Our Final Week in Genesis (Blogging Through the Bible)

Today we begin our final week in the book of Genesis! It has been such an amazing journey through Genesis. Thanks for joining me!

Here's our reading plan for this week.

And here's my S.O.A.P for Genesis 46:


Scripture: Genesis 46:3-4  So He said, “I am God, the God of your father; do not fear to go down to Egypt, for I will make of you a great nation there. ⁴ I will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also surely bring you up again; and Joseph will put his hand on your eyes.”

Observations: God tells Jacob to not be afraid to go down to Egypt. He gives Jacob four promises to comfort and reassure Jacob that he is doing the right thing by going to Egypt and has no need to fear. 

The first promise of God, “I will make of you a great nation there,” reveals His good purpose to Jacob for sending him and his entire family into the land of Egypt. The unconditional faithfulness of God is revealed again in this promise which reaffirms the covenant God made with Abraham and his descendants.

The second promise of God, “I will go down with you to Egypt,” assures Jacob that God will be with him in this hostile enemy territory, giving him another reason not to fear. Jacob can be sure that where God is calling him, He will also go with him. 

The third promise of God, “I will also surely bring you up again,” reaffirms God’s promise spoken to Abraham when He first prophesied that his descendants would be strangers and oppressed in a land that was not theirs (Gen. 15:13-14), but that after 400 years God would bring them back to the land of Canaan. I’m sure Jacob had heard about this prophecy growing up. There are times in all of our lives where we need to be reminded of God’s word and to be assured that whatever God says will surely come to pass. This promise is also given as a personal comfort to Jacob that he would be buried in the cave with his fathers.

The fourth promise of God, “Joseph will put his hands on your eyes,” is given to comfort Jacob that Joseph would be there with him at his time of death.

Application: During fearful times of our lives, we can seek the face of God for comfort through prayer and reading His Word. We can be reminded of His promises to us while we sojourn in this hostile world that is not our true home by spending time reading the Bible. God’s Word is given to us as a lamp for our feet and a light for our path. We can’t use it as the spiritual weapon it is intended for – the sword of the Spirit – unless we open up its pages and read the words that were inspired by God.

There are promises of God found in the Bible that are ours as His children. Jacob received strength for the journey ahead of him because of the promises God spoke to him. May we run to God through prayer and into His Word to receive the strength for our individual journeys of this life.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for the gift of Your Word and for the opportunity to sit at Your feet in prayer. Help us to seek Your face every day for the strength we need for this journey of life in a world that is hostile to You and to Your children. We long to be with You and to live eternally in Your presence. Help us to keep our eyes on You and to not be fearful on the journey we each are taking on the road that will lead us home to Heaven. In the comforting name of Jesus I pray. Amen!

Let's finish strong in the book of Genesis. I'll see you back here on Wednesday! In addition to sharing my S.O.A.P.s, I'll also be giving you information on which book of the Bible we're heading into next and about our Christmas break.

Walking in His Grace, 

Laurie

 

 

**Chime in! What are your thoughts for this chapter? Please share in the comments below.

 

Forgiveness and Reconciliation (Blogging Through the Bible)

We see in this week's reading the beauty of forgiveness and reconciliation in the story of Joseph and his brothers. Their story is a beautiful picture of Jesus forgiving sinners who come to repentance and are reconciled to God.

Here are my S.O.A.P.s for Genesis 44 and 45. I would love to hear your thoughts about these chapters. Feel free to leave a comment at the end of this post.

Thursday, November 13, 2014

Genesis 44

Scripture: Genesis 44:1-2, 10-14, 33-34 And he commanded the steward of his house, saying, “Fill the men’s sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put each man’s money in the mouth of his sack. ² Also put my cup, the silver cup, in the mouth of the sack of the youngest, and his grain money.” So he did according to the word that Joseph had spoken.
 

¹⁰ And he said, “Now also let it be according to your words; he with whom it is found shall be my slave, and you shall be blameless.” ¹¹ Then each man speedily let down his sack to the ground, and each opened his sack. ¹² So he searched. He began with the oldest and left off with the youngest; and the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack. ¹³ Then they tore their clothes, and each man loaded his donkey and returned to the city. ¹⁴ So Judah and his brothers came to Joseph’s house, and he was still there; and they fell before him on the ground.
 

³³ Now therefore, please let your servant remain instead of the lad as a slave to my lord, and let the lad go up with his brothers. ³⁴ For how shall I go up to my father if the lad is not with me, lest perhaps I see the evil that would come upon my father?”


Observations: Joseph continues to be guided by the hand of God in these tests of his brothers’ hearts with the intention of bringing about complete repentance in their hearts. When Joseph’s servant finds the cup in Benjamin’s sack, the reaction of the brothers shows their grief and disturbance over the loss of Benjamin that would be the death of their father. They tore their clothes and returned to the city. This time they don’t leave their brother in the hands of captives as they did Joseph; instead, they accompany Benjamin determined to stand with him in slavery or even death. Judah even intercedes for Benjamin offering to take his place as a slave to Joseph. This shows Judah’s concern for Benjamin as well as his concern for the well being of their father. We can see in Judah a change of heart as he offers his own life for the lives of Benjamin and their father.


Application: There is no greater evidence of a changed heart than the sacrificial love for another. We are never more like Jesus than when we put the needs of others before our own. The same sacrificial love that Jesus poured out on us should flow from our hearts into our marriages, into our children’s lives, and into our friendships. 


Prayer: Heavenly Father, create in me a heart that longs to put the needs of others above my own. Help me to remember the sacrificial love Jesus poured out for me as I interact with those you have blessed my life with. Even more, I pray that You would help me to show sacrificial love to those who are not so easy to love and to those who have hurt me. Thank You, Jesus, for Your example of sacrificial love shown in that while we were yet sinners You chose to die for us. It’s in Your loving name I pray. Amen!



Friday, November 14, 2014


Genesis 45


Scripture: Genesis 45:1, 4-5, 7-8, 14-15 Then Joseph could not restrain himself before all those who stood by him, and he cried out, “Make everyone go out from me!” So no one stood with him while Joseph made himself known to his brothers. 


⁴ And Joseph said to his brothers, “Please come near to me.” So they came near. Then he said: “I am Joseph your brother, whom you sold into Egypt. ⁵ But now, do not therefore be grieved or angry with yourselves because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life. 


⁷ And God sent me before you to preserve a posterity for you in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance. ⁸ So now it was not you who sent me here, but God; and He has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt.

¹⁴ Then he fell on his brother Benjamin’s neck and wept, and Benjamin wept on his neck. ¹⁵ Moreover he kissed all his brothers and wept over them, and after that his brothers talked with him.

Observations: My heart smiled at today’s reading. What a beautiful picture of reconciliation! What a beautiful testimony of the power of God at work in Joseph’s life working ALL things together for good – not only Joseph’s good, but for the good of his family and the people of the land who were affected by the famine.

Joseph’s cautiousness finally melts away as he feels assurance of the godly repentance that has led to a change of heart in the lives of his brothers. He is no longer able to restrain himself and all the emotion that he has been guarding within his heart he is finally able to release. Can you image the relief and the overwhelming sense of joy?! Cautiousness is pushed away to usher in a glorious time of reconciliation.

Joseph recognizes God’s hand in the events that have shaped his life – both good and bad. He releases his brothers from the pain of guilt over how they sold him to the Ishmaelites by assuring them that it was God who sent him there to Egypt in order that lives would be saved during the famine. 

Tears are flowing and brotherly love abounds. Talks begin among brothers who have spent years apart from each other; I can just imagine them sharing with one another. 

Forgiveness and godly sorrow that leads to repentance brought about this beautiful reconciliation. 

Application: God sees the big picture of all of the events – good and bad – that will make up the story of our life. Joseph’s life is a wonderful reminder that when God writes our story the ending will justify every.single.event. There are times of growth for us in the good times and even more so in the bad times of our lives. It’s in the bad times that I’m able to cling to what I know about God – knowledge I’ve gained by spending time daily with Him in His Word and through prayer. It’s in those bad times that I get to experience God…not just with a head knowledge, but with a heart knowledge as I find Him faithful to be Who He says He is and of His love for me.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for the gift of salvation You have given to me through Jesus Christ. Because You first loved us, You provided the means of our reconciliation through the perfect and sinless life of Jesus. He fulfilled every requirement of the Law that we could not. It’s through His blood that we have been reconciled to You. Help me to live my life in the same way…to be the one to approach a broken relationship with love and forgiveness and a hand that is extended in an effort of reconciliation. In the reconciling name of Jesus I pray. Amen!

Have a great weekend friends! I'll be back on Monday with another Blogging Through the Bible post. Here's our reading plan for next week:

Walking in His Grace, 

Laurie

I'm linking up with this Blogging Through the Bible post with Courtney Joseph over at Women Living Well, home of Good Morning Girls. Read more Blogging Through the Bible posts by clicking on the image below.  

Family Game Night with Out of the Box Games

Family game nights are a great tradition to start with your family! Are you ready to fill your house with some family friendly fun! Out of the Box Games will help you do that!



You'll want to establish family game night in your house with the fun games available from Out of the Box Games. I was excited to be selected to review Snake Oil with my family in our home. Get ready for some family fun and lots of laughs!

Snake Oil is best for ages 10 and up. At $19.99, it's a box full of fun for the entire family!

How to Play Snake Oil

There are four Word Card decks that you'll place on your playing table. The Word cards are purple with rounded corners. Be sure the cards are within reach of all the players. Each player gets to draw a hand of six Word Cards. Choose one player that will get to be the Customer for the first round.

Now the fun begins!

The Customer will take a Customer Card (green in color), and choosing either side, will read it aloud and take on the role that they read from the Customer Card. They'll lay their Customer Card down on the table in front of himself or herself for that round.

The other players will create an item for the Customer by combining two Word Cards from their hands. Each player, when ready, will make their "pitch" of their item to the Customer. When one player is finished pitching their item any other player is allowed to jump in and make their pitch. Pitches that go over 30 seconds can be cut off by another player.

After each player has made their pitch, the Customer will then pick the best item and award the Customer Card to the player who created the winning item.

Players are to place the Word Cards they used in that round back into the card tray and draw new Word Cards from any of the Word Card decks to bring their total count of Word Cards back up to six.

The player to the left of the first player to be the Customer will become the Customer in the next round. The game continues as stated above until all players have gotten the chance to be the Customer.

Once everyone has had their chance of being the Customer, the player with the most Customer Cards is the winner of the game!

Our Opinion of Snake Oil

Snake Oil has become one of our most favorite family games to play together! We enjoyed tons of laughs during our family game nights with Snake Oil. The memories we've made together as a family mean a lot to this momma's heart. I want to create family traditions that my kids will remember when they're older and will even make into traditions with their own children one day.

You can follow Out of the Box Games on the following social media outlets: Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

Read more Out of the Box reviews from the Schoolhouse Review Crew by clicking on the image below!

Walking in His Grace, 

Laurie

Fulfilled Dreams and Changed Hearts (Blogging Through the Bible)

Thirteen years is a long time to wait...wouldn't you agree?

That's how long Joseph waited for the fulfillment of his dreams to come to pass. During those long years we know how faithful Joseph was in his walk with God. We also know how God made Joseph prosper wherever he was at - from his time in the prison to his promotion into the palace.

Fulfilled dreams.

Imagine the shock Joseph must have felt when he comes face-to-face with his brothers again. You remember...the ones who wanted to kill him, but sold him to the Ishmaelites. Have they come after all this time to kill him? Why are they here now...after all this time? I can just imagine all the questions racing through Joseph's mind.

Joseph has a right to be cautious, don't you think?!

The questions Joseph asks of his brothers give him the answers he needs to calm his curiosity. And in the end, his final test involving his favoritism of Benjamin during their meal in order to settle in Joseph's mind the true condition of his brothers' hearts, brings about a beautiful reconciliation.

Changed hearts.

Fulfilled dreams and changed hearts in the hands of a faithful God and in His perfect timing.

God is able to do the same for you.

Is there a dream God has given to you? Be faithful where He has placed you in this moment.

Do you need a change of heart? Surrender yourself to the One Who surrendered all for you...His name is Jesus. He can do more with a surrendered heart than you ever thought possible.


Here are my S.O.A.P.s for Genesis 42 and 43:

Tuesday, November 11, 2014

Genesis 42

Scripture: Genesis 42:6 Now Joseph was governor over the land; and it was he who sold to all the people of the land. And Joseph’s brothers came and bowed down before him with their faces to the earth.

Observations: We see here the fulfillment of Joseph’s first dream we read about in Genesis 37:5-8.

Application: We can be assured that God’s plans for our lives will come to pass.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for Your faithfulness. Every word that You have spoken will surely come to pass in Your perfect timing. Help us to keep our eyes on You while we wait for Your plans to be accomplished in our lives. Help us to trust You in all the circumstances that come our way believing that You are using every circumstance to shape us into the vessel You desire for us to be. In the life-changing name of Jesus I pray. Amen!

Wednesday, November 12, 2014

Genesis 43

Scripture: Genesis 43:34 Then he took servings to them from before him, but Benjamin’s serving was five times as much as any of theirs. So they drank and were merry with him.

Observations: In this test of his brothers' reactions, Joseph shows favoritism towards his brother Benjamin by serving him five times as much as he served the others. That “they drank and were merry with him” indicates to Joseph a true change of their hearts.

Application: When our hearts are truly repentant, there will be a change in our behavior. Others will be able to tell by our actions that we have turned away from the things that grieve the heart of God.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, I thank You for turning my heart of stone into a heart of flesh that is surrendered to Your will. I desire to live my life to bring honor and glory to Your name alone. I pray that when others see me they will see a woman who is surrendered to the power of the Holy Spirit working in her heart and life. Thank You for Your forgiveness that covers me. Help me to share Your love and Your forgiveness to all who You place in my path. May they, too, be drawn to Your heart in total surrender to Your will for their lives. In the life-changing name of Jesus I pray. Amen!

Here's our reading plan for the rest of the week. I'll be back on Friday with another Blogging Through the Bible post!

Walking in His Grace, 

Laurie

**Chime In!**

 

Has God placed a dream in your heart? Has God fulfilled a dream for you? Please share!

Do you need a change of heart? How can I pray for you?

Purex Crystals Aromatherapy Review and Giveaway

Purex Crystals Aromatherapy have three new and exciting in-wash scent boosters to breathe life into your clothes! As a Purex Insider, I was thrilled to be chosen to do a review of this new product. I received a free bottle of the Well Being scent to use in our laundry. The scent of fresh blossoms filled the laundry room and lasted for weeks on our clothes! The other two scents are Energy (with the energizing scent of citrus) and Serenity (with the calming scent of water lilies).

Blended with aromatherapy essential oils, these floral and citrus scents penetrate through tough odors leaving our clothes with the most amazing scent. The pink crystals of Well Being Purex Crystals Aromatherapy are a great laundry enhancer and are so easy to add into my loads of dirty laundry. Even the tough odors of my husband's work clothes (he works for our local trash service) are no match against the happy fragrance of fresh blossoms in Well Being Crystals.

Simply add a small amount of the Purex Crystals Aromatherapy at the beginning of your laundry cycle to eliminate laundry odors in your clothes too! Want to win a coupon for a free bottle of Purex Crystals Aromatherapy to try out for yourself? Simply enter my giveaway using the Rafflecopter widget below.

Your Purex Insider, 

Laurie

a Rafflecopter giveaway

*The Purex brand provided me with a bottle of Purex Crystals Aromatherapy in exchange for a product review. However, all opinions expressed here are my own. 

Purposeful Design: Understanding the Creation ~ Book Review

Purposeful Design seeks to present the evidence of a loving Creator who purposefully created us and the world in which we live. I was able to review Purposeful Design: Understanding the Creation by Jay Schabacker in my home with my 14 year old son. We used it in our homeschool as part of our Bible lessons. It would be a great supplement to a unit study on creation. The science concepts which are discussed in a way that's easy to understand would also enrich any science curriculum.

Why did Jay Schabacker write Purposeful Design? Here's the answer in his own words:

Imagine how your loved ones would be helped if they all understood and realized that an awesome God created them and loved them very much! That’s why I produced the book, “Purposeful Design – Understanding the Creation”. This book is for everyone! It will help your children and grandchildren build upon a foundation of truth. And, there may be some parents who yearn to be a better witness to their children – about the positive aspects of this world. Children are now maturing at ever earlier ages, and are facing more choices, so this is more important now than ever before. The book is short, easy on the eyes, and will go a long way to “break the ice” and to start the discussion with your children that you long for.

- Jay Schabacker

This book can be used with all ages. The cost for this beautifully illustrated and Biblically accurate hardback book is $18.95. Purposeful Design: Understanding the Creation will be a wonderful addition to any home or church library. If you wish to purchase copies of the book in bulk, there are pricing options available for that as well.

Build a Biblical foundation of truth in your child's heart concerning the creation of the world and everything in it. There are 95 pages total in Purposeful Design: Understanding the Creation. Here's a look at each chapter as well as the complex science concepts Jay breaks down into understandable pieces within each chapter:

Chapter 1 The First Day: Creation of the Heavens and the Earth - the Foundation of it All (What Keeps Things Going?)

Chapter 2 The Second Day: Creation of the Atmosphere and Water (Quenching the Thirsty Earth - The "Rain Cycle")

Chapter 3 The Third Day: Creation of the Dry Land and Vegetation (The Importance of Vegetation and Plants to Humans)

Chapter 4 The Fourth Day: Creation of the Sun, Moon, and Stars (The Sun's Ray and the Earth's Tilt; Use of the Preciseness of the Sunrise; The Many Benefits of our Moon; The Beneficial Ocean Tides; and Stars)

Chapter 5 The Fifth Day: Creation of the Birds and Fish (Why the Birds and Fish Were Created; Instinct; and Why Does Ice Float?)

Chapter 6 The Sixth Day: Creation of Land Creatures and Humans (God Made Domestic Animals for Us and The Amazing Uniqueness of the Human Being)

Chapter 7 The Seventh Day


There is a Purposeful Design Young Explorer's Club on the website which is a free workbook curriculum for elementary aged readers and above. You'll find it is listed under the column "Free Curriculum". You can download the student workbook and the teacher's guide to use alongside your reading of Purposeful Design: Understanding the Creation.

My son and I really enjoyed the beautiful illustrations throughout the book. The beauty of the illustrations along with the Scripture verses woven throughout the pages helped to created an interest to read and discover the purpose of the Creator with His creation. Jay wonderfully leads us on a journey back in time to witness the hand of the loving Creator Who had us in mind at the very beginning of His creation.

You can connect with Jay Schabacker through his blog or on these social media outlets: Facebook and Twitter.

Find out what others on the Schoolhouse Review Crew thought about Purposeful Design: Understanding the Creation by clicking on the image below.
 

Walking in His Grace, 

Laurie