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Day 1  RECEIVE   Luke 23:23-25     23 But the mob shouted louder and louder, demanding that Jesus be crucified, and their voices prevailed. 24 So Pilate sentenced Jesus to die as they demanded. 25 As they had requested, he released Barabbas, the man in prison for insurrection and murder. But he turned Jesus over to them to do as they wished.     Even though Pilate could find no fault in Jesus, the voices of the shouting mob grew in intensity. This caused Pilate to agree wi

Day 1    RECEIVE   Luke 23:35-38     35 The crowd watched and the leaders scoffed. “He saved others,” they said, “let him save himself if he is really God’s Messiah, the Chosen One.” 36 The soldiers mocked him, too, by offering him a drink of sour wine. 37 They called out to him, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” 38 A sign was fastened above him with these words: “This is the King of the Jews.”     The religious unbelievers and soldiers ridiculed Jesus. Th

Day 1  RECEIVE   Luke 23:50-51     50 Now there was a good and righteous man named Joseph. He was a member of the Jewish high council, 51 but he had not agreed with the decision and actions of the other religious leaders. He was from the town of Arimathea in Judea, and he was waiting for the Kingdom of God to come.      Joseph of Arimathea was on the Jewish Supreme Court, known as the Sanhedrin. Although he had disagreed with the other religious leaders he apparently did no

Day 1  RECEIVE   Luke 24:8-10     8 Then they remembered that he had said this. 9 So they rushed back from the tomb to tell his eleven disciples—and everyone else—what had happened. 10 It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and several other women who told the apostles what had happened.      The women were reminded of what Jesus had told them in Galilee about Him being betrayed, crucified and rising again on the third day. Then they remembered what He ha

Day 1  RECEIVE   Luke 24:22-24     22 “Then some women from our group of his followers were at his tomb early this morning, and they came back with an amazing report. 23 They said his body was missing, and they had seen angels who told them Jesus is alive! 24 Some of our men ran out to see, and sure enough, his body was gone, just as the women had said.”     The two followers of Jesus walking on the road to Emmaus did not realize it was Jesus walking with them. They contin

Day 1  RECEIVE   Luke 24:38-40     38 “Why are you frightened?” he asked. “Why are your hearts filled with doubt? 39 Look at my hands. Look at my feet. You can see that it’s really me. Touch me and make sure that I am not a ghost, because ghosts don’t have bodies, as you see that I do.” 40 As he spoke, he showed them his hands and his feet.     When Jesus suddenly stood in the midst of those to whom His two followers were telling about Him, they were startled and frightene

Day 1  READ   Genesis 37:1-2     1 So Jacob settled again in the land of Canaan, where his father had lived as a foreigner. 2 This is the account of Jacob and his family. When Joseph was seventeen years old, he often tended his father’s flocks. He worked for his half brothers, the sons of his father’s wives Bilhah and Zilpah. But Joseph reported to his father some of the bad things his brothers were doing.     Genesis Part 1 dealt with creation, the fall, the flood and Babe

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