“What’s Your Name?” – Genesis 32:26-28

Genesis 32:26-28

“Then he said, “Let me go, for the day has broken.” But Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” And he said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.” Then he said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed.”

“What’s in a name?” William Shakespeare

Do names really matter other than to distinguish us from those around us? Not if you ask the seven Kaitlyns or four Braydens in the youth group! Some have names that reference honored family members up the line. Some have names that parents hoped would give their son or daughter a leg up in life. Some parents just wanted to be funny without considering the consequences of naming their child ‘Fisher’ Price (that one was actually vetoed by my wife).

Sometimes a new name can mean a new start. It’s not uncommon for kids to try to shake a name or nickname upon entering college in a new town. Jacob’s parents hit the target with his name, which meant “trickster.” He had “lived up to his name” in the way he swindled those around him to always get the better side of a deal. And now he was fleeing because of it.

In the Bible, several people were given new names, signifying a shift in the person’s narrative and a new calling to live up to – Abram to Abraham, Saul to Paul, Simon to Peter, and Jacob to Israel. In each case, God (or Jesus) was saying, “I see you, I see what is in you and I see what I will accomplish through you.” What a blessing to step out of a name that has so much baggage attached to it and into a name that calls us to something greater.

That is the picture of salvation, not only saved FROM our past but FOR a future. Like Jacob, our future may involve struggles with men and God, but it will also involve an eternal purpose and the blessings set aside for those who are called by His name.

While using the HEAR method (see below) consider the following questions: 
  • Did you have a nickname as a child or with a certain group of friends? Let us know in the comments below (it’ll be our little secret). 
  • Do you think a name change can be powerful to an individual? How so? 
Highlight – what words or phrases jump out at you? 
Explain – what does the passage mean? 
Apply – how does the passage intersect with your life today? 
Respond – how is God leading you to respond?
Jon Price, Associate Pastor
Photo by Holly Mindrup on Unsplash

“What’s Your Name?” – Genesis 32:26-28 Read More »

“Wrestling Requires a Prize” – Genesis 32:24-25, 30-32

Genesis 32:24-25, 30-32

“And Jacob was left alone. And a man wrestled with him until the breaking of the day. When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he touched his hip socket, and Jacob’s hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him.

“So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel, saying, “For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life has been delivered.” The sun rose upon him as he passed Penuel, limping because of his hip. Therefore to this day, the people of Israel do not eat the sinew of the thigh that is on the hip socket, because he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip on the sinew of the thigh.”

When my two girls were four and six years old, I was invited to the local amateur wrestling championship to say a prayer before it began. Yes, the kind that you jump off the top rope, and, well, don’t tell anyone, but the “fake” wrestling. What an event! (Hold your questions ’til the end)

Everything was hilarious and fun hanging out with our friends until we noticed my 4-year-old. Her initial fear turned into an intense passion. She screamed with the crowd, picked her favorite, and even yelled at the “bad guy.” And though she grew out of it, her dream was to be the greatest female wrestler and win the championship belt.

As you read this experience where Jacob wrestled with the angel, you can see that there is nothing fake about it. His uncle is chasing from behind and his brother is chasing from the front, and both are ready to hurt him. Everything Jacob owns, along with his family is on its way to his brother, Esau, to hopefully soften his anger. Then an angel shows up and Jacob decides to have a wrestling match.

Among other things that we will cover this week, what was Jacob thinking? It was simple. Jacob needed what everyone who wrestles needs: a prize. It wasn’t the honor to be called the winner. It wasn’t to win a belt. Jacob would not give up until God blessed him. If you are wrestling with God, what prize are you looking for? What is the point of struggling with God if there is no point to the struggle?

Jacob wanted a blessing and God blessed him. In reality, God had already blessed him, but He used this wrestling match to open Jacob’s eyes to that blessing. This example shows us that it’s OK to wrestle with God if you have a struggle. It’s in these experiences where God gets personal with you and reveals something about you and your situation that you need to see.

While using the HEAR method (see below) consider the following question: 
  • Under the following scenarios, what prize might you be seeking by wrestling with God? 
    • When you’re angry
    • When you have questions 
    • When you’re under conviction
    • When you’re overwhelmed 
Highlight – what words or phrases jump out at you? 
Explain – what does the passage mean? 
Apply – how does the passage intersect with your life today? 
Respond – how is God leading you to respond?
Pastor Stephen Williams 

Photo by Jason Pofahl on Unsplash

“Wrestling Requires a Prize” – Genesis 32:24-25, 30-32 Read More »

“When to Ask for Help” – Genesis 32:6-8,11-12

Genesis 32:6-8,11-12

“And the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, “We came to your brother Esau, and he is coming to meet you, and there are four hundred men with him.” Then Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed. He divided the people who were with him, and the flocks and herds and camels, into two camps, thinking, “If Esau comes to the one camp and attacks it, then the camp that is left will escape.”


“Please deliver me from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau, for I fear him, that he may come and attack me, the mothers with the children. But you said, ‘I will surely do you good, and make your offspring as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.’”

Last week my son and I were working in the garage. I was building some cabinets and he was “building” something at his little workbench. He is only three so the masterpiece he was building was some scrap wood and old toys piled together, covered in wood glue. By the time he was done he had glue all over his hands. Now, this boy of mine is a little OCD so when he realized the mess that was all over him, he started to panic, whine, and try to wipe the glue off his hands onto his shirt. Instead of coming to me for help, he decided to take matters into his own hands. And that did not work out so well for him.

This is a picture of how we sometimes handle difficult situations in our own lives. When things do not go as planned, we panic and try to figure it out on our own, instead of turning to the One who can and will help us through any situation we find ourselves in. This is exactly where we find Jacob today in the scriptures. Esau is on his way to meet Jacob, and he has 400 men with him! Jacob’s first thought is that Esau is still mad at him and is going to attack him. And for good reason. Rewind several chapters in Genesis and we learn that Jacob has tricked Esau out of his birthright and cheated him out of the blessing from their father, Isaac.

So now Jacob decides to split the people who were with him into two camps, so if Esau did attack one camp, the other would survive. After he tries to figure it out for himself, he then prays to God for safety. And in the end, Esau was not mad at Jacob at all. Genesis 33:4 says when Esau met Jacob, he “embraced him and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept.” Jacob wasted so much time and energy trying to prepare for something bad he thought was going to happen, instead of first trusting in the Lord and seeking His guidance.

Is there anything in your life that is giving you anxiety and fear right now? If there is, are you trying to handle it on your own, or are you seeking wisdom from God? He already knows what is best for you in every situation, all you have to do is ask and wait for his guidance.

Using the HEAR method, take some time with the passage above. 

Highlight – what words or phrases jump out at you? 
Explain – what does the passage mean? 
Apply – how does the passage intersect with your life today? 
Respond – how is God leading you to respond?
Brice Alumbaugh
White balls of creased paper laying on the floor by photocreo www.elements.envato.com 

“When to Ask for Help” – Genesis 32:6-8,11-12 Read More »

“Who Keeps You Up at Night?” – Romans 9:1-5

Romans 9:1-5

“I am speaking the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit— that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh. They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises. To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen.”

Many of us know the pain of seeing someone we love make an unwise decision that will cause painful consequences for them down the road. Part of that pain involves the realization of what they will miss out on or what might be closed off to them due to their chosen path. When it’s someone we deeply care about, our attitude isn’t one of smugness, expressed in a “You’ll see,” or “I can’t wait to say I told you so.” Instead, it’s a burden that keeps us up at night.  

Paul had such a burden for his fellow Jews. They had the privilege of getting the first invite into a brand new covenant. It was foreshadowed for millennia in their sacred writings and traditions, extolled by their prophets, and priests, and considered their birthright as the chosen people of God. And somehow, it was packaged in a way that many of them didn’t see coming, through a messiah that didn’t fit their expectations. It was too different from the comfort of the old covenant. So they passed on the offer. They were missing out on the one thing they had been looking forward to since their inception as a people. They were stuck in a covenant that was no longer valid. 
And Paul was devastated for them. His grief took him to the point where he was willing to trade places with them. He would suffer the pain and cursed consequences, if only they would choose the right path. 
Would that we had such a burden for the people around us – the people in our family, the people we wave to as we leave our neighborhoods, the people next to us at the grocery store, the gym, or at work. 

While using the HEAR method (see below) consider the following questions: 

  • Are you losing sleep over any of the people in your life that haven’t taken advantage of what our loving God has offered? 
  • What would it look like if we had such a burden? How would it play out in our day-to-day? 
  • Take some time to pray that God would awaken a burden in you for the people that He has put in your life.  

Highlight – what words or phrases jump out at you? 

Explain – what does the passage mean? 
Apply – how does the passage intersect with your life today? 
Respond – how is God leading you to respond?
Jon Price, Associate Pastor
Photo by Jeremy Lishner on Unsplash

“Who Keeps You Up at Night?” – Romans 9:1-5 Read More »

“Moving from Skeptic to an Example of Faithfulness” – Hebrews 11:11-12

Hebrews 11:11-12

“By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised. Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore.”

How does one end up in the Faith Hall of Fame? Where does one start? How do we cultivate a relationship with God that takes us past the impossible? Although initially skeptical, Sarah turned a corner and her faith won out. The difference was a change of focus – from the impossible promise to the Omnipotent Promiser.

The Bible teaches us that God yearns for a relationship with us. How does our trust grow with him and develop into an ever-increasing sense of confidence that says, “God’s got this and He’s in control?” It starts simply with getting to know Him, studying His Word, and prayer. You begin by spending time with him — it starts early and goes late. 
God promises he’ll never leave us and he’s always there for us. I think of my darkest days when I just wanted to tie a knot and hang on, but it was God that reached out and pulled me up. I have learned the more time I spend with God, the greater the impact on my life (and those around me). Athletes who make the Hall of Fame will tell you it takes lots of practice and repetition. A relationship with God is no different. The more you give, the more you get. In our verses today, Sarah is able at the end of her life to look back with a chuckle and realize the impossible with God wasn’t that impossible after all.

We might not get the blessing of seeing all the fruit from our faithfulness on this side of life, but we can be confident in the One who is in control when we establish habits that remind us of His power and character, and love.

Prayer: Thank You Lord for Your promise that You will never leave us. Help us to have an ongoing and deepening relationship with You. Help us to come to You first for thanks, guidance, and direction. Help us grow in Your Word. Help us to find peace and joy in a relationship with You. Thank You for your never-ending love. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

While using the HEAR method (see below) consider the following questions: 
  • In your mind, what does an ideal relationship with God look like? Is it time spent in the morning, night, or on the way to work? What’s the best way to go about spending time with God? How do you achieve that and feel connected to God?
  • What if each time you went to get on social media you spent 5 minutes praying or reading God’s word? Would you be thankful and would your relationship with God grow, or would you resent it?

Highlight – what words or phrases jump out at you? 

Explain – what does the passage mean? 
Apply – how does the passage intersect with your life today? 
Respond – how is God leading you to respond?
Dr. Brit Jordan 
Photo by Quick PS on Unsplash

“Moving from Skeptic to an Example of Faithfulness” – Hebrews 11:11-12 Read More »

“The Boldness to Follow” – Hebrews 11:8-10

Hebrews 11:8-10


“By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God.”

Two words that people have trouble with in life are faith and obedience. These two words are simple, yet difficult for many people to fully understand. Faith has to do with trust, which is a precious attribute that many people have a hard time with on a daily basis. Many people don’t like to trust others because no one wants to feel betrayed. And, obedience is a hard word to follow after faith. We have a hard time obeying, giving away our control, especially when we can’t see what’s ahead.  God called Abraham to obey with faith, not with knowledge. He didn’t know where God was leading him, but he had enough faith to follow. All Abraham knew was that God had an inheritance for him. God promised to lead Abraham to a place that would be far better than where He was.

And He wants to lead us to a place that is far better than we could ever imagine. God is for His people. The journey might be difficult because we can’t see the future, but the God we follow can see every second, of every minute, of every hour, of every day, of every year, for all eternity. We can have faith and obey because He is worthy of our trust. My prayer is that we can have faith without borders. That we have the boldness to follow after Jesus no matter the cost. I know that’s a bold prayer to pray, but I believe with all my heart that the power of the Holy Spirit will sustain us on our journey. Abraham wanted to matter to the Kingdom, I want to matter to the Kingdom, and I know you want to matter to the Kingdom. Live by faith through obedience to God Almighty. 
While using the HEAR method (see below) consider the following questions:  
  • Why do you think it’s so difficult at times to trust God when we can’t see past the next step? 
  • Is God leading you to take a next step in faith? If so, what? What are your hesitations? 
  • We would love to help you take your next step. Just click here and someone will get in touch with you!  
Highlight – what words or phrases jump out at you? 
Explain – what does the passage mean? 
Apply – how does the passage intersect with your life today? 
Respond – how is God leading you to respond? 
Macon Jones, Student and Young Adult Pastor

“The Boldness to Follow” – Hebrews 11:8-10 Read More »