Austin Chinese Church

In the midst of brokenness, it’s hard to see beyond our circumstances. But in every episode of brokenness in our lives, God is always at work. The call is to remain faithful, and to allow Him to use the brokenness to bless others in His time.

When we learn to wait on the Lord for his deliverance, we faithfully grow in our understanding of his presence in our lives. Often times "God with us" encourages us to see him all the time, even in moments when it seems like he is not there.

Having been betrayed and sold into slavery by his brothers, Joseph is then falsely accused and thrown into prison. Though it appears to be a series of setbacks for Joseph, God is still with him, demonstrating his steadfast love! Through trials and difficulties we face in life, God’s love for us never changes.

God never wants the depravity of sin to be just that. He longs to restore our spiritual messiness - that by his grace, the scandal of our sin will be forgiven. The story of Judah and Tamar is the message of the gospel; by grace we have been saved.

It is difficult to see God when life is falling apart. To hear his voice in the midst of despair brings assurance that God's mission proceeds in the midst of the storm.

God promised Abraham, “Behold, my covenant is with you, and you shall be the father of a multitude of nations." We often only think about the offspring of his grandson, Jacob, but there were elements of this promise that also applied to the other grandson, Esau. However, Esau made some choices that didn't please God along the way that significantly impacted his family, the nations that came from him, and ultimately, the nation of Israel. The question we will explore is: "Can God's promises get derailed because of our choices and behavior?"

Not everything in life is binary. But if there were ever a subject in the Christian life that is binary, it's the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Paul makes it clear in Scripture, if the resurrection of Christ happened, then that is the ultimate game changer for our faith. If it didn't happen, then we are the biggest fools in all of human history, because everything would have been done or said in vain. But if the resurrection is real, then everything we do is not in vain.

Worship of God occurs in the very reality of our lives - the moments when we are faithful to him, but also when sin encapsulates us. God is present in life as well as in loss. God is there through the ups and downs of our devotion to him. God reveals himself to us in our obedience to him as well as in our rebellion against him.

Making decisions is both a wonderful privilege and a heavy burden. One of the reasons for this tension is that our decisions always have a ripple effect. Sometimes it causes great joy and celebration and blessing to others. Other times it can bring inexpressible pain, damage, and brokenness. What kind of decisions do you make? How do you make decisions? Even deeper...why do you make the choices you make?

It's been twenty long years since Jacob had last seen his brother Esau. Jacob robbed Esau of his birthright and family blessing. Esau's effort to restore his relationship with Jacob showcases what God's reconciling work is all about - "you have accepted me."