As we start Genesis chapter 44, we will see that sometimes a test is a blessing, because it can confirm that our hearts have been changed. Judah and the brothers have changed, and this beautiful story  points to the future when Jesus would take the place of the guilty, so that the guilty would experience freedom.

The Famine is severe throughout the land. Jacob tells his sons to return to Egypt to get more food.  Joseph tests his brothers honestly and waits to see Benjamin.  God keeps His covenant promise, stages a reconciliation party and saves His people.  As we study this passage we'll see how God is at work to do the same in and through us.

True discipleship begins and continues by keeping Jesus Christ at the very center of our lives.  From the vine and branches in John 15 to Mary at Jesus’ feet in Luke 10, we see that fruitfulness and joy flow only from abiding in Him, not from our own efforts or busyness.  When Christ is the hub, everything else—our service, relationships, and growth—spins in harmony and power; when He isn’t, everything wobbles out of balance.

In Genesis 42 we see a famine drive Jacob’s sons to Egypt where they unknowingly stand before Joseph — the very brother they sold — who tests them to discover whether they’ve changed. God’s providence uses harsh circumstances to bring hidden guilt into the light and to produce repentance, while also providing the means of rescue. The chapter teaches that God’s sovereign care can turn judgment into mercy when hearts are humbled and truth is faced.

This message from Genesis 41 highlights God’s preparation of Joseph through years of hardship, humility, and faithfulness. When Joseph stood before Pharaoh, he recognized that his wisdom and success came from God. Through Joseph’s example, we learn that God is at work even in seasons of obscurity or suffering—forming character, teaching dependence, and preparing us for fruitfulness and influence in His timing.

In 1 John 5:13–21, the Apostle John assures believers that they can know—not merely hope—that they have eternal life through Jesus Christ. This confidence flows into every part of the Christian life: prayer, intercession, holiness, and guarding against idolatry. When our faith rests in Christ’s finished work, not our performance, we experience the peace, power, and security that come from knowing we belong to the true God.

Join us this weekend as we continue our study on the life of Joseph in Genesis 41. We will learn that faithfulness through every season of life matters to God. Every season of our lives is used by God to prepare us for something. Get ready, a transition is coming!

John affirms that Jesus came in the flesh as the Savior of the world, countering false teachings and grounding believers’ assurance. God’s perfect love removes fear and compels His children to love one another. True believers are marked by right doctrine about Christ, love for God and the brethren, obedience to His commands, and victory over the world through faith. Eternal life is found exclusively in the Son of God.

There will be many times in our lives when God allows things to happen in our lives that makes no sense. As we study the life of Joseph in Genesis chapter 40, we will see that choosing to trust despite uncertainty both honors God and allows Him to work in and through our lives to accomplish His will.

In 1 John 4:7–15, John emphasizes that love is not simply an attribute of God but His very nature: “God is love.” God demonstrated this love by sending His Son as the atoning sacrifice for our sins, initiating a relationship we could never earn. Because God has loved us in this way, believers are commanded to love one another, not in words or feelings only, but in action. Through this love, the invisible God is made visible to the world, and believers testify that Jesus is the Savior of the world.

Genesis 39 shows us that God’s presence, not circumstances, defines true success. Even as a slave and prisoner, Joseph remained faithful, serving diligently and resisting temptation because he feared God. His integrity stood firm through trials and false accusations, pointing us to Christ’s greater faithfulness. The passage calls us to trust that God is enough in every season of life.

In Genesis chapter 38, the focus shifts from Joseph to Judah, highlighting how taking control of our own lives can lead to disaster. The encouraging news is at any time we can allow God to lead. When we let God lead, we discover there's a better way.

The Apostle John warns believers not to accept every spiritual message but to test the spirits, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. The true Spirit of God confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh—fully God and fully man—while the spirit of antichrist denies Him. Though deception is everywhere, Christians need not fear, for the Holy Spirit within us is greater than the spirit in the world. By clinging to apostolic teaching, we discern truth from error and stand firm in Christ.

This weekend we start our teaching on the life of Joseph. We will see Joseph going from the pasture to the pit. We will learn to view life through the lens that God is good and with us through the highs and lows of life.

In light of the contrast between the children of God and the children of the devil, John teaches us that true believers are marked by obedience, faith in Christ, and love for others. Though our hearts often condemn us, Scripture assures us that God is greater than our hearts and offers us confidence before Him. This assurance not only secures our salvation but also strengthens our prayer life, our love for one another, and our walk in Christ.

John reminds believers that true children of God are marked not only by righteousness but by sacrificial love for one another. Unlike Cain, whose jealousy led to hate and murder, Christians are called to reflect the love of Christ by laying down their lives in practical, sincere ways. This radical, Spirit-empowered love is the evidence of new life and a powerful witness to the world.

Paul closes 1 Corinthians by addressing the practical matter of giving, teaching that generosity is an act of worship, a demonstration of unity in the body, and a means of meeting real needs. He urges believers to remain steadfast in the faith, to serve faithfully, and to act with courage and love. His final greetings remind the church to honor servants of God, to live in fellowship, and to anticipate Christ’s return.

John reminds believers that being a child of God is not a universal human condition, but a privilege granted through faith in Christ and new birth by the Spirit. This identity comes with the hope of transformation—one day being like Christ when He appears—and the present call to holiness. Genuine sonship is evidenced not by words alone but by a life marked by righteousness, love, and the rejection of habitual sin.

As we finish part 2 of 1 Corinthians 15, we will explore the concept of how a believer experiences new bodies through resurrection. Paul uses agricultural metaphors to explain how seeds must die to be transformed into something new. Likewise, at the resurrection God will transform our physical bodies into spiritual bodies made for heaven. Confident of this, we are encouraged to remain steadfast in faith as we agree with ultimate victory over death for all who are in Christ.

John urges believers to remain in the truth they received from the beginning—the simple, powerful gospel of Jesus Christ—not chasing after so-called “deeper knowledge” from false teachers. True eternal life isn’t just about living forever, but living now in communion with God, transformed by the Spirit who teaches, empowers, and assures us from within. As we abide in Christ and His Word, we can look forward to His return with confidence—not shame—living righteously as evidence that we truly belong to Him.