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God First

Daily Reading

Genesis 41-42

Daily Thought

Seventeen-year-old Joseph had two dreams of his future. Real dreams, the kind that show up when you are asleep. Sheaves of wheat in one, the sun, moon, and stars in the other, and they all bowed down to Joseph. Those dreams spoke of great promise someday, but so far, they had been nothing but trouble. Joseph, the “dreamer” his brothers called him, had been disowned by his family, enslaved in Egypt, and forgotten in prison.  

Joseph, now 30, is sitting in a dark prison cell, when he is called before the Pharaoh. “I have had a dream,” said Pharaoh, “and there is no one who can interpret it. I have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it” (Genesis 41:15). 

If you are Joseph, how do you feel about that? You once had dreams. God showed you a great future, but nothing so far has come of it. Joseph could say, “Me first, God. What about the answers to my dreams?” But he didn’t. Instead, Joseph replied to Pharaoh, “It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires” (Genesis 41:16). Joseph said, “God first,” and told Pharaoh the meaning of his dreams.

That is when Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has shown you all this, there is none so discerning and wise as you are. You shall be over my house, and all my people shall order themselves as you command. Only as regards the throne will I be greater than you” (Genesis 41:39-40). And they all bowed down to Joseph, the dreamer. The dreams came true.

Joseph’s story had a happy ending, but Joseph didn’t know that when Pharaoh asked for his help. What Joseph did know was the first thing to do is put God first.

“Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (Matthew 6:33).

Daily Prayer

Heavenly Father, You called me and saved me in order to make me like Your Son, my Lord Jesus Christ. Change me, day by day, by the work of Your Holy Spirit, so that I may grow more like Jesus in all that I think and say and do.

Help me to remain faithful to You and Your calling upon my life.  Strengthen and grow my trust in You, as the trials and experiences of life shape my faith.  You know best, God.  Help me remember that.  It’s amazing how much different, how much better, how good my life is, when I put You first.

Amen

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The Allure of Sin

Daily Reading

Genesis 38-40

Daily Thought

Sin was introduced with the serpent who questioned God’s goodness when he asked Eve, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” (Genesis 3:1). This is the heart of temptation, that good may be found outside God, that God may be keeping something desirable from us. The same serpent was speaking when Potiphar’s wife “cast her eyes on Joseph and said, ‘Lie with me’” (Genesis 39:7). She looked good.

Joseph’s situation was like Adam and Eve’s in the Garden of Eden, “My master has put everything that he has in my charge” (Genesis 39:8-9) …except one thing. The difference was Adam and Eve kept looking at the sin, “the woman saw that the tree was good for food” (Genesis 3:6). Joseph kept his eyes on God, “How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?” (Genesis 39:9). 

A man ran up to Jesus, knelt before him and asked, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone” (Mark 10:17-18). 

Joseph “would not listen to her, to lie beside her or to be with her” (Genesis 39:10), because Joseph knew there is nothing good without God. We choose good over evil when our attraction to God is greater than the allure of sin. Worship is greater than willpower.

Daily Prayer

My God, how wonderful is Your love for me, Your attention to my life, Your wisdom and direction in leading me forward. You ask me, simple enough, to follow. You do not ask me to win any battles, but to stand in the victory already won by Your Son.   

I shall spend my days exploring the Your wonders of Your revelation. You have made Yourself known in Your Word, and in the Word, which is Jesus. May I everyday become more intimate with You, and may I reflect Your grace and truth to a world that desperately needs the faith, hope, and love of the good news of Jesus Christ.    

Amen

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Meanwhile

Daily Reading

Genesis 35-37

Daily Thought

Jacob knew his son, his favorite son, Joseph, was gone, apparently dead. The sons of Jacob knew more. They knew Joseph was not dead. He was, however, as good as dead. They had sold him into slavery. 

But nobody knew about ‘meanwhile.’“Meanwhile the Midianites had sold Joseph in Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the guard” (Genesis 37:36). When you read the word ‘meanwhile,’ it might be a clue God is up to something. Meanwhile describes something happening at the same time in another place. Meanwhile means the story isn’t over. Meanwhile is the habitation of God, a place where God is at work. 

We draw conclusions and make decisions based on all we know, but all we know does not mean we know all. God may be up to something good in the meanwhile.

Jacob’s sons sold their brother Joseph to the Midianites. Joseph would become a slave, then a prisoner, then the prime minister, second in command beside Pharaoh over the land of Egypt and would save the people of Egypt, and of Israel, from famine. Joseph explained ‘meanwhile’ to his brothers, “Do not fear, for am I in the place of God? As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today”

Meanwhile is Romans 8:28, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”

Daily Prayer

Sovereign God, You not only know the future, You make the future. You are good and all that You do is good. I trust in You, not because I know Your plans (I usually don’t), but because I know You, and You are good.

You are the Potter and I am the clay. As You mold me, Your wisdom and beauty is on display. Father, may I not resist, but rather surrender to Your hands and trust in Your skill.

Amen

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“Israel”

Daily Reading

Genesis 32-34

Daily Thought

It had been quite a night, wrestling in his sleep with what at first Jacob thought was a man, but could only have been God. Jacob lasted the fight and won a blessing, but before the blessing, God gave Jacob a new name to remind him of the curse–the curse man and woman have known since they ate the forbidden fruit–that his will be a life of conflict with creation, creatures, and Creator. God gave Jacob a lifelong reminder, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed.” (Genesis 32:28). Israel means “the one who struggles with God.” and that was Jacob, who looked out only for himself, wrestled with God, and triumphed over others by conquest. Just like the rest of us.

We need a new name to follow and there is another, a Name above every name, one who offers us a different way. When Jesus says, “Follow me” (Matthew 9:9), he isn’t saying merely get up, but turn around, because we are headed the wrong direction, following the wrong name. Rather than looking out for ourselves like Israel, Jesus looks out for others. Rather than wrestling with God, Jesus listens to His Father. Rather than triumph by conquest, Jesus triumphs by serving.

Jesus said, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” ~Matthew 11:29

Daily Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank You for Your Son, my Savior, the Name above all names. Thank You for Your grace, that You came to seek and save the lost. Me!

God, teach me to serve others, to love others. Father, may I stop the struggle and surrender to Your ways. May I serve You by serving others. May I overcome the curse by being a blessing in Your Name.

Amen

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Let God Define You

Daily Reading

Genesis 30-31

Daily Thought

Israel, the great nation of God, would come through the line of Jacob. Jacob had twelve sons and a daughter by four women. Two were wives, two weren’t. Why would God use such a convoluted, sin-filled line to bring forth his people?

We are sinners, simple as that. When God uses us to accomplish his plan, sin tags along. We don’t have to search; sin doesn’t hide. Jacob’s wives invited him to sleep with their maidservants, and Jacob said, “Okay.” What a mess! 

We do bad things and bad things happen to us, and God shapes it into his design. “Joseph said to his brothers, ‘You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good’” (Genesis 50:20). God used the actions of the sons of Jacob to refine them so that they would learn love and trust through the consequences of their own hate and betrayal. God is sovereign, but that doesn’t mean he makes everything happen. For instance, God didn’t make the sons of Jacob sin. Sovereignty is much bigger than that. It means that God is in charge of this world, and he takes everything that happens, good and bad, and uses it to carry out his plan. And it will be good for us.  

Often we let the bad things we do define us – “I’m a bad person” – but God can reshape the bad you have done into a work of his glory. God’s goodness is more powerful than your sin. Let God define you.

Daily Prayer

Father God, thank You for Your mercy. Your son made a trade: He took my sin and gave me His righteousness. What amazing grace! You have made me a new person in Jesus Christ. My old self, delighted with sin, is dead. I am born again, born from heaven, a new person who now delights in You.  

God, I hunger and thirst for righteousness. May I be filled and overflowing. May I live a good and godly life that lights the world around me so that people see You and delight in You, as well. 

Amen

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Undeserving

Daily Reading

Genesis 27-29

Daily Thought

Jacob was a conniving son of his mother, and she taught him to deceive. He stole his brother’s birthright, then his Father’s blessing, and now on the run because big brother Esau was mad, Jacob was alone. He “left Beersheba and went toward Haran, and he came to a certain place and stayed there that night, because the sun had set” (Genesis 28:10). He was somewhere, but who knows where, and he laid his head on a rock and fell asleep and “he dreamed, and behold, there was a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven. And behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it” (Genesis 28:12). Jacob was nowhere special, but it was exactly the right place, for God was there with him. 

“Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, ‘Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it’” (Genesis 28:16). God had used Jacob’s circumstances, bad circumstances of Jacob’s own making, to bring Jacob to “this place.” It is the common course of man and woman that we must be brought down before we can be lifted up. God had plans for Jacob, but not because Jacob deserved God’s attention. 

What if God only paid attention to us when we deserved it? 

God displays his own love for us in this, while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. ~Romans 5:8

Daily Prayer

God of heaven, thank You for looking down on me, even when I’m not looking up.  You saved me before I knew I needed rescuing. I was spiritually asleep and You showed up, but no, You were always there. It is me that became awakened to Your presence.  

Now, my Lord, I know that You are in me, that You have numbered my days and created me for a purpose, for good works that glorify Your name. I commit each day to You, because by Your grace, I am a child of the Almighty.

Amen

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The Bible

Daily Reading

Genesis 25-26

Daily Thought

When I meet with a bride and groom to go over plans before a wedding, one of the most important questions I ask is, “What can I expect from your families? Is there bad blood? Are there in-laws and outlaws and ex’s and anything else I need to be aware of? What are the land mines that might explode?” Families misbehave in general, particularly in two settings, weddings and funerals, and I want to be prepared.

They also misbehave in the Bible. Genesis 25:28, Isaac (the dad) loved Esau (the older son) because he ate of his game, but Rebekah (the mom) loved Jacob (the younger son). Family favoritism never ends well. There is a godness to the Bible that lifts us to a world not our own, things that are above (Colossians 3:1-2), heavenly things–God’s Kingdom. There is also a humanness to the Bible. It’s real. It deals directly and honestly with my world, my situations, my life. It knows me.  

In these first 26 chapters, we’ve seen polygamy, adultery, favoritism, jealousy, judgment, pride, lying, and murder. Some people look at things like this and say, “The Bible is ridiculous. Its families are as dysfunctional as mine. Look how crazy these people are.” I read the same thing and say, “The Bible is incredible. It knows my world and speaks to it honestly.” It has an honest answer, too. I need a Savior. 

Daily Prayer

O Lord my God, what a world I live in. Bad, yes, because of sin, but glorious, too. Your handiwork is everywhere, especially in the people You made. How can I not love them! May my love for You increase, more and more daily, and may it be displayed in my love for people, for my neighbors, my community, for the world.  

Thank You for loving me so much that You gave Your all to reach me. You deal with my sin and rescue me from it. May I continue to take off sin and clothe myself in You.

Amen

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No Limits

Daily Reading

Genesis 22-24

Daily Thought

After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” He said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you” (Genesis 22:1-2).

God’s command of Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac is one of the most troubling in Scripture. Yes, God creates life, so it is his for the asking, and taking, but not children, not child sacrifice. That is the great sin of wicked people to phony foreign gods. Right? Yet God commands this of Abraham. Explanations have been offered. Perhaps God was dramatically displaying that he is not like these pagan gods because he stops Abraham’s knife before it plunges into Isaac’s chest. Maybe this was a terrifying test to the ultimate length Abraham would stretch his faith. Certainly this is a foreshadowing of “God so loved the world that he sent his only Son” and Jesus on the cross was God’s sacrifice for the sins of the world. It is okay, is it not, for God to ask this of Abraham in light of God’s willingness to do it himself with his Son. These are some of the offered answers. Do any satisfy?

Martin Luther, the 16th century reformer, during devotions with his wife, read the account of Abraham offering Isaac on the altar. Katherine Luther argued, “I do not believe it. God would not have treated his son like that!” “But Katie,” Luther replied, “He did.” That may be as good an answer as we get. Abraham trusted God for his son; now he must trust God with his son. That’s what we know. “A man’s got to know his limitations,” cautioned Clint Eastwood’s Dirty Harry, and Abraham learned his faith has none. Abraham proved himself faithful, and God proved himself faithful. So what do we learn? We learn what God expects from us, and what we can expect from God. God gave his only son. There should be no limit to my faith because there is no limit to God’s love.

Daily Prayer

God Almighty, You are faithful and just, and You are good.  I trust You no matter what, because You are the one place where trust is always satisfied. This means, God, that the times when I don’t understand, it’s okay, because I don’t have to understand. You have a plan and a purpose, and that is enough.

Teach me to be strong in my faith, to place my all in Your hands, no limits, to love You completely.  

Amen

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Sodom and Springer

Daily Reading

Genesis 19-21

Daily Thought

Genesis 19–what a chapter! The cities of Sodom and Gomorrah are a carnival of perversity, but their time is up. The depraved men of Sodom clamor for sex with two men/angels staying in Lot’s home. Lot offers to them his daughters instead. Are you kidding me! Their sin has eclipsed the threshold of God’s patience. God’s mercy is drained as he destroys the cities, yet God’s grace endures and Lot and his family are rescued before the downpour of fire and brimstone. Still, as the cities smolder in the distance, Lot’s unrepentant daughters get their dad drunk and take turns sleeping with him. Both end up pregnant.

It’s “The Jerry Springer Show,” the original trash TV. Jerry was asked if it was difficult to find his outlandish guests. “Are you kidding?” he laughed. “They are in every neighborhood in America. Yours too.” He’s right, of course. Millions of people watched Jerry’s show. If you watch the show, you are like the show. Look at our entertainment, our websites, our video games, our politics, or look at the daily news headlines. Nothing stays in Vegas. Lot’s wife looked back with a longing desire. She loved the lifestyle, and we do, too. What’s wrong with the world? In the words of G.K. Chesterton, “I am.” We all are.

And still God’s grace endures. Jesus took our sins, like those of Sodom and Springer, and mine, and made them his own. He was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities (Isaiah 53:5). He took what I deserve. That’s mercy. Then he gives me his righteousness. That’s grace. He became like me so that I can become like him. That’s love.   

Daily Prayer

My Lord and Savior God, Your love is overwhelming. You love me and I am not worthy of it. You love me anyway. Thank you for that, and thank you, as well, for hating sin. I need to hate sin more. What it does to me, what it has done to Your creation. I look forward to Your coming Kingdom, when sin is removed, when holiness is the way of the world, when Jesus reigns. Turn my longings toward You, my desires toward Your ways.

Amen

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Chutzpah

Daily Reading

Genesis 16-18

Daily Thought

Chutzpah, a Yiddish word, means audacity, utter nerve, effrontery, nearly arrogant courage, impudence, supreme self-confidence, unbelievable gall, insolence. It sounds bad and often is, most frequently, perhaps in New York City when jaywalking pedestrians stride into traffic oblivious to car, taxi, or bus, then pound on the hood and holler at the car that would have hit them had the driver not slammed on the brake.

There is bad chutzpah. Arrogant insolence. Don’t do that. 

But there is good chutzpah. Abraham had a good chutzpah. He argued with God over His plans to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah. “What if there are 50 righteous? 45? 40? 30? 20? 10?” (Genesis 18:23-33) Moses had good chutzpah. He, too, argued with God to save His own people, even when they were wrong (Numbers 14:13-19). Jacob wrestled all night with what appeared to be a man, but was at least an angel, and he won, or survived, at least (Genesis 32:24-32). In the morning God changed Jacob’s name to Israel, “for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed” (Genesis 32:28). Jacob’s chutzpah was on display and the very name of the nation Israel is a kind of chutzpah. It means “wrestles with God.” 

Jesus draws a picture of prayer by telling a story of a widow pounding all night long on the door of the town judge, demanding justice against an adversary (Luke 18:1-8). It seems God invites a certain kind of chutzpah, good chutzpah, into our relationship with him. How’s your walk with God? Routine? Perhaps it could use some chutzpah.

Daily Prayer

My God, I love Your promises. Ask anything in faith and it will be done for you. You do not have, because you do not ask. God, may I be bold with You. May I trust You so much that I believe You go before me. That You have my best in mind. Not my will, but Yours be done. Delight myself in You and I will have the desires of my heart. All things work for good to those who love You. 

With great boldness, God, may I step out in faith and call on Your promises. May I walk in expectation that You mean what You say, and that my life has meaning because You set my path in front of me. God, I trust You. Transform me, God, into a person of bold, even audacious faith. 

Amen