Daily Scripture Reading – January 21, 2026

Genesis 41:41–42:38; Matthew 14:22–15:9; Psalm 12:1–8

Genesis 41:41–42:38

Joseph’s rise to authority fulfills God’s earlier promises and places him in a position to preserve life. His brothers’ guilt begins to surface as God initiates a work of repentance. The famine becomes a means of both provision and confrontation.

Matthew 14:22–15:9

Jesus reveals his authority over nature and human fear. Peter’s wavering faith highlights the tension between trust and doubt. Jesus also confronts empty religious traditions that mask disobedient hearts.

Psalm 12:1–8

The psalm contrasts deceptive human speech with the purity of God’s words. The Lord promises protection for the faithful amid corruption. His truth remains untainted and trustworthy.

Tying it together

God’s word and authority stand firm amid fear, guilt, and human failure. He uses both abundance and trial to reveal hearts. His truth preserves and guides those who trust him.

Daily Scripture Reading – January 20, 2026

Genesis 40:1–41:40; Matthew 14:1–21; Proverbs 2:12–22

Genesis 40:1–41:40

Joseph’s gifts create opportunity, yet fulfillment comes only in God’s timing. From prison to palace, the Lord orchestrates events for his purposes. Wisdom and humility prepare Joseph to steward authority faithfully.

Matthew 14:1–21

John the Baptist’s death reveals the cost of truth in a broken world. Jesus responds with compassion, feeding the crowds and meeting their needs. The miracle highlights dependence on God’s provision rather than human resources.

Proverbs 2:12–22

Wisdom protects from corrupt paths and destructive influences. It preserves integrity and leads toward life and stability. God’s guidance separates the righteous from the way of ruin.

Tying it together

God exalts wisdom, compassion, and trust in his provision. He works through faithful obedience rather than impulsive power. His purposes advance through patience and dependence.

Daily Scripture Reading – January 19, 2026

Genesis 38:1–39:23; Matthew 13:36–58; Psalm 11:1–7

Genesis 38:1–39:23

Judah’s moral failure contrasts sharply with Joseph’s integrity. Joseph remains faithful in temptation and injustice, trusting God even in prison. The Lord’s presence with Joseph does not remove hardship but sustains him through it.

Matthew 13:36–58

Jesus explains the separation that will occur at the end of the age, where true and false are revealed. His hometown’s unbelief limits their experience of his power. Familiarity becomes a barrier when faith is absent.

Psalm 11:1–7

The psalm affirms that God’s throne is secure even when foundations seem shaken. The Lord tests the righteous and opposes violence. His justice is sure and his gaze is discerning.

Tying it together

God values faithfulness over popularity and righteousness over appearances. He sees clearly and judges rightly. Trust in his rule steadies the heart when circumstances are unjust.

Daily Scripture Reading – January 18, 2026

Genesis 36:1–37:36; Matthew 13:18–35; Psalm 10:12–18

Genesis 36:1–37:36

The genealogy of Esau contrasts with the unfolding story of Joseph, marked by jealousy and betrayal. Joseph’s dreams point toward God’s purposes, though the path begins in suffering. What humans intend for harm does not disrupt God’s design.

Matthew 13:18–35

Jesus explains the parables of the kingdom, emphasizing receptivity of the heart. The word bears fruit only where it is received and guarded. The kingdom grows quietly but powerfully according to God’s timing.

Psalm 10:12–18

The psalmist appeals to God as defender of the afflicted and fatherless. Confidence rests in the Lord’s awareness and action. God hears the humble and acts with justice.

Tying it together

God works patiently through hidden processes and unseen faithfulness. His kingdom advances despite betrayal and delay. He remains attentive to the oppressed and committed to righteous outcomes.

Lesson 15 Outline – Scott Neubauer

  1. Introduction: Esther 5–6 and Approaching Royalty
    1. Lesson focus: continuation of the Second Exodus study in Esther, covering chapters 5 and 6 and following directly from Esther 4.
    2. Encouragement to read or reread Esther 5–6 before the lesson to prepare heart and mind for the teaching (Esther 5–6).
    3. Contextual illustration: protocols for meeting British royalty (e.g., the Queen) show how failure to follow royal protocol can lead to embarrassment or removal; in ancient Persia, failure could result in immediate execution.
    4. Connection to Esther: Esther’s approach to King Ahasuerus in Esther 5 is dangerous because violating court protocol carries the penalty of death (Esther 4:11; Esther 5:1–2).
    5. Recap of Esther 4: Esther and Mordecai learn of Haman’s decree to destroy all the Jews; Esther calls for a three-day fast and resolves to go to the king, saying, “If I perish, I perish” (Esther 4:13–17).
  2. Esther’s Plan: Prayerful, Thoughtful, and Measured Action
    1. Overview of Esther’s plan:
      1. Scott organizes Esther’s strategy under three aspects: prayer, thoughtfulness, and just the necessary action.
      2. Chapters 5–6 unfold over only two days, yet they showcase how Esther’s plan works within God’s providence (Esther 5–6).
    2. First aspect: Prayer and fasting before acting:
      1. Esther’s plan begins in chapter 4 as she calls all the Jews in Susa to fast for three days and nights, while she and her young women fast as well (Esther 4:15–17).
      2. Scripture does not record the specific answers God gave, but Esther brings the whole impossible situation—an irreversible decree, the threat to all Jews, and her unique placement—to God rather than rushing ahead.
      3. Psalm 118 (cited as Psalm 18 in the lesson) reminds believers that God hears and delivers: “Out of my distress I called on the Lord; the Lord answered me and set me free … What can man do to me?” (Psalm 118:5–7).
    3. Second aspect: Thoughtful preparation and protocol:
      1. The three days of fasting likely provided a quiet space for Esther to think through when and how to approach the king, whether alone or in a group, and what setting would be best (Esther 4:16; Esther 5:1).
      2. Esther dresses in her royal robes, ensuring the king clearly recognizes her from a distance in the court, signaling careful preparation for this moment (Esther 5:1).
      3. When the king extends the golden scepter, Esther follows protocol exactly, approaching respectfully and touching the tip of the scepter, assuming a posture of humility and honoring his authority (Esther 5:2–3).
    4. Third aspect: Just the necessary action—two feasts and measured requests:
      1. Rather than impulsively asking the king to reverse the decree, Esther invites him and Haman to a feast that same day, creating a controlled and favorable setting (Esther 5:4–5).
      2. At the first feast, when the king asks her petition, she delays the specific request and invites him and Haman to a second feast the following day, building suspense and buying time without ad‑libbing (Esther 5:6–8).
      3. This planned pause—where “nothing happens” outwardly—is actually part of her careful strategy, allowing God’s unseen work to unfold between the two feasts (Esther 5–6).
      4. Throughout, Esther remains respectful, mindful of her place in the hierarchy, and does not presumptuously exploit her position as queen.
  3. Haman’s Plan: Hatred, Emotional Instability, and Evil Counsel
    1. Haman’s background and hatred:
      1. Haman is an Agagite, a descendant of the Amalekites, the nomadic people who attacked Israel shortly after the Exodus, forming a long-standing enmity with Israel (Exodus 17:8–16; Esther 3:1).
      2. This deep-seated hatred of the Jews is in Haman’s bloodline and fuels his genocidal intent against the Jewish people (Esther 3:5–9; Esther 5:9).
    2. Haman’s “best day ever” quickly poisoned by hatred:
      1. Haman enjoys a remarkable honor as the only person invited by the queen to a special feast with the king, and he is invited again for the next day, leaving the palace joyful and glad of heart (Esther 5:9, Esther 5:12).
      2. His joy evaporates within minutes when he sees Mordecai at the gate refusing to rise or tremble before him; he is filled with wrath, revealing how completely hatred dominates him (Esther 5:9).
    3. Emotion-driven planning and pride:
      1. At home, Haman gathers his wife and friends, boasting of his riches, sons, promotions, and exclusive access to the queen, reveling in his glory (Esther 5:10–12).
      2. Yet he admits that all of this means nothing to him as long as he sees Mordecai sitting at the king’s gate, showing how his rage empties his successes of any real joy (Esther 5:13).
      3. Haman’s emotional life is a roller coaster—soaring pride and deep rage—making his decisions unstable and dangerous (Esther 5:9–13).
    4. Evil counsel and the plan to execute Mordecai:
      1. Instead of calming him, Haman’s wife Zeresh and his friends escalate the evil by advising him to have a gallows (likely a tall execution stake) fifty cubits high made and to ask the king in the morning to have Mordecai hanged on it (Esther 5:14).
      2. Ancient Persians were known for brutal, drawn-out executions, so this plan represents a desire not merely to kill but to torture and publicly shame Mordecai (Esther 5:14).
      3. Haman gladly adopts their counsel, demonstrating that evil people surrounded by like-minded supporters will pursue increasingly extreme and horrendous plans.
    5. Contrast with Esther’s plan:
      1. Esther’s plan is led by prayer, marked by thoughtful patience, and expressed in precise, restrained actions under God’s providence; Haman’s plan is fueled by hatred, driven by uncontrolled emotions, and encouraged by evil counsel (Esther 4:16; Esther 5:1–8; Esther 5:9–14).
      2. This contrast highlights two ways of living: trusting God and seeking His wisdom versus allowing fleshly passions and pride to drive destructive choices (James 1:19–20; Galatians 5:19–21 implied).
  4. God’s Hidden Plan: Love, Care, and Detailed Providence in Esther 5–6
    1. Framing the main question:
      1. Beyond Esther’s and Haman’s plans, there is a larger, unseen plan at work—God’s plan that runs through Esther 5–6, through the whole book, and through all of Scripture and history.
      2. Main question for the lesson: How do these chapters in Esther demonstrate God’s love and care for His people? (Esther 5–6).
    2. Key truth 1: God is the initiator—His redemptive plans precede and undergird history:
      1. God’s purposes in Scripture are not reactive; His plan for redemption, culminating in Jesus’ incarnation, death, resurrection, and ascension, was set from the beginning, not as “Plan B” after Adam and Eve’s fall (Ephesians 1:3–10; 1 Peter 1:20).
      2. In Esther, God’s providential placement of Esther, Mordecai, and even a pagan king unfolds a plan already in motion long before the crisis emerges (Esther 2–6).
    3. Key truth 2: God works in the details, not only in the “big” events:
      1. Psalm 40:5 teaches that God has multiplied His wondrous deeds and thoughts toward His people; they are more than can be told, indicating limitless, personal care (Psalm 40:5).
      2. Believers often think of God’s power in massive events like the first Exodus—plagues, Red Sea crossing, wilderness provision—but Esther 5–6 showcases God’s intricate orchestration of small, seemingly mundane details (Exodus 7–14; Esther 5–6).
    4. Detailed providence in Esther 6:
      1. Each person—Ahasuerus, Esther, Haman, and Mordecai—has separate plans and limited knowledge; none knows what the others are planning, yet God weaves their actions together like puzzle pieces (Esther 5–6).
      2. On a specific night, the king cannot sleep and, among many possible remedies, chooses to have the book of chronicles read to him (Esther 6:1).
      3. The volume brought happens to contain the record of Mordecai’s uncovering of the assassination plot from five years earlier, with Mordecai correctly identified as the one who saved the king’s life (Esther 2:21–23; Esther 6:1–2).
      4. The king realizes Mordecai has never been honored and decides to act that very day, rather than postponing recognition (Esther 6:3).
      5. At that precise time, Haman arrives early in the court intending to ask for Mordecai’s execution on the gallows he has just built (Esther 5:14; Esther 6:4).
      6. The king asks Haman how to honor “the man whom the king delights to honor,” and Haman, assuming the king means him, proposes an elaborate public honor—royal robes, the king’s horse, and public proclamation—never imagining it is for Mordecai (Esther 6:6–9).
      7. The king commands Haman to do exactly this for Mordecai the Jew, who sits at the king’s gate, requiring Haman to lead the honor procession for the man he came to destroy (Esther 6:10–11).
      8. These finely tuned details reveal God’s unseen hand working through timing, memory, pride, insomnia, and court routines to protect His servant and humble the wicked.
    5. Key truth 3: God uses even evil instruments and creates outcomes that bring Him glory:
      1. Proverbs 21:1 affirms that “the king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; He turns it wherever He will,” and this is seen as God directs Ahasuerus’s decisions without violating his humanity (Proverbs 21:1; Esther 6:1–3).
      2. God uses an evil man, Haman, as the very instrument to devise and carry out the public exaltation of Mordecai, turning Haman’s pride and hatred back on his own head (Esther 6:6–12).
      3. The events of this single day become a pivot point—a kairos moment—in Israel’s history, moving the story from an impending path of destruction toward a path of life and deliverance to be unfolded in the following chapters (Esther 6–10).
  5. Application: Recognizing God’s Initiating Work, His Details, and His Outcomes
    1. Seeing God as the initiator in personal life:
      1. God has already started a work in each believer’s life; His plans and purposes for them predate their awareness, and Esther’s story encourages reflection on what God has already begun (Philippians 1:6; Esther 2–6).
      2. Question for reflection: Do I recognize what God has done and is doing in my life, especially the things He has already started that I can now see in hindsight?
    2. Noticing the details of God’s care:
      1. Esther 5–6 invites believers to look for specific “small” details—timings, relationships, closed and open doors—in which God has clearly been at work in their stories (Psalm 40:5; Esther 6:1–11).
      2. Question for reflection: When I look back over my life, where do I see detailed evidences of God’s hand—particular circumstances, conversations, or “coincidences” that He used for my good?
    3. Praying for God’s outcomes instead of settling for one’s own:
      1. God’s outcomes, as in Esther, are designed to bring Him glory and ultimately to bless His people, whereas human plans often aim only at personal comfort or short-term relief (Romans 8:28; Esther 6:13–14).
      2. Question for reflection: Am I praying specifically for God’s outcomes in my life, or am I mostly pursuing my own plans and asking Him to bless them?
    4. Preparing for Vertical Endeavor and ongoing growth:
      1. Men attending the Vertical Endeavor retreat (or similar events) are encouraged to approach these questions with a humble, quiet, and soft heart, perhaps journaling as they seek God’s perspective.
      2. These questions are not limited to a retreat setting but are helpful anytime believers want to discern how God has initiated, detailed, and guided the outcomes of their lives for His glory and their good.
    5. Closing prayer emphasis:
      1. The lesson closes with prayer, thanking God for His Word, His gospel, His love and care, and His detailed plans and purposes for His people.
      2. Closing prayer: that God would reveal His planned outcomes that bring Him glory and bless His people, asking for God’s blessing on all who listen to and apply these truths from Esther 5–6.

Daily Scripture Reading – January 17, 2026

Genesis 34:1–35:29; Matthew 12:46–13:17; Psalm 10:1–11

Genesis 34:1–35:29

Sin and vengeance bring devastating consequences to Jacob’s family, revealing the cost of unrestrained anger and deceit. God calls Jacob back to Bethel, renewing his covenant and re-centering the family on worship. Despite human failure, God remains faithful to his promises.

Matthew 12:46–13:17

Jesus redefines family as those who do the will of God. Through parables, he reveals that the kingdom is hidden from hardened hearts but graciously given to those who listen. Spiritual insight is a gift, not an entitlement.

Psalm 10:1–11

The psalmist wrestles with the apparent success of the wicked and God’s seeming distance. The arrogant assume God does not see, yet their confidence is built on illusion. The cry reflects trust that God’s silence is not absence.

Tying it together

God exposes false security, whether rooted in violence, lineage, or arrogance. He calls his people back to worship and humble listening. Even when justice feels delayed, the Lord remains attentive and sovereign.

Daily Scripture Reading – January 16, 2026

Genesis 32:1–33:20; Matthew 12:22–45; Proverbs 2:1–11

Genesis 32:1–33:20

Jacob wrestles with God and emerges changed, marked by weakness and blessing. The encounter exposes his dependence on the Lord rather than his own schemes. Reconciliation with Esau shows that God can heal fear and fractured relationships through humility.

Matthew 12:22–45

Jesus exposes the blindness of religious leaders who attribute God’s work to evil. He warns that neutrality toward him is impossible and that a divided heart cannot stand. True transformation requires more than moral reform; it demands allegiance to Christ.

Proverbs 2:1–11

Wisdom is portrayed as a treasure guarded by God and granted to those who seek it earnestly. The Lord gives discernment that protects the heart and shapes character. Understanding flows from reverent pursuit, not passive interest.

Tying it together

God meets people where self-reliance ends and dependence begins. He offers wisdom, transformation, and peace, but never apart from truth. A surrendered heart is the common ground where blessing, clarity, and restoration grow.

Attributes of God: Faithfulness

Description: God’s faithfulness means He is completely reliable and unwavering in His character, promises, and purposes. He does not change, forget, or fail. What He declares, He accomplishes.

Supporting Scriptures

  • Lamentations 3:22–23
    “The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”
  • Numbers 23:19
    “God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?”
  • 2 Timothy 2:13
    “If we are faithless, he remains faithful—for he cannot deny himself.”

Daily Scripture Reading – January 15, 2026

Genesis 31:1–55; Matthew 12:1–21; Psalm 9:13–20

Genesis 31:1–55

Jacob leaves Laban after years of manipulation and tension, trusting that the Lord is guiding his steps even when separation is painful. God protects Jacob through warning and covenant, reminding him that faithfulness is not measured by comfort but by obedience. The boundary stone becomes a testimony that God sees, guards, and judges rightly.

Matthew 12:1–21

Jesus confronts a distorted view of Sabbath obedience, exposing hearts that prize rules over mercy. He declares himself Lord of the Sabbath and reveals a kingdom shaped by compassion, humility, and quiet strength. Matthew highlights Jesus as the Servant who brings justice without crushing the weak.

Psalm 9:13–20

David cries out for deliverance, confident that God sees oppression and does not forget the afflicted. The psalm affirms that human pride is temporary, while God’s justice is enduring. The Lord alone is the rightful judge over the nations.

Tying it together

God establishes true boundaries that protect rather than enslave. He defends the vulnerable, exposes false authority, and governs with righteous mercy. Across covenant, gospel, and prayer, the Lord proves himself to be both protector and judge.

Daily Scripture Reading – January 14, 2026

Genesis 29:1–30:43; Matthew 11:16–30; Psalm 9:7–12

Years of rivalry and manipulation reveal the emptiness of striving for control. Yet God continues to build His covenant family, blessing despite human brokenness.

Jesus contrasts restless resistance with the rest found in Him. True rest comes not from escaping responsibility but from walking closely with Him in humility.

God reigns eternally as a refuge for the oppressed. He is trustworthy because He never forgets those who seek Him.

God offers rest and refuge to weary people living in broken systems and strained relationships. His reign is secure, His compassion constant, and His invitation clear: come to Him and find true rest.