Don't know how I do this but I lost the whole thing again.
Title: Hang out with those whom "The Lord was with" and a little of that will fall on you.
(S) Gen 39:2-4 "The Lord was with Joseph and he prospered.....When his master saw that the Lord was with him.....Joseph found favor in his eyes and became his attendant."
(O) Smart people know that if the "Lord is with" a person it might be a good idea to keep them nearby and perhaps part of your business. Laban saw this and so did Potiphar and later Pharaoh of Egypt---- they knew that a little of that good will from God may fall on them.
(A) We should watch for these people - they are a blessing and being near them is a good thing. Just took a collect call from the prison - told my nephew that he needs to learn this.
(P) Help the many I know that seem to seek out people that are leading them on the wrong path to do a complete turn around and hang out with those people that the Lord is blessing. They might just be in jail but God is with them like he was with Joseph.
Title: God has not forgotten us - even though the years seem to be passing.
(S)Gen 40:23 "The chief cupbearer, however, did not remember Joseph; he forgot him. "
(O) After helping the kings cupbearer and baker while in jail - these people completely forgot Joseph - and 2 years went by while Joseph sat in jail falsely accused by Potiphar's wife. I wonder if he felt forgotten. It was not the right time - God's time - when the Pharaoh had a dream that needed interpreting and the cupbearer remembered Joseph. What if he left prison before that and could not be found - he would not have been made the head of Egypt by the pharaoh --- so timing is up to God - and He will do it better than we ever could.
(P) Well - it is easy to say - wait for God - but what if you really are in jail like my nephew who phoned me collect 10 minutes ago - when I told him what I had just read he told me about the sermon he had today about not looking back with regrets but only to look forward - the "once you have put your hand to the plow do not look back sermon." This is easier to say than to live - but live it we must - God give us the strength to wait for you to do what you do.
(S) Gen.41:43-44 "Thus he (pharaoh) put him (Joseph) 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."
(O) From prisoner to palace - that is what God can do with us if he chooses. We underestimate what God can do but if are obedient and just do what we are suppose to do - God is able to bring about the impossible.
(A) We have to keep our chins up and keep on trusting God no matter what.
(P) I pray for the prisoners who have given up hope and are sure that God has forgotten them. I thank God for those who go in and share the word in the prisons.
Title: A bigger plan than just us. Joseph in charge of Egypt prepares for the famine by filling the storehouses.
(S)Gen.41:57 And all the countries came to Egypt to buy grain from Joseph, because the famine was severe in all the world.
(O) What if the Pharaoh was not wise enough to put Joseph in charge - what a different result for Egypt.
(A) Put God's blessed one in charge.
(P) Give us wisdom to realize who these people under your blessing are.
Luke 16
Title: Can God trust us to do the task at hand.
(S)Luke 16:10-15 "Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.......You cannot serve both God and Money.....What is highly valued among men is detestable in God's sight."
(O) This does not mean just money - this means the talents that God gave us to do good --- are we doing it? We are not just to do good for our own but for others. God sees the fallen sinner as valuable - and so should we - he sees the "least of these" as great and so should we.
(P)God give us your eyes to be able to see what is valuable.
Divorce:
(S) Luke 16:18 - "Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery, and the man who marries a divorced woman commits adultery."
(O) What can one say to the above verse - what about Matthew 19 where only the one committing adultery has restrictions - are there contradictions here or does this verse mean what it says????
Title: What will our reward be if we do not care about the needy now? The story of the rich man in hell and Lazarus the poor man in heaven.
(S ) Luke 16:25 "But Abraham replied 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony."
(O) We do not earn our way to heaven however if we are Christians we are to care for those less fortunate than us out of the goodness of our hearts. If we do not how much better are we than anyone else.
(A) We do not do good for reward but just because we cannot not do good. (P)God help me to be more useful to you and to see the need of others.
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