Gospel Living

For your Sunday reflection: How Could God Ask This? Bible: Genesis 22 In Genesis 22, God knew ahead of time what would happen; Abraham did not. Here is the preliminary display of not only God stopping Him with none other than the Angel of the Lord that we saw a few weeks ago in Genesis 16. It is one thing to stop the slaying of Isaac, but there is more. Jesus took Isaac's place eventually, in the fulness of times, to be the perfect Lamb of God.

For your Sunday reflection: Meet the Angel of the Lord Bible: Genesis 16-17; Exodus 3:1-5 The Angel of the Lord appears somewhat unexpectedly in Scripture and says and does things that only God can do. God brings about both the Arabic people in Genesis 16 and the Jewish people in Genesis 17. The sign of the Abrahmic Covenant was for the Jewish people as God showed His covenant-keeping faithfulness, all with a greater view of the Messiah who would eventually be born into this lineage.

For your Sunday reflection: The Abrahamic Covenant - Part 3 Bible: Genesis 15; Luke 1 The Additional Subtitle to this continued series in "We've Been Expecting You" (Part 1) as we walk through OT passages on our way to Christmas, is "Covenants Never Just Happen--They Are Always Made." And this is extremely important. Every covenant that God ever enters into with anyone always has a specific beginning point to it, namely its ratification. Luke 1 connects Jesus with the Abrahamic Covenant. There is no Christmas story (Luke 2) without God being faithful throughout, as seen in Luke 1.

For your Sunday reflection: The Abrahamic Covenant - Part 2 Bible: Genesis 13-15 As hard as it is to believe for some people, Abram (whom God later named Abraham in Genesis 17 and became the father of the Jewish people), was not saved until Genesis 15. This is good to use with people who want to do "good things" or "religious things" such as Abraham did. But clearly plainly shows exactly when Abraham was saved and on what basis.

For your Sunday reflection: The Abrahamic Covenant - Part 1 Bible: Genesis 11:27-12:3 This second covenant of God that He enters into more and more directs us to the first Christmas, although Abram did not know that yet. God promised Abram and his descendants a specific land, a seed [lineage], and in you all the nations of the earth will be blessed.

For your Sunday reflection: The Noahic Covenant - Part 2 Bible: Genesis 6-9; Luke 3 "We've Been Expecting You" (Part I) is a study of Jesus in the Old Testament as we head to His birth. Genesis 6-9 is so important because we see that God divinely protected the seed lineage, so that the Promised Seed Jesus Messiah would one day be born. This is a tremendously warming section of Scripture to study because it shows God looking into the future to bring about everything He promised.

For your Sunday reflection: The Noahic Covenant - Part 1 Bible: Genesis 6-9 God keeps His sovereign word both to judge and to protect. While the earth is destroyed, He makes promises in the Noahic Covenant that are still in effect today. Yet as we will see in the upcoming weeks, how one interprets this first covenant of God will affect how one studies rest of the Bible .

For your Sunday reflection: The Covenants of God - Part 2 Bible: Genesis 1-11; Luke 17:22-30 We examine what is held by many, that is that Genesis 1-11 is only a myth and that the flood never occurred. We look at the dire theological effects if someone takes that route and how it would ruin understanding the Bible.. Basically, no flood means no Creator, no accountability for sin, and no Second Coming of Jesus because Luke 17:22-30 associates the two together. It is an either-or proposition, You cannot have one without the other.

For your Sunday reflection: The Covenants of God - Part 1 Bible: Malachi 2:14; Genesis 6 We continue our series that the Old Testament is--not was--the story of Jesus. Nowhere will you see this more clearly develop as we go through the Old Testament on our way to Christmas than in the Covenants that God Himself enters into with others. This cannot be over emphasized enough and is part of the predetermined plan and foreknowledges of God (Acts 2:23-23). The word "covenant" first appears in the Bible in Genesis 6:18 but it will be far from the last time. These promises of God are certain and sure and are to be understood and believed on in a literal fashion. He is the covenant-keeping God who must keep His Word.

This was still the transition stage of the church, and we had issues with our recording equipment. For your Sunday reflection this week is a message that reviews two parts that, unfortunately, you won't get a chance to hear: We've Been Expecting You: Part I - Message 7,8 & 9 Recap of 3 Sermons Bible: Genesis 5; Luke 3:21-38 Lake Hills Community Church was almost like a church plant. We had so many things to get right. One of the most important were faithful--and talented--people whom God raised up to work on our sound system. We had SO many problems to begin with and lost seven sermons. Some we recorded again and lost those. If you stay with the series, you will definitely see an improvement in the sound. We combine three sermons we lost with the topic being the good news of being made in the image and likeness of God, but now also of fallen Adam, with its horrendous consequences "and he died." The first son of God (Adam) failed; the second Son of God ...

For your Sunday reflection: We've Been Expecting You: Part I - Message 6 The Two Offerings Bible: Genesis 4; 1 John 3:1-12 Two sacrifices to God were made in the same chapter by two brothers, Cain and Abel. God alone determines what He will and will not accept. Cain brought the best he had; Abel brought what God required. This is one of the earliest examples of "religious substitution" replacing God's Word with man's design. God did not accept it then or now.

For your Sunday reflection: We've Been Expecting You: Part I - Message 5 God Breathed Dust Balls Bible: Genesis 1-3; 2 Timothy 3:17 When the Bible teaches all Scripture is inspired by God, it uses a term that means literally in the Greek "God-breathed." The other significant use of this is with Adam (Gen. 2:7). Thus, both God's word and God's creation of humanity became eternal. If you are heading for heaven, this is glorious news. Sadly, for those who are headed for hell, this is terrible news unless the solution of salvation through Jesus is received.

For your Sunday reflection: We've Been Expecting You: Part I - Message 4 A Lamb/The Lamb/Your Lamb Bible: Genesis 2-3; Exodus 12 Our series is about Jesus in the Old Testament. God used the temporary coverings of an innocent animal to clothe the newly sinful Adam and Eve. He did so later at the First Passover as Exodus 12 shows the progression of how the lamb was viewed; it would have been a sad sacrifice. The same was true for the true Lamb of God. This led to the Lord's Table where the connection to Jesus is obvious--as God intended.

A late post on this one: We've Been Expecting You: Part I - Message 3 Sin Kills -- It Always Kills · 2 of 2 Bible: Genesis 3; Romans 8 We continue our series "We've Been Expecting You" Part I as we walk through the OT up to Christmas. We have seen God's plan of salvation began before the world began. So God was not surprised by Adam's transgression and already had His means of salvation gradually unfolding. The "You" we have been expecting is the birth of the Head Crusher who will eventually be born in the fulness of time.

For this week's reflection:  Sin Kills -- It Always Kills · 1 of 2 The first sin--1,000,000th made Adam and Eve as sinful as Satan and the demons when they first rebelled against God. One sin equaled spiritual death. The only option was for Someone to undo what Adam and Eve so corrupted and glimmers of this One to come show in Genesis 3.

For those who do not have a church home this Sunday for whatever reason, you are probably craving good teaching. Starting this week for every Sunday until whenever, I will be posting a series of messages by author , pastor , and teacher Dr. Greg Harris, hopefully encouraging you and helping you in your spiritual growth. Everyone is invited to listen in, of course. God bless! UPDATE: 10:44 - I posted the wrong message. Below is now the first part of the message series. Don't open until Sunday! :)