August 8, 2017
Can there be a more beautiful picture of reconciliation than this? There is no animosity in Joseph, only grace. No more separation, but embrace. No more hiding, but total acceptance. No more guilt, just tears of joy. After 22 years of brokenness due to jealousy and hatred, God’s family was whole again. And their future is secure.
August 1, 2017
God has forced them to come to grips with their sin. Why? Because He loves them too much to leave them the way they are. At this point they are totally lost. “Their hearts sank” And that’s good thing. Because that is what God’s discipline is meant to do. It’s meant to bring us to the end of ourselves so that God can change us.
July 25, 2017
God hears your prayers. And sometimes He needs to work in you or your surroundings before He’s ready to answer. You see, God had to do His work in Joseph, and He had to do His work in Pharaoh, and when the time was right, Pharaoh was ready to hear from God through Joseph. God works in mysterious ways. His timing is not like ours.
July 18, 2017
You see, you and I will face difficult days; circumstances beyond our control; people who will fail us. Any of those things can put you in a dark place. But we have the same hope Joseph had: God is within reach. And because God was there, Joseph could handle his darkest hour. And if God did that with Joseph, imagine what he can do with you? “even the darkness will not be dark to you!”
July 11, 2017
Potiphar knew a good man when he saw one. And Joseph was that man. But it wasn’t just his character that he rewarded. He saw that Joseph was a man of faith. And that God was with Joseph in all that he did. And because God was with Joseph in everything he did, Potiphar trusted Joseph with everything he had. With Joseph running the details of his household, Potiphar didn’t have to worry about a thing, except his diet.
July 4, 2017
God was up to something in Joseph’s life. Jacob made him a leader too soon and it went to his head. God’s dreams didn’t help too much either. He was young, brash and a bit full of himself. But God wasn’t done with Joseph. That’s why his story is only beginning. What looks like a nightmare now, may just turn out for his good. And by the way, what’s true of Joseph is also true of you. What looks like a nightmare in now, may just turn out for your good. God may just be up to something good for you.
June 27, 2017
Jacob has brought his people back to God. He has led his people to worship God. And now He will be the man to lead the people of God. God has spoken in to His life. His Word renews Jacob faith in a great God. His Word renews Jacob’s faith in a good God. And His Word renews Jacob’s faith in a faithful God. God renews His covenant with Jacob, to renew his faith.
June 20, 2017
To give respect one needs to humble themselves. This is an important step in the reconciliation process. If you’re wanting to mend a broken relationship, coming to them in humility is an absolute must. Why? This is how Jesus came to us. He humbled himself and made himself a servant. This is now Jacob’s posture.
June 11, 2017
Jacob prays out of his relationship with God, the God who is for him. He comes to Him in humility and asks nothing more from God then do what He promises. He gives credit to God for all he has. And he’s honest: He admits his fears to God. Oh that we’d learn to be this honest with God like this: to pour out our fears, our burdens, our doubts – whatever. Jacob literally lays all his burdens at the feet of God. Jacob’s knows he’s come out of the frying pan and into the fire, and only God can rescue him. This is a great prayer… and it’s the kind of prayer God loves to answer.
June 6, 2017
Now, don’t get me wrong, Jacob was not a model citizen; he has spent most of his life looking out for number one. But today Jacob is at a crossroads. He’s come to the place where he’s had enough of Uncle Laban’s tricks. He’s come to the place where he’s tired of Laban’s games. It’s time to put up or shut up. Jacob’s taken it from Laban long enough. For today he’s going to step up and be the man God’s called him to be, and we’re going to see just what got into Jacob that gave him the confidence to stand up to Laban.