Gen 43-45
The Conclusion of the Story of Joseph
What I have learned from this story actually relates to scripture from the New Testament:
Mark 8:35
"...because whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and for the gospel will save it."
Now, I know that Joseph did not have the Gospel, but he wanted to honor God above all else. When it appeared as though he was losing his life - sold into slavery, abandoned by his own family, falsely accused, imprisoned - God was creating life in him. Joseph had to put God first and totally rely on Him. His brothers were seeking their own lives, by seeking favor first from their earthly father instead of their Heavenly Father. They hated that their father loved Joseph more than them. God gave Joseph the wealth of Egypt. Joseph did not get it himself. He simply trusted God and honored Him above everyone. His brothers, who were seeking their own ways and not God's ways, were actually in danger of losing their lives.
We do not trust God to gain wealth. He may or may not give us this. But He always gives us life. And when even just one person has the Life of Christ in their hearts and truly lives it out, that life spills over to others. This story was not about Joseph (God could have used any man in His plan), but it is about the amazing works God can do in a life yielded completely to Him.
Is my life completely yielded to Christ? Do I try to control and manipulate situations to get them the way that I want them? Do I have complete dependence on Him while knowing I am fully responsible to rely on Him? God, help me. Convict me and show me YOUR ways. "Seek first the Kingdom of God and all these other things will be added to you."
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Jan 14, 2009 Gen 41-42
Gen 41
Joseph is still in prison. Meanwhile, Pharaoh has 2 dreams which greatly disturb him. No one in all the land, including the wise men and magicians, can interpret the dream. The chief cup bearer remembers Joseph. For while the chief cup bearer was in prison, Joseph interpreted his dream as well as the dream of the chief baker. Pharaoh is told of Joseph, and he is brought before Pharoh. Pharaoh states to Joseph that he has heard that Joseph is able to interpret dreams. Joseph gives the glory to God, and states that he cannot, but God can. WOW, Joseph is standing before the most powerful ruler in the world, and he does not credit himself but only God. God gives to us and takes away. He allowed Joseph to be sold into slavery, and then allowed for him to serve under Potiphar. He was falsely accused, and then sent to prison for at least 2 years. But God is with Joseph. Joseph was favored by his father, but hated by his brothers. Favored by Potiphar, but then thrown into prison. Maybe Joseph realized in all this time, that it is useless to seek the favor of man. For that favor is here today and gone tomorrow. But God remains forever.
Gen 42
After God gives Joseph the interpretation of the dream, Pharaoh declares Joseph the second highest ruler in Egypt. Prison today, ruler tomorrow. After the 7 years of plenty, the famine begins to spread in all the land. Only Egypt has grain due to rationing of it during the plentiful years. Joseph is in charge of selling the grain. One day a group of brothers from Canaan come to buy food, and Joseph recognizes them as his own brothers. But they do not recognize him. Joseph accuses them of being spies, and keeps one of the brothers imprisoned until they verify their story by bringing back the youngest brother who is home with Joseph's father.
Joseph is still in prison. Meanwhile, Pharaoh has 2 dreams which greatly disturb him. No one in all the land, including the wise men and magicians, can interpret the dream. The chief cup bearer remembers Joseph. For while the chief cup bearer was in prison, Joseph interpreted his dream as well as the dream of the chief baker. Pharaoh is told of Joseph, and he is brought before Pharoh. Pharaoh states to Joseph that he has heard that Joseph is able to interpret dreams. Joseph gives the glory to God, and states that he cannot, but God can. WOW, Joseph is standing before the most powerful ruler in the world, and he does not credit himself but only God. God gives to us and takes away. He allowed Joseph to be sold into slavery, and then allowed for him to serve under Potiphar. He was falsely accused, and then sent to prison for at least 2 years. But God is with Joseph. Joseph was favored by his father, but hated by his brothers. Favored by Potiphar, but then thrown into prison. Maybe Joseph realized in all this time, that it is useless to seek the favor of man. For that favor is here today and gone tomorrow. But God remains forever.
Gen 42
After God gives Joseph the interpretation of the dream, Pharaoh declares Joseph the second highest ruler in Egypt. Prison today, ruler tomorrow. After the 7 years of plenty, the famine begins to spread in all the land. Only Egypt has grain due to rationing of it during the plentiful years. Joseph is in charge of selling the grain. One day a group of brothers from Canaan come to buy food, and Joseph recognizes them as his own brothers. But they do not recognize him. Joseph accuses them of being spies, and keeps one of the brothers imprisoned until they verify their story by bringing back the youngest brother who is home with Joseph's father.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
01/10/2008 Running Blog
I ran 8 miles outside at 10mph pace!! Very excited! This is the longest I have ever ran!
01/12/09 Running Blog
Ran 2 miles outside after 3-4 inch snow fall with wind gusts about 30mph. Went inside on treadmill and ran 3 miles in 26 minutes then 12 minutes on stationary bike at level 4.
01/13/09 Running Blog
Ran 3 miles outside. Very windy!! 30mph gusts. Heading to the treadmill now.
Ran 3 more miles on treadmill at 9.2 min/mile. Sore from yesterday's speedwork.
Total miles today 6.
Ran 3 more miles on treadmill at 9.2 min/mile. Sore from yesterday's speedwork.
Total miles today 6.
Jan 13, 2009 Gen 38-40
God, I really really want to be all that YOU desire for me to be in order to glorify YOU! Show me how to see YOUR glory and YOUR plans. It's so easy for me to seek my glory and try to make my own plans. But, everything is all about you and for you. Even when I don't see that, because I am distracted by my own selfishness. Show my how to live in the truth of who YOU are. Holy Spirit convict me when pride and selfishness blind me from loving God and loving others. My life is YOUR life. I would NOT be where I am today, without YOU. Without YOU God, I am nothing. But with YOU, I have life and purpose. Show me that! Help me to be willing to be broken again and again in order to be made into whatever you will for me.
Gen 38
The story of Tamar. I was talking to a good friend last night. Both of us were discussing how to overcome adversity. God allows His children to go through things, sometimes horrible, that they have no control over. We were both talking about our childhoods. I am often ashamed to admit where I came from, and the choices I have made in my past. I wish so much that I had come from a Godly, upright home. But I did not. She did not. She encouraged me again to see how God uses those very circumstances to glorify Himself. The things I would like to hide from others, I should be sharing with them to give the Glory to God. God does allow children to be born into circumstances that are not what we would choose for children. BUT, I have seen how He has healed me. I realize that everything I am is all HIM. I would not have known the way. He showed it to me.
Tamar is given in marriage to Judah's firstborn son. But, this son was wicked in God's eyes, so God allowed Him to die. Tamar is now given to the next son. He is to fulfill an offspring for his brother, but does not do it. What he did was wicked in God's eyes, so he allowed the second son to die. So, Tamar is sent back to her father's household until the third son grew up. But when he does, she is not given to him. She disguises herself as a prostitute, and Judah sleeps with her and she conceives. She bares twins. Perez, the firstborn, is an ancestor of Christ. God used the sins of many and turned them into a plan. Children born into sinful situations, and God uses it.
Ch. 39-40
Joseph is now in Egypt and a servant for Potiphar, one of Pharoh's officials. God prospers Joseph and everything he does; so much that Potiphar entrusts everything in the household into Josheph's care. Potiphar's wife wants Joseph to sleep with her, but he refuses. She continues to tempt him, and when she sees that he will not sleep with her, she lies and states that he made advances towards her. Joseph is thrown into prison. God is with Joseph in prison. Again, unfair situations that God is allowing for a greater purpose.
What have I learned today? God can use anyone, anytime, from any family, for His purpose. He allows those He uses to go through suffering. Suffering through a sinful situation does not disqualify a person, from being used of God. Actually, it seems like God allows this to happen a lot. Why? Maybe because suffering makes us realize that we don't get ourselves anywhere. Only God does this.
Gen 38
The story of Tamar. I was talking to a good friend last night. Both of us were discussing how to overcome adversity. God allows His children to go through things, sometimes horrible, that they have no control over. We were both talking about our childhoods. I am often ashamed to admit where I came from, and the choices I have made in my past. I wish so much that I had come from a Godly, upright home. But I did not. She did not. She encouraged me again to see how God uses those very circumstances to glorify Himself. The things I would like to hide from others, I should be sharing with them to give the Glory to God. God does allow children to be born into circumstances that are not what we would choose for children. BUT, I have seen how He has healed me. I realize that everything I am is all HIM. I would not have known the way. He showed it to me.
Tamar is given in marriage to Judah's firstborn son. But, this son was wicked in God's eyes, so God allowed Him to die. Tamar is now given to the next son. He is to fulfill an offspring for his brother, but does not do it. What he did was wicked in God's eyes, so he allowed the second son to die. So, Tamar is sent back to her father's household until the third son grew up. But when he does, she is not given to him. She disguises herself as a prostitute, and Judah sleeps with her and she conceives. She bares twins. Perez, the firstborn, is an ancestor of Christ. God used the sins of many and turned them into a plan. Children born into sinful situations, and God uses it.
Ch. 39-40
Joseph is now in Egypt and a servant for Potiphar, one of Pharoh's officials. God prospers Joseph and everything he does; so much that Potiphar entrusts everything in the household into Josheph's care. Potiphar's wife wants Joseph to sleep with her, but he refuses. She continues to tempt him, and when she sees that he will not sleep with her, she lies and states that he made advances towards her. Joseph is thrown into prison. God is with Joseph in prison. Again, unfair situations that God is allowing for a greater purpose.
What have I learned today? God can use anyone, anytime, from any family, for His purpose. He allows those He uses to go through suffering. Suffering through a sinful situation does not disqualify a person, from being used of God. Actually, it seems like God allows this to happen a lot. Why? Maybe because suffering makes us realize that we don't get ourselves anywhere. Only God does this.
Monday, January 12, 2009
Jan 12, 2009 Gen 35-37
Gen 35
God commands Jacob to take his family and go to Bethel. Now, Jacob tells his family to get rid of all the foreign gods they had. It does not say that God told him to get rid of these. Just that God commanded him to go to Bethel and build an alter for the Lord. In ch 34. they had settled near a cannanite city. Jacob's daughter Dinah was defiled by a man who wanted to marry her. The Cannanite's persuaded Jacob to intermarry with them. But, Jacob's sons kill all the males in the city including the one Dinah marries, because he had defiled their sister. Israel is worried that they will be surrounded and attacked by other cannanites. God comes on the scene and tells them to go to Bethel.
Although, Jacob and his family followed the Lord, they also had foreign gods among them. Interesting that Jacob does not rid his household of the foreign gods until he is desparate for God's protection. He had everything dear to him at stake, because of his family's actions. God does not command him to get rid of them. Jacob knows, that he cannot worship God with these foreign gods around.
Ch. 36
Jacob's and Esau's descendents.
Ch. 37
Joseph is the second youngest son of Jacob, born of Rachel. He favors Joseph over his other sons, which causes jealousy and hatred among them towards their brother Joseph. Joseph has more than one dream of objects bowing down to him, which he tells to his brothers and father. This adds further insult to injury. His brothers hate him even more. Did Joseph thrive on the knowledge of his father's favoritism towards him? Did the dreams make him prideful? The text doesn't really say for sure. Joseph's brothers sell him to Egyptians, instead of killing him.
God commands Jacob to take his family and go to Bethel. Now, Jacob tells his family to get rid of all the foreign gods they had. It does not say that God told him to get rid of these. Just that God commanded him to go to Bethel and build an alter for the Lord. In ch 34. they had settled near a cannanite city. Jacob's daughter Dinah was defiled by a man who wanted to marry her. The Cannanite's persuaded Jacob to intermarry with them. But, Jacob's sons kill all the males in the city including the one Dinah marries, because he had defiled their sister. Israel is worried that they will be surrounded and attacked by other cannanites. God comes on the scene and tells them to go to Bethel.
Although, Jacob and his family followed the Lord, they also had foreign gods among them. Interesting that Jacob does not rid his household of the foreign gods until he is desparate for God's protection. He had everything dear to him at stake, because of his family's actions. God does not command him to get rid of them. Jacob knows, that he cannot worship God with these foreign gods around.
Ch. 36
Jacob's and Esau's descendents.
Ch. 37
Joseph is the second youngest son of Jacob, born of Rachel. He favors Joseph over his other sons, which causes jealousy and hatred among them towards their brother Joseph. Joseph has more than one dream of objects bowing down to him, which he tells to his brothers and father. This adds further insult to injury. His brothers hate him even more. Did Joseph thrive on the knowledge of his father's favoritism towards him? Did the dreams make him prideful? The text doesn't really say for sure. Joseph's brothers sell him to Egyptians, instead of killing him.
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