Category: Sermons

Chapter 48 is about a declaration of faith as Jacob adopts Joseph’s two sons and affirms that their descendants would one day claim the Promised Land. He admits the power, the presence, and the promise of God to Jacob. God had a lot of work to do in Jacob’s life, but at the end he had been walking by faith, honed on the anvil of faith through the hammer of hardship. But he had learned to walk with God, to trust God. He was finishing his race well. That’s the encouragement for us. Keep going to the end and then pass on that faith to others. Let Paul’s encourage to Timothy be for you as well. Fight the good fight of faith, finish the race, keep the faith. Jacob is finishing strong.

The physical famine in the land of Egypt continues to rage and the Egyptians sacrifice everything to survive. There is the potential for each of us to go through a spiritual famine in our lives. In our message, we discover two things that can help us avoid this kind of famine. Like the Egyptians, sacrifice will be necessary. Are you willing to sacrifice to overcome the spiritual famine?

Mr. John Pierce shares this morning as part of our mission conference the need to recognize our responsibility to go out and fish for men. Jesus told Peter to cast out his net to catch some fish. Jesus is asking us to do the same. Will you be a fisher of men?

Jacob and some of the family finally get to meet Pharaoh. Joseph introduces five of his brothers, which five we are not told. Neither are we told why he selected them. Was if for their appearance or because of their attributes? What character traits should we have that might be important for us to have? Jacob also spoke about his pilgrimage being full of trouble. How is your journey in life going? Are the trials you encounter helping to grow your faith? I pray this message both encourage you but also challenge you to consider the kind of character you have.

Click on the link here to go the whole service. https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=424417048523207

Last week we considered a journey of worship as Jacob and his family stopped in Beersheba to offer a sacrifice in worship to God. In today’s message they continue on down to Egypt with the promise of God for his presence. Here is the recording of Jacob and Joseph finally meeting. They were to move down to Egypt so they grow into a great nation. Had they remained in Canaan, it would have been too easy to be assimilated by the surrounding people groups. Because they were shepherds, they were despised by the Egyptians who would want to keep their distance. This made it easier for them to build their nation and retain their distinctness. Our challenge as Christians is to live in the world but not be of the world. Don’t allow the world to assimilate you into the culture causing a compromise of our Biblical values. Come out and be separate, says the Lord.

(We apologize that near the end of the message our computer froze resulting in the Facebook feed being dropped. The message is in two separate links above. The conclusion to the message is in the second video.)

Jacob has now begun his journey to Egypt. But he pauses. Before leaving the promised land given as an inheritance to his descendants, he stops at Beersheba to offer a sacrifice to God. It was a time of worship. We only speculate at what his worship included or the reason why he made this sacrifice. I have some ideas, some thoughts. But in this morning’s message I want to suggest three elements that should be included in any time of worship or maybe it’s better to say every time we worship. There should be a time of acknowledging God, a time of admitting to God, and a time of adoring God. So, what kind of worship do you offer to God? I trust this message will challenge your worship.

How does the supremacy of God help us in our daily spiritual walk? Listen in as Pastor Jim guides us through Ephesians 3 on this journey of growing faith.

Joseph gives yet one more character trait in the life of a godly person. It’s forgiveness. What a great reunion as he revealed himself to his brothers. In this chapter we see God’s preeminence, God’s provision, and God’s pardon. God was willing to forgive us, but are we willing to forgive others? Joseph was.

Joseph has one more test for his brothers before he is ready to reveal himself. This will determine their real character. Will they abandon their brother Benjamin or will they protect him? What happens in chapter 44 shows us that real change is possible. There are essentially three roots that they had to overcome and challenge us to consider if they are evident in our lives as well. When others see us do they see them or do they see a real change?

Intentional living is God’s plan for the believer, and one of the best ways to be intentional is setting godly goals. However, you need to have a growth mindset rather than just a goal mindset. Growth doesn’t just happen in your journey of faith. God sets forth His goals for growth in your life in His living Word. Jim Rohn is quoted as saying, “Goals. There’s no telling what you can do when you get inspired by them. There’s no telling what you can do when you believe in them. And there’s no telling what will happen when you act upon them.”