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Day 1  READ   Genesis 38:12-14     12 Some years later Judah’s wife died. After the time of mourning was over, Judah and his friend Hirah the Adullamite went up to Timnah to supervise the shearing of his sheep. 13 Someone told Tamar, “Look, your father-in-law is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep.” 14 Tamar was aware that Shelah had grown up, but no arrangements had been made for her to come and marry him. So she changed out of her widow’s clothing and covered herself w

Day 1  READ   Genesis 40:1-4     1 Some time later, Pharaoh’s chief cup-bearer and chief baker offended their royal master. 2 Pharaoh became angry with these two officials, 3 and he put them in the prison where Joseph was, in the palace of the captain of the guard. 4 They remained in prison for quite some time, and the captain of the guard assigned them to Joseph, who looked after them.     Although in prison, Joseph was put in charge of watching over others. He continued

Day 1  READ   Genesis 41:37-40     37 Joseph’s suggestions were well received by Pharaoh and his officials. 38 So Pharaoh asked his officials, “Can we find anyone else like this man so obviously filled with the spirit of God?” 39 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has revealed the meaning of the dreams to you, clearly no one else is as intelligent or wise as you are. 40 You will be in charge of my court, and all my people will take orders from you. Only I, sitting on

Day 1  READ   Genesis 42:27-28     27 But when they stopped for the night and one of them opened his sack to get grain for his donkey, he found his money in the top of his sack. 28 “Look!” he exclaimed to his brothers. “My money has been returned; it’s here in my sack!” Then their hearts sank. Trembling, they said to each other, “What has God done to us?”     Joseph had secretly instructed the payment of his brothers to be put back in their sacks. As they stopped for the ni

Day 1  READ   Genesis 44:1-2     1 When his brothers were ready to leave, Joseph gave these instructions to his palace manager: “Fill each of their sacks with as much grain as they can carry, and put each man’s money back into his sack. 2 Then put my personal silver cup at the top of the youngest brother’s sack, along with the money for his grain.” So the manager did as Joseph instructed him.     Joseph planned again how to surprise his brothers and make them fear for their

Day 1  READ   Genesis 45:16-17     16 The news soon reached Pharaoh’s palace: “Joseph’s brothers have arrived!” Pharaoh and his officials were all delighted to hear this. 17 Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Tell your brothers, ‘This is what you must do: Load your pack animals, and hurry back to the land of Canaan.’”     When Pharaoh and his palace heard the news about Joseph’s brothers, they were excited. Pharaoh now got involved and began to give directions as to what should occur

Day 1  READ   Genesis 46:28-29     28 As they neared their destination, Jacob sent Judah ahead to meet Joseph and get directions to the region of Goshen. And when they finally arrived there, 29 Joseph prepared his chariot and traveled to Goshen to meet his father, Jacob. When Joseph arrived, he embraced his father and wept, holding him for a long time.     Judah was the key person to meet Joseph and ask for directions to Goshen. Joseph met them there and had an emotional mee

Day 1  READ   Genesis 48:1-2     1 One day not long after this, word came to Joseph, “Your father is failing rapidly.” So Joseph went to visit his father, and he took with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. 2 When Joseph arrived, Jacob was told, “Your son Joseph has come to see you.” So Jacob gathered his strength and sat up in his bed.     After Joseph made the oath to carry his father’s remains back to Canaan after his death, this word came to Joseph. As a good son,

Day 1  READ   Genesis 49:13-15     13 “Zebulun will settle by the seashore and will be a harbor for ships; his borders will extend to Sidon. 14 Issachar is a sturdy donkey, resting between two saddlepacks. 15 When he sees how good the countryside is and how pleasant the land, he will bend his shoulder to the load and submit himself to hard labor.”     Jacob continued to tell his sons about what they were doing and what their descendants would be like in the future. In this

Day 1 READ   Genesis 50:10     10 When they arrived at the threshing floor of Atad, near the Jordan River, they held a very great and solemn memorial service, with a seven-day period of mourning for Joseph’s father.     The large group arrived on the east side of the Jordan River. There they held a memorial service and mourned for seven days for Joseph’s father. In each case, it was not as much for Jacob as it was because of their honor of Joseph who had lost his loved one. 

Day 1  READ   Ephesians 1:1-2   This letter is from Paul, chosen by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus. I am writing to God’s holy people in Ephesus, who are faithful followers of Christ Jesus. 2 May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.     Paul was in a Roman prison as he authored Ephesians, one known as the “Prison Epistles” along with Philippians, Colossians and Philemon. He had spent three years ministering in Ephesus. This lett

Day 1  READ   Ephesians 1:11   11 Furthermore, because we are united with Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for he chose us in advance, and he makes everything work out according to his plan.     Paul continues to tell what believers possess because they are united with Christ. A loving and just God chose them in advance. Paul had mentioned in verse 4 that God has chosen believers before the foundation of the world. Now Paul assures believers they have receive

Day 1  READ   Ephesians 1:19-21   19 I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power 20 that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms. 21 Now he is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else—not only in this world but also in the world to come.     Paul further describes about God. Having referred to Go

Day 1  READ   Ephesians 2:6-7   6 For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus. 7 So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus.     Paul reveals how believers are identified with Jesus in His death, burial and resurrection. Plus, the believers are now

Day 1  READ   Ephesians 2:17-18   17 He brought this Good News of peace to you Gentiles who were far away from him, and peace to the Jews who were near. 18 Now all of us can come to the Father through the same Holy Spirit because of what Christ has done for us.     Whereas hostility existed between the Jews and Gentiles, Paul brought believers from both groups a message of peace. It was not for something physical but spiritual. Members of both groups could come to God by mean

Day 1  READ   Ephesians 3:6-7   6 And this is God’s plan: Both Gentiles and Jews who believe the Good News share equally in the riches inherited by God’s children. Both are part of the same body, and both enjoy the promise of blessings because they belong to Christ Jesus. 7 By God’s grace and mighty power, I have been given the privilege of serving him by spreading this Good News.     Although alluding to it previously, Paul now explains what the mystery is. It is that believ

Day 1  READ   Ephesians 3:16-17   16 I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. 17 Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong.     Paul tells believers what he is praying for in their regard. He prayed they would be empowered ”with inner strength through his Spirit.” Paul’s concern was not simply what God would do through th

Day 1  READ   Ephesians 4:5-6   5 There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all,   who is over all, in all, and living through all.     Paul wrote to the believers about their need for personal unity. Now he expresses the unity in the heavenly realm One Lord Jesus Christ, one faith by which everyone becomes right with God, and one baptism associated with Jesus may be water baptism by which believers identify with Christ and His followers. Paul reveals

Day 1  READ   Ephesians 4:14-15   14 Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. 15 Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church.     When gifted people equip believers to do the work of the ministry, Paul tells of the res

Day 1  READ   Ephesians 4:24-25   24 Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy. 25 So stop telling lies. Let us tell our neighbors the truth, for we are all parts of the same body.     Believers are to put off characteristics of the old nature and put on the characteristics of the new nature. The new nature is “created to be like God.” To be “righteous” is related to doing right. Being “holy” is being separated to God. Lying should have no part i

Day 1  READ   Ephesians 5:1-2   5 Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. 2 Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.     Paul continues telling believers how to live. They are to imitate God in all they do. They do this by having a life filled with love and following Jesus as an example. Even though mankind was not worthy of His love,

Day 1  READ   Ephesians 5:10-11   10 Carefully determine what pleases the Lord. 11 Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them     Paul wants believers to exercise their knowledge and wisdom to do that which pleases the Lord. Notice what Paul calls the works of evil and darkness—they are “worthless.” Rather than taking part in these useless activities, believers are to use their spiritual insight and energy to expose them. One way to expose

Day 1  READ   Ephesians 5:21-22   21 And further, submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. 22 For wives, this means submit to your husbands as to the Lord.     Some are concerned about wives being told to “submit” to their husbands. The word “submit” is not in the original Greek language of verse 22. It is implied from what is said in verse 21—that an evidence of being filled with the Spirit is that believers should submit to each other. Rejecting what verse 22 says

Day 1  READ   Ephesians 5:31   31 As the Scriptures say, “A man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.”     Here Paul quotes Genesis 2:24. After God had made Eve from Adam’s rib, Adam exclaimed, “This one is bone from my bone, and flesh from my flesh! She will be called ‘woman,’     because she was taken from ‘man.’” Jesus also referred to this when He said, “Haven’t you read the Scriptures? They record that from the beginning