s power and prosperity. So, how will Joseph choose to use his new found power? From July 15, 2012

God’s Point of View

How do we stay encouraged in the midst of our problems? It starts by seeing our problems from God’s point of view. Speaker: Wayne Nonoshita. From July 8, 2012

I Choose Joy

Joy is a state of being, not just a feeling. It comes when we choose to live life the way God intends. But practically speaking, how do we choose joy? Guest speaker: Todd Cullop. From July 1, 2012

The Story of Joseph #18: Living the Dream

We’re following Joseph into Potiphar’s house, and opening a dark, locked closet in Joseph’s heart, to see what keeps him from writing home. From June 24, 2012

The Story of Joseph #17: Going Through Goshen

Potiphar saw what Joseph believed … and it was attractive. Even though Joseph had been horribly victimized, he refused to play the victim. That’s eye-catching! From June 17, 2012

Overcome

As Paul tells the Ephesians, it’s not a matter of if but when we will face battle. But thanks be to God, you will and can overcome! Guest speaker: Chris Herbert. From June 10, 2012

The Story of Joseph #16: Fieldwork

We often fail to see our lives outside the church as ministry, but just like Joseph, you were created for the fieldwork! From June 3, 2012

The Story of Joseph #15: Scent to Serve

We often demand that God fulfill our desires, unwilling to acknowledge or accept the unpleasant aspects of life as necessary parts of the individual journey to who and what you were always meant to be. From May 27, 2012

The Story of Joseph #14: The Lion’s Tale

God’s power to redeem is only experienced in humility and best displayed against a backdrop of human weakness. That’s why God said to Paul, “My power is made perfect in weakness.” From May 20, 2012

There Is Still Fight In Me

Sometimes in life, we have lost the will to fight, long before it’s over. But even when we underestimate ourselves, God never does. He sees more in us than we see in ourselves. Guest speaker: Chris Herbert. From May 13, 2012

The Story of Joseph #13: The Lion Swallows His Pride

Grace is the big surprise of the Bible! Again and again, God meets our sin with grace, and guides us into grateful obedience. From May 6, 2012

The Clue or the Treasure?

Have you ever been searching for something, and it was right in front of you? The scriptures, and even the yearning of our souls for acceptance, all have clues that point to Jesus. Guest speaker: Chris Herbert. From April 29, 2012

The Story of Joseph #12: The Lion Trap

In the beautiful ugliness of chapter 38, we see the wretched depths to which God’s holy grace will sink into the muck to rescue and redeem sinners, like us, when we’re at our worst! From April 22, 2012

The Story of Joseph #11: The Lion Sleeps

Judah’s rebelliousness in chapter 38 of Genesis provides an incredible contrast to Joseph’s faithfulness in chapter 39. Joseph will stand out from the pagan culture that surrounds him, even as Judah blends in with his. From April 15, 2012

Ramifications

We’re given only one story from Jesus’ boyhood, and it takes place in Jerusalem during Passover. There was a national Passover lamb, elaborate ceremonies, and a city-wide celebration. From April 8, 2012

The Story of Joseph #10: Lion on the Lam

This chapter of Genesis underscores how radically honest we need to be about our sin and selfishness and depravities. And what happens when we flee the failings that the Great Physician wants us to face. From April 1, 2012

Rest

Have you ever come home from work and thought, is it supposed to be this difficult? Is it supposed to be this hard? Well, it wasn’t designed that way. Guest speaker: Chris Herbert. From March 25, 2012

The Story of Joseph #9: In the Meanwhile

God is often most at work when He seems most hidden. So, what are we supposed to do when we find ourselves in the “meanwhile” where God seems to be so distant? From March 18, 2012

The Story of Joseph #8: Deceiving Jacob

Satan
is called both the deceiver and the accuser. He tries to tempt and frighten us
into adding our own “abracadabra” to God’s promises, and then relentlessly
accuses us for doing it. From March 11, 2012

The Story of Joseph #7: Cut Off

The law serves grace by revealing and condemning our sin; but, rules and rituals are powerless to remove sin and redeem us. The law is only the mirror we use when we wash our face, but the grace of Jesus is the soap and water that scrubs us clean. From March 4, 2012

Why I Follow Jesus: Rolling the Dice

I can’t prove God’s existence to others, but I need to eliminate my doubt. And what I found not only did that, but gave me a foundation for belief, and shelter from future doubt. Guest speaker: Chris Herbert. From February 26, 2012

The Story of Joseph #6: Trading the Promise

It’s not enough to trust God’s Word; we have to
trust His timing. Faith is living without looking for loopholes. It’s refusing
to trade God’s promises for man’s shortcuts. From February 19, 2012

The Story of Joseph #5: Into the Pit

The way we react to those who wound us is far more important than how we’ve been wounded, because our response reveals where our trust really is. From February 12, 2012

The Story of Joseph #4: Settled in Shechem

Just as Joseph’s brothers misused the seal of God’s covenant (circumcision), when we use His Word as a “weapon” in an unkind, unloving way, we’re not saving souls, we’re killing them. From February 5, 2012

Don’t Wade In

Sometimes we are blind to things in our lives. Jesus came to heal us, but we can’t be fully healed until we are a part of what He’s doing in the world. Guest speaker: Chris Herbert. From January 29, 2012

The Story of Joseph #3: Robe of Wrath

You think you’re too big’a mess-up for God to use? Here’s a flash: He only uses mess-ups! Know why? That’s all there is! From January 22, 2012

The Story of Joseph #2: Out of Control

Joseph may be the central figure of this story, but it’s really about how the Lord uses Joseph to transform a scheming, controlling, highly dysfunctional family into the nation of Israel. From January 15, 2012

The Story of Joseph #1: Born Into Brokenness

Genesis isn’t an academic resource to be accessed and referenced … it’s a real-life world to be entered. And the more you get into it, the more it’ll get into you. From January 8, 2012