Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com In Christ, Mark
"Now Joseph was the governor of the land, the one who sold grain to all its people. So when Joseph's brothers arrived, they bowed down to him with their faces to the ground. As soon as Joseph saw his brothers, he recognized them, but he pretended to be a stranger and spoke harshly to them. "Where do you come from?" he asked. "From the land of Canaan," they replied, "to buy food." Although Joseph recognized his brothers, they did not recognize him. Then he remembered his dreams about them and said to them, "You are spies! You have come to see where our land is unprotected." "No, my lord," they answered. "Your servants have come to buy food. We are all the sons of one man. Your servants are honest men, not spies." "No!" he said to them. "You have come to see where our land is unprotected." But they replied, "Your servants were twelve brothers, the sons of one man, who lives in the land of Canaan. The youngest is now with our father, and one is no more." Joseph said to them, "It is just as I told you: You are spies! And this is how you will be tested: As surely as Pharaoh lives, you will not leave this place unless your youngest brother comes here. Send one of your number to get your brother; the rest of you will be kept in prison, so that your words may be tested to see if you are telling the truth. If you are not, then as surely as Pharaoh lives, you are spies!" And he put them all in custody for three days. On the third day, Joseph said to them, "Do this and you will live, for I fear God: If you are honest men, let one of your brothers stay here in prison, while the rest of you go and take grain back for your starving households. But you must bring your youngest brother to me, so that your words may be verified and that you may not die." This they proceeded to do. They said to one another, "Surely we are being punished because of our brother. We saw how distressed he was when he pleaded with us for his life, but we would not listen; that's why this distress has come upon us." Reuben replied, "Didn't I tell you not to sin against the boy? But you wouldn't listen! Now we must give an accounting for his blood." They did not realize that Joseph could understand them, since he was using an interpreter. He turned away from them and began to weep…" Genesis 42:6-24
As Joseph’s brothers get to Egypt, they are brought before the governor "who sold grain to all its people." As they "bowed down to him with their faces to the ground", Joseph recognized them but they did not recognize them. Scripture tells us Joseph "pretended to be a stranger and spoke harshly to them." He also "remembered his dreams about them."
You’ll recall Joseph’s dream from Genesis, Chapter 37. He told his brothers, "Listen to this dream I had: We were binding sheaves of grain out in the field when suddenly my sheaf rose and stood upright, while your sheaves gathered around mine and bowed down to it." His brothers said to him, "Do you intend to reign over us? Will you actually rule us?" And they hated him all the more because of his dream and what he had said." (verses 6-8)
Back to Chapter 42. We find Joseph’s brothers truly bowing before him in respect for his ruling authority over them, just as the dream had predicted. Dreams do come true.
So how would Joseph respond to these brothers who had mistreated him so badly. Well, scripture shares that he spoke to them harshly and accused them of being spies. There is little doubt that Joseph was trying to see two things in the way he treated his brothers. First, he was testing their attitude. How would they respond when accused and judged? Well, it’s obvious the brothers are frightened about the charge for spying was a crime punishable by death. They vehemently denied the accusation, repeating that they had just come to get grain. Joseph persisted in accusing them. You sense the brothers getting ever more fearful of what might happen to them. They were being severely humbled and hadn’t dreamed that they would be ever be in this position. The truth is…they hadn’t dreamed it…but Joseph had and the dream was becoming reality.
Joseph was also interested in what the brothers had to say about him but he had to go about it in a rather sly fashion so he wouldn’t reveal his identity. In denying the spy charge, the brothers defend themselves by telling Joseph they are from Canaan and were 10 or 12 brothers. They add that "the youngest is now with our father, and one is no more"…the youngest to them now being Benjamin because they thought Joseph was "no more." Their words tell Joseph that they believe he is dead. They have already written him off.
So Joseph presses them harder and this time commands them to prove their truthfulness. He does so by testing them saying, "As surely as Pharaoh lives, you will not leave this place unless your youngest brother comes here. Send one of your number to get your brother; the rest of you will be kept in prison, so that your words may be tested to see if you are telling the truth. If you are not, then as surely as Pharaoh lives, you are spies!" And he put them all in custody for three days.
So the ten brothers were put in prison for three days after the governor (aka Joseph) failed to believe that they weren’t spies. They were actually getting a taste of their own medicine all alone.
For just as they failed to believe Joseph as he told them the dream that foretold future events, so too do they find out how it feels to not be believed as they deny the spy charges. And just as Joseph found himself imprisoned after being sold into slavery by his brothers, now his brothers get to spend three days in prison to get just a glimpse of what Joseph had to endure for over two years.
It’s interesting to note the soul searching that must have happened as the brothers spent those three days in prison. For after they came again before Joseph, they started to confess their wrongs and connect their current precarious state to their mistreatment of Joseph. After Joseph tells the brothers that one of them had to stay behind in custody while the others returned to Canaan to bring the youngest brother to Joseph, they began to lament. Scripture says they told one another, "Surely we are being punished because of our brother. We saw how distressed he was when he pleaded with us for his life, but we would not listen; that's why this distress has come upon us." Reuben, the eldest brother, added, "Didn't I tell you not to sin against the boy? But you wouldn't listen! Now we must give an accounting for his blood." Joseph had to be touched by their words. They were truly remorseful for what they had done and their words drove Joseph to tears as he "began to weep." After having struggled with the way he was unloved and mistreated by his siblings, their words must have been what he had prayed he would hear some day.
So as the tears rolled from Joseph’s eyes, the river of reconciliation started to roll. Yes, Joseph would continue to play a role in the brothers learning a life lesson, but we will see how he is merciful to his brothers as they return to Canaan with their grain and seek to return to Egypt with Benjamin to earn Reuben’s release.
Question: Have you ever done something wrong to someone and then had that same wrong come back on you from someone else? The Lord definitely has a way of giving us a taste of our own medicine and, most of the time, we don’t like the way it tastes. But His medicine comes to teach us, correct us and refine us as His children. Just as Joseph’s brothers learn an important lesson in the proper way to love and treat others, so too will we be taught important life lessons by the Father. May we always embrace those lessons, repent of our sins and work diligently to never repeat the wrong again. For this is His will for us. We need to carry it out…or else He will have to give us stronger doses of our own medicine until we learn. We should never test Him!
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
http://www.faithhopeandlove.info/
Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com
Friday, November 30, 2007
Thursday, November 29, 2007
GOD'S GREATER PLAN
Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com In Christ, Mark
"The seven years of abundance in Egypt came to an end, and the seven years of famine began, just as Joseph had said. There was famine in all the other lands, but in the whole land of Egypt there was food. When all Egypt began to feel the famine, the people cried to Pharaoh for food. Then Pharaoh told all the Egyptians, "Go to Joseph and do what he tells you." When the famine had spread over the whole country, Joseph opened the storehouses and sold grain to the Egyptians, for the famine was severe throughout Egypt. And all the countries came to Egypt to buy grain from Joseph, because the famine was severe in all the world. When Jacob learned that there was grain in Egypt, he said to his sons, "Why do you just keep looking at each other?" He continued, "I have heard that there is grain in Egypt. Go down there and buy some for us, so that we may live and not die." Then ten of Joseph's brothers went down to buy grain from Egypt. But Jacob did not send Benjamin, Joseph's brother, with the others, because he was afraid that harm might come to him. So Israel's sons were among those who went to buy grain, for the famine was in the land of Canaan also." Genesis 41:53-57, 42:1-5
As we reach the end of Chapter 41, God’s plan as given through Joseph as he interpreted Pharoah’s dream is well in progress. We read where the seven years of abundance had ended and, just as God had said, the seven years of famine began. As the people of Egypt began to feel the impact of the famine, they "cried to Pharaoh for food." Pharoah directed them to, "Go to Joseph and do what he tells you." So the nation of Egypt, in need of help, found that help through the obedient adherence to God’s command to save a fifth of the harvest during each year of abundance to help cover the needs during the famine. This surplus was now distributed as "Joseph opened the storehouses and sold grain to the Egyptians." Notice that God’s plan originally was seen as only aiding the Egyptians. But, as happens more often than not, God had an even greater plan in place.
For as we read, all countries started to come to Egypt because the famine was severe everywhere, including Canaan where Joseph’s father and brothers lived. Chapter 42 begins with Jacob sending his sons to Egypt to but grain so they can survive.
Now remember that Jacob believes Joseph is dead. This is why he is afraid to send Benjamin with the other sons. After already losing his youngest son (Joseph) before, Jacob is concerned that something might happen to Benjamin. So he keeps him at home.
Meanwhile, Joseph’s brothers don’t have any idea what happened to him after they sold him off to slavery and we get no indication at this point that they even care. So they head to Egypt to get grain as ordered by their father. Little do they know that they are to reunite with their long lost youngest brother and find out that the dreams they despised so much before they got rid of him were about to come true. It was all part of God’s greater plan…for the famine was just the circumstance that served as a backdrop for reunion and reconciliation.
To further illuminate how God has a greater plan, I will share with you a true story…one close to me. The names are withheld because they aren’t as important as the lesson.
A white man fell in love with an African American woman. He felt so excited about finding this love in his life and couldn’t wait to tell his parents. So he calls them and all appears to be fine until he tells them that his new found love was black. Silence fell on the other end of the phone line…a silence that would not end there. For the man’s father would not speak to his son for the next 1 ½ years. The man’s mother changed her heart a month after the news had been broken and would support the relationship to include attending the wedding 9 months later…a wedding that the father refused to attend. The son and his new wife would visit home several times over the course of the next year and a half. Their mother would welcome them but the father would always conveniently be away.
The son was upset about the way his father acted and was unsure how to respond. So he went to prayer and read the scriptures, coming to only one conclusion…he had to respond in love. And so he did. He sent cards and he sent gifts at birthdays and holidays…never receiving anything in return. The daughter-in-law never said a cross word about her father-in-law, despite the way he had treated her. This amazed the son but even made him love her more. She was truly a woman of God.
Well, a year and a half passed and the son and wife were invited to come home for a reunion. The son asked about his father and was told by his sister that his father wanted to reconcile. So the son and his wife returned to his hometown and to his home where his father awaited…to reunite with his son…and meet his new daughter-in-law. The son went into the house first.
As he entered his home, there sat his father, on the couch where he always sat before…all would have been the same if it weren’t for the tears rolling down the father’s face. Sobbing, he told the son he was sorry. The son embraced his crying father and said, "it’s Ok…I love you and forgive you." The father didn’t understand. He asked, "How could he be loved or forgiven after the way he had acted?" The son shared that if God could forgive him for the sinner that he was, then he could forgive anyone. The words would transform the father forever.
Next, the father’s new daughter-in-law entered and he saw her for the first time. Again, he broke down in tears. And again, he was embraced, this time by his daughter-in-law who told him she loved him and forgave him. He would from that day on love her like she was one of his own.
So this story had a happy ending…one that would make anyone who hears it feel good. But God had a greater plan. You see, the father, my father, started to attend church every week after the magic moment of forgiveness and turned his life over to Jesus. On the surface, one would think that God’s plan was about reconciling my wife and I to my father. But instead, it was all about God reconciling my father to Himself. My wife and I were just a part of a greater plan.
So never estimate what God might be doing in, around and through you, particularly as you interact with others. He might just be using you in a special way to carry out His plan…a plan that is greater than what we can comprehend.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
http://www.faithhopeandlove.info/
Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com
"The seven years of abundance in Egypt came to an end, and the seven years of famine began, just as Joseph had said. There was famine in all the other lands, but in the whole land of Egypt there was food. When all Egypt began to feel the famine, the people cried to Pharaoh for food. Then Pharaoh told all the Egyptians, "Go to Joseph and do what he tells you." When the famine had spread over the whole country, Joseph opened the storehouses and sold grain to the Egyptians, for the famine was severe throughout Egypt. And all the countries came to Egypt to buy grain from Joseph, because the famine was severe in all the world. When Jacob learned that there was grain in Egypt, he said to his sons, "Why do you just keep looking at each other?" He continued, "I have heard that there is grain in Egypt. Go down there and buy some for us, so that we may live and not die." Then ten of Joseph's brothers went down to buy grain from Egypt. But Jacob did not send Benjamin, Joseph's brother, with the others, because he was afraid that harm might come to him. So Israel's sons were among those who went to buy grain, for the famine was in the land of Canaan also." Genesis 41:53-57, 42:1-5
As we reach the end of Chapter 41, God’s plan as given through Joseph as he interpreted Pharoah’s dream is well in progress. We read where the seven years of abundance had ended and, just as God had said, the seven years of famine began. As the people of Egypt began to feel the impact of the famine, they "cried to Pharaoh for food." Pharoah directed them to, "Go to Joseph and do what he tells you." So the nation of Egypt, in need of help, found that help through the obedient adherence to God’s command to save a fifth of the harvest during each year of abundance to help cover the needs during the famine. This surplus was now distributed as "Joseph opened the storehouses and sold grain to the Egyptians." Notice that God’s plan originally was seen as only aiding the Egyptians. But, as happens more often than not, God had an even greater plan in place.
For as we read, all countries started to come to Egypt because the famine was severe everywhere, including Canaan where Joseph’s father and brothers lived. Chapter 42 begins with Jacob sending his sons to Egypt to but grain so they can survive.
Now remember that Jacob believes Joseph is dead. This is why he is afraid to send Benjamin with the other sons. After already losing his youngest son (Joseph) before, Jacob is concerned that something might happen to Benjamin. So he keeps him at home.
Meanwhile, Joseph’s brothers don’t have any idea what happened to him after they sold him off to slavery and we get no indication at this point that they even care. So they head to Egypt to get grain as ordered by their father. Little do they know that they are to reunite with their long lost youngest brother and find out that the dreams they despised so much before they got rid of him were about to come true. It was all part of God’s greater plan…for the famine was just the circumstance that served as a backdrop for reunion and reconciliation.
To further illuminate how God has a greater plan, I will share with you a true story…one close to me. The names are withheld because they aren’t as important as the lesson.
A white man fell in love with an African American woman. He felt so excited about finding this love in his life and couldn’t wait to tell his parents. So he calls them and all appears to be fine until he tells them that his new found love was black. Silence fell on the other end of the phone line…a silence that would not end there. For the man’s father would not speak to his son for the next 1 ½ years. The man’s mother changed her heart a month after the news had been broken and would support the relationship to include attending the wedding 9 months later…a wedding that the father refused to attend. The son and his new wife would visit home several times over the course of the next year and a half. Their mother would welcome them but the father would always conveniently be away.
The son was upset about the way his father acted and was unsure how to respond. So he went to prayer and read the scriptures, coming to only one conclusion…he had to respond in love. And so he did. He sent cards and he sent gifts at birthdays and holidays…never receiving anything in return. The daughter-in-law never said a cross word about her father-in-law, despite the way he had treated her. This amazed the son but even made him love her more. She was truly a woman of God.
Well, a year and a half passed and the son and wife were invited to come home for a reunion. The son asked about his father and was told by his sister that his father wanted to reconcile. So the son and his wife returned to his hometown and to his home where his father awaited…to reunite with his son…and meet his new daughter-in-law. The son went into the house first.
As he entered his home, there sat his father, on the couch where he always sat before…all would have been the same if it weren’t for the tears rolling down the father’s face. Sobbing, he told the son he was sorry. The son embraced his crying father and said, "it’s Ok…I love you and forgive you." The father didn’t understand. He asked, "How could he be loved or forgiven after the way he had acted?" The son shared that if God could forgive him for the sinner that he was, then he could forgive anyone. The words would transform the father forever.
Next, the father’s new daughter-in-law entered and he saw her for the first time. Again, he broke down in tears. And again, he was embraced, this time by his daughter-in-law who told him she loved him and forgave him. He would from that day on love her like she was one of his own.
So this story had a happy ending…one that would make anyone who hears it feel good. But God had a greater plan. You see, the father, my father, started to attend church every week after the magic moment of forgiveness and turned his life over to Jesus. On the surface, one would think that God’s plan was about reconciling my wife and I to my father. But instead, it was all about God reconciling my father to Himself. My wife and I were just a part of a greater plan.
So never estimate what God might be doing in, around and through you, particularly as you interact with others. He might just be using you in a special way to carry out His plan…a plan that is greater than what we can comprehend.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
http://www.faithhopeandlove.info/
Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
EXCLAMATIONS OF PRAISE
Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com In Christ, Mark
"So Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I hereby put you in charge of the whole land of Egypt." Then Pharaoh took his signet ring from his finger and put it on Joseph's finger. He dressed him in robes of fine linen and put a gold chain around his neck. He had him ride in a chariot as his second-in-command, and men shouted before him, "Make way!" Thus he put him in charge of the whole land of Egypt. Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I am Pharaoh, but without your word no one will lift hand or foot in all Egypt." Pharaoh gave Joseph the name Zaphenath-Paneah and gave him Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On, to be his wife. And Joseph went throughout the land of Egypt. Joseph was thirty years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from Pharaoh's presence and traveled throughout Egypt. During the seven years of abundance the land produced plentifully. Joseph collected all the food produced in those seven years of abundance in Egypt and stored it in the cities. In each city he put the food grown in the fields surrounding it. Joseph stored up huge quantities of grain, like the sand of the sea; it was so much that he stopped keeping records because it was beyond measure. Before the years of famine came, two sons were born to Joseph by Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On. Joseph named his firstborn Manasseh and said, "It is because God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father's household." 52 The second son he named Ephraim and said, "It is because God has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering." Genesis 41:41-52
Joseph emerged from Pharoah’s prison, successfully interpreted Pharoah's dream, and ascended to be second in command of all of Egypt. Verses 41 through 45 describe all that Joseph gained during the initial stages of his ascendancy. The abundance predicted for Egypt was in full swing and so was the abundance of blessings heaped on God’s special servant Joseph. The signet ring, robes of fine linen, gold chain, and chariot were given to Joseph to symbolize his newly appointed authority over Egypt.
Any ordinary man would have allowed all the power to go to his head. But Joseph was no ordinary man. He stayed firmly grounded in God and his faith, even in the midst of such extravagance. I can say this with confidence because of his actions after each of his two sons were born. For the scripture tells us that Pharoah also gave Joseph the gift of a wife, Asenath, and their marriage produced two sons: Manasseh and Ephraim. From the names Joseph gives them, we catch a glimpse of his gratitude and praise to God…the names become his personal exclamations of praise.
Let’s first look at Manasseh. Our scripture tells us Joseph selects the name "…because God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father's household." Indeed, Joseph had come a long way from the hatred of his brothers, his near death experience at the cisterns, his slavery experience, the betrayal of Potiphar’s wife, and the prison. He had persevered through many trials and probably wondered if his troubles would ever cease. But God was with him and delivered him from prison to power. And his son, Manasseh, would always remind him of that.
After Manasseh, Ephraim was born and we’re told Joseph gave him that name "because God has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering." Although things got off to a decent start for Joseph while in the house of Potiphar, they quickly went downhill due to Potiphar’s scheming wife. Joseph, wrongfully accused and imprisoned, would endure a lot of suffering in Egypt before his deliverance and elevation to Egypt’s second in command. All of Joseph’s afflictions were in his past and his son, Ephraim, would be the sign of present times…times of blessing and prosperity, all provided by a faithful, loving God.
Question: In what ways do you openly exclaim your praise for what God has done for you? Joseph used the naming of his sons as an occasion to do so. We should always seek ways to do likewise…in fact, every day should be filled with exclamations of praise…not only because the Lord has a way of delivering us from hardship and blessing us in a way that helps us move on ahead but also because He makes us fruitful in the land of our suffering…the land where we live and where he has placed us…the land where we should raise up constant exclamations of praise. For God is good, His mercies are new every morning, and His steadfast love endures forever.
Amen.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
http://www.faithhopeandlove.info/
Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com
"So Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I hereby put you in charge of the whole land of Egypt." Then Pharaoh took his signet ring from his finger and put it on Joseph's finger. He dressed him in robes of fine linen and put a gold chain around his neck. He had him ride in a chariot as his second-in-command, and men shouted before him, "Make way!" Thus he put him in charge of the whole land of Egypt. Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I am Pharaoh, but without your word no one will lift hand or foot in all Egypt." Pharaoh gave Joseph the name Zaphenath-Paneah and gave him Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On, to be his wife. And Joseph went throughout the land of Egypt. Joseph was thirty years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from Pharaoh's presence and traveled throughout Egypt. During the seven years of abundance the land produced plentifully. Joseph collected all the food produced in those seven years of abundance in Egypt and stored it in the cities. In each city he put the food grown in the fields surrounding it. Joseph stored up huge quantities of grain, like the sand of the sea; it was so much that he stopped keeping records because it was beyond measure. Before the years of famine came, two sons were born to Joseph by Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On. Joseph named his firstborn Manasseh and said, "It is because God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father's household." 52 The second son he named Ephraim and said, "It is because God has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering." Genesis 41:41-52
Joseph emerged from Pharoah’s prison, successfully interpreted Pharoah's dream, and ascended to be second in command of all of Egypt. Verses 41 through 45 describe all that Joseph gained during the initial stages of his ascendancy. The abundance predicted for Egypt was in full swing and so was the abundance of blessings heaped on God’s special servant Joseph. The signet ring, robes of fine linen, gold chain, and chariot were given to Joseph to symbolize his newly appointed authority over Egypt.
Any ordinary man would have allowed all the power to go to his head. But Joseph was no ordinary man. He stayed firmly grounded in God and his faith, even in the midst of such extravagance. I can say this with confidence because of his actions after each of his two sons were born. For the scripture tells us that Pharoah also gave Joseph the gift of a wife, Asenath, and their marriage produced two sons: Manasseh and Ephraim. From the names Joseph gives them, we catch a glimpse of his gratitude and praise to God…the names become his personal exclamations of praise.
Let’s first look at Manasseh. Our scripture tells us Joseph selects the name "…because God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father's household." Indeed, Joseph had come a long way from the hatred of his brothers, his near death experience at the cisterns, his slavery experience, the betrayal of Potiphar’s wife, and the prison. He had persevered through many trials and probably wondered if his troubles would ever cease. But God was with him and delivered him from prison to power. And his son, Manasseh, would always remind him of that.
After Manasseh, Ephraim was born and we’re told Joseph gave him that name "because God has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering." Although things got off to a decent start for Joseph while in the house of Potiphar, they quickly went downhill due to Potiphar’s scheming wife. Joseph, wrongfully accused and imprisoned, would endure a lot of suffering in Egypt before his deliverance and elevation to Egypt’s second in command. All of Joseph’s afflictions were in his past and his son, Ephraim, would be the sign of present times…times of blessing and prosperity, all provided by a faithful, loving God.
Question: In what ways do you openly exclaim your praise for what God has done for you? Joseph used the naming of his sons as an occasion to do so. We should always seek ways to do likewise…in fact, every day should be filled with exclamations of praise…not only because the Lord has a way of delivering us from hardship and blessing us in a way that helps us move on ahead but also because He makes us fruitful in the land of our suffering…the land where we live and where he has placed us…the land where we should raise up constant exclamations of praise. For God is good, His mercies are new every morning, and His steadfast love endures forever.
Amen.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
http://www.faithhopeandlove.info/
Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com
IN THE SPIRIT OF GOD
Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com In Christ, Mark
"Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, "In my dream I was standing on the bank of the Nile, when out of the river there came up seven cows, fat and sleek, and they grazed among the reeds. After them, seven other cows came up—scrawny and very ugly and lean. I had never seen such ugly cows in all the land of Egypt. The lean, ugly cows ate up the seven fat cows that came up first. But even after they ate them, no one could tell that they had done so; they looked just as ugly as before. Then I woke up. "In my dreams I also saw seven heads of grain, full and good, growing on a single stalk. After them, seven other heads sprouted—withered and thin and scorched by the east wind. The thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven good heads. I told this to the magicians, but none could explain it to me." Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, "The dreams of Pharaoh are one and the same. God has revealed to Pharaoh what he is about to do. The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven good heads of grain are seven years; it is one and the same dream. The seven lean, ugly cows that came up afterward are seven years, and so are the seven worthless heads of grain scorched by the east wind: They are seven years of famine. "It is just as I said to Pharaoh: God has shown Pharaoh what he is about to do. Seven years of great abundance are coming throughout the land of Egypt, but seven years of famine will follow them. Then all the abundance in Egypt will be forgotten, and the famine will ravage the land. The abundance in the land will not be remembered, because the famine that follows it will be so severe. The reason the dream was given to Pharaoh in two forms is that the matter has been firmly decided by God, and God will do it soon. "And now let Pharaoh look for a discerning and wise man and put him in charge of the land of Egypt. Let Pharaoh appoint commissioners over the land to take a fifth of the harvest of Egypt during the seven years of abundance. They should collect all the food of these good years that are coming and store up the grain under the authority of Pharaoh, to be kept in the cities for food. This food should be held in reserve for the country, to be used during the seven years of famine that will come upon Egypt, so that the country may not be ruined by the famine." The plan seemed good to Pharaoh and to all his officials. So Pharaoh asked them, "Can we find anyone like this man, one in whom is the spirit of God?" Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one so discerning and wise as you. You shall be in charge of my palace, and all my people are to submit to your orders. Only with respect to the throne will I be greater than you." Genesis 41:17-40
In the first 16 verses of Chapter 41, Pharoah, the ruler of Egypt, has a troubling dream that none of his magicians or visionaries could interpret. Then Pharoah’s cupbearer remembers Joseph and how he correctly interpreted his dream as well as the baker’s while they were in prison two years earlier. Pharoah summons Joseph from prison and asks him to interpret his dream. You’ll remember Joseph’s awesome response as he said, ""I cannot do it," Joseph replied to Pharaoh, "but God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires."
Accepting this from Joseph, Pharoah proceeds to tell Joseph his dreams after which Joseph tells him they are "one and the same" and adds, "God has revealed to Pharaoh what he is about to do." This is an awesome testament by Joseph to Pharoah. God…the One and only God…the God greater than any god worshipped by Pharoah and his people…this God was about to do what Joseph would soon tell Pharoah. Needless to say, he had the ruler’s attention.
So Joseph goes on to interpret the dreams. There would be seven years of abundance in Egypt followed by seven years of famine. The very survival of Egypt would rely on stockpiling one fifth of the grain in every year of abundance to ensure there would be food during the famine years. To oversee this effort, Joseph told Pharoah to "look for a discerning and wise man and put him in charge of the land of Egypt." He was to also "appoint commissioners over the land to take a fifth of the harvest of Egypt during the seven years of abundance." We read where Pharoah has no questions on what needs to be done. There is no doubting Joseph for the "plan seemed good to Pharoah and his officials."
There only was left the matter of "appointing a discerning, wise man" to take "charge of the land of Egypt." Turning toward Joseph, Pharoah proclaims, "Can we find anyone like this man, one in whom is the spirit of God?" There is no objection and Joseph emerges from prison to take charge of Pharoah’s palace with all people ordered to "submit to his orders. Only Pharoah himself would be greater.
This amazing conclusion to Chapter 41 offers several awesome points to ponder:
1. God’s grace and mercy toward Egypt. Although we will find that this grace and mercy wouldn’t last, at least for the time being God doesn’t wish for the Egyptians to perish. His instructions to Pharoah, if carried out as directed, would ensure the Egyptian people would not die during the famine. God’s actions toward a polytheistic nation are amazing…amazing grace.
2. Pharoah’s acceptance of the dream. Pharoah could have rejected Joseph’s interpretation as nonsense but he didn’t. By accepting and not rejecting Joseph, Pharoah was accepting two things: 1) that the plan was from God and 2) that God would do what He said He would do through.
3. God delivers the faithful. Fresh out of the prison dungeon, Joseph was now the most discerning, wise man in Egypt with all the people submitting to him. All this was not because of what he did but rather what God was doing in and through him.
Here’s one other important closing point to consider from this scripture: Joseph used his gift of dream interpretation in accordance with God’s will. As a result, he won the confidence of an ungodly Egyptian ruler and the blessing of deliverance.
What makes this important to us because God has placed special gifts within us…gifts that we too are to use to His purpose…and that purpose will always involve changing the hearts of the ungodly and turning them to their Creator and Maker. My hope is that we all will seek to be like Joseph…boldly stepping out in obedience to His will and way, using the gifts He has imparted on us, and confessing that any good that comes from our actions is due to God not ourselves. We can only pray that others might speak of us like Pharoah did of Joseph when he proclaimed, ""Can we find anyone like this man, one in whom is the spirit of God?" Amen.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
http://www.faithhopeandlove.info/
Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com
"Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, "In my dream I was standing on the bank of the Nile, when out of the river there came up seven cows, fat and sleek, and they grazed among the reeds. After them, seven other cows came up—scrawny and very ugly and lean. I had never seen such ugly cows in all the land of Egypt. The lean, ugly cows ate up the seven fat cows that came up first. But even after they ate them, no one could tell that they had done so; they looked just as ugly as before. Then I woke up. "In my dreams I also saw seven heads of grain, full and good, growing on a single stalk. After them, seven other heads sprouted—withered and thin and scorched by the east wind. The thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven good heads. I told this to the magicians, but none could explain it to me." Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, "The dreams of Pharaoh are one and the same. God has revealed to Pharaoh what he is about to do. The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven good heads of grain are seven years; it is one and the same dream. The seven lean, ugly cows that came up afterward are seven years, and so are the seven worthless heads of grain scorched by the east wind: They are seven years of famine. "It is just as I said to Pharaoh: God has shown Pharaoh what he is about to do. Seven years of great abundance are coming throughout the land of Egypt, but seven years of famine will follow them. Then all the abundance in Egypt will be forgotten, and the famine will ravage the land. The abundance in the land will not be remembered, because the famine that follows it will be so severe. The reason the dream was given to Pharaoh in two forms is that the matter has been firmly decided by God, and God will do it soon. "And now let Pharaoh look for a discerning and wise man and put him in charge of the land of Egypt. Let Pharaoh appoint commissioners over the land to take a fifth of the harvest of Egypt during the seven years of abundance. They should collect all the food of these good years that are coming and store up the grain under the authority of Pharaoh, to be kept in the cities for food. This food should be held in reserve for the country, to be used during the seven years of famine that will come upon Egypt, so that the country may not be ruined by the famine." The plan seemed good to Pharaoh and to all his officials. So Pharaoh asked them, "Can we find anyone like this man, one in whom is the spirit of God?" Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one so discerning and wise as you. You shall be in charge of my palace, and all my people are to submit to your orders. Only with respect to the throne will I be greater than you." Genesis 41:17-40
In the first 16 verses of Chapter 41, Pharoah, the ruler of Egypt, has a troubling dream that none of his magicians or visionaries could interpret. Then Pharoah’s cupbearer remembers Joseph and how he correctly interpreted his dream as well as the baker’s while they were in prison two years earlier. Pharoah summons Joseph from prison and asks him to interpret his dream. You’ll remember Joseph’s awesome response as he said, ""I cannot do it," Joseph replied to Pharaoh, "but God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires."
Accepting this from Joseph, Pharoah proceeds to tell Joseph his dreams after which Joseph tells him they are "one and the same" and adds, "God has revealed to Pharaoh what he is about to do." This is an awesome testament by Joseph to Pharoah. God…the One and only God…the God greater than any god worshipped by Pharoah and his people…this God was about to do what Joseph would soon tell Pharoah. Needless to say, he had the ruler’s attention.
So Joseph goes on to interpret the dreams. There would be seven years of abundance in Egypt followed by seven years of famine. The very survival of Egypt would rely on stockpiling one fifth of the grain in every year of abundance to ensure there would be food during the famine years. To oversee this effort, Joseph told Pharoah to "look for a discerning and wise man and put him in charge of the land of Egypt." He was to also "appoint commissioners over the land to take a fifth of the harvest of Egypt during the seven years of abundance." We read where Pharoah has no questions on what needs to be done. There is no doubting Joseph for the "plan seemed good to Pharoah and his officials."
There only was left the matter of "appointing a discerning, wise man" to take "charge of the land of Egypt." Turning toward Joseph, Pharoah proclaims, "Can we find anyone like this man, one in whom is the spirit of God?" There is no objection and Joseph emerges from prison to take charge of Pharoah’s palace with all people ordered to "submit to his orders. Only Pharoah himself would be greater.
This amazing conclusion to Chapter 41 offers several awesome points to ponder:
1. God’s grace and mercy toward Egypt. Although we will find that this grace and mercy wouldn’t last, at least for the time being God doesn’t wish for the Egyptians to perish. His instructions to Pharoah, if carried out as directed, would ensure the Egyptian people would not die during the famine. God’s actions toward a polytheistic nation are amazing…amazing grace.
2. Pharoah’s acceptance of the dream. Pharoah could have rejected Joseph’s interpretation as nonsense but he didn’t. By accepting and not rejecting Joseph, Pharoah was accepting two things: 1) that the plan was from God and 2) that God would do what He said He would do through.
3. God delivers the faithful. Fresh out of the prison dungeon, Joseph was now the most discerning, wise man in Egypt with all the people submitting to him. All this was not because of what he did but rather what God was doing in and through him.
Here’s one other important closing point to consider from this scripture: Joseph used his gift of dream interpretation in accordance with God’s will. As a result, he won the confidence of an ungodly Egyptian ruler and the blessing of deliverance.
What makes this important to us because God has placed special gifts within us…gifts that we too are to use to His purpose…and that purpose will always involve changing the hearts of the ungodly and turning them to their Creator and Maker. My hope is that we all will seek to be like Joseph…boldly stepping out in obedience to His will and way, using the gifts He has imparted on us, and confessing that any good that comes from our actions is due to God not ourselves. We can only pray that others might speak of us like Pharoah did of Joseph when he proclaimed, ""Can we find anyone like this man, one in whom is the spirit of God?" Amen.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
http://www.faithhopeandlove.info/
Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com
Monday, November 26, 2007
WE CAN'T...GOD CAN
Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com In Christ, Mark
"When two full years had passed, Pharaoh had a dream: He was standing by the Nile, when out of the river there came up seven cows, sleek and fat, and they grazed among the reeds. After them, seven other cows, ugly and gaunt, came up out of the Nile and stood beside those on the riverbank. And the cows that were ugly and gaunt ate up the seven sleek, fat cows. Then Pharaoh woke up. He fell asleep again and had a second dream: Seven heads of grain, healthy and good, were growing on a single stalk. After them, seven other heads of grain sprouted—thin and scorched by the east wind. The thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven healthy, full heads. Then Pharaoh woke up; it had been a dream. In the morning his mind was troubled, so he sent for all the magicians and wise men of Egypt. Pharaoh told them his dreams, but no one could interpret them for him. Then the chief cupbearer said to Pharaoh, "Today I am reminded of my shortcomings. Pharaoh was once angry with his servants, and he imprisoned me and the chief baker in the house of the captain of the guard. Each of us had a dream the same night, and each dream had a meaning of its own. Now a young Hebrew was there with us, a servant of the captain of the guard. We told him our dreams, and he interpreted them for us, giving each man the interpretation of his dream. And things turned out exactly as he interpreted them to us: I was restored to my position, and the other man was hanged." So Pharaoh sent for Joseph, and he was quickly brought from the dungeon. When he had shaved and changed his clothes, he came before Pharaoh. Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I had a dream, and no one can interpret it. But I have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it." "I cannot do it," Joseph replied to Pharaoh, "but God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires." Genesis 41:1-16
Two years. 730 long days. This is the length of time that passed from the time the cupbearer was released back to his position with Pharoah to the time that Chapter 41 begins. Ironically, as Chapter 40 ended with a dream coming true, the next chapter starts with another dream…or two in this case. This time, the tormented dreamer is none other than Pharoah himself. So troubled was he by the dreams concerning the cows and grain stalks, that he summoned his magicians and wise men so that they might explain them. But none of the so-called visionaries could do so. Pharoah had to have voiced his frustration in his court and thus the cupbearer being aware of his situation. For reasons unknown outside of this being God’s time for Joseph to be released from prison, the cupbearer finally remember Joseph’s special gift of dream interpretation and he gives his testimony to Pharoah, explaining how Joseph had properly interpreted not only his dream but the baker’s as well.
This must have been sweet music to the Egyptian ruler because he "sent for Joseph, and he was quickly brought from the dungeon." After a change of clothes and a shave, Joseph is brought before Pharoah who quickly tells Joseph why he was summoned saying, "I had a dream, and no one can interpret it. But I have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it." Joseph’s reply must have caught Pharoah off guard because Joseph said to him, "I cannot do it…" But then he adds, "but God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires."
Joseph’s words carry with them important guidance for us as we go forth in service to the Lord. I will highlight three key takeaways for us as we seek to grow on our Christian walk:
1. Joseph denied himself. When Pharoah asked Joseph to interpret his dream, Joseph could have said, "Tell me what you have dreamed, O Pharoah, and I will tell you what it means." Even if his real intent was to rely on God to do the interpretation for him, there was no indication of it in saying he would do it. So Joseph would end up getting the glory, not the God who truly did it…the One and only true God. But Joseph refused to take credit and told Pharoah, I cannot do it." Essentially, Joseph said, "I don’t have the power or vision alone to do what you ask."
Question: How often do we fail to deny ourselves as we carry out God’s plan and purpose for our lives? Do we impart understanding to another through the guidance of the Word or Spirit and then act like it was all our own doing? We would be well served to follow Joseph’s lead and deny ourselves. After all, Jesus would later say, "Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me." Matthew 16:24
2. Joseph proclaimed the One who could accomplish what Pharoah wanted. Joseph lets the Egyptian leader (the one who believed in many, many gods) know that God (the one and only God) could give him the answers he desired. Joseph didn’t hesitate in putting credit where credit was due. As much as he was going to interpret the dream as an instrument of God’s will, Joseph also took advantage of the time to evangelize Pharoah, driving home the point that there is only one true God who could do what he desired. Note as well that this was done in advance of the interpretation so Pharoah would know right up front who he should give credit to.
Question: Do you give God all the glory for the things He is using you for?
3. Joseph never doubted what God could do. Note the full confidence Joseph showed in God, knowing He would deliver. He knew God had been with him through every ordeal in his life from the cisterns to the time in Potiphar’s home to the prison and, now, in Pharoah’s presence. God never left Joseph’s side and Joseph knew it fully. This allowed him the confidence to speak boldly in the name of the Lord, lifting up His banner high.
Question: Do you have any doubt as to what God can do in your life? Draw strength through our scripture today and see where God is always with us and willing and able to step in and make a difference using us as living instruments of His will. On our own, we, like Joseph, "cannot do it." But with a steadfast faith in our Almighty Father, we, like Joseph, can boldly proclaim, "but God can."
Amen
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
http://www.faithhopeandlove.info/
Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com
"When two full years had passed, Pharaoh had a dream: He was standing by the Nile, when out of the river there came up seven cows, sleek and fat, and they grazed among the reeds. After them, seven other cows, ugly and gaunt, came up out of the Nile and stood beside those on the riverbank. And the cows that were ugly and gaunt ate up the seven sleek, fat cows. Then Pharaoh woke up. He fell asleep again and had a second dream: Seven heads of grain, healthy and good, were growing on a single stalk. After them, seven other heads of grain sprouted—thin and scorched by the east wind. The thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven healthy, full heads. Then Pharaoh woke up; it had been a dream. In the morning his mind was troubled, so he sent for all the magicians and wise men of Egypt. Pharaoh told them his dreams, but no one could interpret them for him. Then the chief cupbearer said to Pharaoh, "Today I am reminded of my shortcomings. Pharaoh was once angry with his servants, and he imprisoned me and the chief baker in the house of the captain of the guard. Each of us had a dream the same night, and each dream had a meaning of its own. Now a young Hebrew was there with us, a servant of the captain of the guard. We told him our dreams, and he interpreted them for us, giving each man the interpretation of his dream. And things turned out exactly as he interpreted them to us: I was restored to my position, and the other man was hanged." So Pharaoh sent for Joseph, and he was quickly brought from the dungeon. When he had shaved and changed his clothes, he came before Pharaoh. Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I had a dream, and no one can interpret it. But I have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it." "I cannot do it," Joseph replied to Pharaoh, "but God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires." Genesis 41:1-16
Two years. 730 long days. This is the length of time that passed from the time the cupbearer was released back to his position with Pharoah to the time that Chapter 41 begins. Ironically, as Chapter 40 ended with a dream coming true, the next chapter starts with another dream…or two in this case. This time, the tormented dreamer is none other than Pharoah himself. So troubled was he by the dreams concerning the cows and grain stalks, that he summoned his magicians and wise men so that they might explain them. But none of the so-called visionaries could do so. Pharoah had to have voiced his frustration in his court and thus the cupbearer being aware of his situation. For reasons unknown outside of this being God’s time for Joseph to be released from prison, the cupbearer finally remember Joseph’s special gift of dream interpretation and he gives his testimony to Pharoah, explaining how Joseph had properly interpreted not only his dream but the baker’s as well.
This must have been sweet music to the Egyptian ruler because he "sent for Joseph, and he was quickly brought from the dungeon." After a change of clothes and a shave, Joseph is brought before Pharoah who quickly tells Joseph why he was summoned saying, "I had a dream, and no one can interpret it. But I have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it." Joseph’s reply must have caught Pharoah off guard because Joseph said to him, "I cannot do it…" But then he adds, "but God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires."
Joseph’s words carry with them important guidance for us as we go forth in service to the Lord. I will highlight three key takeaways for us as we seek to grow on our Christian walk:
1. Joseph denied himself. When Pharoah asked Joseph to interpret his dream, Joseph could have said, "Tell me what you have dreamed, O Pharoah, and I will tell you what it means." Even if his real intent was to rely on God to do the interpretation for him, there was no indication of it in saying he would do it. So Joseph would end up getting the glory, not the God who truly did it…the One and only true God. But Joseph refused to take credit and told Pharoah, I cannot do it." Essentially, Joseph said, "I don’t have the power or vision alone to do what you ask."
Question: How often do we fail to deny ourselves as we carry out God’s plan and purpose for our lives? Do we impart understanding to another through the guidance of the Word or Spirit and then act like it was all our own doing? We would be well served to follow Joseph’s lead and deny ourselves. After all, Jesus would later say, "Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me." Matthew 16:24
2. Joseph proclaimed the One who could accomplish what Pharoah wanted. Joseph lets the Egyptian leader (the one who believed in many, many gods) know that God (the one and only God) could give him the answers he desired. Joseph didn’t hesitate in putting credit where credit was due. As much as he was going to interpret the dream as an instrument of God’s will, Joseph also took advantage of the time to evangelize Pharoah, driving home the point that there is only one true God who could do what he desired. Note as well that this was done in advance of the interpretation so Pharoah would know right up front who he should give credit to.
Question: Do you give God all the glory for the things He is using you for?
3. Joseph never doubted what God could do. Note the full confidence Joseph showed in God, knowing He would deliver. He knew God had been with him through every ordeal in his life from the cisterns to the time in Potiphar’s home to the prison and, now, in Pharoah’s presence. God never left Joseph’s side and Joseph knew it fully. This allowed him the confidence to speak boldly in the name of the Lord, lifting up His banner high.
Question: Do you have any doubt as to what God can do in your life? Draw strength through our scripture today and see where God is always with us and willing and able to step in and make a difference using us as living instruments of His will. On our own, we, like Joseph, "cannot do it." But with a steadfast faith in our Almighty Father, we, like Joseph, can boldly proclaim, "but God can."
Amen
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
http://www.faithhopeandlove.info/
Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com
Sunday, November 25, 2007
A LACK OF GRATITUDE
Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com In Christ, Mark
"Some time later, the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt offended their master, the king of Egypt. Pharaoh was angry with his two officials, the chief cupbearer and the chief baker, and put them in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, in the same prison where Joseph was confined. The captain of the guard assigned them to Joseph, and he attended them. After they had been in custody for some time, each of the two men—the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were being held in prison—had a dream the same night, and each dream had a meaning of its own. When Joseph came to them the next morning, he saw that they were dejected. So he asked Pharaoh's officials who were in custody with him in his master's house, "Why are your faces so sad today?" "We both had dreams," they answered, "but there is no one to interpret them." Then Joseph said to them, "Do not interpretations belong to God? Tell me your dreams." So the chief cupbearer told Joseph his dream. He said to him, "In my dream I saw a vine in front of me, and on the vine were three branches. As soon as it budded, it blossomed, and its clusters ripened into grapes. Pharaoh's cup was in my hand, and I took the grapes, squeezed them into Pharaoh's cup and put the cup in his hand." "This is what it means," Joseph said to him. "The three branches are three days. Within three days Pharaoh will lift up your head and restore you to your position, and you will put Pharaoh's cup in his hand, just as you used to do when you were his cupbearer. But when all goes well with you, remember me and show me kindness; mention me to Pharaoh and get me out of this prison. For I was forcibly carried off from the land of the Hebrews, and even here I have done nothing to deserve being put in a dungeon." When the chief baker saw that Joseph had given a favorable interpretation, he said to Joseph, "I too had a dream: On my head were three baskets of bread. In the top basket were all kinds of baked goods for Pharaoh, but the birds were eating them out of the basket on my head." "This is what it means," Joseph said. "The three baskets are three days. Within three days Pharaoh will lift off your head and hang you on a tree. And the birds will eat away your flesh." Now the third day was Pharaoh's birthday, and he gave a feast for all his officials. He lifted up the heads of the chief cupbearer and the chief baker in the presence of his officials: He restored the chief cupbearer to his position, so that he once again put the cup into Pharaoh's hand, but he hanged the chief baker, just as Joseph had said to them in his interpretation. The chief cupbearer, however, did not remember Joseph; he forgot him." Genesis 40:1-23
Genesis, Chapter 40, begins with two of Pharoah’s servants falling out of favor. The baker’s responsibilities are pretty self-explanatory but let me explain the responsibility of the cupbearer because they played an important role for the ruler. Because there was always constant danger that the ruler could be the target of assassination, especially through poisoning, the cupbearer would drink from the ruler’s cup before him. If the cupbearer was not harmed by the drink, the ruler would know it was safe to drink from the cup. Of course if the cupbearer died, then the ruler would consider himself saved and look for another cupbearer.
We don’t know what the baker and cupbearer did to anger Pharoah but we do know it merited their imprisonment, possibly while an investigation was made to see if any punishment was merited. Both were "assigned to…Joseph" who "attended them." As we will see, this was all part of God’s plan because Joseph had a special gift that was about to be revealed: the interpretation of dreams.
While in prison, the beaker and cupbearer each have dreams…both were different and left the men haunted. You see, the Egyptians saw dreams as coming from the gods and the lack of understanding about their respective dreams left the men "dejected" because they were in prison and away from any of the Egyptian mystics who claimed the ability to interpret dreams. We read where Joseph noticed the saddened mindset of his newest and inquired about asking, ""Why are your faces so sad today?" His question had to catch the Egyptian servants off guard for they weren’t accustomed to a leader that showed concern for them as people. But Joseph wasn’t any ordinary man and his God wasn’t any ordinary god.
The baker and cupbearer tell Joseph the reason for their despair. They each had dreams that needed interpretation. Joseph responds with powerful words that we all need to keep in mind, especially as we go forth to minister to others. He said, "Do not interpretations belong to God? Tell me your dreams."
As we go forth ever more boldly to carry our the command of Jesus to make disciples of all nations, baptizing in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit and teaching what He commanded, we are going to be asked about God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit and all matters of faith connected to them. Maybe even to interpret dreams or other events going on in another’s life. Before we advise, It’s so important to first make sure we are advising properly and we can only do this is we are certain that what we say is truth. We can go back to Joseph and see where he first gave credit to God for the interpretations he was about to give. We need to do likewise.
As a side note, this won’t be the last time that a servant of the Most High God interprets dreams and gives credit to God. Daniel will follow Joseph to do when confronted by King Nebuchadnezzar during the Babylonian captivity. But that’s another devotional lesson on a different day.
Joseph, after giving credit to God for what he is about to say, interprets the dreams of the cupbearer and the baker. For the cupbearer, the interpretation bears good news for he will be reinstated to his position by Pharaoh. No harm will come to him. The baker didn’t get such good news from Joseph who tells him Pharoah will "lift off (his) head and hang you on a tree…and the birds will eat away (his) flesh." We can only assume the baker was found guilty of whatever Pharoah suspected him of. Scripture tells us that after three days, the Pharoah acted and the results were just as Joseph had predicted. The cupbearer was restored to his position while the baker was hung. All seemed to go well in accordance with God’s plan with the exception of one thing. The cupbearer failed to show gratitude in the midst of his blessing.
You see…there’s one additional matter in this scripture. For after giving the cupbearer his good news interpretation, Joseph requested a favor from him. He said, "When all goes well with you, remember me and show me kindness; mention me to Pharaoh and get me out of this prison. For I was forcibly carried off from the land of the Hebrews, and even here I have done nothing to deserve being put in a dungeon." Joseph’s request was simple enough and fair enough. He had dispelled the cup bearer’s worry and fear with his interpretation, he knew it would come true and he only wished for the cup bearer to report to Pharoah concerning what he had done so he could be released from his wrongful imprisonment. But at the end of the passage, we find that the cup bearer "did not remember Joseph; he forgot him." All was well for the cupbearer. He got what he wanted and that was all that mattered to him. Joseph wasn’t even an afterthought…he was forgotten by the cupbearer. But one thing is certain…he wasn’t forgotten by God.
Question: Have you ever done something wonderful for someone only to have them fail to show gratitude toward you? It’s been said that the most powerful words in the english language after "I love you" are "thank you." It only takes a moment to say it but the rewards and blessings it brings to others and their hearts prolongs. Have you told someone how much they’re appreciated today? How about being thankful for what others have done for you? Are you like the cupbearer?
Last question: Do you say "thank you" enough to God, the giver of every good and perfect thing from above? How often do you show Him your appreciation for His goodness, mercy and grace? Woe be it to us if God can say about us, "they did not remember Me; they forgot Me." Don’t be the one who lacks an attitude of gratitude to God or others.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
http://www.faithhopeandlove.info/
Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com
"Some time later, the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt offended their master, the king of Egypt. Pharaoh was angry with his two officials, the chief cupbearer and the chief baker, and put them in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, in the same prison where Joseph was confined. The captain of the guard assigned them to Joseph, and he attended them. After they had been in custody for some time, each of the two men—the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were being held in prison—had a dream the same night, and each dream had a meaning of its own. When Joseph came to them the next morning, he saw that they were dejected. So he asked Pharaoh's officials who were in custody with him in his master's house, "Why are your faces so sad today?" "We both had dreams," they answered, "but there is no one to interpret them." Then Joseph said to them, "Do not interpretations belong to God? Tell me your dreams." So the chief cupbearer told Joseph his dream. He said to him, "In my dream I saw a vine in front of me, and on the vine were three branches. As soon as it budded, it blossomed, and its clusters ripened into grapes. Pharaoh's cup was in my hand, and I took the grapes, squeezed them into Pharaoh's cup and put the cup in his hand." "This is what it means," Joseph said to him. "The three branches are three days. Within three days Pharaoh will lift up your head and restore you to your position, and you will put Pharaoh's cup in his hand, just as you used to do when you were his cupbearer. But when all goes well with you, remember me and show me kindness; mention me to Pharaoh and get me out of this prison. For I was forcibly carried off from the land of the Hebrews, and even here I have done nothing to deserve being put in a dungeon." When the chief baker saw that Joseph had given a favorable interpretation, he said to Joseph, "I too had a dream: On my head were three baskets of bread. In the top basket were all kinds of baked goods for Pharaoh, but the birds were eating them out of the basket on my head." "This is what it means," Joseph said. "The three baskets are three days. Within three days Pharaoh will lift off your head and hang you on a tree. And the birds will eat away your flesh." Now the third day was Pharaoh's birthday, and he gave a feast for all his officials. He lifted up the heads of the chief cupbearer and the chief baker in the presence of his officials: He restored the chief cupbearer to his position, so that he once again put the cup into Pharaoh's hand, but he hanged the chief baker, just as Joseph had said to them in his interpretation. The chief cupbearer, however, did not remember Joseph; he forgot him." Genesis 40:1-23
Genesis, Chapter 40, begins with two of Pharoah’s servants falling out of favor. The baker’s responsibilities are pretty self-explanatory but let me explain the responsibility of the cupbearer because they played an important role for the ruler. Because there was always constant danger that the ruler could be the target of assassination, especially through poisoning, the cupbearer would drink from the ruler’s cup before him. If the cupbearer was not harmed by the drink, the ruler would know it was safe to drink from the cup. Of course if the cupbearer died, then the ruler would consider himself saved and look for another cupbearer.
We don’t know what the baker and cupbearer did to anger Pharoah but we do know it merited their imprisonment, possibly while an investigation was made to see if any punishment was merited. Both were "assigned to…Joseph" who "attended them." As we will see, this was all part of God’s plan because Joseph had a special gift that was about to be revealed: the interpretation of dreams.
While in prison, the beaker and cupbearer each have dreams…both were different and left the men haunted. You see, the Egyptians saw dreams as coming from the gods and the lack of understanding about their respective dreams left the men "dejected" because they were in prison and away from any of the Egyptian mystics who claimed the ability to interpret dreams. We read where Joseph noticed the saddened mindset of his newest and inquired about asking, ""Why are your faces so sad today?" His question had to catch the Egyptian servants off guard for they weren’t accustomed to a leader that showed concern for them as people. But Joseph wasn’t any ordinary man and his God wasn’t any ordinary god.
The baker and cupbearer tell Joseph the reason for their despair. They each had dreams that needed interpretation. Joseph responds with powerful words that we all need to keep in mind, especially as we go forth to minister to others. He said, "Do not interpretations belong to God? Tell me your dreams."
As we go forth ever more boldly to carry our the command of Jesus to make disciples of all nations, baptizing in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit and teaching what He commanded, we are going to be asked about God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit and all matters of faith connected to them. Maybe even to interpret dreams or other events going on in another’s life. Before we advise, It’s so important to first make sure we are advising properly and we can only do this is we are certain that what we say is truth. We can go back to Joseph and see where he first gave credit to God for the interpretations he was about to give. We need to do likewise.
As a side note, this won’t be the last time that a servant of the Most High God interprets dreams and gives credit to God. Daniel will follow Joseph to do when confronted by King Nebuchadnezzar during the Babylonian captivity. But that’s another devotional lesson on a different day.
Joseph, after giving credit to God for what he is about to say, interprets the dreams of the cupbearer and the baker. For the cupbearer, the interpretation bears good news for he will be reinstated to his position by Pharaoh. No harm will come to him. The baker didn’t get such good news from Joseph who tells him Pharoah will "lift off (his) head and hang you on a tree…and the birds will eat away (his) flesh." We can only assume the baker was found guilty of whatever Pharoah suspected him of. Scripture tells us that after three days, the Pharoah acted and the results were just as Joseph had predicted. The cupbearer was restored to his position while the baker was hung. All seemed to go well in accordance with God’s plan with the exception of one thing. The cupbearer failed to show gratitude in the midst of his blessing.
You see…there’s one additional matter in this scripture. For after giving the cupbearer his good news interpretation, Joseph requested a favor from him. He said, "When all goes well with you, remember me and show me kindness; mention me to Pharaoh and get me out of this prison. For I was forcibly carried off from the land of the Hebrews, and even here I have done nothing to deserve being put in a dungeon." Joseph’s request was simple enough and fair enough. He had dispelled the cup bearer’s worry and fear with his interpretation, he knew it would come true and he only wished for the cup bearer to report to Pharoah concerning what he had done so he could be released from his wrongful imprisonment. But at the end of the passage, we find that the cup bearer "did not remember Joseph; he forgot him." All was well for the cupbearer. He got what he wanted and that was all that mattered to him. Joseph wasn’t even an afterthought…he was forgotten by the cupbearer. But one thing is certain…he wasn’t forgotten by God.
Question: Have you ever done something wonderful for someone only to have them fail to show gratitude toward you? It’s been said that the most powerful words in the english language after "I love you" are "thank you." It only takes a moment to say it but the rewards and blessings it brings to others and their hearts prolongs. Have you told someone how much they’re appreciated today? How about being thankful for what others have done for you? Are you like the cupbearer?
Last question: Do you say "thank you" enough to God, the giver of every good and perfect thing from above? How often do you show Him your appreciation for His goodness, mercy and grace? Woe be it to us if God can say about us, "they did not remember Me; they forgot Me." Don’t be the one who lacks an attitude of gratitude to God or others.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
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Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com
Saturday, November 24, 2007
OUR DELIVERER
Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com In Christ, Mark
"Now Joseph was well-built and handsome, and after a while his master's wife took notice of Joseph and said, "Come to bed with me!" But he refused. "With me in charge," he told her, "my master does not concern himself with anything in the house; everything he owns he has entrusted to my care. No one is greater in this house than I am. My master has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?" And though she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her or even be with her. One day he went into the house to attend to his duties, and none of the household servants was inside. She caught him by his cloak and said, "Come to bed with me!" But he left his cloak in her hand and ran out of the house. When she saw that he had left his cloak in her hand and had run out of the house, she called her household servants. "Look," she said to them, "this Hebrew has been brought to us to make sport of us! He came in here to sleep with me, but I screamed. When he heard me scream for help, he left his cloak beside me and ran out of the house." She kept his cloak beside her until his master came home. Then she told him this story: "That Hebrew slave you brought us came to me to make sport of me. But as soon as I screamed for help, he left his cloak beside me and ran out of the house." When his master heard the story his wife told him, saying, "This is how your slave treated me," he burned with anger. Joseph's master took him and put him in prison, the place where the king's prisoners were confined. But while Joseph was there in the prison, the Lord was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden. So the warden put Joseph in charge of all those held in the prison, and he was made responsible for all that was done there. The warden paid no attention to anything under Joseph's care, because the Lord was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did." Genesis 39:7-23
Joseph had everything going his way in Egypt. As the beginning of Chapter 39 indicates, the Lord was with Joseph as he was purchased by the chief of the guard, Potiphar, and the blessing extended over Potiphar’s household. Potiphar, realizing how much he had prospered after Joseph joined him, gave Joseph control over everything except for the food he ate. And Potiphar wasn’t the only one who had noticed Joseph…so did his wife.
As we read in today’s passage, Potiphar’s wife tries to entice Joseph into an adulterous tryst. Joseph angered by her advance reminds Potiphar’s wife that he has been given control of everything in the household except for her. He also calls out her action as sinful against God by saying, "How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?" Joseph knew the source of his good fortune. He also knew what he could and couldn’t do…what was sinful and what was righteous. He refused to give into Potiphar’s wife.
Question: Have you ever been tempted by something or someone? It could be that someone sees your good fortune and wants you to "bend the rules" (i.e. sin) a bit. For example, you are making good money in your position at a company but could be doing even better if you could just "fudge" the numbers a little bit and pocket the difference. Or it could be that you have a weakness that you are trying to overcome and someone doesn’t respect you enough to stop enticing you. For example, you’re trying to stop smoking or drinking and yet someone keeps coming up to ask you if you want to go for a smoke or a drink. It seems that just when we’re getting things going the way we want them to go, Satan tries to get us to sin and throw away all we have been blessed with.
Well, Potiphar’s wife wasn’t about to give in and continues to go after Joseph. The scripture tells us this was day after day with Joseph rejecting her every time until one day when she decided she would take her sinfulness to a new level. With "none of the household servants…inside", she physically grabs onto Joseph and as he pulls away and flees her, he leaves his cloak in her hand. Potiphar’s wife, scheming as she was, accused Joseph of attacking her with only her screams and resistance fending off her attacker. She verbally assaults Joseph telling her husband, ""That Hebrew slave you brought us came to me to make sport of me." Not only is Potiphar’s wife lying and implicating Joseph but she now shoots a barb at her husband, blaming him for bringing Joseph into the household in the first place. Potiphar’s wife is essentially telling her husband, "None of this would have ever happened if you hadn’t brought this Hebrew slave in."
Well, Potiphar, Joseph's master, believed his wife, took Joseph, and "put him in prison, the place where the king's prisoners were confined." Potiphar’s wife thought she had won. But did she really? As we will find out in later lessons, Joseph going to prison was all about God’s plan for him. In other words, despite her sins and evil, good and its essence in God prevailed.
Question: Have you ever been the victim of someone’s scheme? Have you ever felt that evil had the victory? Well, maybe next time you have this kind of experience, turn to God and see what He has in mind. He always has a plan…we need just to seek it out. When one door in life closes, He’s always ready to open another. Trust in this.
Well, Joseph while in prison was not alone…we’re told "the Lord was with him…and showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden." This led to the warden putting "Joseph in charge of all those held in the prison, and he was made responsible for all that was done there." We’re also told that "the warden paid no attention to anything under Joseph's care, because the Lord was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did." Once again, what seemed like a disastrous point in Joseph’s life turned out well. The Lord, being with Joseph through this whole period, saved him from first his murderous brothers, then slavery under Potiphar and now imprisonment. Do you not see something common in all this? We serve a God who is our Deliverer…our very present help in times of trouble. Please remember this if you are going through a struggle today…or when you are in the midst of future struggles…and we know they will come. Just as with Joseph, the Lord is with us folks…and this is GOOD NEWS! Thanks be to God!
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
http://www.faithhopeandlove.info/
Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com
"Now Joseph was well-built and handsome, and after a while his master's wife took notice of Joseph and said, "Come to bed with me!" But he refused. "With me in charge," he told her, "my master does not concern himself with anything in the house; everything he owns he has entrusted to my care. No one is greater in this house than I am. My master has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?" And though she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her or even be with her. One day he went into the house to attend to his duties, and none of the household servants was inside. She caught him by his cloak and said, "Come to bed with me!" But he left his cloak in her hand and ran out of the house. When she saw that he had left his cloak in her hand and had run out of the house, she called her household servants. "Look," she said to them, "this Hebrew has been brought to us to make sport of us! He came in here to sleep with me, but I screamed. When he heard me scream for help, he left his cloak beside me and ran out of the house." She kept his cloak beside her until his master came home. Then she told him this story: "That Hebrew slave you brought us came to me to make sport of me. But as soon as I screamed for help, he left his cloak beside me and ran out of the house." When his master heard the story his wife told him, saying, "This is how your slave treated me," he burned with anger. Joseph's master took him and put him in prison, the place where the king's prisoners were confined. But while Joseph was there in the prison, the Lord was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden. So the warden put Joseph in charge of all those held in the prison, and he was made responsible for all that was done there. The warden paid no attention to anything under Joseph's care, because the Lord was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did." Genesis 39:7-23
Joseph had everything going his way in Egypt. As the beginning of Chapter 39 indicates, the Lord was with Joseph as he was purchased by the chief of the guard, Potiphar, and the blessing extended over Potiphar’s household. Potiphar, realizing how much he had prospered after Joseph joined him, gave Joseph control over everything except for the food he ate. And Potiphar wasn’t the only one who had noticed Joseph…so did his wife.
As we read in today’s passage, Potiphar’s wife tries to entice Joseph into an adulterous tryst. Joseph angered by her advance reminds Potiphar’s wife that he has been given control of everything in the household except for her. He also calls out her action as sinful against God by saying, "How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?" Joseph knew the source of his good fortune. He also knew what he could and couldn’t do…what was sinful and what was righteous. He refused to give into Potiphar’s wife.
Question: Have you ever been tempted by something or someone? It could be that someone sees your good fortune and wants you to "bend the rules" (i.e. sin) a bit. For example, you are making good money in your position at a company but could be doing even better if you could just "fudge" the numbers a little bit and pocket the difference. Or it could be that you have a weakness that you are trying to overcome and someone doesn’t respect you enough to stop enticing you. For example, you’re trying to stop smoking or drinking and yet someone keeps coming up to ask you if you want to go for a smoke or a drink. It seems that just when we’re getting things going the way we want them to go, Satan tries to get us to sin and throw away all we have been blessed with.
Well, Potiphar’s wife wasn’t about to give in and continues to go after Joseph. The scripture tells us this was day after day with Joseph rejecting her every time until one day when she decided she would take her sinfulness to a new level. With "none of the household servants…inside", she physically grabs onto Joseph and as he pulls away and flees her, he leaves his cloak in her hand. Potiphar’s wife, scheming as she was, accused Joseph of attacking her with only her screams and resistance fending off her attacker. She verbally assaults Joseph telling her husband, ""That Hebrew slave you brought us came to me to make sport of me." Not only is Potiphar’s wife lying and implicating Joseph but she now shoots a barb at her husband, blaming him for bringing Joseph into the household in the first place. Potiphar’s wife is essentially telling her husband, "None of this would have ever happened if you hadn’t brought this Hebrew slave in."
Well, Potiphar, Joseph's master, believed his wife, took Joseph, and "put him in prison, the place where the king's prisoners were confined." Potiphar’s wife thought she had won. But did she really? As we will find out in later lessons, Joseph going to prison was all about God’s plan for him. In other words, despite her sins and evil, good and its essence in God prevailed.
Question: Have you ever been the victim of someone’s scheme? Have you ever felt that evil had the victory? Well, maybe next time you have this kind of experience, turn to God and see what He has in mind. He always has a plan…we need just to seek it out. When one door in life closes, He’s always ready to open another. Trust in this.
Well, Joseph while in prison was not alone…we’re told "the Lord was with him…and showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden." This led to the warden putting "Joseph in charge of all those held in the prison, and he was made responsible for all that was done there." We’re also told that "the warden paid no attention to anything under Joseph's care, because the Lord was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did." Once again, what seemed like a disastrous point in Joseph’s life turned out well. The Lord, being with Joseph through this whole period, saved him from first his murderous brothers, then slavery under Potiphar and now imprisonment. Do you not see something common in all this? We serve a God who is our Deliverer…our very present help in times of trouble. Please remember this if you are going through a struggle today…or when you are in the midst of future struggles…and we know they will come. Just as with Joseph, the Lord is with us folks…and this is GOOD NEWS! Thanks be to God!
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
http://www.faithhopeandlove.info/
Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com
Friday, November 23, 2007
GOD IS WITH YOU...IN GOOD AND BAD TIMES
Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com In Christ, Mark
"Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt. Potiphar, an Egyptian who was one of Pharaoh's officials, the captain of the guard, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had taken him there. The Lord was with Joseph and he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master. When his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord gave him success in everything he did, Joseph found favor in his eyes and became his attendant. Potiphar put him in charge of his household, and he entrusted to his care everything he owned. From the time he put him in charge of his household and of all that he owned, the Lord blessed the household of the Egyptian because of Joseph. The blessing of the Lord was on everything Potiphar had, both in the house and in the field. So he left in Joseph's care everything he had; with Joseph in charge, he did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate." Genesis 39:1-6
In Chapter 39, we catch up with Joseph after he had been sold into slavery by his brothers. You’ll recall that the brothers sold him to the Ismaelites and in verse 1, we find that they took him to Egypt where he was purchased by Potiphar, Pharoah’s captain of the guard. One can only imagine how Joseph must have felt at this point, going from favored son to slave in a faraway, strange land with customs far different than his Israelite kin. It was a time of uncertainty…both in what would happen in the present and ahead in the future.
Question: Have you ever fund yourself in the midst of uncertainty brought on by unexpected change? Maybe a tragic loss of a loved one left you suddenly alone and fending for yourself. Maybe you have lost a job when you needed every penny just to get by. Maybe you suffered an injury or were diagnosed with an illness that left you unable to do the things you dreamed of doing. Maybe you encountered a large expense that was not planned for and you don’t have the money to cover the cost. One thing is certain…life can often be very uncertain.
Well, Joseph was certainly in the midst of uncertainty. He must have missed home badly, especially his father. Little did he know that his father believed he was dead after his brothers tricked Jacob into believing he had been killed by wild animals. Given his situation, all would have been lost for Joseph if it weren’t for one very important thing: the Lord was with him and He helped Joseph prosper in the house of Potiphar. In fact, Joseph was so successful that he was appointed attendant and was "in charge of his (Potiphar’s) household, and…entrusted to…care (for) everything he owned."
Question: When you are going through uncertain times, do you always remember that the Lord is with you? One of his very names, Emmanuel, translates to mean "God with us" and you’ll remember He gave us the assurance that He would never leave us nor forsake us. (Deuteronomy 31:6). Yet, we tend to forget in hard times that He is with us ever more. I can’t help but remember the famous writing called "Footprints". In it there are two sets of footprints in the sand for a certain distance but then only one set continues on. The man who had went through difficulties questions the Lord as to how He could leave him when he needed him most. The Lord tells him that the single set of footprints belonged to Him not the man and it was during that time that the Lord was carrying him. What an awesome assurance we have to know we serve a loving God who is ready to carry us through life’s difficulties when they come. All we need to do is just call on His name.
Well, Joseph wasn’t the only one who prospered. We read that Potipher’s household flourished because of Joseph and Potiphar knew it. He allowed Joseph to have control over everything except his food and "did not concern himself bout anything." Joseph had Potiphar’s complete trust.
So all is working our for Joseph despite the unknown future he had when he entered Egypt under the bondage of the Ishmaelites. And it is all working out because the Lord was with him…and only because the Lord was with him. Do you want things to work out in your circumstance? Don’t forget the Lord IS with you. He promised to be and He never breaks His promises. So won’t you come to Him in prayer today and ask Him to reveal His will and way to you. Then pray for anything you need to accomplish His will. When you do this, scripture tells us that the Lord will listen and deliver what you need to carry out His will. (1 John 5:14-15) Ask and you will receive, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened unto you. (Matthew 7:7)
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
http://www.faithhopeandlove.info/
Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com
"Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt. Potiphar, an Egyptian who was one of Pharaoh's officials, the captain of the guard, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had taken him there. The Lord was with Joseph and he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master. When his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord gave him success in everything he did, Joseph found favor in his eyes and became his attendant. Potiphar put him in charge of his household, and he entrusted to his care everything he owned. From the time he put him in charge of his household and of all that he owned, the Lord blessed the household of the Egyptian because of Joseph. The blessing of the Lord was on everything Potiphar had, both in the house and in the field. So he left in Joseph's care everything he had; with Joseph in charge, he did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate." Genesis 39:1-6
In Chapter 39, we catch up with Joseph after he had been sold into slavery by his brothers. You’ll recall that the brothers sold him to the Ismaelites and in verse 1, we find that they took him to Egypt where he was purchased by Potiphar, Pharoah’s captain of the guard. One can only imagine how Joseph must have felt at this point, going from favored son to slave in a faraway, strange land with customs far different than his Israelite kin. It was a time of uncertainty…both in what would happen in the present and ahead in the future.
Question: Have you ever fund yourself in the midst of uncertainty brought on by unexpected change? Maybe a tragic loss of a loved one left you suddenly alone and fending for yourself. Maybe you have lost a job when you needed every penny just to get by. Maybe you suffered an injury or were diagnosed with an illness that left you unable to do the things you dreamed of doing. Maybe you encountered a large expense that was not planned for and you don’t have the money to cover the cost. One thing is certain…life can often be very uncertain.
Well, Joseph was certainly in the midst of uncertainty. He must have missed home badly, especially his father. Little did he know that his father believed he was dead after his brothers tricked Jacob into believing he had been killed by wild animals. Given his situation, all would have been lost for Joseph if it weren’t for one very important thing: the Lord was with him and He helped Joseph prosper in the house of Potiphar. In fact, Joseph was so successful that he was appointed attendant and was "in charge of his (Potiphar’s) household, and…entrusted to…care (for) everything he owned."
Question: When you are going through uncertain times, do you always remember that the Lord is with you? One of his very names, Emmanuel, translates to mean "God with us" and you’ll remember He gave us the assurance that He would never leave us nor forsake us. (Deuteronomy 31:6). Yet, we tend to forget in hard times that He is with us ever more. I can’t help but remember the famous writing called "Footprints". In it there are two sets of footprints in the sand for a certain distance but then only one set continues on. The man who had went through difficulties questions the Lord as to how He could leave him when he needed him most. The Lord tells him that the single set of footprints belonged to Him not the man and it was during that time that the Lord was carrying him. What an awesome assurance we have to know we serve a loving God who is ready to carry us through life’s difficulties when they come. All we need to do is just call on His name.
Well, Joseph wasn’t the only one who prospered. We read that Potipher’s household flourished because of Joseph and Potiphar knew it. He allowed Joseph to have control over everything except his food and "did not concern himself bout anything." Joseph had Potiphar’s complete trust.
So all is working our for Joseph despite the unknown future he had when he entered Egypt under the bondage of the Ishmaelites. And it is all working out because the Lord was with him…and only because the Lord was with him. Do you want things to work out in your circumstance? Don’t forget the Lord IS with you. He promised to be and He never breaks His promises. So won’t you come to Him in prayer today and ask Him to reveal His will and way to you. Then pray for anything you need to accomplish His will. When you do this, scripture tells us that the Lord will listen and deliver what you need to carry out His will. (1 John 5:14-15) Ask and you will receive, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened unto you. (Matthew 7:7)
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
http://www.faithhopeandlove.info/
Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com
Thursday, November 22, 2007
THANKS...FROM THE WORD
Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com In Christ, Mark
Today, I take a brief respite from Genesis to focus on the subject at hand on this blessed day: Thanksgiving. As we seek to learn what we should be thankful for, we shouldn’t forget what the Holy Bible teaches. So in tribute to Thanksgiving, to the Lord and to my faithful readers, I offer these biblical reason for us to be thankful:
…for He is good and His love endures forever.
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever. 1 Chronicles 16:34
…for His righteousness.
I will give thanks to the LORD because of his righteousness and will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High. Psalm 7:17
…because He is our strength and shield.
The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song. Psalm 28:7
…for His name is near.
We give thanks to you, O God, we give thanks, for your Name is near… Psalm 75:1
…for His unfailing love and wonderful deeds unto us.
Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men… Psalm 107.8
…because He answers our cries for a Savior to become our redeemer and salvation.
I will give you thanks, for you answered me; you have become my salvation. Psalm 118:21
…because He is our God.
You are my God, and I will give you thanks… Psalm 118:28
…for His grace and victory given in Jesus Christ.
I always thank God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus. 1 Corinthians 1:4
But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:57
…for our circumstances.
…give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:18
…for by His Almighty, Infinite Power, He reigns!
"We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, the One who is and who was, because you have taken your great power and have begun to reign. Revelation 11:17
We also give thanks for the Word of God that brings us all the wisdom and understanding we need to make it through life. I give thanks for being able to study, discern, and teach from it. I give thanks to all of you who continue to share in this Christian Walk with me. Have a VERY blessed Thanksgiving and may His richest gifts come raining down upon you and yours this day!
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
http://www.faithhopeandlove.info/
Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com
Today, I take a brief respite from Genesis to focus on the subject at hand on this blessed day: Thanksgiving. As we seek to learn what we should be thankful for, we shouldn’t forget what the Holy Bible teaches. So in tribute to Thanksgiving, to the Lord and to my faithful readers, I offer these biblical reason for us to be thankful:
…for He is good and His love endures forever.
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever. 1 Chronicles 16:34
…for His righteousness.
I will give thanks to the LORD because of his righteousness and will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High. Psalm 7:17
…because He is our strength and shield.
The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song. Psalm 28:7
…for His name is near.
We give thanks to you, O God, we give thanks, for your Name is near… Psalm 75:1
…for His unfailing love and wonderful deeds unto us.
Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men… Psalm 107.8
…because He answers our cries for a Savior to become our redeemer and salvation.
I will give you thanks, for you answered me; you have become my salvation. Psalm 118:21
…because He is our God.
You are my God, and I will give you thanks… Psalm 118:28
…for His grace and victory given in Jesus Christ.
I always thank God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus. 1 Corinthians 1:4
But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:57
…for our circumstances.
…give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:18
…for by His Almighty, Infinite Power, He reigns!
"We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, the One who is and who was, because you have taken your great power and have begun to reign. Revelation 11:17
We also give thanks for the Word of God that brings us all the wisdom and understanding we need to make it through life. I give thanks for being able to study, discern, and teach from it. I give thanks to all of you who continue to share in this Christian Walk with me. Have a VERY blessed Thanksgiving and may His richest gifts come raining down upon you and yours this day!
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
http://www.faithhopeandlove.info/
Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com
SUCCESS IN THE FACE OF ADVERSITY
Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com In Christ, Mark
"After a long time Judah's wife, the daughter of Shua, died. When Judah had recovered from his grief, he went up to Timnah, to the men who were shearing his sheep, and his friend Hirah the Adullamite went with him. When Tamar was told, "Your father-in-law is on his way to Timnah to shear his sheep," she took off her widow's clothes, covered herself with a veil to disguise herself, and then sat down at the entrance to Enaim, which is on the road to Timnah. For she saw that, though Shelah had now grown up, she had not been given to him as his wife. When Judah saw her, he thought she was a prostitute, for she had covered her face. Not realizing that she was his daughter-in-law, he went over to her by the roadside and said, "Come now, let me sleep with you." "And what will you give me to sleep with you?" she asked. "I'll send you a young goat from my flock," he said. "Will you give me something as a pledge until you send it?" she asked. He said, "What pledge should I give you?" "Your seal and its cord, and the staff in your hand," she answered. So he gave them to her and slept with her, and she became pregnant by him. After she left, she took off her veil and put on her widow's clothes again. Meanwhile Judah sent the young goat by his friend the Adullamite in order to get his pledge back from the woman, but he did not find her. He asked the men who lived there, "Where is the shrine prostitute who was beside the road at Enaim?" "There hasn't been any shrine prostitute here," they said. So he went back to Judah and said, "I didn't find her. Besides, the men who lived there said, 'There hasn't been any shrine prostitute here.' " Then Judah said, "Let her keep what she has, or we will become a laughingstock. After all, I did send her this young goat, but you didn't find her." About three months later Judah was told, "Your daughter-in-law Tamar is guilty of prostitution, and as a result she is now pregnant." Judah said, "Bring her out and have her burned to death!" As she was being brought out, she sent a message to her father-in-law. "I am pregnant by the man who owns these," she said. And she added, "See if you recognize whose seal and cord and staff these are." Judah recognized them and said, "She is more righteous than I, since I wouldn't give her to my son Shelah." And he did not sleep with her again. When the time came for her to give birth, there were twin boys in her womb. As she was giving birth, one of them put out his hand; so the midwife took a scarlet thread and tied it on his wrist and said, "This one came out first." But when he drew back his hand, his brother came out, and she said, "So this is how you have broken out!" And he was named Perez. Then his brother, who had the scarlet thread on his wrist, came out and he was given the name Zerah." Genesis 38:12-30
Tamar had been reduced to permanent widowhood. She realized this as she waited and waited for Judah to make good on his promise to allow her to produce a son through his youngest son Shelah after he got older. Well, Shelah grew up and Judah did not make good on his promise. You’ll remember that two of his sons, Er and Onan, died while having relations with Tamar but their deaths had nothing to do with Tamar and everything to do with the wickedness of the sons. Judah didn’t understand this and thought he could protect Shelah by putting off off Tamar. I’m sure he never expected Tamar to display incredible resiliency and perseverance in her desire to receive what she saw as rightfully hers. In this scripture passage, we see where Tamar is able to regain her dignity and her special place in God’s almighty plan.
First, Tamar poses as a prostitute and lures Judah into having sex with her. Our scripture begins with the death of Judah’s wife so he no doubt missed her companionship and intimacy as he unknowingly propositions his own daughter-in-law. And although Judah didn’t know who he was dealing with, Tamar certainly knew all about Judah, especially his penchant for not telling the truth. Anticipating that he might not send a young goat from his flock in exchange for sex and to prevent him from trying to deny having sexual relations with her, she convinces Judah to make pledge. Scripture tells us he gave his seal, cord and staff to Tamar as a sign of his pledge. It was only then that Tamar slept with him and became pregnant by Judah.
Under the obligation of his pledge, Judah did send the goat for the prostitute only to find that he had been fooled because no prostitute existed at least there wasn’t one at the time. But three months later, Judah is told that his daughter-in-law was a prostitute and had gotten pregnant. Not knowing that Tamar was the one he slept with, he ordered Tamar burned to death. What an embarrassment it must have been when Tamar holds up the seal, cord and staff, saying that the father of her child was the owner of these items. Recognizing what had happened, Judah states, "She is more righteous than I, since I wouldn't give her to my son Shelah." In other words, Tamar was determined to see that she had a child to carry on the family name and lineage, whether Judah was going to help her or not. And she succeeded.
Tamar’s actions were part of a broader plan that God had set in motion. Had it not been the will of God, she wouldn’t have been successful luring Judah to her and she certainly would not have become pregnant. But all of this was His will and then some. You see, one of the twins born to Tamar and Judah, Perez, became part of the genealogy of Jesus Christ. (see Matthew 1:3). And you’ll notice that Tamar is listed as well…reward for her unwillingness to give up in the face of adversity.
Question: Have you ever run into obstacles as you set forth to accomplish God’s will? Have you encountered a person or person who seemed intent on keeping you from accomplishing what God wanted you to achieve? If so, draw inspiration and strength from Tamar…a woman who displayed dogged determination and unwavering faithfulness in fulfilling God’s plan and joining the family tree of Jesus.
Have a blessed Thanksgiving!
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
http://www.faithhopeandlove.info/
Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com
"After a long time Judah's wife, the daughter of Shua, died. When Judah had recovered from his grief, he went up to Timnah, to the men who were shearing his sheep, and his friend Hirah the Adullamite went with him. When Tamar was told, "Your father-in-law is on his way to Timnah to shear his sheep," she took off her widow's clothes, covered herself with a veil to disguise herself, and then sat down at the entrance to Enaim, which is on the road to Timnah. For she saw that, though Shelah had now grown up, she had not been given to him as his wife. When Judah saw her, he thought she was a prostitute, for she had covered her face. Not realizing that she was his daughter-in-law, he went over to her by the roadside and said, "Come now, let me sleep with you." "And what will you give me to sleep with you?" she asked. "I'll send you a young goat from my flock," he said. "Will you give me something as a pledge until you send it?" she asked. He said, "What pledge should I give you?" "Your seal and its cord, and the staff in your hand," she answered. So he gave them to her and slept with her, and she became pregnant by him. After she left, she took off her veil and put on her widow's clothes again. Meanwhile Judah sent the young goat by his friend the Adullamite in order to get his pledge back from the woman, but he did not find her. He asked the men who lived there, "Where is the shrine prostitute who was beside the road at Enaim?" "There hasn't been any shrine prostitute here," they said. So he went back to Judah and said, "I didn't find her. Besides, the men who lived there said, 'There hasn't been any shrine prostitute here.' " Then Judah said, "Let her keep what she has, or we will become a laughingstock. After all, I did send her this young goat, but you didn't find her." About three months later Judah was told, "Your daughter-in-law Tamar is guilty of prostitution, and as a result she is now pregnant." Judah said, "Bring her out and have her burned to death!" As she was being brought out, she sent a message to her father-in-law. "I am pregnant by the man who owns these," she said. And she added, "See if you recognize whose seal and cord and staff these are." Judah recognized them and said, "She is more righteous than I, since I wouldn't give her to my son Shelah." And he did not sleep with her again. When the time came for her to give birth, there were twin boys in her womb. As she was giving birth, one of them put out his hand; so the midwife took a scarlet thread and tied it on his wrist and said, "This one came out first." But when he drew back his hand, his brother came out, and she said, "So this is how you have broken out!" And he was named Perez. Then his brother, who had the scarlet thread on his wrist, came out and he was given the name Zerah." Genesis 38:12-30
Tamar had been reduced to permanent widowhood. She realized this as she waited and waited for Judah to make good on his promise to allow her to produce a son through his youngest son Shelah after he got older. Well, Shelah grew up and Judah did not make good on his promise. You’ll remember that two of his sons, Er and Onan, died while having relations with Tamar but their deaths had nothing to do with Tamar and everything to do with the wickedness of the sons. Judah didn’t understand this and thought he could protect Shelah by putting off off Tamar. I’m sure he never expected Tamar to display incredible resiliency and perseverance in her desire to receive what she saw as rightfully hers. In this scripture passage, we see where Tamar is able to regain her dignity and her special place in God’s almighty plan.
First, Tamar poses as a prostitute and lures Judah into having sex with her. Our scripture begins with the death of Judah’s wife so he no doubt missed her companionship and intimacy as he unknowingly propositions his own daughter-in-law. And although Judah didn’t know who he was dealing with, Tamar certainly knew all about Judah, especially his penchant for not telling the truth. Anticipating that he might not send a young goat from his flock in exchange for sex and to prevent him from trying to deny having sexual relations with her, she convinces Judah to make pledge. Scripture tells us he gave his seal, cord and staff to Tamar as a sign of his pledge. It was only then that Tamar slept with him and became pregnant by Judah.
Under the obligation of his pledge, Judah did send the goat for the prostitute only to find that he had been fooled because no prostitute existed at least there wasn’t one at the time. But three months later, Judah is told that his daughter-in-law was a prostitute and had gotten pregnant. Not knowing that Tamar was the one he slept with, he ordered Tamar burned to death. What an embarrassment it must have been when Tamar holds up the seal, cord and staff, saying that the father of her child was the owner of these items. Recognizing what had happened, Judah states, "She is more righteous than I, since I wouldn't give her to my son Shelah." In other words, Tamar was determined to see that she had a child to carry on the family name and lineage, whether Judah was going to help her or not. And she succeeded.
Tamar’s actions were part of a broader plan that God had set in motion. Had it not been the will of God, she wouldn’t have been successful luring Judah to her and she certainly would not have become pregnant. But all of this was His will and then some. You see, one of the twins born to Tamar and Judah, Perez, became part of the genealogy of Jesus Christ. (see Matthew 1:3). And you’ll notice that Tamar is listed as well…reward for her unwillingness to give up in the face of adversity.
Question: Have you ever run into obstacles as you set forth to accomplish God’s will? Have you encountered a person or person who seemed intent on keeping you from accomplishing what God wanted you to achieve? If so, draw inspiration and strength from Tamar…a woman who displayed dogged determination and unwavering faithfulness in fulfilling God’s plan and joining the family tree of Jesus.
Have a blessed Thanksgiving!
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
http://www.faithhopeandlove.info/
Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
THE CONSEQUENCES OF UNGODLY LIVING
Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com In Christ, Mark
"Judah got a wife for Er, his firstborn, and her name was Tamar. But Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in the Lord's sight; so the Lord put him to death. Then Judah said to Onan, "Lie with your brother's wife and fulfill your duty to her as a brother-in-law to produce offspring for your brother." But Onan knew that the offspring would not be his; so whenever he lay with his brother's wife, he spilled his semen on the ground to keep from producing offspring for his brother. What he did was wicked in the Lord's sight; so he put him to death also. Judah then said to his daughter-in-law Tamar, "Live as a widow in your father's house until my son Shelah grows up." For he thought, "He may die too, just like his brothers." So Tamar went to live in her father's house." Genesis 38:6-11
It’s troubles me today to see the number of people who feel like it’s fine to live an ungodly life. They step through every day doing as they please, right or wrong, with no fear or consequence. The line between right and wrong ever more seems to be smudged or in some cases, erased all together. Yes, ungodliness seems to be the in thing these days…and what is even more troubling to me is that you’ll find even professing believers in Jesus Christ living a charade…looking convincing on the outside and when others are watching but are truly living apart from God when out of the spotlight and away from others.
You’ll recall yesterday that Judah, the fourth son of Jacob, decided to leave his Israelite kin and associate with the sinful, polytheistic Canaanites. His ungodly decision had serious ramifications…as we will see now as he bears children with his Canaanite wife, the daughter of Shua.
One truth about God is that He will not co-exist with sin. So as Judah partnered with sinfulness in Canaan, God was not in partnership in his relation. Subsequently, we read that Judah’s first son, Er, was wicked in the Lord’s sight. The child born from a sinful couple manifested wickedness in his adult life. Subsequently, the Lord would not bless him with carrying on the family line from his father after Judah had selected Tamar as his wife. Instead, the Lord "put him to death". We don’t know by what means this happened but all we need to know is this…a man who is wicked in God’s sight could face the consequence of death…and lose it all in the process.
With Er, the firstborn, dead, an important cultural responsibility fell on the second son, Onan. To honor the death of his brother and compensate for the fact that he had not lived long enough to bear a son, the next son in line was to sleep with his dead brother’s widow and then dedicate the son to his brother. In other words, the baby born of the second son would enjoy the same privilege as if he had been born from the firstborn. This custom was referred to as levirate marriage.
So Judah gave Tamar to Onan and when they had sex so Tamar would bear the son for Er, Onan would not allow his semen to enter Tamar, instead "spilling it on the ground." His act of disrespect and disobedience was "wicked in the Lord’s sight" so the Lord also put Onan to death. Once again, we don’t know by which means Onan died but all we need to know is this…a man who is disrespectful and disobedient to God’s will could face the consequence of death…and lose it all in the process.
It was this fear of losing it all that caused Judah now to error. Not realizing that his first two sons had died because of their wickedness, Judah drew the conclusion that Tamar must be responsible in some way. Maybe he thought she had some curse upon her that caused his sons to die when they were with her. Whatever his reasoning, scripture clearly tells us that he believed his youngest son, Shelah, would die "just like his brothers." So he made up an excuse to not allow Tamar to be with Shelah saying that his youngest son needed to grow up. So Judah told a lie and had misinterpreted what was really happened. Why? Because he did not consult the Lord. If he had, trust and know the Lord would have told him exactly why events had happened the way they did.
Also trust and know that the Lord would have told him to allow Tamar to be with Shelah. But that never happened…all because Judah failed to communicate with the One who is the source of all life’s answers. So decide to go it on your own and not consult the Lord on life’s matters and you will royally mess up your life situation. In a future lesson, we’ll see how Judah will pay for his unwillingness to ask for the Lord’s counsel. Know this…the Lord will not bless the life of one who is knowingly disobedient and insubordinate to Him.
Judah, selfishly protecting his son, condemns Tamar to a life of widowhood. Widows were often living in destitution in Old Testament culture. This is because they weren’t recognized as having any right to the property and possessions of their deceased husband and ended up often homeless and begging for sustenance. If they had no children to care for them, they were on their own…left to fend for themselves as best they can. In Tamar’s case, she was fortunate. She could return to her father’s home. I see this as the Lord watching over Tamar as she ends up being victimized by Judah and his sons. She will appear in a future lesson to show she is no pushover.
So the final thing to remember in this account is that when you decide to go it alone without God, your decisions might be harmful to another. There’s a danger in making decisions based on what’s in it for me. Too often, another suffers as a result. This was the case with Tamar.
Today’s scripture holds a message to those who live like there is no consequence for choosing to live contrary to the Lord and His will. God is saying loud and clear, "There ARE consequences for the wicked! There are consequences for the disrespectful and disobedient! and There are consequences for the untrusting" Unlike Judah and his sons, we had best get the message and make corrections now, before it’s too late.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
http://www.faithhopeandlove.info/
Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com
"Judah got a wife for Er, his firstborn, and her name was Tamar. But Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in the Lord's sight; so the Lord put him to death. Then Judah said to Onan, "Lie with your brother's wife and fulfill your duty to her as a brother-in-law to produce offspring for your brother." But Onan knew that the offspring would not be his; so whenever he lay with his brother's wife, he spilled his semen on the ground to keep from producing offspring for his brother. What he did was wicked in the Lord's sight; so he put him to death also. Judah then said to his daughter-in-law Tamar, "Live as a widow in your father's house until my son Shelah grows up." For he thought, "He may die too, just like his brothers." So Tamar went to live in her father's house." Genesis 38:6-11
It’s troubles me today to see the number of people who feel like it’s fine to live an ungodly life. They step through every day doing as they please, right or wrong, with no fear or consequence. The line between right and wrong ever more seems to be smudged or in some cases, erased all together. Yes, ungodliness seems to be the in thing these days…and what is even more troubling to me is that you’ll find even professing believers in Jesus Christ living a charade…looking convincing on the outside and when others are watching but are truly living apart from God when out of the spotlight and away from others.
You’ll recall yesterday that Judah, the fourth son of Jacob, decided to leave his Israelite kin and associate with the sinful, polytheistic Canaanites. His ungodly decision had serious ramifications…as we will see now as he bears children with his Canaanite wife, the daughter of Shua.
One truth about God is that He will not co-exist with sin. So as Judah partnered with sinfulness in Canaan, God was not in partnership in his relation. Subsequently, we read that Judah’s first son, Er, was wicked in the Lord’s sight. The child born from a sinful couple manifested wickedness in his adult life. Subsequently, the Lord would not bless him with carrying on the family line from his father after Judah had selected Tamar as his wife. Instead, the Lord "put him to death". We don’t know by what means this happened but all we need to know is this…a man who is wicked in God’s sight could face the consequence of death…and lose it all in the process.
With Er, the firstborn, dead, an important cultural responsibility fell on the second son, Onan. To honor the death of his brother and compensate for the fact that he had not lived long enough to bear a son, the next son in line was to sleep with his dead brother’s widow and then dedicate the son to his brother. In other words, the baby born of the second son would enjoy the same privilege as if he had been born from the firstborn. This custom was referred to as levirate marriage.
So Judah gave Tamar to Onan and when they had sex so Tamar would bear the son for Er, Onan would not allow his semen to enter Tamar, instead "spilling it on the ground." His act of disrespect and disobedience was "wicked in the Lord’s sight" so the Lord also put Onan to death. Once again, we don’t know by which means Onan died but all we need to know is this…a man who is disrespectful and disobedient to God’s will could face the consequence of death…and lose it all in the process.
It was this fear of losing it all that caused Judah now to error. Not realizing that his first two sons had died because of their wickedness, Judah drew the conclusion that Tamar must be responsible in some way. Maybe he thought she had some curse upon her that caused his sons to die when they were with her. Whatever his reasoning, scripture clearly tells us that he believed his youngest son, Shelah, would die "just like his brothers." So he made up an excuse to not allow Tamar to be with Shelah saying that his youngest son needed to grow up. So Judah told a lie and had misinterpreted what was really happened. Why? Because he did not consult the Lord. If he had, trust and know the Lord would have told him exactly why events had happened the way they did.
Also trust and know that the Lord would have told him to allow Tamar to be with Shelah. But that never happened…all because Judah failed to communicate with the One who is the source of all life’s answers. So decide to go it on your own and not consult the Lord on life’s matters and you will royally mess up your life situation. In a future lesson, we’ll see how Judah will pay for his unwillingness to ask for the Lord’s counsel. Know this…the Lord will not bless the life of one who is knowingly disobedient and insubordinate to Him.
Judah, selfishly protecting his son, condemns Tamar to a life of widowhood. Widows were often living in destitution in Old Testament culture. This is because they weren’t recognized as having any right to the property and possessions of their deceased husband and ended up often homeless and begging for sustenance. If they had no children to care for them, they were on their own…left to fend for themselves as best they can. In Tamar’s case, she was fortunate. She could return to her father’s home. I see this as the Lord watching over Tamar as she ends up being victimized by Judah and his sons. She will appear in a future lesson to show she is no pushover.
So the final thing to remember in this account is that when you decide to go it alone without God, your decisions might be harmful to another. There’s a danger in making decisions based on what’s in it for me. Too often, another suffers as a result. This was the case with Tamar.
Today’s scripture holds a message to those who live like there is no consequence for choosing to live contrary to the Lord and His will. God is saying loud and clear, "There ARE consequences for the wicked! There are consequences for the disrespectful and disobedient! and There are consequences for the untrusting" Unlike Judah and his sons, we had best get the message and make corrections now, before it’s too late.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
http://www.faithhopeandlove.info/
Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com
Monday, November 19, 2007
GUILTY BY ASSOCIATION
Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com In Christ, Mark
"At that time, Judah left his brothers and went down to stay with a man of Adullam named Hirah. There Judah met the daughter of a Canaanite man named Shua. He married her and lay with her; she became pregnant and gave birth to a son, who was named Er. She conceived again and gave birth to a son and named him Onan. She gave birth to still another son and named him Shelah. It was at Kezib that she gave birth to him." Genesis 38:1-5
Now, I don’t know too many families today who don’t have problems, especially when children are involved. And when children grow up into adulthood, they can be more problematic than they were when they were younger. It was the same way back in Old Testament times. Different culture…different era…but surprisingly similar problems when compared to today.
Consider Jacob’s family…and definitely consider him if you consider your family to be dysfunctional. We know Jacob had 12 sons and a daughter. As they grew into adulthood, here’s a few things that Jacob had to deal with:
1. Simeon and Levi, Jacob’s second and third born sons, slaughtered all the men who resided in Shechem because the ruler’s son had raped their sister, Dinah. This murderous rampage came after they duped the city’s males to be circumcised so they would be incapacitated and vulnerable to attack.
2. Reuben, the eldest son who was entitled to the birthright, subsequently threw it all away when he decided to sleep with his father’s wife. His adulterous actions couldn’t have been more devastating.
3. The first eleven sons of Jacob got together and decided to kill their younger brother Joseph out of jealousy and hatred for him. Not able to bring themselves to murder him and have his blood on their hands, they instead decide to sell their own brother…their own flesh and blood…into slavery.
So in three distinct incidents, Jacob’s sons had been a disappointment and disgrace to him…and more importantly to God. In fact, Reuben’s actions angered him so much that he transferred the birthright to Joseph. Surely there would be no more dysfunction in this family. After all, isn’t three major problems enough?
It wasn’t. In our scripture today, we see Judah, the fourth born son, decides to break away from his Israelite kin and associate with the Canaanites. This in itself was a problem because of the sinful nature of the Canaanites due to their polytheistic religious practices. Notice where there is so little credit given in God’s word to the Canaanite woman that Judah marries. We never even know her name. Rather, she is only identified as the daughter of Shua. God’s word does give us the names of the sons that she gave birth to. We will see what happens with the sons as we study them in a future devotional. We can almost predict that things are not going to go well for them. Why? It’s a matter of God’s favor and we’re going to see where parents can make decisions that will ultimately impact the lives of their children.
In this case, Judah, a man of God…the one and only true God…decides to marry and bear children with a woman who is not of the one and only true God but of many gods (emphasis on the small "g"). The union of holiness with ungodliness results in children who are not of God because God cannot coexist with sin. So Judah forfeited God’s divine intervention and blessing on his children by partnering with his immoral Canaanite wife. His children subsequently would grow up and live in ways that did not lease the Lord. After all, a polytheistic culture disrespects God…and we know that God will never stand for that…no more evident that His words at the front of the Ten Commandments:
"You shall have no other gods before me. "You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me…" Exodus 20:3-5
Question: As a parent or parents, how are you living your life? Is God first in everything, fully receiving all your worship? Or do you and those you're associated with worship false idols like money, possessions, success, or other people?
Please heed the lesson today as we look at Judah. Do not stray away from God in your marital relationship and don’t worship anything else but Him. Jesus will come to say in His Sermon on the Mount, "Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." If God looks into your heart, will He find that He is your treasure? If so, you will be blessed and so will your family. If He isn’t, then you may heading down the road that Judah took…finding your self guilty of willful disobedience and adversely effected by an ungodly association that will only lead to disaster.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
http://www.faithhopeandlove.info/
Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com
"At that time, Judah left his brothers and went down to stay with a man of Adullam named Hirah. There Judah met the daughter of a Canaanite man named Shua. He married her and lay with her; she became pregnant and gave birth to a son, who was named Er. She conceived again and gave birth to a son and named him Onan. She gave birth to still another son and named him Shelah. It was at Kezib that she gave birth to him." Genesis 38:1-5
Now, I don’t know too many families today who don’t have problems, especially when children are involved. And when children grow up into adulthood, they can be more problematic than they were when they were younger. It was the same way back in Old Testament times. Different culture…different era…but surprisingly similar problems when compared to today.
Consider Jacob’s family…and definitely consider him if you consider your family to be dysfunctional. We know Jacob had 12 sons and a daughter. As they grew into adulthood, here’s a few things that Jacob had to deal with:
1. Simeon and Levi, Jacob’s second and third born sons, slaughtered all the men who resided in Shechem because the ruler’s son had raped their sister, Dinah. This murderous rampage came after they duped the city’s males to be circumcised so they would be incapacitated and vulnerable to attack.
2. Reuben, the eldest son who was entitled to the birthright, subsequently threw it all away when he decided to sleep with his father’s wife. His adulterous actions couldn’t have been more devastating.
3. The first eleven sons of Jacob got together and decided to kill their younger brother Joseph out of jealousy and hatred for him. Not able to bring themselves to murder him and have his blood on their hands, they instead decide to sell their own brother…their own flesh and blood…into slavery.
So in three distinct incidents, Jacob’s sons had been a disappointment and disgrace to him…and more importantly to God. In fact, Reuben’s actions angered him so much that he transferred the birthright to Joseph. Surely there would be no more dysfunction in this family. After all, isn’t three major problems enough?
It wasn’t. In our scripture today, we see Judah, the fourth born son, decides to break away from his Israelite kin and associate with the Canaanites. This in itself was a problem because of the sinful nature of the Canaanites due to their polytheistic religious practices. Notice where there is so little credit given in God’s word to the Canaanite woman that Judah marries. We never even know her name. Rather, she is only identified as the daughter of Shua. God’s word does give us the names of the sons that she gave birth to. We will see what happens with the sons as we study them in a future devotional. We can almost predict that things are not going to go well for them. Why? It’s a matter of God’s favor and we’re going to see where parents can make decisions that will ultimately impact the lives of their children.
In this case, Judah, a man of God…the one and only true God…decides to marry and bear children with a woman who is not of the one and only true God but of many gods (emphasis on the small "g"). The union of holiness with ungodliness results in children who are not of God because God cannot coexist with sin. So Judah forfeited God’s divine intervention and blessing on his children by partnering with his immoral Canaanite wife. His children subsequently would grow up and live in ways that did not lease the Lord. After all, a polytheistic culture disrespects God…and we know that God will never stand for that…no more evident that His words at the front of the Ten Commandments:
"You shall have no other gods before me. "You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me…" Exodus 20:3-5
Question: As a parent or parents, how are you living your life? Is God first in everything, fully receiving all your worship? Or do you and those you're associated with worship false idols like money, possessions, success, or other people?
Please heed the lesson today as we look at Judah. Do not stray away from God in your marital relationship and don’t worship anything else but Him. Jesus will come to say in His Sermon on the Mount, "Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." If God looks into your heart, will He find that He is your treasure? If so, you will be blessed and so will your family. If He isn’t, then you may heading down the road that Judah took…finding your self guilty of willful disobedience and adversely effected by an ungodly association that will only lead to disaster.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
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Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com
Sunday, November 18, 2007
THROWING IT ALL AWAY
Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com In Christ, Mark
"When the LORD saw that Leah was not loved, he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren. Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Reuben, for she said, "It is because the Lord has seen my misery. Surely my husband will love me now." Genesis 29:31-32
"During wheat harvest, Reuben went out into the fields and found some mandrake plants, which he brought to his mother Leah. Rachel said to Leah, "Please give me some of your son's mandrakes." But she said to her, "Wasn't it enough that you took away my husband? Will you take my son's mandrakes too?" "Very well," Rachel said, "he can sleep with you tonight in return for your son's mandrakes." So when Jacob came in from the fields that evening, Leah went out to meet him. "You must sleep with me," she said. "I have hired you with my son's mandrakes." So he slept with her that night." Genesis 30:14-16
"Israel moved on again and pitched his tent beyond Migdal Eder. While Israel was living in that region, Reuben went in and slept with his father's concubine Bilhah, and Israel heard of it." Genesis 35:21-22
"Here comes that dreamer!" they said to each other. "Come now, let's kill him and throw him into one of these cisterns and say that a ferocious animal devoured him. Then we'll see what comes of his dreams." When Reuben heard this, he tried to rescue him from their hands. "Let's not take his life," he said. "Don't shed any blood. Throw him into this cistern here in the desert, but don't lay a hand on him." Reuben said this to rescue him from them and take him back to his father…When Reuben returned to the cistern and saw that Joseph was not there, he tore his clothes. He went back to his brothers and said, "The boy isn't there! Where can I turn now?" Genesis 37:19-22, 29-30
"They said to one another, "Surely we are being punished because of our brother. We saw how distressed he was when he pleaded with us for his life, but we would not listen; that's why this distress has come upon us." Reuben replied, "Didn't I tell you not to sin against the boy? But you wouldn't listen! Now we must give an accounting for his blood." They did not realize that Joseph could understand them, since he was using an interpreter." Genesis 42:21-23
"Then Jacob called for his sons and said: "Gather around so I can tell you what will happen to you in days to come. "Assemble and listen, sons of Jacob; listen to your father Israel. "Reuben, you are my firstborn, my might, the first sign of my strength, excelling in honor, excelling in power. Turbulent as the waters, you will no longer excel, for you went up onto your father's bed, onto my couch and defiled it…"Joseph is a fruitful vine, a fruitful vine near a spring, whose branches climb over a wall. With bitterness archers attacked him; they shot at him with hostility. But his bow remained steady, his strong arms stayed limber, because of the hand of the Mighty One of Jacob, because of the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel, because of your father's God, who helps you, because of the Almighty, who blesses you with blessings of the heavens above, blessings of the deep that lies below, blessings of the breast and womb. Your father's blessings are greater than the blessings of the ancient mountains, than the bounty of the age-old hills. Let all these rest on the head of Joseph, on the brow of the prince among his brothers." Genesis 49:1-4, 22-26
"The sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel (he was the firstborn, but when he defiled his father's marriage bed, his rights as firstborn were given to the sons of Joseph son of Israel; so he could not be listed in the genealogical record in accordance with his birthright, and though Judah was the strongest of his brothers and a ruler came from him, the rights of the firstborn belonged to Joseph)" 1 Chronicles 5:1-2
Reuben is an interesting character study and I wanted to make sure I took a moment to highlight him because we all can learn something through examining his life…both in the way we should live and the way we shouldn’t.
Reuben’s life starts out pretty well and he doesn’t even realize at first how good he has it. He doesn’t because he was just a baby, the firstborn son of Jacob and his wife Leah. Being the firstborn carried with it great benefits, such as:
1. He became the priest of the family. Reuben was the first-born of the patriarchs, and so the priesthood of the tribes belonged to him.
2. Received a double portion of the paternal inheritance (Deuteronomy 21:15-17).
3. Inherited the judicial authority of his father, whatever it might be
As Reuben grew up among his 11 brothers and 1 sister, there’s no doubt he understood the special blessing of being the firstborn. Yet, there’s one thing he apparently didn’t understand. He didn’t understand that he could also lose it.
Now it wasn’t as if Reuben hadn’t been involved in positive things. He was involved in the beginning of cooperation between Rachel and Leah as he brought home some mandrakes that he had harvested for his mother. You’ll remember that Rachel, so obsessed with having a child of her own, wanted some of the mandrakes from Reuben. You’ll also recall that Leah gave Rachel what she asked for but only in return for her getting to lay down again with Jacob. And Rachel agreed.
So even up to this point, Reuben was walking the right way and secure in the birthright he gained by being firstborn. One wonders whether he felt a bit overconfident and arrogant as he grew older…so much so that he allowed his lust to get the best of him. And not only was it bad enough that he was lustful but he also committed adultery against his own father, sleeping with Bilhah. It was this act that was the downfall of Reuben.
We see later where he seeks redemption by convincing his brothers not to kill Joseph so he might be able to save him but God had a different plan and outcome that didn’t include Reuben. So Reuben, returning for the rescue, instead found an empty cistern and his youngest brother taken away to slavery. Distraught over failing in his desire to save Joseph, he tears his clothes in remorse. Later, he would remind his brothers about their sins against Joseph as they faced punishment in Egypt…sins he was just as much a part of.
Well, the consequences of Reuben’s adultery came in his father, Jacob, taking away his birthright and giving it to Joseph just before he died. The oldest son had everything going for him and yet threw it all away on a one night stand. Further, Reuben lost his priesthood over the twelve tribes of Israel…an honor that God would transfer to Levi. (Numbers 3:12,13; 8:18).
As we look at this story, we should heed the stern message it sends. Do not get so comfortable while in God’s favor to think it needs to last forever. The Lord expects our obedient service to Him 24 hours a day…7 days a week. There is no room for a break in our faithfulness to Him…no excuse for our decision to disregard His will and way. We see in Reuben that God will bring consequence to the one who willingly sins against Him. We should also see that we can give up everything we have going for us with just one sinful action. God doesn’t have to bless us lest we think we deserve it. Don’t kid yourself into being so spiritually naïve and arrogant. Instead, develop a healthy respect and fear of the Lord and His almighty power and majesty. Honor Him with everything you do and say and think. Or else He may just remove everything you have going for you. If you don’t believe that, just ask Reuben.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
http://www.faithhopeandlove.info/
Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com
"When the LORD saw that Leah was not loved, he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren. Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Reuben, for she said, "It is because the Lord has seen my misery. Surely my husband will love me now." Genesis 29:31-32
"During wheat harvest, Reuben went out into the fields and found some mandrake plants, which he brought to his mother Leah. Rachel said to Leah, "Please give me some of your son's mandrakes." But she said to her, "Wasn't it enough that you took away my husband? Will you take my son's mandrakes too?" "Very well," Rachel said, "he can sleep with you tonight in return for your son's mandrakes." So when Jacob came in from the fields that evening, Leah went out to meet him. "You must sleep with me," she said. "I have hired you with my son's mandrakes." So he slept with her that night." Genesis 30:14-16
"Israel moved on again and pitched his tent beyond Migdal Eder. While Israel was living in that region, Reuben went in and slept with his father's concubine Bilhah, and Israel heard of it." Genesis 35:21-22
"Here comes that dreamer!" they said to each other. "Come now, let's kill him and throw him into one of these cisterns and say that a ferocious animal devoured him. Then we'll see what comes of his dreams." When Reuben heard this, he tried to rescue him from their hands. "Let's not take his life," he said. "Don't shed any blood. Throw him into this cistern here in the desert, but don't lay a hand on him." Reuben said this to rescue him from them and take him back to his father…When Reuben returned to the cistern and saw that Joseph was not there, he tore his clothes. He went back to his brothers and said, "The boy isn't there! Where can I turn now?" Genesis 37:19-22, 29-30
"They said to one another, "Surely we are being punished because of our brother. We saw how distressed he was when he pleaded with us for his life, but we would not listen; that's why this distress has come upon us." Reuben replied, "Didn't I tell you not to sin against the boy? But you wouldn't listen! Now we must give an accounting for his blood." They did not realize that Joseph could understand them, since he was using an interpreter." Genesis 42:21-23
"Then Jacob called for his sons and said: "Gather around so I can tell you what will happen to you in days to come. "Assemble and listen, sons of Jacob; listen to your father Israel. "Reuben, you are my firstborn, my might, the first sign of my strength, excelling in honor, excelling in power. Turbulent as the waters, you will no longer excel, for you went up onto your father's bed, onto my couch and defiled it…"Joseph is a fruitful vine, a fruitful vine near a spring, whose branches climb over a wall. With bitterness archers attacked him; they shot at him with hostility. But his bow remained steady, his strong arms stayed limber, because of the hand of the Mighty One of Jacob, because of the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel, because of your father's God, who helps you, because of the Almighty, who blesses you with blessings of the heavens above, blessings of the deep that lies below, blessings of the breast and womb. Your father's blessings are greater than the blessings of the ancient mountains, than the bounty of the age-old hills. Let all these rest on the head of Joseph, on the brow of the prince among his brothers." Genesis 49:1-4, 22-26
"The sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel (he was the firstborn, but when he defiled his father's marriage bed, his rights as firstborn were given to the sons of Joseph son of Israel; so he could not be listed in the genealogical record in accordance with his birthright, and though Judah was the strongest of his brothers and a ruler came from him, the rights of the firstborn belonged to Joseph)" 1 Chronicles 5:1-2
Reuben is an interesting character study and I wanted to make sure I took a moment to highlight him because we all can learn something through examining his life…both in the way we should live and the way we shouldn’t.
Reuben’s life starts out pretty well and he doesn’t even realize at first how good he has it. He doesn’t because he was just a baby, the firstborn son of Jacob and his wife Leah. Being the firstborn carried with it great benefits, such as:
1. He became the priest of the family. Reuben was the first-born of the patriarchs, and so the priesthood of the tribes belonged to him.
2. Received a double portion of the paternal inheritance (Deuteronomy 21:15-17).
3. Inherited the judicial authority of his father, whatever it might be
As Reuben grew up among his 11 brothers and 1 sister, there’s no doubt he understood the special blessing of being the firstborn. Yet, there’s one thing he apparently didn’t understand. He didn’t understand that he could also lose it.
Now it wasn’t as if Reuben hadn’t been involved in positive things. He was involved in the beginning of cooperation between Rachel and Leah as he brought home some mandrakes that he had harvested for his mother. You’ll remember that Rachel, so obsessed with having a child of her own, wanted some of the mandrakes from Reuben. You’ll also recall that Leah gave Rachel what she asked for but only in return for her getting to lay down again with Jacob. And Rachel agreed.
So even up to this point, Reuben was walking the right way and secure in the birthright he gained by being firstborn. One wonders whether he felt a bit overconfident and arrogant as he grew older…so much so that he allowed his lust to get the best of him. And not only was it bad enough that he was lustful but he also committed adultery against his own father, sleeping with Bilhah. It was this act that was the downfall of Reuben.
We see later where he seeks redemption by convincing his brothers not to kill Joseph so he might be able to save him but God had a different plan and outcome that didn’t include Reuben. So Reuben, returning for the rescue, instead found an empty cistern and his youngest brother taken away to slavery. Distraught over failing in his desire to save Joseph, he tears his clothes in remorse. Later, he would remind his brothers about their sins against Joseph as they faced punishment in Egypt…sins he was just as much a part of.
Well, the consequences of Reuben’s adultery came in his father, Jacob, taking away his birthright and giving it to Joseph just before he died. The oldest son had everything going for him and yet threw it all away on a one night stand. Further, Reuben lost his priesthood over the twelve tribes of Israel…an honor that God would transfer to Levi. (Numbers 3:12,13; 8:18).
As we look at this story, we should heed the stern message it sends. Do not get so comfortable while in God’s favor to think it needs to last forever. The Lord expects our obedient service to Him 24 hours a day…7 days a week. There is no room for a break in our faithfulness to Him…no excuse for our decision to disregard His will and way. We see in Reuben that God will bring consequence to the one who willingly sins against Him. We should also see that we can give up everything we have going for us with just one sinful action. God doesn’t have to bless us lest we think we deserve it. Don’t kid yourself into being so spiritually naïve and arrogant. Instead, develop a healthy respect and fear of the Lord and His almighty power and majesty. Honor Him with everything you do and say and think. Or else He may just remove everything you have going for you. If you don’t believe that, just ask Reuben.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
http://www.faithhopeandlove.info/
Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com
Saturday, November 17, 2007
CASCADING SIN
Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com In Christ, Mark
"Now his brothers had gone to graze their father's flocks near Shechem, and Israel said to Joseph, "As you know, your brothers are grazing the flocks near Shechem. Come, I am going to send you to them." "Very well," he replied. So he said to him, "Go and see if all is well with your brothers and with the flocks, and bring word back to me." Then he sent him off from the Valley of Hebron. When Joseph arrived at Shechem, a man found him wandering around in the fields and asked him, "What are you looking for?" He replied, "I'm looking for my brothers. Can you tell me where they are grazing their flocks?" "They have moved on from here," the man answered. "I heard them say, 'Let's go to Dothan.' " So Joseph went after his brothers and found them near Dothan. But they saw him in the distance, and before he reached them, they plotted to kill him. "Here comes that dreamer!" they said to each other. "Come now, let's kill him and throw him into one of these cisterns and say that a ferocious animal devoured him. Then we'll see what comes of his dreams." When Reuben heard this, he tried to rescue him from their hands. "Let's not take his life," he said. "Don't shed any blood. Throw him into this cistern here in the desert, but don't lay a hand on him." Reuben said this to rescue him from them and take him back to his father. So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe—the richly ornamented robe he was wearing-and they took him and threw him into the cistern. Now the cistern was empty; there was no water in it. As they sat down to eat their meal, they looked up and saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead. Their camels were loaded with spices, balm and myrrh, and they were on their way to take them down to Egypt. Judah said to his brothers, "What will we gain if we kill our brother and cover up his blood? Come, let's sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay our hands on him; after all, he is our brother, our own flesh and blood." His brothers agreed. So when the Midianite merchants came by, his brothers pulled Joseph up out of the cistern and sold him for twenty shekels of silver to the Ishmaelites, who took him to Egypt. When Reuben returned to the cistern and saw that Joseph was not there, he tore his clothes. He went back to his brothers and said, "The boy isn't there! Where can I turn now?" Then they got Joseph's robe, slaughtered a goat and dipped the robe in the blood. They took the ornamented robe back to their father and said, "We found this. Examine it to see whether it is your son's robe." He recognized it and said, "It is my son's robe! Some ferocious animal has devoured him. Joseph has surely been torn to pieces." Then Jacob tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and mourned for his son many days. All his sons and daughters came to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted. "No," he said, "in mourning will I go down to the grave to my son." So his father wept for him. Meanwhile, the Midianites sold Joseph in Egypt to Potiphar, one of Pharaoh's officials, the captain of the guard." Genesis 37:12-36
In our scripture today from Genesis, Chapter 37, we find the animosity within Joseph’s brothers boiling over. Their bitter hatred has taken them well beyond the limits of mere detestation and into the frightening realm of murderous hostility. In what could be considered a sequel to the Cain and Abel story, the brothers plot Joseph’s demise as they see him approaching in the distance. To them, there was no better way to regain their father’s favor than getting rid of the favored one.
Their progressive scheme shows us what can happen when we open the door for Satan to enter in and exploit our sinful attitudes. We know the brothers were selfish, jealous, coveting, hateful and detestable. We also know that the Lord was not in the midst of such sinfulness or else the attitudes would not have existed in the first place. So let’s examine the destructive progressiveness of sin in our scripture today:
1. The brothers hated Joseph. And that’s where the problem started. Doctors who diagnose illnesses try and get to the origin of the illness. The origin of what ailed the brothers was hatred. All other sinful emotions poured out from the hatred they had for Joseph…and it was hatred that led them to desire him dead. The instigator of the hatred was none other than Satan himself. The remedy could have come from the Lord had the brothers just woke up from the wrong of their ways before it was too late. The Lord would have led them out of the darkness of hatred and into the light of love but we know happen. Instead of sin stopping at hatred, it reproduced exponentially and gave birth to other negative, sinful emotions…emotions that led them to murder their own sibling.
Question: Do you harbor hatred in your heart for someone? Have you allowed it to spread within you and infect you to where you are malicious, hostile, bitter, or resenting? Is it any wonder that Jesus would say that if we are angry with someone we will face the same justice as if we had murdered that person? ("You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.' But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Matt 5:21-22) Anger and hatred are not of God or His Son Jesus or His Holy Spirit. If you harbor, anger or hatred, repent now and ask the God of light and love to enter into your heart. He and only He can heal you from the inside out.
The other cascading, sinful actions of Joseph’s brothers were as follows:
2. The brothers plotted to kill Joseph and throw him into a cistern and claim he was attacked by a wild animal. Unwilling to be honest about their sinful murdering, the brothers decided to make up a story to tell their father. What’s interesting about this is that their father had a reputation of deception himself. You’ll remember Jacob tricking his father, Isaac, into giving him Esau’s birthright. Now his offspring were repeating his sins of the past and he now was the target of their deceit. We’ll see where they succeeded, just as he did. Had it not been for Reuben, Joseph would have ended up dead before he went into the cistern. Reuben convinced his brothers to take a different route.
3. The brothers plotted to throw Joseph into the cistern and let him die naturally. Rather than kill Joseph and shed his blood, the brothers decide to throw Joseph into the cistern and let him die inside it. Without food and water, surely he would die before long of starvation or dehydration. One might say that this was even more cruel than just killing him and getting it over with. So they stripped off the robe…the special robe their father Jacob had given his favored son Joseph and showed their disfavor for him by throwing him into the cistern. We’re then told the brothers sat down to eat, unfazed by the potentially murderous act they had just committed.
4. Sold their brother into slavery for 20 pieces of silver. In what would serve as a prelude for Judas betraying Jesus for 30 silver coins, the brothers, feeling guilty about killing Joseph and covering up the act, decide to sell him to the Ishmaelites. I guess the brothers resolved within themselves that they were doing something noble and redeeming by not killing Joseph and sending him off to the unknown where any fate might await him. That didn’t even matter to them. They just wanted rid of him. And although they succeeded in the short term, they would see where they failed in the long term.
5. They deceived their father into believing Joseph was dead. They had sent Joseph away into slavery but still had to account for him with Jacob. So they took the robe they despised so much and used it as an instrument of deception, dipping it in goat’s blood and taking it to Jacob. Jacob’s response was expected. He had lost his beloved son, not long after he had lost his beloved wife. I can almost see the 11 other sons gathering around their mourning father and seeking to comfort him. With Joseph out of the way, they could now regain his favor, even if they had to do it under-handedly.
The brothers thought they were clever…that they had outwitted Joseph and Jacob. They thought they were in control of events. They were wrong.
For everything that happened in the story happened in accordance with God’s plan. The brothers weren’t in control but rather unwary participants in God getting Joseph where He wanted him to be. It’s important to note that our greatest intelligence cannot touch God’s almighty wisdom and power.
Soon, Joseph’s brothers would experience this first hand as they are reunited with Joseph, only to see his dreams becoming reality. Indeed, they would fall subservient to the one who they hated just as they, and we, are subservient to the Almighty Father and Author of everything in life.
So in sum, get rid of the roots of sin within you before they grow up and take you over. Turn to the Father, before you are overcome by wickedness, and allow Him to enter in to lead you to righteousness and cleanse you. He and only He is the cure for the common sin…the remedy that will keep it from cascading and leading you down the road of destruction.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
http://www.faithhopeandlove.info/
Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com
"Now his brothers had gone to graze their father's flocks near Shechem, and Israel said to Joseph, "As you know, your brothers are grazing the flocks near Shechem. Come, I am going to send you to them." "Very well," he replied. So he said to him, "Go and see if all is well with your brothers and with the flocks, and bring word back to me." Then he sent him off from the Valley of Hebron. When Joseph arrived at Shechem, a man found him wandering around in the fields and asked him, "What are you looking for?" He replied, "I'm looking for my brothers. Can you tell me where they are grazing their flocks?" "They have moved on from here," the man answered. "I heard them say, 'Let's go to Dothan.' " So Joseph went after his brothers and found them near Dothan. But they saw him in the distance, and before he reached them, they plotted to kill him. "Here comes that dreamer!" they said to each other. "Come now, let's kill him and throw him into one of these cisterns and say that a ferocious animal devoured him. Then we'll see what comes of his dreams." When Reuben heard this, he tried to rescue him from their hands. "Let's not take his life," he said. "Don't shed any blood. Throw him into this cistern here in the desert, but don't lay a hand on him." Reuben said this to rescue him from them and take him back to his father. So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe—the richly ornamented robe he was wearing-and they took him and threw him into the cistern. Now the cistern was empty; there was no water in it. As they sat down to eat their meal, they looked up and saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead. Their camels were loaded with spices, balm and myrrh, and they were on their way to take them down to Egypt. Judah said to his brothers, "What will we gain if we kill our brother and cover up his blood? Come, let's sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay our hands on him; after all, he is our brother, our own flesh and blood." His brothers agreed. So when the Midianite merchants came by, his brothers pulled Joseph up out of the cistern and sold him for twenty shekels of silver to the Ishmaelites, who took him to Egypt. When Reuben returned to the cistern and saw that Joseph was not there, he tore his clothes. He went back to his brothers and said, "The boy isn't there! Where can I turn now?" Then they got Joseph's robe, slaughtered a goat and dipped the robe in the blood. They took the ornamented robe back to their father and said, "We found this. Examine it to see whether it is your son's robe." He recognized it and said, "It is my son's robe! Some ferocious animal has devoured him. Joseph has surely been torn to pieces." Then Jacob tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and mourned for his son many days. All his sons and daughters came to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted. "No," he said, "in mourning will I go down to the grave to my son." So his father wept for him. Meanwhile, the Midianites sold Joseph in Egypt to Potiphar, one of Pharaoh's officials, the captain of the guard." Genesis 37:12-36
In our scripture today from Genesis, Chapter 37, we find the animosity within Joseph’s brothers boiling over. Their bitter hatred has taken them well beyond the limits of mere detestation and into the frightening realm of murderous hostility. In what could be considered a sequel to the Cain and Abel story, the brothers plot Joseph’s demise as they see him approaching in the distance. To them, there was no better way to regain their father’s favor than getting rid of the favored one.
Their progressive scheme shows us what can happen when we open the door for Satan to enter in and exploit our sinful attitudes. We know the brothers were selfish, jealous, coveting, hateful and detestable. We also know that the Lord was not in the midst of such sinfulness or else the attitudes would not have existed in the first place. So let’s examine the destructive progressiveness of sin in our scripture today:
1. The brothers hated Joseph. And that’s where the problem started. Doctors who diagnose illnesses try and get to the origin of the illness. The origin of what ailed the brothers was hatred. All other sinful emotions poured out from the hatred they had for Joseph…and it was hatred that led them to desire him dead. The instigator of the hatred was none other than Satan himself. The remedy could have come from the Lord had the brothers just woke up from the wrong of their ways before it was too late. The Lord would have led them out of the darkness of hatred and into the light of love but we know happen. Instead of sin stopping at hatred, it reproduced exponentially and gave birth to other negative, sinful emotions…emotions that led them to murder their own sibling.
Question: Do you harbor hatred in your heart for someone? Have you allowed it to spread within you and infect you to where you are malicious, hostile, bitter, or resenting? Is it any wonder that Jesus would say that if we are angry with someone we will face the same justice as if we had murdered that person? ("You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.' But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Matt 5:21-22) Anger and hatred are not of God or His Son Jesus or His Holy Spirit. If you harbor, anger or hatred, repent now and ask the God of light and love to enter into your heart. He and only He can heal you from the inside out.
The other cascading, sinful actions of Joseph’s brothers were as follows:
2. The brothers plotted to kill Joseph and throw him into a cistern and claim he was attacked by a wild animal. Unwilling to be honest about their sinful murdering, the brothers decided to make up a story to tell their father. What’s interesting about this is that their father had a reputation of deception himself. You’ll remember Jacob tricking his father, Isaac, into giving him Esau’s birthright. Now his offspring were repeating his sins of the past and he now was the target of their deceit. We’ll see where they succeeded, just as he did. Had it not been for Reuben, Joseph would have ended up dead before he went into the cistern. Reuben convinced his brothers to take a different route.
3. The brothers plotted to throw Joseph into the cistern and let him die naturally. Rather than kill Joseph and shed his blood, the brothers decide to throw Joseph into the cistern and let him die inside it. Without food and water, surely he would die before long of starvation or dehydration. One might say that this was even more cruel than just killing him and getting it over with. So they stripped off the robe…the special robe their father Jacob had given his favored son Joseph and showed their disfavor for him by throwing him into the cistern. We’re then told the brothers sat down to eat, unfazed by the potentially murderous act they had just committed.
4. Sold their brother into slavery for 20 pieces of silver. In what would serve as a prelude for Judas betraying Jesus for 30 silver coins, the brothers, feeling guilty about killing Joseph and covering up the act, decide to sell him to the Ishmaelites. I guess the brothers resolved within themselves that they were doing something noble and redeeming by not killing Joseph and sending him off to the unknown where any fate might await him. That didn’t even matter to them. They just wanted rid of him. And although they succeeded in the short term, they would see where they failed in the long term.
5. They deceived their father into believing Joseph was dead. They had sent Joseph away into slavery but still had to account for him with Jacob. So they took the robe they despised so much and used it as an instrument of deception, dipping it in goat’s blood and taking it to Jacob. Jacob’s response was expected. He had lost his beloved son, not long after he had lost his beloved wife. I can almost see the 11 other sons gathering around their mourning father and seeking to comfort him. With Joseph out of the way, they could now regain his favor, even if they had to do it under-handedly.
The brothers thought they were clever…that they had outwitted Joseph and Jacob. They thought they were in control of events. They were wrong.
For everything that happened in the story happened in accordance with God’s plan. The brothers weren’t in control but rather unwary participants in God getting Joseph where He wanted him to be. It’s important to note that our greatest intelligence cannot touch God’s almighty wisdom and power.
Soon, Joseph’s brothers would experience this first hand as they are reunited with Joseph, only to see his dreams becoming reality. Indeed, they would fall subservient to the one who they hated just as they, and we, are subservient to the Almighty Father and Author of everything in life.
So in sum, get rid of the roots of sin within you before they grow up and take you over. Turn to the Father, before you are overcome by wickedness, and allow Him to enter in to lead you to righteousness and cleanse you. He and only He is the cure for the common sin…the remedy that will keep it from cascading and leading you down the road of destruction.
In Christ,
Mark
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