January 1 – Joseph Shows Character
Alternate Title – A Man of Integrity

Bible Lesson: Genesis 39:7-21A 

What we shall learn from this lesson: Joseph had a firm and enduring faith in the sovereign God. Regardless of the odds against him, the Lord would provide a way for him to overcome adversity. After being sold into slavery by his jealous brothers, he had gained favor with his master and had risen to a level of prominence in the household.

When tempted by his master's wife to perform an immoral act, he showed character by refusing to do so because of his loyalty and gratefullness to his master. He explained to her that doing such a thing would be a great sin against God. When he was unjustly accused by the wife and then thrown into prison, he never lost faith and was rewarded by God when he rose to a much higher level of prominence in all of Egypt.
When we are tempted by someone to engage in a sinful act, we should refuse and explain to them (as Joseph did) that doing so would be a sin against God. By verbally pronouncing this, our faith in and fear of God is affirmed. Others will benefit from, and respect this show of godly character.

The Bible lesson link is for the King James Version. You may also wish to read the New Living Translation of
Genesis 39:7-21A . When you get to the New Living Translation web site, scroll down the page a short distance to find the Scripture.

January 8 – Joseph Finds Favor
Alternate Title – True Success

Bible Lesson: Genesis 41:37-46, 50-52 

What we shall learn from this lesson: Joseph was a godly man and the Lord provided a means for him to overcome adversity regardless of the odds against him. He was a foreigner in the land of Egypt and was imprisoned because of a false accusation of attempted rape. When Pharaoh had two unusual and baffling dreams, none of his experts in spiritual matters could interpret the dreams. Because Joseph had correctly interpreted dreams of the chief cup-bearer and the chief baker (when they had been thrown in prison with him), Joseph was called to do the same for Pharaoh.

When asked to do so, Joseph admitted he alone could not interpret the dreams but God could provide the explanation through him. This statement not only gave true honor and credit to God but also revealed to Pharaoh that Joseph was a conduit to a much higher power. Not only did he tell Pharaoh the meaning of the dreams but gave him a plan of action to counteract the upcoming famine. This impressed Pharaoh because it demonstrated Joseph's wisdom and intelligence.

Obviously, the power of God had orchestrated this series of events to lead Pharaoh to decide on what he needed to do. He decided to put one man in charge of managing this upcoming difficult time. The man he decided on was Joseph: this intelligent, wise, and resourceful Hebrew who had found favor with God. Thusly, he also found favor with Pharaoh and was promoted to a position second only to that of him all throughout the land of Egypt. Believers know that true success and lifetime achievements come from God through us.

The Bible lesson link is for the King James Version. You may also wish to read the New Living Translation of
Genesis 41:37-46, 50-52 . When you get to the New Living Translation web site, scroll down the page a short distance to find the Scripture.

January 15 – God Preserves A Remnant
Alternate Title – Preserving a Remnant

Bible Lesson: Genesis 45:3-15 

What we shall learn from this lesson: As believers, we give credit and thanks to God for the blessings we have received in life. This is especially evident when something good happens which is so unlikely and improbable that we reflexively say it is a gift from God. This is because He is in control of the events of this world. If He decides something will happen, it will, and if He decides something will not happen, it will not.

In the reference scripture, the possibility that a Hebrew slave would rise to a position in Egypt that was second only to Pharaoh was so unlikely that it confirmed to Joseph it was part of God's plan. So, he did not blame his brothers for what they had done to him (sole him into slavery) ... nor did he give them credit for his position of authority. Being a godly man, he also did not give himself the credit. Often times, some people exhibit pride in their accomplishments without giving proper credit to God even though they should know that without Him there is nothing. Paul said (1 Cor 4:7) everything we have, God has given us.

God had sent Joseph to Egypt to provide a means for Jacob's family to survive the famine. This was a way of preserving a remnant of Abraham's descendents (Jacob was Abraham's grandson) so that God's covenant with him could come to pass. This was to be a fulfillment of what God had told Abraham (Gen 15:13-14 NLT): "...You can be sure that your descendants will be strangers in a foreign land, where they will be oppressed as slaves for 400 years ... they will come away with great wealth."

Thus, a remnant of Abraham's descendents was preserved and multiplied into the great Israelite nation as God had promised. We can look back on that time in history and understand elements of God's plan clearly even though it spanned hundreds of years. By contrast, we may not see how the events of our lifetime fits into His plan, but we should be assured there is a plan and so we should trust Him to know what is best.



The Bible lesson link is for the King James Version. You may also wish to read the New Living Translation of
Genesis 45:3-15 . When you get to the New Living Translation web site, scroll down the page a short distance to find the Scripture.

January 22 – Joseph Transmits Abraham's Promise
Alternate Title – The Power of Forgiveness

Bible Lesson: Genesis 50:15-26 

What we shall learn from this lesson: As believers, we should forgive others who have treated us wrongly; this is what the Lord expects of us. If we do not forgive others, we cannot expect God to forgive us of our sins. Joseph believed very strongly that God allowed his brothers to sell him into slavery so he would be in a position save many lives.

After Jacob (Joseph's father) died, Joseph's brothers were very frightened that he would punish then for the way they had mistreated him in the past. They begged for his forgiveness and threw themselves down at his feet as slaves (Genesis 50:18). This was fulfillment of Joseph's dream (Genesis 37:5-8). Dreams of this type had contributed to their original hatred of him. Instead of punishment, he reassured them that he had forgiven them.

As his farther Jacob had also requested, Joseph wanted his final resting place to be in Canaan because this was the land God had promised would be given to Abraham's descendents. So he asked for his bones to be taken with the Israelites when God came to lead them out of Egypt. This was acknowledgement and affirmation of the original covenant (Genesis 15:13-16 and 22:16-18) between God and Abraham. The Lord had said, "...You can be sure that your descendants will be strangers in a foreign land, where they will be oppressed as slaves for 400 years ... they will come away with great wealth." (Genesis 15:13-14 NLT)

Forgiveness is a powerful virtue. When we forgive others, this propagates and exemplifies the model of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To forgive and not take vengeance (even when vengeance is there for the taking) is exactly what Christ did on the cross when he said, "Father forgive them for they know not what they do". To forgive someone (as He did) while they were crucifying Him is the ultimate example of what we should be like. If we do not forgive, we should not expect to be forgiven when we sin ... and we will sin. Even with its great value, forgiveness is only a part of what a Christian should exemplify. If everyone would follow all Christian ideals and values, this world would be a much better place in which to live.



The Bible lesson link is for the King James Version. You may also wish to read the New Living Translation of
Genesis 50:15-26 . When you get to the New Living Translation web site, scroll down the page a short distance to find the Scripture.

January 29 – Israel Is Delivered From Egypt
Alternate Title – Delivered Out Of Egypt

Bible Lesson: Exodus 15:1-5, 19-26 , For alternate title, focus on scripture: Exodus 15:1-3, 19, 22-26

What we shall learn from this lesson: The Israelites were saved by God allowing them to cross through the Red Sea on dry land but then He crushed Pharaoh and his army by commanding the sea to close in on them when they attempted to cross. To see this and other miracles with their own eyes was more than a historical accounting of God's power, it was close and personal. Many of us have experienced God's intervention in our life and this has made Him more than just what we believe by faith ... it has given us the reality that He cares about our singular existence.

Even though God rescued the Israelites from bondage in Egypt in a miraculous way, they lost faith and complained when their journey became difficult. One such complaint was when there was not enough water and the water which was found at Marah was not good. However, God made the water good through His instructions to Moses. It was at this location that He told the Israelites He would care for them if they would only abide by His commands and do what is right in His sight.

The Bible tells us about God's miracles and how He is in control of all existence. Many examples are given which show battles being won or lost because He willed it to be so. But, when we experience His magnificent glory in the form of an answered prayer, or timely miracle, we know Him personally for ourselves. So we should sing as the Israelites did, "The Lord is my strength and my song; He has given me victory..." (15:2 NLT). This passage is stated in a personal format (my and me) in this scripture because after their escape through the Red Sea, the Israelites knew God on a personal level and not just from an historical accounting.

The Bible lesson link is for the King James Version. You may also wish to read the New Living Translation of
Exodus 15:1-5, 19-26 . When you get to the New Living Translation web site, scroll down the page a short distance to find the Scripture.

February 5 – Justified by Faith in Christ

Bible Lesson: Galatians 2:15-21 

What we shall learn from this lesson: Accepting Christ as our Lord and Saviour means we acknowledge that salvation cannot be achieved solely by attempting to obey the old Jewish law. We are sinners by nature whether Jew or Gentile. Regardless of how hard we try, we will never be sin-free. Salvation is achieved through Christ and by the grace of God. Paul understood that when Jesus sacrificed Himself on the cross, He paid the penalty for our sins.

For Believers, Christ lives within us and the Holy Spirit guides us down the right path. Our good works and trying to obey the old law will not make us justified (found faultless) in the sight of God. Only our faith in Jesus Christ can make us justified. The Bible says, "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." John 14:6 KJV.

Even though there is forgiveness of our sins through Christ, a person who blatantly and constantly sins and believes that forgiveness is just a prayer away, is mistaken. A person such as this has not truly embraced the meaning of 'being born again" and possibly has not truly accepted Jesus Christ as his/her Lord and Saviour.

God expects us to be sorry for our sins and to repent. When we become believers, our sinful nature should diminish and we should be driven to want to do what God desires. If this is not the case, a person should search himself/herself to answer the question, Am I truly saved ... have I truly accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Saviour?

The Bible lesson link is for the King James Version. You may also wish to read the New Living Translation of
Galatians 2:15-21 . When you get to the New Living Translation web site, scroll down the page a short distance to find the Scripture.

February 12 – Blessed with Abraham
Alternate Title – Freed from Law Through Christ

Bible Lesson: Galatians 3:1-14 

What we shall learn from this lesson: Paul chastised the Galatians for reverting back to the old law as a means for salvation. He used Abraham's faithfulness to God as an example of how the Galatians should be toward Jesus Christ. From the scripture, he stated that all nations would be blessed through Abraham. And he further explained that all who put their faith in Christ shall share the same blessing. Therefore all who believe in and put their faith in Jesus Christ shall be saved. They are freed from the premise that obedience to the Mosaic law is the path to salvation.

Paul said that it is impossible for sinful human beings to completely obey the law of Moses and only faith will make them righteous. He is not saying that the law is completely opposed to faith but trying to be righteous by keeping the law opposes righteousness by faith in Christ. It was He who paid our sin debt by being crucified and it is through Him we receive salvation. The Bible says, "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." John 14:6 KJV.

The Bible lesson link is for the King James Version. You may also wish to read the New Living Translation of
Galatians 3:1-14 . When you get to the New Living Translation web site, scroll down the page a short distance to find the Scripture.

February 19 – Inheriting Abraham's Promise
Alternate Title – Heirs to the Promise

Bible Lesson: Galatians 3:15-18 , Galatians 4:1-7 

What we shall learn from this lesson: Because of his exceptional faith and obedience, God promised Abraham that all nations of the earth would be blessed by his descendents (Genesis 22:18). The scripture does not indicate this promise was conditional and therefore, Paul explained, the law given to Moses could not cancel the covenant God made with Abraham. In other words, adherence to the law was not the sole determining factor to achieving salvation.

The fulfillment of this promise was the birth of Jesus Christ (over 2000 years later). Through Him, all nations are blessed with a path to salvation which is based on God's grace, and acceptance of Christ as our Lord and Savior. This means all of humanity inherited the promise given to Abraham and are blessed through Jesus.

The Bible lesson link is for the King James Version. You may also wish to read the New Living Translation of
Galatians 3:15-18 . and Galatians 4:1-7 .  When you get to the New Living Translation web site, scroll down the page a short distance to find the Scripture.

February 26 – Bearing the Fruit of Redemption
Alternate Title – Fruits of Redemption

Bible Lesson: Galatians 5:22-26 , Galatians 6:1-10  (In effect, Galatians 5:22 - 6:10)

What we shall learn from this lesson: When Jesus was crucified on the cross, He redeemed us by freeing us from the captivity of sin. He provided a means for forgiveness of our sins through His blood for He died as a sacrificial lamb. The fruits of this redemption are realized when we allow the Holy Spirit to guide us.

Those who live to please God will harvest the ultimate fruit: eternal life. Metaphorically, we can view life as a plant. The seed we planted was "The acceptance of Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour". Then allowing the Holy Spirit to guide us provided the water and food for the seed to grow into our "Christian Plant". The plant will grow and grow (as we continue to feed and water it through the Holy Spirit) and will produce fruits in the form of godly attitudes. These fruits are: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance... and finally, the ultimate fruit of eternal life.

Most of us know what happens to plants which are never watered or fed. Those plants will wither and then die. No fruit will be produced. Do we want that to happen to our Christian Plant? No we don't. We should resolve ourselves to living a godly life, so we can reap goodness and mercy from the Lord our God.

The Bible lesson link is for the King James Version. You may also wish to read the New Living Translation of
Galatians 5:22-26 . and Galatians 6:1-10 .  When you get to the New Living Translation web site, scroll down the page a short distance to find the Scripture.

March 4 – Wisdom's Origin

Bible Lesson: Proverbs 8:22-35 

What we shall learn from this lesson: Wisdom encompasses incite, good judgement, and knowledge resulting in the ability to know what is best or the best course of action for a particular situation. Chapter 8 speaks of wisdom (metaphorically) as a woman who is calling out to all people (8:4). Of course, wisdom is not a person but is of God and thus has always existed. His wisdom guided the creation of the world and the heavens and established the order of existence.

For humans, the beginning of wisdom and knowledge is the fear of the Lord (Psalm 111:10, Proverbs 1:7 and Proverbs 9:10). This means we should recognize our total dependence on Him for life and our very existence. Fear of the Lord means we are prompted to obey His laws and to render godly service to mankind.

We know that God's understanding is infinite (Psalms 147:5) and He is righteous in all His ways and holy in all His works (Psalms 145:17). Then, considering all, it is clear where wisdom originated: The origin of wisdom is God because it existed from the beginning of all time as a part of His nature.

The Bible lesson link is for the King James Version. You may also wish to read the New Living Translation of
Proverbs 8:22-35 . When you get to the New Living Translation web site, scroll down the page a short distance to find the Scripture.

For access to all chapters of the King James Version Bible in audio and visual formats, visit
the Audio-Bible.com web site.

For other versions (NIV, New Living Translation, etc.) of the Bible in audio and visual formats, visit the
World Wide Study Bible page of Christian Classics Eternal Library site. Also visit the New Living Translation web site.

Some information on this page may be referenced from the NLT Study Bible,the Ryrie Study Bible (NIV), and the Standard Lesson Commentary.