Genesis 39 - Joseph faced horrible trials due to the sinful choices of those

around him. The Lord was with him, however, using the trials to bring about His sovereign, kind purposes.

Genesis 37 - Despite the Lord’s great favor, Jacob failed to thoughtfully and

deliberately lead his family to know and worship Him. This led to a family dynamic that was marked by favoritism, jealousy, and hatred and resulted in the fabric of their

relationships being torn apart. Through all of this, however, the Lord was at work to keep His gracious promises and to care for His people.

Genesis 36 - The contrast between the history of Jacob’s family as opposed

to Esau’s family is striking and can only be attributed to Gods’ sovereign grace - grace that brings the dead to life, turns rebels into worshipers, enemies into sons and daughters. Our God, full of grace, is worthy of our worship and trust.

Genesis 35 - Jacob’s ongoing story is a reminder to us of how God is faithful to keep His promises despite the effects of the fall upon us and those around us.

Genesis 34 - Sin is powerfully alluring and leads to very destructive consequences. Jesus is the promised Redeemer that came to destroy all that is

opposed to God and to deliver us from sin’s bondage. We can trust Him to rescue us and to help us joyfully bring glory to our Creator.

The Lord faithfully and relentlessly draws us to Himself in order to transform our hearts so that we will will trust and treasure Him above all else.

Genesis 30:25-31:55 - Jacob went through many long trials to teach him that

the Lord was his only true treasure. Though these lessons were hard-learned and very costly, they accomplished the purpose of removing his confidence in himself and replacing it with a deep trust in the Lord. Laban’s selfish, scheming choices serve to highlight even more the relentless, transformative work of the Lord in His people.

Genesis 30:1-24 - The lives of the patriarchs were marked by signs of faith

as well as signs of faithless, sinful choices. God’s Word provides us with warnings to

heed and points us to the hope of Jesus who transforms us from being lovers of self to lovers of our brothers and sisters.

An expositional study of Philippians 4:10-23.

An expositional study of Philippians 3:17-4:1.