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Download the Study Notes Today, we’ll highlight the rest of the OT story by discussing the highs and lows of various characters and periods in Israel’s history. Follow along with the notes: Oh, That King Saul Saul, if you remember from our last episode, was handsome and a head taller than any man in Israel. High point:  Saul showed admirable ... Read More The post Real People, Real God—Good News and Bad… appeared first on Mesu Andrews.

Download the Study Notes Today, we begin with a look at Samuel’s parents (before they were parents)—Elkanah and Hannah. They are a wonderful picture of faithfulness to Yahweh during the time of Israel’s judges. Remember the time of the Judges? “Israel had no king, and everyone did as they saw fit.” Judges 21:25 (emphasis added) The Non-Example To illustrate how low Israel had ... Read More The post Real People, Real God—Samuel, Hannah, Eli appeared first on Mesu Andrews.

     Download the Study Notes We’re pausing for a moment in our Through the Bible Character Series to take a brief look at the prayers of two Israelite women. Both pregnant, these ladies lived at different times in Israel’s history, but had very similar prayers. In light of the Christmas season, we’ll look at Mary’s prayer, sometimes called the ... Read More The post Real People, Real God—Hannah’s & Mary’s Prayers appeared first on Mesu Andrews.

         Download the Study Notes Please welcome my guest co-host for today, Jill Eileen Smith. She’s a good friend and an expert researcher. Today, we’ll chat primarily about her book, The Prophetess, a biblical novel exploring the life and times of Deborah, Israel’s only female judge. A Series of Amazing Women Mesu: You’ve written about several amazing women in the ... Read More The post Real People, Real God—Deborah and the Judges appeared first on Mesu Andrews.

     Download the Study Notes Have you ever been asked to do something so beyond your ability that you felt like giving up before you even started? Today’s character study begins with a glimpse of Moses’ final days and then focuses on Joshua, a man assigned a God-sized task…. Israel leaves Sinai The Israelites had been camped at the base ... Read More The post Real People, Real God—Joshua in the Promised Land appeared first on Mesu Andrews.

     Download the Study Notes A Tabernacle Build With New Hearts “Then all the congregation of the people of Israel…came, everyone whose heart stirred him, and everyone whose spirit moved him, and brought the Lord ‘s contribution to be used for the tent of meeting…So they came, both men and women. All who were of a willing heart brought ... Read More The post Real People, Real God—Bezalel and the Tabernacle appeared first on Mesu Andrews.

     Download the Study Notes We’re so enjoying our new home in the Appalachian Mountains. Every time I walk or drive anywhere with my grandkids, we sing, “We’re going up the hill and down the hill. Up the hill and down the hill.” Because we can’t go anywhere without doing just that! As Lyndsey and I prepared for this ... Read More The post Real People, Real God—Moses on Mt. Sinai appeared first on Mesu Andrews.

     Download the Study Notes What happened to Moses after the Hollywood stories of DeMille’s Ten Commandments and DreamWorks’ Prince of Egypt? After God’s deliverer leads Israel across the Red Sea, how long does it take to get to Mt. Sinai? What route do they take? We aren’t as familiar with that part of Israel’s history. So let’s explore Israel’s ... Read More The post Real People, Real God— Moses After Hollywood appeared first on Mesu Andrews.

     Download the Study Notes Most of you are probably familiar with Moses’s story, but we’re going to tackle this long and important chunk of Scripture from the perspective of how Moses (and the stories of Exodus) fits into the overall story of the Bible. We began our Through-the-Bible Character Studies at Creation with God in perfect fellowship with ... Read More The post Real People, Real God— Moses, Part I appeared first on Mesu Andrews.

     Download the Study Notes The story of Jacob’s son, Joseph, is familiar to most of us and can be found in Genesis 37-50. It’s also been told to children and adults through fiction in a myriad of ways. The Dreamworks movie, Joseph: King of Dreams, is one I just recently watched with my grandkids, and I’ll bet some ... Read More The post Real People, Real God — Joseph appeared first on Mesu Andrews.

     Download the Study Notes A REAL Man Runs for His Life Our story begins with Jacob fleeing, determined to escape Esau’s wrath. Though our REAL GOD intended Abraham’s Covenant to be given to Jacob, Esau is rightfully angry that his brother stole the blessing and not-so rightfully vows to kill Jacob. Mother Rebekah suggests Isaac send Jacob to her brother’s family in Haran, ... Read More The post Real People, Real God — Determined Jacob appeared first on Mesu Andrews.

     Download the Study Notes Today we’re going to talk about a very REAL FAMILY—Isaac, Rebekah, Esau, and Jacob. They were a mess. As always, we’ll see how our REAL GOD shows up in the midst of their mess. What are the REAL PEOPLE Doing? When today’s story begins, Isaac and Rebekah have been married for 20 years, and ... Read More The post Real People, Real God – Isaac’s Twin Boys appeared first on Mesu Andrews.

     Download the Study Notes Thanks for joining Lyndsey and I for this week’s podcast. Instead of writing out the long script of notes, let’s try just a short outline of the content. The real heart of our message—and the message of God’s Word—comes through as Lyndsey and I discuss these Bible characters, their lives, their hopes, and their ... Read More The post Real People, Real God – Abraham’s Sacrifice appeared first on Mesu Andrews.

     Download the Study Notes REAL PEOPLE Make a Plan To begin part two of Abram’s story, let’s jump ahead about 10 years. We read about this plan in last week’s blog (if you need a refresher, CLICK HERE): Abram and Sarai have grown impatient in waiting for offspring, so Sarai gives her maidservant, Hagar, to Abram in hopes of beginning ... Read More The post Real People, Real God – Abraham’s Sign of the Covenant appeared first on Mesu Andrews.

     Download the Study Notes  REAL PEOPLE Leave their Homeland To get a good understanding of Abram’s story, we actually need to begin with his father, Terah. Genesis 11:31: “Terah took his son Abram, his grandson Lot of Haran, and his daughter-in-law Sarai, the wife of his son Abram, and together they set out from Ur of the Chaldeans ... Read More The post Real People, Real God: Abraham’s Covenant Calling appeared first on Mesu Andrews.

     Download the Study Notes REAL PEOPLE Grow Weary Let’s start at the very beginning of Noah’s life…how his father named him.  “He will comfort us in the labor and painful toil of our hands caused by the ground the Lord has cursed.” Genesis 5:29 So, Noah’s story begins with a father (and possibly a whole extended family) who are growing ... Read More The post Real People, Real God – Noah appeared first on Mesu Andrews.

     Download the Study Notes Giving to Live Roy and I haven’t really given each other gifts during our thirty+ years of marriage. In the early years, we barely had enough money for groceries, so homemade birthday, anniversary, and Valentine’s cards were the best we could do. We’ve never exchanged Christmas or birthday gifts, but one summer I was ... Read More The post Real People, Real God – Cain and Able appeared first on Mesu Andrews.

Download the Study Notes  Through-the-Bible Character Series Thanks for joining our first study in the new podcast series. Lyndsey and I will systematically chat our way through Old Testament characters, telling the Bible’s single story of God’s desire to reveal Himself and relate to humankind. Today, we’ll start in the Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve, and we’ll end ... Read More The post Real People, Real God – Adam and Eve appeared first on Mesu Andrews.

Play Podcast using the Stitcher App What distinguishes your God from other gods and His supernatural activity? (For those who essentially relegate religion to a legend or myth by attribute anything that defies nature or goes beyond human intellect to a “higher power.”) Meet Pharaoh—declared as son of the god Horus, the king of Egypt not only ruled the land, ... Read More The post The Barrier of One God Among Many appeared first on Mesu Andrews.

How to SubscribeSUBSCRIBE: Why can’t I feel God’s presence or relate to Him like I used to? (For those who put their faith in a special or unique manifestation of God’s presence) Meet Miriam—an eighty-six year-old, unmarried prophetess, who has been the sole mouthpiece of God to the people of Israel since she was a child. In Numbers 12, Yahweh ... Read More The post The Barrier of Feeling Abandoned By God  appeared first on Mesu Andrews.