GENESIS

Chapter 1

Genesis 1 Daily DEVO So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. Genesis 1:27 – While reading the creation account again, I couldn’t help but see all of it through the lens of the season were in for Easter. We see God creating the heavens, the mountains, the sun, and the animals. Everything in all creation we see around us He formed, but out of all of creation what part of it was He willing to send His Son to earth to die for? You and me. How amazing is that! That out of everything in this beautiful universe God saw us as worth giving up everything for us to be with Him. Allow yourself to enjoy some outdoor time today if you can and when you do, remind yourself that out of all that you see, God saw you and the people around you as worth showing the most incredible love to. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 482

And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. Genesis 1:3 – What God speaks into existence exists. One of the phrases I kept highlighting in this chapter was “and it was so.” God desired something made, He spoke it into existence, and it was so. So in your story have confidence that whatever God has promised to do in your story will be so. The promise of being with you in the battle, the promise of hope when life is hopeless, to be a place of rest, the promise of life eternal. You can trust it will be so. When the questions arise in our thoughts though about if it truly will be so, step outside and look around. If God was able to speak into existence the sun, moon, sky, and stars, He can speak into existence peace, rest, and joy into your story. It will be so. I love you, but Jesus loves you more. – Mac – Daily DEVO 1805

Genesis 1 – Pastor Mac Daily DEVO God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day. Genesis 1:5 – We are invited by scripture into the creation of the world within this first chapter. Day one we see the mass of creation being made. Heaven and earth, light and darkness, day and night. Something that is special to notice is that the light filling the earth and the heavens isn’t coming from the Sun. The Sun will be created on the fourth day. So where is this light coming from? From God Himself. First, He spoke it into being, so it exists. Also our God is the light of this world. We just finished our study of Revelation, and do you remember what is said about the sun, moon, and light within the new Heaven and earth? Revelation 22:5 – “And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.” In the beginning, God was the source of light, and in the end God will be the source of light. And today, He too is the source of light in your story. Wherever then darkness seems to be overtaking your mind and life, know there is where God can bring light and life to. Your traumas of your past, God can bring light to. Your sins that you are utterly ashamed of, God can bring light to. Do you know what then will be the result when God brings His light into your life? Goodness. It will be good. Let us today remember that the powerful, universe creating God that we read about it in scripture is the God that is with us today. The Creator and source of light is here, and He is able to make the darkest seasons of your life bright again and bring light to the darkest of days. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2807

Chapter 2

Genesis 2 Daily DEVO Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.” Genesis 2:18 – We were never meant to go at life alone. As tempting as it is sometimes to want to just disconnect from relationships and people, realize that’s not the life your creator made you for. Finding rest in solitude is something even Jesus did, but He never stayed away from people and always made it a priority to pour into those around Him. While for some of us this idea of being with people is easy, I know it’s not that way for all of us. Take today’s message as a simple reminder that we are meant to have people and relationships within our life. Not going through life alone but together. It’s makes it very difficult to share with someone the love of Jesus when we’re in isolation. So seek out today, even with just one person, some time together with them. Maybe the refreshment in life you’ve been looking for is actually going to come from someone else rather than from within you. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 483

Now out of the ground the Lord God had formed every beast of the field and every bird of the heavens and brought them to the man to see what he would call them. And whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name. Genesis 2:19 – It brings joy to God when He brings us into the work that He is doing. God didn’t have to include Adam in this. God was fully capable on His own to name the animals, but chose to bring Adam close and invite Him to participate in the work He was doing. Today God’s work isn’t naming animals, He’s working to bring the world back to Himself. Just like with Adam, God is inviting us into the work He is doing. God is fully capable of this on His own. He could rearrange the stars to describe a message of love for the world if He wanted to, but instead He chooses to invite us into the work He is doing. That tells us He sees us, values us, and even encourages our creativity in the accomplishing of the work as with Adam and the names. Know God wants you with Him in His work. You are not a burden to Him, you’re the very tool He’s going to use to get the job done. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1806

Genesis 2 – Pastor Mac Daily DEVO And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed. Genesis 2:25 – While we are outlined the creation of man in chapter 1, we now are getting the more detailed account of what took place on the sixth day of creation. God created man, He creates the perfect Garden of Eden, and then God creates woman from the rib of Adam as a mate and helper for him. In this final verse of the chapter we get a descriptor word for Adam and Eve, naked. While yes, this is speaking of their physical nakedness during their time in the Garden of Eden, we must understand their nakedness is describing something far grander that just their body. They were spiritually naked before the Lord and not ashamed about it. They were standing before God, fully exposed, and had nothing to be ashamed of. How though would we feel? You stand before God, and He looks at everything. Every closet, every dark space of our life, every website, every conversation, every relationship, every TV show…everything. “Naked” before God, but could we say we are not ashamed? Know though if you are a believer in Christ, that shame is not coming from the Lord. If you have asked Jesus to forgive you and save you, ever shameful part of your story is wiped clean by the blood of Jesus. You now, because of Jesus, can stand before God, fully exposed and not ashamed. Let us today remember how precious the saving grace of Jesus is! The perfect creator God is looking fully at you, seeing all, and because of Jesus He calls you “good.” Yes, remember where you would be without Jesus, and how your stance before God would be without Jesus’s grace, and let that direct you away from further sin. Yet never forget that you have been made new and washed clean by Jesus. We now can live fully seen and fully known by God and know that we are still fully loved by Him too. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2808

Chapter 3

Genesis 3 Daily DEVO And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?” Genesis 3:8-9 – If you’ve heard me teach a few times, you know I love the “buts” in the Bible. It a sign of a change in the story and in our passage that is shown so clearly. Here we have the couple sinning and choosing to hide from God. Yet, even with them hiding after their sin, it says, “but the Lord God called.” While they tried to hide from God, He continued to seek them out. So is it with you as well. As much as you may be ashamed of the sin in your story and think hiding from God is the best bet for you, know God’s in the business of bringing you back to Himself and is constantly shouting your way “Where are you?” He wants you with Him. Realize God’s never going to stop searching for you, He loves you too much for that. Let’s come out of hiding and come to Him instead. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 484

Then the Lord God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil. Now, lest he reach out his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat, and live forever—” therefore the Lord God sent him out from the garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken. Genesis 3:22-23 – It seems odd at first that God would do this, to keep them from something that could help them live forever. Yet let’s lean into what that would mean for Adam and Eve. They would be physically alive forever and spiritually dead forever. As a commentary I read stated, “That would lead to an unending, hopeless existence separated from God.” They would be living in an endless world of suffering with no hope of life with God after death because there would be no death. Sometimes God will do things that on the surface just don’t make sense to us, like keeping them from a tree of life. Yet, when we seek to see the situation from God’s vantage point things can become much more clear on why He moves they way He does. Be willing to pause and seek His view on your confusing situation. His heart is always to open ways for His people to have a way to come to Him. As with Adam and Eve, that path to Him may come with a confusing closing of doors from a paradise, but trust His actions are to bring you close to Himself. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1807

Genesis 3 – Pastor Mac Daily DEVO And he said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.” Genesis 3:10 – In chapter 3, we read the story of the fall of man. The events within this chapter introduced to our world things like cancer, war, murder, loneliness, hate, and death. Things that were never designed to be a part of the life of humanity, but were brought in by our choices to rebel against the command of God. While naked and unashamed in chapter two, when Adam and Eve eat of the fruit, we see their eyes were opened to their nakedness and sought to cover themselves with leaf loincloths. Yet, when God came near them in the garden, we see them still run and hide from Him. Why though would they hide if they made covering for themselves? Wouldn’t their coverings they made with their hands be enough to cover their sin and nakedness? No, it never could. Let us remember, whatever sort of “leaf loincloth” you’re trying to use to cover your sin on your own can never cover your sin. Charitable acts can’t cover our sin, nor can perfect church attendance. Giving to the church can’t cover your sin nor can serving in overseas mission work. As we see in the story of the fall, there is only one person that can make a covering for our sin, and that is the Lord Himself. We must come out of hiding, drop our handmade efforts of covering, and accept the truth that the only person that can truly forgive and make right our wrongs is Jesus. Praise the Lord though that while this is the only option we have, it’s an option readily available to all who come to Jesus. He is ready to cover you, ready to forgive, and ready to welcome you into His family. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2809

Chapter 4

Genesis 4 Daily DEVO In the course of time Cain brought to the Lord an offering of the fruit of the ground, and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering, but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell. Genesis 4:3-5 – Both brought an offering to God yet God only had regard, thought well of, one of their offerings. Why was that so? It was the heart behind the offering that God saw and the two boys were very different in that. Abel brought the best he had to God because he saw God worthy of that type of offering. Cain though eventually, in the course of time, brought just some of what he had to God, which speaks volumes of his view of God’s worthiness. For us let’s learn something about our offerings to God. First, He is worthy of our best. Second, He’s seeking a giver that acknowledges His worthiness with their offerings. Where does your offerings to God line up with this story? Are they more like Cain where when you get the time you give a little to God or more like Abel where he gave God the best he had? We all can grow in this area, let’s pray to see how we each need to be challenged with this. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 485

Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, saying, “I have gotten a man with the help of the Lord.” Genesis 4:1 – Even the things we do “on our own” has the hands of God all over them. Here Adam and Eve had a child, a task that they two alone were able to do. Yet here we see scripture point out that even that had God’s help. Its easy for us to see how God’s help is with us when it comes to our weaknesses, but the reason why our strengths are our strengths is because of God’s help. The reason why success is found is because of God’s hand in it. God is moving through it all, even the things we think we are doing on our own. Think even on the routine things you did today like wake up, shower, make coffee. Did God help there? Who do you think caused air to come into your lungs and who do you think controlled gravity to work in your favor? God’s helping hands are in everything. We have no excuse today to not thank Him because without God and His help, we’d have nothing. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1808

To Seth also a son was born, and he called his name Enosh. At that time people began to call upon the name of the Lord. Genesis 4:26 – While in chapter 3 we see the fall of man and their exile from the Garden of Eden, in chapter 4 we see how steep and quick the decline of sin can be. The main story of this chapter is the murder of Able by his brother Cain. In this we see sins of giving to God without the right heart and we see the sins of pride, covetousness, hatred, and selfishness. We see the sin of murder and even dishonor to the Lord. We also see no remorse from Cain for his actions. We see a city being built with man as the central focus, not the Lord, where apparently even more murder takes place within and it’s boasted about rather than repented over. Truly the sin of the world was growing rapidly, but, even there, we see in our verse some people did began to call upon the name of the Lord. We know that offerings and worship was happening prior to this, but we see for the first time in scripture true calling on the Lord was taking place. Some say this is the story of the first revival in history, where despite the sinfulness of others around them, some began to turn their eyes onto the Lord. Let us keep this in front of us, worship of the Lord from us isn’t dictated by anyone else. We can worship in prison like Paul and Silas. We can worship when our world is actively choosing sin like in Genesis 4. We can worship when there is blessing all around and when there is drought. You are the deciding factor if you will worship the Lord of not. Let then your choice be worship today. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2810

Chapter 5

Genesis 5 Daily DEVO Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him. Genesis 5:24 – I heard a pastor once say in reference to this passage that Enoch lived differently than the rest of the world that God took him out of the world in a way different than the rest of the world. While reading through these names and seeing their lifespans, it’s crazy to imagine people’s lives lasting that long. Yet in the middle, this guy Enoch, lived only 365 years and then God took him. While for us 365 years is not a short lifespan at all, to them it probably was. So whatever amount of years God blesses us with, whether many or few, let’s walk with God each day like we have no tomorrow. God may give you 969 years like Methuselah or today may be your last. Either way know you’re in God’s hands with should give you the courage and freedom to live fully for Him today. Let it be said of you that you lived so fully for God in this world that your impact was different than anyone else’s. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 486

Male and female he created them, and he blessed them and named them Man when they were created. Genesis5:2 – Adam was given permission to name all the animals of the earth and Adam was given dominion over them. There was one creation though that God Himself named. Man. For God is the one with dominion over man. God is the one who designed, created, and breathed life into man. As a result He is the one to set up the foundations of our existence. He chooses the right way to live for mankind for He is the creator. Man is not the owner of man, God owns mankind. What this means for us is that whatever God has spoken trumps what we have spoken. His ways trumps our ways. His plan for man trumps our own. He is Lord of all. How then have you in your own story made yourself lord of your life? Where have you chosen your ways of how you want to live your life over how God says to live? If God is your Lord, make sure His ways trumps all others in your story. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1809

Thus all the days of Lamech were 777 years, and he died. Genesis 5:31 – Here in our chapter we read about the family line from Adam to Noah. Quickly we see some shocking ages these men lived. Adam lived 930 years, Seth lived 912 years, and Enoch who didn’t die but went to be with the Lord lived the shortest of 365 years. Now there are many theories of why they had such long lives, but they truly are just that, theories. Feel free to study those on your own, for today I want to focus on something else other than long lifespans each of the men had in common. Each died (except for the unique case of Enoch). Yes they came from a special family line, yes they lived centuries, and yes they have many sons and daughters, but at the end of their life they all died. Due to the curse on our world of sin, death is now a part of each person’s story. Are you ready? Who knows, maybe God will allow you to live to be 969 years old like He did with Methuselah, but even after all those years the question remains the same. Are you ready for what’s to come after you die? Are you sure you’re going to Heaven, and if so, how are you sure? If your answer is anything but “Because Jesus saved me,” then you need to do some deep examining of your story for you’re not ready to die. Thankfully Jesus is here, ready to save you, and He has already gone ahead of us to prepare a place for us with Him in Heaven. Embrace the life He gives and then make sure those around you have embraced it too. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2811

Chapter 6

Genesis 6 Daily DEVO Noah did this; he did all that God commanded him. Genesis 6:22 – Will a verse 22 be said of you like it was for Noah? See, I feel we pass off this verse as a given because we are so familiar with the story of Noah’s Ark. Of course Noah did this, of course he built the ark. But do you think about the many, many years it took to do what God commanded him to do? Do you think about all the opposition he had during those years? Yes Noah did this, but it wasn’t without struggle. All that struggle though never stopped him from doing what God led him to do. How about you? When God leads you to do something will you press forward with it no matter the time it takes and the opposition that comes? Let’s challenge ourselves to be like Noah where when God tells us to do something, what will be said of us is, “They did it.” I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 487

The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. Genesis 6:5 – This passage reminds us that without God leading us in a different direction that the intentions and inclinations of our hearts is towards sin. So when we see people who are not Christians, who are not followers of Jesus, sinning, we shouldn’t be shocked. Of course they are going to be sinning! They don’t have Jesus as their leader yet. They don’t know what’s good and pure in His eyes yet. They don’t have the same convictions we have as followers of Jesus. So do we just let them remain sinning saying nothing? Of course not, what we do though is point them to Jesus. For He will be the one to bring the change and conviction of their sin. So shaming an unbeliever for their sin isn’t going to move them closer to Jesus. Mirroring though the grace, love, and patience that Jesus showed you when you were deep in your sin will point them to Him. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1810

And the Lord regretted that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart. Genesis 6:6 – This chapter is filled with some deep questions, some that we can’t fully answer outside of theories and thoughts. Like what is meant by the “Sons of God” and the Nephilim. And here in verse 6 we see scripture saying God regretted that he had made man. What exactly does that mean? Did God make a mistake? No, we know that not to be the case because in the beginning everything was good in God’s eyes. Yet what we see take place in the world at this time of Genesis 6 was evil overtaking the hearts of all men. Evil was so present that every intention of every person’s heart was only evil all the time. That’s a pretty extreme state of the world. What though is meant that God regretted that he had made man? It means that this state of the world broke His heart. He was filled with sadness of man’s choice of sin. Being a just God, He knew what He had to do, and it grieved His heart deeply. We see in Ezekial 18 a couple verses that can help bring some understanding. Verse 23, “Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked, declares the Lord God, and not rather that he should turn from his way and live?” Verse 32, “For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Lord God; so turn, and live.” God’s heart was so saddened by the state of the world and what He knew He had to do to His own creation, that He voices His desire that this was not a problem He had to right. Yet in Noah, we see that God’s love was still for mankind and that mankind in itself was not a mistake that God desired gone. Let us learn from this passage that our sin saddens the Lord. When we choose to pursue sin over the Lord, we grieve Him. Choose then this day to serve the Lord and bring joy to our Lord. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2812

Chapter 7

Genesis 7 Daily DEVO And Noah and his sons and his wife and his sons’ wives with him went into the ark to escape the waters of the flood. Genesis 7:7 – Your faithfulness will have an effect on those around you. We see multiple times in this story scripture referring to Noah as righteous, yet it speaks nothing as to the righteousness or faith of Noah’s family. That’s said though, it wasn’t just Noah allowed on the ark, but his family as well. Those close to Noah were being effected by Noah’s faithfulness and so will happen for those close to you. As you strive to live your life more the way God is leading you to, those around you will begin to feel the overflow of blessing that God is giving you. The peace, the joy, the long suffering, these things will begin being felt by those around you as you follow God more closely. You have an effect on those around you and they will be curious about what they are experiencing from you. Stay faithful, even the person in the darkest of places can begin to experience the light when you shine it their way. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 488

Then the Lord said to Noah, “Go into the ark, you and all your household, for I have seen that you are righteous before me in this generation.” Genesis 7:1 – Noah was told to now go into the ark. A command that is a seemingly obvious and easy one for sure. Question though, what must have happened first for Noah to be able to have this command given to him? He first would have had to been faithful with the command to build the ark. What we see here is a good reminder for us, don’t expect the easy, attractive commands to come when God knows you won’t be faithful to the hard commands. Getting into the ark as a massive flood was coming would be a pretty easy command to follow, but it was only given to Noah because God had seen him as faithful and righteous. What could this look like for us? Maybe God isn’t giving you the command of “marry her” because you haven’t been faithful with what you do online alone. Maybe God hasn’t given you the command to “move” because you haven’t behaved faithfully where He’s planted you currently. Follow him now, in today, however He is directing you. Today is our opportunity to show God we can be faithful for bigger things He has in store for us in the future. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1811

And after seven days the waters of the flood came upon the earth. Genesis 7:10 – Now this verse may seem simple, but let’s put it into practical context. You’ve been commanded by God to build an ark for there is going to be a global, destructive flood. First, it’s never rained in history up to this point, so the idea of a flood is foreign to you, yet you still build. The process to build the ark takes you over 100 years, all the while those around you and your family reject and mock you for your building. God tells you, your family, and all the animals to go into the ark, so you do. Then…nothing. For an entire week. No rain, no flood, nothing happening for a whole week. Could you imagine the conversations taking place in the ark, wanting to scurry back to the house to pick up something they left behind, or wanting to get some fresh air away from the animals. Truly this whole scene is faith every step of the way. Faith to start build, faith to keep building for years, and faith to even stay in the boat when the waters weren’t coming. Let us grow our faith to be more like Noah. To begin something in faith because God directs us to. To continue sacrificing and working toward something in faith because God directed us to. To remain where God has called us to by faith, even when the rain hasn’t come yet. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2813

Chapter 8

Every beast, every creeping thing, and every bird, everything that moves on the earth, went out by families from the ark. Genesis 8:19 – They went in by pairs yet out by families. I’m not sure how much of my old zoo family reads these devotions, but I’m sure they’d agree that this would be amazing in itself. See animals in captivity don’t breed often as well as out in the wild. And when the conditions aren’t great it’s even less likely they will breed. Here they’d be in small, dark spaces on a moving boat in a storm. While the rain was only 40 days it’s believed they were in the ark for close to 370 days. Not great environments for families to be created, but that’s what happened. God was able to bring life to a situation that typically wouldn’t. Maybe your situation in life is much like this….small, dark, confined, surrounded by storms, and lasting far longer than you expected. All descriptors of an environment where life would normally be sucked out rather than created. God though can take that undesirable environment and create something beautiful from it if we let Him. Give Him this situation, trust His hand to handle it, lean into His rest, and watch what walks out of it. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1812

But the dove found no place to set her foot, and she returned to him to the ark, for the waters were still on the face of the whole earth. So he put out his hand and took her and brought her into the ark with him. Genesis 8:9 – Finally the rain of the global flood that came in Noah’s day had stopped, and while the rain stopped after forty days, waters were still covering the earth for many days after that. Noah and his family would have been on the ark for about a year before they could finally step foot on dry land again. Yet we see in our chapter Noah sending out birds to see if they found any resting place to land, showing that the waters were finally going down. The raven that was sent never came back, but likely found its resting place on many of the dead, floating carcasses. Yet when the first dove was sent out, it found no resting place. This is a representation of believers seeking a resting place in a sinful world. Spurgeon even speaks to this passage highlighting how the dove, a clean animal, couldn’t find a resting place in this sinful world, much like believer can never find rest from this sinful world. As we then navigate our life today, we too may be tempted to settle and find rest in the things those who do not follow Jesus settle in. Yet as gross and useless as a dove landing on a dead carcass would be so would be a believer trying to find rest in something the world offers. Our only rest can be found in Jesus, our Savior from the sinfulness of the world and the wrath of God, much like the ark was for the dove. Embrace the truth of Jesus, come all who are weary and He will give you rest. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2814

Chapter 9

Genesis 9 Daily DEVO When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth. Genesis 9:16 – As with the rainbow in Noah’s story, we too have a symbol we can look on to remind us of the covenant we have with God. Just like the bow, the cross didn’t don’t anything for our salvation, it is though a sign for us to look back upon to remind us of the promise God gave us. Through the death of Jesus on that cross, we now can to die to our sinful lives and begin a new life of following God. The cross reminds us that we no longer have to be slaves to sin because we are now free! The cross is a reminder of our freedom. While in the weekend of Easter Saturday is a solemn day, we must never forget that we can look upon the cross and know the darkness of our lives was taken care of by our promised Savior. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 490

When Noah awoke from his wine and knew what his youngest son had done to him…Genesis 9:24 – We don’t know what happened. What we know is one of Noah’s son saw Noah naked after getting drunk and told his brothers about it. Apparently he did something to his dad as well, but we don’t know. Scholars will give all sorts of answers as to what Ham did, but we must remember we don’t know. Nothing in scripture here speaks to it. Which lead us to a point in our study of scripture we must keep in mind, don’t add to scripture. Anyone claiming to know for sure what happened here is standing on false grounds. Other times in scripture to we aren’t given all the details and it’s fine to discuss and wonder for sure, but be careful to not create beliefs and doctrine over things God doesn’t say. God gives us all the words we need to fully believe in Him and live our lives fully faithful to Him. Be careful to not add your viewpoints and your wants to the word of God. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1813

I establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of the flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.” Genesis 9:11 – The flood waters have gone, the doors to the ark have opened, and finally Noah, his family, and all of creation that was on the ark can come out into the new earth. God gives Noah the same command He gave Adam and Eve, be fruitful and multiply. All plants and animals were now given to them for food, and God is even making a promise to them that never again will such a flood take place on the earth. As we read this, let us though remember that scripture teaches one day this earth will be no more. While no flood will come to destroy the earth like in Noah’s day, all that we see on this earth will one day be gone and God will create a new earth. I say this not to bring fear, nor to bring up even contentious conversation about end times study, but to simply remind you that investing in this world is a waste. Gold medals will fade, finances will drain, and fame will be forgotten. The things though of the Lord are eternal. While heaven and earth will pass away, His word remains forever. As we then are deciding today what our life is going to be about, let it be about something that will remain forever. Your life and time is far too valuable to be used for something that will eventually fade away. Know this, Noah was faithful to his command to be fruitful, yet will we be faithful to our command to be labors in that harvest? For one thing that is worth investing in that will last for eternity is the souls of those around you. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2815

Chapter 10

Genesis 10 Daily DEVO These are the generations of the sons of Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Sons were born to them after the flood. Genesis 10:1 – All this after the flood. God blessed the family of Noah and caused his family to spread far and wide creating great nations, all after the flood. Sometimes we forget that God has plans to take care of us, and even bless us, while we are in the “flood” parts of our story. We get so distracted by the rains, the storms, and all the people doubting us while we are building the ark that we forget that God has something good for us once the struggle has passed. It’s not easy to focus on the hope ahead, but that will be our way through the struggle. Knowing God is with us and He’s already working on our good that’s ahead of us. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 490.5

The sons of Ham: Cush, Egypt, Put, and Canaan. Genesis 10:6 – Genealogies can be rough to read through but it’s important to pause and see the details. As you read through look at the people and places that came from Ham. Babel (where the tower was), Nineveh (the city Jonah was sent to because of their great sin), the Philistines and Amorites (people Israel constantly fought with), and Sodom and Gomorrah (places God wiped out because of their vile sin). Recall as well it was Ham who sinned against Noah. What all this reveals to us is something we don’t get too often, a big picture outline of the consequences that can result from our choice of sin. We see generations and nations being formed that are consumed with sin. Battles and wars that never needed to happened came about because of the sin. People were lost with no knowledge of God. Sin never goes without consequences. Please be willing to pause and think what the long term implications your sin could bring about. Fights, death, war, and cities not knowing about Jesus all could be avoided. Don’t think your story could never have that big of impact, I’m sure Ham would have thought the same. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1814

Cush fathered Nimrod; he was the first on earth to be a mighty man.⁹He was a mighty hunter before the Lord. Therefore it is said, “Like Nimrod a mighty hunter before the Lord.” Genesis 10:8-9 – In our chapter we get the family lines of Noah’s three sons, and the line of Ham has some interesting characters within it. If you know your biblical history, we see a majority of the future nations that oppress and persecute God’s people come from this line. Assyria, Babylon, Greece, Philistines, Egypt, and many of the “ites” we see in Joshua. Highlighted though is a man name Nimrod, and by the way things are written, we can assume he was a good, strong guy. Nimrod’s name though means “let us rebel,” and he certainly did. Nimrod was a mighty hunter, but not just of animals, but of men. He grew his kingdom of Babel out of violence and murder, and led the first organized rebellion against the Lord. His kingdom was the one that built the Tower of Babel that displeased the Lord and that assumed they could become higher and more powerful than God Himself. Thousands of years of hurt, rebellion, and sin began with the sin of Ham in chapter 9. Whether it’s seeing the sin of Adam and Eve, the sin of Cain, or the sins of Ham and Nimrod, scripture is allowing us to see the bigger picture of damage sin brings. Our “yes” to sin today can unfold into generations of hurt for those after us. Let us then be wise what we say “yes” to and what we allow within our story. If our lives are to have generational impact, let that impact be of love, compassion, and salvation, rather than the legacy of Nimrod. In short…don’t be a nimrod! I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2816

Chapter 11

Genesis 11 Daily DEVO And the Lord said, “Behold, they are one people, and they have all one language, and this is only the beginning of what they will do. And nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them. Come, let us go down and there confuse their language, so that they may not understand one another’s speech. Genesis 11:6-7 – God didn’t disrupt their lives pointlessly. God was seeing how far this self-willed, rebellious to God life was beginning to take them. Yes it was possibly going to take them to fame in the world, but also deep without in the kingdom of God. So God stepped in and changed their path so they wouldn’t continue to walk away from Him. So will God do in our story. God knows what it looks like when His people begin to walk away from Him (remember we just got through reading about the flood). He also knows how much pain sin brings into their story. So in His love He will intervene in our story to help us not fall deeper into hurtful sin. That intervention may though be Him disrupting the very path we dreamed all our lives of going down. If that happens, trust God knows what He’s doing. Don’t react in hatred of Him for not letting you have your way. If our Heavenly Father chose to step in and disrupt your story like that it wasn’t just for His enjoyment of seeing your struggle. It was because that was the best and most loving thing He could do for you and you future (something you can’t see but He can). Remember, trust God knows what He is doing. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 491

Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be dispersed over the face of the whole earth.” Genesis 11:4 – As simple of a statement as this may seem, their plans went in

complete opposition to God’s command. In chapter 9 verse 1 God gives the clear command to fill the earth. To not remain in one place, but to spread out and fill His creation. Their plans goes against God’s plan as if God said go right and they went left. How then are you “going left” as God is telling you to go right? What is it that God has been telling you to do but possibly you’ve been doing anything but that? Maybe talking with a friend about Jesus? Maybe leaving that relationship? Maybe joining a church? Yes, sometimes it can be fuzzy on exactly what God wants from us. Yet while we may pretend He is, God isn’t always fuzzy with His commands. Sometimes they are overly clear yet we decide to look away. What then are we looking away from? How can you today be more in line with God’s plan for you? If God says turn right…turn right. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1815

Terah took Abram his son and Lot the son of Haran, his grandson, and Sarai his daughter-in-law, his son Abram’s wife, and they went forth together from Ur of the Chaldeans to go into the land of Canaan, but when they came to Haran, they settled there. Genesis 11:31 – In chapter 11 we are introduced to likely one of the most famous individuals in all of history, Abraham. From Joshua 24:2, we learn that he comes from a family of idol worshippers, and in Acts 7:2-4 we see the Lord gave a command to Abram to leave his homeland of Ur to travel wherever God leads them to. They pack up in faithfulness to the command, towards the land of Canaan, approximately a 1200 miles journey. We see though that as they were traveling, they came to Haran and settled there instead, about 400 miles short of Canaan. While leaving their sinful past behind in Ur was good, partial obedience to a command of the Lord isn’t. Yes, they left when God told them too, and likely left behind much of their idol worshipping, but God told them to stop when He showed them where to stop, not wherever they chose to settle. How often is this the case for our walk with the Lord? We move when He calls us to, but when the journey is long and the end isn’t clear, we settle miles short of where we know God is leading. Know the path of faithfulness to the Lord is usually long and usually unclear of it’s end destination. It will also be filled with places you can choose to stop and settle at, forgoing the rest of the journey for your comfort. Just know you will not find blessing in the place of partial obedience. Even for Abraham, it wasn’t until he finally arrived where God told him to go that he received his blessing. Wherever then God is leading you, complete the journey in its fullness and taste the blessing the comes with complete faithfulness to the Lord. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2817

Chapter 12

Genesis 12 Daily DEVO And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. Genesis 12:2 – God blesses us so that we can be a blessing to others. See for Abram in our passage, God chose to bless him so that through Abram the rest of the world could be blessed as well. For us, God chose to bless us with the amazing gift of eternal life through Jesus. For those of us who have accepted that blessing, we’re called to be a blessing to others by sharing the good news that they to can have this blessing of life like we have received. Allow God to use your life as a means of blessing others. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 492

Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you.” Genesis 12:1 – Sometimes God’s call is an exodus from slavery, yet other times it’s an exodus from the comfortable. A couple weeks ago I taught at church on when the Israelites were freed from Egyptian slavery. While yes, still filled with its own difficulties, the path was leading away from pain into promise. What God may do though is call you from one promise to an unknown. While we know God plans for us are good and wherever He is leading us is best, stepping away from a comfortable promise isn’t easy. How then do take that first step away from the promise you’re currently in? By faith. No, you may not know what’s next in your story and you possibly may not even know yet why you’re being called away from something you see as good. God though has proven Himself trustworthy in direction giving and proven Himself as one who never skimps on the quality of what He blesses us with. Take that step out of the comfortable onto the path into the unknown all by faith. We can lean on the promises of God that those who faithfully follow Him will never regret that choice. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1816

Now there was a famine in the land. So Abram went down to Egypt to sojourn there, for the famine was severe in the land. Genesis 12:10 – Something special about this chapter is all the things God promised Abraham that He would do in his life. God promises to make Abraham into a great nation and that He would bless Abraham. God showed Abraham the land that He would give to Abraham’s offspring and told Abraham that he would be a blessing to all the earth. These are some incredible promises that Abraham had been given by the Lord, showing that until God’s promises unfolded that Abraham would be safe. Yet, when famine struck the land, do we see Abraham turning to the Lord? When there was fear for his life in Egypt concerning Sarah’s beauty, did he turn to the Lord? No, both times he turned to something else, first a pagan country then to deception to save him. How often though can we find ourselves having the wonderous promises of God in front of us, yet we turn to something else other than the Lord for help when “famine” strikes our life? I would encourage you today to look into the many promises that God has given to His followers within scripture. These are words that you can take hold of and lean upon, especially when the famines of life arise. God will not leave you, God sees every hair on your head, and nothing will separate you from His love. You are His heir, His adopted child, and a holy priest in His kingdom, all if you have placed your faith in Jesus. If then we are such to the Lord, and if we have such promises being made to us from the Lord that we see in scripture, why would we ever turn to something other than Him in our time of need? I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2818

Chapter 13

Genesis 13 Daily DEVO And Lot, who went with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents, so that the land could not support both of them dwelling together; for their possessions were so great that they could not dwell together, and there was strife between the herdsmen of Abram’s livestock and the herdsmen of Lot’s livestock…Genesis 13:5-7a – Sometimes having things doesn’t equal unity with people. We see two groups here each with great amount of provisions. While it would seem then that everything would be good then between them because neither would be without, in actuality the mass of their provision became the source of their separation. Today learn that having “things” isn’t always going to fix things with people. Whether it’s a kid trying to get friends by having the “coolest” clothes or a pastor thinking he has to have “this” in his church to get people to come, we must realize for our relationships to be strong they need a different glue. Stop using stuff as your glue in relationships and begin using Jesus as your source of togetherness. Unlike stuff, when Jesus increases in each of your lives, it will only draw you two closer together. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 493

And Lot lifted up his eyes and saw that the Jordan Valley was well watered everywhere like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt, in the direction of Zoar. (This was before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.) Genesis 13:10 – Something can be full of success yet still full of sin. Here Lot saw this land and it’s was beautiful. Well watered everywhere, like the Garden of Eden. Yet this land with all its beauty had places within it like Sodom and Gomorrah, places filled with wicked men. Be sure then to judge the beauty and success of things by the proper criteria. Just because a person has money doesn’t mean everything they are doing is pure. Just because a church has a lot of people doesn’t mean they are following Jesus. Just because someone doesn’t have problems like you doesn’t mean they are more faithful. Those who are truly successful in the ways that matter are the ones who have devoted their lives fully over to the glorification of Jesus. They may not have money, they may not have perfect health, their churches may be small, but in God’s eyes they are a well watered land. Be wise then when envy and jealousy wants to creep into your thoughts when you see their “success.” If their success and beauty are created for them in ways that aren’t honoring to God, that success is nothing to be envious of. In time if will be chaff in the wind, something not even remembered. Pour yourself into the work of God and let God determine what a well watered life for you is. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1817

Is not the whole land before you? Separate yourself from me. If you take the left hand, then I will go to the right, or if you take the right hand, then I will go to the left. Genesis 13:9 – Over these last couple chapters, we are seeing Abraham’s faithfulness to the Lord being tried and founded. He sinfully heads to Egypt, trusting in a foreign nation for provision. He lies about his wife and leads other people into sin, and even separates his own family for a while. Yet now, he is brought back to where he started before the Egyptian trip, and his is seeing how blessed by the Lord he truly is when he remains faithful. So much so that his flocks and his nephews flock can’t remain in the same location for the land can’t handle all the animals. Abraham then gives this generous offer to Lot that we see in our verse above. What we see from Abraham is his trust in the Lord is beginning to be fully founded. He knew that he could be overly generous to Lot, for God had first been generous in His blessing towards Abraham. Abraham also knew that if God could provide for his family through the famine, and even through Egypt, then God could provide in the future. When we fully place our trust in the Lord like this, it makes it far easier to be generous like the Lord is calling us to. We can give God our time. We can give others our possessions. We can even give our life for our brother, all when we know our life is within the hands of a good God. Trust then in the Lord with all your heart, leaning not on your own understanding. Give how God calls you to give and trust that however generous He is calling you to be, He can exceed your faithful generosity a thousand times over. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2819

Chapter 14

Genesis 14 Daily DEVO And blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand!” And Abram gave him a tenth of everything. Genesis 14:20 – Abram acknowledged that the victory was his because God gave him the victory. Have you began to accredit God with your victories? Don’t be fooled into thinking you overcame or succeeded on your own. Remember the strength and talent you have God gave you. Remember the money you have, God gave you the mind and time to earn it all. All that we have has been given to us by God so every victory we find we must give Him the credit due to Him. Be willing to humble yourself like Abram. Even with his vast wealth, he took the time to show thanks to God and acknowledge God’s hand in the past victory. Let’s seek to do the same in our victories today. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 494

Now the Valley of Siddim was full of bitumen pits, and as the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, some fell into them, and the rest fled to the hill country. Genesis 14:10 – When running, make sure you are running in the right direction. Since I didn’t know what bitumen was I had to look it up. Apparently other terms are slime pits or even asphalt pits. Bubbling slime pits that things, and as we see in the passage, people as well can fall into. After their battle they turned and ran yet ran in a direction that was only going to lead to their entrapment. We may want to laugh at their stupidity, yet how often do we find ourselves running from our battles into things that will only entrap us in the end. We run to food to feel better, another relationship to feel worthy, alcohol to feel numb, or self harm to feel something. Yet all these are is bitumen, a slime pit that we’ll fall into and find ourselves trapped within. Run then in the right direction, run to Jesus who is only one who can set you free. Yes, you have the freedom to run to anything you want to, but Jesus is the one place that will keep you free. Run wisely. Run to Jesus when hurt and pain are overwhelming rather than anything else. He’s the source of help you actually need. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1818

They also took Lot, the son of Abram’s brother, who was dwelling in Sodom, and his possessions, and went their way. Genesis 14:12 – If you hung around with a group of kids that were constantly knocking down wasp nests, you wouldn’t be surprised if eventually you got stung. Or if you stayed with a group of guys who were careless with guns, constantly firing them all around, if wouldn’t surprise you if someday you accidently got shot. For Lot then, choosing to dwell in a land filled with sin and the people were constantly surrendering to the lusts of sin, it’s not surprising he got caught up in the mess the sin caused. Spurgeon said it this way, “Those believers who conform to the world must expect to suffer for it.” Anytime we comprise our faithful walk to walk in sin, we shouldn’t be surprised when we get caught up in the war, battles, fights, and hurt that comes with those of the world. Rather we should be in the world, but not of it. We can see the sin around us and see the those around us submitting to the enemy, but we will not stand in the way of sinners to get swept up in their mess with them. Allow Lot’s example to be one that deters you from that next choice of sin or from staying with that person/group that dwells in sin. God is calling you to something better, and while God certainly has the power to save you from your sin, He’s not calling you to return to it. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2820

Chapter 15

Genesis 15 Daily DEVO Then the Lord said to Abram, “Know for certain that your offspring will be sojourners in a land that is not theirs and will be servants there, and they will be afflicted for four hundred years.” Genesis 15:13 – God knows what is ahead. We have God here speaking into Abram’s story saying he’s going to have numerous offspring and not only that, but also sharing with him the distant future of what is in store for his not-even-in-existence-yet family. God knew what was in Abram’s future and He knows just as well what’s in your future. This is why it’s so important to continue to follow what God tells us to do. In the moment it may not make sense, but it’s because we can’t see how this “moment” fits into the full story. That’s something only God can see. That being the case, He then is the only one that truly has what it takes to lead us. Not our friends, not culture, not our feelings, only God. Follow the one who actually knows what’s up ahead for you on your journey. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 495

After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: “Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.” Genesis 15:1 – After these things the word came… The word Abram needed came after Abram’s faithful deeds. We can see throughout scripture that God is fully capable to speak into the stories of those who aren’t being faithful to Him. Yet we can’t dismiss what else we see over and over, God speaks into the lives of those who are faithful to Him. Here is was after Abram gave a tenth of everything he had and been faithful concerning Lot. For us the faithfulness God is seeking may not mean you dropping everything and going to the unreached people of South America with the Gospel. What it may look like is picking up your Bible today to read His word. Maybe it means praying for wisdom this morning before anything happens in your day. Maybe it’s talking with that person on your heart. Maybe it is going to South America. Whatever it is, if you’re seeking God’s word and direction, have you been faithful in your devotional life to Him? Our faithful walk towards Him spurs His voice in our story. Don’t take that as I’m saying God is like a vending machine where you read one chapter and you get the answer you’re looking for. What I do believe though is you’ll have a MUCH better chance at hearing God’s word for your life if you’re deeply in scripture and living faithfully in all other parts of your story. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1819

And he said to him, “I am the Lord who brought you out from Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to possess.” Genesis 15:7 – As one navigates the scriptures they will comes across verses like this one from the Lord to His people many times. Verses where God is reminding them that the reason they are where they are today is because He alone brought the out of where they were and placed them where they are. Here, in the midst of making an eternal convent with Abraham, God reminds him that He was the one that took them from the land of idol worship and brought them to the land that He was to give them. Later in scripture we see multiple times God remind the Israelites that it was He alone that brought them out of Egyptian slavery and into the promise land. Other places the Lord points out how it was He that brought His people out of the wilderness, out of the hand of the enemy, and out of the grip of sin. In our story today let us remember that if it wasn’t for God, we would still be where we were. We’d still be in the wilderness, in the hand of the enemy, and still in our sin. We’d still be heading toward death, with only Hell as our future, if Jesus didn’t rescue us. We have the promise of life, the freedom from sin, and the rescue from the hands of Satan because of God and God alone. Remember then that wherever your story started, you’re not there anymore all because of Jesus. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2821

Chapter 16

Genesis 16 Daily DEVO And Sarai said to Abram, “Behold now, the Lord has prevented me from bearing children. Go in to my servant; it may be that I shall obtain children by her.” And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai. Genesis 16:2 – Letting our desires guide us in life is a very dangerous way to live. We see that message being shown in this decision Abram made. While maybe a sexual desire was here as well, don’t be fooled into thinking that was the only desire leading Abram. The desire to make what God promised happen or the desire to have a child, those and others are at play here. Please understand, desires aren’t always bad, it’s bad though when we let them lead us rather than letting God lead us. Often our desires will conflict with the direction God wants to take us. We have to make the choice, satisfy the desire or seek out and follow God’s direction to meet our needs. Like in Abram’s story, both his desire and God’s plan for him would end up giving him a child so God was still wanting to meet Abram’s needs. God just had a better way of doing it and so is it with you. Stop letting your desires lead you, it will only mess things up. Seek out the direction of God over the desires of your flesh. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 496

And he said, “Hagar, servant of Sarai, where have you come from and where are you going?” She said, “I am fleeing from my mistress Sarai.” Genesis 16:8 – Two great questions to ask of ourselves today. Where have we come from and where are we going? The first can have as many answers as there are people on earth. We can come from brokenness, abuse, blessing, a good family, a bad family, a Christian home, or one where Jesus’ name was never spoken. The list could go on forever with answers to the first question. The second though should only have one answer for us today. Where are you going? To Jesus. Sure we all started from different places, but where we are going should be the same. Into the arms of Jesus. Let’s then not be so caught up with the starting point of others. Yes they may have a starting point that’s pretty dark and scary, but what you only need to concern yourself with is where they are going. However you can, make sure the place those around you are heading toward is Jesus. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1820

So she called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, “You are a God of seeing,” for she said, “Truly here I have seen him who looks after me.” Genesis 16:13 – In this chapter we get the story of Sarah and Hagar. Sarah, being unable at this time to provide a child for Abraham, takes matters into her own hands and tells her husband to have their God-promised child through her servant Hagar instead. In verse 13, we have the pregnant Hagar running away from the abuse she was experiencing by Sarah, and she is alone in the desert by a well. There we see an “angel of the Lord” come to visit her, which we believe to be a pre-incarnate Jesus visiting her. This is the first time Jesus shows up like this in physical form in scripture, and it’s not to a someone like Noah or Abraham, but to a servant girl, who acted pridefully, and now is running away from an abusive situation. This connects with the story within John 4 when Jesus shares for the first time to someone that He is the coming Messiah, and who does He do it with? A Samaritan woman, who was at a desert well in the heat of the day for she was trying to avoid others due to her sins of adultery. See from these passages that our God isn’t the type of God that only sees the powerful, holy, majestic type characters we see in scripture. He sees the servant girls, He sees the lonely, He sees the hurting, He sees those in sin, and He sees the ones far in the desert. We serve a God who sees, so know today that the Lord sees you. You may be in a place of blessing, or you may be alone by a desert well, and in both places you are seen by the God of seeing. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2822

Chapter 17

Genesis 17 Daily DEVO No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham, for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations. Genesis 17:5 – God is all about changing us. Understand the changing isn’t because He’s upset or disappointed in you because of how you are and unless He changes you He can’t stand to be around you. That’s not how God sees you at all. Like with Abraham, God loves you and wants the best for you. God though also knows that in order for us to have the best, some things in our life will have to change. The ways you see yourself, the way you live, the way you handle others, all are on the table for change. God takes you as you are, but know He loves you enough to not leave you that way. The changes God is leading you to make in your life aren’t because He can’t stand you, it’s because He knows what’s best for you and He longs for you to have that. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 497

When he had finished talking with him, God went up from Abraham. Then Abraham took Ishmael his son and all those born in his house or bought with his money, every male among the men of Abraham’s house, and he circumcised the flesh of their foreskins that very day, as God had said to him. Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. Genesis 17:22-24 – God established a covenant with Abraham. The moment that God was done speaking with Abraham, that’s the moment Abraham began the process of keeping his end of the covenant. As painful and uncomfortable as it may have been, he didn’t wait or put it off, he immediately followed what God had spoken. For us, let’s follow immediately as well. Most of the biggest regrets we’ll have in our story is when we hold off on moving forward with the directions God gives us. When told to forgive yet we don’t. When told to share the gospel but we choose not to. When told to get to know God more through His word but we don’t. We say we’ll eventually get to it, but within that eventually who knows what may happen. Don’t hesitate any longer to do what God has told you to do. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1821

That very day Abraham and his son Ishmael were circumcised. Genesis 17:26 – The Lord appeared to Abraham, and the conversation that took place was truly wonderful. The Lord repeated the promise He had made with Abraham, that He would bring a multitude from him. That kings would come from his family and this promise would be an eternal one. Abraham then would be told that on his part he was to be faithful in what the Lord commanded. What then was the command of the Lord? That every male in Abraham’s house ought to be circumcised to show their separation from the world and their obedience to the Lord. What then did Abraham do when given this command? As we see in our verse above, that very day he was circumcised. He was 99 years old as well! We must be willing to have such an obedience to the Lord as this. That whatever the Lord commands, we will follow. It may be difficult to do, and we may have logical excuses not to follow it, but we will choose to set aside our excuses and set aside ease to follow the Lord’s command. For we have chosen not to declare Jesus just our Savior from our sin, but also the Lord over our life. How quickly then are you to submitting to commands given that aren’t easy to follow? Assess where you are with that today, bring that before the Lord, and make a step today toward a deeper commitment to following the Lord’s lead wherever that direction takes you. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2823

Chapter 18

Genesis 18 Daily DEVO Then he said, “Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak again but this once. Suppose ten are found there.” He answered, “For the sake of ten I will not destroy it.” Genesis 18:32 – Please take note of a few things from this story. While Abraham thought God would become angry at him for asking all this, never once did God lash out in anger towards Abraham’s requests. Also we see how God was open to the idea of saving Sodom. God wasn’t out seeking the punishment of that city like a wicked person. He was open to saving them. Learn from this that God is not a mean God seeking your punishment and just about to burst out with anger if you say something wrong. God is all loving, God has perfect patience, and God is extremely kind. Take any way of thinking about God that conflicts with that (that God is angry at you or God can’t stand you) and throw it out. That’s not the God of scripture and that’s not the God who loved you so much that He let His Son die for you so you could be with Him. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 498

Is anything too hard for the Lord? At the appointed time I will return to you, about this time next year, and Sarah shall have a son.” Genesis 18:14 – Such a famous verse in this chapter and such a good question to ask today. What is too hard for the Lord? While the correct answer is nothing, have you settled in your heart certain things are too hard for Him? For Sarah, it was this idea that this promised nation would actually come from her. Maybe for us it’s that He actually forgives us and isn’t holding our past against us. Possibly we think our limitations are too much for God to work with. Possibly it’s our past that we think is too messed up for a perfect God to want, let alone use. Whatever it may be know Jesus can handle it easily. Nothing is too hard for our God. Your sins were fully dealt with on the cross, your limitations have been known by God from creation, and your past is something God can deeply use to transform other lives if you let Him. Nothing is too hard for our God. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1822

And the Lord said, “If I find at Sodom fifty righteous in the city, I will spare the whole place for their sake.” Genesis 18:26 – Abraham and the Lord are looking over the city of Sodom and God declares His plans to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah for their sin. Seeking to pull from Abraham a heart for those far from the Lord, God shares these plans and has the back-and-forth conversation we see in the following verses. Abraham asks the Lord will he still destroy the city if there is 50 righteous people in the city, and we see from our verse above, God says He would spare the city. Then Abraham continues, 45, 40, 30, 20, and then down to 10 righteous people in the city, and would God still destroy the city if 10 were found? God said He would spare the city even if only 10 were found. Perhaps Abraham hoped that Lot, who was living in Sodom, would have led at least a few people to the Lord beyond his family, but we see later only the 4 in Lot’s family were found righteous. I wonder then if we were told God was going to destroy our workplace or school, but if He found 10 righteous He would spare it, would He find 10? How about 2? Meaning that you have shared your faith in Jesus with one person so there is at least more than just you who is righteous there. Now likely where you work or go to school there is a few of believers around, so this example does fall flat. But like with Lot, wherever you are today, has anyone turned from their sin to Jesus because you shared with them that was an path they could take? Could even one person be found righteous beyond yourself because you were faithful to the command to share the Gospel? If not, know today is a wonderful day to begin helping those around you know Jesus. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2824

Chapter 19

Genesis 19 Daily DEVO And they struck with blindness the men who were at the entrance of the house, both small and great, so that they wore themselves out groping for the door. Genesis 19:11 – The situation these men found themselves in is such a picture of the situation those who follow after sin find themselves in. Blind and can’t find what they are looking for. Please know that scripture is not oblivious to the temptations that sin brings and the lies it gives out. Even Jesus was tempted in every way we learn from scripture. That said, learn from scripture where sin takes you. These men who were consumed with their sinful desires found themselves blinded. Like sin does, they found themselves exhausted seeking after the “prize” sin told them they would have, but never found it. And finally we’re destroyed due to their love of sin. Remember what Jesus said, the thief only wants to steal, kill, and destroy. Sin hurts you. Learn this lesson from scripture so you don’t have to fall into the same pits we see those falling into from our passages. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 499

But he lingered. So the men seized him and his wife and his two daughters by the hand, the Lord being merciful to him, and they brought him out and set him outside the city. Genesis 19:16 – Other translations say he hesitated or he was dragging his feet. He lingered. Lot knew full well what was about to happen to Sodom and Gomorrah. He knew the level of sin there and God had made it clear what was about to happen. Despite all that, Lot lingered. As with Lot, God has made it clear how He is dealing with the sin in our world. Those that don’t seek forgiveness and allow Jesus to bear the burden of their sin for them will have to suffer the consequences of choosing to take care of sin on their own. A death of eternal separation from God. You knows what’s coming, don’t hesitate to turn to follow Jesus. Already a follower? Then scripture also depicts clearly what can take place when a follower is consumed with sinfulness. No one turns to Jesus because of you. Don’t linger. Don’t choose sin over God. Be the salt of the earth rather than your life just adding salt to the earth. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1823

So Lot went out and said to his sons-in-law, who were to marry his daughters, “Up! Get out of this place, for the Lord is about to destroy the city.” But he seemed to his sons-in-law to be jesting. Genesis 19:14 – Lot, while remaining a follower of God himself, is a perfect example of what comprising to accept the world’s belief of sin can have on our witness. Lot went from just going in the direction of Sodom and pitching his tent near it, to sitting at the gate as a leader of the city. Lot continued to comprise by accepting the sinful behavior of those around him and dwelling where sin was flagrant. In our verse above, we see what such acceptance of sin can do to our witness. Lot, knowing the coming judgement of the Lord, tries to warn his sons-in-law to run away from this sinful place to where the Lord is leading, yet they think he’s just joking. He had lost all influence and any witness of righteousness to others was gone. Be wise then how you handle sin. Don’t accept sin as ok to have around and dwell in like the world accepts sin. Be willing to stand firm in what you know scripture says is holy and what is sinful. For when we begin to treat things we know are sinful as acceptable, that comprise of our beliefs will destroy any chance of sharing the Gospel with people. While no one enjoys having their way of life identified as wrong, if their way of life is scripturally sinful, it is a wrong way of life that is leading them towards death. The “loving” thing to do is not to allow them to live as they want, but to share with them the truth around their way of life. Yet, with how you handle sin right now, do you think anyone would even listen to you sharing the Gospel? I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2825

Chapter 20

Genesis 20 Daily DEVO Then God said to him in the dream, “Yes, I know that you have done this in the integrity of your heart, and it was I who kept you from sinning against me. Therefore I did not let you touch her.” Genesis 20:6 – God is the one who gives us the power and strength to say no to sin. On our own, we are powerless to the temptations and snares of sin and our enemy. That’s why without Jesus stepping in we have no chance of being good enough to be in a relationship with God. Yet with Jesus, and His power in our life, we can actually say no to sin and our enemy. So if today you find yourself once again depressed by the attacks of the enemy and overwhelmed with guilt because you messed up again, know with Jesus you don’t have to stay in that dark place. Ask God for help and seek out His strength in His Word. He wants to give you the power to overcome the sin in your story, but know it’s only with Him that you’ll ever overcome it. You’ve seen where relying on your own strength gets you, so let’s change it up and seek out the strength from the One who not only overcame sin Himself but had the power to overcome death. Know Jesus loves you and wants to help you overcome what you’re battling. He’s your only hope, but thankfully He’s ready and willing to step in any moment you invite Him into your story. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac (p.s. – Thanks for journeying with me for 500 Daily DEVOS! I hope God has been able to use them to help your story with Him grow!) – Daily DEVO 500

And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, “She is my sister.” And Abimelech king of Gerar sent and took Sarah.” Genesis 20:2 – If you’ve been following along with the readings here in Genesis then this verse seems oddly familiar. In chapter 12 Abraham did the very same thing in Egypt. Because he was afraid of what was going to happen to him he devised this lie with his wife. What we see now in chapter 20, many years after Egypt and after many times of God proving to Abraham His ability to save, Abraham slips into the sin of fear once again and tries to handle things on his own. Even the great Abraham of scripture can slip up and fall back into sin. Yet, did his sin ruin God’s plan and throw everything out of God’s control? No. God’s hands are big enough to handle our choices, whether for Him or away from Him. God though is inviting us to make the choice to move towards Him and with Him. To trust Him to provide and trust that He is better than whatever sin is offering. Know today you have a choice whether to continue in the ways sin has guided you for so long or turn to a new direction of following Jesus like scripture calls us to. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1824

And Abimelech said to Abraham, “What did you see, that you did this thing?” Genesis 20:10 – Once again Abraham, when moving into a new area, claims Sarah his wife to be only his sister in order to protect himself. When Abimelech, a king in this area, took Sarah to be his wife, God thankfully intervened and set things back in proper order. Here above is the verse that Abimelech speaks to Abraham after the Lord appears to Abimelech in a dream telling him of the facts surrounding Abraham and Sarah. What did Abraham see? Abraham said he didn’t see the fear of God in this kingdom, but as David Guzik but it, “the real problem was that the fear of God wasn’t in Abraham.” Again Abraham’s lack of trust in the Lord led to so much sin. This deception resulted in Abraham sinning, Sarah sinning, and a horrible effect on the whole house of Abimelech during this time. If God didn’t intervene, can you imagine the issues this would have caused with the future nation to come from Sarah and the Messiah coming from their line? “Trust in the Lord” shouldn’t just be a phrase we say but a phrase we cling to. Let this passage not only be proof that God is trustworthy and able to protect those following Him, but let it also show us the multi-layer damage the lack of trusting God can cause. Trust in the Lord, with all your heart, and even when your own understanding of things says differently, don’t lean on that but lean on the words of scripture that show how God is enough to take care of you. While you may not see the fear of God in the lives of those around you, let it be found within you. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2826

Chapter 21

Genesis 21 Daily DEVO The Lord visited Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did to Sarah as he had promised. Genesis 21:1 – The message is simple today, God does what He says He’ll do. For Sarah and Abraham God promises them that even in their old age they would have a child. Now as crazy as that sounded to them and as unbelievable as it was to those around them, we see God coming through for them just like He said He would. Know that the same God that came through for them is the same God that is promising to come through for you as well. He hasn’t changed and He wants you to believe that He’s good on His promises. God’s timing may be different than your’s and His ways of coming through different than you expected, but He comes through in the very best way possible for you. Trust how He chooses to come through and trust He will come through for you because our God keeps His Word. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 501

Then God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water. And she went and filled the skin with water and gave the boy a drink. Genesis 21:19 – Was the well miraculously made by God in that moment or did Hagar just not see it until this time? Scripture doesn’t clearly tell us, but what we do see is that it was God who opened her eyes to the life saving water. Without God’s help, she was ready to die and to have her son die too. But God, who is demonstrating here His readiness to help us, opened her eyes to the very provision she needed. God is ready to lean into your time of need and provide as well. Be willing to lift your voice to Him for help and be open to however God chooses to direct your eyes. In Hager’s story he could have refilled her water bottle, had a traveler pass by with water, or even a donkey bring her water. God meets our needs in ways sometimes we aren’t expecting. God may choose to open your eyes to a well when you were looking for a donkey carrying water. Be open then to God providing in His ways that look different than your ways. There is no reason for you to die next to a well of water all because you are waiting for that donkey to come by. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1825

So Abraham rose early in the morning and took bread and a skin of water and gave it to Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, along with the child, and sent her away. And she departed and wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba. Genesis 21:14 – The promised by God son Isaac was finally born to Abraham and Sarah, about 25 years after the promise was made. What we see taking place in our verse is Sarah telling Abraham to send Hagar (the servant women he had a baby with because they took matters into their own hands instead of trusting God) and the child Ismael away. Abraham does as Sarah, and the Lord, said to do, and he casts off these two and sends them into the desert. Note that while a harsh move, God provides for and blesses still Hagar and the boy, but still why would God even command Abraham to do something like this? It’s because this is how we should always handle the sinful things in our life, a complete and total casting away. What Abraham did with Hagar was all-around sinful for it displayed a lack of trust in the Lord, a lack of leadership, and a lack of faith in God’s promises. What was birthed from this situation was sin, and God is now calling Abraham to cast far away his sin. Know today this same command is being given to us. Whatever sinfulness is in our life still, God is telling us to send it packing into the desert. It is not to remain on the sidelines, nor in the closet, nor as something you only visit just every great while. As God reveals such sinful things that are still remaining within your story, lean on the Lord for help to finally set them aside. Embrace the holy life He created you to live. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2827

Chapter 22

Genesis 22 Daily DEVO But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” Genesis 22:11 – Compare this verse with me with verse 1…After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.”(22:1) Sounds quite similar right? Know though while the wording is the same, the settings are far different. In verse one Abraham replies to the Lord with “Here I am” right after God blesses him with Isaac and peace with his enemies. In verse 11 Abraham replies to the Lord with “Here I am” right as he is about to sacrifice Isaac on account of what God commanded him to do. We see Abraham being available to God in the time of blessing and in the times of sad sacrifice. So too should we be. If we only are available to listen and be used by God when He’s blessing us that’s not right. Even if we don’t understand the struggle we’re going through, that’s not reason enough to refuse to listen and be used by God. Let’s learn to be open to God when times are good and when times are bad. Let’s have the same attitude as Abraham where whether we are in a time of blessing or sacrifice, if God calls on us our reply is, “Here I am.” I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 502

When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built the altar there and laid the wood in order and bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Genesis 22:9 – When you start to look at the ages of both men here the scene begins to change. Abraham was 100 years old and many scholars believe Issac to be in his 20’s. So a hundred year old guy is overpowering a 20 something and is able to bind him and place him on this altar? Granted we don’t have all the details here, but the most likely scenario is that Issac helped out his dad with this. Rather than fighting against his father because he didn’t understand why he was about to go through the pain in front of him, he faithfully followed his father. Often we too can get a glimpse of what could come up in our story if we say yes to God and it can be overwhelming and confusing. There we see though the substance of our faith. Do we still follow when the next step is overwhelming and confusing or do we fight and try to escape? Notice here Issac comes through this whole scene, so will you. Yes, maybe on the other side your story will look very different, maybe even heavenly different, but saying “Here I Am, Lord” whenever God speaks to you is always your best choice. For God’s glory and your blessing. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1826

Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; I and the boy will go over there and worship and come again to you.” Genesis 22:5 – In this chapter, God directs Abraham to sacrifice his only son as a burnt offering. Abraham submits to the overwhelmingly difficult command and proceeds with the process. He himself prepares the wood and donkeys, travels three days to the sacrifice location, and even carried the knife himself that he planned to plunge into his own son to follow the Lord’s command. Yet in this verse it seems like Abraham knew something was up, for he said to his servants that he and the boy would go and then come again. Did Abraham plan on not going through with this? Did he know what was going to happen? No, he didn’t know what was going to happen. We see clearly he was ready and planning on going through with the sacrifice. So why did he phrase the verse above like he did, making it clear that he and the boy would return? Abraham didn’t know God’s plan, but he knew God’s promise. God clearly promised that Abraham would have a nation come from him and Isaac was the one to begin all that. Abraham knew that if God promised He would do something, then God would do it. Maybe God would change His mind, maybe God would raise Isaac from the dead after the sacrifice…Abraham didn’t know the plan, but He would be faithful to his God that was always faithful to His promises. So when God asks of us to move in an overwhelmingly difficult way, let us be willing to be faithful even when we don’t see how the whole picture plays out. Trust in the promises that God has made to you throughout scripture and rest in the fact that He has never once in all of history failed to keep His promise. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2828

Chapter 23

Genesis 23 Daily DEVO “No, my lord, hear me: I give you the field, and I give you the cave that is in it. In the sight of the sons of my people I give it to you. Bury your dead.” Genesis 23:11 – Struggles in life will come. So what can we learn from this passage about handling struggles? First, if not the one struggling, be willing to let go of things if it would help someone out. Time, a room in your home, or some land like in the story, be willing to put the person first. Second, if you are the one struggling, allow others to help you. Isolating yourself may seem like the best way to handle it all. Just know it’s not. Yes, we all need time to ourselves and I encourage you in such times take it, but always reconnect. We are meant to be together. Learn from this sad story of Abraham the importance of being there for each other and the importance of humbling yourself to let others be there for you. God never meant us to stay alone. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 503

And Sarah died at Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan, and Abraham went in to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her. Genesis 23:2 – Even the great Abraham suffered loss, pain, and death. This is a truth that for whatever reason can get lost sometimes, that as Christians we’ll still experience hardships. Just because we place our faith in Jesus we don’t suddenly become free of things like pain and loss. So what benefit is there then to a relationship with Jesus then if bad things aren’t stopped? With Jesus we can begin to see a purpose behind the pain. With Jesus we have a solid place to fall into that can hold us steady when the pain is too much. With Jesus we have a promise of a future that will exceed the limits of our imagination. No, Jesus doesn’t take away all the pain of life, but He gives us purpose, love, and hope in the pain. If your reason for not following Jesus is because you were told He takes all our pain away then I’m sorry you were taught such a wrong gospel. If that was true why would Jesus Himself experience so much pain and loss in His physical life? What you can find in Jesus is a companion that will forever be with you in the pain and has to power to work good even out of the most broken of parts of your story. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1827

Abraham listened to Ephron, and Abraham weighed out for Ephron the silver that he had named in the hearing of the Hittites, four hundred shekels of silver, according to the weights current among the merchants. Genesis 23:16 – While living a full and holy life, Sarah passes away and Abraham rightfully mourns the loss of his spouse. Reaching out to the people of the land he was in, he asked to purchase a burial place for Sarah, a cave owned by a man named Ephron. In the chapter we see Ephron follow the custom of their culture when it came to bargaining deals. First the owner would politely agree to give it freely to the would-be buyer, knowing that they would refuse the free gift and ask for beginning amount. The seller would then give a far too high of price that would begin the back-and-forth bargaining. Yet, when Ephron gives the high price of 400 silver shekels, Abraham simply agrees to the price with no further deal making. Even in his sorrow, Abraham was willing on be generous and behave in a way that was unlike the world around him. How often though do we use the circumstances of our life as excuses to behave in ways that don’t distinguish us as followers of Jesus? We may be in sorrow, we may be hurting, we may be struggling, yet those aren’t spaces we are allowed to set aside our witness in. How we speak, act, and treat people in those times of our life especially can either attract people to Jesus or push them away from Him. Take hold of the peace, joy, and strength Jesus offers so you can remain a holy witness for Him in all seasons of life. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2829

Chapter 24

Genesis 24 Daily DEVO The man gazed at her in silence to learn whether the Lord had prospered his journey or not. Genesis 24:21 – I love this verse because I have been here before. Where this guy prayed a very precise prayer because he didn’t want to have any questions about it, God hears and answered like He was asked to, and then the guy who prayed is stunned that God actually did what he asked God to do! I love it! Granted, a lot of times how God answered us is different than we ask, but don’t be so surprised when He actually comes through like you asked. Remember God is always listening to you. He hears what you are saying to Him. Sometimes He moves in the direction you asked Him to as a reminder of that fact that’s He’s listening. Be willing to accept how God chooses to move and praise Him however He chooses. Take it to as an extra blessing when He makes it abundantly clear He with you like this. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac- Daily DEVO 504

Then Isaac brought her into the tent of Sarah his mother and took Rebekah, and she became his wife, and he loved her. So Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death. Genesis 24:67 – Every step of the way they chose faithfulness and we see God responding in blessing. Abraham chose to be faithful in the command to not find a wife for his son among the Canaanites. The servants were faithful in the search for Rebekah and sought God every step of the way. Isaac chose to wait faithfully for the woman God had in store for him. The end result then was love and the comfort he needed to move forward in life. When we choose to be faithful in however God has directed us today know His blessing follows. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1828

Then food was set before him to eat. But he said, “I will not eat until I have said what I have to say.” He said, “Speak on.” Genesis 24:33 – Abraham sends his most trusted servant on a long trip back to where Abraham’s extended family lived, likely around a 900-mile trip just to get there. The reason? To find a wife for his son Isaac from his extended family for he didn’t want Isaac to take a wife from the Canaanites that were surrounding them. The servant faithfully takes on this long trip, doing exactly what his master directed him to do all along the way. The servant then finds himself now in the house of some of Abraham’s family, with water, food, and comfort readily awaiting him, but he refuses until he completed the full purpose of his master’s command. This servant wasn’t willing to be distracted from the mission until the master’s mission was fully complete. Let this be our story too. This world is so filled with the distractions of comfort and pleasure. Even as believers, who know full well the reality of Heaven and Hell, and fully know the mission to share the gospel, we too can allow ourselves to be distracted by the things of this world from our Master’s mission. Let us though be faithful like this servant of Abraham’s was. Refuse to be lazy when it comes to our Master’s mission. Continue to demonstrate the goodness and love of God through your life, and daily be seeking opportunities to speak of Jesus and the salvation He offers. Like Isaac, Jesus to is awaiting His bride the church. Let us be a servant that is willing to ready His bride for Him. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2830

Chapter 25

Genesis 25 Daily DEVO And Isaac prayed to the Lord for his wife, because she was barren. And the Lord granted his prayer, and Rebekah his wife conceived. Genesis 25:21 – I wonder how Isaac knew that he could pray to God for a child and that God would hear him and be able to give him a child? Maybe because his parents did the very same thing and set the example for him as to what a life of faithful praying and trusting God looks like. Your faithfulness will impact the faithfulness of others. If you hold true to your beliefs about God and make a habit out of seeking Him out always with things that happen in your life, people will see that and they’ll see how God works in your life because of it. Just like Isaac saw the faithful obedience of his parents so to will people see your faithful obedience to God. Also just like with Isaac, your obedience will not only be seen, but it will be a model for others to follow in the footsteps of. So be obedient to God for your own walk with Him, but all the while know God is using your faithfulness to nurture more than just your own life with Him. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 505

The children struggled together within her, and she said, “If it is thus, why is this happening to me?” So she went to inquire of the Lord. Genesis 25:22 – Answered prayers aren’t absent of difficulty. In our passage Isaac prays his wife Rebekah will be able to bear children and God answers that prayer. For Rebekah though the answered prayer comes attached with a confusing, painful pregnancy. She wouldn’t have been able to tell there where twins within her, she just knew there was pain and problems. Know God is listening, God even answers, but our answered prayers won’t be absent of difficulty sometimes. For often the biggest blessings come through the most difficult of journeys. In the pain, confusion, and difficultly inquire of the Lord just like Rebekah. He has the answers and peace you need. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1829

Jacob said, “Sell me your birthright now.” ³²Esau said, “I am about to die; of what use is a birthright to me?” ³³Jacob said, “Swear to me now.” So he swore to him and sold his birthright to Jacob. ³⁴Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew, and he ate and drank and rose and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright. Genesis 25:31-33 – We read within this chapter the story of the birth of Esau and Jacob, the twins born to Isaac and Rebekah. In the end of the chapter we see the story of Esau giving his younger brother his birthright as the older sibling all for of a bowl of stew. It’s easy for us to look at the situation and think how foolish Esau was, that simply for some food you would let go of something so meaning, powerful, and lifechanging. Let’s look though at what we have being brought into the family of God. Adoption as sons and daughters, forgiveness of our sins, every spiritual blessing that God offers, and eternity in Heaven. This is just a short list of the many things we have as children of God, yet how often do we set aside these valuable things for a “bowl of stew?” While we can never lose the things God has promised to us, we can treat them as less valuable to us than the things the world is offering us. We can embrace the “stews” of this life, the momentary fills that leave us satisfied for a moment but hungry hours later, and forget the wonderous blessings we have in Jesus. If then you are a follower of Jesus, remember today your birthright now as a child of God is far better than the stews this world has to offer. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2831

Chapter 26

Genesis 26 Daily DEVO And Isaac sowed in that land and reaped in the same year a hundredfold. The Lord blessed him. Genesis 26:12 – What God did in Isaac’s story is what He desires to do within your story. Not literally by multiplying your crops (I suppose though if you’re a farmer than possibly literally!), but God desires to bless you and bless you beyond your wildest dreams. Please stop listening to the lies that God is disappointed in you and longs for the day you mess up so He can punish you. That’s not God at all. If God longed to see you punished, He wouldn’t have sent Jesus to take your punishment for you. He wants for you to be filled with His blessing. Allow your life to be centered around and directed by God. Then will you begin to step into the plan of God leading you into His blessing for you. We see that promise through scripture. Follow what God says and it opens the doors for God’s promised blessings the be poured into your story. Seek today how you can orient you life more around God’s Word. Allow yourself to be in the position where God can bless you like He desires to. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac- Daily DEVO 506

And the Lord appeared to him the same night and said, “I am the God of Abraham your father. Fear not, for I am with you and will bless you and multiply your offspring for my servant Abraham’s sake.” Genesis 26:24 – God will repeat a promise so we’ll remember that promise. Seems odd that God would appear to Isaac like this only to tell him something Isaac has heard God say to him before. Yet how often have we heard the promises of God spoken over our life over and over and over…yet we still don’t remember them and lean into them when they’re needed? Like the promise that God will never leave you nor forsake you. Or the promise that He is working everything for our good according to His purpose. Or even the promise that God loves you despite all the reasons we give Him to not. Maybe the promise you’re hearing repeated the most is the one God is trying to get you to remember the most. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1830

When Esau was forty years old, he took Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite to be his wife, and Basemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite, and they made life bitter for Isaac and Rebekah. Genesis 26:34-35 – In this chapter, we see the overwhelming and continuous blessing from the Lord on Isaac. God directed him where was best to find success in the middle of a famine. Isaac found enormous wealth from his work, we even see God blessed him with peace with envious neighbors. While these are specials blessings for Isaac, we also see such was the result of Isaac seeking to live faithfully for the Lord like his father Abraham did. Peace, blessing, and fruitiness comes when we place the Lord first and follow His word. We see this to be true in Isaac, and we see this truth be played out in Isaac’s son Esau’s life as well, yet in the opposite way. Esau takes a wife for himself from the Canaanites, something that the Lord specifically said not to do. We learn from later scriptures that Esau wasn’t a holy man, he didn’t place the Lord’s word as the guide to his life. See the examples God has blessed us with here. Holiness results is blessings, sinfulness results in bitterness for us and others. How often have you paused to think how deeply your lack of following God’s word has on others? Every sinful thing God directs us away from in scripture hurt us, hurts our walk with God, and hurts others. If you’ve grown content with the damage your sin causes you, allow yourself to see today the bitterness and destruction that our sin will have on others too. Live holy to be a blessing to others and honoring to the Lord. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2832

Chapter 27

Genesis 27 Daily DEVO – Then Rebekah took the best garments of Esau her older son, which were with her in the house, and put them on Jacob her younger son. And the skins of the young goats she put on his hands and on the smooth part of his neck. Genesis 27:15-16 – For Jacob to find blessing from his father he had to dress up as someone he wasn’t. Thankfully you and I don’t have to do that with our Heavenly Father. We don’t have to put on the costume of perfection to be able to come before God. We don’t have to pretend to be something we’re not. Unlike Jacob’s dad, God sees through all our costumes. What He asks is for us to just come as we are to Him. No longer pretending to have it all together, but coming to Him in our messed up state. Thanks to Jesus that’s a door that’s open for us to walk through. So today if you feel like God only wants you when you have the costume of perfection on, let go of that please. God wants you to come to Him as you are. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 507

So he went in to his father and said, “My father.” And he said, “Here I am. Who are you, my son?” Genesis27:18 – Just because they say they are right, are there at the right time, they feel right, and they even smell right doesn’t mean they are right. Here Isaac runs through so many tests to see if the person coming to him was the right one yet even through all that blesses the wrong son. Today that person in your story may feel right, today that job may come at the right time, today that move may say it’s right….yet it still may not be right for you. How do you know what’s right then? Lay it before God and seek His wisdom. He knows what’s truly right for you and what will help you use your life for His glory. Be willing to make it your habit when in decision making to bring it before God who can see past all deception and knows what’s best for you. Yes, there will still be times where you just have to step out in faith on decisions, yet when those decisions have been brought before God the faith you’re stepping out in isn’t in yourself but in a God who can handle our weight. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1831

But he said, “Your brother came deceitfully, and he has taken away your blessing.” Genesis 27:35 – Everyone in this story behaved sinfully and everyone in this story lost. Isaac, knowing God’s will to carry out His blessing through Jacob, secretly tries to give the blessing to his favorite son. Rebekah behaved deceitfully my manipulating Isaac and Jacob. Esau, knowing what the Lord had declared, sees a way for him to get worldly blessings, runs for it, and discards the Lord’s plan. Finally, Jacob lies and acts deceitfully to claim the blessing from his father, when if he just trusted in the Lord, he would know all it would be his anyways. Yet, while each of the four acted sinfully, do we see what still took place through it all? God’s plan is still completed. The very person that God foretold would receive His blessing did. Let us remember that God will still move and accomplish His work despite the sin that may be taking place all around us. Others may behave sinfully, the enemy may move, and we even may fail by choosing sin, but even with all that God is able to still bring about His purposes and plan. He is not defeated by our sin nor the enemy’s moves. What God longs for then is for us to trust Him and seek to follow His word rather than our fleshly desires in life. For while the end result of Jacob receiving God’s blessing would still have taken place, can you imagine the difference in our story if each member of the family trusted each other and trusted the Lord in His plan? Know God is going to fulfill His purposes and plans. Be then a follower that is a blessing to His work rather than one He must work in spite of. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2833

Chapter 28

Genesis 28 Daily DEVO Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat and clothing to wear, so that I come again to my father’s house in peace, then the Lord shall be my God” Genesis 28:20-21 – What Jacob said is something I see all of us need to say and live out. He is recognizing that God is promising to be with him and keep him safe, to provide for him and lead him to where is best for him. Jacob realizing this then says if that all is the case, the I’ll let the Lord be my God, the one I listen to, obey, and follow. Have you come to that conclusion yet? God is promising you as well the same thing He promised Jacob here; to guide, keep, and provide. If someone so awesome and powerful as the Lord is saying He’ll do all that and more for you if you choose Him, what’s keeping you from making that choice? Today, start by choosing the Lord to be your God. Not listening to the voices of the other “gods” around, but following the one who has your best interest at heart. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 508

Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you. Genesis 28:15 – Here this unique promise is to Jacob, that God will secure Jacob and bless Jacob with the descendants that He promised. While this promise is to Jacob, it also echos the promises we see throughout scripture to us. God promises to be with you. God promises to watch over you wherever you go. God’s plan is to bring you back to Him and ultimately back into His arms. God also promises us that until that day comes where all His promises to us are fulfilled, He isn’t leaving us. Which part of this promise to Jacob do you need right now to be reminded of? Listen to what God is promising you and choose to believe it’s true. For how different would your daily battle with worry be if you deeply believed in the promise that God will keep your ways secure? Whatever aspect of these promises you need reminded of, remind yourself of. Walk confidently today knowing you have a God who keeps His word. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1832

God Almightybless you and make you fruitful and multiply you, that you may become a company of peoples. Genesis 28:3 – Abraham received this blessing from the Lord, then Abraham bestowed this blessing on his son Isaac. Now Issac is speaking to his son Jacob and bestowing this same blessing on him. Jacob would be the carrier of God’s blessing and God would create a mighty nation and people for His glory through him. We see this to certainly be true for Jacob later becomes “Israel” and fathers the 12 tribes of Israel that we know from scripture. Yet, when did Jacob earn this blessing? Was it when he deceived his father by pretending to be Esau? Was it when he faithfully obeyed the directions of his father not to marry a Canaanite? When did Jacob receive this blessing? Before he was even born (Genesis 25:23). Jacob did nothing to “earn” God’s blessing, in fact his actions so far would in most eyes discount him from receiving such a blessing? God though still choose to bless Jacob for our God is a God who keeps His promises. The promise God made to Abraham, then to Isaac, and now is passing along to Jacob was a promise God was going to keep regardless of the faithfulness of those He made the promise to. We learn and see from scripture that God remains faithful even when we are faithless. Trust then that whatever God has promised in scripture to you is yours. Yes, maybe you have found yourself acting in a faithless manner recently, but that doesn’t equate you losing God’s love and presence with you that He has promised in scripture to give you. What God has spoken He will fulfill. Like Jacob, we have done nothing to earn such blessing and faithfulness from the Lord, but because our God always keeps His word, we can walk today in confidence knowing our God will always fulfill what He has spoken to us. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2834

Chapter 29

Genesis 29 Daily DEVO So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed to him but a few days because of the love he had for her. Genesis 29:20 – When you know what’s to come is so good and worth it, it makes the what you have to deal with during the wait easier to handle. You know in the end all that you are going through now won’t be even on your mind because of how good the thing is that is to come. I love how Paul put it, “For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison,” (2 Cor. 4:17). It’s saying that the goodness of Heaven will be so good, that when we taste it even the worst of trials we went through in our life will be forgotten in comparison to how amazing Heaven is. So if you have a relationship with Jesus, know He isn’t discounting the struggles you’re facing. He is those reminding you of what’s to come in your life. Your struggles are real, but Heaven is realer. What you’re going through can’t compare to how good and worth it Heaven will be. Stay steady in your walk with God, it will all be worth it. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 509

And Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben, for she said, “Because the Lord has looked upon my affliction; for now my husband will love me.” Genesis 29:32 – I can’t even begin to fully understand all the struggle Leah was going through and the mental turmoil she was under in this season of her story. She was an overlooked pawn just wanting to be accepted and loved. Yet in her story we see some truth we all need to embrace. Our hearts can find all we need in God alone. Over and over in her journey she kept seeking to find the approval and love of Jacob but was never finding it, yet in the end of our chapter she turned to seeking the praise of the Lord instead. In our story we will seek the love and attention of so many and wishing for that isn’t bad at all. Yet the harsh truth is we may never receive it from who we think we should receive it from. We too can just be an overlooked pawn to them. Know though that’s not who you are to God. You are a seen, loved, and wanted child of His. While the pain of not receiving all that from those we think should give us all those things is real, God’s heart for you is more real. In God you have a Heavenly Father who loves you beyond your comprehension and He has a desire to be with you beyond anything you could want from anyone else. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1833

And in the morning, behold, it was Leah! And Jacob said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? Did I not serve with you for Rachel? Why then have you deceived me?” Genesis 29:25 – Jacob leaves home to live with his mother’s family so he may find a wife there. His mother’s brother Laban had two daughters, Leah and Rachel, and Jacob sought to marry Rachel. Yet on the day of the wedding Laban acted deceitfully and swapped brides without Jacob realizing and he married Leah instead. Whatever the reason truly was why Laban did this, it was wrong, and certainly Jacob was wronged by this deception. Yet, let us remember, Jacob was here for he did the very same sort of deception with his father concerning the family blessing. He deceived his father by taking the place of his sibling, and the result ended in lies, hurt, hatred, and their family fractured. Let us see here that God truly does take care of those who sin. It can appear to us that when sin takes place that the individual who caused the damage gets “let off the hook.” They seem to have been able to cause the hurt and not have to pay the price for their wrong. Using Jacob then as our example, see that God isn’t about letting sin go unpunished. Ultimately sin will lead people to death, but God will also bring earthly punishment as well on people’s sin to open their eyes to the wrongness of their actions. When then you are in the position of being wronged by other’s sinful choices, choose to trust the Lord to handle those who wronged you. For often when we take matters into our own hands, our end goal is our justification, yet God’s end goal is their salvation. Let the Lord handle those who hurt you, for He is able to bring blessing to you and bring holy conviction to those who wronged you. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2835

Chapter 30

Genesis 30 Daily DEVO When Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, she envied her sister. She said to Jacob, “Give me children, or I shall die!” Jacob’s anger was kindled against Rachel, and he said, “Am I in the place of God, who has withheld from you the fruit of the womb?” Genesis 30:1-2 – Often we will find ourselves in times of our life that the circumstances we just can’t control. What’s dangerous is when we begin to react to those times as Rachel did by lashing out at those who also have no control over the situation. Be careful to not let your anger and frustration over a situation create divides between you and those around you, especially those walking with you in these times. While staying patience and prayerful isn’t the easiest thing to do in these times, it’s worth the effort to go that path for your walk with God and others. Know God is able to provide the peace you need while He is in the process of creating the provision you’re waiting for. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 510

But that day Laban removed the male goats that were striped and spotted, and all the female goats that were speckled and spotted, every one that had white on it, and every lamb that was black, and put them in the charge of his sons. Genesis 30:35 – Not everyone will support your growth. In our chapter Jacob speaks to his father-in-law Laban and asks for any of the spotted/striped goats/lambs to be born in the future from Laban’s flocks to be his. Laban agrees to this deal, yet then does what we see in our verse. He takes away all the spotted and stripped animals so they won’t bred in a place Jacob will see. Laban voiced he wanted Jacob to grow, but his actions spoke a different message. Be aware then that not everyone who speaks well of you desires your growth. While that isn’t an easy truth to accept, know scripture clearly outlines God’s motives concerning you. God is all about your growth. He wants you to grow in strength, in wisdom, and in peace. He wants you to grow and prosper in every way that draws you closer to Himself. God’s heart is for your growth to become all that God created you to be. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1834

Then Leah said, “God has endowed me with a good endowment; now my husband will honor me, because I have borne him six sons.” So she called his name Zebulun. Genesis 30:20 – A large part of this chapter outlines for us the tensions and power struggle happening in Jacob’s family. Rachel and Leah, sisters and both wives of Jacob, sought to be the top wife by producing more children than the other. Children were used as pawns and servants were used as pawns to bring more children onto “their side.” We see how broken this path was in verse 20, for Leah says finally my husband will honor me and love me because I gave him six sons. Her whole life was dedicated to earning love from a man that wasn’t going to give it to her. When we make the strivings of our life to earn the affections of something from this world, we will find ourselves in the desperation of Leah and the tensions that were in Jacob’s family. Instead, when we make our life about living for the Lord, we find His love has already been given to us before we even produced anything for the Lord. We are loved, taken care of, valued, and protected by the Lord not because we have done anything to earn such things, but because this is the sort of God He is. Be wise then in your choice today on whose love you are going to dedicate your life to having. Know if you make it about finding love and worth from someone or something of this world, you won’t find it and will walk away from your efforts in deeper pain than you are in today. Yet, if you make your life about dwelling in the love and worth that God already has given you, you will find yourself daily discovering His love for you is greater than you ever could imagine. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2836

Chapter 31

Genesis 31 Daily DEVO So Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah into the field where his flock was and said to them, “I see that your father does not regard me with favor as he did before. But the God of my father has been with me. Genesis 31:4-5 – While men’s favor is conditional, God’s favor towards you is unconditional. We see here in our passage a situation you may be familiar with in your own story. Where someone at one point liked you and was kind to you, but something changed and now they no longer are that way and even are bitter towards you. Maybe it’s because of something that was said, or wasn’t said, but their favor towards you changed. Today know that God’s favor towards you isn’t going to change like that. What you say or what you do isn’t going to change the fact God loves and and wants to work things out for your good. It’s because His favor and love is unconditional for you. Allow yourself to accept this truth. Drop the weight of feeling you have to earn God’s favor. It’s already yours and forever will be yours because of Jesus. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 511

Laban had gone to shear his sheep, and Rachel stole her father’s household gods. Genesis 31:19 – It’s sad how easily someone’s god can be taken from them. Here we see why it’s so important that you have no other god but Jesus. Why? Because so many things we can place as the ultimate priority in our story can be swept away in a moment. Your job might be everything to you and the status you get from it but two words can take all that from you, “You’re fired.” That dream of playing that sport and the glory that comes from it can be intoxicating but it just takes one injury to sweep that dream away. You have to be real with yourself, if whatever it is was taken away would you be able to still stand? If not, then you have placed it in a position that only Jesus should be in. Yes, there will be feelings of loss and grief over these things being taken away, but if the removal of them ruins, debilitates, and stops you in life then a move needs to take place. Be careful that nothing but Jesus holds Jesus’ place in your story. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1835

And Jacob tricked Laban the Aramean, by not telling him that he intended to flee. 21 He fled with all that he had and arose and crossed the Euphrates, and set his face toward the hill country of Gilead. Genesis 31:20-21 – After 20 years of living with Laban, his father-in-law, and being treated unfairly for that time, Jacob is told by the Lord to gather his family and belongings and head back home to the land that God was to give him. God reminded Jacob how He had been with him in the past and that He would be with Jacob now in this journey. Jacob had the promise of protection and provision from the Lord on this next season of his life, yet how do we see Jacob handling himself? Fearful, sneaking around, and loading up his family in secret while Laban was away so they could escape without trouble. I love how one commentary put it, that Jacob could have left with banners and trumpets sounding their departure, but nothing could have stopped them because God said He was with them. How often though do we handle moves like Jacob? Where we know God’s promises, and we know God is with us, and we know that God is able to provide for us, but we choose to still move forward in fear and worry. God is calling us to remember all that He has already done in our lives and all the ways He has come through on His word to us, just like He called Jacob to do. When then we are moving into a new season or being led by God into a new day, let us dwell on the ways God has shown up for us in the past and provided. Let that remembrance wash away the fear and worry, and instead plant trust and boldness within us as we move forward in the direction God is calling us to go. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2837

Chapter 32

Genesis 32 Daily DEVO And Jacob was left alone. And a man wrestled with him until the breaking of the day. Genesis 32:24 – While Jacob was alone, he really wasn’t alone. While his family, servants, and even animals went on ahead, we see God never left his side. Now this is an interesting story of him wrestling with God, but today take the message from this unique story that even when the rest of the world leaves you God never will. How greater now for us is this message because of what Jesus did for us on the cross. He opened the door for us to have the Holy Spirit within us always. Remind yourself in those dark, lonely times that you’re not alone and never will be truly alone. When you read passages that say “I’ll never leave you nor forsake you,” know those promises are directed at you as well. God’s never going to leave you alone. If you have a relationship with God, know that for the rest of eternity you will never ever be alone again. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 512

I am not worthy of the least of all the deeds of steadfast love and all the faithfulness that you have shown to your servant, for with only my staff I crossed this Jordan, and now I have become two camps. Please deliver me from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau, for I fear him, that he may come and attack me, the mothers with the children. Genesis 32:10-11 – As with Jacob, we are not worthy of the blessings that we have received from God. From the air in our lungs, the families we have, the written Word of God, to the eternal life we are promised with Him. Nothing in our story that we have done sets us in a position to deserve any of that, it’s all a gift given to us by grace. As a result we may feel as if we shouldn’t then come to God and ask for anymore. If we’ve been given so much so freely, shouldn’t we hold back from asking for any more? While that way of thinking makes since to us, that’s not what God desires. As with our passage, Jacob had been given so much yet still asked for more help with his fears. How did God respond? Faithfully, and He provided. So keep coming to God with your needs even though you are already richly blessed. If you have placed your faith in Him, you are His beloved child and He longs for you to seek His aid concerning your needs. Never stop coming to Him. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1836

Then he said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed.” Genesis 32:28 – Here we see God give Jacob a new name, Israel, which is where we get the future nation and twelves tribes for Israel. A unique fact though I found while studying said that while given this name change, “Jacob” is still used for his name twice as often as “Israel” would be for the remainder of scripture. For while being changed by the Lord, “Jacob” would still find himself living as the Jacob we see in this chapter. In chapter 32 we see Jacob greatly afraid and distressed even though he knew God’s promises. We see him relying on his own wit to save him from Esau and his own wealth to buy Esau’s favor. Jacob has God’s promises and God’s protection yet wasn’t behaving as if he did. In short, Jacob wasn’t acting like “Israel.” Let us remember too that our names have been changed by the same God that change Jacob’s. We are “new creation” and not old creation anymore. We are “adopted heir with Christ” and not child of the enemy anymore. We were once not a people and had no mercy, but now were a God’s possession and receiving His mercy in full. Yet, even with all those wonderful changes being made in our life, we can still choose to live as “Jacob.” Understand you are no longer that old creation that is bound to the enemy. That’s not you anymore, and while you can choose to continue to live as such, you don’t have to anymore because of the freedom Jesus brought to you. Grow in your knowledge of what scriptures says you are as a follower of Jesus and begin to live boldly as such. You are no longer “Jacob,” so no longer live as Jacob. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2838

Chapter 33

Genesis 33 Daily DEVO But Esau ran to meet him and embraced him and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept. Genesis 33:4 – Forgiveness is possible. Reconciliation is possible. Love is possible again. Here we have a reunion of two brothers that from Jacob’s point of view was going to end up in a massive family feud. Yet what a different ending we see as we stepped further into the passage. Just like for these two brothers, know your broken relationship can find healing. First pray for the other person, ask God to work in their heart in ways only He can. Second, be open to forgiving and accepting forgiveness. Third, trust God is able to heal. Healing is not a hopeless dream. It can be found in the most broken of relationships. If God was able to heal our broken relationship with Himself, trust He has the ability to work within the torn relationships we’re in today. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 513

So Esau returned that day on his way to Seir. But Jacob journeyed to Succoth, and built himself a house and made booths for his livestock. Therefore the name of the place is called Succoth. Genesis 33:16-17 – In our chapter the feared meet up between Jacob and Esau takes place, yet instead of a battle, peace and reconciliation is found. What though do we see take place after the reconciliation is made? Esau and Jacob go in opposite directions. Why that is we don’t know. What we see though is that peace can be found without having to stay in close proximity. Scripture calls us to live at peace with everyone as far as it depends on us. So those we have unrest with and those who we need to find healing with we are called to do what we can to reconcile those relationships. Yet when the peace it found, that doesn’t mean we must stay near. Sometimes distance with certain people is the best way to keep peace. Be willing then to come close when needed so healing can take place and be willing to step away when that’s needed to keep peace. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1837

He himself went on before them, bowing himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.⁴But Esau ran to meet him and embraced him and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept. Genesis 33:3-4 – After twenty years of being away from home, Jacob is returning back to the land God had promised him, yet one person stood in his way…his brother Esau. When Jacob left, he deceived his brother and “stole” Esau’s blessing. Esau was so furious he planned to kill Jacob for what he did. Rebekah, their mother, sent Jacob away and told him that when things cooled down, she’d send for him to return home. No letters though from mom came so in Jacob’s mind, Esau was still furious and ready to kill. Jacob sent gift after gift to Esau ahead of him to show Esau he was returning wanting nothing from him and to hopefully soften Esau’s anger. What though do we see was Esau’s posture when Jacob returned? Love, peace, and reconciliation. Apparently those twenty years that God was working on Jacob’s heart, so was God working on Esau’s. Let us then keep this truth in mind as well, that as deeply as God is working within us, He too is working within others. Never underestimate the change God can bring in someone’s life. We may think they are still angry with us, or still deep in that sin, or still in rejection of God, but just like God used the twenty years to shape both Jacob and Esau’s heart, God can shape their heart just like He did yours. How amazing is it that we have a God that not only can handle all our mess and pour so much time into our growth, but He can manage pouring deeply into that other person as well. Let us pray then for their hearts to embrace the change God is seeking to make within them, and let us as well pray for our hearts to accept the change God makes within them. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Mac – Daily DEVO 2839

Chapter 34

Genesis 34 Daily DEVO On the third day, when they were sore, two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, Dinah’s brothers, took their swords and came against the city while it felt secure and killed all the males. Genesis 34:25 – First off, what a sad, terrible story we read today in this chapter. It’s discouraging to think that things like rape happened then and are still happening today. Yet, even in this passage, I see a message we need to take hold of. We cannot cover our mistakes ourselves. In verse 25, it says those in the city “felt secure.” They felt secure because of what they did to their bodies; that they we’re good, safe, and made up for their wrong doings by what they did. Often that’s how we are with our mistakes and our standing with God. We try to make up for our mistakes by being good, reading more scripture, going to church, etc. Just know, anything we do can’t cover our mistakes just like what they did couldn’t cover up their mistake. Only through Jesus can we find ourselves in good standing with God. Rather than continuing to try to find yourself secure with God because of your own “good” actions, find your security in your relationship with God because of Jesus’ gracious action. I love you, but Jesus loves you more. – Mac – Daily DEVO 514

Make marriages with us. Give your daughters to us, and take our daughters for yourselves. You shall dwell with us, and the land shall be open to you. Dwell and trade in it, and get property in it. Genesis 34:9-10 – To fully grasp what’s happening, you must understand who here is talking to Jacob. The one talking is a leader of the land that God had given over to Jacob, so everything he is promising Jacob is already Jacob’s to begin with. But even worse, the speaker is the father of the guy who just raped Jacob’s daughter. Now after abusing Jacob’s family this guy comes to try to make a deal with Jacob to give Jacob what is already his to begin with. As crazy as that sounds, that’s our story when it comes to satan. All he has to offer us is lies, trying to say he’ll give us what we need when we already have that in Jesus. And even worse, he is the one who has abused us, our family, and our friends. While reading today’s story we may say what a ridiculous notion it would be to even begin to think to make a deal with that guy…yet how often do we listen and agree to go with the plans our enemy has for us? Remember it is satan who is the one seeking to tear your family apart. He is the one bringing up your past. He is out to kill, steal, and destroy. Don’t agree to his offers and don’t give him a seat at your table. He is the abuser in your story, don’t give him a second chance to cause more pain. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1838

The sons of Jacob answered Shechem and his father Hamor deceitfully, because he had defiled their sister Dinah. Genesis 34:13 – In our chapter, Dinah, Jacob’s daughter, decides to explore the villages around her during a time and in a pagan culture where unaccompanied women were often captured and harmed like this. As we learn, she is sadly raped, and the abuser now seeks to buy her as a wife for he loves what he can get from her. As we read on, Dinah’s brothers, the sons of Jacob, lie to Shechem (the abuser) and his father by agreeing to trade and marry into each other’s people if only they would circumcise all the males in their land. Why was this a lie? Because two of Jacob’s son came while the men were healing from their surgeries and slaughtered every male in the city, then the sons came and plundered the entire place. We don’t have to look far to where these sons learned the art of deception for Jacob’s own name means “trickster.” While the hurt caused to Dinah was horrible, the hurt that the sons of Jacob brought was just as bad if not worse. While not established for them yet, let us remember the command from the Lord we see in scripture, “Vengeance is mine.” (Deu. 32-35) While it can seem like we are letting evil people off the hook when we don’t take matters into our own hands, sinning to make right another sinful action doesn’t result in holiness. Trust that God also sees the hurt, trust that God see the sinfulness of the situation, and trust that God can make things right in ways that you could never. If He can make right the chaos of the sin within the garden by sacrificing Himself on a cross, trust that our Lord can make right even the worst of wrongs that come into our story. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2840

Chapter 35

Genesis 35 Daily DEVO So Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, “Put away the foreign gods that are among you and purify yourselves and change your garments.” Genesis 35:2 – Following God requires a whole life change. We see Jacob leading his household by telling them remove all the idols that the have, clean themselves up, and even put on fresh clothes because they were journeying to where God was leading them. From changing which god they would trust in to the way they looked to the outside world, in order for them to be where God wanted them they needed to make some changes. That’s how it is with us as well. God loves us, but God’s leading us to change. A change in who we trust and a change in how our lives look to those around us. This is a complete life transformation we’re being led to. God isn’t about asking you for a halfhearted change of your life for Him, He’s asking for a complete surrender of yourself to Him and His plans for you. If you think that’s unfair, realize He’s already sacrificed His life for you. Now it’s our turn to give our life up to Him to be used for Him. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 515

Then let us arise and go up to Bethel, so that I may make there an altar to the God who answers me in the day of my distress and has been with me wherever I have gone. Genesis 35:3 – Who is God to you personally? To Jacob we see God was the one who answered him when he was in distress and was always with him. That’s the God he pursued and followed. Who then is Jesus personally to you? While yes Jesus is the salvation of the world and the universe creator, sometimes we need to remember something more personal about who Jesus is to us in our pursuit of Him rather than a big answer. Like your answer could be…I’m pursing the Jesus that was with me all throughout my mom’s cancer…or I’m pursing the Jesus that broke my chain to alcohol…or I’m pursing the Jesus that was at the center of healing my marriage. Maybe one of those is your story, maybe it’s something else, but who is Jesus to you personally? Make your pursuit of Him personal. For 100% sure Jesus is the salvation of all, the breather of scripture, the Rock of all ages, and King of Kings. This message isn’t at all knocking those precious titles of Jesus! Yet sometimes we need to remember also how Jesus personally leaned into our story to motivate our next step of faith. Who then is Jesus personally to you? Follow that Jesus. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1839

God appeared to Jacob again, when he came from Paddan-aram, and blessed him. Genesis 35:9 – God now appears to Jacob multiple times, directing Jacob’s steps and actions back to the land the Lord had been telling him to return to for a while now. Finally Jacob fully listens to the Lord and follows. He puts away all the family idols that they had been worshipping up to this point, they change their garments, they take out the earrings that likely were attached to their idol worship, and they set off in the direction God told them to go. We see the Lord bless their journey by putting a fear in the neighboring lands so they didn’t attack Jacob’s family. We see though that while being blessed by God and while finally following the Lord properly, Jacob still wasn’t exempt from facing hardship. After his turn to walk faithfully after God, Jacob sees the death of his mother’s nurse, his beloved wife dies in childbirth, his oldest son sleeps with his aunt, and his father Isaac passes away. Again, this was after Jacob’s turn to follow God. After he put away the idols, after he changed, after he began to listen to the Lord, and he still after all those things experienced hardship and loss. While it’s not a new message to us who follow Jesus that we will still navigate hard times even after choosing to follow Jesus, it can be comforting to see we aren’t alone in navigating hard things when following God. The scriptures are full of examples we can lean on, like Jacob’s, where the faithful still found struggle to walk through but God continued to bless and provide. Like Jacob did, find yourself looking back and seeing the ways God provided and came through on His promises. Hard will still come as we follow Jesus like hard came to many other followers of Jesus before us, and the ways God took care of them is reminders He will take care of us. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2841

Chapter 36

Genesis 36 Daily DEVO Then Esau took his wives, his sons, his daughters, and all the members of his household, his livestock, all his beasts, and all his property that he had acquired in the land of Canaan. He went into a land away from his brother Jacob. For their possessions were too great for them to dwell together. The land of their sojourning could not support them because of their livestock. Genesis 36:6-7 – As difficult as it was to get through all those names in this chapter, we have to remember what each one of those names represent. Each person listed off is a promise from God being answered. God promised Abraham that his descendants would be an uncountable number. What we are seeing as we read, or try to read through at least, these names are reminders that God keeps His Word. So for you as you read these names, be reminded that each name represents God’s ability and sureness to keep His Word to you as well. Just like He didn’t go back on what He said to Abraham, He’s not going back on what He promised to you either. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 516

These are the sons of Zibeon: Aiah and Anah; he is the Anah who found the hot springs in the wilderness, as he pastured the donkeys of Zibeon his father. Genesis 36:24 – Even after looking into some commentaries on this passage, the significance of this isn’t much. He found a new source of water, and that’s what he is known in all of history for. What are you going to be known for? What is it that people when they think of you immediately affiliate with you? “Oh he’s the guy that got that crazy touchdown back in junior year” or “She’s the lady with that massive house on the hill” or “He has like 10k Instagram followers.” At the end of the day, those are cool, but if you had one phrase that your life could be summed up into would that really be what you want to be known for all history for? If not, then why give those things such importance today in striving after or keeping? My hope is that at the end of my story people say of me something like, “Man he loved Jesus and wanted everyone to know about Jesus.” Because a touchdown and a lot of followers on social media is cool, even finding a random hot spring is cool, but making sure people know about Jesus is eternal. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1840

These are the generations of Esau the father of the Edomites in the hill country of Seir. Genesis 36:9 – While we have been focusing on Jacob for the past few chapters, we can’t forget that Jacob had a twin brother named Esau. From even before the two were born, God established that Jacob, the younger brother, would receive the covenant promise that He first gave to Abraham and Isaac. That Jacob would have the blessing of nations and kings coming from him, that his descendants would outnumbers the starts in the sky, and that eventually that the land of the Canaanites would be given to him. Truly Jacob received the better end of the blessing, and Esau at one point was distraught about this thinking that he would have nothing. Yet look at this chapter of someone who “didn’t get” God’s covenant blessing. So many children, so many grandchildren, kings and chiefs came from his line; such were the blessings Esau. If God still so richly blessed Esau, despite Isaac receiving the covenant blessing, can you image how blessed Isaac is going to be who has the promise of God on Him? Making this practical, we see today all around us people who are not followers of Jesus, but still receiving blessing from the Lord. They have air to breath, sunshine in the day, cool in the night, and worldly blessings and wonders still come, even to those who aren’t followers of Jesus because our God is a good God. Yet, if such blessings come to those who don’t have the promises of God given to them as followers of Jesus, can you image how much greater such blessings will be for those who do have the promise? If you then are a follower of Jesus, know you blessed with the promises from God we see in scripture, and He has never failed in keeping His word to His people. The blessings the lost world gets to partake in is only a shadow of what those who follow Jesus receive. Praise the Lord we have a God who brings blessing to those who follow Him. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2842

Chapter 37

Genesis 37 Daily DEVO So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe, the robe of many colors that he wore. Genesis 37:23 – The attitude Joesph’s brother had towards him is the same attitude our enemy has towards us. Our enemy wants to strip us of all the blessings our Father has clothed us with: joy, peace, favor, grace, etc. Then all our enemy wants for us is to throw us into a dark pit to die alone and broken. Cheery way to start the day off right? While Joseph’s brother had some mercy on him, know your enemy won’t. That’s why God speaks to you so much of following God in His Word. God knows where your enemy will lead you and wants to save you from that. Trust that whatever sacrifice God asks of you in the walk of following Him is worth letting go of compared to the pit of darkness the enemy wants you in. Follow the one who truly loves you. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 517

And they took him and threw him into a pit. The pit was empty; there was no water in it. Genesis 37:24 – I love how God works, this passage happens to be the passage I’m teaching on this Wednesday as we speak about joy. My takeaway will be “The Pit Isn’t It.” This is the joy we who follow Jesus can have in the darkest of nights, that this pit we are in isn’t all there is to our story. Joseph was tossed in this pit with no plans to get him out, but God had a different plan. Jeremiah was tossed in a cistern and had mud up to his neck, yet God didn’t let that be the end of his story. Jesus was placed in a tomb and a rock rolled in front to shut Him in and we all know that didn’t last long. The pit isn’t it. Does that message change the intensity of the darkness right now in the pit? Sadly no, but it does bring us hope that this isn’t all there is to our story. We can have joy knowing we have a Savior who knows how to save from a pit. Maybe the pit season will end with a step into Heaven, but the pit isn’t it for those who trust in Jesus. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1841

Now Israel loved Joseph more than any other of his sons, because he was the son of his old age. And he made him a robe of many colors.⁴But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peacefully to him. Genesis 37:3-4 – We see that Israel gives Jospeh a coat of many colors to show his love for him. In your translation, or in your footnotes, it may also say the coat had long sleeves. Now why is that important? Because a coat with long sleeve was not the coat of a worker, but a coat of a supervisor and master. We see throughout this chapter that while of age to go out into the field to work, Joseph was in the role of watching over his brothers and reporting back to Israel the state of the things. Whether it was the coat or the position as overseer of all his brothers, it’s clear who Israel had chosen of his twelve sons to pass on the family blessing to. Just as we see it being hard for the other brothers to accept their father’s choice, so is it hard for the world to accept the choices of God the Father. How and who God blesses, who gets lifted to certain roles and who doesn’t, and even who God has chosen to demonstrate His love towards doesn’t make sense to the world. Often that lack of understanding and desire for things to be different leads the world to hate God but also to the hate followers of God. Let then this message just be a reminder to you of what Jesus first said, the world will hate us because of our devotion to God. What we’ll stand for, what we show others, and what we have in God is something that the lost world won’t understand and often won’t accept. This though does not excuse us from showing love in return for their hate. Let the lost be the ones who hate, and let the followers of Jesus be the ones overflowing in love even for those who hate them. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2843

Chapter 38

Genesis 38 Daily DEVO He turned to her at the roadside and said, “Come, let me come in to you,” for he did not know that she was his daughter-in-law. She said, “What will you give me, that you may come in to me?” Genesis 38:16 – Be careful to not let your sadness or anger direct your actions. We see here Judah being saddened by the death of his wife and coming across a “prostitute” (quotations because it was his daughter-in-law in disguise)(yeah I know, messed up). Not only do we see him trying to heal himself with this sinful act, but it goes even deeper as we read on. Judah acknowledges he thought this was a cult prostitute, meaning using her was an offering to a false god. All this directs us to seek wisdom and discernment over our choices, especially when the emotions are heavy. We see in this story just how messed up letting our choices be dictated by our emotions only can get. Be wise, seek the counsel of God’s Word and those who love you in these times. Don’t let your life be ruined by a dumb decision made when you weren’t thinking clearly. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 518

But as he drew back his hand, behold, his brother came out. And she said, “What a breach you have made for yourself!” Therefore his name was called Perez. Genesis 38:29 – If you didn’t read the whole chapter or are just unfamiliar with this story, here’s the highlights. Sinful action after sinful action takes place in this family. Wickedness, lies, selfishness, lust. We have a father having sex with his daughter in law because he thought she was a cult prostitute. That’s where little baby Perez enters into the story here in Genesis. You know where else Perez is found? Matthew chapter 1, in the genealogy of Jesus. Yes, all this evil took place and people went so far off the path God would have laid out for them, but through all that God was still able to work His master plan of bringing Jesus into the world for our salvation. Settle in the truth then that our mistakes won’t ruin God’s plan. We aren’t in control, He is. He has simply invited us into what He is doing. Yes we will slip up and yes we’ll make poor choices, but those don’t disqualify us nor crumble the work God is able to do through us. God is bigger than that. You can’t thwart it, but you can be a part of it. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1842

It happened at that time that Judah went down from his brothers and turned aside to a certain Adullamite, whose name was Hirah. Genesis 38:1 – This story of Judah and Tamar really has no positive pieces to it outside of the fact that we see later on in history God redeeming this by allowing Judah, Tamar, and their son Perez be a part of Jesus’ family tree. For in this story we see wickedness, death, prostitution, deception, and so much more. Where though did this begin? It began with Judah “turning aside” to a place he shouldn’t have gone and taking a wife from a people God said not to take a wife from. As we study scripture, we certainly do come across directions from God on how to live and how to handle relationships. While we can feel frustrated and upset that God is making such commands for us to follow, thinking He is trying to ruin our lives by demanding such obedience from us to such things, let this example of Judah and Tamar show you where “turning aside” from God’s directions leads you. God commands what He does and demands obedience to what He says for He knows following Him will lead to our best life. We may not want to follow what He says, and we may even want to reject many of the things we see outlined in scripture for us, but if He said it, it must be because obedience to such things will result in our best life. We may not understand, and we may not even want to follow, but let us choose to obey the word of God with both the things we agree with and with those we don’t. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2844

Chapter 39

Genesis 39 Daily DEVO The Lord was with Joseph, and he became a successful man, and he was in the house of his Egyptian master. Genesis 39:2 – Even in the places we didn’t ask to be in and don’t want to be in God can still use us and even bless us. Joseph didn’t ask to be in Egypt and I highly doubt he wanted to be a slave, yet even during this season of his life God blesses him every step up the way. So in your season that you’re in right now you may not like where you’re at or some of the circumstances you have found yourself in. Know today that while that’s the case, God still wants to use you where you are and can incredibly bless you where you are at. Your circumstances or situation isn’t what dictates to God if He can bless you or not. Allow yourself to look past the frustrations you have over this season of life you’re in and see the possible ways, and past ways, that God can bless you in this time. There is a reason why you’re in this season. I love you, but Jesus loves you more -Mac – Daily DEVO 519

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. Genesis 39:20-21 – Prison bars can’t keep out God’s steadfast love. In Joseph’s story it was pit to Potiphar’s slave to prison cell. Yet in each season Joseph saw God’s favor being still shown to him despite the sinful, selfish actions of those around him. In the pit love was shown to him. In Potiphar’s house love was shown to him. In the prison cell love wasn’t kept from him. What this tells us is that if you are in a dark pit of life, or a place you didn’t ask to be, or trapped in a season of life, God is still able to reach you with His love. Jesus is the life, peace, and light you need. Don’t believe the lies of the enemy telling you that you’re alone in that prison cell and that you’re unreachable by God. If Jesus was able to split Heaven and earth to come be a part of our world, He can reach you in that cell. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1843

…she caught him by his garment, saying, “Lie with me.” But he left his garment in her hand and fled and got out of the house. Genesis 39:12 – During his eleven years of as a slave, Joseph was allured by his master’s wife multiple times, but Joseph refused and rejected her approaches for he knew how ungodly of an action that would be. One day though his master’s wife grabbed hold of the garment to force him to sleep with her, but he got out of his trapped cloak and ran as fast as he could away from the situation. While not stated yet in scripture, Joseph was a living example of 2 Timothy 2:22 and 1 Corinthians 6:18. 2 Timothy says, “So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness…” and 1 Corinthians 6 says, “Flee from sexual immorality…” When the sinful situation arose, Joseph fled the scene, just as God would have wanted. When it comes to our sinful situations that arise, do we have our running shoes ready or do we find ourselves lingering rather than fleeing? Lingering may look like hovering over photos while scrolling that we know we shouldn’t be looking at. Lingering may be remaining in a trash conversation that you know you should just walk away from. Lingering may be remaining dating a person you know isn’t a believer but you don’t walk away from them because you enjoy what happens when you two are together. Every day as sinful temptations arise, we must find ourselves making the choice to linger or to flee. Know temptation is going to come somehow today, know the enemy is going to seek to keep you somehow today from following Jesus faithfully. When then this temptation comes, flee without looking back. If you don’t feel strong enough on your own to flee, connect with another believer and ask for their help. Whatever deception the enemy is giving you to convince you that lingering is the right move, know the fleeing from sin towards God’s holiness is far more rewarding for you. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2845

Chapter 40

Genesis 40 Daily DEVO When Joseph came to them in the morning, he saw that they were troubled. Genesis40:6 – Be sure to be open to seeing the trouble in those around you. Make sure you’re not too consumed with your own life that you overlook the needs of those around you. While that alone is a rich lesson to grow into, this passage takes it even deeper. Do you remember where Joseph was at this time? He’s still in prison for something he didn’t do. So while Joseph was in a place of his own struggle and his own frustration, he took the time still to see the need in others’ life. Challenge yourself to not let the consuming nature of your situation distract you from the needs those around you have. While I’m not at all downplaying your struggle, I just know you are placed in these people’s life and this time for a reason. Don’t let the frustration of where you’re at blind you from helping those who are with you where you’re at. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac- Daily DEVO 520

The captain of the guard appointed Joseph to be with them, and he attended them. They continued for some time in custody. Genesis 40:4 – The pit for Joseph wasn’t a short stay. Notice in our chapter three times it talks about the length of his stay. Before the cupbearer and baker got to the prison Joseph was in there for “some time.” After those two got to the prison they were there for “some time.” Then after the cupbearer was released Joseph remained in the prison because he was forgotten. I don’t know if “some time” was measured out in days, weeks, months, or longer. What I know is I’ve sat on the other side of the glass in a jail talking to someone who was in prison and even an hour for them often felt like an eternity. While your story might not relate perfectly to this because you’ve never found yourself confined in a prison cell, you can relate because you know the feeling of being stuck in a season of life or trapped in a emotional/mental state you can’t shake. What our chapter reminds us is we may be there for some time, and even some more time after that, and people may forget about us there…but God hasn’t forgotten us. He is actively moving on your behalf. He is working this out for your good. While we can’t see into our future we can see Joseph’s by just flipping a page. Don’t let the extended time in the pit persuade you that God has forgotten your story. He sees you, He hears you, and He’s moving. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1844

He restored the chief cupbearer to his position, and he placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand. ²²But he hanged the chief baker, as Joseph had interpreted to them. Genesis 40:21-22 – While Joseph was in prison, he was promoted to overseer of all that took place within the prison. There he finds himself listening to the dreams of the Pharoah’s cupbearer and baker and interpreting the dreams for the two men. As we see from our verse, the words of Joseph were life to the cupbearer, who must have been not guilty in whatever crime sent him to prison to begin with. Yet Joseph’s words were death to the guilty baker. Joseph couldn’t save either of them, and he certainly couldn’t clear the guilt of the baker. Thank goodness though that our Savior Jesus has the power to do both. Jesus has the power to rescue those who are suffering, and Jesus even has the power to clear the guilt of the guilty and rescue them too. We ought to be overjoyed at that truth for if we were to place ourselves as a character in this story, we’d be the guilty baker. Guilty of the crime of sin, with the future of death awaiting us. Jesus though came, died, and rose again making a way for even the guilty like us to find freedom and life. If today you have had your guilt cleared by Jesus and you are walking in His freedom, dive into serving Him today. If today you are still in the prison of sin, with the charge of guilty still hanging over you, and death is still your future, know Jesus has the power to change all that. Choose today to follow Him as your Lord and Savior and He will free you from that guilty charge and bring you into His freedom. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2846

Chapter 41

Genesis 41 Daily DEVO Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh. “For,” he said, “God has made me forget all my hardship and all my father’s house.” The name of the second he called Ephraim, “For God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction.” Genesis 41:51-52 – We see Joseph acknowledging that he’s come out of the hard times back at home and even says he sees how blessed he has become in this land he never asked to be in. But who does he give credit to for his success and victory? It’s God every time. We don’t see him in this story saying it was his powers or gifts that got him where he was at. He realizes it was all God the whole time. We need to take time to acknowledge this as well in our story. Like Joseph, it’s God who gives us success and victory. Every blessing in our life is because God gave it to us. Take time today to realize and thank God accordingly for all that He has done for you. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 521

…and the seven years of famine began to come, as Joseph had said. There was famine in all lands, but in all the land of Egypt there was bread. Genesis 41:54 – This depicts so perfectly the blessing of having God in your story. The famine that God’s warned would come came. The world, including Egypt, experienced this dreadful famine, but in the famine something was different for Egypt. They had bread. They had provision and when that provision ran out they had more available. This is the beautiful promise of God for those who follow Him. Like the world in this story and like even our world today, we’ll experience the pains and famines just like everyone else. Yet what we’ll have each day is our daily bread because of Jesus. Whatever it is that we need to make it through we can have confidence God will provide. Having a walk with Jesus doesn’t mean we won’t see famine in our story, but we’ll always have bread in the famine because of Jesus. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1845

So in the morning his spirit was troubled, and he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt and all its wise men. Pharaoh told them his dreams, but there was none who could interpret them to Pharaoh. Genesis 41:8 – Pharaoh, being trouble by his two dreams, seeks out his magicians and wise men from all over his land to explain to him exactly what his dreams meant. Yet, as we see from our passage, none could do as the Pharaoh requested. These dreams were revelations from the Lord and these false magicians couldn’t comprehend or understand the ways of the Lord. It wasn’t until Joseph, a follower of God, stepped in that God allowed His revelations to be understood. Allow this story to remind you that the enemy and the sinful world doesn’t have the answers. Our enemy can’t understand God and those who reject God can’t comprehend the Lord’s ways. Without the Lord, scripture seems foolish and God’s plans seems worthless. Why then do we so often allow those who reject God be the voices of influence within our life? Those who refuse to follow Jesus can never understand what God is doing or what He is saying within His word, so why would we ever allow their voice to be a dictating influence in our life? Be wise then whose voice you allow as an influence upon your life. If they reject Jesus, then their understanding of what God is doing will be lacking and flawed like the magicians from our passage. Yet if the voice you allow to speak into your life embraces a life of following God, then God is going to make clear His ways for them and for you. Check closely the pursuit of who you follow. If they follow Jesus, then they have access to the true understanding of what God is doing and what God is leading towards. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2847

Chapter 42

Genesis 42 Daily DEVO And Joseph recognized his brothers, but they did not recognize him. Genesis 42:8 – Trials change you. For Joseph his life for the past years have humbled, tested, and refined him. It changed him to the point that even his own brothers didn’t recognize him. Yes he grew older and was in Egyptian clothing, but that wasn’t the only thing that had changed about him. My question is how will you let those changes in your life change the way you treat others? Joseph still choose to show mercy on those who condemned him. May the trials in your life not harden your heart from showing love and mercy. Remember the trials Jesus went through and how even after it all His mission was love and reconciliation. Hard times don’t have to equal hate towards others. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 522

And he said, “Behold, I have heard that there is grain for sale in Egypt. Go down and buy grain for us there, that we may live and not die.” Genesis 42:2 – In God’s plan for our story, yes, there will be times we must get up and do something. If we want to see Iives around us change, if we want to move past a sin struggle, or if we want to see a culture change, there most likely will be a part where we have to get up and do something to see that take place. Yet in the midst of that truth, we must not forget the promises of God. For Jacob, he was given the promise that was given to Abraham and Issac to make a nation from their family. Meaning God was going to watch over them, bless their story, and provide…always. Even in the presence of a severe famine. Know God has promised to watch over His followers today as well. If behind the scenes of Jacob’s life God was preparing provision through Joseph we can trust God to be faithful to His promises to us. We can have confidence that God will always stay true to His Word. Yes, in that truth we may still have to do our part of getting up, speaking up, and moving out, but we can have faith that God will always provide for the needs of those who follow Him. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1846

And Jacob their father said to them, “You have bereaved me of my children: Joseph is no more, and Simeon is no more, and now you would take Benjamin. All this has come against me.” Genesis 42:36 – Ten sons of Jacob went to Egypt to buy grain for their family during the worldwide famine. Upon returning, the brothers share some bad news to their father. Simeon had been imprisoned and the only way to free him was to bring Benjamin, the brother that was left behind in the first trip, to Egypt. What was Jacob’s response? Grief and sorrow, everything was against him. Jacob truly believed that all of life was against him because of griefs he’d experienced. Yes, he lost his beloved wife, and he believed he lost his favorite son. Yet what was the truth about Jacob’s life? He had God’s covenant blessing, he had been guided and provided for his entire life, he had twelve sons, they had money and food again even in a worldwide famine, and throughout all this time God was preparing their provision by raising Joseph to power in Egypt. Yet Jacob’s posture was still the world was against him. We may have the promise of God in our lap and in front of our faces, but still choose to believe the world is against us and God forgot us. This message is not a dismissal of the heavy things we go through in life, but it is a call to lift up our eyes beyond the sorrow to still see the goodness of our God and His love for us. The world may be against us, but our God sure isn’t. When all seems lost, lift your eyes to the cross and remember that you are still loved by God. If you are a follower of Him, you will never find yourself in a place where the blessing and eyes of our God will not be on you. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2848

Chapter 43

Genesis 43 Daily DEVO If we had not delayed, we would now have returned twice. Genesis 43:10 – Know God didn’t delay in coming to your rescue. He sent Jesus at the perfect time for our salvation and is working in your life today in the perfect ways you need him. Unlike the father being spoken to in our passage, God’s not going to leave you in bondage. The moment we cry out for help He’s there with the keys to the jail door ready to save us. So today, if you are feeling in bondage and oppressed by life or your past, know God’s rescue is available to you at this very moment. All who turn to Him find His salvation. Let His perfect timing intersect with your life today. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 523

He replied, “Peace to you, do not be afraid. Your God and the God of your father has put treasure in your sacks for you. I received your money.” Then he brought Simeon out to them. Genesis 43:23 – The choices you make in the places that you didn’t ask to be in can either point people to Jesus or direct them away from Him. Here the person replying to Joseph’s brothers was the steward of Jospeh. We don’t know whether he was a Hebrew or Egyptian or something else, but what we do read is that the name of God was on his lips. All this was because of Joseph and how Joseph chose to continue to worship God despite being where He never planned to be in life. Someone who may would have never spoken of God was now being used to remind the children of Israel the promises of God, all because of Joseph’s faithfulness. Today then is your day to choose to be faithful even though the season of life you are currently in may not be your choice. If you remain faithful, the name of Jesus may find itself on the lips of those you thought would never speak of Him. So remain steady in your pursuit of Jesus even if that leads down a path you wouldn’t have chosen for your example in that undesired path may be what attracts someone to Jesus. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1849

They served him by himself, and them by themselves, and the Egyptians who ate with him by themselves, because the Egyptians could not eat with the Hebrews, for that is an abomination to the Egyptians. Genesis 43:32 – Joseph’s brothers returned to buy more food from Egypt, and they all were invited into Joseph’s house to dine with him. Yet notice how they are set up to eat. Joseph ate by himself, the brothers ate in another area, then the Egyptians ate by themselves. History tells us that the Egyptians were likely the most racially separated people at this time and wanted nothing to do with anything foreign. They believed Egyptians were born of the gods, and everyone else was born of lesser things. Why is this helpful to know? We see soon God bring the whole family of Israel to live amongst the Egyptians for 400 years. Rather than keeping the family of Israel in the land of Canaan where His people would be tempted to intermarry with the Canaanites like He told them not to do, God placed His people in a land that wouldn’t entertain the idea of eating with Hebrews, how much more not intermarrying with them. God, knowing their struggle with sin, opened the doors for them to have a way of escape from the temptations. Understand when God moves us or changes things in our life the reason behind it may be to protect us from sin. He knows what’s ahead, and He know how the enemy will seek to tempt us, so God will move and work in ways to protect us from what may lead us away from Him. God’s heart is for you to be near Him and to faithfully pursue Him, so that’s the direction He is going to shepherd you towards. Doors may close you wanted open, but if God closed them, then likely they would have led you away from Him and towards sin. Trust the Lord’s discernment on the way He moves for He knows what is for our best. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2849

Chapter 44

Genesis 44 Daily DEVO And Judah said, “What shall we say to my lord? What shall we speak? Or how can we clear ourselves? God has found out the guilt of your servants; behold, we are my lord’s servants, both we and he also in whose hand the cup has been found.” Genesis 44:16 – What can we say for ourselves when we stand before God with our sin uncovered? The brothers are here speechless. There is nothing they can say or do that can change the direction all this is going. Same with us, with our sin nothing we say or do could change the direction our life was going which was eternal separation from God in Hell. Thanks be to God though that while we didn’t have anything to say, God sure did about the situation. He let Jesus step in, take our place, take our punishment, and take our death. So today, stop walking in your life with God like the brothers in our story. Scared in the presence of the Lord because you’re worried He’s going to punish you. Your punishment has been paid, you’re free! Live in that freedom that has been bought for you in Christ! You’re no longer a criminal awaiting death row, you’re a child enjoying an inheritance! I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 524

Now therefore, please let your servant remain instead of the boy as a servant to my Lord, and let the boy go back with his brothers. For how can I go back to my father if the boy is not with me? I fear to see the evil that would find my father. Genesis 44:33-34 – It’s important to know who is talking in this passage. It was Judah, one of Joseph’s brothers. Years ago Judah was the one who came up with the idea to sell Joseph into slavery, ensuring Joseph wasn’t coming home to Jacob his father. Now we have this same Judah pleading on behalf of his brother, willing to offer himself in the place of his brother. What we see here is an example that people can learn from their mistakes. They may cause some deep, long lasting hurt, but God can capture their heart and change their heart. If then we have someone in our story who’s hurt us, but God has been doing a good work in their story and they are seeking peace with you, we should be open to exploring that peace. The holidays are the times we are surrounded by family which often means we find ourselves in close proximity to the people who have hurt us the deepest. If someone then is seeking Godly peace with you, despite the pain they’ve caused in the past, I believe scripture is encouraging us to not dismiss them or the possible peace that could be found. Be wise and pray deeply on this because this process of finding peace won’t be easy, but with Jesus we see it’s possible. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1850

And he searched, beginning with the eldest and ending with the youngest. And the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack. ¹³Then they tore their clothes, and every man loaded his donkey, and they returned to the city. Genesis 44:12-13 – Joseph’s brothers were on their way home after a feast in Egypt when they were stopped by one of Joseph servants and questioned about a stolen cup. Unknown to the brothers, the cup was planted in Benjamin’s bag by Joseph, and when discovered, we see above the reaction of the brothers. Now we can begin to think Joseph was cruel in playing with his family like this, but let us remember the Spirit of the Lord was with him in his decision making. Joseph wasn’t trying to play with them or punish them for their actions over 20 years ago, he was testing them to see if their hearts had truly changed. For when it came to Joseph, the first favorite son, the other brothers hated him, wanted to kill him, gladly sold him to slavery, and cared nothing about how it would affect their father. Yet now with Benjamin, the new favorite son, when he was threatened to be sold into slavery or killed, it broke the brothers. They tore their clothes in grief, they all returned to Egypt even when they didn’t have to, and Judah was even pleading to swap places with Benjamin. Jospeh saw the change in heart that God had made within his brothers. Like Joseph, God will sometimes lead us through seasons that seem on the outside as He is playing with us or punishing us. God’s heart though is not to harm us, but to reveal in us the change He has and is making within us. For we may not yet see or acknowledge the full change God has made in our life from where we once were until God allows us to go through something where that change is highlighted. God’s heart is to bring change within us and reveal that change. Let us praise the Lord for the changes He is willing to make within our life. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2850

Chapter 45

Genesis 45 Daily DEVO So it was not you who sent me here, but God. He has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house and ruler over all the land of Egypt. Genesis 45:8 – God is in control of what happens in your life. Now do I believe that God plans and desires the bad things that take place in our story? Not at all, but I do believe He is powerful enough to bring peace in our life through the chaos that this sinful world brings. We see this with Joseph’s story. He acknowledges that every step was God working out his story. Did God desire Joseph to go through the feelings of loneliness and worthlessness that must have been attached to the being abandoned by his brothers? Not at all, but He used them and grew Joseph. Just know God isn’t about bringing pain into your story, but He is aware how painful the world can be. He’s powerful enough to write a beautiful ending story for you even in the middle of a broken world. Don’t let the struggles you’re facing today make you feel like God’s lost control. Sometimes to get to the end the path isn’t smooth, but each bump is manageable when you know God is with you and for you and knows where you need to go. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 525

Then he sent his brothers away, and as they departed, he said to them, “Do not quarrel on the way.” Genesis45:24 – Do you desire disconnect and death in your relationships? Then you should fight about what’s already been resolved and forgiven from the past. Here Joseph is speaking to his brothers after he revealed himself to them and made it clear he isn’t holding any grudges towards them for selling him into slavery. He has forgiven them and the situation is resolved. Yet in his final words to them before they head out is to not fight amongst yourselves. Fight over what? Of who was to blame for Joseph’s being sold. Yes, they hurt Joseph and they all had their hand in his being sold, but Joseph made it clear the hurt was forgiven and the relationship healed. Bringing up the past that has been resolved was only going to bring unneeded pain and separation. It’s easy when things aren’t going well with a relationship to be tempted to bring up past issues that have been resolved into your current battle. If you truly desire death to that relationship, then use that weapon, otherwise leave what’s been resolved in the past in the past. Do not quarrel over things that have been forgiven, instead seek to walk in peace as much as possible with the person God has brought back to you. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1851

But when they told him all the words of Joseph, which he had said to them, and when he saw the wagons that Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of their father Jacob revived. Genesis 45:27 – Joseph finally reveals to his brothers that he was alive and had been the Egyptian ruler that they had been speaking to this whole time. Joseph sends his brothers home with wagons full of provision, other blessings, and most importantly with the message to tell their father Israel that Joseph is alive and waiting for you to come to him. While great news to share, we see Israel at first not believe the words his sons spoke to him about Jospeh. It wasn’t until the shared with Israel the words of Joseph and showed him all the blessing Joseph gave them that he believed Jospeh truly was alive. I love how one commentary put it, “By analogy, we can say that the only way people will know Jesus is alive is if we tell them His words and show them His blessings in our lives” (Guzik). As with Israel and Joseph, so will it be with us and those we seek to share the Gospel with. We must be able to share with others the words of Jesus and show them what Jesus has done and provided within our life. Let them see the truth of God’s word and the truth of His power. For our words hold no power, but God’s word holds immense power. Also showing them what we can do won’t change their life, but demonstrating to them what only God can do can change everything about their life. As it was then with Joseph’s brothers, simply be in the business of telling others the words of the One who sent you and show others what the One who sent you gave you. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2851

Chapter 46

Genesis 46 Daily DEVO Then he said, “I am God, the God of your father. Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for there I will make you into a great nation.” Genesis 46:3 – For them at that time the promise of what awaited them in Egypt was beautiful so it makes sense to us that God would say to not be afraid of this journey. Yet we are familiar with what happens soon with the people of Egypt and the people of Israel. Israel is put under incredibly oppressive slavery for 400 years. While they didn’t know that was ahead in their story, God did. And even with that knowledge God said go, don’t be afraid, and I’ll be with you. Know that for you sometimes where God leads us will have some seasons of difficulty. Just know He is aware of what’s ahead and He sees what past that season of difficulty as well. Trust God when He says something. Trust that even with the pain that may come in this journey He knows what He’s doing and has the power to create something beautiful out of all this. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 526

….you shall say, ‘Your servants have been keepers of livestock from our youth even until now, both we and our fathers,’ in order that you may dwell in the land of Goshen, for every shepherd is an abomination to the Egyptians. Genesis 46:34 – They were Hebrew shepherds seeking to do life with the Egyptians. This would have been an abomination after abomination to the Egyptians, an idea they wouldn’t have even touched with a stick let alone lean into. Yet leaning into all this was exactly what they did. What this reveals is that God was moving so strongly before Jacob’s family this whole time. Long before Jacob needed the Egyptian’s heart to soften towards a family of Hebrew shepherds, God was working. Take a moment then to think about when God began working to provide for you the blessing you are currently sitting in. Most likely you’ll see that God began His work for you long before you even were praying for that blessing to come about. What that reminds us then is that right now God is working to prepare a blessing for you that you may not even step into for years. God is never not moving on behalf of those He loves. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1847

Joseph said to his brothers and to his father’s household, “I will go up and tell Pharaoh and will say to him, ‘My brothers and my father’s household, who were in the land of Canaan, have come to me.’” Genesis 46:31 – A joyous reunion has taken place, Joseph and his whole family, including his father Israel, are in the land of Egypt together. We see Joseph after their greeting say to his family he was going to go up to Pharaoh and make all the arrangement necessary for them to stay in the land. Now imagine though if one of Joseph’s brothers said, “Oh Joseph, don’t bother yourself with that, I’ll go up instead to Pharaoh and get things figured out.” Do you think Gad or Simeon or Benjamin would have had the same success in a conversation with Pharaoh as Joseph would? No way, this family needed Joseph as a mediator between them and the king of Egypt for them to be able to exist in Egypt. We also need a mediator between us and the King of Kings. We on our own could never find peace with God or be able to even approach His holy throne. What is so special though about our story is that we have a mediator named Jesus who has gone before us to make things right with God and prepare for us a place with God. Now, because of Jesus, we can have the promise of Heaven as our home for eternity and peace with the Kings of Kings. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2852

Chapter 47

Genesis 47 Daily DEVO Then Joseph brought in Jacob his father and stood him before Pharaoh, and Jacob blessed Pharaoh. Genesis 47:7 – It’s stunning that it’s Jacob that blesses Pharaoh and not the other way around. I mean who’s the one who has anything to bless with? While Pharaoh had the food, land, and power, Jacob had the blessing of God to share. As we see later in the chapter, food, land, and power are great, but so temporary. They never are enough in themselves, yet our world is going after them. For you today, take note what really has the power to give life. The wealth of the world or a relationship with God? One is good, but the other is eternal. Settle in your life that God is better than the wealth of the world. While wealth holds power and influence, God holds the world. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 527

And when the money was all spent in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan, all the Egyptians came to Joseph and said, “Give us food. Why should we die before your eyes? For our money is gone.” And Joseph answered, “Give your livestock, and I will give you food in exchange for your livestock, if your money is gone.” Genesis 47:15-16 – Don’t give up when you still have provision with you. Here the people were ready to give up and die because they had no more money to buy food. They settled their story was over because they had no more money. While it was true they were out of money, they weren’t out of everything. They still had their livestock, their lands, and even themselves to give. While of course it wasn’t ideal that they had to give up all that to Egypt, we see they actually had more with them to help them keep going than they first thought. You as well may feel like you have given your last ____ and have nothing left to give, but are you truly without? If you’re in that season, here are a few things you still have: a loving Heavenly Father, salvation, air to breathe, a beautiful night sky, peaceful sunsets, church family, God’s written Word, and if needed coffee with me. While me reminding you of those things doesn’t take the severity of your pain away my hope is to just open your eyes a little to the truth you still have provision in your story when it feels like you have none. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1848

And they said, “You have saved our lives; may it please my lord, we will be servants to Pharaoh.” Genesis 47:25 – As we read through this chapter, it is clearly seen that the famine Jospeh foretold would come certainly came. Its reach was far and severe. Due to it lasting so long, eventually even the food bought by the people ran out, so they had to buy more food from Pharoah. Eventually that food ran out, then their money ran out, so they sold their livestock, land, and even themselves as servants to Pharoah to purchase food. While certainly not an ideal situation for any to be in, let’s look at the end result. People’s lives were saved from famine, Pharoah’s kingdom grew, and Joseph’s family was well taken care of. Because Joseph followed God and worked hard, we see the end result being lives saved. Whatever role you carry today, let the life of Joseph be an encouragement to you to give your best in that role. You may work in a crummy job, but do you absolute best there. You may feel like your efforts have no impact on anything, but regardless give your all there. Whether it was in prison or in Pharoah’s throne room, Joseph did his work well as if working unto the Lord, and the result was lives being saved. God can do amazing things through the work we do for Him. Even if it is just one life that turns to the Lord after a lifetime of us serving the Lord, that one life is worth it. Serve the Lord today in gladness and excellence, wherever He may have you today, for today you are working for Him for His purpose of saving lives and bringing Him glory. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2853

Chapter 48

Genesis 48 Daily DEVO And Israel said to Joseph, “I never expected to see your face; and behold, God has let me see your offspring also.” Genesis 48:11 – God exceeds all our plans and expectations. Here Israel admits that his hope was lost at ever seeing Joseph again. He had settled in his heart that something as that would just be impossible. Yet as we read in this verse, we see that God isn’t limited to our expectations. So wherever you are at in your story realize God works in bigger ways than you can imagine. Things you though were impossible are readily available options for God to use. I mean if Jesus has the power to rise from the dead, I think He can do anything we need from Him. Remember, God’s not limited so dream bigger with Him. If God is leading you down a path, know He has all things available to Him to help you. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 528

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.” Genesis 48:21 – You may be without someone this year, but God will be with you. This is my first time navigating a Christmas season as a foster/adoptive home. For those unaware, the holidays can be so difficult for these kids because they are grieving the loss of their birth families, the loss of how they dreamt life with their family could have been, and so much more. While that may not be your story, many of you are grieving the loss of someone this year. Maybe for the first time or maybe it’s been many years but the pain is still deep. That loss is real and the pain is deep, but God will be with you and will bring you back again to a place of joy and peace in Him. While we didn’t see it in this chapter, Jacob does die. The death that would cause so much grief happened. I can’t sit here and explain or even understand why death and loss happen in each of our stories, but what I do see is the promise God is giving us here. That death and loss are a reality we’re going to exist with due to this broken world and we are going to have a God with us in every moment of that pain. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1852

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…Genesis 48:15 – This is the first time in scripture that God is called a shepherd of His people. This is uniquely special to hear coming from the mouth of Jacob for the role of a shepherd was close to his heart. Since he and his children had been shepherds, Jacob would know the full context behind the role of a shepherd and what it meant to apply that to God as his Shepherd. That God never left him alone and always had a watchful eye over him for his protection. That God would always be leading him towards refreshment. That God would carry him when he was hurt. That God would know his name and invite him by name to come under His shelter. I wonder what role you may carry that God carries in your life? Are you a parent? Think about what it means to be a parent and then remember that God is our Heavenly Father. Are you a leader? Think about what it means to be a good leader and remember that God is our Sovereign Lord. Are you a friend to someone? Thank about what that means to be a good friend and that God is our friend. What a blessing it is to have these earthly positions and relationships to help us understand our God better. Thank you Lord for being our Shepherd, Father, Lord, Friend, and Savior. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2854

Chapter 49

Genesis 49 Daily DEVO The archers bitterly attacked him, shot at him, and harassed him severely, 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) Genesis 49:23-24 – What I love about this passage is how it gives God all the credit for his steadfastness. We see him being attacked relentlessly yet him being able to stand firm and not be moved by the many attacks coming his way. But how? By God keeping him strong. That goes for you as well. In life we are going to be pressed down and attacked. We’re going to face difficulties all throughout our story. Yet what will keep us standing and still moving forward in life? The help from God in our life. God is the one who can help you through and He’s ready and willing to bless you with that support. Know if you’re trusting in Him, you will prevail through your struggle. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 529

Assemble and listen, O sons of Jacob, listen to Israel your father. Genesis 49:2 – Here Jacob is bringing close all twelve of his sons in his finals moments of life to speak to them and bless this accordingly. What we see as we read through the rest of the chapter is some of the sons receive solid, praiseworthy blessings. Others though receive what could be taken as curses, condemning their deeds done in life. What this reminds us is that when we approach God to listen to Him, we must be willing to listen to all He has to say. Listening means hearing and accepting the blessing when it comes but it also means listening and accepting the charges against our sinfulness as well. We need to hear all that God has to say to us, not just the words that are easy to swallow. How then have you been coming close and listening to what your Heavenly Father is saying to you? While yes there was blessings and charges against sin handed out for Jacob’s sons, it all began with them taking time to come close to their father. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac 🎄MERRY CHRISTMAS 🎄 – Daily DEVO 1853

…yet his bow remained unmoved; his armswere made agile by the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob (from there is the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel), by the God of your father who will help you, by the Almightywho will bless you with blessings of heaven above…Genesis 49:24-25a – Jacob gathered his twelve sons around him and began to speak over them. Some of what he said was blessing, some of it felt more like a curse upon their sinful actions, but what is seen within the words to Joseph highlights a beautiful aspect of Jacob’s life. Jacob finally claimed God as His own. Often before in scripture we see Jacob refer to God as “the God of Abraham” or “The Fear of Isaac.” Yet in his dying words, the tone shifts, and we see him claim God as the Mighty One of Jacob, his Shepherd and Stone, and his own Almighty God. I believe how we speak about God does much to tell others how we view and relate with God. Would those around you be able to say that God is your God by the way you speak? Would people at your work be able to know that God is the Shepherd of your life because you make it clear He is the One you follow? Would those in your family know that God is the ultimate voice you listen to? What would those around you say about your relationship with God by how you talk about and refer to God? If God is your Father, Shepherd, Stone, and Almighty God, make that clear within your life to all those that are in your life. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2855

Chapter 50

Genesis 50 Daily DEVO 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. Genesis 50:20 – God can make something beautiful out of the worst of situations yet know that beautiful thing may be for someone else. We see Joseph wisely looking at the troubles he went through due to his brothers actions and acknowledging that God has a plan through it all for good to come out of it. Yet what was the good Joseph said came about through his troubles? His wealth? His power? No, those things did come to him, but the good Joseph talked about was that through his troubles people were alive today that wouldn’t be if he hadn’t gone through what he did. So know that what you are going through God can make something beautiful out of it, but realize He might be using your story to help someone else’s as well. Whether it’s through you sharing your story to encourage them, them seeing your life after the struggles, or something else, God’s using your troubles for good. Know that there may be people that come to life in Jesus because they hear your story. That’s what makes all the pain worth it. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 530

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, 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. And there went up with him both chariots and horsemen. It was a very great company. Genesis 50:7-9 – Some things are meant to go through together. Here Joseph is navigating the most heartbreaking season yet in his story, the death of his father. What we see here though in this journey to bury him Joseph isn’t alone. Scripture says a very great company followed Joseph and was with him in this time. Right now that may be exactly what you need as well, people to just be around you in this season. Sure some things we can walk through on our own, but maybe the reason we haven’t fully moved through a season of pain or grief is because we’ve been trying to do so alone. This new year I encourage you to seek to have some sort of community that knows your story and is walking with you through it. This means going even deeper than just attending church, but investing in a smaller group of people that can listen to you and do life with you. While these last couple of years have been hard, there’s nothing saying 2022 is going to be any more peaceful. You though can step into it prepared by stepping into it with others. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1854

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.” Genesis 50:24 – For Joseph’s brothers, this may not have been the message they wanted to hear. While we know in the future centuries the Jewish people would be enslaved by Egypt, right now they were richly blessed by Egypt. They had the best of the land of Egypt as their home and they were supplied food by Pharoah. What they had in Egypt was pretty great, so going back to Canaan wasn’t likely on their to-do list at that time. Yet Canaan was their Promise Land, and it was to be far better for them than anything they had in Egypt. Let us remember that truth today as we think about Heaven, our Promise Land. For what we have on Earth may seem good. We can enjoy a great meal, taste a great cup of coffee, see wonderous places on this earth, and enjoy the most special of relationships with others. While I’m not discounting those things as amazing, let us never begin to think that what we have on earth is anywhere near equal in amazement to what’s ahead for us in Heaven. Heaven is impossible to describe fully in detail and impossible for us to comprehend fully. While there will be things like streets of gold and all our faithful loved ones who have passed before us, the most amazing thing about Heaven will be seeing God face to face. So yes, enjoy the blessings that God provides on this earth, but know God one day will bring His followers out of this place and take them to the land He has promised to them. And that day will be such a day of rejoicing for what God has ahead for His followers is greater than anything in this world. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2856