The State of the Union is in turmoil, and the country is divided on various issues that cause people to become tribal and gather in their enclaves while attacking one another across social media. Do they think that this will end well? This divide is intentional and is an effective weapon sent by the enemy of our souls. Our battle is a spiritual one – therefore, not easily detected. To be equipped with eyes to see and ears to hear, you must be actively seeking the will of the Lord over your comforts and desires. Only then will your eyes be opened to the truth and the wisdom given for your discernment.

Jacob's story as a patriarch demonstrates the difference between a life of obedience to God and a life of obedience to man. The family trait of deception and opportunism took center stage during the twenty years of indentured servitude to Laban. It was not only practiced in the immediate family of Jacob but also in the extended one. Under the protective bubble of his parents’ blessings from God, Jacob thought he could escape the consequences of his deception of his father. The outcome was God’s will and purpose, and Isaac accepted this with peace in his heart. For Jacob, however, God's purpose was what he was fleeing from. This time Jacob will see that God will allow us to be tested in order to surrender our will for his purpose - which is ultimately for our good.

Thirty-seven years of avoiding his brother’s wrath would pass since the time of the blessing of Jacob until a disturbing rumor was overheard by his mother, concerning Esau’s plan to kill his brother and reclaim his birthright after the death of their father.

Isaac and Rebekah enjoyed many years of relative peace because of God’s abiding presence and blessings. Yet, Rebekah was very aware of the combative nature of her twin sons. It all began in her womb, and the Lord explained prophetically what the outcome would be for these two nations she was carrying. So when she heard the news from the caravans concerning Esau’s promise of vengeance against his brother, she took her concerns to Isaac.

It was long past time for Jacob to marry and have a family. They told him the news of the threats coming from Esau’s camp and encouraged him to leave Canaan and go north to Paddan-aram to Laban, his mother Rebekah’s brother.

In this episode, our hero of the story, Isaac, the son of Abraham and Sarah, is prepared to take his place as head of the clan — the patriarch. He has shown himself to be an obedient and steadfast young man who did not refute or disagree with whatever his father expected of him. Like his father before him, Isaac proved himself righteous and ready to be tested by God as the patriarch. Abraham’s obedience and faith were counted as righteous before the Lord. It was now time for him to pass the mantle to his son and heir, Isaac, and with this, the necessity of finding him a wife amongst the people of his own tribe. It was time for the establishment of the birthright and subsequent blessing. It was time for Isaac to marry.

When Abram was ninety-nine years old the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless, that I may make my covenant between me and you, and may multiply you greatly” . . . Behold, my covenant is with you, and you shall be the father of a multitude of nations. No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham, for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations. I will make you exceedingly fruitful . . . and kings shall come from you. And I will establish my covenant between me and you and your offspring . . . for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you. And I will give to you and to your offspring after you the land of your sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession, and I will be their God.”

“The Lord said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him, “Lift up your eyes and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward, for all the land that you see I will give to you and to your offspring forever. I will make your offspring as the dust of the earth, so that if one can count the dust of the earth, your offspring also can be counted. Arise, walk through the length and the breadth of the land, for I will give it to you” (Genesis 13:14-18, ESV).

Curiosity is a wonderful trait for the inquiring human mind. It propels man to seek out and discover things that will teach and inform us. It is the foundation upon which explorers venture into unknown territory tenaciously. There are, however, some places where wisdom cautions the curious seeker to pause before proceeding any further. Knowledge for the sake of knowing that which is forbidden informs us of the consequences that would soon follow. And some consequences are devastatingly life-altering. When the moth flies too close to the flame, it is dangerously close to having its wings singed, rendering its ability to flee useless. One woman learned her learned to appreciate God’s grace amid the consequences of her quest for knowing of things best left unknown.

Children have very vivid imaginations, and when nurtured, they grow to produce works of art, excellent storytelling, or musical arrangements that convey the depth of their creativity. When tragedy strikes, and we’re shaken from our moorings, it may take a miracle to restore us to those people, places, and things that bring us back to that place called home. This story is entitled “A Place at the Table,” and provides us with a look into the picture-perfect snow globe of a family in a house that was built for that family. If we look closely, we’ll see that their family picture is not as perfect as it seems from a distance. Perfection will only be achieved when Jesus returns, but for our story, we will look to the hope of this world, a babe, found swaddled and lying in a humble manger in the little town of Bethlehem.

Our American culture has specific norms understood by all. Of course, the norms have changed through the years and are more relaxed. For instance, decades ago, a woman wouldn’t initiate a dating relationship with a man because it would be considered forward. Today, the approach is no longer questioned. The culture drives our norms – including dating norms. But not everyone follows the dating culture that is part of the American dating scene. There are social cues and morays to consider. But what happens if you haven’t dated in a very long time because the culture conflicts with your faith? Do you still date?

Many of us come from dysfunctional families and have parents whose names would never be put forward by their children to a survey of “best parents ever.” When we closely examine the parenting style of the patriarchs of God’s chosen people, we find that they were imperfect and prone to favoritism, lying, cheating, abuse, and all manner of sin acted out in God’s sight. Yet, their children survived and carried on these same behaviors throughout the generations. The hero from the Old Testament, whose name is synonymous with persecution, is Joseph, the second to youngest son of the great patriarch Jacob, who chose to live righteously. His story demonstrates God’s abounding grace amid patience and perseverance under fire.

Do you feel as if you’re living through an endless period asking God to help you? You might ask, “Does God hear my prayers? Does he pick and choose which prayers he will answer? Are there certain people who have God’s ear over others?” Yes, there are people whose prayers are heard by God and they are those who abide in Christ Jesus and are not hindered by unconfessed sin. The truth will be his response and if you are not prepared to accept the truth, then you have your answer. Sometimes change can be a painful process, but if we’re willing to trust God to walk us through the storm, we will come out stronger and wiser.

When we look at our image in a mirror, there are many who will inevitably find flaws and turn away perhaps feeling one way or another. We all look for emotional avenues to express how we feel and much of it occurs when we’re alone. Unspoken truths and feelings can be expressed in the presence of that cold image staring back at us behind the looking glass. If we don’t possess a firm foundation found only in the saving grace of Jesus Christ, the temptation to turn to worldly philosophies to satisfy an immediate need that is accompanied by a deep-seated hurt is imminent.

Hadassah, a young woman whose name was changed to Esther to save her life. A queen, who trusted God and stood in the gap for her people before the king. Queen Esther is the epitome of trust and obedience amid potential genocide. She is the second queen who stands in contrast to the first. Enjoy Part Two of “A Tale of Two Queens: Esther” and judge for yourself.

A princess is the daughter of a monarch – the ruler of a kingdom. Following her birth, she is cosseted and left in the care of handmaidens who will care for her, dress her and respond to her every whim. She brings value to her family in the form of strategic marriage alliances, and if she is beautiful, she would prove even more valuable through her father’s negotiations for the kingdom and the fortunes of her family. This week we will meet a woman who brought more than her beauty to the northern kingdom of Israel. She is a queen whose name lives in infamy - she is Jezebel.

Genesis 2:24 says, “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh” to demonstrate the ordinance set forth in the marriage covenant made before God. They are to rely on one another in all things. The mystery (and difficulty) of this type of union implies sacrificial responsibility – putting your spouse’s needs before your own.

Promises made and kept by a trustworthy partner are those that are highly valued. They supply comfort to the suffering soul, knowing that as the dawn breaks, their morning star is still with them. When a debilitating illness affects the family, how will God show his glory?

In this episode we’ll hear from Kinney, a woman who, along with her husband, built their safe harbor to withstand the winds and rain. They also built a ministry together alongside their individual careers and family. Sadly, the place originally intended as a sanctuary – their marriage – could no longer be their haven of peace and security. The shifting sands upon which the marriage was built also contained fault lines that were left unattended, and the waters seeping through the cracks eventually wore against the foundation. When the strongholds of our lives begin to crumble because of unforeseen winds, where can we run for safety? How can we reconcile the loss of that for which we placed all trust?

When it comes to our relationships with one another, we enter into our own understanding based on who we are and our past experiences. God created us for relationships, so it is inevitable that we will have conflict because we are fallen creatures.

Daphne and Melissa are joined by Jimmy Saenz (Melissa’s husband) as they sit down and have a frank discussion about marriage from two perspectives: married or single in today’s culture. And they talk about what they heard from Chris and Carmen Garner of Fortified Marriages Ministries.

God created marriage for man and woman to enjoy one another and provided the perfect landscape that was fortified with boundaries instituted by God for their welfare. For those who are called into this covenantal institution, you know and understand the work required to protect the union at all times. Chris and Carmen Garner, Marriage and Family counselors understand and have built their ministry on the biblical principle found in Matthew 7:24. They believe this so much that they named their ministry Fortified Marriages, and used a castle fortress to depict the necessity of providing tools and resources for building a strong Christian marriage.

God created marriage for man and woman to enjoy one another and provided the perfect landscape that was fortified with boundaries instituted by God for their welfare. For those who are called into this covenantal institution, you know and understand the work required to protect the union at all times. Chris and Carmen Garner, Marriage and Family counselors understand and have built their ministry on the biblical principle found in Matthew 7:24. They believe this so much that they named their ministry Fortified Marriages, and used a castle fortress to depict the necessity of providing tools and resources for building a strong Christian marriage.

Everyone loves an epic tale – a sweeping drama with historical figures and heart-pounding action. These stories keep the listener spellbound and on the edge of their seat. The Bible contains such dramas within many of the books of the Old Testament. The historical account of Noah and the Great Flood has been exhaustively researched and compared with traditions or stories that seemingly corroborate the validity of what was written in the Book of Genesis. Let’s listen to this first drama of our new series: The Heroes of the Old Testament.