October 18 - Here I Am

Overview of: Exodus

Today's Reading:
Exodus 2:11 - 3:22
"Moses Escapes and God Calls"

Focus Verses: Exodus 3:1-4
1 Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the desert and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. 2 There the angel of the LORD appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. 3 So Moses thought, "I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up."4 When the LORD saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, "Moses! Moses!" And Moses said, "Here I am."

Insight:
It's interesting that God did not save the Israelites by giving Moses favor in the eyes of Pharaoh as he had done with Joseph many years before. I wonder why he didn’t. The Pharaoh's daughter had taken him into her care when he was just a small child. Why not make Moses a great leader in Egypt, like Joseph had been?

Instead, God used the disfavor of Pharaoh to get Moses out of Egypt. As an exile in the land of Midian, Moses became a shepherd, started a family, and gained perspective about who he was. Eventually he was called by God to go back to Egypt to save his people from their oppression.

God got Moses' attention with the strange sight of a burning bush. God's presence filled the bush with flames but the bush was not consumed, it just kept burning and burning. In a way, God was calling Moses to become like that bush--completely aflame with God's presence and used for God's purpose. Moses must have thought that such a calling would utterly consume him. But in surrendering his life to God's call, rather than being consumed, Moses was lifted to the most glorious, meaningful, and productive days of his life.

Response and Action:
The ways God plans to use me may not be the ways I would expect to be used. I want to fulfill God's calling and purpose for my life. I will keep my heart and mind open to his leading. When the direction God is leading seems to be to big and overwhelming for me, I will remember Moses and the burning bush. Just as the bush was not consumed, but rather was transformed into a glorious testimony of God's presence and purpose, my life will not be consumed or burned up, but instead be transformed with the light and purpose of Christ.

O God, thank you for saving and reaching out to me. Thank you for being a God of deliverance. Help me to embrace the calling I have in Christ and to find my purpose and fulfillment in him. Help me, like Moses, to say, "Here I am." Give me the faith to find my life by losing it. Through Christ, I pray. Amen.

Proverb for Today: Prov. 18:15
"The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge; the ears of the wise seek it out."

New Testament for Today: 1 Peter 2:9
9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
In Context: 1 Peter 2:4-12

Resources:
Courage & Calling: Embracing Your God-Given Potential
by Gordon T. Smith

October 17 - A Difficult Season

Overview of: Exodus

Today's Reading:
Ex. 1:1 – 2:10
"Israel Enslaved"

Focus Verses: Exodus 1:8-10
8 Then a new king, who did not know about Joseph, came to power in Egypt. 9 "Look," he said to his people, "the Israelites have become much too numerous for us. 10 Come, we must deal shrewdly with them or they will become even more numerous and, if war breaks out, will join our enemies, fight against us and leave the country."

Insight:
The children of Israel had done very well in Egypt. They had done so well and become so numerous that eventually the Pharaoh perceived them to be a threat to his sovereignty. The good Joseph had done and the reason the Israelites had come to Egypt was long forgotten.

Now, instead of just Joseph enduring prison and hardship in Egypt, now his entire family, the Israelites, found themselves in bondage. God had promised Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob that he would make them into a nation, but how would God work to bring them freedom and lead them back to the land he had promised them?

The story of the birth of Moses reminds us that God was not absent from their situation, but was actively involved. Even in their bondage, God was helping them to prosper. Even under oppression, God was on the move with a plan to lead them out of Egypt.

Response and Action:
Life has its seasons. There are good times and bad times. God is not absent in the bad times. His promises are still true. Faith holds on to hope in God even during difficult seasons of hardship. I will trust that God is at work and able to sustain me during difficult times. I will also trust God to bring me through those times and fulfill his promises to me.

O God, thank you for the hope and promise you have extended to me. Help me to trust you in difficult times. Give me eyes to see the ways you are present and at work in my life--even during seasons of hardship. You are my salvation and deliverance, O Lord. My hope is in you. Help me to persevere. Strengthen and sustain me by your Spirit, your word, your promises, your people, and all that is beautiful and true. Through Christ, I pray. Amen.

New Testament for Today: 1 Peter 1:3
3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead...
In Context: 1 Peter 1:3-12

Proverb for Today: Prov. 17:26
"It is not good to punish an innocent man, or to flog officials for their integrity."

Resources:
Where Is God When It Hurts?
by Philip Yancey

October 16 - Seeing Past Death

Overview of: Genesis

Today's Reading:
Gen. 49:29 - 50:26
"Deaths of Jacob and Joseph"

Focus Verses: Genesis 50:24-25
24 Then Joseph said to his brothers, "I am about to die. But God will surely come to your aid and take you up out of this land to the land he promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob." 25 And Joseph made the sons of Israel swear an oath and said, "God will surely come to your aid, and then you must carry my bones up from this place."

Insight:
When Jacob died, he asked that he be buried back in the land God had promised to Abraham. Similarly, when he was about to die, Joseph reminded his family, as they gathered around him, of God's promise. He said, "God will one day lead all of you back to the land he promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob." Then Joseph told them that when they left Egypt they must not leave his bones behind. Instead, they must take them along so that he too might be buried in the land of promise.

Even on his deathbed, Joseph looked to the possibilities of restoration and blessing that were still ahead. By faith, he was able to look beyond his own circumstances and death to a future hope for his children and his nation.

Response and Action:
I need to know and hold on to God's promises. My faith and perseverance today are part of God's promise and provision for tomorrow. I want to grow into a faith that helps me look beyond my present circumstances with confidence for the future. God has promised to sustain and deliver his people. He has promised a day of restoration and rest for those who trust and follow him.

O God, when my days are weary and my circumstances difficult, give me the faith to cling to your promises. Help me to remember that my faithfulness today is a vital part in my hope for tomorrow. Help me to remind my children and their children of God's promises. And one day, when the future hope you have promised has become the glorious reality of the present, raise my bones and bring me into that place of eternal life and rest, that I might enjoy it forever with you and with them. Through Christ, I pray. Amen.

New Testament for Today: Hebrews 4:9-11a
9 There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; 10 for anyone who enters God's rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his. 11a Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest...
In Context: Hebrews 4:1-13

Proverb for Today: Prov. 16:26
"The laborer's appetite works for him; his hunger drives him on."

Resources:
Surprised by Hope: Rethinking Heaven, the Resurrection, and the Mission of the Church
by N. T. Wright

October 15 - Backwards Blessings

Overview of: Genesis

Today's Reading:
Gen. 48:1 – 49:28
"Jacob Blesses"

Focus Verses: Genesis 48:13-14
13 And Joseph took both of them, Ephraim on his right toward Israel's left hand and Manasseh on his left toward Israel's right hand, and brought them close to him. 14 But Israel reached out his right hand and put it on Ephraim's head, though he was the younger, and crossing his arms, he put his left hand on Manasseh's head, even though Manasseh was the firstborn.

Insight:
Jacob who was younger than his brother, Esau, had schemed and tricked his father, Isaac, into blessing him. Through his long and dramatic life he learned that blessing was something that came from God. When all was said and done, blessing was something only God could give, not the automatic right of birth order, and not the laying on of hands by a father or grandfather.

So when Joseph brought his sons, Ephraim and Mannaseh to Jacob for a blessing, Jacob crossed his arms and place his right hand (the hand of the greater blessing) on the younger, and his left (the hand of lesser blessing) on the first-born. Jacob seems to be giving testimony the truth he had found so difficult to learn. God's blessing is not just for the first, the best, the strongest, or the greatest. God's blessing reaches to the lowest, and God is able to bless and use anyone.

Response and Action:
I will seek God with all my heart because I believe he is able to bless and sustain me. I am not too low or weak for God to use and bless. No matter where I stand in terms of the world's opinion, God is able to bless and provide for me.

Instead of scraping and scratching for status and success from a human and worldly point of view, I will commit my effort and energy toward knowing and honoring God. I will give myself fully to following Christ and trusting him to bless and guide my life. I will also endeavor to see others through the eyes of Jesus. I will not look at others from a worldly point of view, but rather look to bless and serve the lowly, humble, and weak people around me.

O God, help me to trust your promise that the first shall be last. Help me to humble myself before you, believing that you will lift me up in the right ways at the right time. Help me to delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your name. Help me to be a blessing to my family, friends, and neighbors. Through Christ, I pray. Amen.

New Testament for Today: 1 Corinthians 1:27-29
27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28 He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, 29 so that no one may boast before him.
In Context: 1 Cor. 1:18-31

Proverb for Today: Prov. 14:32
"The LORD tears down the proud man's house but he keeps the widow's boundaries intact."

Resources:
Wrestling with God: Loving the God We Don't Understand
by James Emery White

October 14 - Unexpected Blessing

Overview of: Genesis

Today's Reading:
Gen. 46:1 - 47:31
"Israel's Family in Egypt"

Focus Verses: Genesis 47:5-6, 27
5 Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Your father and your brothers have come to you, 6 and the land of Egypt is before you; settle your father and your brothers in the best part of the land. Let them live in Goshen. And if you know of any among them with special ability, put them in charge of my own livestock. - - - 27 Now the Israelites settled in Egypt in the region of Goshen. They acquired property there and were fruitful and increased greatly in number."

Insight:
Joseph's brothers had sold him into slavery with evil intentions, but God unexpectedly took the wrong that had been done to Joseph and turned it into good. He took care of Joseph and helped him prosper to a place where he would one day be able to save his family from famine.

When Jacob's family went down into Egypt, they were marginalized because of their occupation and ethnicity. The Egyptians considered nomadic shepherds to be detestable and did not want to associate with them. Joseph had told his family to describe themselves as life-long shepherds, knowing full well that his relatives would be sent to settle in the land of Goshen.

What looked like marginalization actually turned into blessing. Here the family of Israel was able to live undisturbed as a people group. Though it was a time of famine and foreclosure for the Egyptians, the children of Israel were able to acquire land, raise crops and flocks, and prosper. Though they began as a clan of seventy, they grew in number and would one day be a nation of millions.

Response and Action:
I need to trust God to be working for my good even when times seem bad. I need to remember that God can take things intended for evil and turn them for good. God can take the things that look like limitations and turn them into strengths. If I am pushed aside or marginalized, God can turn that into an opportunity for growth and blessing. I need to entrust my life and my hopes to God. I need to remember that God is the master of taking what seems weak and worthless and turning it into unexpected blessing.

O God, give me the faith to expect blessing in the hard places and difficult circumstances that only you can bless. Give me a trust that sees beyond the struggles of today. Give me a joy and a hope that runs deeper than my circumstances. Help me to recognize the way you have blessed me in my past, and encourage me to trust and follow you into my future. I pray this in the name of Jesus, who by your power and grace turned the tragedy of the cross into blessing and life for all who will believe. Amen.

New Testament for Today: Hebrews 12:11
11 No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.
In Context: Hebrews 12:1-13

Proverb for Today: Prov. 14:32
"When calamity comes, the wicked are brought down, but even in death the righteous have a refuge."

Resources:
The Fight: A Practical Handbook for Christian Living
by John White

October 13 - Changed

Overview of: Genesis

Today's Reading:
Gen. 44:1 – 45:28
"Joseph Tests His Brothers"

Focus Verses: Genesis 44:30-34
30 "So now, if the boy is not with us when I go back to your servant my father and if my father, whose life is closely bound up with the boy's life, 31 sees that the boy isn't there, he will die. Your servants will bring the gray head of our father down to the grave in sorrow. 32 Your servant guaranteed the boy's safety to my father. I said, 'If I do not bring him back to you, I will bear the blame before you, my father, all my life!'

33 "Now then, please let your servant remain here as my lord's slave in place of the boy, and let the boy return with his brothers. 34 How can I go back to my father if the boy is not with me? No! Do not let me see the misery that would come upon my father."

Insight:
It was Judah's idea to sell Joseph to the Ishmaelites (Gen. 37). Joseph must have been amazed at the change he now saw in his brother Judah as he pleaded for Benjamin's release and offered to stay as a slave in his place.

As a young man, Judah had been reckless and uncaring in his treatment of Joseph. Now, as an older man, Judah displayed maturity, selflessness, and true concern for someone else. He had pledged to keep Benjamin safe and he was standing by that commitment.

Response and Action:
I want to mature and change. I want to put the foolish and impulsive mistakes of my youth behind me. I want to grow in character and become a generous, caring person who is genuinely concerned with the wellbeing of others.

O God, by the power and grace of your Holy Spirit help me to grow in character and walk with integrity. Lead, teach, transform, shape and strengthen me that I might delight in your will and walk in your ways to the glory of your name. Through Christ, I pray. Amen.

New Testament for Today: 1 John 3:16
16 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.
In Context: 1 John 3:11-24

Proverb for Today: Prov. 13:14
"The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life, turning a man from the snares of death."

Resources:
The Transformation of a Man's Heart
by Stephen W. Smith

Reading Schedule for October 13 - 18

Oct. 13 - Gen. 44:1 – 45:28
Oct. 14 - Gen. 46:1 - 47:31
Oct. 15 - Gen. 48:1 – 49:28
Oct. 16 - Gen. 49:29 - 50:26
Oct. 17 - Ex. 1:1 – 2:10
Oct. 18 - Ex. 2:11 – 3:22

You're invited to read through the Bible with Dave Burkum. Six readings each week will take you through the entire New Testament and key passages of the Old Testament. The 2008-09 Useful Breath reading can be downloaded for printing by clicking the link in the right column.

October 11 - Past Meets Present

Overview of: Genesis

Today's Reading:
Gen. 42:1 - 43:38
"Joseph's Brothers"

Focus Verses: Genesis 42:18-20
18 On the third day, Joseph said to them, "Do this and you will live, for I fear God: 19 If you are honest men, let one of your brothers stay here in prison, while the rest of you go and take grain back for your starving households. 20 But you must bring your youngest brother to me, so that your words may be verified and that you may not die." This they proceeded to do.

Insight:
What a surprise it must have been for Joseph when his brothers showed up in Egypt to buy grain. They appeared before him and bowed down to him with their faces to the ground. He remembered the dreams he had as a young boy, and now here he was seeing their fulfillment. But wait! In his dreams there were eleven stars bowing down to him, yet here were only ten of his brothers.

What if they weren't telling the truth about his brother Benjamin? What if they were lying and had done something to him along the way. Joseph knew first-hand what they were capable of doing.

Joseph was moved by the remorse they seemed to have, and he showed them kindness by giving them the grain they needed and returning their money. Joseph was also determined to teach them a lesson and to make sure his youngest brother was alive and secure.

What a strange thrill it must have been for Joseph to realize God had been moving in the story of his life. Every step along his winding way, God was weaving and working to save Joseph's family from famine and death.

Response and Action:
I will put my trust in God. Because I believe God knows my future and is at work for good, I will seek him with my whole heart. I will read and meditate upon the Scriptures. I will pray for strength and guidance. I will strive to live with integrity. I will pursue righteousness. I will persevere in the confidence that God is present and active and faithful.

O God, teach me to walk with you in faith. Help me to seek you and love you with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength. Give me peace and assurance in my heart and mind as I entrust my life to you. Through Christ, I pray. Amen.

New Testament for Today: 2 Timothy 1:12b
12b I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day.
In Context: 2 Timothy 1:3-14

Proverb for Today: Prov. 11:6
"The righteousness of the upright delivers them, but the unfaithful are trapped by evil desires."

Resources:
Step by Step: Divine Guidance for Ordinary Christians
by James C. Petty

October 10 - Just the Right Time

Overview of: Genesis

Today's Reading:
Genesis 41:1-57
"Prophetic Dreams"

Focus Verses: Genesis 41:9-14
9 Then the chief cupbearer said to Pharaoh, "Today I am reminded of my shortcomings. 10 Pharaoh was once angry with his servants, and he imprisoned me and the chief baker in the house of the captain of the guard. 11 Each of us had a dream the same night, and each dream had a meaning of its own. 12 Now a young Hebrew was there with us, a servant of the captain of the guard. We told him our dreams, and he interpreted them for us, giving each man the interpretation of his dream. 13 And things turned out exactly as he interpreted them to us: I was restored to my position, and the other man was hanged." 14 So Pharaoh sent for Joseph, and he was quickly brought from the dungeon. When he had shaved and changed his clothes, he came before Pharaoh.

Insight:
Though he had been released and restored as Joseph had foretold, Pharaoh's cupbearer had forgotten to help or say anything about Joseph. Now that Pharaoh was troubled by dreams, the cupbearer remembered his own encounter with Joseph.

I'm struck with how God used the forgetfulness of the cupbearer for good. If he had mentioned Joseph right away, what would have happened? Would Joseph have been at the right place at the right time? The mistake of the cupbearer resulted in Joseph being remembered and found at just the moment Pharaoh would need him, at just the moment he would be willing to elevate Joseph to a position of power, at just the moment Jacob and his family were experiencing famine and would need to go to Egypt to buy food.

God uses even the mistakes and hardship in our lives to accomplish greater purposes and greater good.

Response and Action:
I will trust God to accomplish his purposes in his time and his way. I take heart in knowing that human mistakes and injustices do not stop God from working toward good for his people. I am encouraged to know that God can turn things meant for evil and work them for good. When I face hardship and failure, I will strive to be faithful and trust God to redeem my difficult circumstances for his good purposes in his good time.

O God, help me to live one day at a time in the confidence that you know my needs and you know my future. Help me to be faithful to you in the belief that you will be faithful to me. Help me to look to you and to wait on you in the hope that you are using everything I entrust to you to accomplish your good will. Through Christ, I pray. Amen.

New Testament for Today: Romans 8:28
28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
In Context: Romans 8:28-39

Proverb for Today: Prov. 24:14
"Know also that wisdom is sweet to your soul; if you find it, there is a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off."

Resources:
Waiting: Finding Hope When God Seems Silent
by Ben Patterson

October 9 - Harsh Realities

Overview of: Genesis

Today's Reading:
Gen. 39:1 - 40:23
"Joseph: Problems, Prison, Prophecy"

Focus Verses: Genesis 39:19-23
19 When his master heard the story his wife told him, saying, "This is how your slave treated me," he burned with anger. 20 Joseph's master took him and put him in prison, the place where the king's prisoners were confined. But while Joseph was there in the prison, 21 the LORD was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden. 22 So the warden put Joseph in charge of all those held in the prison, and he was made responsible for all that was done there. 23 The warden paid no attention to anything under Joseph's care, because the LORD was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did.

Insight:
Joseph is learning a lot about human nature and suffering at the hands of others. First, his brothers were jealous of him and sold him into slavery. Then, as a servant in Egypt, his master was good him, but his master's wife wanted Joseph to engage in an illicit affair with her behind husband's back.

The harsh realities of life were knocking Joseph's naiveté out of him. Through it all, Joseph looked to God in faith, and God was faithful to look out for Joseph and give him success.

Response and Action:
God's goodness is greater than the wrongs others can do to me, greater than my inexperience, greater than my mistakes, and greater than my circumstances. If I look to God in faith, God will faithfully look after me. I will be on guard for traps and temptations. I will look to God for wisdom, protection, strength, and ways of escape.

O God, show me your ways. Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God, my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long. Give me wisdom to discern traps and pitfalls around me. Help me to walk in your ways and to grow, live with integrity, and follow you in faith. Amen.

New Testament for Today: 1 Corinthians 10:13
13 No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.
In Context: 1 Corinthians 10:1-13

Proverb for Today: Prov. 9:9
"Instruct a wise man and he will be wiser still; teach a righteous man and he will add to his learning."

Resources:
Beneath the Surface: Steering Clear of the Dangers That Could Leave You Shipwrecked
by Bob Reccord

October 8 - Skeletons in the Closet

Overview of: Genesis

Today's Reading:
Gen. 38:1-30
"Judah and Tamar"

Focus Verses: Genesis 38:27-29
27 When the time came for her to give birth, there were twin boys in her womb. 28 As she was giving birth, one of them put out his hand; so the midwife took a scarlet thread and tied it on his wrist and said, "This one came out first." 29 But when he drew back his hand, his brother came out, and she said, "So this is how you have broken out!" And he was named Perez.

Insight:
The story of Judah and Tamar comes as a shock to many people as they read through the Bible for the first time. I remember the first time I read it many years ago. I'm sure I said the same thing I've subsequently heard many others say: "What's that about and why is it in the Bible?"

The Bible isn't just a collection of inspiration stories with a tidy moral. It's an authentic account of the messy twists and turns that resulted in the descendants of Abraham becoming a nation. Just consider how evil choices, sibling rivalries, polygamy, sexual immorality, idolatry, and paganism worked against God's promise to build a nation from the children of Abraham.

Yet, God was able to overcome all of these obstacles and sinful inclinations. The story unfolds, skeletons and all, into a story of God's redeeming love and power. He takes the underdogs and the failures and the sins of his people, and manges to weave them into his story of salvation.

The foreign woman Tamar's son, Perez, would one day have a descendant named Boaz (Ruth 4:11-13). Boaz would one day marry another foreign woman named Ruth. Her line of descendants would one day include a shepherd named David who would become Israel's greatest king. His descendants would one day include a baby in a manger, named Jesus, who would be the King of Salvation for all humanity (Matthew 1:2-3).

Response and Action:
God is at work to accomplish his plan to redeem and save. God's redemptive power and love are so great he is able to bring good and life out of the ashes and brokenness of sin and failure. God's grace is greater than all my sin. Not only can God forgive my sins, he is able to transform the failures and shames of my past into something he can use to accomplish something that serves his redemptive and saving will. I will turn to God in faith and turn away from sin. I will give all my brokenness and failure to God, trusting that he is able to renew me and work all things together for his good purpose.

O God, help me to turn away from what is wrong and to do what is right. Help me to love you with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength, and to love others with the same love I want to receive. Help me to walk in your ways and to work with you for your saving and redemptive purposes in the world. By your grace, forgive me for my failures, and by your saving power, transform even my failures into something that you can use for good. Through Christ, I pray. Amen.

New Testament for Today: Hebrews 13:20-21
20 May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, 21 equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
In Context: Hebrews 13

Proverb for Today: Prov. 8:32-33
"Now then, my sons, listen to me (wisdom); blessed are those who keep my ways. Listen to my instruction and be wise; do not ignore it."

Resources:
Why Sin Matters: The Surprising Relationship between Our Sin and God's Grace
by Mark R. McMinn

October 7 - Dreaming of Tomorrow

Overview of: Genesis

Today's Reading:
Gen. 37:1-36
"Strange Dreams"

Focus Verses: Genesis 37:9-11
9 Then he had another dream, and he told it to his brothers. "Listen," he said, "I had another dream, and this time the sun and moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me." 10 When he told his father as well as his brothers, his father rebuked him and said, "What is this dream you had? Will your mother and I and your brothers actually come and bow down to the ground before you?" 11 His brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the matter in mind.

Insight:
When Joseph told his family about his dreams, his brothers took it as an offense. They all knew Joseph was his daddy's favorite and they were jealous of him. They just assumed his dreams were the crazy ideas of a spoiled kid with an inflated sense of importance.

Even Jacob rebuked Joseph, but he must have wondered what the dreams were about. He himself had had some important dreams as a young man, so he "kept the matter in mind." Was there something to these dreams? What could they mean? Was God up to something new? Did God have some special plan in mind for Joseph?

Response and Action:
Life is full of mysteries and God's work and purpose for our lives isn't always clear to us. I need to be careful to not dismiss the possibilities of big things and important opportunities in my life or the lives of others close to me. God is at work in my life and the lives of my family and friends in ways I cannot begin to know or imagine. I will be open to possibilities, have an open mind, and keep my eyes open to the ways God is leading and moving.

O God, open my eyes to the ways you are leading me. Help me to recognize the ways you are at work in my life. Guide me by your written word, by your Holy Spirit, and by the godly counsel of others who are listening and responding to you. Through Christ, I pray. Amen.

New Testament for Today: Ephesians 1:11
11 In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will...
In Context: Ephesians 1:3-12

Proverb for Today: Prov. 7:2
"Keep my commands and you will live; guard my teachings as the apple of your eye."

Resources:
Following After God
by Daniel Hill

October 6 - Dirty Laundry

Overview of: Genesis

Today's Reading:
Gen. 34:1 - 35:29
"Trouble on the Way to Bethel"

Focus Verses: Genesis 35:1-3
1 Then God said to Jacob, "Go up to Bethel and settle there, and build an altar there to God, who appeared to you when you were fleeing from your brother Esau." 2 So Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, "Get rid of the foreign gods you have with you, and purify yourselves and change your clothes. 3 Then come, let us go up to Bethel, where I will build an altar to God, who answered me in the day of my distress and who has been with me wherever I have gone."

Insight:
Jacob took his family to Bethel to settle there. When he fled his home as a young man, this was the place he first discovered God was with him, reaching down, and ready to bless and lead. This new home for his family would be centered around worshiping the true God. They would be living in "Bethel" -- the "house of God."

In preparation for their new lives, they cast aside the idols and earrings of their past, and buried them in Shechem. Before setting out for Bethel, they put on new clothes as a symbol of their new commitment to a new way of life. They approached their new start in their new home with a new attitude. They would even have a new name. Instead of being the children of Jacob, they would now be the children of Israel.

The first thing Jacob did when they arrived was to set up an altar and offer worship to the one true God who had been with him every step of the way. He understood that obedience, purification, and worship were the foundation stones of his family's new life.

Response and Action:
God has given me the opportunity to live a new life through Christ. Just as Jacob's family had to get rid of false gods and attachments to their pagan past, I need to cast off and leave behind my sinful habits and desires. Worship and devotion to God are central to living a new life. I will commit myself to a new life. I will examine my ways and my choices in the light of God's word. I will turn away from sin. I will seek God's guidance through prayer. I will be faithful to worship God in my daily life, and faithful to gather with other Christians for worship every week.

O God, help me to turn away from what is wrong and to do what is right. Help me to love you with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength. By the power and grace of your Holy Spirit, lead, teach, transform, shape and strengthen me. Help me to delight in your will and walk in your ways. Make me a new creation and teach me to live a new life. Through Christ, I pray. Amen.

New Testament for Today: Colossians 3:12
12 Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
In Context: Colossians 3:1-17

Proverb for Today: Prov. 6:16-19
"There are six things the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies and a man who stirs up dissension among brothers."

Resources:
Following After God
by Daniel Hill

Reading Schedule for October 6 - 11

Oct. 6 - Gen. 34:1 - 35:29
Oct. 7 - Gen. 37:1-36
Oct. 8 - Gen. 38:1-30
Oct. 9 - Gen. 39:1 - 40:23
Oct. 10 - Genesis 41:1-57
Oct. 11 - Gen. 42:1 - 43:38





You're invited to read through the Bible with Dave Burkum. Six readings each week will take you through the entire New Testament and key passages of the Old Testament. The 2008-09 Useful Breath reading can be downloaded for printing by clicking the link in the right column.

October 4 - Life's Struggles

Overview of: Genesis

Today's Reading:
Gen. 32:1 – 33:20
"Jacob Wrestles"

Focus Verses: Genesis 32:24-28
24 So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak. 25 When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob's hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man. 26 Then the man said, "Let me go, for it is daybreak." But Jacob replied, "I will not let you go unless you bless me." 27 The man asked him, "What is your name?" "Jacob," he answered. 28 Then the man said, "Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with men and have overcome."

Insight:
Jacob was afraid to face his brother, Esau, because he had stolen his blessing by deceiving their father, Isaac. Many years earlier, when Jacob gone to his father to steal the blessing, Isaac asked, "Who is it?" Jacob lied to his father and said, "It's your son, Esau." That lie and the bitterness it caused made it necessary for Jacob to run for his life. Esau wanted to kill him.

In today's reading, an older and wiser Jacob returns to his homeland and prepares himself to face Esau. He spends a sleepless night wrestling with God--a struggle to submit to God and to trust God's promise to bless him.

As Jacob wrestled with the man (some sort of vision or representation of God), he said, "I won't let go unless you bless me." The man said, "What is your name?" Years ago when his aged father had asked the same question, he lied. This time he answered, "Jacob." He admitted that he was a "schemer," a "heel grabber" who had pushed and pulled with God and men his whole life.

God knocked Jacob's hip out of joint and gave him a new name, Israel, which means "one who struggles with God." This is the great struggle we all face--faith in God vs. faith in self. Jacob discovered that walking with a limp actually made it easier for him to walk by faith.

Response and Action:
I need to be honest about who I am. What are the ways I struggle with God? What am I trying to do in my own strength and my own wisdom? How is that struggle keeping me from truly living by faith in God? What strengths are getting in the way of trust? I need to earnestly seek and believe he rewards those who seek him. I need to recognize my need for God and surrender my life to his care and guidance.

O God, help me to be honest with you and with myself. Help me to trust you with all my heart and not lean on my own understanding. Help me to acknowledge you in all my ways. If my strengths get in the way of my faith, O God, by your grace and mercy I ask you to turn them to weakness. Better still, give me the humility to see every strength as a gift from you to be used for your purposes and for your glory. Through Christ, I pray. Amen.

New Testament for Today: Hebrews 12:11-12
11 No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. 12 Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees.
In Context: Hebrews 12:1-12

Proverb for Today: Prov. 4:24-25
"Put away perversity from your mouth; keep corrupt talk far from your lips. Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your gaze directly before you."

Resources:
Following After God
by Daniel Hill

October 3 - Stacking Stones

Overview of: Genesis

Today's Reading:
Gen. 31:1-55
"Jacob Flees Laban"

Focus Verses: Genesis 31:45-49
45 So Jacob took a stone and set it up as a pillar. 46 He said to his relatives, "Gather some stones." So they took stones and piled them in a heap, and they ate there by the heap. 47 Laban called it Jegar Sahadutha, and Jacob called it Galeed. 48 Laban said, "This heap is a witness between you and me today." That is why it was called Galeed. 49 It was also called Mizpah, because he said, "May the LORD keep watch between you and me when we are away from each other."

Insight:
It's difficult to navigate through the changes in life. Laban and Jacob had both cheated and benefited each other. They needed each other, but they both wanted to be free from each other too. Now they were at a decisive point of separation.

Neither one of them fully trusted each other (with good reason), but they promised each other, before God, that neither of them would harm the other. Jacob would take care of Laban's daughters and grandchildren. Laban would release, pursue them no further, and do them no wrong. As a sign and a reminder of their promises to each other, Jacob and Laban made a pile of stones.

Response and Action:
Our lives are bound up and interwoven with the lives of others, but there are times when we must face and accept changes in those relationships. Our children grow up and leave home and start making their own choices and living by their own values. Our friendships go through changes because our life circumstances change (jobs, health, location, responsibilities).

Ultimately, we have to live our own lives before God. We all need to commit ourselves to be good to each other and trust God to keep watch over us. I need to yield myself to God and trust him with the changes in my life instead of trying to control things beyond my control. Rather than letting life changes destroy relationships, I want to accept changes, to trust others, and to trust God. When I reach decisive milestones in my relationships with others, it might be helpful for me to do something special to mark those changes and help me remember them before God.

O God, teach me to trust you with every change in life. Give me a heart that desires what is best for others. Stop me from taking any action or saying any word that would destroy a friendship or hurt a relationship. Help me to treat others with the same grace and freedom I would want them to treat me. Remind me of your faithfulness and increase my faith. Through Christ, I pray. Amen.

New Testament for Today: Matthew 7:12
12 So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.
In Context: Matthew 7

Proverb for Today: Prov. 3:25-26
"Have no fear of sudden disaster or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked, for the LORD will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being snared."

Resources:
Down-To-Earth Spirituality: Encountering God in the Ordinary, Boring Stuff of Life
by R. Paul Stevens

October 2 - Me or God?

Overview of: Genesis

Today's Reading:
Gen. 30:1-43
"More Family and Flocks"

Focus Verses: Genesis 30:43
43 In this way the man grew exceedingly prosperous and came to own large flocks, and female and male servants, and camels and donkeys.

Insight:
So this is how we got the twelve tribes of Israel? Jacob's family increased because of the rivalry of wives? And this is how Jacob became a prosperous man? By bickering and bargaining with his father-in-law? By experimenting with breeding tricks to manipulate the condition and coloring of flocks? Was God the reason Jacob was increasing and prospering, or was it all the maneuvering and machinations of the people involved?

Jacob had had an experience at Bethel where God said, "I am the LORD, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give the land on which you are lying…Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth…I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go…I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you."

God was keeping his promise, but none of the people involved seem to be aware of God's part in any of what was going on. It's hard to notice what God is giving, when you're so busing scrambling and scraping for yourself. It's easy to forget God when you’re busy being a self-made person.

Response and Action:
Do I trust God's promises to me? Am I so busy scrambling for myself that I forget God is at work in my life? I hope not. I want to lean into God every day. I want to remember his promise and presence in every aspect of my life. I will fix my eyes on Jesus, cling to God's promises, and cultivate an ongoing awareness of his presence. In all my ways, I will acknowledge him, and trust him to make my path straight.

O God, give me the wisdom to look to you for guidance, strength, and provision in all things. In every blessing, may I give you thanks. In every hardship, may I persevere by the power of your Spirit. In every pain, may I find your peace. In every ambition, may I seek to honor you. Through Christ, I pray. Amen.

New Testament for Today: Matthew 6:31-34
31 So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
In Context: Matthew 6:25-34

Proverb for Today: Prov. 2:6-8
"For the LORD gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. He holds victory in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless, for he guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones."

Resources:
How To Read Genesis
by Tremper Longman

October 1 - Waking Up to God

Overview of: Genesis

Today's Reading:
Gen. 28:1 - 29:35
"God's House and Laban's House"

Focus Verses: Genesis 28:18-19
15 "I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you."

Insight:
Jacob's maneuvering and manipulation had provoked his brother Esau to the point of violence. Esau had begun to comfort himself with the thought of killing Jacob some time after his father Isaac died. In fear for his life, his mother sent him away to stay with her brother.

One night on his journey, Jacob had a dream. He saw a stairway extending down to earth from heaven. From the top of the stairs he heard the voice of the Lord--the God of his fathers, Abraham and Isaac. The Lord promised to watch over him, protect him, prosper him, restore him, and above all to bless all peoples on the earth through him.

Jacob was amazed at the encounter with God. He realized God was present, reaching down to him, and willing to bless him. Jacob responded with worship and a commitment to give honor and thanks to God.

Response and Action:
It's an important day when a person realizes that God is present and reaching out to him. I'm thankful for a day I can remember when God impressed upon me the reality of his presence and his power to save. Like Jacob, that day was just the beginning for me; there have been many lessons and new realizations on my journey. And as he was with Jacob, God has been faithful and patient with me. He has led, provided, protected, and sustained me. Like Jacob, I want to live with reverence for God and to give thanks for every blessing. I will give a portion of all I have back to God as an offering of thanks and worship.

O God, thank you for reaching down to me. Teach me to love you with all my heart, soul, mind and strength. Help me to be aware of your presence and blessing in my life--in every moment and in every place. Accept the offerings I give as an expression of my thanks and my trust in you to provide. Through Christ, I pray. Amen.

New Testament for Today: 2 Corinthians 9:6-8
6 Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 7 Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.
In Context: 2 Corinthians 9:6-15

Proverb for Today: Prov. 1:7
"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction."

Resources:
How To Read Genesis
by Tremper Longman