Jan.19

1 After two whole years, Pharaoh dreamed that he was standing by the Nile,

2 and behold, there came up out of the Nile seven cows, attractive and plump, and they fed in the reed grass.

3 And behold, seven other cows, ugly and thin, came up out of the Nile after them, and stood by the other cows on the bank of the Nile.

4 And the ugly, thin cows ate up the seven attractive, plump cows. And Pharaoh awoke.

5 And he fell asleep and dreamed a second time. And behold, seven ears of grain, plump and good, were growing on one stalk.

6 And behold, after them sprouted seven ears, thin and blighted by the east wind.

7 And the thin ears swallowed up the seven plump, full ears. And Pharaoh awoke, and behold, it was a dream.

8 So in the morning his spirit was troubled, and he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt and all its wise men. Pharaoh told them his dreams, but there was none who could interpret them to Pharaoh.

9 Then the chief cupbearer said to Pharaoh, "I remember my offenses today.

10 When Pharaoh was angry with his servants and put me and the chief baker in custody in the house of the captain of the guard,

11 we dreamed on the same night, he and I, each having a dream with its own interpretation.

12 A young Hebrew was there with us, a servant of the captain of the guard. When we told him, he interpreted our dreams to us, giving an interpretation to each man according to his dream.

13 And as he interpreted to us, so it came about. I was restored to my office, and the baker was hanged."

14 Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they quickly brought him out of the pit. And when he had shaved himself and changed his clothes, he came in before Pharaoh.

15 And Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I have had a dream, 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."

16 Joseph answered Pharaoh, "It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh a favorable answer."

17 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Behold, in my dream I was standing on the banks of the Nile.

18 Seven cows, plump and attractive, came up out of the Nile and fed in the reed grass.

19 Seven other cows came up after them, poor and very ugly and thin, such as I had never seen in all the land of Egypt.

20 And the thin, ugly cows ate up the first seven plump cows,

21 but when they had eaten them no one would have known that they had eaten them, for they were still as ugly as at the beginning. Then I awoke.

22 I also saw in my dream seven ears growing on one stalk, full and good.

23 Seven ears, withered, thin, and blighted by the east wind, sprouted after them,

24 and the thin ears swallowed up the seven good ears. And I told it to the magicians, but there was no one who could explain it to me."

25 Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, "The dreams of Pharaoh are one; God has revealed to Pharaoh what he is about to do.

26 The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven good ears are seven years; the dreams are one.

27 The seven lean and ugly cows that came up after them are seven years, and the seven empty ears blighted by the east wind are also seven years of famine.

28 It is as I told Pharaoh; God has shown to Pharaoh what he is about to do.

29 There will come seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt,

30 but after them there will arise seven years of famine, and all the plenty will be forgotten in the land of Egypt. The famine will consume the land,

31 and the plenty will be unknown in the land by reason of the famine that will follow, for it will be very severe.

32 And the doubling of Pharaoh's dream means that the thing is fixed by God, and God will shortly bring it about.

33 Now therefore let Pharaoh select a discerning and wise man, and set him over the land of Egypt.

34 Let Pharaoh proceed to appoint overseers over the land and take one-fifth of the produce of the land of Egypt during the seven plentiful years.

35 And let them gather all the food of these good years that are coming and store up grain under the authority of Pharaoh for food in the cities, and let them keep it.

36 That food shall be a reserve for the land against the seven years of famine that are to occur in the land of Egypt, so that the land may not perish through the famine."

37 This proposal pleased Pharaoh and all his servants.

38 And Pharaoh said to his servants, "Can we find a man like this, in whom is the Spirit of God?"

39 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Since God has shown you all this, there is none so discerning and wise as you are.

40 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."

41 And Pharaoh said to Joseph, "See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt."

42 Then Pharaoh took his signet ring from his hand and put it on Joseph's hand, and clothed him in garments of fine linen and put a gold chain about his neck.

43 And he made him ride in his second chariot. And they called out before him, "Bow the knee!" Thus he set him over all the land of Egypt.

44 Moreover, Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I am Pharaoh, and without your consent no one shall lift up hand or foot in all the land of Egypt."

45 And Pharaoh called Joseph's name Zaphenath-paneah. And he gave him in marriage Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera priest of On. So Joseph went out over the land of Egypt.

46 Joseph was thirty years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh and went through all the land of Egypt.

47 During the seven plentiful years the earth produced abundantly,

48 and he gathered up all the food of these seven years, which occurred in the land of Egypt, and put the food in the cities. He put in every city the food from the fields around it.

49 And Joseph stored up grain in great abundance, like the sand of the sea, until he ceased to measure it, for it could not be measured.

50 Before the year of famine came, two sons were born to Joseph. Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera priest of On, bore them to him.

51 Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh. "For," he said, "God has made me forget all my hardship and all my father's house."

52 The name of the second he called Ephraim, "For God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction."

53 The seven years of plenty that occurred in the land of Egypt came to an end,

54 and the seven years of famine began to come, as Joseph had said. There was famine in all lands, but in all the land of Egypt there was bread.

55 When all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread. Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians, "Go to Joseph. What he says to you, do."

56 So when the famine had spread over all the land, Joseph opened all the storehouses and sold to the Egyptians, for the famine was severe in the land of Egypt.

57 Moreover, all the earth came to Egypt to Joseph to buy grain, because the famine was severe over all the earth. - Genesis 41

25 With the merciful you show yourself merciful; with the blameless man you show yourself blameless; 

26 with the purified you show yourself pure; and with the crooked you make yourself seem tortuous. 

27 For you save a humble people, but the haughty eyes you bring down. 

28 For it is you who light my lamp; the LORD my God lightens my darkness. 

29 For by you I can run against a troop, and by my God I can leap over a wall. 

30 This God-his way is perfect; the word of the LORD proves true; he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him. 

31 For who is God, but the LORD? And who is a rock, except our God?- 

32 the God who equipped me with strength and made my way blameless. 

33 He made my feet like the feet of a deer and set me secure on the heights. 

34 He trains my hands for war, so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze. 

35 You have given me the shield of your salvation, and your right hand supported me, and your gentleness made me great. 

36 You gave a wide place for my steps under me, and my feet did not slip. 

37 I pursued my enemies and overtook them, and did not turn back till they were consumed. 

38 I thrust them through, so that they were not able to rise; they fell under my feet. 

39 For you equipped me with strength for the battle; you made those who rise against me sink under me. 

40 You made my enemies turn their backs to me, and those who hated me I destroyed. 

41 They cried for help, but there was none to save; they cried to the LORD, but he did not answer them. 

42 I beat them fine as dust before the wind; I cast them out like the mire of the streets. 

43 You delivered me from strife with the people; you made me the head of the nations; people whom I had not known served me. 

44 As soon as they heard of me they obeyed me; foreigners came cringing to me. 

45 Foreigners lost heart and came trembling out of their fortresses. 

46 The LORD lives, and blessed be my rock, and exalted be the God of my salvation- 

47 the God who gave me vengeance and subdued peoples under me, 

48 who rescued me from my enemies; yes, you exalted me above those who rose against me; you delivered me from the man of violence. 

49 For this I will praise you, O LORD, among the nations, and sing to your name. 

50 Great salvation he brings to his king, and shows steadfast love to his anointed, to David and his offspring forever.  - Psalm 18:25-50

1 Now the apostles and the brothers who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God.

2 So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcision party criticized him, saying,

3 "You went to uncircumcised men and ate with them."

4 But Peter began and explained it to them in order:

5 "I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision, something like a great sheet descending, being let down from heaven by its four corners, and it came down to me.

6 Looking at it closely, I observed animals and beasts of prey and reptiles and birds of the air.

7 And I heard a voice saying to me, 'Rise, Peter; kill and eat.'

8 But I said, 'By no means, Lord; for nothing common or unclean has ever entered my mouth.'

9 But the voice answered a second time from heaven, 'What God has made clean, do not call common.'

10 This happened three times, and all was drawn up again into heaven.

11 And behold, at that very moment three men arrived at the house in which we were, sent to me from Caesarea.

12 And the Spirit told me to go with them, making no distinction. These six brothers also accompanied me, and we entered the man's house.

13 And he told us how he had seen the angel stand in his house and say, 'Send to Joppa and bring Simon who is called Peter;

14 he will declare to you a message by which you will be saved, you and all your household.'

15 As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them just as on us at the beginning.

16 And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, 'John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.'

17 If then God gave the same gift to them as he gave to us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God's way?"

18 When they heard these things they fell silent. And they glorified God, saying, "Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance that leads to life." - Acts 11:1-18

1 When he came down from the mountain, great crowds followed him.

2 And behold, a leper came to him and knelt before him, saying, "Lord, if you will, you can make me clean."

3 And Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, "I will; be clean." And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.

4 And Jesus said to him, "See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a proof to them."

5 When he had entered Capernaum, a centurion came forward to him, appealing to him,

6 "Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, suffering terribly."

7 And he said to him, "I will come and heal him."

8 But the centurion replied, "Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof, but only say the word, and my servant will be healed.

9 For I too am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. And I say to one, 'Go,' and he goes, and to another, 'Come,' and he comes, and to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it."

10 When Jesus heard this, he marveled and said to those who followed him, "Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel have I found such faith.

11 I tell you, many will come from east and west and recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven,

12 while the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."

13 And to the centurion Jesus said, "Go; let it be done for you as you have believed." And the servant was healed at that very moment. - Matthew 8:1-13

The Remedy for Pride

Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit” — yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. (James 4:13–16)

James is talking about pride and arrogance and how they show up in subtle ways. “You boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.”

When you take three categories of temptation to self-reliance — wisdom, power, and riches — they form a powerful inducement toward the ultimate form of pride; namely, atheism. The safest way for us to stay supreme in our own estimation is to deny anything above us.

This is why the proud preoccupy themselves with looking down on others. C.S. Lewis said, “A proud man is always looking down on things and people: and, of course, as long as you are looking down, you cannot see something that is above you” (Mere Christianity).

But to preserve pride, it may be simpler to just proclaim that there is nothing above to look at. “In the pride of his face the wicked does not seek him; all his thoughts are, ‘There is no God’” (Psalm 10:4). Ultimately, the proud must persuade themselves that there is no God.

One reason for this is that God’s reality is overwhelmingly intrusive in all the details of life. Pride cannot tolerate the intimate involvement of God in running the universe, let alone the detailed, ordinary affairs of life.

Pride does not like the sovereignty of God. Therefore, pride does not like the existence of God, because God is sovereign. It might express this by saying, “There is no God.” Or it might express it by saying, “I am driving to Atlanta for Christmas.”

James says, “Don’t be so sure.” Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live, and we will get to Atlanta for Christmas.”

James’s point is that God rules over whether you get to Atlanta, and whether you live to the end of this devotional. This is extremely offensive to the self-sufficiency of pride — not even to have control over whether you get to the end of the devotional without having a stroke!

James says that not believing in the sovereign rights of God to manage the details of your future is arrogance.

The way to battle this arrogance is to yield to the sovereignty of God in all the details of life, and rest in his infallible promises to show himself mighty on our behalf (2 Chronicles 16:9), to pursue us with goodness and mercy every day (Psalm 23:6), to work for those who wait for him (Isaiah 64:4), and to equip us with all we need to live for his glory (Hebrews 13:21).

In other words, the remedy for pride is unwavering faith in God’s sovereign future grace.

John Piper 

Pray for What God Promised You

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us”... 

2 Corinthians 1:20

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

Another way of saying it is: “For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through Him, the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God.” God had already prophesied that He was going to do something, but still Daniel prayed.

Daniel could have just leaned back, put his feet up, and said, “Well, God, since You prophesied You’re going to do it, there’s no need for me to pray about it.” But he didn’t.

It’s a strange thing—the Bible teaches us to pray about what God has already promised He would do.

Revelation 11:15 says, “…The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Christ; and He shall reign forever and ever!” Yet Jesus taught us to pray “Thy kingdom come and Thy will be done…”

The Bible teaches there’s going to be peace in Jerusalem, yet Psalm 122:6 tells us to “pray for the peace of Jerusalem.”

Jesus Christ is going to come again. In Revelation 22:20, John prays, “Even so, come, Lord Jesus!” It is prophesied, yet we’re told to pray it will happen.

ACTION POINT:

Even when God says He’s going to do something, He does it through the prayers of His people. God wants us to have a part in bringing about His will upon this earth through prayer.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

Jan.18

1 Now Joseph had been brought down to Egypt, and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the guard, an Egyptian, had bought him from the Ishmaelites who had brought him down there.

2 The LORD was with Joseph, and he became a successful man, and he was in the house of his Egyptian master.

3 His master saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD caused all that he did to succeed in his hands.

4 So Joseph found favor in his sight and attended him, and he made him overseer of his house and put him in charge of all that he had.

5 From the time that he made him overseer in his house and over all that he had, the LORD blessed the Egyptian's house for Joseph's sake; the blessing of the LORD was on all that he had, in house and field.

6 So he left all that he had in Joseph's charge, and because of him he had no concern about anything but the food he ate. Now Joseph was handsome in form and appearance. 

7 And after a time his master's wife cast her eyes on Joseph and said, "Lie with me."

8 But he refused and said to his master's wife, "Behold, because of me my master has no concern about anything in the house, and he has put everything that he has in my charge.

9 He is not greater in this house than I am, nor has he kept back anything from me except you, because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?"

10 And as she spoke to Joseph day after day, he would not listen to her, to lie beside her or to be with her.

11 But one day, when he went into the house to do his work and none of the men of the house was there in the house,

12 she caught him by his garment, saying, "Lie with me." But he left his garment in her hand and fled and got out of the house.

13 And as soon as she saw that he had left his garment in her hand and had fled out of the house,

14 she called to the men of her household and said to them, "See, he has brought among us a Hebrew to laugh at us. He came in to me to lie with me, and I cried out with a loud voice.

15 And as soon as he heard that I lifted up my voice and cried out, he left his garment beside me and fled and got out of the house."

16 Then she laid up his garment by her until his master came home,

17 and she told him the same story, saying, "The Hebrew servant, whom you have brought among us, came in to me to laugh at me.

18 But as soon as I lifted up my voice and cried, he left his garment beside me and fled out of the house."

19 As soon as his master heard the words that his wife spoke to him, "This is the way your servant treated me," his anger was kindled.

20 And Joseph's master took him and put him into the prison, the place where the king's prisoners were confined, and he was there in prison.

21 But the LORD was with Joseph and showed him steadfast love and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison.

22 And the keeper of the prison put Joseph in charge of all the prisoners who were in the prison. Whatever was done there, he was the one who did it.

23 The keeper of the prison paid no attention to anything that was in Joseph's charge, because the LORD was with him. And whatever he did, the LORD made it succeed. - Genesis 39

1 Some time after this, the cupbearer of the king of Egypt and his baker committed an offense against their lord the king of Egypt.

2 And Pharaoh was angry with his two officers, the chief cupbearer and the chief baker,

3 and he put them in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, in the prison where Joseph was confined.

4 The captain of the guard appointed Joseph to be with them, and he attended them. They continued for some time in custody.

5 And one night they both dreamed-the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were confined in the prison-each his own dream, and each dream with its own interpretation.

6 When Joseph came to them in the morning, he saw that they were troubled.

7 So he asked Pharaoh's officers who were with him in custody in his master's house, "Why are your faces downcast today?"

8 They said to him, "We have had dreams, and there is no one to interpret them." And Joseph said to them, "Do not interpretations belong to God? Please tell them to me."

9 So the chief cupbearer told his dream to Joseph and said to him, "In my dream there was a vine before me,

10 and on the vine there were three branches. As soon as it budded, its blossoms shot forth, and the clusters ripened into grapes.

11 Pharaoh's cup was in my hand, and I took the grapes and pressed them into Pharaoh's cup and placed the cup in Pharaoh's hand."

12 Then Joseph said to him, "This is its interpretation: the three branches are three days.

13 In three days Pharaoh will lift up your head and restore you to your office, and you shall place Pharaoh's cup in his hand as formerly, when you were his cupbearer.

14 Only remember me, when it is well with you, and please do me the kindness to mention me to Pharaoh, and so get me out of this house.

15 For I was indeed stolen out of the land of the Hebrews, and here also I have done nothing that they should put me into the pit."

16 When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was favorable, he said to Joseph, "I also had a dream: there were three cake baskets on my head,

17 and in the uppermost basket there were all sorts of baked food for Pharaoh, but the birds were eating it out of the basket on my head."

18 And Joseph answered and said, "This is its interpretation: the three baskets are three days.

19 In three days Pharaoh will lift up your head-from you!-and hang you on a tree. And the birds will eat the flesh from you."

20 On the third day, which was Pharaoh's birthday, he made a feast for all his servants and lifted up the head of the chief cupbearer and the head of the chief baker among his servants.

21 He restored the chief cupbearer to his position, and he placed the cup in Pharaoh's hand.

22 But he hanged the chief baker, as Joseph had interpreted to them.

23 Yet the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph, but forgot him. - Genesis 40

1 I love you, O LORD, my strength. 

2 The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. 

3 I call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies. 

4 The cords of death encompassed me; the torrents of destruction assailed me; 

5 the cords of Sheol entangled me; the snares of death confronted me. 

6 In my distress I called upon the LORD; to my God I cried for help. From his temple he heard my voice, and my cry to him reached his ears. 

7 Then the earth reeled and rocked; the foundations also of the mountains trembled and quaked, because he was angry. 

8 Smoke went up from his nostrils, and devouring fire from his mouth; glowing coals flamed forth from him. 

9 He bowed the heavens and came down; thick darkness was under his feet. 

10 He rode on a cherub and flew; he came swiftly on the wings of the wind. 

11 He made darkness his covering, his canopy around him, thick clouds dark with water. 

12 Out of the brightness before him hailstones and coals of fire broke through his clouds. 

13 The LORD also thundered in the heavens, and the Most High uttered his voice, hailstones and coals of fire. 

14 And he sent out his arrows and scattered them; he flashed forth lightnings and routed them. 

15 Then the channels of the sea were seen, and the foundations of the world were laid bare at your rebuke, O LORD, at the blast of the breath of your nostrils. 

16 He sent from on high, he took me; he drew me out of many waters. 

17 He rescued me from my strong enemy and from those who hated me, for they were too mighty for me. 

18 They confronted me in the day of my calamity, but the LORD was my support. 

19 He brought me out into a broad place; he rescued me, because he delighted in me. 

20 The LORD dealt with me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands he rewarded me. 

21 For I have kept the ways of the LORD, and have not wickedly departed from my God. 

22 For all his rules were before me, and his statutes I did not put away from me. 

23 I was blameless before him, and I kept myself from my guilt. 

24 So the LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight.  - Psalm 18:1-24

24 And on the following day they entered Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends.

25 When Peter entered, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshiped him.

26 But Peter lifted him up, saying, "Stand up; I too am a man."

27 And as he talked with him, he went in and found many persons gathered.

28 And he said to them, "You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with or to visit anyone of another nation, but God has shown me that I should not call any person common or unclean.

29 So when I was sent for, I came without objection. I ask then why you sent for me."

30 And Cornelius said, "Four days ago, about this hour, I was praying in my house at the ninth hour, and behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing

31 and said, 'Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your alms have been remembered before God.

32 Send therefore to Joppa and ask for Simon who is called Peter. He is lodging in the house of Simon, a tanner, by the sea.'

33 So I sent for you at once, and you have been kind enough to come. Now therefore we are all here in the presence of God to hear all that you have been commanded by the Lord."

34 So Peter opened his mouth and said: "Truly I understand that God shows no partiality,

35 but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.

36 As for the word that he sent to Israel, preaching good news of peace through Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all),

37 you yourselves know what happened throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism that John proclaimed:

38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.

39 And we are witnesses of all that he did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree,

40 but God raised him on the third day and made him to appear,

41 not to all the people but to us who had been chosen by God as witnesses, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead.

42 And he commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead.

43 To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name."

44 While Peter was still saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word.

45 And the believers from among the circumcised who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out even on the Gentiles.

46 For they were hearing them speaking in tongues and extolling God. Then Peter declared,

47 "Can anyone withhold water for baptizing these people, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?"

48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to remain for some days. - Acts 10:24-48

15 "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.

16 You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?

17 So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit.

18 A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit.

19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

20 Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.

21 "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.

22 On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?'

23 And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.'

24 "Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.

25 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.

26 And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.

27 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it."

28 And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching,

29 for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes. - Matthew 7:15-29

Authentic Faith Is Eager for Christ to Come

Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him. (Hebrews 9:28)

What must you do so that you may know that your sins are taken away by the blood of Christ, and that, when he comes, he will shield you from the wrath of God and bring you into eternal life? The answer is this: Trust Christ in a way that makes you eager for him to come.

The text says he is coming to save those who are “eagerly waiting for him.” So how do you get ready? How do you experience the forgiveness of God in Christ and prepare to meet him? By trusting him in a way that makes you eager for him to come.

This eager expectation for Christ is simply a sign that we love him and believe in him — really believe in him, authentically.

There is a phony faith that wants only escape from hell, but has no desire for Christ. That kind of faith does not save. It does not produce an eager expectation for Christ to come. In fact, it would rather that Christ not come for as long as possible, so that it can have as much of this world as possible.

But the faith that really holds on to Christ as Savior and Lord and Treasure and hope and joy is the faith that makes us long for Christ to come. And that is the faith that saves.

So I urge you, turn from the world, and from sin. Turn to Christ. Receive him, welcome him, embrace Christ not just as your fire insurance policy, but as your eagerly awaited Treasure and Friend and Lord.

John Piper 

You Can’t Separate These Two

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“…I, Daniel, understood by the books the number of years specified by the word of the Lord through Jeremiah the prophet, that He would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem”... 

(Daniel 9:2)

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

What was it that caused Daniel to set his face to seek the Lord? It was reading the Old Testament prophets. As Daniel studied Jeremiah, God showed Daniel that He had prophesied a seventy-year time of captivity for His people the Jews in Babylon (Jeremiah 25:11-12), and the seventy years were almost up. Through Jeremiah, God said to Daniel, “I’m going to judge Babylon.”

Reading the Word, Daniel saw God’s blueprint and knew he was living at the end of an age. He sought God for wisdom. What do we learn from this? We learn that Bible study and prayer rise and fall together. Your study life will not be greater than your prayer life and vice versa. There is no way you can separate Bible study from prayer.

ACTION POINT:

When you read the Bible, the Bible impels you to pray. And when you pray, your prayer life will urge you to read the Bible. Prayer and Bible reading go hand in hand. When you read the Word of God, God is speaking to you. Prayer is you, talking back to God. And it ought not to be a one-sided conversation from either side.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

Jan.17

1 Jacob lived in the land of his father's sojournings, in the land of Canaan.

2 These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was pasturing the flock with his brothers. He was a boy with the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father's wives. And Joseph brought a bad report of them to their father. 

3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than any other of his sons, because he was the son of his old age. And he made him a robe of many colors.

4 But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peacefully to him.

5 Now Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers they hated him even more.

6 He said to them, "Hear this dream that I have dreamed:

7 Behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and behold, my sheaf arose and stood upright. And behold, your sheaves gathered around it and bowed down to my sheaf."

8 His brothers said to him, "Are you indeed to reign over us? Or are you indeed to rule over us?" So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words.

9 Then he dreamed another dream and told it to his brothers and said, "Behold, I have dreamed another dream. Behold, the sun, the moon, and eleven stars were bowing down to me."

10 But when he told it to his father and to his brothers, his father rebuked him and said to him, "What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall I and your mother and your brothers indeed come to bow ourselves to the ground before you?"

11 And his brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the saying in mind.

12 Now his brothers went to pasture their father's flock near Shechem.

13 And Israel said to Joseph, "Are not your brothers pasturing the flock at Shechem? Come, I will send you to them." And he said to him, "Here I am."

14 So he said to him, "Go now, see if it is well with your brothers and with the flock, and bring me word." So he sent him from the Valley of Hebron, and he came to Shechem.

15 And a man found him wandering in the fields. And the man asked him, "What are you seeking?"

16 "I am seeking my brothers," he said. "Tell me, please, where they are pasturing the flock."

17 And the man said, "They have gone away, for I heard them say, 'Let us go to Dothan.'" So Joseph went after his brothers and found them at Dothan.

18 They saw him from afar, and before he came near to them they conspired against him to kill him.

19 They said to one another, "Here comes this dreamer.

20 Come now, let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits. Then we will say that a fierce animal has devoured him, and we will see what will become of his dreams."

21 But when Reuben heard it, he rescued him out of their hands, saying, "Let us not take his life."

22 And Reuben said to them, "Shed no blood; throw him into this pit here in the wilderness, but do not lay a hand on him"-that he might rescue him out of their hand to restore him to his father.

23 So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe, the robe of many colors that he wore.

24 And they took him and threw him into a pit. The pit was empty; there was no water in it.

25 Then they sat down to eat. And looking up they saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead, with their camels bearing gum, balm, and myrrh, on their way to carry it down to Egypt.

26 Then Judah said to his brothers, "What profit is it if we kill our brother and conceal his blood?

27 Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him, for he is our brother, our own flesh." And his brothers listened to him.

28 Then Midianite traders passed by. And they drew Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. They took Joseph to Egypt.

29 When Reuben returned to the pit and saw that Joseph was not in the pit, he tore his clothes

30 and returned to his brothers and said, "The boy is gone, and I, where shall I go?"

31 Then they took Joseph's robe and slaughtered a goat and dipped the robe in the blood.

32 And they sent the robe of many colors and brought it to their father and said, "This we have found; please identify whether it is your son's robe or not."

33 And he identified it and said, "It is my son's robe. A fierce animal has devoured him. Joseph is without doubt torn to pieces."

34 Then Jacob tore his garments and put sackcloth on his loins and mourned for his son many days.

35 All his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted and said, "No, I shall go down to Sheol to my son, mourning." Thus his father wept for him.

36 Meanwhile the Midianites had sold him in Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the guard. - Genesis 37

1 It happened at that time that Judah went down from his brothers and turned aside to a certain Adullamite, whose name was Hirah.

2 There Judah saw the daughter of a certain Canaanite whose name was Shua. He took her and went in to her,

3 and she conceived and bore a son, and he called his name Er.

4 She conceived again and bore a son, and she called his name Onan.

5 Yet again she bore a son, and she called his name Shelah. Judah was in Chezib when she bore him.

6 And Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, and her name was Tamar.

7 But Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the LORD, and the LORD put him to death.

8 Then Judah said to Onan, "Go in to your brother's wife and perform the duty of a brother-in-law to her, and raise up offspring for your brother."

9 But Onan knew that the offspring would not be his. So whenever he went in to his brother's wife he would waste the semen on the ground, so as not to give offspring to his brother.

10 And what he did was wicked in the sight of the LORD, and he put him to death also.

11 Then Judah said to Tamar his daughter-in-law, "Remain a widow in your father's house, till Shelah my son grows up"-for he feared that he would die, like his brothers. So Tamar went and remained in her father's house.

12 In the course of time the wife of Judah, Shua's daughter, died. When Judah was comforted, he went up to Timnah to his sheepshearers, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite.

13 And when Tamar was told, "Your father-in-law is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep,"

14 she took off her widow's garments and covered herself with a veil, wrapping herself up, and sat at the entrance to Enaim, which is on the road to Timnah. For she saw that Shelah was grown up, and she had not been given to him in marriage.

15 When Judah saw her, he thought she was a prostitute, for she had covered her face.

16 He turned to her at the roadside and said, "Come, let me come in to you," for he did not know that she was his daughter-in-law. She said, "What will you give me, that you may come in to me?"

17 He answered, "I will send you a young goat from the flock." And she said, "If you give me a pledge, until you send it-"

18 He said, "What pledge shall I give you?" She replied, "Your signet and your cord and your staff that is in your hand." So he gave them to her and went in to her, and she conceived by him.

19 Then she arose and went away, and taking off her veil she put on the garments of her widowhood.

20 When Judah sent the young goat by his friend the Adullamite to take back the pledge from the woman's hand, he did not find her.

21 And he asked the men of the place, "Where is the cult prostitute who was at Enaim at the roadside?" And they said, "No cult prostitute has been here."

22 So he returned to Judah and said, "I have not found her. Also, the men of the place said, 'No cult prostitute has been here.'"

23 And Judah replied, "Let her keep the things as her own, or we shall be laughed at. You see, I sent this young goat, and you did not find her."

24 About three months later Judah was told, "Tamar your daughter-in-law has been immoral. Moreover, she is pregnant by immorality." And Judah said, "Bring her out, and let her be burned."

25 As she was being brought out, she sent word to her father-in-law, "By the man to whom these belong, I am pregnant." And she said, "Please identify whose these are, the signet and the cord and the staff."

26 Then Judah identified them and said, "She is more righteous than I, since I did not give her to my son Shelah." And he did not know her again.

27 When the time of her labor came, there were twins in her womb.

28 And when she was in labor, one put out a hand, and the midwife took and tied a scarlet thread on his hand, saying, "This one came out first."

29 But as he drew back his hand, behold, his brother came out. And she said, "What a breach you have made for yourself!" Therefore his name was called Perez.

30 Afterward his brother came out with the scarlet thread on his hand, and his name was called Zerah. - Genesis 38

1 Hear a just cause, O LORD; attend to my cry! Give ear to my prayer from lips free of deceit! 

2 From your presence let my vindication come! Let your eyes behold the right! 

3 You have tried my heart, you have visited me by night, you have tested me, and you will find nothing; I have purposed that my mouth will not transgress. 

4 With regard to the works of man, by the word of your lips I have avoided the ways of the violent. 

5 My steps have held fast to your paths; my feet have not slipped. 

6 I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God; incline your ear to me; hear my words. 

7 Wondrously show your steadfast love, O Savior of those who seek refuge from their adversaries at your right hand. 

8 Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings, 

9 from the wicked who do me violence, my deadly enemies who surround me. 

10 They close their hearts to pity; with their mouths they speak arrogantly. 

11 They have now surrounded our steps; they set their eyes to cast us to the ground. 

12 He is like a lion eager to tear, as a young lion lurking in ambush. 

13 Arise, O LORD! Confront him, subdue him! Deliver my soul from the wicked by your sword, 

14 from men by your hand, O LORD, from men of the world whose portion is in this life. You fill their womb with treasure; they are satisfied with children, and they leave their abundance to their infants. 

15 As for me, I shall behold your face in righteousness; when I awake, I shall be satisfied with your likeness.  - Psalms 17

1 At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion of what was known as the Italian Cohort,

2 a devout man who feared God with all his household, gave alms generously to the people, and prayed continually to God.

3 About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God come in and say to him, "Cornelius."

4 And he stared at him in terror and said, "What is it, Lord?" And he said to him, "Your prayers and your alms have ascended as a memorial before God.

5 And now send men to Joppa and bring one Simon who is called Peter.

6 He is lodging with one Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea."

7 When the angel who spoke to him had departed, he called two of his servants and a devout soldier from among those who attended him,

8 and having related everything to them, he sent them to Joppa.

9 The next day, as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the housetop about the sixth hour to pray.

10 And he became hungry and wanted something to eat, but while they were preparing it, he fell into a trance

11 and saw the heavens opened and something like a great sheet descending, being let down by its four corners upon the earth.

12 In it were all kinds of animals and reptiles and birds of the air.

13 And there came a voice to him: "Rise, Peter; kill and eat."

14 But Peter said, "By no means, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean."

15 And the voice came to him again a second time, "What God has made clean, do not call common."

16 This happened three times, and the thing was taken up at once to heaven.

17 Now while Peter was inwardly perplexed as to what the vision that he had seen might mean, behold, the men who were sent by Cornelius, having made inquiry for Simon's house, stood at the gate

18 and called out to ask whether Simon who was called Peter was lodging there.

19 And while Peter was pondering the vision, the Spirit said to him, "Behold, three men are looking for you.

20 Rise and go down and accompany them without hesitation, for I have sent them."

21 And Peter went down to the men and said, "I am the one you are looking for. What is the reason for your coming?"

22 And they said, "Cornelius, a centurion, an upright and God-fearing man, who is well spoken of by the whole Jewish nation, was directed by a holy angel to send for you to come to his house and to hear what you have to say."

23 So he invited them in to be his guests. The next day he rose and went away with them, and some of the brothers from Joppa accompanied him.  - Acts 10:1-23

1 "Judge not, that you be not judged.

2 For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.

3 Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?

4 Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when there is the log in your own eye?

5 You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.

6 "Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you.

7 "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.

8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.

9 Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone?

10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent?

11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

12 "So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

13 "Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many.

14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few. - Matthew 7:1-14