Genesis Church - Carmel

Life has a way pulling us down and making us feel forgotten by God. In Genesis 37 we meet a young man named Joseph who was rejected by his brothers, sold into slavery, and put into prison. But even as his life continued to spiral downward, he began to learn that the Lord was with him, and would eventually use it all for his good and the good of his family.

It is our natural fleshly desire to try to fix and achieve everything on our own, but The True Gospel says that we are made right with God by His grace alone. When we choose doing and earning and achieving instead of simply receiving God’s grace by faith, we miss out on the true freedom Christ desires for our lives.

The story of Jonah is pretty well-known... at least the fish part. But even in Jonah's disobedience, we see an incredible story of a God who is faithful, even when we're not. Pastor Steve Wallen dives into this classic story from the Old Testament as we continue our summer series, Sticky Stories.

It’s easy for us to allow the busyness and stress of life to define our perspective. The problem with that approach is that it tends to factor God out of the details and leaves us feeling alone and empty. In 1 Kings 19 we meet a man named Elijah who lost his perspective and needed God’s help to readjust his focus so he could see God at work in the highs and lows of life.

Executive Pastor Steve Wallen explores the story of Samson in the book of Judges and how we often rely on our own strength, when God is calling us to rely on Him alone.

We live in a world that is obsessed with telling us to make a name for ourselves.  However, the problem in making a name for ourselves is that it naturally leads us away from God.  The biblical account of the Tower of Babel in Genesis 10 and 11 speak to this very issue and teaches us about God’s patience, love and grace towards us – even when we are tempted to make a name for ourselves apart from him.

Life is full of all sorts of giants, anything that brings fear and doubt into our lives. Our goal isn't to eliminate fear, but to find courage through the ONE who defeated the greatest giant of all.

Living the life we’re called to as a follower of Jesus is rarely easy. It requires choosing to trust Him enough to obediently follow His commands and His calls. In the story of Gideon we see what can happen when we take God at His word, and we also see why it’s so important that we remain connected with God.

So many of us are desperate to hear from God. We want more of God, especially when we go through "wilderness" times of life. The good news is that God wants to have a close, personal relationship with you. He wants to provide the comfort and wisdom we long for. The question is, are we ready and willing to listen?

Have you ever read Genesis 3 and wondered why there is a talking serpent and where he came from? It’s easy to read a story like this and assume its allegory or even a fairy tale, but the truth is that God has given us this account in His Word to help us understand how sin entered into our world and why we have a need for a savior in Jesus.