Reading through the Word....Day 23, January 23

GENESIS 46:1- 47:31
MATTHEW 15:1- 28
PSALM 19:1- 14
PROVERBS 4:14- 19


So Jacob set out for Egypt with all his possessions. And when he came to Beersheba, he offered sacrifices to the God of his father, Isaac. 2 During the night God spoke to him in a vision. "Jacob! Jacob!" he called. "Here I am," Jacob replied. 3 "I am God," the voice said, "the God of your father. Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will see to it that you become a great nation there. 4 I will go with you down to Egypt, and I will bring your descendants back again. But you will die in Egypt with Joseph at your side." 5 So Jacob left Beersheba, and his sons brought him to Egypt. They carried their little ones and wives in the wagons Pharaoh had provided for them. 6 They brought their livestock, too, and all the belongings they had acquired in the land of Canaan. Jacob and his entire family arrived in Egypt-- 7 sons and daughters, grandsons and granddaughters-- all his descendants. 8 These are the names of the Israelites, the descendants of Jacob, who went with him to Egypt:Reuben was Jacob's oldest son. 9 The sons of Reuben were Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi. 10 The sons of Simeon were Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jakin, Zohar, and Shaul. (Shaul's mother was a Canaanite woman.) 11 The sons of Levi were Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. 12 The sons of Judah were Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez, and Zerah. (But Er and Onan had died in the land of Canaan.) The sons of Perez were Hezron and Hamul. 13 The sons of Issachar were Tola, Puah, Jashub, and Shimron. 14 The sons of Zebulun were Sered, Elon, and Jahleel. 15 These are the sons of Jacob who were born to Leah in Paddan- aram, along with their sister, Dinah. In all, Jacob's descendants through Leah numbered thirty- three. 16 The sons of Gad were Zephon, Haggi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi, and Areli. 17 The sons of Asher were Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi, and Beriah. Their sister was named Serah. Beriah's sons were Heber and Malkiel. 18 These sixteen were descendants of Jacob through Zilpah, the servant given to Leah by her father, Laban. 19 The sons of Jacob's wife Rachel were Joseph and Benjamin. 20 Joseph's sons, born in the land of Egypt, were Manasseh and Ephraim. Their mother was Asenath, daughter of Potiphera, priest of Heliopolis. 21 Benjamin's sons were Bela, Beker, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim, and Ard. 22 These fourteen were the descendants of Jacob and his wife Rachel. 23 The son of Dan was Hushim. 24 The sons of Naphtali were Jahzeel, Guni, Jezer, and Shillem. 25 These seven were the descendants of Jacob through Bilhah, the servant given to Rachel by her father, Laban. 26 So the total number of Jacob's direct descendants who went with him to Egypt, not counting his sons 'wives, was sixty- six. 27 Joseph also had two sons who had been born in Egypt. So altogether, there were seventy members of Jacob's family in the land of Egypt. 28 Jacob sent Judah on ahead to meet Joseph and get directions to the land of Goshen. And when they all arrived there, 29 Joseph prepared his chariot and traveled to Goshen to meet his father. As soon as Joseph arrived, he embraced his father and wept on his shoulder for a long time. 30 Then Jacob said to Joseph, "Now let me die, for I have seen you with my own eyes and know you are still alive." 31 And Joseph said to his brothers and to all their households, "I'll go and tell Pharaoh that you have all come from the land of Canaan to join me. 32 And I will tell him, `These men are shepherds and livestock breeders. They have brought with them their flocks and herds and everything they own.' 33 So when Pharaoh calls for you and asks you about your occupation, 34 tell him, `We have been livestock breeders from our youth, as our ancestors have been for many generations. 'When you tell him this, he will let you live here in the land of Goshen, for shepherds are despised in the land of Egypt." 47:1 SO Joseph went to see Pharaoh and said, "My father and my brothers are here from Canaan. They came with all their flocks and herds and possessions, and they are now in the land of Goshen." 2 Joseph took five of his brothers with him and presented them to Pharaoh. 3 Pharaoh asked them, "What is your occupation?" And they replied, "We are shepherds like our ancestors. 4 We have come to live here in Egypt, for there is no pasture for our flocks in Canaan. The famine is very severe there. We request permission to live in the land of Goshen." 5 And Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Now that your family has joined you here, 6 choose any place you like for them to live. Give them the best land of Egypt-- the land of Goshen will be fine. And if any of them have special skills, put them in charge of my livestock, too." 7 Then Joseph brought his father, Jacob, and presented him to Pharaoh, and Jacob blessed Pharaoh. 8 "How old are you?" Pharaoh asked him. 9 Jacob replied, "I have lived for 130 hard years, but I am still not nearly as old as many of my ancestors." 10 Then Jacob blessed Pharaoh again before he left. 11 So Joseph assigned the best land of Egypt-- the land of Rameses-- to his father and brothers, just as Pharaoh had commanded. 12 And Joseph furnished food to his father and brothers in amounts appropriate to the number of their dependents. 13 Meanwhile, the famine became worse and worse, and the crops continued to fail throughout Egypt and Canaan. 14 Joseph collected all the money in Egypt and Canaan in exchange for grain, and he brought the money to Pharaoh's treasure- house. 15 When the people of Egypt and Canaan ran out of money, they came to Joseph crying again for food. "Our money is gone," they said, "but give us bread. Why should we die?" 16 "Well, then," Joseph replied, "since your money is gone, give me your livestock. I will give you food in exchange." 17 So they gave their livestock to Joseph in exchange for food. Soon all the horses, flocks, herds, and donkeys of Egypt were in Pharaoh's possession. But at least they were able to purchase food for that year. 18 The next year they came again and said, "Our money is gone, and our livestock are yours. We have nothing left but our bodies and land. 19 Why should we die before your very eyes? Buy us and our land in exchange for food; we will then become servants to Pharaoh. Just give us grain so that our lives may be saved and so the land will not become empty and desolate." 20 So Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh. All the Egyptians sold him their fields because the famine was so severe, and their land then belonged to Pharaoh. 21 Thus, all the people of Egypt became servants to Pharaoh. 22 The only land he didn't buy was that belonging to the priests, for they were assigned food from Pharaoh and didn't need to sell their land. 23 Then Joseph said to the people, "See, I have bought you and your land for Pharaoh. I will provide you with seed, so you can plant the fields. 24 Then when you harvest it, a fifth of your crop will belong to Pharaoh. Keep four- fifths for yourselves, and use it to plant the next year's crop and to feed yourselves, your households, and your little ones." 25 "You have saved our lives!" they exclaimed. "May it please you, sir, to let us be Pharaoh's servants." 26 Joseph then made it a law throughout the land of Egypt-- and it is still the law-- that Pharaoh should receive one- fifth of all the crops grown on his land. But since Pharaoh had not taken over the priests' land, they were exempt from this payment. 27 So the people of Israel settled in the land of Goshen in Egypt. And before long, they began to prosper there, and their population grew rapidly. 28 Jacob lived for seventeen years after his arrival in Egypt, so he was 147 years old when he died. 29 As the time of his death drew near, he called for his son Joseph and said to him, "If you are pleased with me, swear most solemnly that you will honor this, my last request:Do not bury me in Egypt. 30 When I am dead, take me out of Egypt and bury me beside my ancestors." So Joseph promised that he would. 31 "Swear that you will do it," Jacob insisted. So Joseph gave his oath, and Jacob bowed in worship as he leaned on his staff.


Some Pharisees and teachers of religious law now arrived from Jerusalem to interview Jesus. 2 "Why do your disciples disobey our age- old traditions?" they demanded. "They ignore our tradition of ceremonial hand washing before they eat." 3 Jesus replied, "And why do you, by your traditions, violate the direct commandments of God? 4 For instance, God says, `Honor your father and mother, 'and `Anyone who speaks evil of father or mother must be put to death.' 5 But you say, `You don't need to honor your parents by caring for their needs if you give the money to God instead. '6 And so, by your own tradition, you nullify the direct commandment of God. 7 You hypocrites! Isaiah was prophesying about you when he said,8 `These people honor me with their lips,
but their hearts are far away.
9 Their worship is a farce,
for they replace God's commands with their own man- made teachings.'"
10 Then Jesus called to the crowds and said, "Listen to what I say and try to understand. 11 You are not defiled by what you eat; you are defiled by what you say and do." 12 Then the disciples came to him and asked, "Do you realize you offended the Pharisees by what you just said?" 13 Jesus replied, "Every plant not planted by my heavenly Father will be rooted up, 14 so ignore them. They are blind guides leading the blind, and if one blind person guides another, they will both fall into a ditch." 15 Then Peter asked Jesus, "Explain what you meant when you said people aren't defiled by what they eat." 16 "Don't you understand?" Jesus asked him. 17 "Anything you eat passes through the stomach and then goes out of the body. 18 But evil words come from an evil heart and defile the person who says them. 19 For from the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, all other sexual immorality, theft, lying, and slander. 20 These are what defile you. Eating with unwashed hands could never defile you and make you unacceptable to God!" 21 Jesus then left Galilee and went north to the region of Tyre and Sidon. 22 A Gentile woman who lived there came to him, pleading, "Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! For my daughter has a demon in her, and it is severely tormenting her." 23 But Jesus gave her no reply-- not even a word. Then his disciples urged him to send her away. "Tell her to leave," they said. "She is bothering us with all her begging." 24 Then he said to the woman, "I was sent only to help the people of Israel-- God's lost sheep-- not the Gentiles." 25 But she came and worshiped him and pleaded again, "Lord, help me!" 26 "It isn't right to take food from the children and throw it to the dogs," he said. 27 "Yes, Lord," she replied, "but even dogs are permitted to eat crumbs that fall beneath their master's table." 28 "Woman," Jesus said to her, "your faith is great. Your request is granted." And her daughter was instantly healed.


For the choir director:A psalm of David.
1 The heavens tell of the glory of God.
The skies display his marvelous craftsmanship.
2 Day after day they continue to speak;
night after night they make him known.
3 They speak without a sound or a word;
their voice is silent in the skies;
4 yet their message has gone out to all the earth,
and their words to all the world.
The sun lives in the heavens
where God placed it.
5 It bursts forth like a radiant bridegroom
after his wedding.
It rejoices like a great athlete
eager to run the race.
6 The sun rises at one end of the heavens
and follows its course to the other end.
Nothing can hide from its heat.
7 The law of the LORD is perfect,
reviving the soul.
The decrees of the LORD are trustworthy,
making wise the simple.
8 The commandments of the LORD are right,
bringing joy to the heart.
The commands of the LORD are clear,
giving insight to life.
9 Reverence for the LORD is pure,
lasting forever.
The laws of the LORD are true;
each one is fair.
10 They are more desirable than gold,
even the finest gold.
They are sweeter than honey,
even honey dripping from the comb.
11 They are a warning to those who hear them;
there is great reward for those who obey them.
12 How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart?
Cleanse me from these hidden faults.
13 Keep me from deliberate sins!
Don't let them control me.
Then I will be free of guilt
and innocent of great sin.
14 May the words of my mouth and the thoughts of my heart
be pleasing to you,
O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.


Do not do as the wicked do or follow the path of evildoers. Avoid their haunts. Turn away and go somewhere else, for evil people cannot sleep until they have done their evil deed for the day. They cannot rest unless they have caused someone to stumble. They eat wickedness and drink violence! The way of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, which shines ever brighter until the full light of day. But the way of the wicked is like complete darkness. Those who follow it have no idea what they are stumbling over

Reading through the Word....Day 22, January 22

GENESIS 44:1- 45:28
MATTHEW 14:13- 36
PSALM 18:37- 50
PROVERBS 4:11- 13


When his brothers were ready to leave, Joseph gave these instructions to the man in charge of his household:"Fill each of their sacks with as much grain as they can carry, and put each man's money back into his sack. 2 Then put my personal silver cup at the top of the youngest brother's sack, along with his grain money." So the household manager did as he was told. 3 The brothers were up at dawn and set out on their journey with their loaded donkeys. 4 But when they were barely out of the city, Joseph said to his household manager, "Chase after them and stop them. Ask them, `Why have you repaid an act of kindness with such evil? 5 What do you mean by stealing my master's personal silver drinking cup, which he uses to predict the future? What a wicked thing you have done! '" 6 So the man caught up with them and spoke to them in the way he had been instructed. 7 "What are you talking about?" the brothers responded. "What kind of people do you think we are, that you accuse us of such a terrible thing? 8 Didn't we bring back the money we found in our sacks? Why would we steal silver or gold from your master's house? 9 If you find his cup with any one of us, let that one die. And all the rest of us will be your master's slaves forever." 10 "Fair enough," the man replied, "except that only the one who stole it will be a slave. The rest of you may go free." 11 They quickly took their sacks from the backs of their donkeys and opened them. 12 Joseph's servant began searching the oldest brother's sack, going on down the line to the youngest. The cup was found in Benjamin's sack! 13 At this, they tore their clothing in despair, loaded the donkeys again, and returned to the city. 14 Joseph was still at home when Judah and his brothers arrived, and they fell to the ground before him. 15 "What were you trying to do?" Joseph demanded. "Didn't you know that a man such as I would know who stole it?" 16 And Judah said, "Oh, my lord, what can we say to you? How can we plead? How can we prove our innocence? God is punishing us for our sins. My lord, we have all returned to be your slaves-- we and our brother who had your cup in his sack." 17 "No," Joseph said. "Only the man who stole the cup will be my slave. The rest of you may go home to your father." 18 Then Judah stepped forward and said, "My lord, let me say just this one word to you. Be patient with me for a moment, for I know you could have me killed in an instant, as though you were Pharaoh himself. 19" You asked us, my lord, if we had a father or a brother. 20 We said, `Yes, we have a father, an old man, and a child of his old age, his youngest son. His brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother's children, and his father loves him very much.' 21 And you said to us, `Bring him here so I can see him. '22 But we said to you, `My lord, the boy cannot leave his father, for his father would die.' 23 But you told us, `You may not see me again unless your youngest brother is with you. '24 So we returned to our father and told him what you had said. 25 And when he said, `Go back again and buy us a little food,' 26 we replied, `We can't unless you let our youngest brother go with us. We won't be allowed to see the man in charge of the grain unless our youngest brother is with us. '27 Then my father said to us, `You know that my wife had two sons, 28 and that one of them went away and never returned-- doubtless torn to pieces by some wild animal. I have never seen him since. 29 If you take away his brother from me, too, and any harm comes to him, you would bring my gray head down to the grave in deep sorrow.' 30 "And now, my lord, I cannot go back to my father without the boy. Our father's life is bound up in the boy's life. 31 When he sees that the boy is not with us, our father will die. We will be responsible for bringing his gray head down to the grave in sorrow. 32 My lord, I made a pledge to my father that I would take care of the boy. I told him, `If I don't bring him back to you, I will bear the blame forever. '33 Please, my lord, let me stay here as a slave instead of the boy, and let the boy return with his brothers. 34 For how can I return to my father if the boy is not with me? I cannot bear to see what this would do to him." 45:1 JOSEPH could stand it no longer. "Out, all of you!" he cried out to his attendants. He wanted to be alone with his brothers when he told them who he was. 2 Then he broke down and wept aloud. His sobs could be heard throughout the palace, and the news was quickly carried to Pharaoh's palace. 3 "I am Joseph!" he said to his brothers. "Is my father still alive?" But his brothers were speechless! They were stunned to realize that Joseph was standing there in front of them. 4 "Come over here," he said. So they came closer. And he said again, "I am Joseph, your brother whom you sold into Egypt. 5 But don't be angry with yourselves that you did this to me, for God did it. He sent me here ahead of you to preserve your lives. 6 These two years of famine will grow to seven, during which there will be neither plowing nor harvest. 7 God has sent me here to keep you and your families alive so that you will become a great nation. 8 Yes, it was God who sent me here, not you! And he has made me a counselor to Pharaoh-- manager of his entire household and ruler over all Egypt. 9" Hurry, return to my father and tell him, `This is what your son Joseph says:God has made me master over all the land of Egypt. Come down to me right away! 10 You will live in the land of Goshen so you can be near me with all your children and grandchildren, your flocks and herds, and all that you have. 11 I will take care of you there, for there are still five years of famine ahead of us. Otherwise you and your household will come to utter poverty.' "12 Then Joseph said," You can see for yourselves, and so can my brother Benjamin, that I really am Joseph! 13 Tell my father how I am honored here in Egypt. Tell him about everything you have seen, and bring him to me quickly. "14 Weeping with joy, he embraced Benjamin, and Benjamin also began to weep. 15 Then Joseph kissed each of his brothers and wept over them, and then they began talking freely with him. 16 The news soon reached Pharaoh:" Joseph's brothers have come! "Pharaoh was very happy to hear this and so were his officials. 17 Pharaoh said to Joseph," Tell your brothers to load their pack animals and return quickly to their homes in Canaan. 18 Tell them to bring your father and all of their families, and to come here to Egypt to live. Tell them, `Pharaoh will assign to you the very best territory in the land of Egypt. You will live off the fat of the land! '19 And tell your brothers to take wagons from Egypt to carry their wives and little ones and to bring your father here. 20 Don't worry about your belongings, for the best of all the land of Egypt is yours. "21 So the sons of Jacob did as they were told. Joseph gave them wagons, as Pharaoh had commanded, and he supplied them with provisions for the journey. 22 And he gave each of them new clothes-- but to Benjamin he gave five changes of clothes and three hundred pieces of silver! 23 He sent his father ten donkeys loaded with the good things of Egypt, and ten donkeys loaded with grain and all kinds of other food to be eaten on his journey. 24 So he sent his brothers off, and as they left, he called after them," Don't quarrel along the way! "25 And they left Egypt and returned to their father, Jacob, in the land of Canaan. 26" Joseph is still alive! "they told him." And he is ruler over all the land of Egypt! "Jacob was stunned at the news-- he couldn't believe it. 27 But when they had given him Joseph's messages, and when he saw the wagons loaded with the food sent by Joseph, his spirit revived. 28 Then Jacob said," It must be true! My son Joseph is alive! I will go and see him before I die. "


As soon as Jesus heard the news, he went off by himself in a boat to a remote area to be alone. But the crowds heard where he was headed and followed by land from many villages. 14 A vast crowd was there as he stepped from the boat, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick. 15 That evening the disciples came to him and said," This is a desolate place, and it is getting late. Send the crowds away so they can go to the villages and buy food for themselves. "16 But Jesus replied," That isn't necessary-- you feed them. "17" Impossible! "they exclaimed." We have only five loaves of bread and two fish! "18" Bring them here, "he said. 19 Then he told the people to sit down on the grass. And he took the five loaves and two fish, looked up toward heaven, and asked God's blessing on the food. Breaking the loaves into pieces, he gave some of the bread and fish to each disciple, and the disciples gave them to the people. 20 They all ate as much as they wanted, and they picked up twelve baskets of leftovers. 21 About five thousand men had eaten from those five loaves, in addition to all the women and children! 22 Immediately after this, Jesus made his disciples get back into the boat and cross to the other side of the lake while he sent the people home. 23 Afterward he went up into the hills by himself to pray. Night fell while he was there alone. 24 Meanwhile, the disciples were in trouble far away from land, for a strong wind had risen, and they were fighting heavy waves. 25 About three o'clock in the morning Jesus came to them, walking on the water. 26 When the disciples saw him, they screamed in terror, thinking he was a ghost. 27 But Jesus spoke to them at once." It's all right, "he said." I am here! Don't be afraid. "28 Then Peter called to him," Lord, if it's really you, tell me to come to you by walking on water. "29" All right, come, "Jesus said. So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. 30 But when he looked around at the high waves, he was terrified and began to sink." Save me, Lord! "he shouted. 31 Instantly Jesus reached out his hand and grabbed him." You don't have much faith, "Jesus said." Why did you doubt me? "32 And when they climbed back into the boat, the wind stopped. 33 Then the disciples worshiped him." You really are the Son of God! "they exclaimed. 34 After they had crossed the lake, they landed at Gennesaret. 35 The news of their arrival spread quickly throughout the whole surrounding area, and soon people were bringing all their sick to be healed. 36 The sick begged him to let them touch even the fringe of his robe, and all who touched it were healed.


I chased my enemies and caught them;
I did not stop until they were conquered.
38 I struck them down so they could not get up;
they fell beneath my feet.
39 You have armed me with strength for the battle;
you have subdued my enemies under my feet.
40 You made them turn and run;
I have destroyed all who hated me.
41 They called for help, but no one came to rescue them.
They cried to the LORD, but he refused to answer them.
42 I ground them as fine as dust carried by the wind.
I swept them into the gutter like dirt.
43 You gave me victory over my accusers.
You appointed me as the ruler over nations;
people I don't even know now serve me.
44 As soon as they hear of me, they submit;
foreigners cringe before me.
45 They all lose their courage
and come trembling from their strongholds.
46 The LORD lives! Blessed be my rock!
May the God of my salvation be exalted!
47 He is the God who pays back those who harm me;
he subdues the nations under me
48 and rescues me from my enemies.
You hold me safe beyond the reach of my enemies;
you save me from violent opponents.
49 For this, O LORD, I will praise you among the nations;
I will sing joyfully to your name.
50 You give great victories to your king;
you show unfailing love to your anointed,
to David and all his descendants forever.


I will teach you wisdom's ways and lead you in straight paths. If you live a life guided by wisdom, you won't limp or stumble as you run. Carry out my instructions; don't forsake them. Guard them, for they will lead you to a fulfilled life

Reading through the Word....Day 21, January 21

GENESIS 42:18- 43:34
MATTHEW 13:47- 14:12
PSALM 18:16- 36
PROVERBS 4:7- 10


On the third day Joseph said to them [his brothers], "I am a God- fearing man. If you do as I say, you will live. 19 We'll see how honorable you really are. Only one of you will remain in the prison. The rest of you may go on home with grain for your families. 20 But bring your youngest brother back to me. In this way, I will know whether or not you are telling me the truth. If you are, I will spare you." To this they agreed. 21 Speaking among themselves, they said, "This has all happened because of what we did to Joseph long ago. We saw his terror and anguish and heard his pleadings, but we wouldn't listen. That's why this trouble has come upon us." 22 "Didn't I tell you not to do it?" Reuben asked. "But you wouldn't listen. And now we are going to die because we murdered him." 23 Of course, they didn't know that Joseph understood them as he was standing there, for he had been speaking to them through an interpreter. 24 Now he left the room and found a place where he could weep. Returning, he talked some more with them. He then chose Simeon from among them and had him tied up right before their eyes. 25 Joseph then ordered his servants to fill the men's sacks with grain, but he also gave secret instructions to return each brother's payment at the top of his sack. He also gave them provisions for their journey. 26 So they loaded up their donkeys with the grain and started for home. 27 But when they stopped for the night and one of them opened his sack to get some grain to feed the donkeys, he found his money in the sack. 28 "Look!" he exclaimed to his brothers. "My money is here in my sack!" They were filled with terror and said to each other, "What has God done to us?" 29 So they came to their father, Jacob, in the land of Canaan and told him all that had happened. 30 "The man who is ruler over the land spoke very roughly to us," they told him. "He took us for spies. 31 But we said, `We are honest men, not spies. 32 We are twelve brothers, sons of one father; one brother has disappeared, and the youngest is with our father in the land of Canaan. '33 Then the man, the ruler of the land, told us, `This is the way I will find out if you are honest men. Leave one of your brothers here with me, and take grain for your families and go on home. 34 But bring your youngest brother back to me. Then I will know that you are honest men and not spies. If you prove to be what you say, then I will give you back your brother, and you may come as often as you like to buy grain.'" 35 As they emptied out the sacks, there at the top of each one was the bag of money paid for the grain. Terror gripped them, as it did their father. 36 Jacob exclaimed, "You have deprived me of my children! Joseph has disappeared, Simeon is gone, and now you want to take Benjamin, too. Everything is going against me!" 37 Then Reuben said to his father, "You may kill my two sons if I don't bring Benjamin back to you. I'll be responsible for him." 38 But Jacob replied, "My son will not go down with you, for his brother Joseph is dead, and he alone is left of his mother's children. If anything should happen to him, you would bring my gray head down to the grave in deep sorrow." 43:1 BUT there was no relief from the terrible famine throughout the land. 2 When the grain they had brought from Egypt was almost gone, Jacob said to his sons, "Go again and buy us a little food." 3 But Judah said, "The man wasn't joking when he warned that we couldn't see him again unless Benjamin came along. 4 If you let him come with us, we will go down and buy some food. 5 But if you don't let Benjamin go, we may as well stay at home. Remember that the man said, `You won't be allowed to come and see me unless your brother is with you. '" 6 "Why did you ever tell him you had another brother?" Jacob moaned. "Why did you have to treat me with such cruelty?" 7 "But the man specifically asked us about our family," they replied. "He wanted to know whether our father was still living, and he asked us if we had another brother so we told him. How could we have known he would say, `Bring me your brother'?" 8 Judah said to his father, "Send the boy with me, and we will be on our way. Otherwise we will all die of starvation-- and not only we, but you and our little ones. 9 I personally guarantee his safety. If I don't bring him back to you, then let me bear the blame forever. 10 For we could have gone and returned twice by this time if you had let him come without delay." 11 So their father, Jacob, finally said to them, "If it can't be avoided, then at least do this. Fill your bags with the best products of the land. Take them to the man as gifts-- balm, honey, spices, myrrh, pistachio nuts, and almonds. 12 Take double the money that you found in your sacks, as it was probably someone's mistake. 13 Then take your brother and go back to the man. 14 May God Almighty give you mercy as you go before the man, that he might release Simeon and return Benjamin. And if I must bear the anguish of their deaths, then so be it." 15 So they took Benjamin and the gifts and double the money and hurried to Egypt, where they presented themselves to Joseph. 16 When Joseph saw that Benjamin was with them, he said to the manager of his household, "These men will eat with me this noon. Take them inside and prepare a big feast." 17 So the man did as he was told and took them to Joseph's palace. 18 They were badly frightened when they saw where they were being taken. "It's because of the money returned to us in our sacks," they said. "He plans to pretend that we stole it. Then he will seize us as slaves and take our donkeys." 19 As the brothers arrived at the entrance to the palace, they went over to the man in charge of Joseph's household. 20 They said to him, "Sir, after our first trip to Egypt to buy food, 21 as we were returning home, we stopped for the night and opened our sacks. The money we had used to pay for the grain was there in our sacks. Here it is; we have brought it back again. 22 We also have additional money to buy more grain. We have no idea how the money got into our sacks." 23 "Relax. Don't worry about it," the household manager told them. "Your God, the God of your ancestors, must have put it there. We collected your money all right." Then he released Simeon and brought him out to them. 24 The brothers were then led into the palace and given water to wash their feet and food for their donkeys. 25 They were told they would be eating there, so they prepared their gifts for Joseph's arrival at noon. 26 When Joseph came, they gave him their gifts and bowed low before him. 27 He asked them how they had been getting along, and then he said, "How is your father-- the old man you spoke about? Is he still alive?" 28 "Yes," they replied. "He is alive and well." Then they bowed again before him. 29 Looking at his brother Benjamin, Joseph asked, "Is this your youngest brother, the one you told me about? May God be gracious to you, my son." 30 Then Joseph made a hasty exit because he was overcome with emotion for his brother and wanted to cry. Going into his private room, he wept there. 31 Then he washed his face and came out, keeping himself under control. "Bring on the food!" he ordered. 32 Joseph ate by himself, and his brothers were served at a separate table. The Egyptians sat at their own table because Egyptians despise Hebrews and refuse to eat with them. 33 Joseph told each of his brothers where to sit, and to their amazement, he seated them in the order of their ages, from oldest to youngest. 34 Their food was served to them from Joseph's own table. He gave the largest serving to Benjamin-- five times as much as to any of the others. So they all feasted and drank freely with him.


"Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a fishing net that is thrown into the water and gathers fish of every kind. 48 When the net is full, they drag it up onto the shore, sit down, sort the good fish into crates, and throw the bad ones away. 49 That is the way it will be at the end of the world. The angels will come and separate the wicked people from the godly, 50 throwing the wicked into the fire. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 51 Do you understand?" "Yes," they said, "we do." 52 Then he added, "Every teacher of religious law who has become a disciple in the Kingdom of Heaven is like a person who brings out of the storehouse the new teachings as well as the old." 53 When Jesus had finished telling these stories, he left that part of the country. 54 He returned to Nazareth, his hometown. When he taught there in the synagogue, everyone was astonished and said, "Where does he get his wisdom and his miracles? 55 He's just a carpenter's son, and we know Mary, his mother, and his brothers-- James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas. 56 All his sisters live right here among us. What makes him so great?" 57 And they were deeply offended and refused to believe in him. Then Jesus told them, "A prophet is honored everywhere except in his own hometown and among his own family." 58 And so he did only a few miracles there because of their unbelief. 14:1 WHEN Herod Antipas heard about Jesus, 2 he said to his advisers, "This must be John the Baptist come back to life again! That is why he can do such miracles." 3 For Herod had arrested and imprisoned John as a favor to his wife Herodias (the former wife of Herod's brother Philip). 4 John kept telling Herod, "It is illegal for you to marry her." 5 Herod would have executed John, but he was afraid of a riot, because all the people believed John was a prophet. 6 But at a birthday party for Herod, Herodias's daughter performed a dance that greatly pleased him, 7 so he promised with an oath to give her anything she wanted. 8 At her mother's urging, the girl asked, "I want the head of John the Baptist on a tray!" 9 The king was sorry, but because of his oath and because he didn't want to back down in front of his guests, he issued the necessary orders. 10 So John was beheaded in the prison, 11 and his head was brought on a tray and given to the girl, who took it to her mother. 12 John's disciples came for his body and buried it. Then they told Jesus what had happened.


He reached down from heaven and rescued me;
he drew me out of deep waters.
17 He delivered me from my powerful enemies,
from those who hated me and were too strong for me.
18 They attacked me at a moment when I was weakest,
but the LORD upheld me.
19 He led me to a place of safety;
he rescued me because he delights in me.
20 The LORD rewarded me for doing right;
he compensated me because of my innocence.
21 For I have kept the ways of the LORD;
I have not turned from my God to follow evil.
22 For all his laws are constantly before me;
I have never abandoned his principles.
23 I am blameless before God;
I have kept myself from sin.
24 The LORD rewarded me for doing right,
because of the innocence of my hands in his sight.
25 To the faithful you show yourself faithful;
to those with integrity you show integrity.
26 To the pure you show yourself pure,
but to the wicked you show yourself hostile.
27 You rescue those who are humble,
but you humiliate the proud.
28 LORD, you have brought light to my life;
my God, you light up my darkness.
29 In your strength I can crush an army;
with my God I can scale any wall.
30 As for God, his way is perfect.
All the LORD's promises prove true.
He is a shield for all who look to him for protection.
31 For who is God except the LORD?
Who but our God is a solid rock?
32 God arms me with strength;
he has made my way safe.
33 He makes me as surefooted as a deer,
leading me safely along the mountain heights.
34 He prepares me for battle;
he strengthens me to draw a bow of bronze.
35 You have given me the shield of your salvation.
Your right hand supports me;
your gentleness has made me great.
36 You have made a wide path for my feet
to keep them from slipping.


"Getting wisdom is the most important thing you can do! And whatever else you do, get good judgment. If you prize wisdom, she will exalt you. Embrace her and she will honor you. She will place a lovely wreath on your head; she will present you with a beautiful crown." My child, >listen to me and do as I say, and you will have a long, good life

Reading through the Word....Day 20, January 20

GENESIS 41:17- 42:17
MATTHEW 13:24- 46
PSALM 18:1- 15
PROVERBS 4:1- 6


So Pharaoh told him [Joseph] the dream. "I was standing on the bank of the Nile River," he said. 18 "Suddenly, seven fat, healthy- looking cows came up out of the river and began grazing along its bank. 19 But then seven other cows came up from the river. They were very thin and gaunt-- in fact, I've never seen such ugly animals in all the land of Egypt. 20 These thin, ugly cows ate up the seven fat ones that had come out of the river first, 21 but afterward they were still as ugly and gaunt as before! Then I woke up. 22" A little later I had another dream. This time there were seven heads of grain on one stalk, and all seven heads were plump and full. 23 Then out of the same stalk came seven withered heads, shriveled by the east wind. 24 And the withered heads swallowed up the plump ones! I told these dreams to my magicians, but not one of them could tell me what they mean. "25" Both dreams mean the same thing, "Joseph told Pharaoh." God was telling you what he is about to do. 26 The seven fat cows and the seven plump heads of grain both represent seven years of prosperity. 27 The seven thin, ugly cows and the seven withered heads of grain represent seven years of famine. 28 This will happen just as I have described it, for God has shown you what he is about to do. 29 The next seven years will be a period of great prosperity throughout the land of Egypt. 30 But afterward there will be seven years of famine so great that all the prosperity will be forgotten and wiped out. Famine will destroy the land. 31 This famine will be so terrible that even the memory of the good years will be erased. 32 As for having the dream twice, it means that the matter has been decreed by God and that he will make these events happen soon. 33 "My suggestion is that you find the wisest man in Egypt and put him in charge of a nationwide program. 34 Let Pharaoh appoint officials over the land, and let them collect one- fifth of all the crops during the seven good years. 35 Have them gather all the food and grain of these good years into the royal storehouses, and store it away so there will be food in the cities. 36 That way there will be enough to eat when the seven years of famine come. Otherwise disaster will surely strike the land, and all the people will die." 37 Joseph's suggestions were well received by Pharaoh and his advisers. 38 As they discussed who should be appointed for the job, Pharaoh said, "Who could do it better than Joseph? For he is a man who is obviously filled with the spirit of God." 39 Turning to Joseph, Pharaoh said, "Since God has revealed the meaning of the dreams to you, you are the wisest man in the land! 40 I hereby appoint you to direct this project. You will manage my household and organize all my people. Only I will have a rank higher than yours." 41 And Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I hereby put you in charge of the entire land of Egypt." 42 Then Pharaoh placed his own signet ring on Joseph's finger as a symbol of his authority. He dressed him in beautiful clothing and placed the royal gold chain about his neck. 43 Pharaoh also gave Joseph the chariot of his second- in- command, and wherever he went the command was shouted, "Kneel down!" So Joseph was put in charge of all Egypt. 44 And Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I am the king, but no one will move a hand or a foot in the entire land of Egypt without your approval." 45 Pharaoh renamed him Zaphenath- paneah and gave him a wife-- a young woman named Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera, priest of Heliopolis. So Joseph took charge of the entire land of Egypt. 46 He was thirty years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. And when Joseph left Pharaoh's presence, he made a tour of inspection throughout the land. 47 And sure enough, for the next seven years there were bumper crops everywhere. 48 During those years, Joseph took a portion of all the crops grown in Egypt and stored them for the government in nearby cities. 49 After seven years, the granaries were filled to overflowing. There was so much grain, like sand on the seashore, that the people could not keep track of the amount. 50 During this time, before the arrival of the first of the famine years, two sons were born to Joseph and his wife, Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera, priest of Heliopolis. 51 Joseph named his older son Manasseh, for he said, "God has made me forget all my troubles and the family of my father." 52 Joseph named his second son Ephraim, for he said, "God has made me fruitful in this land of my suffering." 53 At last the seven years of plenty came to an end. 54 Then the seven years of famine began, just as Joseph had predicted. There were crop failures in all the surrounding countries, too, but in Egypt there was plenty of grain in the storehouses. 55 Throughout the land of Egypt the people began to starve. They pleaded with Pharaoh for food, and he told them, "Go to Joseph and do whatever he tells you." 56 So with severe famine everywhere in the land, Joseph opened up the storehouses and sold grain to the Egyptians. 57 And people from surrounding lands also came to Egypt to buy grain from Joseph because the famine was severe throughout the world. 42:1 WHEN Jacob heard that there was grain available in Egypt, he said to his sons, "Why are you standing around looking at one another? 2 I have heard there is grain in Egypt. Go down and buy some for us before we all starve to death." 3 So Joseph's ten older brothers went down to Egypt to buy grain. 4 Jacob wouldn't let Joseph's younger brother, Benjamin, go with them, however, for fear some harm might come to him. 5 So Jacob's sons arrived in Egypt along with others to buy food, for the famine had reached Canaan as well. 6 Since Joseph was governor of all Egypt and in charge of the sale of the grain, it was to him that his brothers came. They bowed low before him, with their faces to the ground. 7 Joseph recognized them instantly, but he pretended to be a stranger. "Where are you from?" he demanded roughly. "From the land of Canaan," they replied. "We have come to buy grain." 8 Joseph's brothers didn't recognize him, but Joseph recognized them. 9 And he remembered the dreams he had had many years before. He said to them, "You are spies! You have come to see how vulnerable our land has become." 10 "No, my lord!" they exclaimed. "We have come to buy food. 11 We are all brothers and honest men, sir! We are not spies!" 12 "Yes, you are!" he insisted. "You have come to discover how vulnerable the famine has made us." 13 "Sir," they said, "there are twelve of us brothers, and our father is in the land of Canaan. Our youngest brother is there with our father, and one of our brothers is no longer with us." 14 But Joseph insisted, "As I said, you are spies! 15 This is how I will test your story. I swear by the life of Pharaoh that you will not leave Egypt unless your youngest brother comes here. 16 One of you go and get your brother! I'll keep the rest of you here, bound in prison. Then we'll find out whether or not your story is true. If it turns out that you don't have a younger brother, then I'll know you are spies." 17 So he put them all in prison for three days.


Here is another story Jesus told:"The Kingdom of Heaven is like a farmer who planted good seed in his field. 25 But that night as everyone slept, his enemy came and planted weeds among the wheat. 26 When the crop began to grow and produce grain, the weeds also grew. 27 The farmer's servants came and told him, `Sir, the field where you planted that good seed is full of weeds! '28" `An enemy has done it!' the farmer exclaimed. "`Shall we pull out the weeds? 'they asked. 29" He replied, `No, you'll hurt the wheat if you do. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest. Then I will tell the harvesters to sort out the weeds and burn them and to put the wheat in the barn.' "31 Here is another illustration Jesus used:" The Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed planted in a field. 32 It is the smallest of all seeds, but it becomes the largest of garden plants and grows into a tree where birds can come and find shelter in its branches. "33 Jesus also used this illustration:" The Kingdom of Heaven is like yeast used by a woman making bread. Even though she used a large amount of flour, the yeast permeated every part of the dough. "34 Jesus always used stories and illustrations like these when speaking to the crowds. In fact, he never spoke to them without using such parables. 35 This fulfilled the prophecy that said," I will speak to you in parables.
I will explain mysteries hidden since the creation of the world. "
36 Then, leaving the crowds outside, Jesus went into the house. His disciples said," Please explain the story of the weeds in the field. "37" All right, "he said." I, the Son of Man, am the farmer who plants the good seed. 38 The field is the world, and the good seed represents the people of the Kingdom. The weeds are the people who belong to the evil one. 39 The enemy who planted the weeds among the wheat is the Devil. The harvest is the end of the world, and the harvesters are the angels. 40 "Just as the weeds are separated out and burned, so it will be at the end of the world. 41 I, the Son of Man, will send my angels, and they will remove from my Kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil, 42 and they will throw them into the furnace and burn them. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the godly will shine like the sun in their Father's Kingdom. Anyone who is willing to hear should listen and understand! 44" The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure that a man discovered hidden in a field. In his excitement, he hid it again and sold everything he owned to get enough money to buy the field-- and to get the treasure, too! 45 "Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a pearl merchant on the lookout for choice pearls. 46 When he discovered a pearl of great value, he sold everything he owned and bought it!"


For the choir director:A psalm of David, the servant of the LORD. He sang this song to the LORD on the day the LORD rescued him from all his enemies and from Saul.
1 I love you, LORD; you are my strength.
2 The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my savior;
my God is my rock, in whom I find protection.
He is my shield, the strength of my salvation, and my stronghold.
3 I will call on the LORD, who is worthy of praise,
for he saves me from my enemies.
4 The ropes of death surrounded me;
the floods of destruction swept over me.
5 The grave wrapped its ropes around me;
death itself stared me in the face.
6 But in my distress I cried out to the LORD;
yes, I prayed to my God for help.
He heard me from his sanctuary;
my cry reached his ears.
7 Then the earth quaked and trembled;
the foundations of the mountains shook;
they quaked because of his anger.
8 Smoke poured from his nostrils;
fierce flames leaped from his mouth;
glowing coals flamed forth from him.
9 He opened the heavens and came down;
dark storm clouds were beneath his feet.
10 Mounted on a mighty angel, he flew,
soaring on the wings of the wind.
11 He shrouded himself in darkness,
veiling his approach with dense rain clouds.
12 The brilliance of his presence broke through the clouds,
raining down hail and burning coals.
13 The LORD thundered from heaven;
the Most High gave a mighty shout.
14 He shot his arrows and scattered his enemies;
his lightning flashed, and they were greatly confused.
15 Then at your command, O LORD,
at the blast of your breath,
the bottom of the sea could be seen,
and the foundations of the earth were laid bare.


My children, listen to me. Listen to your father's instruction. Pay attention and grow wise, for I am giving you good guidance. Don't turn away from my teaching. For I, too, was once my father's son, tenderly loved by my mother as an only child. My father told me, "Take my words to heart. Follow my instructions and you will live. Learn to be wise, and develop good judgment. Don't forget or turn away from my words. Don't turn your back on wisdom, for she will protect you. Love her, and she will guard you

Reading through the Word....Day 19, January 19

GENESIS 39:1- 41:16
MATTHEW 12:46- 13:23
PSALM 17:1- 15
PROVERBS 3:33- 35

Now when Joseph arrived in Egypt with the Ishmaelite traders, he was purchased by Potiphar, a member of the personal staff of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. Potiphar was the captain of the palace guard. 2 The LORD was with Joseph and blessed him greatly as he served in the home of his Egyptian master. 3 Potiphar noticed this and realized that the LORD was with Joseph, giving him success in everything he did. 4 So Joseph naturally became quite a favorite with him. Potiphar soon put Joseph in charge of his entire household and entrusted him with all his business dealings. 5 From the day Joseph was put in charge, the LORD began to bless Potiphar for Joseph's sake. All his household affairs began to run smoothly, and his crops and livestock flourished. 6 So Potiphar gave Joseph complete administrative responsibility over everything he owned. With Joseph there, he didn't have a worry in the world, except to decide what he wanted to eat! Now Joseph was a very handsome and well- built young man. 7 And about this time, Potiphar's wife began to desire him and invited him to sleep with her. 8 But Joseph refused. "Look," he told her, "my master trusts me with everything in his entire household. 9 No one here has more authority than I do! He has held back nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How could I ever do such a wicked thing? It would be a great sin against God." 10 She kept putting pressure on him day after day, but he refused to sleep with her, and he kept out of her way as much as possible. 11 One day, however, no one else was around when he was doing his work inside the house. 12 She came and grabbed him by his shirt, demanding, "Sleep with me!" Joseph tore himself away, but as he did, his shirt came off. She was left holding it as he ran from the house. 13 When she saw that she had his shirt and that he had fled, 14 she began screaming. Soon all the men around the place came running. "My husband has brought this Hebrew slave here to insult us!" she sobbed. "He tried to rape me, but I screamed. 15 When he heard my loud cries, he ran and left his shirt behind with me." 16 She kept the shirt with her, and when her husband came home that night, 17 she told him her story. "That Hebrew slave you've had around here tried to make a fool of me," she said. 18 "I was saved only by my screams. He ran out, leaving his shirt behind!" 19 After hearing his wife's story, Potiphar was furious! 20 He took Joseph and threw him into the prison where the king's prisoners were held. 21 But the LORD was with Joseph there, too, and he granted Joseph favor with the chief jailer. 22 Before long, the jailer put Joseph in charge of all the other prisoners and over everything that happened in the prison. 23 The chief jailer had no more worries after that, because Joseph took care of everything. The LORD was with him, making everything run smoothly and successfully. 40:1 SOME time later, Pharaoh's chief cup- bearer and chief baker offended him. 2 Pharaoh became very angry with these officials, 3 and he put them in the prison where Joseph was, in the palace of Potiphar, the captain of the guard. 4 They remained in prison for quite some time, and Potiphar assigned Joseph to take care of them. 5 One night the cup- bearer and the baker each had a dream, and each dream had its own meaning. 6 The next morning Joseph noticed the dejected look on their faces. 7 "Why do you look so worried today?" he asked. 8 And they replied, "We both had dreams last night, but there is no one here to tell us what they mean." "Interpreting dreams is God's business," Joseph replied. "Tell me what you saw." 9 The cup- bearer told his dream first. "In my dream," he said, "I saw a vine in front of me. 10 It had three branches that began to bud and blossom, and soon there were clusters of ripe grapes. 11 I was holding Pharaoh's wine cup in my hand, so I took the grapes and squeezed the juice into it. Then I placed the cup in Pharaoh's hand." 12 "I know what the dream means," Joseph said. "The three branches mean three days. 13 Within three days Pharaoh will take you out of prison and return you to your position as his chief cup- bearer. 14 And please have some pity on me when you are back in his favor. Mention me to Pharaoh, and ask him to let me out of here. 15 For I was kidnapped from my homeland, the land of the Hebrews, and now I'm here in jail, but I did nothing to deserve it." 16 When the chief baker saw that the first dream had such a good meaning, he told his dream to Joseph, too. "In my dream," he said, "there were three baskets of pastries on my head. 17 In the top basket were all kinds of bakery goods for Pharaoh, but the birds came and ate them." 18 "I'll tell you what it means," Joseph told him. "The three baskets mean three days. 19 Three days from now Pharaoh will cut off your head and impale your body on a pole. Then birds will come and peck away at your flesh." 20 Pharaoh's birthday came three days later, and he gave a banquet for all his officials and household staff. He sent for his chief cup- bearer and chief baker, and they were brought to him from the prison. 21 He then restored the chief cup- bearer to his former position, 22 but he sentenced the chief baker to be impaled on a pole, just as Joseph had predicted. 23 Pharaoh's cup- bearer, however, promptly forgot all about Joseph, never giving him another thought. 41:1 TWO years later, Pharaoh dreamed that he was standing on the bank of the Nile River. 2 In his dream, seven fat, healthy- looking cows suddenly came up out of the river and began grazing along its bank. 3 Then seven other cows came up from the river, but these were very ugly and gaunt. These cows went over and stood beside the fat cows. 4 Then the thin, ugly cows ate the fat ones! At this point in the dream, Pharaoh woke up. 5 Soon he fell asleep again and had a second dream. This time he saw seven heads of grain on one stalk, with every kernel well formed and plump. 6 Then suddenly, seven more heads appeared on the stalk, but these were shriveled and withered by the east wind. 7 And these thin heads swallowed up the seven plump, well- formed heads! Then Pharaoh woke up again and realized it was a dream. 8 The next morning, as he thought about it, Pharaoh became very concerned as to what the dreams might mean. So he called for all the magicians and wise men of Egypt and told them about his dreams, but not one of them could suggest what they meant. 9 Then the king's cup- bearer spoke up. "Today I have been reminded of my failure," he said. 10 "Some time ago, you were angry with the chief baker and me, and you imprisoned us in the palace of the captain of the guard. 11 One night the chief baker and I each had a dream, and each dream had a meaning. 12 We told the dreams to a young Hebrew man who was a servant of the captain of the guard. He told us what each of our dreams meant, 13 and everything happened just as he said it would. I was restored to my position as cup- bearer, and the chief baker was executed and impaled on a pole." 14 Pharaoh sent for Joseph at once, and he was brought hastily from the dungeon. After a quick shave and change of clothes, he went in and stood in Pharaoh's presence. 15 "I had a dream last night," Pharaoh told him, "and none of these men can tell me what it means. But I have heard that you can interpret dreams, and that is why I have called for you." 16 "It is beyond my power to do this," Joseph replied. "But God will tell you what it means and will set you at ease."


As Jesus was speaking to the crowd, his mother and brothers were outside, wanting to talk with him. 47 Someone told Jesus, "Your mother and your brothers are outside, and they want to speak to you." 48 Jesus asked, "Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?" 49 Then he pointed to his disciples and said, "These are my mother and brothers. 50 Anyone who does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother!" 13:1 LATER that same day, Jesus left the house and went down to the shore, 2 where an immense crowd soon gathered. He got into a boat, where he sat and taught as the people listened on the shore. 3 He told many stories such as this one:"A farmer went out to plant some seed. 4 As he scattered it across his field, some seeds fell on a footpath, and the birds came and ate them. 5 Other seeds fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The plants sprang up quickly, 6 but they soon wilted beneath the hot sun and died because the roots had no nourishment in the shallow soil. 7 Other seeds fell among thorns that shot up and choked out the tender blades. 8 But some seeds fell on fertile soil and produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted. 9 Anyone who is willing to hear should listen and understand!" 10 His disciples came and asked him, "Why do you always tell stories when you talk to the people?" 11 Then he explained to them, "You have been permitted to understand the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven, but others have not. 12 To those who are open to my teaching, more understanding will be given, and they will have an abundance of knowledge. But to those who are not listening, even what they have will be taken away from them. 13 That is why I tell these stories, because people see what I do, but they don't really see. They hear what I say, but they don't really hear, and they don't understand. 14 This fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah, which says:`You will hear my words,
but you will not understand;
you will see what I do,
but you will not perceive its meaning.
15 For the hearts of these people are hardened,
and their ears cannot hear,
and they have closed their eyes--
so their eyes cannot see,
and their ears cannot hear,
and their hearts cannot understand,
and they cannot turn to me
and let me heal them. '
16" But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear. 17 I assure you, many prophets and godly people have longed to see and hear what you have seen and heard, but they could not. 18 "Now here is the explanation of the story I told about the farmer sowing grain:19 The seed that fell on the hard path represents those who hear the Good News about the Kingdom and don't understand it. Then the evil one comes and snatches the seed away from their hearts. 20 The rocky soil represents those who hear the message and receive it with joy. 21 But like young plants in such soil, their roots don't go very deep. At first they get along fine, but they wilt as soon as they have problems or are persecuted because they believe the word. 22 The thorny ground represents those who hear and accept the Good News, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the cares of this life and the lure of wealth, so no crop is produced. 23 The good soil represents the hearts of those who truly accept God's message and produce a huge harvest-- thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted."


A prayer of David.
1 O LORD, hear my plea for justice.
Listen to my cry for help.
Pay attention to my prayer,
for it comes from an honest heart.
2 Declare me innocent,
for you know those who do right.
3 You have tested my thoughts and examined my heart in the night.
You have scrutinized me and found nothing amiss,
for I am determined not to sin in what I say.
4 I have followed your commands,
which have kept me from going along with cruel and evil people.
5 My steps have stayed on your path;
I have not wavered from following you.
6 I am praying to you because I know you will answer, O God.
Bend down and listen as I pray.
7 Show me your unfailing love in wonderful ways.
You save with your strength
those who seek refuge from their enemies.
8 Guard me as the apple of your eye.
Hide me in the shadow of your wings.
9 Protect me from wicked people who attack me,
from murderous enemies who surround me.
10 They are without pity.
Listen to their boasting.
11 They track me down, surround me,
and throw me to the ground.
12 They are like hungry lions, eager to tear me apart--
like young lions in hiding, waiting for their chance.
13 Arise, O LORD!
Stand against them and bring them to their knees!
Rescue me from the wicked with your sword!
14 Save me by your mighty hand, O LORD,
from those whose only concern is earthly gain.
May they have their punishment in full.
May their children inherit more of the same,
and may the judgment continue to their children's children.
15 But because I have done what is right, I will see you.
When I awake, I will be fully satisfied,
for I will see you face to face.


The curse of the LORD is on the house of the wicked, but his blessing is on the home of the upright. The LORD mocks at mockers, but he shows favor to the humble. The wise inherit honor, but fools are put to shame

Reading through the Word....Day 18, January 18

GENESIS 37:1- 38:30
MATTHEW 12:22- 45
PSALM 16:1- 11
PROVERBS 3:27- 32


So Jacob settled again in the land of Canaan, where his father had lived. 2 This is the history of Jacob's family. When Joseph was seventeen years old, he often tended his father's flocks with his half brothers, the sons of his father's wives Bilhah and Zilpah. But Joseph reported to his father some of the bad things his brothers were doing. 3 Now Jacob loved Joseph more than any of his other children because Joseph had been born to him in his old age. So one day he gave Joseph a special gift-- a beautiful robe. 4 But his brothers hated Joseph because of their father's partiality. They couldn't say a kind word to him. 5 One night Joseph had a dream and promptly reported the details to his brothers, causing them to hate him even more. 6 "Listen to this dream," he announced. 7 "We were out in the field tying up bundles of grain. My bundle stood up, and then your bundles all gathered around and bowed low before it!" 8 "So you are going to be our king, are you?" his brothers taunted. And they hated him all the more for his dream and what he had said. 9 Then Joseph had another dream and told his brothers about it. "Listen to this dream," he said. "The sun, moon, and eleven stars bowed low before me!" 10 This time he told his father as well as his brothers, and his father rebuked him. "What do you mean?" his father asked. "Will your mother, your brothers, and I actually come and bow before you?" 11 But while his brothers were jealous of Joseph, his father gave it some thought and wondered what it all meant. 12 Soon after this, Joseph's brothers went to pasture their father's flocks at Shechem. 13 When they had been gone for some time, Jacob said to Joseph, "Your brothers are over at Shechem with the flocks. I'm going to send you to them." "I'm ready to go," Joseph replied. 14 "Go and see how your brothers and the flocks are getting along," Jacob said. "Then come back and bring me word." So Jacob sent him on his way, and Joseph traveled to Shechem from his home in the valley of Hebron. 15 When he arrived there, a man noticed him wandering around the countryside. "What are you looking for?" he asked. 16 "For my brothers and their flocks," Joseph replied. "Have you seen them?" 17 "Yes," the man told him, "but they are no longer here. I heard your brothers say they were going to Dothan." So Joseph followed his brothers to Dothan and found them there. 18 When Joseph's brothers saw him coming, they recognized him in the distance and made plans to kill him. 19 "Here comes that dreamer!" they exclaimed. 20 "Come on, let's kill him and throw him into a deep pit. We can tell our father that a wild animal has eaten him. Then we'll see what becomes of all his dreams!" 21 But Reuben came to Joseph's rescue. "Let's not kill him," he said. 22 "Why should we shed his blood? Let's just throw him alive into this pit here. That way he will die without our having to touch him." Reuben was secretly planning to help Joseph escape, and then he would bring him back to his father. 23 So when Joseph arrived, they pulled off his beautiful robe 24 and threw him into the pit. This pit was normally used to store water, but it was empty at the time. 25 Then, just as they were sitting down to eat, they noticed a caravan of camels in the distance coming toward them. It was a group of Ishmaelite traders taking spices, balm, and myrrh from Gilead to Egypt. 26 Judah said to the others, "What can we gain by killing our brother? That would just give us a guilty conscience. 27 Let's sell Joseph to those Ishmaelite traders. Let's not be responsible for his death; after all, he is our brother!" And his brothers agreed. 28 So when the traders came by, his brothers pulled Joseph out of the pit and sold him for twenty pieces of silver, and the Ishmaelite traders took him along to Egypt. 29 Some time later, Reuben returned to get Joseph out of the pit. When he discovered that Joseph was missing, he tore his clothes in anguish and frustration. 30 Then he went back to his brothers and lamented, "The boy is gone! What can I do now?" 31 Then Joseph's brothers killed a goat and dipped the robe in its blood. 32 They took the beautiful robe to their father and asked him to identify it. "We found this in the field," they told him. "It's Joseph's robe, isn't it?" 33 Their father recognized it at once. "Yes," he said, "it is my son's robe. A wild animal has attacked and eaten him. Surely Joseph has been torn in pieces!" 34 Then Jacob tore his clothes and put on sackcloth. He mourned deeply for his son for many days. 35 His family all tried to comfort him, but it was no use. "I will die in mourning for my son," he would say, and then begin to weep. 36 Meanwhile, in Egypt, the traders sold Joseph to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. Potiphar was captain of the palace guard. 38:1 ABOUT this time, Judah left home and moved to Adullam, where he visited a man named Hirah. 2 There he met a Canaanite woman, the daughter of Shua, and he married her. 3 She became pregnant and had a son, and Judah named the boy Er. 4 Then Judah's wife had another son, and she named him Onan. 5 And when she had a third son, she named him Shelah. At the time of Shelah's birth, they were living at Kezib. 6 When his oldest son, Er, grew up, Judah arranged his marriage to a young woman named Tamar. 7 But Er was a wicked man in the LORD's sight, so the LORD took his life. 8 Then Judah said to Er's brother Onan, "You must marry Tamar, as our law requires of the brother of a man who has died. Her first son from you will be your brother's heir." 9 But Onan was not willing to have a child who would not be his own heir. So whenever he had intercourse with Tamar, he spilled the semen on the ground to keep her from having a baby who would belong to his brother. 10 But the LORD considered it a wicked thing for Onan to deny a child to his dead brother. So the LORD took Onan's life, too. 11 Then Judah told Tamar, his daughter- in- law, not to marry again at that time but to return to her parents 'home. She was to remain a widow until his youngest son, Shelah, was old enough to marry her. (But Judah didn't really intend to do this because he was afraid Shelah would also die, like his two brothers.) So Tamar went home to her parents. 12 In the course of time Judah's wife died. After the time of mourning was over, Judah and his friend Hirah the Adullamite went to Timnah to supervise the shearing of his sheep. 13 Someone told Tamar that her father- in- law had left for the sheep- shearing at Timnah. 14 Tamar was aware that Shelah had grown up, but they had not called her to come and marry him. So she changed out of her widow's clothing and covered herself with a veil to disguise herself. Then she sat beside the road at the entrance to the village of Enaim, which is on the way to Timnah. 15 Judah noticed her as he went by and thought she was a prostitute, since her face was veiled. 16 So he stopped and propositioned her to sleep with him, not realizing that she was his own daughter- in- law. "How much will you pay me?" Tamar asked. 17 "I'll send you a young goat from my flock," Judah promised. "What pledge will you give me so I can be sure you will send it?" she asked. 18 "Well, what do you want?" he inquired. She replied, "I want your identification seal, your cord, and the walking stick you are carrying." So Judah gave these items to her. She then let him sleep with her, and she became pregnant. 19 Afterward she went home, took off her veil, and put on her widow's clothing as usual. 20 Judah asked his friend Hirah the Adullamite to take the young goat back to her and to pick up the pledges he had given her, but Hirah couldn't find her. 21 So he asked the men who lived there, "Where can I find the prostitute who was sitting beside the road at the entrance to the village?" "We've never had a prostitute here," they replied. 22 So Hirah returned to Judah and told him that he couldn't find her anywhere and that the men of the village had claimed they didn't have a prostitute there. 23 "Then let her keep the pledges!" Judah exclaimed. "We tried our best to send her the goat. We'd be the laughingstock of the village if we went back again." 24 About three months later, word reached Judah that Tamar, his daughter- in- law, was pregnant as a result of prostitution. "Bring her out and burn her!" Judah shouted. 25 But as they were taking her out to kill her, she sent this message to her father- in- law:"The man who owns this identification seal and walking stick is the father of my child. Do you recognize them?" 26 Judah admitted that they were his and said, "She is more in the right than I am, because I didn't keep my promise to let her marry my son Shelah." But Judah never slept with Tamar again. 27 In due season the time of Tamar's delivery arrived, and she had twin sons. 28 As they were being born, one of them reached out his hand, and the midwife tied a scarlet thread around the wrist of the child who appeared first, saying, "This one came out first." 29 But then he drew back his hand, and the other baby was actually the first to be born. "What!" the midwife exclaimed. "How did you break out first?" And ever after, he was called Perez. 30 Then the baby with the scarlet thread on his wrist was born, and he was named Zerah.



Then a demon- possessed man, who was both blind and unable to talk, was brought to Jesus. He healed the man so that he could both speak and see. 23 The crowd was amazed. "Could it be that Jesus is the Son of David, the Messiah?" they wondered out loud. 24 But when the Pharisees heard about the miracle, they said, "No wonder he can cast out demons. He gets his power from Satan, the prince of demons." 25 Jesus knew their thoughts and replied, "Any kingdom at war with itself is doomed. A city or home divided against itself is doomed. 26 And if Satan is casting out Satan, he is fighting against himself. His own kingdom will not survive. 27 And if I am empowered by the prince of demons, what about your own followers? They cast out demons, too, so they will judge you for what you have said. 28 But if I am casting out demons by the Spirit of God, then the Kingdom of God has arrived among you. 29 Let me illustrate this. You can't enter a strong man's house and rob him without first tying him up. Only then can his house be robbed! 30 Anyone who isn't helping me opposes me, and anyone who isn't working with me is actually working against me. 31" Every sin or blasphemy can be forgiven-- except blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, which can never be forgiven. 32 Anyone who blasphemes against me, the Son of Man, can be forgiven, but blasphemy against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven, either in this world or in the world to come. 33 "A tree is identified by its fruit. Make a tree good, and its fruit will be good. Make a tree bad, and its fruit will be bad. 34 You brood of snakes! How could evil men like you speak what is good and right? For whatever is in your heart determines what you say. 35 A good person produces good words from a good heart, and an evil person produces evil words from an evil heart. 36 And I tell you this, that you must give an account on judgment day of every idle word you speak. 37 The words you say now reflect your fate then; either you will be justified by them or you will be condemned." 38 One day some teachers of religious law and Pharisees came to Jesus and said, "Teacher, we want you to show us a miraculous sign to prove that you are from God." 39 But Jesus replied, "Only an evil, faithless generation would ask for a miraculous sign; but the only sign I will give them is the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40 For as Jonah was in the belly of the great fish for three days and three nights, so I, the Son of Man, will be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights. 41 The people of Nineveh will rise up against this generation on judgment day and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah. And now someone greater than Jonah is here-- and you refuse to repent. 42 The queen of Sheba will also rise up against this generation on judgment day and condemn it, because she came from a distant land to hear the wisdom of Solomon. And now someone greater than Solomon is here-- and you refuse to listen to him. 43" When an evil spirit leaves a person, it goes into the desert, seeking rest but finding none. 44 Then it says, `I will return to the person I came from.' So it returns and finds its former home empty, swept, and clean. 45 Then the spirit finds seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they all enter the person and live there. And so that person is worse off than before. That will be the experience of this evil generation. "


A psalm of David.
1 Keep me safe, O God,
for I have come to you for refuge.
2 I said to the LORD," You are my Master!
All the good things I have are from you. "
3 The godly people in the land
are my true heroes!
I take pleasure in them!
4 Those who chase after other gods will be filled with sorrow.
I will not take part in their sacrifices
or even speak the names of their gods.
5 LORD, you alone are my inheritance, my cup of blessing.
You guard all that is mine.
6 The land you have given me is a pleasant land.
What a wonderful inheritance!
7 I will bless the LORD who guides me;
even at night my heart instructs me.
8 I know the LORD is always with me.
I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me.
9 No wonder my heart is filled with joy,
and my mouth shouts his praises!
My body rests in safety.
10 For you will not leave my soul among the dead
or allow your godly one to rot in the grave.
11 You will show me the way of life,
granting me the joy of your presence
and the pleasures of living with you forever.


Do not withhold good from those who deserve it when it's in your power to help them. If you can help your neighbor now, don't say," Come back tomorrow, and then I'll help you. "Do not plot against your neighbors, for they trust you. Don't make accusations against someone who hasn't wronged you. Do not envy violent people; don't copy their ways. Such wicked people are an abomination to the LORD, but he offers his friendship to the godly