Click for a PDF version Monday Read Genesis 42:1-28; Hosea 11:1; Matthew 2:13-15 Out of Egypt This week’s Genesis readings set the climax to Joseph’s story. Via Joseph’s ordeals God relocated Jacob, Jacob’s twelve sons and their families to Egypt (Genesis 46-47). After Joseph’s death, however, Egypt enslaved the Jews for 400+ years until...
Click for a PDF version Monday Read Genesis 39:20-23; 40:1-5, 23; 41:1 Genesis 41 begins with a simple statement marking the passing of time: “When two full years had passed …” To put this statement in perspective, the story of Joseph begins in chapter 37 when he was 17 years old (v. 2). In...
Click for a PDF version Monday Genesis 39:1 Integrity—Despite Our Past Having read the amazing story of Joseph as a young boy, the hatred of his brothers, the deep love of his father Jacob, and the choice made between death and slavery, this first verse of Genesis 39 appears almost anti-climactic: “Now Joseph had...
Click for a PDF version Monday Genesis 37:1–4 The Danger of Favoritism Genesis 37 returns us to the story of wandering Jacob and his family, now settled in Canaan, the resting place of Abraham and Isaac. For a review of Jacob’s earlier life, the saga of his four wives and first ten sons, read...
Click for a PDF version Monday John 15:1-5 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.” (John 15:1) John presents this last “I AM” statement by Jesus as He declares to His disciples, “I am the true vine.” Vines were visible everywhere in Judea, whether they were decorating the door to...
Click for PDF version Monday John 14:1-7 Jesus tells His disciples that He will be leaving them to prepare a place for them. Thomas responds, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, and how can we know the way?” (v. 5). Jesus answers, “I am the way and the truth and the life”...
Click for a PDF version Monday John 11:1-44 “Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life.’” (John 11:25a) Scripture gives few details about the relationship between Jesus and the three siblings: Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. We know that Jesus spent time in their home (Luke 10:38-42), was greatly honored by Mary...
Click for a PDF version Monday John 10:1-30; John 15:12-14; Luke 10:30-37 Jesus is the Shepherd of all shepherds. Does Jesus understand us? Perfectly. What better person is there to be our Shepherd—the Shepherd of all shepherds and the Sheep of all sheep! He is the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world...
Monday John 10: 7 & 9 I am the Gate (Portal) The life of the greatest “change agent” in history, the life and ministry of Jesus, is written in just 160 pages in my bible, and the story is repeated 4 times! We also know it is not the complete story, as John suggests...
Click for a PDF version Monday Exodus 3:1-20; John 8:58 What’s in a name? From the beginning of time, a person’s name had meaning. What someone was called was not arbitrary, Shakespeare’s famous complaint notwithstanding. Family, reputation, status and authority could all be associated with one’s name. And every person, regardless of his or...
