Discover the Word Podcast

This series of 15 conversations revisits the story of a world-class liar and deceiver. The intent is to find insight and perspective as we explore together what Jacob, the father of the original 12 tribes of Israel contributes to the bigger story of Jesus— and to us. Even though he was a grandson of Abraham, Jacob turned out to be so dishonest that he had to leave home to avoid being killed by the older brother he betrayed. Yet his legacy is as wonderful as it is mysterious. God loved Jacob, and chose him to be a blessing to every family of the earth. What was God trying to tell us?Receive Jacob turned out to be so dishonest that he had to leave home to avoid being killed by the older brother he betrayed. Yet his legacy is as wonderful as it is mysterious.  Although Jacob’s life and relationships raise lots of questions, we can see that God still loved Jacob and God chose him to be a blessing to every family of the earth.  As we reflect on Jacob’s story, we can rejoice that God loves us despite our flaws, struggles, and weaknesses and can still use us to be a blessing to many.    Reflect  How might Rebekah have justified the scheme to deceive her husband as we find in Genesis 27:41– 45? Why would God offer not only to provide and protect a man like Jacob, but also to make him part of the story that would bring blessing to the whole world as we read in Genesis 28:10–17? In Genesis 28:18–22, was Jacob expressing the kind of faith that pleases God or trying to put conditions on his faith? Based on Genesis 31:5–7, what was happening in Jacob during those twenty years of struggle and betrayal while living with and working for his dishonest father-in-law?  Respond (Use this prayer to start a conversation with God) “Dear God, thank You for loving me despite my flaws, mistakes, and past. Thank You for Your mercy, grace, and forgiveness. Help me to surrender to You in every area of my life and to trust You in every season.”   Discover more about the topics in this episode with these recommended resources Mentioned in this episode: Our Daily Bread Ministries' Press Giving Campaign   Listen: The Master of Forgiveness  Myths of Forgiveness  Read: A Socially Suspect Ancestry  The Forgiveness of God Watch: Jerusalem – The City of Forgiveness (The Holy Land)  Jerusalem – The Cost of Forgiveness (The Holy Land)

This series of 15 conversations revisits the story of a world-class liar and deceiver. The intent is to find insight and perspective as we explore together what Jacob, the father of the original 12 tribes of Israel contributes to the bigger story of Jesus— and to us. Even though he was a grandson of Abraham, Jacob turned out to be so dishonest that he had to leave home to avoid being killed by the older brother he betrayed. Yet his legacy is as wonderful as it is mysterious. God loved Jacob, and chose him to be a blessing to every family of the earth. What was God trying to tell us?Receive When we consider Jacob’s life and ponder his legacy, let’s remember that God is in the redemption business.  Even though Jacob was a world-class liar and deceiver God loved him. Jacob became the father of the original 12 tribes of Israel and God used him to be a blessing to every family on the earth.  God’s ways may seem mysterious to us at times, but we can trust that He is working things out for our good. We can trust God’s loving kindness, mercy, and grace even when we don’t understand His ways.    Reflect  Keeping in mind the big picture of Scripture, how can a God who wants to be known for fairness, justice, and mercy, be a God who favors one person over another as we read in Genesis 25:21–28?   Based on Genesis 12:1–3, how is Jacob’s story more than simply a favorite son or daughter problem? What could be the possible reason for Jacob’s unusual name found in Genesis 25:24–26?   Respond (Use this prayer to start a conversation with God) “Dear God, thank You that I can trust You even when I don’t understand how You are working in my life. Help me to overcome my doubts, fear, or confusion by knowing that You are good and You are working things out for my good.”   Discover more about the topics in this episode with these recommended resources Mentioned in this episode: Our Daily Bread Stories of Impact Listen: Forgiveness, The Story of Easter  Whole Man Podcast  Read: God’s Promise to a Crooked People  How We Got Here  It's Not Fair, God Watch: From Prison Walls to Purpose: The Cornelius Family’s Story of Redemption  Our Daily Redeemer

Have you ever struggled with the question "what am I supposed to do with my life?" From pretty early on in our lives, we begin to ask that question, only to discover that it reappears in almost every stage of life. So, this week, Daniel is going to lead Elisa and Bill and Rasool in looking at a few stories of “calling” in the Bible and see how these stories might help us think through where we currently are, how God may be leading us in whatever season we’re in, and what the answer to that question—what am I supposed to do with my life?—might be for us right now. Hearing God's Call is the focus of this series of conversations on Discover the Word. Receive If you've ever struggled with the question, "What am I supposed to do with my life?" be encouraged that you're not alone. Questioning what you're supposed to do with your life, no matter what stage you're in, is a common and valid question. As we look at a few stories of “calling” in the Bible, let's see how these stories might help us think through where we currently are and how God may be leading us in whatever season we’re in.  We can take heart that regardless of where we are in life right now, God is calling us into an ever-deepening relationship with Him, where we're being transformed into the person that God has made us to be. Reflect  Why is Genesis 1–3 a good passage to begin with to discuss “calling” in the Bible? According to Esther 4, how much of Esther’s story, or calling, has to do with what she wanted versus having to respond to what happened to her? Based on Ruth 1:1–18, how does Ruth's story demonstrate how faithfulness in the everyday is part of God’s calling on all our lives, especially when we can’t see what may come? According to Amos 1:1 and Amos 7:10–15, how does Amos' story show us that God can call us out of our comfort zones and skill sets to do the work He has for us to do? What can Paul and Ananias in Acts 9:1–22 teach us about our primary calling in life?   Respond (Use this prayer to start a conversation with God) “Dear God, thank You that You've called me to have a deeper relationship with You. Help me to follow You and serve You even if it seems ordinary and mundane, if it means stepping out of my comfort zone, or I feel unqualified."   Discover more about the topics in this episode with these recommended resources Mentioned in this episode: 7 Bible Stories to Hear God's Calling (Reclaim Today)   Listen: Answer the Call   God Hears Her Podcast: Your Everyday Purpose (Elisa, Eryn and Vivian) Read: The Call to Discipleship: Embracing the Journey of Following Christ  Discipleship and Obedience  Watch: Outside Your Comfort Zone | Acts 10  A Call to Something New (Matthew 4:19-22)

Bill Crowder admits to being a Christmas junkie. It's easy to feel the joy of celebrating Jesus' birth. But it's the message of Easter, and Jesus' resurrection, that fueled the growth of the early church. Join the group as Bill leads Elisa and Daniel and Rasool in exploring how and why The Message of Good News is still the transformative truth that Jesus conquered sin and death, and has proven His power to deliver us from eternal destruction. Jesus' resurrection is at the center of The Message of Good News.Receive The message of Jesus’ resurrection isn’t meant to be celebrated just on Easter Sunday. Every Sunday is Easter Sunday! Jesus’ resurrection is what fueled the growth of the early church. The message of good news is still the transformative truth that Jesus conquered sin and death and has proven His power to deliver us from eternal destruction.   As we reflect on Jesus’ resurrection, let’s remember that the message of good news is the centerpiece of God’s rescue plan for a broken world. And it’s central to our Christian walk.  As we ponder how the good news of Jesus’ resurrection was presented for the first time, let’s rejoice knowing the resurrection really is the hinge on which all of history turns. Reflect  How do the events recorded in Luke 24:1–12 still impact our Christian faith not just on Easter but today?  According to Acts 1:1–3, how was Jesus preparing the Eleven during those 40 days? What was He preparing them for? What makes Peter’s first sermon on Pentecost that’s found in Acts 2:1–32 still so impactful? Why did Peter include Psalm 16:8 –11 in his sermon?  Respond (Use this prayer to start a conversation with God) “Dear God, thank You for sending Jesus to die for my sins. Thank You for raising Him from the dead on the third day! Help me to never take the message of good news for granted. Help me to keep Jesus’ sacrificial death and glorious resurrection at the center of my life.” Discover more about the topics in this episode with these recommended resources Mentioned in this episode: God Hears Her Podcast: Understanding Easter  Our Daily Bread Ministries Publishing  Listen: Cross Stations - Week 1  Cross Stations - Week 2  Read: What Is the Easter Event?  Hunting for Resurrection Hope  Watch: Alive and Reconciled | Ephesians 2:16  The Empty Tomb - Matthew 28:6  

A covenant is a type of contractual agreement we see in Scripture. The covenants God has made with humanity are significant benchmarks in the Scriptures. Adamic, Noahic, Abrahamic, Davidic, and the New Covenant all serve as critical moments when God has demonstrated his grace and mercy to humanity. But they aren’t the only covenants or contracts we find in Scripture or in many churches. There are also the Unspoken Contracts that people have made with God. Though God never agreed to them, many of us hold him to them anyway. This series will explore the Unspoken Contracts we find many mistakenly make in the Bible and how we can identify them and replace them with the Spoken Covenants that we should actually build our faith upon. Receive Throughout the Bible, we see God making covenants with His people from Adam, Noah, Abraham, David, to the New Covenant through Jesus. But those aren’t the only covenants, or contracts, we find in Scripture or in many churches today.  There are also unspoken contracts that people, including us, have made with God. Though God never agreed to them, many of us try to hold Him to them anyway. We expect God to work in a specific way. If we have unspoken contracts with God, it’s good to identify them and replace them with God’s promises in the Bible. Reflect  Why was God’s contract/covenant with Abram in Genesis 15:1–10 particularly notable?  What unspoken contract did Abram and Sarai try to hold God to in Genesis 16:3–6? What was the result?  Based on Moses’ complaint in Exodus 5:3–9, what unspoken contract did he mistakenly have with God? Throughout the book of Job, what are some of the unspoken contracts his friends believed about why he was suffering? What is the unspoken contract driving Martha in Luke 10:38–42?  How was Martha able to tear up her unspoken contract and embrace Jesus’ spoken contract in John 11:20–27?   What was Peter’s unspoken contract in Matthew 26:31–35 and Matthew 26:69–75? Based on 1 Peter 5:5–6, what did Peter replace his unspoken contract with later in life?   Respond (Use this prayer to start a conversation with God) “Dear God, thank You for Your love and patience as I recognize and replace the unspoken contracts I may have in my life. Help me identify where I’m making assumptions about how You should act. Help me to replace those assumptions and expectations by trusting Your faithful promises in the Bible.”  Discover more about the topics in this episode with these recommended resources Mentioned in this episode: Faith Under Construction podcast  Listen: Promise Keeper (with Shannon Popkin) on God Hears Her Podcast  Misunderstanding Martha  Read: God’s Faithfulness to His Promises A Covenant Keeping God Mary, Martha, and Jesus  Watch: Abraham & Waiting on God’s Promises  What Do We Desire of God? (Matthew 5–7)