Genesis 15 - Outline

v1-6

the Lord promised Abram a multitude of descendants

v7-8

the Lord promised Abram he'd inherit the land

v9-11

Abram prepared a sacrifice according to what the Lord told him

v12-16

the Lord told Abram what was going to happen in the future, and showed him supernatural signs

v18-21

the Lord made a covenant to give Abram the land

Genesis 46 - Outline

v1-4

the Lord gave a very encouraging promise

v5-7

Jacob and his family started to travel to Egypt

v8-15

Jacob's descendants by Leah

v16-18

Jacob's descendants by Zilpah

v19-22

Jacob's descendants by Rachel, including Joseph and his two sons in Egypt

v23-25

Jacob's descendants by Bilhah

v26-27

the numbers of Jacob's descendants

v28-30

Jacob had a very joyfully emotional reunion with Joseph

v31-34

Joseph had his brothers explain to Pharaoh that their occupation was livestock, and then, because of that, they ended up living in the land of Goshen

the power of God unto salvation

Romans 1

v16

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

This is just a reminder, once again, that the gospel is powerful and does lead to salvation, and we should preach it like we realize that.

with all confidence

Acts 28

Paul was bitten by a poisonous snake, and then:

v5

And he shook off the beast into the fire, and felt no harm.

When the Lord's on our side, we don't have to worry about anything. Nothing can really harm us.

v31

Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him.

We should boldly do what the Lord wants us to do, without worrying about anything.

Proverbs 29 - Key

v1

He, that being often reproved hardeneth [his] neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.

Sometimes it's easy to get used to criticism for something, because people talk to us about it all the time. Then we start ignoring it, because we think we aren't really doing anything wrong.

If people reprimand us for a certain thing very often, we better make awfully sure we aren't actually at fault in that thing. We shouldn't just casually brushing it off all the time. If we were warned so many times, and the warnings end up being right, we're going to be in big trouble.

1 Corinthians 10:12

Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.

Application

v22

An angry man stirreth up strife, and a furious man aboundeth in transgression.

If I'm an angry person, I'll be guilty of stirring up strife and doing all kinds of bad things. It's tempting to think that it harmless to get angry for a good reason, or when other people seem to be doing a lot worse things wrong.

In some situations it's very difficult (and sometimes seems impossible), to keep from getting angry-- like when people we really care about are doing dumb and bad stuff, or mistreating us; Or when we feel desperate and trapped in an overwhelming situation.

We need to keep our cool anyway. Because, if other people have problems, that's their problem; but, if we respond the wrong way, then that becomes our problem. The Lord does make it possible for us to maintain a level head in all those situations.

1 Corinthians 10:13

There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God [is] faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear [it].

I don't really think I have very much of a problem with this right now... But my application from Proverbs 29:22 is to make sure I'm not being an angry person, in order to make sure I'm not stirring up strife.

The Lord versus Your Own Understanding

Acts 27

v11

Nevertheless the centurion believed the master and the owner of the ship, more than those things which were spoken by Paul.

v21

But after long abstinence Paul stood forth in the midst of them, and said, Sirs, ye should have hearkened unto me, and not have loosed from Crete, and to have gained this harm and loss.

We should listen and do what the Lord wants, even when it's contrary to what makes sense to us.

Proverbs 3:5-8

Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.

It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.

the ministry of reconciliation

Acts 26

v18

To open their eyes, [and]
to turn [them] from darkness to light, and
[from] the power of Satan unto God,
that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and
inheritance among them which are sanctified
by faith that is in me.

This is awesome. This is what our mission is, and this is what the gospel does. There's great power in the message, to make a great and positive difference in people's lives. Like that verse says, it's by faith in Him. Here is that message, of what He has done for us:

v22b, 23

...witnessing..., saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come:

That Christ should suffer, [and] that he should be the first that should rise from the dead,
and should shew light unto the people, and to the Gentiles.

Let's be faithfully witnessing and preaching the gospel to people like this.

2 Corinthians 5:18-21

And all things [are] of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;

To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech [you] by us: we pray [you] in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.

For he hath made him [to be] sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.