A Daily Teaching Devotional from God's Word

By Ruth Hickman

A teaching devotional covering the 365 redemptive chapters in the Bible with the opportunity to journal your thoughts as God guides and instructs you.

Excerpt from Romans 8

SeptemberDay 27

Freedom in the Spirit

As believers, we have the Holy Spirit who will give us abundant life. But does the Holy Spirit have us? The Holy Spirit not only puts the flesh to death, but sets us in Gods family as children and joint-heirs with Christ. Adoption in the Roman culture caused the person to become full heirs to the new fathers estate. We are no longer slaves, full of fear, but children with full covenant privileges.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Oct 16, 2015
• ISBN: 9781490840444

Ruth Hickman

Ruth Hickman is the founder and teacher of Abundant Word Ministriesa Bible-teaching ministry dedicated to providing in-depth understanding and application of Gods Word in order that individuals may live the abundant life God promises. Ruth has been teaching for over thirty-five years, having traveled and led groups to Israel ten times and has ministered in thirty states at various venues. She lives in Denver, Colorado, and has two children and two grandsons. Visit her website at www.abundantword.org. Second Timothy 2:15CSB: Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who doesnt need to be ashamed, correctly teaching the word of truth.

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Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1952 [2nd edition, 1971] by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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ISBN: 978-1-4908-4043-7 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4908-4042-0 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4908-4044-4 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2014910558

WestBow Press rev. date: 10/15/2015

Contents

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

JANUARY

DAY 1

Genesis 1—Creation and God the Sovereign Creator

God had a plan and created the earth and everything in it in an orderly fashion. It was all good— suitable, fitting, pleasant—and He approved of it completely.

We learn about God in the Bible. He is sovereign, orderly, perfect, complete, and He was pleased with His accomplishment. We are created in His image and so were given (without sin) dominion over creation, order, completeness in Him, and the feeling of pleasure at goodness.

Chapter 2 tells us God rested on the seventh day, and we are to rest in Him.

Genesis is the book of beginnings. We learn many things about first principles set forth by God. One of them is the principle of obedience to the sovereign Creator. God reveals His character of love, patience, forgiveness and faithfulness—and gives us a choice between life or death through obedience to Him. And because God created us in His image, we have self-worth that makes us free to love, free to know Him, and to be of value serving those around us. He is our Creator, He has a sovereign plan for us; and we are valuable to Him.

What this means to me:

DAY 2

Genesis 3—The Beginning of Sin

In the garden, Adam and Eve were to obey God and live forever in His presence. Satan, the Serpent, tempted Eve, who then disobeyed, and sin then spread to Adam and the entire human race.

Satan’s plan:

The result of succumbing to Satan’s plan is that you run and hide, and there is guilt, pain, blame, and separation from intimacy with God and each other. But early on, God revealed His plan of victory with the announcement of the seed of woman—Jesus—who would bruise the head of the Serpent, Satan (verse 15).

Sin consciousness:

1. Man becomes convinced his way is better than God’s.

2. Man becomes self-conscious and hides.

3. Man makes excuses and defends himself.

God consciousness:

1. We drop our excuses and defenses.

2. We stop hiding from God.

3. We become convinced God’s way is better than ours. What this means to me:

DAY 3

Genesis 4—The Story of Cain and Abel

The progression of sin in the form of disobedience to God in Adam and Eve now brings forth murder. Afterward, the first question from God was, Cain, where are you? The second was, Where is your brother? This passage illustrates that our attitude toward others depends on our attitude toward God as He relates to us—in other words, how we see ourselves in Him.

The lethal incident began with Cain offering the fruit of his own toil from the ground God had cursed as a sacrifice. God could only accept a blood sacrifice.

God gave Cain an opportunity to bring the correct offering; but Cain’s attitude was rebellious, wanting to do it his way. It all ended in jealous blame, which led to murder. Cain was sentenced to the life of a fugitive and wanderer, in perpetual exile from God and man—the result of unconfessed, unrepentant sin. He became the father of a race of people who want to do their own thing and be their own God.

The issue of obedience had passed to a second generation—and would have had a tragic ending, if Eve had not given birth to yet another son—Seth—who would be the father of those who would be faithful to God.

What this means to me:

DAY 4

Genesis 6—The Flood

The earth became corrupt as evil forces intermarried with humans and multiplied. Their offspring were often giants who oppressed others. God dealt with them for 120 years and grieved over their rebellion, finally deciding to destroy them in judgment. Noah was the only God- fearing man, and he had three sons.

God told Noah to build an ark the size of a battleship and bring all the creatures of the earth into it—most two by two, some by sevens—because He was sending a flood to destroy the earth. But God made a covenant with Noah and his family. He would keep them safe as they were obedient to Him.

In the face of great rebellion in the world and the ridicule of men, Noah obeyed God, preached righteousness, and built a great ship on dry land in an area where there had never been rain. As the torrential rain fell and the underground fountains of water burst forth, man and beast were swallowed up and buried in the crashing waves. But Noah and his family were secure, inside an ark built with faith in the promises of God and in obedience to Him.

Still today, God’s promises are fulfilled as we are obedient to him in faith, despite our own culture of rebellion and ridicule. As Noah and his household had a place of safety during chaos on the earth, so too, we are promised safety in Christ amidst all the turmoil of our daily lives.

What this means to me:

DAY 5

Genesis 7—The Flood

God was going to send a Flood. Noah believed God and in obedience, had built an ark to the exact specifications God had ordered to provide for all the details God would accomplish. After 120 years of Noah preaching righteousness and repentance, the time had come. God supernaturally rounded up the animals and birds, and caused them to go into the ark, two by two, plus seven pairs of some animals to be used for eating and sacrifice. Only God could have brought some 45,000 animals peacefully into the ark!

When all were in, and Noah’s family was onboard, God closed the door. The rain began to fall and continued for 40 days until it completely covered the earth for 150 days, destroying all living things.

Like Noah, we need to be obedient and do what God says, and let Him take care of all the other details. As Noah built the ark, we too need to prepare safe, warm places—arks of relationships and healthy, peaceful attitudes within ourselves to weather the storms of life—while God accomplishes all the other details through His Holy Spirit.

Then, even when judgment falls or chaos comes, we will be at rest in God because of faith, which is what He is looking for—and what pleases Him most in us. What this means to me:

DAY 6

Genesis 8—Releasing the Dove

After the rain, it took 150 days for the Flood waters to recede enough for the ark to rest on the mountains of Ararat. Much later, Noah released a raven—and then three doves—to test the amount of livable ground available. When enough land was dry, God told all the inhabitants of the ark to disembark and go forth and multiply. What a lesson on patience—waiting on God for His timing! Like Noah, we must learn to wait on the Lord and not try to move out on our own.

Once on land, Noah built an altar and offered a sacrifice, and there he worshipped God. God promised to never again destroy the earth with water, even though He knew man would continue to choose evil. God gave the rainbow as a token of His word, and set the seasons and the days forever.

Scripture tells us that judgment will not come to earth again until Jesus returns; and at that time, it will come by fire rather than flood. When we see the rainbow and experience the changing seasons, we are reminded of God’s promise and of His coming judgment, and are encouraged to remain steadfast—true to His Word and continually reaching out to others.

What this means to me:

DAY 7

Genesis 9—Noah and His Sons

After the Flood, God told Noah and his sons that they could eat meat, but never kill people because man is made in God’s image.

God also set His bow in the clouds as a sign of the continuing seasons, and a token of His covenant to never again destroy the earth by flood. When storm clouds clear, the rainbow is a reminder that God is faithful to His Word. Spiritually, that same rainbow is a reminder that in every valley or trouble—every stormy situation life can unleash—God has given us a promise and a way of escape in His Word.

Following the Flood, Noah became a farmer, had a vineyard, and made wine. He became drunk, which shows that even a righteous man can sin. His youngest son, Ham, mocked his father’s nakedness—his shame—but the older brothers covered their father, a loving, respectful act.

Near the end of his life, Noah uttered the first words of prophecy recorded in Scripture. It was a revelation of God’s foreknowledge regarding the descendants of Ham, Shem, and Japheth. Noah prophesied that Ham’s descendants through Canaan would turn from God and become slaves (or live in submission) to the descendants of Shem, who became the Hebrews or Semites. Japheth would become the father of the Greeks and Europeans.

Noah died at the age of 950. What this means to me:

DAY 8

Genesis 11—The Tower of Babel

What an example of corporate godship! Communication was in one language and self-centered as people thought more of elevating and satisfying themselves than of worshipping God. As a result of their self-grandizing agenda, they decided to build a tower as a monument to their own achievements. This is our first example of men worshipping themselves as a religion. The New Age philosophy is certainly old!

But God confused—or diffused—their common tongue into many languages, causing those who understood each other to group together and form individual tribes. Because communication among the masses was now nearly impossible, the joint, evil, tower-building effort was abandoned and the various language groups scattered one from another. Any time we think more of elevating and satisfying ourselves than worshipping God, He will judge it!

Out of this scene, however, God calls a man named Abram, the son of Terah of Ur, to go to a new land. According to archeological excavations, Ur was a very civilized place with large homes complete with servant rooms, and schools which taught reading, writing, arithmetic and commerce.

But in obedience, Abram, his wife Sarai, nephew Lot, and father Terah left it all behind, and traveled to a place called Haran, where Terah died at age 205.

What this means to me:

DAY 9

Genesis 12—Abram Goes to Canaan

God called Abram to leave his family and his country and go to a place called Canaan, where God promised to bless Abram and make a great nation from his descendants. This nation, the nation of Israel, God said, would be a blessing to all people because of one unique descendant of Abram—Christ. God commanded that all people bless Israel; and promised that cursing His people, the Jews, would in turn bring curses.

Abram was obedient. He went to the foreign land of Canaan, worshipped God, and then went to Egypt because famine hit. When God calls us to move out of our comfort zone to follow Him, we must obey with worship and trust even when difficulties and tests arise. God is strengthening our faith. That is why tests and trials should cause us to count it all joy!

Abram was fearful in Egypt and had his wife Sarai lie to Pharaoh, saying she was his sister in in order to gain favor with him. Pharaoh responded, put her in his harem, and blessed Abram with wealth. But lying is sin and caused trouble with Pharaoh. When Pharaoh found out he had been deceived, he sent Abram and Sarai away. Sin will produce trouble rather than escape. Even Abram, the man of obedience and faith, strayed and delayed God’s perfect plan—a warning we should remember and heed.

What this means to me:

DAY 10

Genesis 15—God’s Promise to Abram

When Abram obeyed God’s call and headed for the Land of Canaan, his nephew Lot went with him. After arriving in Canaan, Lot separated from Abram, and was captured by an invading king. Abram rescued Lot, and afterward, Abram had an encounter with a unique individual, Melchizedek, to whom Abram paid his tithe. Afterward, God spoke to Abram in a vision, telling him not to fear. God was his shield, and He would bless him.

Years passed. Abram and his wife Sarai remained childless. When Abram questioned God concerning his servant—his heir—God promised him descendants as innumerable as the stars. Abram believed God and that faith (not Abram’s perfection) made him right with God.

God made a covenant with Abram. Animals were sacrificed, their bodies divided into portions and laid out before God. An oppressive atmosphere fell that represented 400 years of slavery in Egypt that Abram’s descendants would one day suffer. But God promised that He would punish their enemies and give them great wealth. A flaming torch passed between the halves of carcasses as God’s sign of His presence in victory.

Abram believed and trusted God before he saw any of the promises fulfilled, and God called him righteous. Faith brought the promises to pass. As we trust God and have faith, we will see His Word fulfilled in our lives. His promises and presence will never fail. That is His covenant!

What this means to me:

DAY 11

Genesis 18—The Lord’s Visit to Abram

God continued to confirm His covenant to Abram by changing his name to Abraham—the father of a multitude or nations. God put part of His name—the H in Jehovah—in Abram, just as God puts Himself in us as believers as a sign of His covenant with us.

Following his name change, three men came to Abraham. One was the Lord Jesus Himself—a theophany appearance. As they ate and rested, knowing that Sarah was in a nearby tent where she could hear, they told Abraham that he and Sarah would have a son. That son would be the seed of promise. Abraham already had a son, Ishmael, by a bondservant Hagar. But that descendant was man’s doing — not God’s.

When Sarah heard she would have a son, she laughed in doubt, but the Lord said, Is anything too hard for God? What a statement for us to remember—especially as we wait for answers or direction. God’s plan may be beyond or different from what we expect, but He is able to do anything!

The Lord then revealed His plan to judge and destroy the wicked cities of Sodom and Gomorrah where Abraham’s nephew Lot lived. Abraham knew that God was just, but he also appealed to His mercy, asking if God would save the city for 50, then 45; 40, then 30; 20, and then just ten righteous people. The Lord showed His mercy and promised that He would spare Sodom even if only ten righteous people were living there. But God knew there was only Lot, and that he would need to be removed because of Abraham’s intercession.

What this means to me:

DAY 12

Genesis 21—The Birth of Isaac

God was true to His promise. When Abraham was 100 and Sarah was 90, Isaac (meaning laughter) was born. What a delight he was. Even at the announcement of his coming conception, Sarah had laughed. A merry heart doeth good like a medicine(Proverbs 17:22). I believe her ovaries and womb were revitalized as by faith she received power to conceive (Hebrews 11:19). Faith brings the power to receive God’s promises.

When Isaac was three, his half-brother Ishmael was about 17. Sarah was upset when Ishmael teased her son Isaac, and Sarah demanded that Ishmael and his mother, Hagar, leave. Abraham was grieved to lose his son, but in fact, it was God orchestrating this behind the scenes. Ishmael is a type (or illustration) of the Law and bondage, which must both be cast out when God’s grace is received as promised.

After being cast out, Hagar and Ishmael wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba without water, and thought they would die. But as the lad cried out, God heard him and opened Hagar’s eyes to see a well. They were revived, and God blessed Ishmael for his father Abraham’s sake. Ishmael became the father of a great nation (the Arabs) as God had promised.

A dispute broke out between Abraham and the servants of the Philistine king, Abimelech. The servants had violently taken over the well of Beersheba (the Well of Oath). Abraham settled the dispute peacefully by signing a treaty with Abimelech. As a token of that contract, Abraham planted an evergreen tree and called upon the "Eternal or Everlasting God," as he saw Him.

What this means to me:

DAY 13

Genesis 22—Abraham’s Test

God tested Abraham’s obedience to develop his character and deepen his faith. Abraham had faltered before—telling half-lies, getting ahead of God, and so on—but this time there was prompt and complete obedience. God’s direction for Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, his only son— the seed of promise—was followed in faith as Abraham told his servants that they would go to worship and they (Abraham and Isaac) would return. Abraham believed God would restore Isaac to him (Hebrews 1) to fulfill the promise of Genesis 12.

Moriah, the location of this incredible scene, is the mountain range near Jerusalem where later God’s Son, Jesus, would be sacrificed in our place just as the ram was sacrificed in place of Isaac. What a death! It brought eternal life. Isaac’s salvation was a type and prophecy of the statement by Abraham that God will provide Himself a lamb for a burnt offering.

God did not approve of human sacrifice, but was testing Abraham’s obedience. Could he sacrifice his son in his heart to prove he loved God more than his long-awaited son?

We are often tested by circumstances to prove our obedience and faith. We may be asked to lay a loved one, a position, a dream, or a possession on the altar. In so doing, we are proving our first love of God and our commitment to His plan.

God blessed Abraham with abundance. His promises to Abraham are also ours as we receive the Seed, Jesus, and become Abraham’s seed by faith. The promised blessings are (1) children and grandchildren who are godly, (2) victory over our enemies, and (3) the opportunity to be a blessing to others.

What this means to me:

DAY 14

Genesis 24—Isaac Marries Rebekah

What a love story portrayed in a way to show us how God the Father is concerned about the Bride for His Son. God sends His servant, the Holy Spirit, to a different place—Earth—to get a Bride who will have a servant’s heart, an inner beauty, and who will be willing to come to the Son, obey and submit to Him. The Son gives His Bride jewels and a promise of provision and care. When she comes, He is waiting for her and knows her by His jewels—His character indwelling her heart. He receives her, takes her as His Bride and loves her.

Eliezer, Abraham’s servant, is sent on a mission to get a bride for Isaac. Eliezer has a plan—one blessed by God who will show him a sign. The sign is that the right girl will not only draw water for Eliezer, the required form of hospitality shown to strangers, but she will also draw water for Eliezer’s ten camels. Each camel could drink as much as 25 gallons! Rebekah, the great niece of Abraham, answered Eliezer’s prayer, fulfilled the sign, and took Eliezer to her home where he was welcomed.

Rebekah was industrious, submissive and obedient to God’s call. She had a servant’s heart and a desire to go to her bridegroom and to serve him—the same inner beauty Jesus desires in His Bride.

Rebekah went with Eliezer, and wearing the jewels Isaac had sent, she came to Isaac who took her and loved her.

This story is the longest chapter in Genesis and an important type of the taking of the Bride of Christ.

What this means to me:

DAY 15

Genesis 27—Isaac Blesses Jacob

Twin sons, Esau and Jacob, were born to Isaac and Rebekah. While they were in the womb, God told Rebekah the younger would rule over the older. Esau was born first, but Jacob was born holding Esau’s heel. Jacob means grabber or supplantor and he certainly lived up to that name! He grabbed the birthright when Esau offered to sell it to him for a mere bowl of stew, and then deceived Isaac, his father, into thinking he was Esau. With Rebekah’s help, he used lamb’s wool on his hands and neck to make himself hairy like Esau, and he prepared meat the same way Esau did and served it to his father.

Isaac, who was blind, thought Jacob was Esau and gave him the blessing—the official handing over of the birthright to the rightful heir.

Esau wept when he learned his father had given his blessing to Jacob. Isaac told Esau he would serve Jacob, but would finally break loose and be free.

Esau was so angry he vowed to kill Jacob. Rebekah then planned to send Jacob to his Uncle Laban to escape Esau’s wrath.

What a story of deception, family jealousy and strife, lies—and finally separation! God had already chosen Jacob and told Rebekah. But she took matters into her own hands, and she—and Jacob, the grabber—did it their own way. Disobedience, strife, jealousy and anger always result in disaster—especially in families. In this case, the strife and generational curse continued clear to King Herod, a descendant of Esau, who killed all the babies in and around Bethlehem in his attempt to destroy the newborn descendant of Jacob, Jesus (Matthew 2:1-18).

What this means to me:

DAY 16

Genesis 28—Jacob flees to Bethel

When Esau vowed to kill Jacob, Jacob was sent by Isaac to Haran to Rebekah’s brother, Laban. Isaac did not want Jacob to marry a Canaanite woman, so he told him to marry one of his cousins who would believe in God.

Jacob left and stopped for the night about 60 miles north of Beersheba. In a dream, he saw the Lord at the top of a ladder that had angels ascending and descending its rungs. The Lord said, I am Jehovah, and told Jacob that He would be with him and care for him. He would give him the land on which he lay, and as many descendants as the sands of the land. The Lord renewed the covenant He had made with Abraham and now with Jacob.

Jacob was overwhelmed with the Lord’s Presence. He had heard about God, but now he met Him and knew Him. Jacob was amazed to find that the Lord was everywhere. At first he thought this meeting place was where God lived—His House—so he called the place Bethel—House of God. Jacob received God’s blessing and promise that He would bring him back to this land, he vowed to follow God, and promised to give Him the tithe.

What a discovery when we know the Lord we have heard about, and when we discover He is a personal God who will bless and care for me! He does not live in a house—He lives in me! Just as Jacob received a blessing but still would have many lessons to learn, we too, are blessed and cared for by the constant love of God through our own lives of problems and lessons.

What this means to me:

DAY 17

Genesis 37—Joseph Is Sold by His Brothers

Jacob married Leah as well as his beloved Rachel, and had twelve sons while working for his uncle, Laban. God prospered Jacob with an unusual birthing of lambs for his flock, and told him to return to Canaan. After wrestling with God face-to-face, God changed Jacob’s name to Israel. Upon Jacob’s return to Canaan, his estranged brother Esau met him with forgiveness, and Jacob dwelt in his land in peace.

Jacob’s oldest son by Rachel was Joseph—a son of Jacob’s old age and his favorite. Joseph’s eleven brothers were very jealous, especially when Joseph had dreams about them bowing down and serving him. The dreams were truly from God—a vision and encouragement for Joseph—but instead of glorifying God, he bragged. Our confidence must always be in God; in Him we boast!

Joseph was sent to his brothers with provisions as they were tending sheep. In their jealous rage, they plotted to kill him. Reuben didn’t want blood on his hands, and persuaded the others to put Joseph in an empty pit. Later as Ishmaelite traders came by, one brother, Judah, suggested that they sell Joseph to them. Notice that both Reuben and Judah kept Joseph from dying, but what they did was still not right; it was only the lesser of two evils. We must make right choices based on sound godly principles—not based on what will happen to me or upon how I feel.

Joseph was sold as a slave for twenty pieces of silver and taken to Egypt where a man named Potiphar bought him. The brothers stained Joseph’s coat with an animal’s blood and presented it to Jacob, who assuming that Joseph had been killed, mourned greatly. Jacob was deceived by his own sons as he had been a deceiver. Consequences of sin pass on—even to other generations.

What this means to me:

DAY 18

Genesis 39—Joseph Is Thrown into Prison

Potiphar, who had purchased Joseph as a slave, was the captain of Pharaoh’s bodyguards and a very wealthy man. God was with Joseph and blessed everything he did, so Potiphar put him in charge of his whole household.

The amazing quality of Joseph, which was so like Jesus, was his lack of bitterness and anger toward his brothers, and his obedience to God even in a foreign, unpleasant situation. Joseph set about to please God by doing small tasks well, and God blessed him. That is a lesson for us.

Potiphar’s wife liked Joseph and tried to seduce him. Joseph continually refused this temptation. One day she grabbed his garment, and he fled, leaving it behind. He said, I would be sinning against God. We too must submit to God and resist the devil, sometimes running from temptation in order not to sin.

With evidence in her hand, Potiphar’s wife now accused Joseph of attempted rape, and Potiphar had Joseph thrown into prison.

It seems like the situation kept getting worse, but Joseph’s character became better—not bitter. As he continued to look to the Lord, he had favor and success, and the jailer put Joseph in charge of all the prisoners. God can prosper us in any situation if our heart is turned toward Him.

What this means to me:

DAY 19

Genesis 40—Joseph Interprets Two Dreams

Sometime after Joseph was imprisoned, two of Pharaoh’s most trusted servants—the baker and the butler—were thrown into prison, possibly accused of conspiring against Pharaoh himself. They each had a dream, and when Joseph saw them depressed and puzzled, he questioned them.

Knowing God had gifted him and given him the interpretation, Joseph told each man what his dream meant. Joseph gave the glory to God, thus testifying of something God could do for these men. We can often use situations in people’s lives to point them to Jesus who is the Answer.

The dreams and God’s interpretation proved true and came to pass. In three days, the baker was taken from prison, beheaded and hung on a tree where the birds ate his flesh. The butler, however, was raised up and restored to his position by Pharaoh. Notice the parallel between this story of Joseph and Jesus who was hung between two criminals—one who was lost and one who was saved. Joseph is a type of Jesus.

Joseph asked the butler to remember him and put in a good word for him when he was reinstated in Pharaoh’s household. Joseph hoped to be released and return to Canaan. But God had another plan and caused the butler to have divine amnesia. He forgot Joseph for two years.

No matter what our circumstances are, we must always look to God, reveal God and point others to Him. As we trust in Him, He will make our paths straight in His time and His way. He is sovereign and His plan is for our good and His Glory.

What this means to me:

DAY 20

Genesis 41—Joseph, from Prison to Palace

In God’s time, Pharaoh had two dreams. One was about seven thin cows eating seven fat cows, and the other, about seven fat ears of grain being devoured by seven blighted ears. No one on his team of magicians could interpret the dream.

Then the chief butler had a flash-back and recalled how Joseph had interpreted his dream in prison. Joseph was sent for, and after quickly shaving and dressing, was brought before Pharaoh to interpret his dreams.

Now we see God’s opportunity for Joseph. We never know when ours may come. Joseph was ready because his heart was humble and his relationship with God was close. When asked to give the interpretation of Pharaoh’s dream, Joseph gave all the credit to God. Even the wisdom to know what to do with knowledge comes from God. God will give practical steps to carry out His will and plan. Remember that God’s plan was to bring Jacob and all his sons to Egypt to fulfill a prophecy to Abraham (Genesis 15:1-14).

Joseph described the seven years of surplus and the seven years of famine symbolized in Pharaoh’s dreams. Joseph offered a plan to store the excess crops during the seven years of surplus for the seven bad years. Pharaoh, recognizing Joseph’s wisdom and ability, made him the Chief Official in charge. Pharaoh gave Joseph a wife, and their two sons’ names were testimonies of the fact that God had been faithful, erasing the thirteen years of slavery and making Joseph fruitful even in the midst of them. Joseph was 30 years old.

There are many parallels between Joseph and Jesus, and many lessons concerning God’s plan and our place in His plan. Joseph was elevated from pit to prison to palace because of his humility and relationship with God.

What this means to me:

DAY 21

Genesis 42—Joseph Meets His Brothers in Egypt

The famine stretched into Canaan, so Jacob sent ten of his sons to Egypt for grain. He kept Benjamin with him—the youngest and only surviving son of Rachel—or so he believed.

The brothers went to Joseph, who recognized them. The brothers bowed down to request grain. The dreams of Joseph’s youth were coming to pass! The brothers did not recognize Joseph. He spoke with them through an interpreter, but understood everything his brothers said. Joseph accused them of being