Joseph

  • Could God Be Making Your Life Difficult?

    And the LORD multiplied the people of Israel until they became too mighty for their enemies.  Then he turned the Egyptians against the Israelites, and they plotted against the LORD’s servants.
                                                          Psalm 105:24-25 NLT

    I think you need to ask yourself this question when things are starting to go haywire…

    Could God Be Making Your Life Difficult?

    Many people struggle with verses in the Bible like these.

    getting too comfyPeople are comfortable when God does neat, explainable things, but not stuff like this.  It almost seems out of character for Him.

    Unless you come at scripture with the foundational belief that God is good and He is working for the good of those who love Him; portions of scripture like this and seasons in your life will be misunderstood.

    If God didn’t turn up the heat and cause the Egyptians to go fully against the Israelites they never would have left.  The truth is, the Egyptians had been against the Israelites for centuries.

    slaves in eypt

    Living as slaves in a foreign land had become so “normal” for the Israelites they stayed there for 400 years but it wasn’t where God wanted them.1  Sure they had to do all the tough back-breaking work of making bricks…sure they were second rate citizens…sure Pharaoh had executed a genocide of their male children, but they had food, homes and clothes.

    The Israelites had been lulled into a complacency mindset of
    “It’s OK, we’re getting by”
    and forgot the promises of God.2

    God wanted more for their lives and He wants more for your life.

    [tweetthis]God wanted more for their lives and He wants more for your life.[/tweetthis]

    Because of God’s good plans for your life, He [tweetthis remove_url=”true” remove_hidden_hashtags=”true” remove_hidden_urls=”true”]God sometimes has to cause situations in your life 2 fall apart so U wake up and recognize you’re living below God’s best[/tweetthis]

    Have you been feeling a little uncomfortable lately?  Things not going right?  Could you be living with a “getting by” mindset?  Ask yourself:

    [tweetthis]Could God Be Making Your Life Difficult? [/tweetthis]

    Prayer

    Father…I know you’re good.  I know you love me and have good plans for my life.  Let me wake up and discern the root of my problems to know if it’s You or the enemy at work.  May I not get stuck in complacency, accepting second best but to live in Your promises — Your best for my life!  In Jesus Name…Amen

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    1. Genesis 50:24-25
    2. Genesis 7:6, 35:11

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  • Divine Appointments

    divine appointments

    “In their hearts humans plan their course, but the LORD establishes their steps.”
                                                                   Proverbs 16:9 NIV

    This weekend was wonderful! I went to visit with a mentor of mine and had no idea how this “seemingly” normal weekend was truly a set of DIVINE APPOINTMENTS! So often we go through life unaware of the master plan God is working behind the scenes to bring about His plans and purposes for our lives. We don’t see how these everyday events are all a part of His divine plan.

    Think of the life of Joseph. Joseph had two divine dreams that foretold of the wonderful future God had for his life, but…if Joseph’s brothers hadn’t been so jealous of him they wouldn’t have thrown him in the pit. If he hadn’t been thrown into the pit and sold into slavery he wouldn’t have been bought as a slave in Potiphar’s house. If he wouldn’t have been in Potiphar’s house and stood for righteousness he wouldn’t have ended up in jail. If he hadn’t been in jail, he wouldn’t have interpreted the baker and cupbearer’s dreams. If he hadn’t interpreted the dreams the cupbearer wouldn’t have suggested him to Pharaoh to interpret his dream. If he hadn’t spent so much time with God in jail maybe he wouldn’t have such an acute discernment to God’s messages and been able to interpret dreams? If he hadn’t interpreted Pharaoh’s dream and been given a divine plan to save the country from famine he wouldn’t have been divinely appointed to the position of Prime-Minister to Egypt. If he wouldn’t have been in the palace the day his family came to get food his dream would have never come true and millions of lives would not have been saved!

    Be confident today that God is setting up DIVINE APPOINTMENTS for you today! Trust that He is working on your behalf to bring about His plans and purposes for your life!

    Prayer:

    Father…Help me to be faithful as you work out the details of my life. May I walk confidently towards all that you have for me with trust in my heart that you will provide the DIVINE APPOINTMENTS necessary for me to fulfill the call you have for my life so that others will be saved! In Jesus Name…Amen.

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  • Immanuel–Astounding Christmas

    The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son and they will call him Immanuel—which means, ‘God with us’.”
    –    Isaiah 9:6-7

    Astounding Christmas

    This verse comes after the record of the angel visiting Joseph.  If I ever wondered before, reading through the Christmas story this year shows me how much God loves to astound people with His presence!

    The Group 4 HIM captured Joseph’s encounter with the angel best in their song “Strange Way To Save The World”.  The chorus is supposed to be Joseph questioning God while holding baby Jesus.  The words say so much:

    “Why me, I’m just a simple man of trade
    Why Him, with all the rulers in the world
    Why here, inside this stable filled with hay
    Why her, she’s just an ordinary girl
    Now I’m not one to second guess what angels have to say,
    But this is such a strange way, to save the World”

    Immanuel-Astounding Christmas

    Immanuel -God With Us

    The biblical stories of Christmas are more shocking than putting up your Christmas lights in an electrical storm!  A pregnant virgin rides a donkey to a town far away where she has to give birth to the King of kings in a stable, angels appearing to lowly shepherds, Magi travelling for years looking for a king and worshipping a child, giving him costly gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.  Nothing in the story makes natural sense…but they are the events that supernaturally changed the world!

    This Christmas, open up your heart, giving God room to show up in your life as “Immanuel”.  He wants to be God “with us”.  May His presence overwhelm and astound you with His peace!

    Merry Christmas!

    Prayer

    Father…I’m so thankful that you desire to be “God with us”, not “God far away from us”.  May I, along with the world, sense Your presence anew this Christmas in astounding ways!  In Jesus name, Amen.

    Soul H2OIf you liked the refreshing in this #SoulH2O devotion, you’ll love my latest Soul H2O Devotional book: 40 Thirst Quenching Devotions for Women.

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