Scripture Reading — Genesis 21:1-21 “Lift the boy up and take him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation.”— Genesis 21:18God is faithful beyond our ability to think or imagine.Some years earlier, Sarah (formerly Sarai) had come up with a plan to produce an heir f
Scripture Reading — Genesis 15:1-21 “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward.”— Genesis 15:1How long can you live on a promise? Abram and Sarai had lived with God’s promise of a child for many years. Their faith was being tested, and their hope was be
Scripture Reading — Genesis 12:10-20 Pharaoh . . . sent [Abram] on his way, with his wife and everything he had.— Genesis 12:20It was a time of famine, and Abram and Sarai needed food. There was food in Egypt, but going there could be dangerous. (This would not be the first ti
Scripture Reading — Genesis 12:1-8 “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.”— Genesis 12:1Abram and Sarai will become key figures in the story of God’s covenant and his plan for salvation.When we first meet this couple, they d
Scripture Reading — Genesis 9:1-17 God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant . . . between me and all life on the earth.”— Genesis 9:17God works in line with his character and principles—and he has made those clear to us, as we can see in this passage and in others.
Scripture Reading — Genesis 4:1-12, 25-26 “God has granted me another child in place of Abel, since Cain killed him.”— Genesis 4:25God had told Adam and Eve that there would be consequences for their sin. When Eve gave birth to Cain and then Abel, she experienced the pain of c
Scripture Reading — Genesis 3:1-15 “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”— Genesis 3:15The story in Genesis 3 is often described as “the fall into sin.” Adam and Eve started wit
Scripture Reading — Lamentations 3:19-26 His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.— Lamentations 3:22-23Have you ever lost sleep because your mind and heart were busy or burdened? You can lie down and try to fall asleep, but sleep won’
Scripture Reading — Psalm 23:1-6 Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me. . . .— Psalm 23:4Bible teachers have often wondered about the setting of this song of David. When was it written?In Psalm 23 we find descriptions of the wo
Scripture Reading — Hebrews 10:19-25 Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together . . . but encouraging one another. . . .— Hebrews 10:24-25Before the pandemic, our church had a chance to take part in a soup contest
Scripture Reading — 2 Kings 5:1-19 “If only my master would see the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.”— 2 Kings 5:3I love this Bible story for many reasons. Naaman was a guy who had everything. As an army commander, he could tell people what to do an
Scripture Reading — Ephesians 4:1-6 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.— Ephesians 4:3Years ago, when we served a church in the community of Terrace Bay, Ontario, we were far away (17 hours by car) from our extended family. If we wanted