Posts with the tag “genesis”

Daily Devotional from Genesis 49--Verse 33When Jacob finished commanding his sons, he drew up his feet into the bed and breathed his last and was gathered to his people.Jacob’s life on earth came to an end just as all of ours will. But I find it interesting that it says “and was gathered to his people.” He was gathered to be buried with his ancestors but much time passed between his death and buri...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Genesis 47–Verse 26And it stands to this day, that Pharoah should have the fifth. God asks for 10%, but Pharoah takes 20. God gives us a Sabbath, while Egypt offers no days off.  You can see why Israel groaned under a heavy load.So the Lord delivers us from Egypt and lightens the load. His yoke is easy; His burden is light. But notice-- there is a yoke, and there is a burden....  Read More

Daily Devotional from Genesis 45--Verses 7-8And God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors. So it was not you who sent me here, but God. He has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house and ruler over all the land of Egypt.Circumstances weren’t always in Joseph’s favor, but God had a plan and turned things around. We have al...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Genesis 44—Verses 33“Now therefore, please let your servant remain instead of the lad as a slave to my lord, and let the lad go up with his brothers.”Unlike when they disposed of Joseph, his brothers were shocked and dismayed at Benjamin’s fate, tearing their clothes in horror. They trusted each other and did not try to blame anyone for the theft. They did not abandon their b...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Genesis 43—Verses 13-14 “Take your brother also, and arise, go back to the man. And may God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may release your other brother and Benjamin. If I am bereaved, I am bereaved!"Israel lost his beloved Rachel. He lost Joseph whom he had really treasured. And now he was faced with losing Benjamin, his youngest. What will he do?He had two...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Genesis 42—Verse 6Now Joseph was governor over the land. He was the one who sold to all the people of the land. And Joseph’s brothers came and bowed themselves before him with their faces to the ground.Before his brothers sold him into slavery, Joseph dreamed they would one day bow before him (Gen. 36:7). When he shared the dream with his brothers, they scoffed and hated him ...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Genesis 41—This chapter reminds me of James 4:6: “As the Scriptures say, ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’” What really catches my attention here is the way Joseph rose to his place of honor. Let’s back up a few chapters, when Joseph interpreted the dreams of two men in prison with him. He didn’t have a reason to interpret their dreams other than the fact...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Genesis 39--Verse 12She 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.I’ve always loved the image of Joseph’s garment dangling in the hand of Potiphar’s wife. It tells me he knew who he was and to whom he belonged. And I believe we must share the same conviction. I say this because sometimes temptation ...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Genesis 38—Verse 26Then Judah identified them and said, ‘She is more righteous than I, since I did not give her to my son Shelah.’Judah did not honor his word to his widowed daughter-in-law, Tamar. In doing so, he made a fool of himself in more ways than one.Have you ever made an agreement with someone and not held up your end of the deal? I know I’ve struggled with this befo...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Genesis 37--Verses 27-28“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. 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.What a crazy day for Joseph...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Genesis 36--Verse 1These are the generations of Esau (that is, Edom).It may seem unclear why we have a whole chapter in scripture dedicated to the descendants of Esau, the one that sold his birthright for a bowl of soup and lost his inheritance due to the deception of his brother. Why did God deem it necessary for this family to be named in scripture?My hunch is that it is be...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Genesis 35--Verse 3“Then let us arise and go up to Bethel, so that I may make there an altar to the God who answers me in the day of my distress and has been with me wherever I have gone.”By now Jacob/Israel has definitely been through some distressing times! Being cheated and almost held captive by uncle Laban, wives fighting over each other, the fear of his brother coming w...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Genesis 34--Verse 30Then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, ‘You have brought trouble on me by making me stink to the inhabitants of the land…’When we see injustice, our natural reaction is anger—and rightfully so. What we do with that anger says a lot about us. Dinah’s brothers were furious about the rape of their sister, and rightfully so. But what they did with that anger went...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Genesis 33–Verse 7bAnd last Joseph and Rachel drew near…Everyone knew Joseph was the darling of the family - the pampered little boy. Upon reuniting with his brother Esau, Jacob didn’t know what he was getting into. So he set his expendable children out front as a human shield for his favorite child. And, if you know the rest of the story, you know that his favoritism did not...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Genesis 32--Verse 36Then Jacob became angry and berated Laban. Jacob said to Laban, “What is my offense? What is my sin, that you have hotly pursued me?Have you ever been treated poorly at a job or been falsely accused by someone you know? I know I’ve been angry when someone assaults my character. Jacob worked for Laban for 20 years and was treated horribly. When he finally l...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Genesis 31— After Jacob served Laban for twenty years, he lost Laban’s favor. At the Lord’s direction, Jacob took his wives, family and livestock and left secretly, lest Laban forcibly take back all that he had. Laban pursued Jacob; but God warned him not to say good or bad to Jacob. The outcome of their exchange was to part peaceably, leaving stones and a pillar to mark thei...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Genesis 30—Verse 14-15Now Reuben went in the days of wheat harvest and found mandrakes in the field, and brought them to his mother Leah. Then Rachel said to Leah, "Please give me some of your son's mandrakes…Therefore [Jacob] will lie with you tonight for your son's mandrakes." NKJVJacob who had cheated his brother Esau out of his inheritance is now being bought and sold by ...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Genesis 29—Verse 25And in the morning, behold, it was Leah! And Jacob said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? Did I not serve with you for Rachel? Why then have you deceived me?”Jacob made a deal to marry Rachel, but woke up to find he got Leah instead. How unjust! But not really. Jacob, who deceived his father Isaac to steal the blessing due his older brother Esau,...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Genesis 28--Verses 16 & 18“When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he said, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it….” Early in the morning Jacob took the stone that was near his head and set it up as a marker. He poured oil on top of it and named the place Bethel…”I wonder how often after this moment Jacob stopped and looked at this marker. Did his children know th...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Genesis 27--Verse 35But Isaac said, “Your brother was here, and he tricked me. He has taken away your blessing.” NLTThis is a wild story. Jacob stole Esau’s blessing and went on to be Israel…THE Israel. It’s crazy! Why would God allow him to experience the blessing when it wasn’t even rightfully his? He didn’t deserve this honor; he didn’t deserve this name. Why couldn’t God ...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Genesis 26--Verse 2 And the Lord appeared to him and said, “Do not go down to Egypt; dwell in the land of which I shall tell you.”Isaac was not a perfect man; we see this in the text. But he learned from his father to trust the Lord. Instead of going to Egypt, he followed God’s direction. And throughout this passage, we see the Lord promising to bless him, and fulfilling His ...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Genesis 25–Verses 32-34Esau said, “I am about to die; of what use is a birthright to me?” Jacob said, “Swear to me now.” So he swore to him and sold his birthright to Jacob. Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew, and he ate and drank and rose and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.In the Old Testament, birthright was a privilege of the first-born son to one ...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Genesis 23—Verses 19-20After this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah east of Mamre (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan. The field and the cave that is in it were made over to Abraham as property for a burying place by the Hittites.Abraham was living as a foreigner in the land that God had promised him. But here, in this little scene where...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Genesis 21--Verse 17What troubles you, Hagar?People may abandon you or kick you to the curb, but God never will.Take Hagar for example. After getting tangled up in a sticky situation, she and her son get dumped in the middle of a wilderness with only a loaf of bread and a skin of water. Discarded and rejected. No comforting voices, no encouraging touches. None but one…What tr...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Genesis 20--Verse 6Then God said to him in the dream, “Yes, I know that you have done this in the integrity of your heart, and it was I who kept you from sinning against me. Therefore I did not let you touch her.” There have been many times in life when I have made a plan to do this or that, and something has gotten in the way, preventing me from doing it. I can recall times ...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Genesis 19--Verse 26But Lot's wife, behind him, looked back, and she became a pillar of salt.I could see this happening so easily in America. Judgement is on the way and Lot’s family is dithering and delaying. The sons-in-law thought it was a joke (verse 14), Lot was dragging his feet (verse 16), and now we see Lot’s wife casting her eye back to what used to be. It’s like the...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Genesis 18--Verses 3-5aAnd [Abraham] said, “O Lord, if I have found favor in your sight, do not pass by your servant. Let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree, while I bring a morsel of bread, that you may refresh yourselves…”Abraham humbly offered hospitality in the form of water to wash their feet, rest under the tree and a bite ...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Genesis 17--Verse 1When Abram was ninety-nine years old the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless…"“Be blameless,” said God Almighty to Abram. Blameless is defined by Strong’s Concordance as without blemish, complete, full, perfect, sincerely (-ity), sound, without spot, undefiled, upright (-ly), whole.Did Abram succeed a...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Genesis 14--Verses 18-20And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. (He was priest of God Most High.) And he blessed him and said, “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand!” And Abram gave him a tenth of everything.God is a giver, and if we want to be more like ...  Read More

Daily devotional from Genesis 13--Verses 14-16Look as far as you can see in every direction–north and south, east and west. I am giving all this land, as far as you can see, to you and your descendants as a permanent possession. And I will give you so many descendants that, like the dust of the earth, they cannot be counted! NLTAbraham was walking in God’s promise. He knew that wherever he went, G...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Genesis 12--Verse 4So Abram went, as the Lord had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Harran.  (NIV)My Great-Grandmother was 90 years old when she became a Christian. She loved Jesus with everything she had during the last year of her life. Before she passed away, she loved reading the Bible and praying, and donating her croc...  Read More

Daily devotional from Genesis 11--Verse 4Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be dispersed over the face of the whole earth.”In Genesis 9, God commanded “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth.” But in Genesis 11, we see the people actively opposing this command. Today, if you’re feeling tem...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Genesis 10--Verse 32These are the clans of the sons of Noah, according to their genealogies, in their nations, and from these the nations spread abroad on the earth after the flood.I love different cultures, languages, food, traditions. They are so unique and beautiful and this verse describes when the nations divided and spread. In Bible college I was in a zoom call 3 days a...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Genesis 9--Verses 13 and 16I have set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.Do you think that God really needs help remembering his promises? Of course not! Signs are for our ...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Genesis 8--Verse 1God remembered Noah…Sometimes we are in the midst of crazy storms. The waves are high, the rain seems to fall…and fall…and fall…and it seems as if the storm is never going to end.Right now, it may feel like you’re in the middle of a storm, much like Noah and his family. But God has remembered you, just like he did with Noah.You are not forgotten and left to ...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Genesis 7--Verse 16And those that entered, male and female of all flesh, went in as God had commanded him. And the Lord shut him in.The entrance to the ark must have been pretty good-sized, to be able to fit giraffes and elephants inside. Just imagine being with Noah the day the flood began – when it says ‘all the fountains of the great deep BURST forth, and the windows of th...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Genesis 4--Verses 3-5In the course of time Cain brought to the Lord an offering of the fruit of the ground, and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering, but for Cain and his offering he had no regard.This passage may seem confusing. Why would God accept Abel’s offering, but not Cain’s? Hebrew...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Genesis 3—Verses 4-5But the serpent said to the woman, "You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."The first lies, the first deception. The master deceiver was determined to take his rightful place as the bad guy of all. Not even Eve who had walked in the garden with the Almighty Go...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Genesis 2--Verse 18Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.”Verse 21So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man.God crea...  Read More

Daily Devotional from Genesis 49--Verse 33When Jacob finished commanding his sons, he drew up his feet into the bed and breathed his last and was gathered to his people.Jacob’s life on earth came to an end just as all of ours will. But I find it interesting that it says “and was gathered to his people.” He was gathered to be buried with his ancestors but much time passed between his death and buri...  Read More