February 2   Exodus 9-10 Psalm 18:13-19 Proverbs 4:1-2 Matthew 21:28-46 Obedience   “But what do you think?  A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, ‘Son, go work today in the vineyard.’ And he answered and said, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he regretted it and went.  And the man came to the second and said the same thing; and he answered and said, ‘I will, sir,’ but he did not go.  Which of the two did the will of his father?”  Matthew 21:28-31 LSB   This parab

February 1   Exodus 7-8 Psalm 18:7-12 Proverbs 3:33-35 Matthew 21:18-27 Empty Promises   “Then Pharoah called for Moses and Aaron and said, ‘Entreat Yahweh that He may cause the frogs to depart from me and from my people; and I will let the people go, that they may sacrifice to Yahweh.’ …So Yahweh did according to the word of Moses, and the frogs died out of the houses, the courts and the fields… Then Pharoah saw that there was relief, and he hardened his heart with firmness

January 31   Exodus 5-6 Psalm 18:1-6 Proverbs 3:29-32 Matthew 21:1-17 My Strength   “He said, ‘I love You, O Yahweh, my strength.’  Yahweh is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock in whom I take refuge; my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.  I call upon Yahweh, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies.”  Psalm 18:1-3 LSB   David wrote this psalm shortly after the death of Saul.  It marks a great triumph.  David had been

January 30   Exodus 3-4 Psalm 17:14-15 Proverbs 3:27-28 Matthew 20 Desire For Recognition   “But Jesus called them to Himself and said, ‘You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them.  It is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave, just as the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve, and to gi

January 29   Exodus 1-2 Psalm 17:10-13 Proverbs 3:24-26 Matthew 19 Sweet Dreams   “When you lie down, you will not be in dread; you will lie down and your sleep will be pleasant.  Do not be afraid of sudden dread nor of the storm of the wicked when it comes; for Yahweh will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being caught.”  Proverbs 3:24-26 LSB   When God designed our bodies to need sleep. He made them to work during the day and have periods of rest at night.  H

January 28   Genesis 49-50 Psalm 17:6-9 Proverbs 3:21-23 Matthew 18 Together In Prayer   “Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on Earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in Heaven.  For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst.”  Matthew 18:19-20 LSB   There is power in prayer.  We know that God listens to the prayer of His children.  We are told repeatedly throughout the Bible that G

January 27   Genesis 47-48 Psalm 17:1-5 Proverbs 3:19-20 Matthew 17 Omniscient Provision   “So Joseph settled his father and his brothers and gave them a possession in the land of Egypt, in the best of the land, in the land of Rameses, as Pharoah had commanded.  And Joseph provided his father and brothers and all his father’s household with food, according to their little ones.”  Genesis 47:11-12 LSB   The story of Joseph is truly amazing.  From Genesis 37-50, we read about a

January 26   Genesis 45-46 Psalm 16:7-11 Proverbs 3:17-18 Matthew 16 Who Do You Say That I Am?   “He said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’  and Simon Peter answered and said, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.’”  Matthew 16:15-16 LSB   “Then Jesus said to His disciples, ‘If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.  For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake wil

January 25   Genesis 44 Psalm 16:1-6 Proverbs 3:15-16 Matthew 15:21-39 Leftovers   “And they all ate and were satisfied and they picked up what was left over of the broken pieces, seven large baskets full.  And those who ate were four thousand men, besides women and children.”  Matthew 15:37-38 LSB   “Now unto Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us.” Ephesians 3:20 KJV  I always think of this passage i

January 24   Genesis 43 Psalm 15 Proverbs 3:13-14 Matthew 15:1-20 Far Away Hearts   “This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far away from Me.  But in vain do they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commands of men.”  Matthew 15:8-9 LSB   This is a sobering passage. Jesus was speaking to the Pharisees who were very “religious.”  Everyone who saw them believed they were holy and righteous.  They said and did all the right things.  They obeyed the rules, we

January 23   Genesis 41-42 Psalm 14 Proverbs 3:11-12 Matthew 14:22-36 Discipline   “My son, do not reject the discipline of Yahweh or loathe His reproof.  For whom Yahweh loves He reproves, even as a father reproves the son in whom he delights.”  Proverbs 3:11-12 LSB   I don’t think I really understood the idea of God’s discipline reflecting His love until I became a mother.  The first time I had to discipline Emily I remember being struck with sadness because I didn’t want t

January 22   Genesis 39-40 Psalm 13 Proverbs 3:9-10 Matthew 14:1-21 Forgotten   “How long, O Yahweh? Will You forget me forever?  How long will You hide Your face from me?”  Psalm 13:1 LSB   “Only remember me when it goes well with you, and please show me lovingkindness by remembering me to Pharoah and getting me out of this house…..Yet the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph but forgot him.”  Genesis 40:14,23 LSB   When David wrote Psalm 13 he was being chased by Saul wh

January 21   Genesis 38 Psalm 12:5-8 Proverbs 3:7-8 Matthew 13:24-58 Priceless Treasure   “The kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid again; and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.  Again, the kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls, and upon finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.”  Matthew 13:44-46 LSB   Jesus often taught with parables

January 20   Genesis 37 Psalm 12:1-4 Proverbs 3:5-6 Matthew 13:1-23 Generational Patterns   “Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his sons because he was the son of his old age; and he made him a varicolored tunic.  And his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, and so they hated him and could not speak to him in peace.”  Genesis 37:3-4 LSB   Earlier this week, we read how Rebekah and Isaac each had a favorite son.  Rebekah favored Jacob and Isa

January 19   Genesis 35:16-36 Psalm 11:4-7 Proverbs 3:3-4 Matthew 12:22-50 Unoccupied   “Now when the unclean spirit goes out of a man, it passes through waterless places seeking rest and does not find it.  Then it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came; and when it comes, it finds it unoccupied, swept and put in order.  Then it goes and takes along with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there; and the last state of that man b

January 18   Genesis 34-35:15 Psalm 11:1-3 Proverbs 3:1-2 Matthew 12:1-21 The Sabbath   “When the Pharisees saw this, they said to Him, ‘Look, Your disciples do what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath.’  But He said to them, ‘……But I say to you that something greater than the Temple is here.  But if you had known what this means, ‘I desire compassion and not a sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the innocent. For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.’”  Matthew 12:2,6-8

January 17   Genesis 32-33 Psalm 10:12-18 Proverbs 2:20-22 Matthew 11:20-30 Wrestling With God   “Then Jacob was left alone, and a Man wrestled with him until the breaking of dawn…Then He said, ‘Let Me go, for the dawn is breaking.’  But he said, ‘I will not let You go unless You bless me.’”  Genesis 32:24, 26 LSB   Jacob, with his mother’s help, cheated his twin brother, Esau, out of his birthright.  Esau threatened to kill Jacob so Rebekah sent him away to her brother, Laba

January 16   Genesis 31 Psalm 10:1-11 Proverbs 2:16-19 Matthew 11:1-19 Free To Ask   “Now when John in prison heard of the works of Christ, he sent word by his disciples and said to Him, ‘Are You the One who is to come, or shall we look for someone else?’”   Matthew 11:2-3 LSB   John knew Jesus was the Messiah.  Just a few short weeks or months before John’s imprisonment he had baptized Jesus.  At that time, John said to Jesus, “I have need to be baptized by You, and do You c

January 15   Genesis 29-30 Psalm 9:13-20 Proverbs 2:11-15 Matthew 10:21-42 Confess Or Deny   “Therefore, everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in Heaven.  But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny before My Father in Heaven.”  Matthew 10:32-33 LSB   This is a terrifying verse of Scripture and one that we should take seriously.  Throughout my lifetime I have not been put in situations where I felt it was dangerous to con

January 14   Genesis 27-28 Psalm 9:7-12 Proverbs 2:9-10 Matthew 10:1-20 When We Practice To Deceive   “But Rebekah spoke to her son Jacob, saying, ‘Behold, I heard your father speaking to your brother Esau, saying, ‘Bring me some game and prepare a savory dish for me, that I may eat and  bless you in the presence of Yahweh before my death.’  So now, my son, listen to  my voice as I command you. ‘Go now to the flock and get for me two choice young goats from there, that I may