In today’s reading, we walk through one of the most dramatic scenes in Genesis: God asks Abraham to sacrifice Isaac. We also witness the birth of Isaac, the exile of Hagar and Ishmael, and Abraham’s repeated fear-driven mistakes. In Matthew, Jesus wraps up the Sermon on the Mount with a warning—calling Him “Lord” isn’t enough; only those who do the Father’s will enter the Kingdom.

We ask tough questions today:

• Why would God ask Abraham to sacrifice his son?

• Why did Abraham keep lying about Sarah?

• What’s the difference between doing God’s will and doing good works?

• And how can faith be “dead” without works if we’re not saved by works in the first place?

We also spend time with David in the Psalms as he praises God’s justice, and get more wisdom from Proverbs on avoiding destructive paths.

Music Credit:
“Fly” by All the Good Folks

Sources Referenced:

• https://www.gotquestions.org/Abraham-sacrifice-Isaac.html

• https://bible.org/seriespage/19-abraham-s-greatest-test-genesis-221-24

• https://www.bibleref.com/Genesis/21/Genesis-chapter-21.html

• https://www.gotquestions.org/Ishmael-in-the-Bible.html

• https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/genesis-20/

• https://www.gotquestions.org/Abraham-lie-Sarah.html

• https://www.gotquestions.org/not-everyone-who-says-Lord.html

• https://www.gotquestions.org/faith-without-works-dead.html

• https://bibleproject.com/articles/faith-vs-works-what-does-bible-say/

Today’s reading takes us deep into some of the Bible’s most intense stories—fire raining on cities, Jesus calling us not to worry, and a psalm that marvels at our place in God’s creation. We explore what it means when God says He’s “going down” to check on Sodom, why Jesus tells us not to throw pearls to pigs, and how faith and anxiety can collide even for believers.

Key themes: justice, mercy, discernment, and learning to trust God one day at a time.

Key verse: “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” – Matthew 6:34

Music Credit: “Fly” by All the Good Folks

• Enduring Word – Genesis 18 Commentary
  https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/genesis-18/

• GotQuestions – Why did God say He would go down to Sodom?
  https://www.gotquestions.org/Sodom-and-Gomorrah.html

• BibleProject – Justice Video
  https://bibleproject.com/explore/video/justice/

• GotQuestions – What does “pearls before swine” mean?
  https://www.gotquestions.org/pearls-before-swine.html

• BibleRef – Matthew 6:34 Commentary
  https://www.bibleref.com/Matthew/6/Matthew-6-34.html

• Desiring God – Don’t Judge, but Discern
  https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/do-not-judge-but-discern

• Desiring God – How to Fight Anxiety
  https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/how-to-fight-anxiety

• GotQuestions – What does Matthew 6:34 mean?
  https://www.gotquestions.org/Matthew-6-34.html

Today’s readings take us through Genesis 16–18, Matthew 6:1–24, Psalm 7, and Proverbs 2:1–5. We explore the story of Hagar and the name El Roi, Jesus’ call to humility in giving and prayer, and wisdom’s role in discerning truth. This episode is filled with deep questions—about God’s justice, wealth, identity, and seeing beyond our surface intentions.

Music Credit:
“Fly” by All the Good Folks

Sources:
BibleGateway.com
BlueLetterBible.org
GotQuestions.org
EnduringWord.com
BibleHub.com
DesiringGod.org
Detroit Church (Pastor Lorenzo Sewell)