Though Jacob had enough faith to receive God's blessing, he was still very immature in his understanding of God. On his journey north to Haran, he fell asleep with a rock under his head. In a vision he saw the spiritual realities now surrounding him. God had prepared a pathway, allowing angels to constantly attend to him. And, he saw the pre-incarnate Jesus Christ watching over him and heard Him make the same promises He had made to his father and grandfather. But when Jacob awoke, he reacted strangely. He tried to bargain with God rather than thank Him for His gifts. It would take the next 20 years for him to grow up enough to appreciate what God had given him and respond appropriately. Unfortunately, some Christians still relate to God with the same immaturity evident in Jacob's younger years. Like him, we tend to bargain with God as an opponent rather than stand boldly on the promises He's made to us. To use Paul's words, we still think like slaves rather than God's children (Gal 3:26-4:7).

In this passage, we're going to see Abraham bless his son, warn him against sin and then send him on into the calling of his life. In essence, we're looking at what Jacob received from his father Isaac. For those who have not been blessed in such a way, you can still receive your blessing as a Christian. It is your birthright, and you need it! To receive a free copy of Dr. Steve Schell's newest book Study Verse by Verse: Revelation, email us at info@lifelessonspublishing.com and ask for your copy at no charge!  Also check out our website at lifelessonspublishing.com for additional resources for pastors and leaders. We have recorded classes and other materials offered at no charge.    

Moses has chosen to describe in vivid detail a very strange event that took place in Isaac's family. With the brilliance of a great storyteller he takes us through a day in which people used lies and deception to steal a spiritual blessing, and the amazing result was that they succeeded! This raises several questions: First, why did Moses take so much care to tell us this story? And the answer must be that he considered this to have been a very important spiritual moment. Second, how is it possible that God would bless someone who lied to take another's blessing? And third, what did God see in Jacob that caused Him to prefer him over Esau? Does God love some and hate others? By studying this passage we'll discover why God has chosen to bless sinners like us and why He does not give the same blessing to others. To receive a free copy of Dr. Steve Schell's newest book Study Verse by Verse: Revelation, email us at info@lifelessonspublishing.com and ask for your copy at no charge!  Also check out our website at lifelessonspublishing.com for additional resources for pastors and leaders. We have recorded classes and other materials offered at no charge.  

This passage is about two hungry men. One is returning to camp after an unsuccessful hunting trip. He is physically starving and feeling faint. The other has been waiting in camp cooking dinner. He is spiritually hungry, yearning for the birthright and blessing that would naturally go to his brother. The attitudes of these two men challenge us to examine our own attitude toward God. Are we like Esau who is too impatient to wait for God's promises, or are we like Jacob who wanted God's blessing more than anything else? To receive a free copy of Dr. Steve Schell's newest book Study Verse by Verse: Revelation, email us at info@lifelessonspublishing.com and ask for your copy at no charge!  Also check out our website at lifelessonspublishing.com for additional resources for pastors and leaders. We have recorded classes and other materials offered at no charge.

Both these verses refer to children whom Abraham fathered, but his relationship to the two groups was very different. Verse six refers to the "sons of his concubine." These were six sons whom Abraham conceived in his old age with a woman named Keturah. When they reached a certain age he gave them enough to live on and sent them away. It appears he was their biological father, but invested little as their spiritual, emotional or educational father. Verse nine names Isaac and Ishmael and calls them "his sons," meaning that they were children Abraham personally love and nurtured. Being a real father requires much more than just conceiving a baby; it requires an enormous personal investment in the development of a child. In this episode we'll look at four roles to which a father is called (if he is to be a real father to his children). To receive a free copy of Dr. Steve Schell's newest book Study Verse by Verse: Revelation, email us at info@lifelessonspublishing.com and ask for your copy at no charge!  Also check out our website at lifelessonspublishing.com for additional resources for pastors and leaders. We have recorded classes and other materials offered at no charge.  

It would be hard to imagine an offense more painful than that which Ishmael experienced at the age of 16. Suddenly, without warning, he was awakened early in the morning by his father, walked a distance outside of camp and abandoned to the wilderness with only a goatskin of water. One day he was the firstborn son of a tribal chief and, the next, he was the disinherited and penniless child of a single mom fighting to stay alive. Miraculously, he and his mother did survive and even prospered by moving to a remote area where he could hunt for a living (Ge 21:9-21), but it's impossible to conceive that he was not deeply wounded by his father's brutal abandonment. Yet, there are clues given here in chapter 25 that a reconciliation took place between father and son before Abraham died. The most startling evidence is the sight of Isaac and Ishmael working side by side to bury their father (v 9). This simply could not have happened if Ishmael were still a bitter outcast. To receive a free copy of Dr. Steve Schell's newest book Study Verse by Verse: Revelation, email us at info@lifelessonspublishing.com and ask for your copy at no charge!  Also check out our website at lifelessonspublishing.com for additional resources for pastors and leaders. We have recorded classes and other materials offered at no charge.

It's often quite easy to recognize God's will for other people and there are also certain areas of our own lives where we have no trouble making good decisions. But nothing is more difficult than trying to determine God's leading in matters where we have strong personal interest in the outcome. This is the area of decision-making where we all struggle and may have a long history of making bad choices. When confronted with these very personal decisions, we discover we can't trust our own judgment: our emotions overwhelm our reason, our fears and longings disguise themselves as God's voice, and we tend to hear what we want to hear. In today's lesson we watch as Abraham's servant goes in search of a wife for Isaac. His trip turns into a remarkable adventure in which God guides him to the perfect choice and enables him to fulfill his assignment. In watching how this family makes their "important personal decision," we can all learn to make better decisions for our own lives. To receive a free copy of Dr. Steve Schell's newest book Study Verse by Verse: Revelation, email us at info@lifelessonspublishing.com and ask for your copy at no charge!  Also check out our website at lifelessonspublishing.com for additional resources for pastors and leaders. We have recorded classes and other materials offered at no charge.      

Abraham and Sarah came to the end of their lives without seeing the fulfillment of every promise God had made to them. He had promised to them and their descendants the land of their "sojournings," but when Sarah died Abraham had to buy a cave so he would have a place to bury her body. Many of us grow bitter at God if all our prayers aren't answered, let alone going a lifetime without seeing a promise fulfilled. Abraham and Sarah certainly saw some of their promises fulfilled. They were personally prospered and miraculously conceived a son in their old age, but the only land Abraham ever owned in Canaan was a family burial plot. To receive a free copy of Dr. Steve Schell's newest book Study Verse by Verse: Revelation, email us at info@lifelessonspublishing.com and ask for your copy at no charge!  Also check out our website at lifelessonspublishing.com for additional resources for pastors and leaders. We have recorded classes and other materials offered at no charge.  

This chapter is a remarkable prophetic passage declaring the gospel . It is also an example of God testing His followers. First we will look at the gospel Abraham proclaims through his actions. Then we will discuss Abraham being tested. And we'll talk about God testing our hearts too because He tests our hearts just like He tested Abraham.  To receive a free copy of Dr. Steve Schell's newest book Study Verse by Verse: Revelation, email us at info@lifelessonspublishing.com and ask for your copy at no charge!  Also check out our website at lifelessonspublishing.com for additional resources for pastors and leaders. We have recorded classes and other materials offered at no charge.    

Though Abraham was unaware of it, God had been using him to witness to the Philistines. Even though they didn't worship Abraham's God, it became obvious over time that his God was powerful and blessed him abundantly (v 22), so much so that the Philistine king became frightened and came to Abraham begging him to make a covenant of friendship with him. The sad element in this story is that Abraham had nearly spoiled what God was trying to do by lying. God wanted to reveal Himself to this foreign nation through Abraham, yet Abraham's habit of lying to protect himself almost defeated God's plan. In the passage we're reading in this episode, the king came to Abraham to ask that he promise never to lie to him again (Ge 20:2-5), and in the middle of their discussion Abraham complained that a well he had dug had been stolen by Philistines. Uncomfortably aware that his honesty was no longer considered reliable, he made a dramatic gesture to emphasize that he was telling the truth this time. Jesus told His followers that our yes must mean yes and our no must mean no (Mt 5:33-37). He wanted people to know that His followers would always tell the truth and would keep their promises. Believers should never need to swear we're telling the truth because we should have no history of lying. Yet many do and, like Abraham, we damage our witness to the world. Today we'll look at why honesty is so important and remind ourselves of key attitudes which help us tell the truth. To receive a free copy of Dr. Steve Schell's newest book Study Verse by Verse: Revelation, email us at info@lifelessonspublishing.com and ask for your copy at no charge!  Also check out our website at lifelessonspublishing.com for additional resources for pastors and leaders. We have recorded classes and other materials offered at no charge.  

When Abraham disinherited Ishmael and abandoned him in the wilderness, he instantly turned Hagar into a single mom. Being the single mother of a teenage boy is quite a challenge, but Hagar took steps to see that her son would successfully grow into manhood. Many women and men who face the prospect of raising their children alone, without the support of a spouse, may find themselves wondering if their efforts are doomed to failure. In our lesson for today we see that such negative thinking forgets the reality of God as our father, and discounts what He can accomplish through a parent who will obey Him. Hagar's example teaches us some powerful lessons about parenting. To receive a free copy of Dr. Steve Schell's newest book Study Verse by Verse: Revelation, email us at info@lifelessonspublishing.com and ask for your copy at no charge!  Also check out our website at lifelessonspublishing.com for additional resources for pastors and leaders. We have recorded classes and other materials offered at no charge.    

The cities of Sodom and Gomorrah became infamous examples of what happens when people let their sexual appetites run wild. Throughout human history their names have been associated with cultures which defied God's moral standards. One of the sins practiced in these cities was homosexuality, and today in America this subject has become very controversial, both in our society at large as well as in certain Christian denominations.The topic tends to stir up emotions and confusion with numerous challenging questions needing an answer. In this discussion, we'll try to answer some of these questions and remind ourselves of how God wants us to respond to this and other forms of addictive behavior. To receive a free copy of Dr. Steve Schell's newest book Study Verse by Verse: Revelation, email us at info@lifelessonspublishing.com and ask for your copy at no charge!  Also check out our website at lifelessonspublishing.com for additional resources for pastors and leaders. We have recorded classes and other materials offered at no charge.  

God was working with Abraham's heart and teaching his mind so that he would have a faith that could be passed on from generation to generation. Here the Lord uses the judgment of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to teach some foundational spiritual truths. These are truths that God knew he must understand, and they are truths that we also must understand if we are going to live lives that are not corrupted by the temptations that surround us. It's not enough for our hearts to desire to please God, we must also have understanding if we are to resist temptation and to continue to trust Him. To receive a free copy of Dr. Steve Schell's newest book Study Verse by Verse: Revelation, email us at info@lifelessonspublishing.com and ask for your copy at no charge!  Also check out our website at lifelessonspublishing.com for additional resources for pastors and leaders. We have recorded classes and other materials offered at no charge.  

As humans we have a tendency to be passive and self-centered. We stand back and wait for life to come to us and we choose things on the basis of how much pleasure or benefit we get out of them. Both of these are poor attitudes in any situation, but when it comes to our relationship with God they are exactly the opposite of what we should do. In this chapter of Genesis Abraham models qualities which should be foundational for every person's worship life. It's true we are reading about a very unusual encounter between someone and God, but the way Abraham reacted that afternoon was anything but passive or self-centered. He was a man who loved the Lord and who God referred to as His "friend" (Isa 41:18; 2Ch 20:7; Jas 2:23), and we would be wise to observe the way he treated the Lord and do likewise when we worship Him. To receive a free copy of Dr. Steve Schell's newest book Study Verse by Verse: Revelation, email us at info@lifelessonspublishing.com and ask for your copy at no charge!  Also check out our website at lifelessonspublishing.com for additional resources for pastors and leaders. We have recorded classes and other materials offered at no charge.  

Everyone of us is getting older a day at a time, and there is no stopping the process. People do what they can to preserve their youthfulness, but the passing years still sweep us along until one day it occurs to us we're getting old. How we handle this revelation is one of the most important keys to productivity and happiness in life. Many people don't like to talk about getting older because It reminds them that in the end they'll die. So they live in a constant state of denial, meaning they refuse to let their conscious mind think about such things, while their subconscious mind tries to cope with growing amounts of anger and fear by itself. In Genesis 25:8 a wonderful statement is made about Abraham. It says, "Abraham breathed his last and died an old man and satisfied with life, and he was gathered to his people." The picture is that of a man who's at peace with God and is satisfied that he has accomplished his purpose in life and is not afraid of what's ahead. Like going to sleep, he simply let go and moved on, and there would be few blessings more precious in life than that. Like Abraham, we need to adjust our perspective on life so that we don't have a negative view of getting old, and when it comes time for us to move on, we too will be satisfied with life and gathered to our people. To receive a free copy of Dr. Steve Schell's newest book Study Verse by Verse: Revelation, email us at info@lifelessonspublishing.com and ask for your copy at no charge!  Also check out our website at lifelessonspublishing.com for additional resources for pastors and leaders. We have recorded classes and other materials offered at no charge.

If you were to put into a simple statement God's goal for Abraham it would be this: God made Abraham into a great father. Even his name reveals God's plan: Abram means "great-father" and "Abraham" means "father of many." When we read the story of his life we are reading about one of the major events in God's plan to offer eternal life to humans. Through Abraham and Sarah a family was begun which passed saving faith on to their children, one generation after another. In time this family grew into a nation and 1,400 years after that the Son of God was born as a member of that nation (Mt 1:1). Abraham was the first in a new strategy by which God would produce an unbroken chain of "saved" people from Abraham to the birth of Jesus. Believing parents, with a special burden placed on fathers, would pass their faith on to their children, who in turn would pass it on to their children. God's preparation of Abraham to be a father concerned much more than just his physical conception of a son. It required intense spiritual preparation so that he could pass on the kind of faith that brings the gift of righteousness (Ge 15:6) and the blessing of God's powerful presence (Ge 17:7,8). Today God still calls His followers to become anointed parents and there's still a special calling placed on men to be fathers. To receive a free copy of Dr. Steve Schell's newest book Study Verse by Verse: Revelation, email us at info@lifelessonspublishing.com and ask for your copy at no charge!  Also check out our website at lifelessonspublishing.com for additional resources for pastors and leaders. We have recorded classes and other materials offered at no charge.    

If you were to put into a simple statement God's goal for Abraham, it would be this: God made Abraham into a great father. Even his name reveals God's plan: Abram means "great-father" and "Abraham" means "father of many." When we read the story of his life, we are reading about one of the major events in God's plan to offer eternal life to humans. Through Abraham and Sarah a family was begun which passed saving faith on to their children, one generation after another. In time this family grew into a nation and 1,400 years after that the Son of God was born as a member of that nation (Mt 1:1). Abraham was the first in a new strategy by which God would produce an unbroken chain of "saved" people from Abraham to the birth of Jesus. Believing parents, with a special burden placed on fathers, would pass their faith on to their children, who in turn would pass it on to their children. God's preparation of Abraham to be a father concerned much more than just his physical conception of a son. It required intense spiritual preparation so that he could pass on the kind of faith that brings the gift of righteousness (Ge 15:6) and the blessing of God's powerful presence (Ge 17:7,8). Today God still calls His followers to become anointed parents and there's still a special calling placed on men to be fathers. To receive a free copy of Dr. Steve Schell's newest book Study Verse by Verse: Revelation, email us at info@lifelessonspublishing.com and ask for your copy at no charge!  Also check out our website at lifelessonspublishing.com for additional resources for pastors and leaders. We have recorded classes and other materials offered at no charge.  

There are many people who would like to walk with God but are convinced that their weaknesses, fears and foolish mistakes make it impossible. They might say something like this: "I know God is powerful, but it isn't God I'm worried about; it's me. I don't seem to have what it takes to live a victorious life. I'm afraid I have already or will in the future mess up His plans for me. I make bad choices, I fear stepping out in faith, I'm weak in the face of temptation. Don't I have to perfectly obey God for Him to be in control of my life?" Mercifully, the answer is no. Abraham and Sarah are examples of God's ability to overrule disobedience, slow obedience and partial obedience. Poor choices delayed God's purpose and created hardships for Abraham and Sarah, but it didn't prevent Him from accomplishing His plan for their lives. The record of their lives ought to give us great hope, because it proves that what God requires of us is not impossibly out of reach because it relies on His power and faithfulness much more than it does ours. To receive a free copy of Dr. Steve Schell's newest book Study Verse by Verse: Revelation, email us at info@lifelessonspublishing.com and ask for your copy at no charge!  Also check out our website at lifelessonspublishing.com for additional resources for pastors and leaders. We have recorded classes and other materials offered at no charge.  

Hagar was only an Egyptian slave who had been given as a maid-in-waiting to Sarai by the Pharaoh of Egypt. She was part of the dowry he paid to Abram for Sarai's hand in marriage (Ge 12:15,16), so whatever Hagar knew about the true God she had learned from this Hebrew couple she served. Sadly, she was drawn into the middle of their marriage as a solution to their painful barrenness. Trouble quickly erupted, as one would expect, but in her darkest hour she discovers the heart of God. She learned that He sees and cares about even a household servant and has a wonderful plan for her. She learned that He is a God who sees all things, and we need to learn the same truth. To receive a free copy of Dr. Steve Schell's newest book Study Verse by Verse: Revelation, email us at info@lifelessonspublishing.com and ask for your copy at no charge!  Also check out our website at lifelessonspublishing.com for additional resources for pastors and leaders. We have recorded classes and other materials offered at no charge.  

Just as a natural parent conceives life and nurtures a growing child, it is possible to be a spiritual parent who reproduces spiritual life in another and nurtures a growing believer. As we are go through the life of Abraham and Sarah, we see that the main thing God is doing is preparing this couple to not only be physical parents of one son but spiritual parents of many people. Like them, we are also spiritual parents. God wants to bring spiritual life through us as well.  To receive a free copy of Dr. Steve Schell's newest book Study Verse by Verse: Revelation, email us at info@lifelessonspublishing.com and ask for your copy at no charge!  Also check out our website at lifelessonspublishing.com for additional resources for pastors and leaders. We have recorded classes and other materials offered at no charge.