Aspen Grove Podcast

In Genesis 18, God appears as a person to speak with Abraham and Sarah once more. But is God like us? What can we expect from him?

Unbelievable news sometimes makes us have an unbelievable response. In Genesis 18, Sarah is shocked by what God says. She believes, but has trouble fully believing. That can be true of us sometimes, too!

In Genesis 17, 13 years after the birth of Abram's son Ishmael by Hagar, God appears again to reiterate the promise. But this time, God sets expectations for Abram to fulfill...changing his name and asking him to (literally) put some skin in the game. 

What's so special about a name? Why would God change Abram's name to Abraham? What does that show us that God does for us?

Abram's story in Genesis is a bumpy one. There are lots of ups and downs, and Genesis 16 is a pretty major low point...an epic facepalm moment. What can we learn from this massive failure, and how do we see God work through it?

Kids often say, "Hey, watch this!" Why do you think that is? Well, we have a need to be seen! And in Genesis 16, we learn an important truth about God: He sees us!

Waiting for God to do what He said He would do can be hard! Abram's faith is challenged as He waits for God to give Him a son. But God gives Abram a beautiful reassurance that He is a promise-keeping God!

Faith is a central theme in Abraham's story. In Genesis 15, we see that faith challenged and stretched. Plus, we are reminded of the connection between faith and righteousness. In all these things, God reminds us that He is good, and He is able to keep His promises!

Genesis 14 shows us the difficult-to-pronounce details of the battle of things kings, and also introduces us to one mysterious, unique, and very special king. But why?

Who on earth is Melchizedek, and why does Genesis 14 tell us about him? Well, the answer is probably more important than you think!

As we continue through Genesis 12 and through 13, we see a difficult reality: Abram is not qualified for this. Abram fails. But through his failure and growth, we see a reflection of important biblical truths.

Are we qualified to be chosen by God? Abram's story shows us the truth: we definitely aren't! But God shows us grace in choosing us.

In this new series we are taking a look at the story of Abraham starting in Genesis 12. You've probably heard the song Father Abraham before, but did you know it is actually full of meaning? Listen and find out why...and learn a fun song!

As we return to the book of Genesis, we examine the next phase of the story, as God reaches down to establish His own nation and people through Abraham. It's a fascinating and complicated story that reminds us of our Jehovah Jireh, the God who Provides!

Psalm 110 is a very important prophecy of Jesus spoken by King David in order to prepare the way for Jesus to be King. As strange as it is to think of the baby Jesus with a big crown on His little head, it's true! Jesus is our King!

Psalm 110 is quoted in the New Testament more than any other Old Testament passage. Jesus even affirms it Himself. For that reason, it stands as one of the most important prophecies about Jesus, marking Him as the Lord and King over all things. 

People are a lot like sheep! And sheep need a Good Shepherd. Listen to hear how the prophet Ezekiel prepared the way for Jesus to come as our Good Shepherd!

Sheep need a shepherd. The shepherd kings of Israel failed over and over. And so, Ezekiel speaks a prophecy against them and foretelling the coming of our Good Shepherd.

God has prepared the way for the birth of Jesus from the very beginning! And as you'll see in today's episode, the birth of Jesus inspires more than just soft, peaceful music. Genesis 3:15 shows us that it actually should inspire some heavy rock and roll!

As we begin to celebrate Christmas, we take a look all the way back to Genesis 3, as God delivers some heavy spoilers about His plan to respond to the enemy of sin and Satan by sending the one who would bring ultimate victory!

As we finished our Sunday sermon series on Suffering, we talked about the truth that Christians will often suffer for the name of Jesus. We will sometimes suffer for doing what is right. But 1 Peter 4 tells us not to be ashamed for suffering in that way!  In today's Family Devotion, we consider what it means to suffer for Jesus and how to think about feeling ashamed.

The New Testament is very clear. We will suffer for Jesus' name's sake. How are we to approach and understand suffering for the name of Jesus? 1 Peter 4:13-19 gives us guidance.

What kind of good things can come from suffering? How does pain help us to grow? Check out todays episode, as well as Romans 5:3-4, to see how God uses suffering to help us to grow and change!

How should Christians respond to suffering? What kinds of change should we expect it to bring about within us? Romans 5:1-5 gives us a clear frame of reference.

To accompany our sermon series on the topic of Suffering, this short family devotion will use the common game of UNO to help your kids understand the three main reasons that people suffer on this earth!