Bible Teachings from Summit Northwest Ministries

This week, we'll turn to Genesis 15 and the story of a promise made in the midst of fear, waiting, and uncertainty. As God meets Abram with reassurance and covenant, we're invited to consider what it means to trust when the future feels unclear and the promise feels delayed. Join us as we explore a story of faith, commitment, and a God who binds Himself to His word, even when the outcome is not yet visible to the human eye.

This week, we'll turn to Genesis 15 and the story of a promise made in the midst of fear, waiting, and uncertainty. As God meets Abram with reassurance and covenant, we're invited to consider what it means to trust when the future feels unclear and the promise feels delayed. Join us as we explore a story of faith, commitment, and a God who binds Himself to His word, even when the outcome is not yet visible to the human eye.

In Act 2: The Fear Factor of Faith, part of The Long Game: Finding Purpose with the God Who Sees, we wrestle with the reality that fear is often the biggest reason we don't step forward in faith—fear of getting it wrong, fear of God being silent, and fear that our failure might hurt others. Looking at Abraham's story in Genesis 12–13, we sit in the uncomfortable space where God seems quiet, circumstances fall apart, and Abraham makes fear-driven decisions that cause real damage—yet God doesn't cancel him. This message isn't about pretending faith makes life smooth or rushing past pain to a happy ending; it's about facing our false selves, owning the consequences of our choices, and discovering that while failure is painful and real, it isn't the end. God's grace doesn't just forgive us—it invites us to grow into who we were actually created to be, individually and as a church, so healing can begin.

A lot of people today say they're "followers of Jesus"—but what does that actually mean? Is it just liking posts about Him, agreeing with a few of His ideas, or calling Him our friend while living a completely different life? To answer that, we have to look backward—way back—to one of the very first stories of Scripture, where God called an ordinary man named Abram into a life of healing, purpose, and partnership. And the same God who called Abram is calling us too: to be healed by His life‑giving presence and to become a source of healing for the world around us.

Don't let baggage regarding keeping the Sabbath keep you from enjoying this most wonderful of spiritual disciplines/gifts that we have the privilege of enjoying. Do the things that you don't have time todo during the rest of the week. Slow down, rest, enjoy, play, live and love. It's a gift from this amazing God who is and always has been crazy about His kids.

If you've been struggling with your spiritual life. If you've wondered if perhaps you aren't passionate enough in your spirituality. Start now ... celebrate joy! I know, I know, not everything is going to be happy and stress free and naturally full of joy filled moments. But that's why it is so important ... to celebrate joy! Practice joy! Live with joy!J oin us as we discover God's wish for all of His kids to experience and celebrate joy.

Jesus came to this earth to confront us with a choice. Are we going to commit to following him, or are we going to drift along? The good news He says, is that it is possible to follow him, to be transformed. Again, this is not about how to be saved, this is about how to live our lives in such a way that people see Jesus through us. On our own we don't naturally drift into that kind of life. When Jesus lived that kind of life it was a shock to the world. But the good news is, this God who is crazy about us, He haspromised to help us live this amazing life for which we were born to live. That is the secret to trainingsmarter and not harder.

Christianity has lost much of its power because we really don't expect anyone to change as a result of being a Christian. At least we don't expect them to be more loving and more tolerant and more positive. We aren't surprised if a person becomes a Christian and they get grumpy. But that's not what God has called us to do.

What happened on the cross was not some legal transaction to satisfy a blood thirsty god who needed for somebody to die before He could let us live. It is so much more than that ... but what is that more and how does it change everything?

It is a sacred moment to be there when somebody breathes their last breath, and their heartstops beating. It is also a sacred time to be there when people are facing the end, and they know it. Frequently they share what is on their hearts, their hopes, their disappointments, their frustrations andtheir fears. Jesus' last words to his followers before he died and left this earth carry that same weight andimportance. There is so much to learn from last words.