QT 2/5/2026 Exo 3:11-15, We must obey

Exodus 3:11–15 (ESV) —

11 But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?” 12 He said, “But I will be with you, and this shall be the sign for you, that I have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.”

13 Then Moses said to God, “If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?” 14 God said to Moses, “I am who I am.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘I am has sent me to you.’ ” 15 God also said to Moses, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is my name forever, and thus I am to be remembered throughout all generations.

 

NOTE: I find in this passage that God is very patient with Moses and his excuses. It is only when Moses says no (Exo 4:13,14) that the "anger of the Lord was kindled with Moses." Prior to Moses's disobedience, God was gracious. God explained to Moses that he will be with him. God revealed his name to Moses. God gave him tools to do miracles. God explains that he created the tongue and he can give him words. God gives him Aaron his brother to help him. God was extremely patient up until that point of saying no.

 

What is it that I am refusing to do, maybe not verbally like Moses, but in my heart I am refusing to obey? What is it and what do I need to change in my life? I do find that I am slow to follow through on certain tasks related to ministry -- why is that? Would I do that or did I do that prior to retirement? Very seldom did I ever procrastinate on a task unless it was something that felt unenjoyable.

 

PONDER:

1. What are the tasks that God has called me to do?
2. Am I not listening to God on some issue?
3. Am I procrastinating?

 

PRAYER: Father, in my new daycare job with my grandchildren, help me to organize my time well to still accomplish the tasks that you have set before me.

 

QT 2/4/2026 Exo 3:7-10, Life included eternity

Exodus 3:7–10 (ESV) —

7 Then the Lord said, “I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters. I know their sufferings, 8 and I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. 9 And now, behold, the cry of the people of Israel has come to me, and I have also seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them. 10 Come, I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.”

 

NOTE: We know from an earlier chapter in Genesis that there was a limited time for the Canaanite nations to repent of their sins. Apparently, that time has passed. We don't have the record of how God may have been working in other nations. We do see a glimpse with Melchizedek and even Barak (who probably was not born yet), but nothing to suggest that God had prophets who spoke to other nations. He did send Jonah, but that story is much later, and Jonah was a Jew. It does make you wonder how much the Canaanites were warned.

 

In any case, it is now 400 years later. God's timing is very different from ours. From a personal perspective, it does seem as if we are forgotten. And certainly, there were generations of Hebrews who never saw a life outside of slavery. But if you believe that life is more than the seen, and that we are to live for eternity, a lifetime (or even 400 years) is a blip in the timeline of eternity.

 

In Corinthians, God's view of our troubles is "light and momentary." Why? Because God sees all of life, not just this existence here.

 

PONDER:

1. Do I have an eternal perspective on life?
2. Do I think I deserve a reward here on earth? 2a) Why? 2b) Christians are promised a reward but it is in eternity.

 

PRAYER: Father, I know that I need to trust in your timing and control. Sometimes it is hard. I pray for patience. I pray to encourage others to trust you and to wait on you.

QT 2/3/2026 Exo 3:1-6, Not all people are children of God

Exodus 3:1–6 (ESV) —

1 Now Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian, and he led his flock to the west side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. 2 And the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush was burning, yet it was not consumed. 3 And Moses said, “I will turn aside to see this great sight, why the bush is not burned.” 4 When the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” 5 Then he said, “Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” 6 And he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.

 

NOTE: There is certainly a theme of holiness that occurs often in Exodus. God is protecting his people by creating a separation and by sacrifices of blood to cover them before they enter his presence. Unfortunately, the people often do the opposite resulting in many deaths. In this first instance to Moses, God tells him to remove his shoes because the ground is holy. How much ground is holy? It pretty much should extend infinitely if God is there, but God's purpose is to begin to show Moses the need for holiness in his presence. Why the shoes? There are a lot of reasons, besides the obvious inference of trails and animal droppings. Shoes were hand-made. A man stood on the shoes he had made to protect his feet from the ground and to make life a little easier to walk. In God's presence, we need to let go of our accomplishments, our wisdom, our insight, all of the things that we rely on for life. When we enter into God's holy presence, the believer does it on the basis of Christ's finished work on the cross and in humility. God is not impressed with us, but God loves his adopted sons beyond measure. And that is also the tension believers straddle, God's holiness and God's adoption of his children. We enter his presence boldly (Heb 4:16), but also with fear and trembling. All humanity is created by God, but not all humanity are children of God.

 

Romans 8:15–16 (ESV) — For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,

 

Ephesians 1:13–14 (ESV) — 13 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

 

PONDER:

1. Do I recognize the incredible holiness of God?
2. Do I recognize that I am an adopted child of God, fully loved because of Jesus?

 

PRAYER: Father, there is a mistaken belief in my society that all people are children of God. But they are not. The only children of God are those who have put their faith in Jesus as their savior and received the promised holy spirit upon belief. I pray for people that they would recognize the falsity of that belief and instead turn toward Jesus so that they can truly become children of God. Help me to be bold in sharing that truth.

QT 2/2/2026 Exo 2:11-21, God is not looking for heroes

Exodus 2:11–21 (ESV) —

11 One day, when Moses had grown up, he went out to his people and looked on their burdens, and he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his people. 12 He looked this way and that, and seeing no one, he struck down the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. 13 When he went out the next day, behold, two Hebrews were struggling together. And he said to the man in the wrong, “Why do you strike your companion?” 14 He answered, “Who made you a prince and a judge over us? Do you mean to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?” Then Moses was afraid, and thought, “Surely the thing is known.” 15 When Pharaoh heard of it, he sought to kill Moses. But Moses fled from Pharaoh and stayed in the land of Midian. And he sat down by a well.

16 Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters, and they came and drew water and filled the troughs to water their father’s flock. 17 The shepherds came and drove them away, but Moses stood up and saved them, and watered their flock. 18 When they came home to their father Reuel, he said, “How is it that you have come home so soon today?” 19 They said, “An Egyptian delivered us out of the hand of the shepherds and even drew water for us and watered the flock.” 20 He said to his daughters, “Then where is he? Why have you left the man? Call him, that he may eat bread.” 21 And Moses was content to dwell with the man, and he gave Moses his daughter Zipporah.

 

NOTE: In his younger days, Moses fashioned himself as the hero type. But he wasn't well received by his fellow Hebrews. He had killed an Egyptian in defense of a Hebrew, and the response was to despise him for making himself prince and judge over the Hebrews. And when the word got out to Pharaoh, he ended the hero notion by seeking to kill him. Moses in his flight finds himself in Midian and he rescues seven daughters from the shepherds -- He is still trying to be the hero.

 

God doesn’t need heroes, well, God doesn't need anything, but he wants humble servants, men who believe that by God's power they can change the world. Moses started out believing he could change the world. God needed to humble him first. So, he brings him to Midian and turns the prince of Egypt into a humble servant who shepherds flocks for forty years.

 

I think all men want to be heroes. But God needs obedience and humility in his leaders. Heroes try to do things in their own power. God's servants do things in God's power.

 

PONDER:

1. Do I try to be a hero too often?
2. Do I feel I have to rescue the situation through clever words and stratagems?
3. Or do I rely upon God to do things only he can really do for good?

 

PRAYER: Father, sometimes I carry ministry loads on my shoulders which are not mine to carry and problems that are not mine to solve. I can't be what every person wants. I can only do what you give me the strength to do. And I need to rest in that. If I can't solve a problem that I have been praying about, I need to let it go -- give it completely to you. And believe that you are fully aware and are doing what you choose to do in the situation.

QT 1/30/2026 Exo 2:1-10, Wisdom and discernment on tough issues

Exodus 2:1–10 (ESV) —

1 Now a man from the house of Levi went and took as his wife a Levite woman. 2 The woman conceived and bore a son, and when she saw that he was a fine child, she hid him three months. 3 When she could hide him no longer, she took for him a basket made of bulrushes and daubed it with bitumen and pitch. She put the child in it and placed it among the reeds by the river bank. 4 And his sister stood at a distance to know what would be done to him. 5 Now the daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the river, while her young women walked beside the river. She saw the basket among the reeds and sent her servant woman, and she took it. 6 When she opened it, she saw the child, and behold, the baby was crying. She took pity on him and said, “This is one of the Hebrews’ children.” 7 Then his sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter, “Shall I go and call you a nurse from the Hebrew women to nurse the child for you?” 8 And Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Go.” So the girl went and called the child’s mother. 9 And Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Take this child away and nurse him for me, and I will give you your wages.” So the woman took the child and nursed him. 10 When the child grew older, she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son. She named him Moses, “Because,” she said, “I drew him out of the water.”

 

NOTE: Some of the differences in the sexes shows up in these verses. The man (Pharaoh) had ordered the death of all Hebrew boy babies. That is an incredibly cruel command. I wonder how long it stood because its cruelty must have come back on Pharaoh to some degree. Within his own family, his daughter, a woman, sees the baby and rescues him, in defiance of her own father. He did not care and she did care. He was heartless and she was compassionate. Not all men are heartless or all woman compassionate. But as a general rule, there is some truth in their behavior.

 

The current immigration sweep can seem heartless, but there are a number of factors for Christians to consider. The immigrants being sought are child molesters, human traffickers, drug dealers, murderers, and gang members. They are not here legally. The government is not killing them but rather sending them back to their countries. Are there mistakes in the process? I am sure there are, but a process with this many illegal immigrants will make mistakes. It does not help that those finding and capturing the illegal immigrants are being interfered with -- that causes the federal agents to act more hastily. I think without the interference, there would be less mistakes and certainly no injuries. Most of the anti-forces are female. I appreciate their care for the downtrodden, but their protection for the criminal is very misguided. We are to take care of prisoners but that does not mean we keep them out of jail.

 

PONDER:

1. Have I thought through my response to the present immigration crisis?
2. Do I think illegal immigration is the same as legal immigration in God's eyes?
3. Do I believe that we are to obey the governing authorities except where it clearly violates one of God's commands (kill, lie, or steal for example)?

 

PRAYER: Father, the issue my country faces is complicated. The people are very emotional about their views. I don't see many true believers supporting the left. The people who support homosexuality, abortion, and transgenderism seem to be the same people supporting illegal immigration. Give us all wisdom to seek your will and to do what is right according to your word.

QT 1/29/2026 Exo:1:15-22, God blesses obedience

Exodus 1:15–22 (ESV) —

15 Then the king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphrah and the other Puah, 16 “When you serve as midwife to the Hebrew women and see them on the birthstool, if it is a son, you shall kill him, but if it is a daughter, she shall live.” 17 But the midwives feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but let the male children live. 18 So the king of Egypt called the midwives and said to them, “Why have you done this, and let the male children live?” 19 The midwives said to Pharaoh, “Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women, for they are vigorous and give birth before the midwife comes to them.” 20 So God dealt well with the midwives. And the people multiplied and grew very strong. 21 And because the midwives feared God, he gave them families. 22 Then Pharaoh commanded all his people, “Every son that is born to the Hebrews you shall cast into the Nile, but you shall let every daughter live.”

 

NOTE: The bible tells us to obey our governing authorities unless they oppose God's laws. Life, not taking it, is clearly a law of God. The midwives, at the risk to their lives, chose to obey God, and disobey the  King. Technically, they also lie to the King, but God blesses them with families. My personal conviction (that I would not teach) is that lying to protect another (show love) is permissible. The spies at Jericho and the woman (Rahab) that hid them seem to argue that love is an overriding factor when it comes to letter of the law versus spirit of the law. One could argue that Jesus said the same when he boiled the letter of the law down to two spirit of the law principles, love God and love people (your neighbor).

 

PONDER:

1. Do I spend time making issues about the letter of the law when my life is violating the spirit of the law?
2. Am I more likely to call a person on sin, then to reassure / support a struggling brother?
3. Are people drawn to my life and faith, or turned off by it?

 

PRAYER: Father, I've known some very godly men who have disagreed with me on this concept. So, it is not something I teach or even discuss often. I am interested though every time I find another passage on the topic. I was surprised to note that the midwives are another case. A counter example is Daniel who prayed quite openly even though the king had ordered otherwise. Daniel did not lie to protect him or his friends. He was honest, he was punished, and he was rescued by God. So, I am left with this area of conviction. For me, I will not lie unless I am protecting another person. You, will judge me in the end.

QT 1/28/2026 Gen 50:22–26, How are we living in light of Jesus' return

Genesis 50:22–26 (ESV) —

22 So Joseph remained in Egypt, he and his father’s house. Joseph lived 110 years. 23 And Joseph saw Ephraim’s children of the third generation. The children also of Machir the son of Manasseh were counted as Joseph’s own. 24 And Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die, but God will visit you and bring you up out of this land to the land that he swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.” 25 Then Joseph made the sons of Israel swear, saying, “God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here.” 26 So Joseph died, being 110 years old. They embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt.

 

NOTE: The promise and hope of Joseph, "God will surely visit you," was fulfilled almost 400 years later. We also live with a similar process, and a longer time frame. The second to last verse in the NT is similar to the second to last verse in Genesis. It says,

 

Revelation 22:20 (ESV) — He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!

 

We are coming close to five times 400 years since Jesus' death. That is a long time. But the power of God in raising Jesus from the dead before hundreds of people who went to martyr deaths rather than deny, is proof of the story of Jesus. When we look at Jesus, and study Jesus, we know his promise is true. Science has not disproved anything of the gospel. It is interesting to note that a larger percentage of "hard science" (physics, chemistry, math) people believe in God than "soft science" (sociology, psychology, human behavior) people.

 

PONDER:

1. Do I live as if Jesus' return is near?
2. What does it mean or how might it change my life, if for instance we knew Jesus would return this year? I'm not advocating this year, but I would not be surprised by 7-10 years.

 

PRAYER: Father, I pray it would not matter how we live if we knew you were coming this year. By that I mean, we are doing exactly what we should be doing if your return was this year, this decade, or next century. If we have to change, then we are not being obedient to our calling.

QT 1/27/2026 Gen 50:15–21, Dealing with Guilt

Genesis 50:15–21 (ESV) —

15 When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “It may be that Joseph will hate us and pay us back for all the evil that we did to him.” 16 So they sent a message to Joseph, saying, “Your father gave this command before he died: 17 ‘Say to Joseph, “Please forgive the transgression of your brothers and their sin, because they did evil to you.” ’ And now, please forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of your father.” Joseph wept when they spoke to him. 18 His brothers also came and fell down before him and said, “Behold, we are your servants.” 19 But Joseph said to them, “Do not fear, for am I in the place of God? 20 As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. 21 So do not fear; I will provide for you and your little ones.” Thus he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.

 

NOTE: The thing about sin is that it doesn't let go. Yes, I would be ashamed to have been a part of the selling (almost killing) of Joseph, even if it was just lying to the father. I feel like this was probably initiated by Simeon and Levi, more than any of the others. Sin is painful. It is hard to let go of the guilt. But one of the promises of the cross is that the blood of Jesus can even wash away guilt. All of us have garbage in our life that we would like to forget and let go. The gospel gives us that promise. We need to take our garbage of a life and give it God, and believe the gospel, that we are completely forgiven of our sin. I don't need to remember it any more. Jesus has washed me clean.

 

PONDER:

1. Is there a sin that I struggle with guilt? Jesus can give you freedom
2. Do I need to ask forgiveness?

 

PRAYER: Father, the blood of the Jesus cleanses us.

Hebrews 10:19–22 (ESV) — 19 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

May we experience the joy of a cleansed body.

QT 1/26/2026 Gen 50:1-14, The reward of a life well-lived

Genesis 50:1–14 (ESV) —

1 Then Joseph fell on his father’s face and wept over him and kissed him. 2 And Joseph commanded his servants the physicians to embalm his father. So the physicians embalmed Israel. 3 Forty days were required for it, for that is how many are required for embalming. And the Egyptians wept for him seventy days.

4 And when the days of weeping for him were past, Joseph spoke to the household of Pharaoh, saying, “If now I have found favor in your eyes, please speak in the ears of Pharaoh, saying, 5 ‘My father made me swear, saying, “I am about to die: in my tomb that I hewed out for myself in the land of Canaan, there shall you bury me.” Now therefore, let me please go up and bury my father. Then I will return.’ ” 6 And Pharaoh answered, “Go up, and bury your father, as he made you swear.” 7 So Joseph went up to bury his father. With him went up all the servants of Pharaoh, the elders of his household, and all the elders of the land of Egypt, 8 as well as all the household of Joseph, his brothers, and his father’s household. Only their children, their flocks, and their herds were left in the land of Goshen. 9 And there went up with him both chariots and horsemen. It was a very great company. 10 When they came to the threshing floor of Atad, which is beyond the Jordan, they lamented there with a very great and grievous lamentation, and he made a mourning for his father seven days. 11 When the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, saw the mourning on the threshing floor of Atad, they said, “This is a grievous mourning by the Egyptians.” Therefore the place was named Abel-mizraim; it is beyond the Jordan. 12 Thus his sons did for him as he had commanded them, 13 for his sons carried him to the land of Canaan and buried him in the cave of the field at Machpelah, to the east of Mamre, which Abraham bought with the field from Ephron the Hittite to possess as a burying place. 14 After he had buried his father, Joseph returned to Egypt with his brothers and all who had gone up with him to bury his father.

 

NOTE: Jacob is 147 when he dies (Gen 47:28). He lived in Egypt 17 years. Since the family relocated to Egypt in the second year of the famine, Jacob lived in Egypt for the last 5 years of the famine, and another 12 years after that. At this point in time, Joseph is probably still second in command (since he literally bought all of Egypt for Pharaoh during the famine). At worse, Joseph is still remembered. By the start of Exodus, around 300 years later, Exo 1:8 says that the new Pharaoh did not know Joseph. Anyway, Pharaoh not only agrees to let Joseph leave and bury his father, his own servants, chariots, and horsemen accompany Jacobs' family. Due to the size of the entourage and the number of Egyptians, the people of the land see it as an Egyptian event of great mourning.

 

In Proverbs, it says:

 

Proverbs 22:29 (ESV) —

29 Do you see a man skillful in his work?

He will stand before kings;

he will not stand before obscure men.

 

God blessed Joseph, but Joseph was also a godly man who lived a life of obedience. He was blessed by God, but he also lived the life as he could and should. Why doesn't God bless us similarly? I'm not saying that a good life leads to material blessing, but I am saying that we need to evaluate our life. Do I live according to the bible? Am I a hard worker? Do I live in integrity? These are not promises for blessings, but they are certainly reasons for failure.

 

PONDER:

1. Is my witness something that honors and exalts God?
2. Am I embarrass to identify with Christ because I fail to live like a Christian?
3. Believers will fail and fall, but what do I do to seek God? Or am I only seeking my pleasure in life?

 

PRAYER: Father, as a book title reads, "there is no magic formula." But one can do the right thing. One can seek you. One can spend time in the word. We need to take some of the weight of failure upon ourselves for our own laziness. Open our eyes to our sin and failures. Bring us back to you.

QT 1/23/2026 Gen 49:29-33, Who are we living for? God or a bucket list?

Genesis 49:29–33 (ESV) —

29 Then he commanded them and said to them, “I am to be gathered to my people; bury me with my fathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite, 30 in the cave that is in the field at Machpelah, to the east of Mamre, in the land of Canaan, which Abraham bought with the field from Ephron the Hittite to possess as a burying place. 31 There they buried Abraham and Sarah his wife. There they buried Isaac and Rebekah his wife, and there I buried Leah— 32 the field and the cave that is in it were bought from the Hittites.” 33 When Jacob finished commanding his sons, he drew up his feet into the bed and breathed his last and was gathered to his people.

 

NOTE: Rachel was buried near Bethlehem, but Leah was buried in the field that Abraham had bought many years ago. I'm a little surprised he did not want to be buried by Rachel or why he did not have Rachel buried there. It is possible that when Rachel died, he was unaware of the plot, having been out of country 20-plus years and having never seen any of his family members buried. When Isaac died, he and Esau buried his father, but that was after Rachel died (if I am remembering the story correctly).

 

It doesn't really matter, except that by commanding his sons to bury him there, he leaves a legacy to his own people that they own land in the promised land. By the time Joseph dies, his favorability has already passed, and so his bones will be held until their return to the promised land. As we will see in the next passage, because of Joseph's current favorability, Pharaoh sends quite a delegation to bury his father.

 

What is the point? I guess it was Jacob's faith. He knew that someday all of Israel would live in the land, and he wanted to be buried in the land that God had promised. Most of his children would die and be buried in Egypt (except Joseph). But still, God's promised land was more important to him. Most of us don't think about the end of life and how we want to be remembered. But the answer to that question really depends upon how we are living now. Do we want to be remembered as a child of God's family or some famous whatever? I will be a failure if I am not remembered as a child of God's family.

 

PONDER:

1. What is most important to me?
2. If my epitaph was written now, what would it say?

 

PRAYER: Father, I have another year or 30 years. I don't know. But whatever it is, I don't want to stop now. I want to serve you, and not my flesh. I gladly give up everything on my bucket list (which I don't really have) to be known as a man who served you all of his life.

QT 1/22/2026 Gen 49:22-28, Real blessings

Genesis 49:22–28 (ESV) —

22 “Joseph is a fruitful bough,

a fruitful bough by a spring;

his branches run over the wall.

23 The archers bitterly attacked him,

shot at him, and harassed him severely,

24 yet his bow remained unmoved;

his arms were made agile

by the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob

(from there is the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel),

25 by the God of your father who will help you,

by the Almighty who will bless you

with blessings of heaven above,

blessings of the deep that crouches beneath,

blessings of the breasts and of the womb.

26 The blessings of your father

are mighty beyond the blessings of my parents,

up to the bounties of the everlasting hills.

May they be on the head of Joseph,

and on the brow of him who was set apart from his brothers.

27 “Benjamin is a ravenous wolf,

in the morning devouring the prey

and at evening dividing the spoil.”

28 All these are the twelve tribes of Israel. This is what their father said to them as he blessed them, blessing each with the blessing suitable to him.

 

NOTE: In verses 25 and 26, Jacob (through the Holy Spirit) uses the word blessings 6 times. It is hard not to notice the blessing of God upon Joseph. And it is important to realize that the blessings of God far exceed anything the world can offer, even when God uses the world's stuff as part of the blessing. Joseph received more than a title and riches, he was part of God's plan to bless the world through the seed of Abraham.

 

We have a tendency to view blessings from a materialistic point of view. If life is comfortable, we are blessed, or at least that is what we say. But real blessing is found in being in the middle of God's plan. It might not be pretty or comfortable, but we are surrendered to God and open to how he might use us.

 

PONDER:

1. How do I view blessing? Is it found in more money, things, and comfort?
2. Or is blessing found in a deeper relationship with our creator?

 

PRAYER: Father, I, like most people, too often see blessing in the things that really don't count. But I know in my heart that blessing is found in you, in knowing you, and in listening to you. Protect me from the so-called blessings of the world which seek to draw me away from you.

QT 1/21/2026 Gen 49:14-21, Raising our flag

Genesis 49:14–21 (ESV) —

14 “Issachar is a strong donkey,

crouching between the sheepfolds.

15 He saw that a resting place was good,

and that the land was pleasant,

so he bowed his shoulder to bear,

and became a servant at forced labor.

16 “Dan shall judge his people

as one of the tribes of Israel.

17 Dan shall be a serpent in the way,

a viper by the path,

that bites the horse’s heels

so that his rider falls backward.

18 I wait for your salvation, O Lord.

19 “Raiders shall raid Gad,

but he shall raid at their heels.

20 “Asher’s food shall be rich,

and he shall yield royal delicacies.

21 “Naphtali is a doe let loose

that bears beautiful fawns.

 

NOTE: At this point, most of the tribes receive short blessings with some warnings or danger points. All of the tribes are blessed, but not all of the tribes use that blessing for good. One obvious point is that Issachar's land was pleasant and good, and they chose slavery rather than freedom. They were probably one of the tribes who repeatedly mentioned going back to Egypt when times got rough. It is an interesting dichotomy for the believer. I think we can become over engaged and enthused by politics, when our real kingdom is not here yet, and people still do not know the savior. Good laws do not cause people to seek God. Removing corruption does not cause people to seek God. These things are important but we must not forget that the gospel message is of supreme importance. If we are heavily involved in politics but we are not sharing Jesus with others, then I would say we are wrong. The gospel needs to be first importance, not our checkbook or even our freedom.

 

PONDER:

1. Do I know non-Christians and have I ever bothered to share Jesus?
2. Have I even raised my "flag" among non-Christians? Raising a "flag" is when you identify with God or with going to church or that you believe the bible.

 

PRAYER: Father, I pray we could be more courageous with our faith. I pray we might start with the easy stuff, raising some type of "flag" that identifies us with Jesus. Give  us courage to take those first steps.

QT 1/20/2026 Gen 49:8-13, Promises made, promises fulfilled

Genesis 49:8–13 (ESV) —

8 “Judah, your brothers shall praise you;

your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies;

your father’s sons shall bow down before you.

9 Judah is a lion’s cub;

from the prey, my son, you have gone up.

He stooped down; he crouched as a lion

and as a lioness; who dares rouse him?

10 The scepter shall not depart from Judah,

nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet,

until tribute comes to him;

and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples.

11 Binding his foal to the vine

and his donkey’s colt to the choice vine,

he has washed his garments in wine

and his vesture in the blood of grapes.

12 His eyes are darker than wine,

and his teeth whiter than milk.

13 “Zebulun shall dwell at the shore of the sea;

he shall become a haven for ships,

and his border shall be at Sidon.

 

NOTE: This is the first place in scripture that we see Judah prophesied as the line of the Messiah (verse 10). The three older brothers have disqualified themselves. We have already seen Judah take on the leadership of the family over that of Reuben, and even Jacob. Joseph appears as a type of Christ in his life, but Judah carries the seed of Christ, the Messiah.

 

Judah was not perfect either. There are no perfect humans. David, the epitome of Judah's line is far from perfect, but he does one thing no one else does, he truly loves God with all of his heart.

 

We see God's plan beginning to take shape. It certainly was not orchestrated by human hands since the first king of Israel was from Benjamin before ultimately ending up in the tribe of Judah. God knows the future and he revealed it to Jacob. I'm sure Israel's tribes doubted God many times in the 400 years that followed their journey from the land into Egypt. God's timing is not our timing. All of God's promises get fulfilled in their time. There is a snatching up, a tribulation, and a second coming promised. There is a millennial rule of Christ on the earth coming. These are not idle promises even though almost 2000 years have passed since they were made. God's timeline is different, but God's fulfillment of those prophecies are 100 percent (in their time).

 

PONDER:

1. Am I doing all I can to be a witness to a spiritually dying generation?
2. Do I look for opportunities to leave a person with a verse or some truth?

 

PRAYER: Father, I want to be faithful to your calling. Help me to see where you are using me in the world. Help me to see the opportunities. Give me boldness to share the good news as I should.

QT 1/19/2026 Gen 49:1-7, A new birth and a new course

Genesis 49:1–7 (ESV) —

1 Then Jacob called his sons and said, “Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you what shall happen to you in days to come.

2 “Assemble and listen, O sons of Jacob,

listen to Israel your father.

3 “Reuben, you are my firstborn,

my might, and the firstfruits of my strength,

preeminent in dignity and preeminent in power.

4 Unstable as water, you shall not have preeminence,

because you went up to your father’s bed;

then you defiled it—he went up to my couch!

5 “Simeon and Levi are brothers;

weapons of violence are their swords.

6 Let my soul come not into their council;

O my glory, be not joined to their company.

For in their anger they killed men,

and in their willfulness they hamstrung oxen.

7 Cursed be their anger, for it is fierce,

and their wrath, for it is cruel!

I will divide them in Jacob

and scatter them in Israel.

 

NOTE: Actions have consequences. You can be forgiven, but it may not take away the consequences. I'm sure Reuben, Simeon, and Levi regretted the steps they took. But Levi redeems himself to a degree 400 years later when it stands together against the sinful activities of its brothers and sisters. It is still scattered in Israel, but it becomes God's representative to the people. They will be entrusted with priestly duties, and caring for the tabernacle (and later the temple). So, the latter generations redeem themselves from the curse of their father. The bible does say that a Father's action can affect their children for many generations. But it also says, that a son is not held guilty for a father's actions. We can change the pattern, we don't have to remain identified by our earthly fathers. We can be different. We can be redeemed by the blood of the lamb and freed to live a different type of life.

 

PONDER:

1. Is there a history in my family that needs to be broken?
2. We are not defined by our family but by our actions. We can write our own history. Are we seeking God to redeem our lives for his glory?

 

PRAYER: My family history is dominated by out-of-wedlock births, multiple marriages, and alcoholism. But by the grace of God that has all changed in my life and my children. Among my siblings, it continues. I pray for grace to protect my family, and the new grandchildren. I pray that we are all setting a new course. By your mercy, redeem us from our father's sins.

QT 1/16/2026 Gen 48:17-22, God is greater than our situation

Genesis 48:17–22 (ESV) —

17 When Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand on the head of Ephraim, it displeased him, and he took his father’s hand to move it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head. 18 And Joseph said to his father, “Not this way, my father; since this one is the firstborn, put your right hand on his head.” 19 But his father refused and said, “I know, my son, I know. He also shall become a people, and he also shall be great. Nevertheless, his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his offspring shall become a multitude of nations.” 20 So he blessed them that day, saying,

“By you Israel will pronounce blessings, saying,

‘God make you as Ephraim and as Manasseh.’ ”

Thus he put Ephraim before Manasseh. 21 Then Israel said to Joseph, “Behold, I am about to die, but God will be with you and will bring you again to the land of your fathers. 22 Moreover, I have given to you rather than to your brothers one mountain slope that I took from the hand of the Amorites with my sword and with my bow.”

 

NOTE: Joseph is quite disturb that his aged and mostly blind father has put his right hand on the second-born and not the first-born. Jacob was also a second-born and he was blessed over Esau. Isaac was second-born to Ishmael. For some reason, of God's own choosing, God, in at least two cases, elevates the second-born over the first. From Joseph's perspective, it was an example of an old man who can't even see. But apparently not, Jacob is clear that he knows what he is doing, and he is right. Half the tribe of Manasseh will settle on the other side of the Jordan, and ultimately disappear. Ephraim ends up in the middle of the land and becomes one of the largest tribes despite being a generation behind the others. When Israel splits into two, the norther kingdom of ten tribes is often called Ephraim while the southern kingdom of two tribes is known as Judah.

 

So what does it have to do with us? Our station or position in life does not determine our future. I grew up in a large family. Most of the time we were poor for a variety of reasons. In the best of times, we were lower middle class. No one in my known ancestry had gone to college and it was never discussed or encouraged. Quite frankly, I didn't spend much time thinking about it, and yet still imagined myself in some important job. Due to some strange circumstances (which I believe God orchestrated), I ended up in college. I got a BS in math and later an MS in operations research. I was commissioned in the Air Force. I retired as an Air Force squadron commander. I then worked for a world-renowned think tank. I left that work after over a decade to try out the corporate world. I led a Fortune 100 enterprise data science team which built AI models for the worker. I mention all that to say that one looking at me when I was young would have never predicted such a career. God can use anyone in life. We are not defined by our family or our upbringing. I suppose that is why I detest DEI and other such programs. I had no white privilege and could have easily failed. But I did work hard and God was my privilege, though I didn't know it.

 

PONDER:

1. Where are you in life? Are you using excuses to define yourself?
2. Are you willing to work and seek God in new ventures this year? What will it take?

 

PRAYER: Father, I know I was blessed by you. My circumstances were not good growing up, and the deeper story is even more difficult. But for some reason, you plucked me out of my situation so that I could hear the gospel. And you changed my life for the good. Thank you. I thank you not for the positions I held but for the opportunities to share the gospel and to disciple so many men over the years.

QT 1/15/2026 Gen 48:1-16, Taking care of children

Genesis 48:1–16 (ESV) —

1 After this, Joseph was told, “Behold, your father is ill.” So he took with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. 2 And it was told to Jacob, “Your son Joseph has come to you.” Then Israel summoned his strength and sat up in bed. 3 And Jacob said to Joseph, “God Almighty appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan and blessed me, 4 and said to me, ‘Behold, I will make you fruitful and multiply you, and I will make of you a company of peoples and will give this land to your offspring after you for an everlasting possession.’ 5 And now your two sons, who were born to you in the land of Egypt before I came to you in Egypt, are mine; Ephraim and Manasseh shall be mine, as Reuben and Simeon are. 6 And the children that you fathered after them shall be yours. They shall be called by the name of their brothers in their inheritance. 7 As for me, when I came from Paddan, to my sorrow Rachel died in the land of Canaan on the way, when there was still some distance to go to Ephrath, and I buried her there on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem).”

8 When Israel saw Joseph’s sons, he said, “Who are these?” 9 Joseph said to his father, “They are my sons, whom God has given me here.” And he said, “Bring them to me, please, that I may bless them.” 10 Now the eyes of Israel were dim with age, so that he could not see. So Joseph brought them near him, and he kissed them and embraced them. 11 And Israel said to Joseph, “I never expected to see your face; and behold, God has let me see your offspring also.” 12 Then Joseph removed them from his knees, and he bowed himself with his face to the earth. 13 And Joseph took them both, Ephraim in his right hand toward Israel’s left hand, and Manasseh in his left hand toward Israel’s right hand, and brought them near him. 14 And Israel stretched out his right hand and laid it on the head of Ephraim, who was the younger, and his left hand on the head of Manasseh, crossing his hands (for Manasseh was the firstborn). 15 And he blessed Joseph and said,

“The God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked,

the God who has been my shepherd all my life long to this day,

16 the angel who has redeemed me from all evil, bless the boys;

and in them let my name be carried on, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac;

and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.”

 

NOTE: We really don't bless our children often enough. There was a practice in Victorian England of the nobility blessing the children when they greeted their parents, but that is long gone. Of course, that only suggests that the rich spent little time with their parents and that certainly was not good. But today, parents don't spend much time with their children either. Both parents work and come home exhausted. Dinners are takeout spent in front of the TV because the parents are exhausted. Grandparents live in different parts of the country and are traveling. Children spend their formative years in daycare centers with strangers caring for them. And we wonder what happened when our children rebel -- deep down they are rebelling against a lifestyle that did not include them, even if they did not realize it.

 

PONDER:

1. What will it take to spend more time with our children and grandchildren?
2. What will we have to give up for them?

 

PRAYER: Father, this is why you have me running a daycare for our two grandchildren. We have put aside traveling and many other tasks to spend time with our children. I know it is the best thing we could be doing right now.

QT 1/14/2026 Gen 47:13-22, Showing Grace to the dead and dying

Genesis 47:23–31 (ESV) —

23 Then Joseph said to the people, “Behold, I have this day bought you and your land for Pharaoh. Now here is seed for you, and you shall sow the land. 24 And at the harvests you shall give a fifth to Pharaoh, and four fifths shall be your own, as seed for the field and as food for yourselves and your households, and as food for your little ones.” 25 And they said, “You have saved our lives; may it please my lord, we will be servants to Pharaoh.” 26 So Joseph made it a statute concerning the land of Egypt, and it stands to this day, that Pharaoh should have the fifth; the land of the priests alone did not become Pharaoh’s.

27 Thus Israel settled in the land of Egypt, in the land of Goshen. And they gained possessions in it, and were fruitful and multiplied greatly. 28 And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years. So the days of Jacob, the years of his life, were 147 years.

29 And when the time drew near that Israel must die, he called his son Joseph and said to him, “If now I have found favor in your sight, put your hand under my thigh and promise to deal kindly and truly with me. Do not bury me in Egypt, 30 but let me lie with my fathers. Carry me out of Egypt and bury me in their burying place.” He answered, “I will do as you have said.” 31 And he said, “Swear to me”; and he swore to him. Then Israel bowed himself upon the head of his bed.

 

NOTE: Technically, where we are buried makes little difference. But as I saw in Amos recently, how we treat a dead body is a measure of the respect we have and a belief that the body was also made in the image of God. Our burial place does not change our relationship to God or any of the promises that God has made to us. But it is important to the dying and for that reason it should be important to us. In the coming years, I will face more death than what I have seen in the last ten. I tend to skip funerals unless the person was very close. I have gone to two funerals in the last ten years. The next ten years will be probably be more people that I know very well. I need to make these things a priority.

 

PONDER:

How can we show respect to the memory of the dead?

 

PRAYER: Father, I listen to my mother on the phone and it is hard to determine if she hears me. I know my relationship with my mom has not been what it ought to be. I pray in these last years, I would show her more grace, and that she would feel important.