This past week you read the incredible rags to riches story of Joseph. If you were not emotionally moved and spiritually challenged, I would be surprised. For me, there are some strong things to learn and file in my heart from this saga of Joseph’s life.

First, you will not always understand what God’s BIG picture is as you journey through tough times. God only gives directions a step at a time. Proverbs 3:5,6 (look it up) verifies what Joseph lived out.

Second, don’t fail to remain faithful to your calling to serve God and trust him in any and all circumstances. There will always be a temptation to drop out and get off of God’s path for your life. Joseph could have done that at any time, but he chose to remain faithful to God.

Third, don’t give in to a bitter spirit when you are treated wrongly or don’t get what you feel you deserve. Joseph could have turned bitter numerous times when life seemed to be going in the wrong direction.

Fourth, don’t ever be unwilling to WAIT. We live in the age of impatience and quick solutions. God is never in a hurry. He unfolds his plans step by step. It took years in Joseph’s life for God’s plan to be inacted but Joseph knew that God was always in charge.

Fifth, don’t let your dreams disappear. Someone has said “don’t doubt in the dark what God has shown you in the light.” Joseph not only interpreted dreams, he lived for their fulfillment.

The story of Joseph is a happy ending story. Forgiveness and restoration is its theme.

What did the story say to you?
Jim Smoke

As of Sunday, January 15th, you and I have read 44 chapters in the Bible. Can you believe it! In those chapters we read about the lives of four main people: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph. Alan Redpath used to say: “God never flatters His heroes.” Isn’t that the truth. We saw the good and the bad and realized that these are people just like you and me and yet, they walked by faith and held strong to the promises of God.

As you think about the lives of these four men, who was your favorite? Why did you like them and what did you learn? If you wish to share, just click on the “Comments” under the title of this post and then submit your insights and observations.

I learned something important from the life of Joseph. I saw how God prepares a person to accomplish His purposes. Joseph was in prison for many years. And yet, it was in the dark place, through extreme measures, that Joseph learned the skills to lead a nation. And so it is with you and me. The dark place, the trouble, the suffering, can be the training ground for God’s plans and purposes in your life and can influence your generation. Look how God exalted Joseph. I love it. And I learn from it. Peter, in his letter on how to suffer, said this: “Therefore, humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you” (1 Peter 5:6). Joseph’s exaltation is seen in the names of his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. Their meaning is summed up in those names and describes what God did for Joseph: God has made me forget all my troubles and the family of my father and God has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering. I’m encouraged to know that no matter how dark the day, it is always too soon to give up. Fruitfulness is just around the corner.

God bless you and keep on running this race of life with your Lord.

Hi Friends! Well, it’s been one week of reading through the Bible in a year. Hundreds of us are doing this and it will be exciting to see what God does as a result. I’ve received a few questions about how to “join in” and participate in this group. It’s real easy. Here’s how. Jim Smoke and I will be writing articles, insights, thoughts, and devotionals on this website about once a week. Our writing will be related to our reading in The Daily Walk Bible. You can participate by making comments on these articles and including your own thoughts from your Bible reading. To do this, all you have to do is click on the “Comments” link under the “Posted by…” line under the article Title. That “Comments” link will either say “No Comments” or “#Comments” i.e. [2] Comments etc. Just click on that link. You’ll be taken to the Comments page. You’ll find a place to post your comments there entitled “Leave a Reply”. Just write your comments, thoughts, insights and then click on “Submit Comment”. It’s that easy. I encourage you to participate - it’s exciting to see what God is doing in so many lives. God bless you as you journey together with hundreds of people all over the United States in reading through God’s Word this year.

My husband’s grandfather used to love to ask a question at the dinner table. After the meal was enjoyed and the dishes cleared from the table, he would lean back in his chair, put his hands behind his head and ask, “What’s it all about?” He was asking the question that men and women have asked down through the ages: “What is the meaning of life?” “What is the purpose?” “Why am I here?”

As we have begun this incredible journey of reading through the Bible in a year, it is important at the outset to know that what God reveals in His Word, the Bible, answers the deepest questions of life. This is especially true in Genesis, the first book in the Bible. There is a lot of theology and doctrine wrapped up in Genesis 1-3. Theology is basically what you believe. Theology is comprised of major teachings or “doctrines” that form your belief system, convictions, character, and way of life. These teachings (doctrines) include Soteriology - the doctrine of salvation, Pneumatology - the doctrine of the Holy Spirit, Eschatology - the doctrine of future things, Theology proper - the study of God, Christology - the study of Christ, Bibliology - the doctrine of the Bible, Anthropology & Hamartiology - the doctrines of man and sin, and Ecclesiology - the doctrine of the Church. Paul encouraged Timothy in I Tim 4:6 to “be constantly nourished on the words of the faith and of the sound doctrine which he had been following.” That is what we are doing as we read through the Bible this year.

Just think of some of the truth we see just in the first three chapters of Genesis!

God exists (1:1) - Those who say there is no God are wrong. And remember that we live in a culture that constantly denies the existence of God.

God created the heavens and the earth (1:1) What we see around us didn’t just “happen.” God designed, created the heavens and the earth. All other explanations are theory at best, but not truth.

God is Eternal (1:1) “In the beginning” God is and has always been. This is such a powerful truth. For a profound thought about the eternal existence of God, read A.W. Pink’s words here: The Attributes Of God

God is the Triune God - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (1:26) “Let Us make people…” The doctrine of the Trinity is a hefty one. It is part of the mystery of God and His Person. Tozer has a great chapter on the Trinity in his book The Knowledge Of The Holy and you can read it here: The Knowledge Of The Holy

God created man (1:26) - You did not just “happen.” God created you. And more than that, you are created in His image. The Net Bible (at www.bible.org) explains it this way: “The word דְּמוּת (dÿmut, “likeness”) is an abstract noun; its verbal root means “to be like; to resemble.” In the Book of Genesis the two terms describe human beings who in some way reflect the form and the function of the creator. The form is more likely stressing the spiritual rather than the physical. The “image of God” would be the God-given mental and spiritual capacities that enable people to relate to God and to serve him by ruling over the created order as his earthly vice-regents.” That is why we can say with the psalmist: “I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:14).

God created man with purpose (1:28, 3:8) We are created by God and for God. We see in Genesis that the Lord used walk in the garden where He placed Adam and Eve. His presence was manifest there and He communicated with them. It is such a powerful truth - we can have a relationship with God.

We have an enemy, the devil (3:1) “Now the serpent was the shrewdest of all…” We do have an enemy intent on destroying man’s relationship with God. Through his deception and lies, Adam and Eve were deceived, and sin entered the world. We will see more about this in our reading throughout the year, especially in Romans. By eating of tree of the knowledge of good and evil, sin entered the world and without a payment for the penalty of sin, there was no hope of knowing and relating to God.

There is good news - the promise of a Savior (3:15) - “He will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” This is the first of the promises of a coming Messiah, who would save His people from their sins. God did what man could not do - He paid the penalty for sin Himself. Jesus Christ is the promised Messiah - He is Emmanuel (”God with us”).

Well, that is just a bit of the doctrine and theology seen in Genesis. Normally, I won’t write so much - usually just a paragraph or so. I just could not resist these things that we talk about in the Theology And The Christian Life class I teach for Biola University.

A Personal Note: Something that meant a lot to me in Genesis 1 was the repetition of some phrases: “And God said,” “and so it was,” and “this all happened.” Do you know what I saw here? When God says it, I can count on it. His Word is true. He will stand behind His Word no matter what. He is the God who makes things happen. I love this and it means a lot to me as I think about the beginning of a new year. I am counting on His Word. As I read through the Bible this year and underline God’s promises, it gives me great hope to know I can count on what He says.

What is God teaching you on this Journey through the Bible? Use the “Comments” section with each entry in this Online Reading Group Blog to share your own thoughts and responses. (To Post A Comment: If there are no comments yet, just click on the “No Comments” link in the Title of the entry. Scroll to the end of the entry and you will see a place to enter your name, email, and comment. Then click on “Submit Comment.” That will publish your comment and others can read what you have written.) In addition, you might get a journal or notebook to write your thoughts from day to day and then share your most significant insights up here in the blog comments.

God bless you dear friends as you continue on in this great adventure of knowing Him!