Bible Chapter: Exodus 2

Because the Bible is practical, here are some statements to get you thinking.

1.  Write one or two key thoughts that come from today’s reading.
    Here we see the birth of Moses.  The children of Israel were in a horrible situation.  They had been made slaves.  Pharaoh had ordered all of the boys who were born to be killed.  There was one boy whose parents hid him and that was Moses.  God directed the daughter of Pharaoh to find him along the river, and she had compassion on him.  Moses was raised as her son.
    Even people who have God’s hand on their lives can make a mess of things.  Moses let his tempter get in the way and he had to flee for his life.  He ended up gong to the land of the Midianites.  They were descendants of Abraham and his second wife, Keturah.  He married Zipporah and stayed there forty years.  Throughout all these years God’s pan was coming together for Moses.  The Israelites were crying out to God for deliverance.  God was preparing the one who would led them to freedom.

2.  What can I apply in my life from the reading?
    When everything looks bad, don’t give up on God.  He has His plans.  He can work in the hearts of even the most stubborn person.  This chapter ends with the thought that God remembered His covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.  He began the process of deliverance.  God has promised to never abandon His children.  It seems a strange thing to do, to place a baby in a small boat and float him in the river.  But, Moses’ mother was directed by God.  Learning to hear from God is an important step to fulfill God’s plan.

3.  How can I help someone?
    Where do people turn for help?  It appears that many of the Israelites had been serving the gods of Egypt.  It was when they turned from that and sought the true God that they received deliverance.  I want to help people see and seek the Creator God, the One who made everything.  When they do that they will find God’s help and direction in life.

Bible Chapter: Exodus 1

Because the Bible is practical, here are some statements to get you thinking.

1.  Write one or two key thoughts that come from today’s reading.
    Having read the story of the beginning of the nation of Israel in Genesis, from Abraham to Joseph, there is now a gap of over two hundred years to the beginning of Exodus.  It starts out with the statement that the family that moved to the land of Goshen multiplied greatly.  This was just as God had promised.  We then hear that there was a king in Egypt who didn’t know anything about Joseph.  He feared this strange people and was afraid they would turn on him. So, he did what evil, insecure and self-centered people do, he took brutal control of them.  He made them slaves.  He oppressed them.  When that wasn’t working, he tried to kill all the baby boys.  When the midwives wouldn’t go along with this evil scheme, God blessed them.
    One thought that jumps out to me in reading this chapter is that the enemy of God is all about death.  Jesus said that the enemy comes to steal, kill and destroy.  He is quick to find ways to kill people.  He is quick to find ways to kill children.  His greatest goal is to make people miserable.  Nothing has changed, for we see the same things today.  Millions of children are being killed or enslaved or abused.  We see the heart of Jesus when He encouraged the children to come to Him.

2.  What can I apply in my life from the reading?
    What is valuable to God?  I see a battle raging in this chapter.  It is a battle to make God a liar and destroy His plans.  It is a battle to kill people.  God’s highest creation is people.  The people He blessed are very valuable to God.  All people are valuable to God.  The way that the evil pharaoh of Egypt treated the children of Israel shows that he was God’s enemy.  I want to seek God’s ways, I want to seek God’s plans and follow them.  The enemy is a bully who runs roughshod over those who live by God’s ways.  He lives a life of intimidation to make followers of God’s way feel ashamed for their narrow way of thinking.  He pushes for compromise to make the way of evil the accepted way.  Nothing has changed, as we see the same things today.  I want to apply God’s ways in my life and recognize the deception that is destroying our modern civilization.  I don’t have to be ashamed for living God’s ways.

3.  How can I help someone?
    I get frustrated by the deception prevalent in our world today as it is ruining people’s lives.  I see people following like blind sheep the popular thoughts.  They don’t see how destructive these ways are.  They are always blaming the wrong reasons why there are so many problems.  I want to help people see that God’s way is the best way.

Bible Chapter: Genesis 50

Because the Bible is practical, here are some statements to get you thinking.

1.  Write one or two key thoughts that come from today’s reading.
    When Jacob died, Joseph wept and grieved this loss.  Joseph fulfilled his father’s wishes by taking him back to the homeland to bury him.  It was a very large caravan of family and government officials who traveled to the final resting place for Jacob.  All of the sons followed the command of their father and brought him back to the land of Canaan.  Even though they were not yet seeing the fulfillment of God’s assurance to take them to the Promised Land, Jacob wanted to be laid to rest there.  We also see this faith in Joseph when he died.  He told them to carry his bones back there.  They knew God would fulfill His word to them.
    We see one more time in the telling of this story when the impact of the selfish acts of the brothers in selling Joseph comes to haunt them.  This is also a good illustration that one sin leads to another.  When Jacob was dead, they began to fear that finally Joseph would get his revenge.  So, they lied and  said that their father had left a message that Joseph should forgive them all.  They even came to Joseph and threw themselves down before him saying they would be his slaves.  We see Joseph’s attitude when he quickly assured them that they were safe and he would continue to provide for them.  This is a good illustration of the power of forgiving.  When we are willing to forgive, God sets us free from the desire for revenge.

2.  What can I apply in my life from the reading?
    Throughout this whole story, we see the negative impacts of treating people in an evil way.  Joseph’s brothers spent their entire lives wondering about the consequences of their actions.  They lived in fear of a negative outcome.  This is an effective lesson on the importance of obedience to God’s way of life.  It shows the necessity of treating others in the same way I want to be treated. It shows the benefits of rejecting jealousy and being happy for the good fortune of others.
    Another thought: both Jacob and Joseph held on to the promise of God to make them a mighty nation and provide a land for them.  Even when they wouldn’t see it in person, they knew the future was in a better place.  That is also a good picture for us today.  When we trust in Jesus we know that we are only in a temporary place of residence.  There is a better place, a place of hope in Jesus that says we will spend eternity with HIM.  Someone wrote in a song: This world is not my home, I’m just a passing through.

3.  How can I help someone?
    People need to see the promises of God and know they are true.  Often people only see the negative side of things regarding God.  They think He is some mean judge.  No, He had give us great and precious promises that fill us with hope.  How close can we get to Jesus?  That is an awesome goal.

Bible Chapter: Genesis 49

Because the Bible is practical, here are some statements to get you thinking.

1.  Write one or two key thoughts that come from today’s reading.
    Possibly one of the most ignored truths in life is that the choices we make will influence not only our own lives but the lives of future generations.  In this chapter Jacob brought his sons together to speak blessings on them.  Sadly, for some of them, instead of blessings, they heard curses that would impact the future.  For example, because Reuben was the firstborn, he should have received the greatest blessing.  But, because of his sexual sin he lost out.  He probably thought that event was fun.  Sadly, it cost him a great deal.
    A person’s actions are important.  Our modern culture is more and more saying that a person can do anything they want and there are no consequences.  Freedom is defined as having no restrictions at all.  There used to be a popular expression that says, “if it feels good, do it”.  While I have not heard anyone say that in a long time, our world is living that thought.  People are becoming adamant that they have the right to do anything they want.  Governments are passing laws protecting these “rights” to do sinful things.  Anyone who interferes with that “right” becomes the enemy and must be restricted or eliminated.  But the truth is that blessings and curses come based on obedience to God’s Word, not the laws passed by a legislature.

2.  What can I apply in my life from the reading?
    God has ruled and reigned forever.  He will always reign and those who think they can ignore God are in for a sad surprise.  Doing what is right will always bring the best results in the long run.  In the mean time, the battle can get intense.  Do I quit because the battle is hard?  No, I keep pressing on.  Jacob spoke into the lives of his sons.  The blessings and curses came from Godly principles based on their lives and actions.  God speaks into the lives of His children.  The results will come from our submission to Him.  The Bible says God requires His stewards, his servants to be faithful.  Faithful obedience is one of the highest goals to achieve.

3.  How can I help someone?
    I want to help people see what is going on in our world.  The deception is overwhelming.  People are believing lies that give them permission to pursue any entertainment or action they think is fun.  They are not seeing the spiritual bondage and destruction that will result.  People need to see God’s truth.  They need to see this truth sets them free.

Bible Chapter: Genesis 48

Because the Bible is practical, here are some statements to get you thinking.

1.  Write one or two key thoughts that come from today’s reading.
    As Jacob was getting older, he reached a point where it was obvious that he would soon die.  Word was sent to Joseph and he came with his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim.  Jacob reviewed for Joseph the history of God’s promises to bless him and his children.  It was an amazing journey filled with both blessings and sorrows.  He rejoiced in the fact that he not only was able to see Joseph again, but Joseph’s children as well.  God had given him more than he could have imagined.  He blessed his grandsons.
    An important principle jumps out in verses 15 & 16.  Jacob talked of how God had shepherded him throughout all his life.  He had the same thoughts as the Psalmist - the Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.  God was his guide through a long and challenging pilgrimage.  Yes, they were a rich family.  Yes, Joseph had been promoted in the government and was a man of great power and wealth.  But, the emphasis that Jacob gave was that God was their Shepherd, God was guiding them, God was their source.  He prayed that God would continue to guide the family to future generations.  His desire what that the family that was becoming a great nation would always stay close to God.  The greatest legacy and heritage anyone can have is to know and serve God.  I have seen and experienced that.  I have observed people who have no hope in a personal relationship with Jesus.  When the hard times come, they have nothing to carry them through.

2.  What can I apply in my life from the reading?
    When Joseph brought his sons to Jacob to receive his blessing, Jacob put his right hand on Ephraim’s head.  This displeased Joseph, for Manasseh was the oldest and the tradition said he would receive the greater blessing.  Jacob did this on purpose.  Their custom was that the oldest would get the first and greatest blessing and inheritance.  Yet, in the Bible we find that this did not always happen.  What this says to me is that human tradition is not always the way God does things.  We sometimes limit ourselves and prevent God from doing all He desires to do.  We need to be open to God and hear from Him.

3.  How can I help someone?
    God will help us and work things out, even when we think that the picture is very grim.  We must learn to trust Him in everything.  We must be in full submission to Him and allow God to do what He knows is best.  These are good words of encouragement.

Bible Chapter: Genesis 47

Because the Bible is practical, here are some statements to get you thinking.

1.  Write one or two key thoughts that come from today’s reading.
    After their long journey to settle in Egypt, the time came for Joseph to introduce his family to Pharaoh.  He was pleased to meet them.  Pharaoh told Joseph that if any of his brothers had special skills in caring for livestock to be put in charge of what he had.  Then Joseph introduced his father.  Jacob described his life as a pilgrimage.
    Life is a journey.  For most people it has many years and includes both rewards and challenges.  A long trip, that is a good description of living on this earth.  We are traveling somewhere.  Jacob realized that he was on a journey to a land promised to him by God.  There was a physical land promised to his descendants.  Jacob never saw it. But, he was also on a journey to eternity, to a place where God would provide eternal life.  We are all on this same journey.  The important question to ask is are we traveling the right road?  Are we going in the right direction?  Jacob was looking for that heavenly city.
    This chapter also shows the results of the planning during the times of bumper crops.  All the food stored became the lifeline that kept people alive during the famine.

2.  What can I apply in my life from the reading?
    The trip of life really goes by quickly.  It is hard for me to believe where I am in this path.  I am reminded of the importance of being faithful to God and working to accomplish things that have value. As Jacob said, the years of his journey were difficult.  While we say that a person who is one hundred years old is very old, that is nothing in the light of eternity.  That is only the blink of an eye.  So, I must walk my pilgrimage of life pleasing to the Lord.  I must do what He says so I can take my eternal journey with Him in the home He prepares.
    All of the effort we put in to live and survive on this earth is important.  But, it is only preparation for eternity.  Yes, it is nice to have all the creature comforts.  It is also not what makes life worth living or gives it real value.  The old saying “Only what’s done for Christ will last” is very true.

3.  How can I help someone?
    Life has great value.  God made us.  He did a good job.  The enemy of our eternal souls does all he can to mess up life and bring problems.  That is often when people want to quit.  We all must see that we have value and apply God’s truths to our individual lives.  Then life is worth living.  We will rejoice when we see Jesus.

Bible Chapter: Genesis 46

Because the Bible is practical, here are some statements to get you thinking.

1.  Write one or two key thoughts that come from today’s reading.
    It was finally time for the caravan of Jacob’s family to head to Egypt.  Joseph had sent all they needed to travel.  They had carts to haul everything and give a ride to those who needed it.  They got to their destination and Judah was sent to Joseph to let him know they had arrived.  The text says that Joseph went to his father, fell on his neck and wept a good long while.  I can imagine the emotion of that scene.  I imagine that neither of them wanted to let go.  This impossible reunion had happened.  Jacob said the he could die in peace, having be reunited with Joseph.
    God again promised Jacob that He would be with them, that His promises would be kept.  It seemed to be taking a while, this is now the third generation since God’s promises to Abraham.  But, Jacob was reassured that it would happen and they would become a great nation.  Everything was coming together and this family could begin to see hope for the future.  They were reunited.

2.  What can I apply in my life from the reading?
    The Bible is filled with many important principles for life.  One of them is found in this chapter.  When the family arrived in Egypt, Joseph planned for them to live in the Land of Goshen.  Joseph instructed them to say they were shepherds, knowing that the Egyptians despised shepherds.  This allowed them to live in Goshen and maintain a separation from the Egyptians.  Spiritual separation from the world is vital for those who follow God.  It is easy to allow sin and sinful attitudes to taint our spiritual life.  This does not mean that we hide in a cave somewhere.  It does mean that we stay separate from the activities of sin.  By living in Goshen, Israel was able to develop as a nation and worship God as He directed.
    This principle is important.  How close can I get to Jesus?  While this is not a contest or a matter of spiritual pride, it is an important issue to strive to be as close to God as I can and mature in my spiritual life.

3.  How can I help someone?
    I want to help people see the difference between serving God and serving self.  I want to help people live a life pleasing to God.  I am observing a blending of Godly life and the influence of the culture.  There is pressure to make the Christian life as close to the world as possible.  This is a confusion that must be understood and changed.  No spiritual compromise.