Grace on the Ark

Introduction Genesis 9:11 – Thus I establish My covenant with you: Never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of the flood; never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth. In Genesis 6, we are told that creation was in dire need of a “reset.”  As we learned last … Continue reading Grace on the Ark

Reconciliation

Sweet treats for everybody; I'd like to pass out some candy favors today; little pieces of sweetness as a symbol of the wonderful friends we've developed in this class. (For my illustration today, I'll pass out little candy favors to everybody, but "accidentally" overlook Margaret.) Sometimes big conflicts can fracture a relationship. Sometimes, little things … Continue reading Reconciliation

When All Hope Seems Lost

This week we follow Joseph into prison. If we're headed to prison with him, let's recap how we got here. We know that Joseph was born into a family that was trying to follow God's will but at the same time was highly dysfunctional. Joseph had eleven other brothers, born to four different women. His … Continue reading When All Hope Seems Lost

God’s Dysfunctional Children

Dysfunctional: abnormal or unhealthy interpersonal behavior or interaction within a group. We’ve been studying a dysfunctional family now for the last several weeks. They’re a mess! We had Abraham; Abraham had been promised by God that he would have so many children, as many as there were stars in the heavens. How long did Abraham … Continue reading God’s Dysfunctional Children

Tower of Babel

Even though lunch today is at Fajita Flats, I brought along a suggestion from a restaurant I was recently visiting called La Place in Hengelo, The Netherlands. Here’s also a list of today’s specials; I can highly recommend the voorgerecht. (Other handouts go here: the complete menu, shopping flyers, German newspaper, Dutch newspaper, French airport … Continue reading Tower of Babel

God Loves His Creation

Sometimes it can be difficult to remember that God is in control, that God has a plan for us. Let’s open God’s User Manual, Chapter 1, and start at the beginning. Genesis, verse 1:1 begins - In the beginning, God created… Let’s stop right there and discuss just those 5 words. Lately on the New … Continue reading God Loves His Creation