11 words till Christmas... faith...

With 11 days until Christmas...
by faith... I hear the word faith...
as the next word of Christmas...

Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen;

it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.

Hebrews 11:1 NLT

Faith... confidence in what we hope for...

assurance... certainty... about what we do not see...

Faith... it's how I'm approaching these 12 days of Advent writing...

hope in Him... to speak and provide...

assurance... of words to come... ones yet unseen...

Faith... a Christmas word...

Mary... by faith... took the word of Gabriel...

regarding the news of expectancy he shared with her...

And Mary said to the angel, "How will this be, since I am a virgin?"

And the angel answered her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you,

and the power of the Most High will overshadow you,

therefore the child to be born will be called holy --- the Son of God. ..."

Luke 1:34-35 ESV

...and Mary gave a faith-full response...

And Mary said, "Behold, I am the servant of the Lord;

let it be to me according to your word."

Luke 1:38 ESV

I wonder if she felt the Spirit come upon her...?

did she sense the power of the Most High overshadowing...?

the Unseen... doing His work...?

Faith...

Joseph... when faced with a pregnant fiance...

received the dream... by faith...

Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way.

When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together

she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. And her husband Joseph,

being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her

quietly. But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord

appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David,

do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived

in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call

his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins."

Matthew 1:18-22 ESV

In the Hebrew culture... an engagement was a binding contract...

even though not yet married... the couple considered husband and wife...

legal proceedings had to take place to break an engagement... a divorce required...

Joseph responded to this dream... this message... with faith...

When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him:

he took his wife, but knew her not until she had given birth to a son.

And he called his name Jesus.

Matthew 1:24-25 ESV

There was no evidence... nothing tangible...

to prove to Joseph Mary's pregnancy was divine...

but he had assurance... of what was... unseen...

Faith...

The magi... by faith... followed a star...

Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king,

behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, "Where is he who

has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose

and have come to worship him."

Matthew 2:1-2 ESV

These wise men were from the east...

they were not Jews... but Gentiles...

They were scholars in their country...

and in their study of the stars...

they saw a sign of a newborn King...

In these days... there was no news service...

no Twitter... or tweets...

no Facebook... or instant messaging...

no radio... no TV...

The magi... saw... discerned...

packed up gifts... and traveled far...

to worship... the Unseen King...

Faith...

Faith has power to make hopes reality...

convince us of things unseen...

A loved one responded to my question...

It's been the same for two years... why do you think anything will change...?

In the moment... I had no answer... just stunned by his...

but later... in the quiet... the answer rose from my heart...

Hope... that's why I believe things will change...

Hope in the Unseen's work...

Hope in His response to my prayers...

Hope in His promise...

He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all,

how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?

Romans 8:32 ESV

Where is your faith instilling hope this Christmas...?

What unseen reality... do you need to nurture with faith...?

Christmas is a season of faith...

accepting... rejoicing over... God made flesh...

a Babe in a manger...

the Hope of the world...

all... by... faith...

rest in Him... 1 Kings 8:56...

"Blessed be the Lord who has given rest to his people Israel,

according to all he promised. Not one word failed of all his good promise,

which he spoke by Moses his servant. ..."

1 Kings 8:56 ESV

Yes... the Lord gives rest to His people...

but it's not all rest...

After wandering forty years...

Israel entered the Promised Land...

but no rest was had...

they fought for the land promised...

then after Joshua... the people rebelled against God...

in turn... nations fought against Israel...

kings were raised up...

David was the second king... a man after God's own heart... 

God promised him a son of rest...

"...Behold, a son shall be born to you who shall be a man of rest.

I will give him rest from all his surrounding enemies.

For his name shall be Solomon, and I will give peace and quiet

to Israel in his days. ..."

1 Chronicles 22:9 ESV

During the reign of his son... Solomon...

the nation of Israel... had peace on all sides...

and he acknowledged God's faithfulness in keeping His promises...

Before the rest...

during the wandering... 

battles... 

and temptations to rebel...

we can rest in His promises...

He is a Promise-Keeper...

in His promises...

we can rest...

Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion

endures throughout all generations. [The Lord is faithful in all his words

and kind in all his works.]

He upholds all who are falling and raises up all who are bowed down.

The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food in due season.

You open your hand; you satisfy the desire of every living thing.

The Lord is righteous in all his ways and kind in all his works.

The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.

Psalm 145:13-18 ESV

Believers wander today...

in enemy territory...

sojourning...

battling...

resisting...

until His promised return...

While waiting...

rest in His promises...

don't get discouraged...

for the Lord is faithful in all His words...

not one word fails...

This is my comfort in my affliction,

that your promise gives me life.

Psalm 119:50 ESV

wait on Him... Romans 8:23-25...

And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits

of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption

as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved.

Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees?

But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

Romans 8:23-25 ESV

Firstfruits...

the taste of what is to come...

at the time of the full harvest...

Firstfruits of the Spirit...

the wonder of living currently in the year of the Lord's favor...

this odd time of promise for Believers...

The time of His eternal indwelling power...

housed in our still corrupt deteriorating flesh...

Though our outer self is wasting away,

our inner self is being renewed day by day.

2 Corinthians 4:16 ESV

The taste of life in the Spirit...

fills those who believe...

with longing for perfection... eternity...

We groan... at gray hairs...

wrinkles...

aches...

pains...

weakness...

because our hearts have experienced...

have seen... something better...

Like creation...

Believers wait with eager longing...

for His return...

for the fulfillment of the adoption...

the redemption of bodies...!

This is the hope... the awaited expectation...

for which we have been saved...

the promise of something more...

more than we can ask for or imagine...

but not yet see...

So we hope... wait...

with patience...

steadfastness...

endurance...

perseverance...

because it is the promise...

of Him who cannot lie...

wait on Him... Acts 1:4-5...

And while staying with them [Jesus] ordered them not to depart

from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father,

which, he said, "you heard from me; for John baptized with water,

but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now."

Acts 1:4-5 ESV

...wait for the promise of the Father...

Jesus's instruction to His followers...

...wait... for... the... promise...

A promise from the Father is sure...

it will come to pass...

He cannot lie...

He has the power to bring about whatever He promises...

His promises are always better than what we come up with...

His promises are worth the wait...

but when we don't wait well...

we can make matters worse...

Abram and Sarai come to mind...

the geriatric couple whose names were changed to Abraham and Sarah...

and to whom God promised a child...

Sarai... she got tired of waiting...

and came up with a plan...

And Sarai said to Abram, "Behold now,

the Lord has prevented me from bearing children.

Go in to my servant; it may be that I shall obtain children by her."

And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai.

Genesis 16:2 ESV

Interesting logic... the God who promised prevented her from having a child... so she came up with a plan of her own... apparently waiting... was not an option...

The problem of working out His promises our way...

is they turn out to be more trouble... than blessing...

Sarai's impatience birthed Ishmael...

"... He will be a wild donkey of a man; his hand will be against everyone

and everyone's hand against him, and he will live in hostility

toward all his brothers."

Genesis 16:12 NIV

When the promise did come to pass...

Sarah and Abraham bore Isaac...

but Ishmael caused problems for his brother...

the son of promise...

Eventually both Ishmael and his mom were removed from the household of Abraham...

Ishmael... like Isaac...

birthed a great nation...

he had twelve sons...

princes according to their tribes...

Tradition has it...

one of Ishmael's sons was the ancestor of the prophet Mohammed...

the father of Islam...

and he will live in hostility toward all his brothers...

The hostility between Isaac and Ishmael continues today...

because someone couldn't wait... for God's promise...

Jesus says...

wait for the promise of the Father...

therefore... WAIT...

resist impatience...

don't try to make His promise come to pass your way...

His way is always better...

it just requires... waiting...

What are you waiting for...? are you tempted to manipulate circumstances...?

Consider carefully what you might birth...

then choose to wait...

for what He has promised...

Amen...

wait on Him... another thought on Psalm 130:5-6...

I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope;

my soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen in the morning,

more than watchmen for the morning.

Psalm 130:5-6 ESV

Watchmen... their work is intense...

watching for dangers... threats... attacks...

watching... waiting... for the morning sun...

the cover of darkness no longer an asset to the enemy...

the night's work done...

Watchmen... that's who we are to be right now...

intensely watchful in our dark world...

watching for dangers... threats... attacks...

ready to sound the alarm...

As I continued to consider these verses yesterday...

the intensity of the watchmen's work caught my attention...

resisting the urge to rest the eyes... sleep... take just a little nap...

but that's not allowed... it's dangerous... 

putting the watchman and others at risk...

Spiritually... we must beware falling asleep...

becoming complacent... overly confident... distracted...

it's not time... we must remain intensely vigilant...

it's still night... darkness covers the earth...

And as I thought about waiting on the Lord...

His coming in the east as sure as the dawn will shine...

I was overwhelmed with the relief... joy... victory...

we will feel... experience... when His Light... rises above the horizon...

"... For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west,

so will the coming of the Son of Man. ..." ---Jesus

Matthew 24:27 ESV

It will be over...

the work done...

a time for rest...

joy...

peace...

But NOT yet...

Now we must remain watchful... waiting on Him for the sure promise of victory... as sure as the rising of the sun... but we don't arm ourselves with caffeine... we arm ourselves with the Word...

And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well

to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns

and the morning star arises in your hearts...

2 Peter 1:19 ESV

Stay awake... wait for His dawning Day...

wait it out in the Word...

prayerfully... obediently...

filling yourself with His promises... His strength... His Truth...

The Day is coming... the night is nearly over...

The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness

and put on the armor of light.

Romans 13:12 ESV

wait on Him... Psalm 130:5-6...

I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope;

my soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen for the morning,

more than watchmen for the morning.

Psalm 105:5-6 ESV

I'm learning about waiting these days...

changing my perspective on what I wait on...

hope in... desire for...

I'm not sure I can put it in words...

the shift in my waiting...

but this psalmist does a fine job...

of sharing what I'm beginning to feel...

Waiting for the Lord...

fully hoping in Him...

is the only way to wait...

I've been waiting for many things... as I've shared here...

waiting on loved ones... waiting for change...

waiting for transformations to change my life too...

But what I'm beginning to see...

is waiting for things to change in this world...

change hearts... change circumstances...

would be good... but not great...

If I got what I wanted... and things changed in the lives of loved ones... and in my life... the change at least in what I desire in the here and now... would eventually end...

People grow old... die... at least for now in the physical...

And Yes... I understand the heart changes I long for are for all eternity...! but what I've recognized is my desire for the change to make my life different now... in the temporal...

Any temporal... timely... change in the flesh... is just that... temporary...

To wait on Him... is to hope fully in Him... and all He'll bring about at His return...

I've begun to see whatever I hope for... or imagine... in the here and now... is far less than what He longs to give me... 

Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think...

Ephesians 3:20 ESV

He wants to give me something better... eternal...

something beyond my wildest imagination...

beyond anything I could dream up as good... great... wonderful...

Those faithful listed in Hebrews 11...

...did not receive what was promised, since God had provided

something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.

Hebrews 11:39-40 ESV

It's true for all Believers...

there is something better...

something coming...

with His return...

which is better than anything we could have in this life...

So our psalmist's words on waiting today...

speak to my heart in a new way...

My soul is beginning to learn to wait... 

fully on the hope of His promises...

for as surely as the sun will rise...

He will return... bringing everything... 

more than everything...

we ever asked for or desired...

My soul waits for the Lord... more than watchmen for the morning...

lean on Him... Isaiah 26:4...

Trust in the Lord forever,

for the Lord God is an everlasting rock.

Isaiah 26:4 ESV

There is nothing more sure... in which to place our trust... than in Him... the Everlasting Rock...

He will never fail us...

He will never tire...

He will never pass away...

Of old you laid the foundation of the earth,

and the heavens are the work of your hands.

They will perish, but you will remain;

they will all wear out like a garment.

You will change them like a robe, and they will pass away,

but you are the same, and your years have no end.

Psalm 102:25-27 ESV

His Word always sure...

His promises faithful...

His strength unfailing...

His wisdom and knowledge perfect...

How long can you trust Him...?

Forever...!

What can you trust Him with...?

Everything...!

Who or what...? are you trusting...?

unexpected reminder...

A hymn sung at a funeral...
one I've never thought of as a favorite...
stirred my heart...
with an unexpected reminder...

In the bulb there is a flower; in the seed an apple tree;

In cocoons, a hidden promise: butterflies will soon be free!

In the cold and snow of winter there's a spring that waits to be,

Unrevealed until its season, something God alone can see.

There's a song in every silence, seeking word and melody;

There's a dawn in every darkness, bringing hope to you and me.

From the past will come the future; what it holds a mystery,

Unrevealed until its season something God alone can see.

In our end is our beginning; in our time infinity;

In our doubt there is believing; in our life eternity,

In our death a resurrection; at the last, a victory,

Unrevealed until its season, something God alone can see.

Reminded... as Believers... we all go through seasons...

some dark... ugly... cold... silent...

but He promises... in Christ... there is more...

There are those I love... going through some interesting seasons...

and today the words of this song... reminded afresh... His promise...

He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all,

how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?

Romans 8:32 ESV

seven days...

Seven days... only... seven days till Christmas...
this time next week... will bring the joy of celebration...

Are you ready...?!

The gift experienced yesterday... Behold, the Lamb of God...
helped prepare a heart...
grateful for the time and gift...
grateful for the one with whom I went...

Grateful for these twenty-five days...
and the call to focus on Him...

Christmas... a time of thanks...
for a promise answered...
a gift received...

Jesus... the fulfillment of the promise...
a forever King...
a Promised Land...
a Life Eternal...

A gift received... only by recognizing... our need...

The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me,

because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor;

he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,

to proclaim liberty to the captives,

and the opening of the prisons to those who are bound;

to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor,

and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn;

to grant to those who mourn in Zion --- to give them

a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness

instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead

of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness,

the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified.

Isaiah 61:1-3 ESV

He came to the poor... with good news...
to the brokenhearted... with healing...
to the captive... with liberty...
to a stump of a world... with hope of life...

Poor and needy...

These words echo through my mind...
recognizing... this is who we are...
this is how He came...

His humble dependence...
from cradle to cross...
no crib... no bed...
no place to call home...
even in death... a borrowed tomb...
showed us who we really are...
He came to live like us...
reveal our poverty...

Poor and needy...

Unless we know the reality of our need...
we will not receive the promise... the gift...
we'll miss it altogether...

The Pharisees in their pride missed it...
actually dismissed it...
disposing of it on a cross... (or so they thought...)

Poor and needy...

He knocks on the door...
but only those who recognize their need...
their blindness...
their dis-ease...
answer it...

"... For you say, I am rich, I have prospered,

and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched,

pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. I counsel you to buy

from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich,

and white garments so that you may clothe yourself

and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen,

and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see. ..."

Revelation 3:17-18 ESV

Those who think they are "blessed"...
let Him knock... and knock... and knock...

"...Behold, I stand at the door and knock.

If anyone hears my voice and opens the door,

I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. ..."

Revelation 3:20 ESV

To receive the gift...

to open the door...

you have to hear the message...

receive the truth...

You are poor and needy...

let Me in... so I can heal...

provide... make new...

Are you poor and needy...? or do you have it all together...?

Me... I pray with the psalmist...

As for me, I am poor and needy,

but the Lord takes thought for me.

You are my help and my deliverer;

do not delay, O my God!

Psalm 40:16 ESV

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learning... His promises...

I see it this morning... crystal clear in my mind...

"...Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me,

for I am gentle and lowly in heart,

and you will find rest for your souls. ..."

Matthew 11:29 ESV

His invitation to learn... His promise to teach... happens under His yoke...

A yoke meant for two...

Him walking beside me... each step... near... attached together under His yoke...

His will... His Way...

As long as I stay under... He's matching my steps... right beside me... teaching...

Yes...

I will go out in joy... and be led in peace...!

His promises...

His promises... never fail...
His Word... always true...

And the lesson to the sixth graders... reverberates... in my life...

The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 

"Send men to spy out the land of Canaan, 

which I am giving to the people Israel. ..."

Numbers 13:1-2 ESV

He promised a land... but the land was filled... with giants... and fortified cities...

He promised to go before them... defeat the enemy... and give them the land...

But... they didn't believe... they didn't trust His Word...

They only trusted what they saw... and refused to move... even desired to go back to slavery in Egypt...

Today... I see a week... that does not look do-able...

Many things to get done... in a limited amount of time...

At this point... believing I am right where He wants me... I will trust His Word... when He says...

"...Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me,

for I am gentle and lowly in heart,

and you will find rest for your souls. ..."

Matthew 11:29 ESV

So in the face of "giant" to-dos...
I laugh with joy...
willing to learn...

His promises... never fail...
His Word... always true...

And we know, that for those who love God

all things work together for good,

for those who are called according to his purpose.

Romans 8:28 ESV

His promises... eternal...

In the midst of teaching sixth graders a Bible lesson... on God's promises to Abram/Abraham... a new facet emerged...

God promised Abraham land... a nation... made up of his own people... his offspring...

But at the time... Abraham had no children... not one...

The Lord appeared to Abram and said,

"To your offspring I will give this land."

So he built an alter there to the Lord,

who had appeared to him.

Genesis 12:7 NIV

In response to God's word... Abraham worshiped... he praised God... believing... trusting him for what He said He would do...

At the end of Abraham's life... he had one child of promise... Isaac... and the only land he owned in that nation promised to be his... was a burial plot...

Yet Abraham... considered God faithful...

And I asked the class a question... solely based on the truth that was dawning... What does this tell us about God's promises...? 

God's promises are eternal...

Eternal promises... for people who were created for eternity...

God is faithful to all His promises... even though we may not see them come to pass... while we walk this earth in our current form...

Jesus's words... from my morning with Him... mesh with this idea...

"... For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world

and loses or forfeits himself?..."

Luke 9:25 ESV

"... And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul.

Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. ..."

Matthew 10:28 ESV

Eternal... our perspective is to be... eternal...

A perspective I need to work on...

Doubts... take root and grow... when we focus only on the temporal... expecting His promises to come to pass today... in this lifetime...

But that's not what He's about...

He's always been about the eternal...

Jesus's life... short and tragic... from a temporal perspective...

But from the viewpoint of eternity... magnificent... miraculous... majestic...

We sell God short... when we refuse to see things His way... 

We miss what He's doing... we forfeit hope... peace... and joy... through unbelief...

After all... how can He not give us all things... when He has already given us His Son...

An eternal gift... for people... created... for... eternity...

So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen.

For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

2Corinthians 4:18

Where do you need a change of perspective...?

The Journey Readings: Week 36... and a lesson on His promises...

The last week of Numbers overflowed with lessons... one of which stunned me...

We have to fight... for what God has promised...

And the Lord said to Moses in the plains of Moab

by the Jordan in Jericho,

Tell the Israelites, When you have passed over

the Jordan into the land of Canaan,

Then you shall drive out all the inhabitants

of the land before you and destroy all their

figured stones and all their molten images

and completely demolish all their

[idolatrous] high places,

And you shall take possession of the land dwell in it,

for to you I have given the land to possess it.

Numbers 33:51-53 Amp

Now... I knew the Israelites had to battle when they entered the Promised Land... but the overarching truth... that He expects us to fight for what He's promised... caught me off guard...

I guess I never really applied it to me...

He promises... peace... strength... freedom... but each of these... must be fought for by faith... 

We are to willingly... boldly... enter enemy occupied territory... and take it over... because He says it is ours...

Current culture... tends to assume that if someone says they're giving you something... it's free for the taking... it's unoccupied so to speak... reserved for you...

But No... not with God... battles of faith are apparently good for us... and we should never let the enemy deter us from entering into the land of promise...

"... To him who overcomes and does my will to the end,

I will give authority over the nations---"

---Jesus

Revelation 2:26

Stunning...

How often do you let the enemy deter you... from receiving all He has promised...?

This week... The Journey enters into... Deuteronomy...

Monday                     Deuteronomy 1
Tuesday                     Deuteronomy 2
Wednesday                Deuteronomy 3:1 - 4:14
Thursday                   Deuteronomy 4:15-59
Friday                        Deuteronomy 5

confident in His grace...

Resting in His promise of grace...
a day where looking back... I see...
wrong attitudes...
words better left unsaid...
missed opportunities...

Confident... of His grace...
and love...
for me...
even though... I know...
I'm completely undeserving...

For we do not have a High Priest Who is unable to understand and sympathize and have a shared feeling with our weaknesses and infirmities and liability to the assaults of temptation, but One Who has been tempted in every respect as we are, yet without sinning.

Let us then fearlessly and confidently and boldly draw near to the throne of grace (the throne of God's unmerited favor to us sinners), that we may receive mercy [for our failures] and find grace to help in good time for every need [appropriate help and well-timed help, coming just when we need it].

Hebrews 4:15-16 Amp

leaning into Him and His promises...

Watching a loved one struggle... tempted to be pulled under with him... offers opportunities... to lean into Him... and His promises...

So far... finding Him trustworthy and sure... with the testing... and practice... of His Word...

Finding peace... in response to giving thanks...

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation,

by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving,

present your requests to God. And the peace of God,

which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts

and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:6-7 NIV

...leads me to trust the surety... of His other promises...

God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond 

your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide 

the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

1 Corinthians 10:13 ESV

And we know that for those who love God all things

work together for good, for those who are called

according to his purpose.

Romans 8:28 ESV

"I will never leave you nor forsake you."

Hebrews 13:5 ESV

Lord... thank You... for the opportunity to lean into You...

and Your promises... Thank You for Your faithfulness...

blessed by His promises...

His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.

2 Peter 1:3-4 ESV

Resting in the blessing of His precious promises...

finding peace... and joy...

Amen...

Take some time yourself... and rest in this passage of promise...

Pray it... meditate on it...

What do you sense...?


This week's readings for The Journey...
Monday                              Genesis 27
Tuesday                              Genesis 28
Wednesday                         Genesis 29:1 - 30:24 
Thursday                             Genesis 30:25-43
Friday                                 Genesis 31