January 18th, 26: Genesis 39-41; Luke 16: Daily Bible in a Year

Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible! In this episode, Hunter invites us into the story of Joseph and his family’s dramatic reunion, exploring Genesis 44–46 and Luke 18. Together, we’ll journey through the emotional moments when Joseph reveals himself to his brothers in Egypt, Jacob uproots his family in faith, and God’s promises unfold in unexpected ways. Hunter reflects on the power of perseverance in prayer and encourages us to “never give up,” drawing inspiration from Jesus’ teachings about persistence, humility, and trust in God’s faithfulness.

Get ready for heartfelt scripture readings, practical spiritual encouragement, and prayers to start your day with hope. Whether you’re seeking guidance, comfort, or simply a daily rhythm in God’s word, you’re in the right place—so let’s dive in together.

TODAY'S DEVOTION:

Never give up. That's a popular sentiment these days. It's used in sports, in business; it's found on t-shirts and bumper stickers. Giving up is easy. I've done it way too much in my life. I've given up on goals, I've given up on hopes, I've given up on relationships. I'm sad to say that I've given up on way too much that I needed to hold on to in this life. And I've also held on to things I should have given up long ago—resentments, anger, my need to be right, my need for approval. I've held on to these things way too long.

Maybe you can relate. It seems like the trick is to give up on the wrong things and never give up on the right things. In Luke 18, Jesus says that we should keep praying and never give up. Prayer seems to be connected to our ability to hold on to the right things. Prayer is a two-way conversation; it's relational. We share our hearts, our fears, our failures, our life with Him. And He shares His life, His word, His heart, His hopes for us. It's a two-way thing. God is speaking to us in prayer, and we are listening to His voice and His leading. We hear from Him, we respond, and we worship Him.

Without this relationship, giving up is inevitable. It's just way too easy. But when we pray, we are given the strength to hold on, to endure, to never give up. In today's reading, we hear Jacob listening to God speak to him, late at night, in a place called Beersheba. The last time God spoke to Jacob in Beersheba was many years ago, when he was preparing to leave home, fleeing from his brother. He laid his head on a rock and saw a stairway to heaven with the Lord at the top, and God promised him the land and descendants as numerous as the dust of the earth.

Now, years later, God comes to him once again, and again Jacob is having to leave the land God had promised to him. It didn't look like the promise would be fulfilled anytime soon—Jacob was headed in the opposite direction, would even die in a different land without seeing the promise fulfilled. But out in the distance, too far for Jacob to see, God was bringing about the fulfillment of all He had promised. Jacob needed to keep on praying and never give up. God told him that Joseph, his son, would be with him to the end. For us, someone even greater than Joseph is with us—not Jacob's son but God's Son, who will be with us to the very end.

Hebrews 11:13 reminds us that all these people died still believing what God had promised them. They did not receive what was promised, but they saw it all from a distance and welcomed it. So keep praying. Never give up. God is faithful. If we live a life of faith, a life of prayer, a life in relationship with Him, then we will have the strength we need to never give up. He who promised is faithful; He will fulfill all His promises.

We are the recipients of the promise made to Jacob. That promise that Jacob never got to see with his earthly eyes—God has fulfilled. Most of you aren't from the nation of Israel, yet you are the fulfillment of that promise. You have been included in the blessing.

So let's keep praying. Let's never give up. God's Son is with us, and He will be with us to the very end. He will close our eyes, and He will wake us up. Hallelujah.

That's a prayer I have for my own soul. That's a prayer I have for my family, for you, and for our world. May it be so.