Day 15 Bible Readings for January 17 - Genesis 46:3-5 (NLT)

Genesis 46-47, Psalm 15

Genesis 46:3-5 (NLT)

“‘I am God, the God of your father,’ the voice said. ‘Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for there I will make your family into a great nation. I will go with you down to Egypt, and I will bring you back again. You will die in Egypt, but Joseph will be with you to close your eyes.’ So Jacob left Beersheba, and his sons took him to Egypt. They carried him and their little ones and their wives in the wagons Pharaoh had provided for them.”

In Genesis 46:3–5, Jacob receives reassurance from the Lord as he prepares to travel to Egypt to see his son Joseph. Father-God tells Jacob not to be afraid to go to Egypt, promising that He will care for Jacob’s family there and make them into a great nation. The Lord also assures Jacob that He will bring him back to the Promised Land and that Joseph will be with him at the time of his death. After receiving this reassurance, Jacob trusted the Lord and continued his journey to Egypt.

These verses remind me that the Lord knows our fears even when we do not speak them aloud. Jacob was afraid to move his entire family to Egypt, even to be reunited with Joseph, and the Lord met him in that fear with reassurance. These verses also show believers that when we are in a covenant relationship with the Lord, He is present with us through every season of life. Father-God understands the desires of our hearts; He promised Jacob not only provision and protection, but also a peaceful death surrounded by his loved ones and a final resting place among his ancestors. Jacob’s immediate obedience shows believers how to trust in the Lord’s promises for our own lives.

When I look back on the many changes I have experienced throughout my life—especially after my salvation—I can see how the daily guidance of the Holy Spirit helped me navigate those transitions. His presence made difficult changes feel less frightening than similar moments before I knew the Lord. Because I have experienced God’s faithfulness firsthand, I trust in His provision and promises for my life.

If these verses resonate with you—if you feel drawn to place your faith in Jesus Christ, the One who brings peace and guidance through life’s changes—this may be your moment. Open your heart to Him. Speak to Him in prayer, expressing your trust, your desire to walk with Him, and your willingness to welcome His presence into your life. God is faithful and ready to meet you exactly where you are.

Heavenly Father, I give You my life. Please forgive me for all my sins and wash me clean through the blood of Jesus. I believe in my heart that You raised Jesus from the dead, and I confess with my mouth that Jesus is my Lord and Savior. Right now, I receive Your forgiveness and the gift of salvation. Thank You, Lord—I am saved, I am forgiven, I am clean, and I am made new in Jesus’ name. Amen. 

If you prayed this prayer, welcome to the family of Father-God! I encourage you to find and join a Holy Spirit–filled, full-Gospel, Bible-based church where you can grow in your faith and experience the Lord’s love, signs, wonders, and miracles in your life.

Day 14 Bible Readings - Genesis 43:25-26 (NLT)

Genesis 43-45, Psalm 16

Genesis 43:25-26 (NLT)

“They were told they would be eating there, so they prepared their gifts for Joseph’s arrival at noon. When Joseph came home, they gave him the gifts they had brought him, then bowed low to the ground before him.”

In Genesis 43:25–26, Joseph’s brothers make a second trip to Egypt to buy grain, and we see the fulfillment of Joseph’s dream from Genesis 37:7. When they arrived, Joseph invited them to dine with him. The brothers prepared the gift their father Jacob had instructed them to bring in order to find favor with Joseph. When they came before him, they bowed down, mirroring Joseph’s dream of his brothers’ sheaves bowing down to his own.

As I read these verses, I immediately thought of Joseph’s earlier dream. The brothers had already bowed before Joseph during their first visit to Egypt, but in this scene, they also brought gifts to gain his favor—treating him with the honor due to a ruler or king. When Joseph first shared his dream, his brothers rebuked him for believing he would reign over them. Now, without realizing it, they were acting in fulfillment of that very dream.

These verses remind me that the Lord’s plans and promises may take time, but they are always fulfilled. Joseph was sold into slavery, falsely accused, and imprisoned, yet he remained faithful to Father-God. He did not abandon his trust in the Lord, even when circumstances seemed to contradict the promises he had been given.

If the Lord has given you a dream or a plan for your life, do not give up on it. Father-God gave me a desire to write many years ago, but it took a long time for me to develop the confidence to consider submitting my work for publication. Still, I never let go of the sense that the Lord had called me to write. I explored many paths—taking classes and writing short stories and screenplays—while continuing to trust Him. It wasn’t until I entered into a deeper covenant relationship with the Lord that I gained the clarity and confidence to pursue a story that felt right for publication and to begin researching places for submission. My dream is not yet complete, but I trust that with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, it will be fulfilled.

If these verses resonate with you—if you feel drawn to place your faith in Jesus Christ, the One who gives purpose to your life and helps you fulfill it—this may be your moment. Open your heart to Him. Speak to Him in prayer, expressing your trust, your desire to walk with Him, and your willingness to welcome His presence into your life. God is faithful and ready to meet you exactly where you are.

Heavenly Father, I give You my life. Please forgive me for all my sins and wash me clean through the blood of Jesus. I believe in my heart that You raised Jesus from the dead, and I confess with my mouth that Jesus is my Lord and Savior. Right now, I receive Your forgiveness and the gift of salvation. Thank You, Lord—I am saved, I am forgiven, I am clean, and I am made new in Jesus’ name. Amen. 

If you prayed this prayer, welcome to the family of Father-God! I encourage you to find and join a Holy Spirit–filled, full-Gospel, Bible-based church where you can grow in your faith and experience the Lord’s love, signs, wonders, and miracles in your life.

Day 13 Bible Readings - Genesis 42:21-22 (NLT)

Genesis 41-42, Psalm 13

Genesis 42:21-22 (NLT)

“Speaking among themselves, they said, ‘Clearly we are being punished because of what we did to Joseph long ago. We saw his anguish when he pleaded for his life, but we wouldn’t listen. That’s why we’re in this trouble.’ ‘Didn’t I tell you not to sin against the boy?’ Reuben asked. ‘But you wouldn’t listen. And now we have to answer for his blood!’”

In Genesis 42:21–22, we see Joseph’s brothers acknowledging that their past sin against Joseph is connected to their current distress. The brothers traveled to Egypt to buy grain, where Joseph recognized them but accused them of being spies. He imprisoned them for three days and told them they would only be released if they brought their youngest brother, Benjamin, back with them to prove their innocence. At this point, Reuben reminded his brothers that he had warned them not to sin against Joseph, but they had refused to listen.

This scene reflects the biblical principle of sowing and reaping—that sinful actions have consequences. Joseph’s brothers had sinned against him, and their guilty consciences now forced them to confront the results of what they had done. Their distress awakened a recognition that they were reaping what they had earlier sown. Reuben’s words reinforced this truth when he reminded them that they now had to answer for their crime against their brother.

These verses remind me that my actions have consequences, especially when those actions involve sin. The fact that Joseph’s brothers immediately connected their suffering to their past behavior shows that sin is not easily forgotten. Our sinful choices can linger in our consciences, reminding us that we missed the mark, acted out of fear, and failed to trust in the Lord’s provision and blessings.

Recently, I heard a sermon in which the preacher said that believers must be intentional about what they watch and give their attention to. When we repeatedly see people sin without apparent consequences, it can subtly influence our thinking. This doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy entertainment, but it does mean we should be discerning. Constant exposure to unrepentant behavior can dull our awareness that sin has real effects. I find myself reading posts on X and asking, Is this person reacting out of fear or out of love? My faith in the Lord gives me a firm foundation that helps me evaluate my own responses. When my actions reflect how Christ would respond, I find that my choices lead to better outcomes.

 If these verses resonate with you—if you feel drawn to place your faith in Jesus Christ, the One who calls us to act in love rather than fear—this may be your moment. Open your heart to Him. Speak to Him in prayer, expressing your trust, your desire to walk with Him, and your willingness to welcome His presence into your life. God is faithful and ready to meet you exactly where you are.

Heavenly Father, I give You my life. Please forgive me for all my sins and wash me clean through the blood of Jesus. I believe in my heart that You raised Jesus from the dead, and I confess with my mouth that Jesus is my Lord and Savior. Right now, I receive Your forgiveness and the gift of salvation. Thank You, Lord—I am saved, I am forgiven, I am clean, and I am made new in Jesus’ name. Amen. 

If you prayed this prayer, welcome to the family of Father-God! I encourage you to find and join a Holy Spirit–filled, full-Gospel, Bible-based church where you can grow in your faith and experience the Lord’s love, signs, wonders, and miracles in your life.

Day 12 Bible Readings - Genesis 39:20-22 (NLT)

Genesis 38-40, Psalm 12

Genesis 39:20-22 (NLT)

“And Joseph's master took him and put him into the prison, the place where the king's prisoners were confined, and he was there in prison. But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him steadfast love and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison. And the keeper of the prison put Joseph in charge of all the prisoners who were in the prison. Whatever was done there, he was the one who did it.”

In Genesis 39:20–22, we read how the Lord cared for Joseph no matter where he was. After Joseph’s master believed his wife’s false accusation, Joseph was thrown into prison. Even in those dire circumstances, Joseph remained faithful to the Lord. The Lord was with Joseph and showed him steadfast love, granting him favor with the prison warden. As a result, Joseph was given a position of responsibility, and the warden placed all the prisoners under his care. Joseph was put in charge of everything that happened in the prison.

These verses remind me that no matter what circumstances I face, I must continue to place my trust in the Lord. Joseph’s experience shows believers that Father-God is present with His people even in the most difficult seasons. Joseph is an example of faithfulness in the midst of repeated hardship. His story teaches us that the Lord’s favor can follow us wherever we go when we remain faithful to Him.

When I look back over my own life, I can see seasons of significant challenge. After my mother died, the following year my company relocated to another state and invited me to move with them. I did not want to relocate, so I made the difficult decision to leave my job. Those two years were very hard, and I prayed constantly for the Lord’s provision and favor.

Eventually, I was offered a job that was listed as a three-month temp-to-hire position because the previous three employees had quit within a short period of time. I was hesitant to accept a position that seemed so unstable, but the Holy Spirit prompted me to take it. The company offered me a full-time position after the first week, and I went on to work there for the next fifteen years. Looking back, I see how Father-God cared for me during my grief and job loss. Like Joseph, I was not abandoned in hardship—the Lord provided for me.

If these verses resonate with you—if you feel drawn to place your faith in Jesus Christ, the One who cares for you and blesses you even in difficult times—this may be your moment. Open your heart to Him. Speak to Him in prayer, expressing your trust, your desire to walk with Him, and your willingness to welcome His presence into your life. God is faithful and ready to meet you exactly where you are.

Heavenly Father, I give You my life. Please forgive me for all my sins and wash me clean through the blood of Jesus. I believe in my heart that You raised Jesus from the dead, and I confess with my mouth that Jesus is my Lord and Savior. Right now, I receive Your forgiveness and the gift of salvation. Thank You, Lord—I am saved, I am forgiven, I am clean, and I am made new in Jesus’ name. Amen. 

If you prayed this prayer, welcome to the family of Father-God! I encourage you to find and join a Holy Spirit–filled, full-Gospel, Bible-based church where you can grow in your faith and experience the Lord’s love, signs, wonders, and miracles in your life.