Click here for today's reading: Deut 1–4 | Prov 8:12–36 | Luke 18 Scripture Focus:  Deuteronomy 6:4–5“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one! You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might.” Deuteronomy means “second law,” not because God changed His mind, but because His people needed to hear His truth again. Standing on the edge of the Promised Land, Moses speaks to a new generation—one that did not remember Egyp

Click here for today's reading: Gen 46–50 | Prov 7:15–27 | Luke 16 Scripture: "You planned evil against me; God planned it for good to bring about the present result—the survival of many people." CSB— Genesis 50:20 Joseph’s brothers struggled to believe they were truly forgiven. Though they had heard Joseph’s words, seen his tears, felt his kisses, and received his kindness (Gen. 45:1–15), fear still controlled their hearts. They assumed grace had limits. Like the prodigal s

Click here for today's reading: Gen 43–45 | Prov 7:1–14 | Luke 15 Scripture: “But Judah approached him and said, ‘My lord, please let your servant speak personally to my lord. Do not be angry with your servant, for you are like Pharaoh.’”  — Genesis 44:18 (CSB) Repentance is not merely feeling sorry for sin—true repentance produces changed behavior. Earlier in the story of Joseph, Judah was part of the group that, with his suggestion, sold  Joseph into slavery (Genesis 37).

Click Here for today's reading: Gen 40–42 | Prov 6:16–35 | Luke 14 Scripture: “But the chief butler did not remember Joseph, but forgot him.” — Genesis 40:23 Joseph’s circumstances in Genesis 40–42 were far from ideal. Though he faithfully served God in prison and accurately interpreted the cupbearer’s dream, he was forgotten. From a human perspective, Joseph could have felt abandoned, overlooked, or defeated. Yet even in being forgotten by man, he was never forgotten by God

Click here for today's reading: "At seventeen years of age, Joseph tended sheep with his brothers." (CSB) JOSEPH [JOE zeph]  ( may he add ) — the name of several men in the Bible: The 11th son of Jacob (Gen. 30:24). Joseph was sold into slavery and later rose to an important position in the Egyptian government. The account of Joseph’s life is found in Genesis 37–50. Joseph was the first child of Rachel (30:24) and his father’s favorite son (37:31). This is most clearly show

Click Here for Today's Reading: Gen 34–36 | Prov 5:9–23 | Luke 12 8  Deborah, the one who had nursed and raised Rebekah, ,  died and was buried under the oak south of Bethel. So Jacob named it Allon-bacuth. 19 So Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem). 28  Isaac lived 180 years. 29  He took his last breath and died, and was gathered to his people, old and full of days. His sons Esau and Jacob buried him.  We have often heard it said that death

Click Here for today's reading: Gen 31–33 | Prov 5:1–8 | Luke 11 Scripture: “   Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him until daybreak.” — Genesis 32:24 Jacob encountered God at the ford of the Jabbok during a moment of fear and uncertainty. Alone in the darkness, he wrestled with God through the night. Though Jacob was wounded and could not prevail by strength, he refused to let go until God blessed him. When Jacob confessed his name "heel-grabber", God gave him a

Click Here for Today's Reading: Gen 28–30 | Prov 4:20–27 | Luke 10 Scripture: “Your offspring will be like the dust of the earth… and all the peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” — Genesis 28:14 I was recently reading a book that listed several Old English words that have shifted in meaning over time. One of those old words appears in the King James Bible. I had read it countless times, but when I learned its true meaning, something clicked. What I had always assum

Click Here for today's reading: Gen 25–27 | Prov 4:10–19 | Luke 9 Scripture:   “When the men of the place asked about his wife, he said, ‘She is my sister.’ For he was afraid to say, ‘my wife,’ thinking, ‘The men of this place will kill me on account of Rebekah, for she is a beautiful woman.’… So Abimelech sent for Isaac and said, ‘She is really your wife! Why did you say, “She is my sister”?’”  — Genesis 26:7–10, CSB Just as Abraham had twice claimed that Sarah was his sist

Click Here for Today's Reading: Gen 22–24 | Prov 4:1–9 | Luke 8 Scripture: “'This is from the Lord; we have no choice in the matter..’” — Genesis 24:50  (CSB) In Genesis 24, Abraham’s servant is given a sacred task—to find the wife God had chosen for Isaac. His journey leads him straight to Rebekah, and every detail unfolds exactly as he prayed. When the servant explains the purpose of his mission and ask for their blessing, Rebekah’s family responds with the wisest words an

Click here for today's reading: Gen 19–21 | Prov 3:11–20 | Luke 7 Scripture:  “But Lot’s wife looked back and became a pillar of salt.” — Genesis 19:26 (CSB) When God rescued Lot’s family from Sodom, He gave them one clear command—don’t look back. But Lot’s wife, unable to release what was behind her, turned to look—and in that moment, her life ended. Her backward glance revealed a heart still tied to the past. While coaching my sons’ 8U baseball team, we constantly practice

Click Here for Today's Reading: Gen 16–18 | Prov 3:1–10 | Luke 6 Scripture: Is anything impossible for the Lord? At the appointed time I will come back to you, and in about a year she will have a son.”  - Genesis 18:14 (CSB) I’m reminded of a woman I worked with years ago who tried for years to match-make for her daughter, pushing her toward men she thought would be good husbands. None of them worked out. But when she finally stopped forcing it and waited, God brought the r

Click Here for Today's Reading: Gen 13–15 | Prov 2:9–22 | Luke 5 Scripture: “ 12  Abram lived in the land of Canaan, but Lot lived in the cities on the plain and set up his tent near Sodom.” — Genesis 13:10–13 (CSB) When Abram looked, he saw with eyes of faith. When Lot looked, he saw with eyes of materialism. Lot saw the glitter of material wealth but failed to see the sin that came with it. Sin often promises wealth, comfort, and a “good time,” but none of it lasts. It bli

Click Here for Today's Reading: Gen 10–12 | Prov 2:1–8 | Luke 4 “From Noah’s three sons, He dispersed them abroad on the earth.” — Genesis 10 “…Shem… became the ancestor of Abram.” — Genesis 11:10 “Go… and I will bless you… and in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.” — Genesis 12:1–3 Last week I went and played golf with a friend. When we got to hole three, I sliced the ball so badly it flew into another fairway. I was way off.  So I did what golfers often d

Click Here for Today's Reading: Genesis 7–9 | Proverbs 1:17–33 | Luke 3 Genesis 7:1 (CSB) — “Then the Lord said to Noah, ‘Enter the ark, you and all your household,’ for I have seen that you alone are righteous before me in this generation.” Before the first drop of rain ever fell, God spoke the most comforting word Noah could have heard: “Enter the ark.” In the original language, the word means to "come". God did not say “Go into the ark.”  He invited him in.This means God

Today's Reading: Gen 4–6 | Prov 1:9–16 | Luke 2 Genesis matters because beginnings matter. When we misunderstand the foundation, everything built on top of it begins to lean. I still remember the first time I put on a long-sleeve button-down shirt by myself—white with light blue stripes and six buttons down the front. I proudly finished buttoning it, only to realize something was very wrong: one side hung lower than the other, and there was an empty buttonhole staring back at

Today's Reading: Gen 1–3 | Prov 1:1–8 | Luke 1 In Genesis 3:1–13 we see two scenes unfold: the fall of humanity  and the flight of humanity . 1. The Fall (vv. 1–7) In the first seven verses, Adam and Eve partake of the forbidden fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil—the very tree God commanded them not to touch. God had established clear boundaries for their good. Yet the tempter approached with a subtle but powerful appeal, offering them exactly what God had

"Jesus told the crowds all these things in parables, and he did not tell them anything without a parable," - Matthew 10:34 (CSB) PARABLE  — a short, simple story designed to communicate a spiritual truth, religious principle, or moral lesson; a figure of speech in which truth is illustrated by a comparison or example drawn from everyday experiences. Parables are excellent tools that Jesus used during much of His teaching in order to teach His followers. My youth pastor taught

Let the whole earth shout to the Lord; be jubilant, shout for joy, and sing. - Psalm 98:4 (CSB) One day, every voice will join heaven and nature in singing that great hymn of Christmas, “Joy to the world, the Lord is come!” While often sung at Christmas, this hymn is based on Psalm 98. It is a triumphant song of victory, celebrating not only God’s past deliverance but also His future reign. This psalm points beyond the manger to the throne, reminding us that because of Christ

Scripture: “Look! I am about to send you grain, new wine, and fresh oil. You will be satiated with them…” — Joel 2:19 (CSB) In Joel 2:19, God doesn’t merely promise that His people will be satisfied—He promises they will be satiated. “Satisfied” means having enough, but “satiated” means being completely filled—full to the point of overflowing, with no lingering emptiness. It speaks of abundance, restoration, and a fullness only God can give. Think of Thanksgiving Day. We don