January 11

Today’s Reading - Genesis 33-36

(Gen 33:4 KJV) And Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck, and kissed him: and they wept.

In today’s reading we come across this verse which reveals the happy reunion of two brothers who were at enmity with each other. As you recall Jacob was preparing for the meeting of his brother with much uncertainty. He knew what he did to Esau years back and his fears were about to come to fruition. Or were they? The lesson in this verse is one we all need in these uncertain times. It is the fear principle of anticipation. Here Jacob split his family in two groups in hopes that if Esau annihilated one group, the other would remain alive. However, this did not occur, instead there was a happy family reunion. Anticipation can be a terrible master. Many times we anticipate results or situations in a negative way and it torment one’s conscience until the culmination of anticipated events. It has been said that anticipation can be worse than the results of whatever is being anticipated. Something happens in our life and instantly we anticipate the worst. Jacob anticipated the worst and his fears were not realized. Anticipatory fear is rampant, not only in the world but in the Christian community. Let me give you a personal incident in my life where the results did not equal anticipatory fear. In February of 1998 I started getting a bubble on my gum, so I went to the Dentist and she told me I needed a root canal. Of course, I didn’t believe her and that made the bubble disappear. The pain got worse over the next few months, so I looked for a Dentist who used gas, so I could be knocked out. Well, I found a Dentist and he took an X-ray and showed me I needed a double root canal. Two teeth were suffering so I asked him to pull them under anesthesia. He really did not want to do it but he much rather wanted to save the teeth. I had to make a decision because the pain was becoming unbearable and you can die from poisoning by abscessed teeth. So in much “fear and trembling” I went back to him and had the two root canals done. I didn’t feel a thing! The great pain that I was expecting, never happened and after 4 visits, including minor surgery on the gum, the bubble was gone and the pain was gone. The anticipation was a fear bearing master and the results were far from the anticipation. Think about it!

January 12

Today’s Reading - Genesis 37-39

(Gen 39:21 KJV) But the LORD was with Joseph, and showed him mercy, and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison.

In today’s reading we come across this passage which, along with a few others, gives us a good principle we can use in our life. It is the principle of preparation. First, we see Joseph hated by his brethren and questioned by father for his dreams. Then the brothers throw him into a pit and wanted to kill him. Then instead of killing him, they figured they could make a few extra shekels by selling him to merchants. Now the merchants sold Joseph into slavery in the house of Potiphar. Now that wasn’t bad enough, but here was Joseph at the age of seventeen in a strange land with a strange language. However, we are assured throughout this ordeal that God was with him. Finally Joseph gets settled in his job as steward in the house of Potiphar and is promoted to overseer. Things were looking up for Joseph as he progressed through the ranks. Just when things were going good, here comes Potiphar’s wife making a play for Joseph. Joseph rejected her advances because he feared God more than her and then she makes a false accusation and Joseph winds up in prison. Potiphar’s wife had to falsely accuse Joseph so he could go to prison and then meet up with the baker and the butler. God’s timing is always an important part of preparing His children for a task. There are times in our life when it seems that we are running into problem after problem and there is no escape. It is at this time that God may be preparing you for something. We see how Joseph went from downturn to downturn, yet, God was with him and allowed him to prosper at every level. As God prospered him in these seemingly bad situations, they were all part of God’s overall plan of preparing Joseph for a great task ahead. Maybe this is where you are right now, in the plan of preparation by the hand of God.

January 13

Today’s Reading - Genesis 40-42

(Gen 41:52 KJV) And the name of the second called he Ephraim: For God hath caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction.

In today’s reading we come across this verse which brings up the principle of “situationless faithfulness” or “situational faithfulness.” What I mean by this is when things are going good, it is easy to be faithful, this would be the situational faithfulness. The other principle is when things are going bad, and it seems when you are going from worse to worse, you continue to remain faithful which is the situationless faithfulness. When a Christian remains faithful during the worse times in their life, they are opening the door to allow God to mold them. Whenever we revert to the ways of the world during rough times, we can be guaranteed that we are going to stay in the furnace of affliction until God strips away our worldly ways and replaces them with the ways of the Lord. Joseph saw this principle work in his life. He remained faithful every step of the way as God molded him for his high office. I like to call him Vice-Pharaoh. When he was asked to interpret the dreams, he did not say, “Well I can do it.” He gave the glory to God and stated that God gives the interpretations to dreams. We saw the wise men of Egypt who stood like a bunch of dolts unable to interpret the dreams. Yet, to Joseph it was clear who did the interpretations. It is the same today when we study the Bible, do we allow God to interpret and give us the correct interpretation or do we follow men, and get the wrong interpretation. It behooves the child of God to remain faithful in all situations, so they may receive the engrafted word with a clear mind, being unclouded by the world, and thus to be able to receive wisdom for every situation. (James 1:21 KJV) Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.

January 14

Today’s Reading - Genesis 43-46

(Gen 43:1 KJV) And the famine was sore in the land.

In today’s reading we begin with the above verse telling us that the famine for food was extremely intense. As we read the subsequent chapters, there were still five years left of the seven year famine which God told Joseph would envelop that region of the world. We see a great narrative with Joseph being a type of Christ. Under Joseph there was plenty of food and people from surrounding nations came to Egypt to partake of the bounty. Today, it is only when a person comes to the Lord Jesus Christ do they find a bounty of spiritual food. In the day we live in there is a famine for the truth. There are many places and organizations where a person can turn to today for what the world calls “spirituality.” However, spirituality can be anything from established religion to New Age. Whenever we speak with anyone who calls them spiritual, we better get their definition of it and compare it to the Scriptures. The Lord Jesus Christ gives His children an abundance in the midst of famine. Surrounding conditions never have an effect upon God dealing with His children. Though there is much famine in this world, those who come to Christ will never lack. Whenever we sit at the feet of Jesus, we will never lack truth for He gives us an abundance. (John 10:10 KJV) The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. Remember, He has blessed us with all spiritual blessings.

January 15

Today’s Reading - Genesis 47-50

(Gen 50:20-21 KJV) But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive. {21} Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them.

In today’s reading we come across these passages. As I was reading it, it reminded me so much of Joseph being a type of Christ in the Old Testament. These two verses are almost a direct spiritual prophecy of the crucifixion of Christ. When the Lord went to the cross, it seemed that the majority of the nation was thinking evil against him. Remember, how all of Joseph’s brothers, except Reuben, wanted to slay him. Yet, in that castigating crowd, there was the plan of God unfolding for the substitutionary atonement for all God’s elect. We see that Joseph was sent into Egypt to keep many people alive. Egypt with all its snares typifies the world. The Lord Jesus Christ came into the world to save many people. In verse 21, we see the results of that crucifixion. The demands of God’s Holy Law was met and as a result, God’s children need not fear God as a cruel task master, like Joseph’s brethren were fearing Joseph. They thought that after Jacob died, Joseph would take retribution on them. Well, since Christ died, God no longer sees His children under His wrath but He speaks kindly to us and he comforts us. (2 Cor 1:4 KJV) Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. God nourishes us with the fat of the land. (Eph 5:29 KJV) For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: The Christian can take comfort that the penalty for our sins was paid for once and for all, and now God is our Father and not our taskmaster. We can rejoice in the Lord, that He speaks kindly to us and that we never have to fear to come to Him for anything. (Psa 117:2 KJV) For his merciful kindness is great toward us: and the truth of the LORD endureth for ever. Praise ye the LORD.

January 16

Today’s Reading Job 1-4

(Job 1:9 KJV) Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought?

In today’s reading we come across the above verse, where we see Satan challenging God concerning the faithfulness of Job. This is a mighty lesson for us to realize. Any time we try to live faithfully unto the Lord, it becomes a challenge to Satan. Satan desires to trip up as many believers as he and his cohorts can, since a sinning Christian is a prime candidate for embarrassment to the Kingdom of God. Satan was trying to convince God that the only reason Job was faithful was because there was a hedge around him. Satan believed that if God would take away all the protections, then Job would fall. However, Satan was so blinded to his own deceiving way of thinking that he did not take into consideration the fact that Grace is the great sustainer of the true Christian. If Job’s salvation was based on his works, then he, no doubt would have been subject to failure. But since the Grace of God was undergirding him, Job was able to stay faithful, even under the direct attack by Satan. There is a great promise given to us in 1 Peter. (1 Pet 1:5 KJV) Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. Every believer is kept by the power of God. Actually, the word really carries with it the meaning of “being guarded.” There are three ways which we are guarded by the power of God. The power of God gives us:

1) The ability to spot a satanic snare.

2) The strength to shun the snare.

3) The wisdom to scoot from the snare.

January 17

Today’s Reading - Job 5-7

(Job 5:26 KJV) Thou shalt come to thy grave in a full age, like as a shock of corn cometh in his season.

In today’s reading we see that Job’s friend Eliphaz, was assuring Job that he would be as a fully ripened sheaf of grain. Job would live to be a ripe old age. This may be where we get the term “ripe old age.” However, Eliphaz was probably focusing on the age of Job rather than the substance of Job’s life. This verse gives us an insight into the lives of every believer. We see Christians who go to glory at all ages, from young to very old. When God tells us that Job will be like a ripened sheaf, He is also pointing out to us a principle for living, which may help us understand why some Christians are called home, seemingly in the “beginning, or prime” of their life. God does not view the life of a Christian in years but in the substance of their life. God may only have one purpose for a Christian to fulfill and then He will take them home, while He may have many different things for another and they may live to be 100 years old. When a Christian is fully involved in the things of God at any age and they complete their assigned task on earth, they will go to the “grave in a full age.” Moses died at the age of 120 but David died at the age of 70. Both of these men were totally involved in the tasks which God had planned for them. Moses was prepared for one task, and that was to lead the entire nation of Israel out of bondage. When his task was complete, God took him home. He could not go into the promised land because he represented the law, and one can never get into the promised land via the law. It is by grace alone. So every true Christian, no matter what age, will always go to the grave in a full age.

January 18

Today’s Reading - Job 8-10

(Job 10:15-16 KJV) If I be wicked, woe unto me; and if I be righteous, yet will I not lift up my head. I am full of confusion; therefore see thou mine affliction; {16} For it increaseth. Thou huntest me as a fierce lion: and again thou showest thyself marvellous upon me.

In today’s reading, we come across these two verses. Job, in his discourse, states that woe unto him if he is wicked because we all know what the ultimate end for the wicked is. He also states that if he is righteous, that he will not lift his head. He is saying he is not going to act arrogantly about his salvation, in the presence of those who are unsaved. Sometimes, as Christians, we can act a little arrogantly concerning salvation, as if we are the ones who saved ourselves. Job also claims he is confused as he points to his affliction. He sees his affliction in a manner where he does not understand why he is going through this. Many times when hard times come into our lives, we question God as to why He would allow adversity to enter our lives. As Job was unaware of what was happening behind the scenes, many times we do not know what the reasoning is behind our adversity. He also sees his affliction increasing, probably being exacerbated by his friends. Many times we can do this to people, whether they be unbelievers or believers. Our responsibility is to give the gospel to those who are unsaved, because we do not know who God is going to save. I say the following carefully and not disrespectfully, but it may be quite rude to shove a tract under the nose of someone who is grieving or sick. As if sickness or grief is the portal to salvation. It is not wrong to give them biblical materials, because sickness and grief can cause a person to introspect their mortality. But they must be given gently, and there is a time to stop. Force feeding the gospel is not a biblical method to lead someone to the Lord, especially when they are in a vulnerable state. Then Job turns to the Lord and says He hunts us down like a fierce lion because He is jealous over His children and will not allow sin to rule in the life of any believer. Jesus said you cannot serve two masters. The Master we serve is the Lord Jesus and we should be thankful enough to God for intervening in every part of our life. Job saw this as a marvelous attribute of God because this gives a Christian a sense of security, knowing God will not allow a believer to stray. His keeping power for us is a fierce lion to our benefit and to the glory of God.

January 19

Today’s Reading - Job 11-13

(Job 13:15 KJV) Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.

In today’s reading we come across this verse which reveals the implicit trust Job had in the Lord. Job was so trusting that if God was to take his life, he would still trust Him. This statement would cause an atheist to question. If God does not exist, then how can Job trust God if he was slain? This shows that Job did have some understanding of the eternality of God and realized there was a future life for God’s children beyond this corporeal world. This is also a good example for us. Are we willing to trust God so strongly to the point of losing our physical life? If we ever get to this point in our life, it really shows how soundly we are resting in Calvary. One of the true rewards of Grace is to be able to trust God in and with every situation that comes our way. Job was directly attacked by Satan. I doubt that any of us will ever suffer in that manner. Yet, there are situations which are peculiar to each of us that would carry the same impact as Job’s did on him. Each is also a testing program for the believer, to see how much they really trust God in the hard times in life. Some years ago I remember attending Zarephath Community Chapel and there was a fellow who thought he was a spiritual giant and could face anything. He came into church one Sunday morning and while a few of us were sitting in the back talking, he comes up to us and in a show of humble arrogance, looks toward heaven and says, “Okay, Lord send the adversity, I am ready.” In a few days, coming off of Interstate 287 in NJ, Exit 12, his van engine stopped and he couldn’t get it started. The man that was with him told us he went ballistic and said a few choice words too. This fellow was not ready for adversity. He was a Sunday morning Giant and a Monday morning Lilliputian. We don’t tell God to send us adversity, all we have to do is wait, it will come. As long as we are prepared spiritually, by staying close to the Lord, we will be able to adapt the same mindset that Job had and in the midst of adversity, we will be able to agree with David. (Psa 4:8 KJV) I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety.

January 20

Today’s Reading - Job 14-17

(Job 15:2 KJV) Should a wise man utter vain knowledge, and fill his belly with the east wind?