By Derek Westmoreland Senior Pastor, Hopewell Baptist Church, Savannah Focal Passage: Genesis 15:1-7, 13-16 So far in our journey through Genesis we have addressed God’s creation, the institution of marriage and family, the first murder, the fall and its repercussions, the flood and its judgment, the scattering of the people and finally God establishing His covenant with Abram. Now we see Abram waiting for the promises of the covenant to

By Derek Westmoreland Senior Pastor, Hopewell Baptist Church, Savannah Focal Passage: Genesis 12:1-9 As chapter 12 begins, we find Abram who was introduced in chapter 11 (v. 26) pushed to the forefront of the story. In verses 1-9 Abram is called to leave his place of comfort for the land God promises to give to him and his descendants. It is the spiritual picture of one leaving their old way

By Derek Westmoreland Senior Pastor, Hopewell Baptist Church, Savannah Focal Passage: Genesis 11:1-9 It is a humbling situation (i.e. foreign land) when you cannot verbally communicate with those around you. In Genesis 11:1-9 we find God responding to the rebellion of man by confusing their language. As a result of what happened that day, we now have well over 6,000 languages on planet earth. I. The nature of man is

By Derek Westmoreland Senior Pastor, Hopewell Baptist Church, Savannah Focal Passage: Genesis 8:15-22; 9:1, 11-16 I. God directed. The flood waters had receded but Noah had not yet received permission to disembark the ark. Noah did not know what to do next and then in Genesis 8:15-19 the Lord provided permission to exit and provided instruction for Noah. The Lord commanded him first to leave the ark with his wife,

By Derek Westmoreland Senior Pastor, Hopewell Baptist Church, Savannah Focal Passage: Genesis 6:11-18, 7:11-14 I. The earth is corrupt. Verse 11 says, “Now the earth was corrupt in the sight of God, and the earth was filled with violence (NASU). The earth refers to the people living on earth. The earth was corrupt. Violence was common and violent acts follow corrupt hearts. Everywhere Noah looked he saw sin. It was

By Derek Westmoreland Senior Pastor, Hopewell Baptist Church, Savannah Focal Passage: Genesis 3:1-7, 14-19 I. Temptation. In verse 1a the serpent tempted Eve. As the devil (Revelation 12:9, 20:2) tempted Eve, he began in verse 1 by addressing her intellect when he said “Indeed, has God said, ‘You shall not eat from any tree of the garden’?” The devil implied that if God really loved Eve, He would be more

Derek Westmoreland Senior Pastor of Hopewell Baptist Church, Savannah Focal Passage: Genesis 2:4-9, 5-18 In Genesis 2:4 we find a new reference to “God.” In Genesis 1:1 – 2:3 we find the word “Elohim” in the Hebrew which is translated “God.” The word refers to God as the Creator. In Genesis 2:4, we find the phrase “LORD God.” “God” is the Hebrew word Elohim, while “LORD” in all capitals comes

By Derek Westmoreland Senior Pastor of Hopewell Baptist Church, Savannah Focal Passage: Genesis 1:1-5, 6-31; 2:1-3 I. God did the creating. God was not created in the beginning (Genesis 1:1). God was in the beginning creating all that we read in Genesis 1 (John 1:1-1:3, Hebrews 1:2-3). The word translated “God” throughout Genesis 1 is the Hebrew word “Elohim.” It means “Creator.” It is not until 2:4b that the name

Troy Styer Pastor, First Baptist Church, Grand Junction Focal Passage: Revelation 21:1-7 John moves from a vision of doom and gloom in chapter 20 to a vision of glory in chapter 21. I don’t take great pleasure in attending weddings. I usually only attend if I am forced to or there is the promise of good food. One wedding that I have already made sure I will be attending is

Troy Styer Pastor, First Baptist Church, Grand Junction Focal Passage: Revelation 9:1-12 John opens up chapter nine by sharing with us what is found when the fifth trumpet is blown. He shows an army of locusts, the actions of the locusts, the appearance of the locusts, and the angel of the locusts. Yet, these are no ordinary locusts but rather demons on a mission. As John describes these various things,