Category: Faith over Perfection

We Know the Author

The twisted tale of Jacob and Esau is a train wreck and seems more fit for a daytime talk show than Genesis. But here we are. Genesis 28:3-4 recounts Isaac passing the covenant blessing to his youngest son, Jacob, “May the Sovereign God bless you! May he make you fruitful

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Wholehearted Trust

Truth be told, the account in Genesis breaks my heart. I see a people so loved by God; I see Rebekah whom God had already told what her sons would become; I see Isaac favoring one son; I see Jacob going along with the deceit, and my heart breaks because

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Better Than Our Best

Friends, we have journeyed a long way since our first week together in this study. I wish we could gather around the table and share how God has met us in these pages of His Word, the victories we’ve experienced as we stopped hiding behind the mask of perfection, and

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What We Cannot Lose

I have found my decision making skills are poorer when I am hungry. I am obviously not alone, as research has found that grocery shopping when you are hungry leads people to buy more high-calorie foods than usual. Esau seems to have had this problem too as he made a

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Trustworthy and True

Every few years, I’ll start a Bible reading plan that takes me through the whole grand narrative of Scripture in a year. And I must confess, when I would reach passages where genealogies span over multiple verses, I used to be a bit disappointed in the day’s readings. “Oh it’s

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Convinced and Committed

I sat across from a friend sharing coffee and conversation when I confessed a longing I had been hiding. After the words were out of my mouth, I almost wished I could push the rewind button and take the desire of my heart back. But the words had been spoken,

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Acting on the Promise

I love reading about the faith of ordinary people. It is inspiring to witness Abraham’s faith on multiple occasions throughout Genesis, because he is a real human being like you and me. One instance takes place in Genesis 24, when Abraham sent his servant to find Isaac a wife.  In

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A Legacy of Faith

What is faith? Hebrews 11:1 says, “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for, being convinced of what we do not see.” Have you ever stopped and thought about how faith is shaped within a family? What’s the story of faith – or lack of faith – in

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Remembering His Faithfulness

I’ve never studied or prayed more about peace, forgiveness, and reconciliation like I have since walking through divorce. I never knew how enormous the wake of destruction that divorce leaves behind until I experienced it myself. Culture loves to water down the consequences of sin, but the Bible is clear

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All His Promises

Anger acts like a cloud over our rational thinking and judgement, causing us to easily lose perspective. As a result we often make poor choices when angry. In today’s reading, I think Sarah was not only angry but also felt jealous and regretful. She had just watched Ishmael mock her

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