Author: Norm

SCRIPTURE: Genesis 40:1-23 OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: Joseph continues to honour God, even though he was forcibly taken from his homeland, and falsely jailed for a crime he did not commit. He has not despaired of God’s hand, and affirms that He is still in charge, the only one that can interpret dreams. His appeal to the cup-bearer to…

SCRIPTURE: Genesis 39:1-23 OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: Joseph had been a spoiled child, which led to his brother’s hatred and betrayal. Yet by the time he arrives in Egypt (a long journey by caravan), something has happened to his heart, softened by fear, grief, and perhaps repentance. Humbled before God, he does not wallow in despair but he lives…

SCRIPTURE: Genesis 38:1-30 OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: Here we see in dramatic fashion how God works in this sinful world – not affirming the sin, but working through the sin – to accomplish His purpose. Moralistic preaching takes Bible characters and says “be like them” or “don’t be like them”, but often the very best characters live shady lives….

SCRIPTURE: Genesis 37:12-36 OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: “How the mighty have fallen!” “Pride goes before the fall”. Joseph is learning humility through hardship. Even though what his brothers did was wrong, God uses this situation to (a) accomplish His ultimate purpose of rescuing His people, and (b) to build deep, humble faith in Joseph, so that he can be…

SCRIPTURE: Genesis 37:1-11 OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: Here we see God at work in the ordinary circumstances of a spoiled son, hated by his brothers, and quite up on himself. God uses these common circumstances to get Joseph to Egypt, so that one day he can help his family, and save the promised people of Israel. The hero in…

SCRIPTURE: Acts 19:23-41 OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: The message of Jesus can be very disruptive to a community, as many missionaries have discovered. Fortunately the city clerk spoke with a voice of reason. This is a “God-moment”, where God speaks through an unsuspecting servant (who thinks he’s speaking for Artermis). God doesn’t always work things out this way, but…

SCRIPTURE: Acts 19:1-22 OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: Here we see the mysterious way the word of the Lord (ie message of good news, not the Bible which was not written yet) moved: baptism of the Holy Spirit, tongues and prophecying, handkerchiefs and aprons healing people, casting out demons (and demons beating up fakes). The results were powerful, dramatic conversions…

SCRIPTURE: Acts 18:18-28 OBSERVATION: It is amazing to me that in a time with so little information available (no “Christian” books, bookstores, seminaries, catechisms, etc), the Lord still got His message out, even through Apollos, who was a follower of John the Baptist, yet taught about Jesus in a remarkably accurate way. This passage shows how…

SCRIPTURE: Acts 18:1-17 OBSERVATION: Paul’s preaching inspires faith and provokes conflict. Regardless of the response, the Lord wants us to declare the message. If people reject it, or refuse to listen, that is their decision. We do not force people to believe (or not believe) something, like the Jews did, but respectfully allow people to make…

SCRIPTURE: Acts 17:16-34 OBSERVATION: Paul starts with the “faith” of non-Christians, and builds his message on what they already believe, expanding their present “faith” with what God is like (not a statue!), and how God is ultimately revealed in Jesus. The resurrection is too much for these philosophers, as it still is for many today. And…