Monthly Study
July 2024God's Promise
Genesis, Part Two
All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring. I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.—Genesis 28:14–15
In January, we studied the first half of Genesis, from Creation through the death of Abraham. This month, we follow the lives of Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph. We’ll read some of the most famous stories in the Bible, including Jacob stealing Esau’s birthright and Joseph’s betrayal by his brothers.
Through it all, we will learn that God keeps His promises. Despite the deceit of Jacob, the violence of Levi and Simeon, or the false accusation of Potiphar’s wife, God was faithful. Abraham’s family would become a great nation and bless all the families of the earth (Gen. 12:3). We, too, can depend on God’s promises. He is always faithful!
Your devotional author,
Ryan J. Cook
Volume 37Edition 7
Managing Editor: Jamie Janosz, Senior Editor: Elena Mafter, Contributing Editor: John Koessler, Writer: Ryan Cook, Graphic Designer: Rachel Hutcheson, Marketing: JD Hamby, Production: Rhonda AuYeung
About the Author
Devotional Calendar
Podcasts
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Waiting on the Lord
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It is not easy to wait. We are used to getting things quickly. The internet has made it possible to get almost any information we want immediately.
July 1, 2024
Standing on the Promises
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When a couple gets married, they vow to love, honor, and be faithful to one another “until death do us part.” How well they keep those promises has a defining effect on their relationship.
July 2, 2024
Amazing Grace
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While we often celebrate God’s amazing grace, deep down we may feel it would be better if we could somehow qualify for it.
July 3, 2024
A House Divided
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Have you ever had a plan backfire on you spectacularly? When I was in high school, my classmates and I tried to get our history teacher to put off an exam...
July 4, 2024
God with Us
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Over the past year, our family has gotten to know several Ukrainian families who came to the United States because of the war.
July 5, 2024
Love Story
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Couples want everything to go perfectly on their wedding day. Yet, mishaps often make for the best stories and most entertaining videos.
July 6, 2024
Family History
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Have you ever wondered if God could use you because of your past? Maybe you feel like God cannot work through you because of where you came from or what you have done.
July 7, 2024
Family Business
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A close friend of mine works for a large, family-owned business. When the father who started the business died, the three siblings argued over who was in charge and how much each one owned....
July 8, 2024
The Best of Plans
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Has your life ever taken an unexpected turn? Have you ever made plans only to have them dramatically rearranged?
July 9, 2024
Fearful Prayers
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Have you ever been driven to pray because you were afraid? Some people view “save me” prayers cynically.
July 10, 2024
Wrestling with God
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Have you ever been so focused on one problem that you didn’t even realize your real problem? We might pray to God, “Help me with my job” or “Bring healing to my loved one.”
July 11, 2024
Family Reunion
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Have you ever had a broken relationship you thought could never be mended? Jacob and Esau had a lot of barriers to their reconciliation.
July 12, 2024
Revenging Wrong
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Often in Scripture, a spiritual highpoint is followed by a corresponding low. After the Garden of Eden, we get the Fall (Genesis 3).
July 13, 2024
Flee Idolatry
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Evangelist D. L. Moody once explained idolatry this way: “You don’t have to go to heathen lands today to find false gods. America is full of them.
July 14, 2024
Pain and Suffering
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A philosopher once observed, “To live is to suffer, to survive is to find some meaning in the suffering.” One question that often haunts people experiencing suffering is: “Where is God in this?”
July 15, 2024
Forever Changed
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Have you ever seen someone’s life change dramatically? In the Old Testament, Judah is a good example. It was his idea to sell his brother Joseph into slavery (Gen. 37:26).
July 16, 2024
The Lord Goes with You
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According to the Department of Justice, there has been a 49 percent increase in human trafficking cases in the United States between 2011 and 2021.
July 17, 2024
Persevering in Faith
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Have you ever gotten in trouble for doing the right thing? After being sold into slavery and then purchased by a wealthy Egyptian, Joseph had flourished.
July 18, 2024
Hopes and Dreams
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Have you ever had your hopes raised, followed by a quick and crushing disappointment? Perhaps you were counting on a job promotion that went to someone else.
July 19, 2024
In Pharaoh’s Court
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I have never been gifted at working with my hands. In high school art class, the teacher gave an award to every student at the end of the school year.
July 20, 2024
From Rags to Riches
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Jesus once said, “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God” (Matt. 19:24).
July 21, 2024
Guilty Conscience
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As a seminary teacher, over the years I have had a handful of students confess to me that they cheated in a course. By the time they come to me, I can tell...
July 22, 2024
There and Back Again
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Can people change? This question has been debated for generations. There is a lot at stake in the question for most people.
July 23, 2024
Put to the Test
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How do you know if someone has really changed? Their change has to be put to the test. Joseph was in a unique position to discern whether his brothers had changed.
July 24, 2024
The Unveiling
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Why is there so much evil and suffering in the world? There are no easy answers. But one truth the Bible consistently affirms is...
July 25, 2024
Down to Egypt
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Most of us would agree that a promise is only as good as the person who made it. But what if the One making the promise is God?
July 26, 2024
In, But Not of It
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How should a Christian engage with the world? Jesus called His followers to be in the world but not of it (John 17:14–16). Both the terms “in” and “not of” are important.
July 27, 2024
Our Family Story
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My daughter often asks me to tell her stories at night when I put her to bed. She wants to know about things that happened when I was a child and the history of our family.
July 28, 2024
A Certain Future
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A few years ago, I was at a conference where the speaker was introduced as a “futurist.” I had never heard of that as a job title before.
July 29, 2024
Forgiving the Unforgivable
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Forgiveness and reconciliation are deeply countercultural. Instead of forgiveness, we tend to prefer revenge or bringing people to justice, to make them pay for what they did.
July 30, 2024
God Keeps His Promises
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If I make a promise to one of my children, I can be sure they will not forget it. Whether it’s a promise to get ice cream after dinner or go to the park, they will not rest until my promise is kept.
July 31, 2024