Truth Encounter: Unexpected Grace

Join us to examine an ancient manuscript that reveals the key to who will eventually rule the world. Who is this ultimate "Peacemaker"?

Maybe abandonment by your earthly dad has made you angry and spilled over into your relationship with your heavenly Dad. The life of Joseph may renew your trust in your heavenly Father who is waiting right now to give you all the love your heart was created for. It would be wise for us to go to the bedside of an aged grandfather not to receive a handout, but with open ears to hear what life has taught him about the true wealth of life.

Why is it that no matter what we might get, no matter what we might do, or achieve, we are never completely satisfied. Rock stars worshipped by millions with millions in their bank accounts sing, “I can’t get no satisfaction.” Satisfaction-why can't we get it and who alone can give it?

All of us know that family get togethers for birthdays and holidays should be times that we look forward to. Why are family reunions sometimes filled with such stress? The family in Genesis 45 is famous for its godliness. The father is one of the most spiritual men in the Old Testament yet the inner dynamics of this household are a mess. For 20 years in the house of Jacob, Father's Days had turned to dreary drizzle and a bloody secret plagued his sons. Will this charade continue?

It could be that you have become infected with a green internal virus that will eat your heart out. If it’s been a while since you considered jealousy's potential for agony, listen to the truth about its effects on Joseph's family for more than 20 years.

When the doors are closed, the masks come off and the foreboding of unresolved issues haunts every room. Unhealthy families can be unhealthy in a million different ways. Genesis 42 exposes a dysfunctional family who played the "Lets Pretend Everything Is Okay" game for more than 20 years. The Lord will not allow “family secrets” to remain secrets forever. He lovingly begins to take off the bandages so He can get at the infection.

When do you pray more- when you are in the pits or when things are coasting along smoothly? I find that when there is not enough money to pay the bills, when one of the kids gets sick, when my hopes are dashed by disappointing news—these are the times I cry out to God. Hard times force us all to our knees, but how do you react when God raises your hopes, then plunges you into hopeless darkness?

The magic of computerized video has made it possible to mix real and manufactured images so that only the director knows for sure. This high powered technology is taking us into a new era, but human beings have been specialists in covering up what is really going on inside since the beginning of time. Most of us remember that Joseph ended up ruling over Pharaoh’s house, but few of us remember that his ascent to the throne began by a simple act of reading the faces of two fellow prisoners. As we go about our busy lives, are we too busy to look into eyes and see the down turn of lips, and take an hones look into another’s soul?

“Infidelity—It May Be In Your Genes” This was a TIME magazine cover story that preached it was to man’s evolutionary advantage to sow his seeds far and wide, but still had the audacity to close with a plea for us to act as “moral animals” –that is to act with foresight and judgment. No wonder divorce, child abuse, and fractured families infect in epidemic proportions. It is time to get back to some solid roots—a Biblical view that presents solid reasons for purity. Can a handsome young man resist the advances of an available, aggressive attractive woman?

Amazing grace in the midst of violence and sex? Sounds like a section of the Bible that is not usually covered in a sweet, sedate Sunday morning urge to good living. The truth of the matter is we all tend to make messes in life and walk away from skillful principles, making serious mistakes. How does God relate to these prodigals and bring glory to Himself in the messes?

Homes are not about fairness! They are about grace! As long as you stay angry at your parents for all the mistakes they made—maybe favoritism, hypocrisy, workaholism—you’ll never escape your childhood legacies. The truth is, no one has a perfect family and Genesis 37 takes us into the real world of family relationships. Contrary to popular opinion, the Bible tells is exactly the way it is.