The Joseph effect

From the time that he made him overseer in his house and over all that he had the LORD blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake; the blessing of the LORD was on all that he had, in house and field. (Genesis 39:5 ESV)

We have all been in a job we hated. Maybe you wake every morning with a strong feeling of dread as your alarm goes off, waking you for your “wonderful” job. Joseph in the Bible can be a great example for those of us who live that way every day. His brothers were jealous of him and decided to kill him, but then changed their minds and sold him into slavery. As we read Joseph’s story we find that God had placed him in places and situations for a purpose; even if that purpose was not immediately clear. But in the end, Joseph was the King of Egypt’s right hand man! He even saved the lives of his family that had once tried to kill him.

While God may providentially place us in a certain vocation or situation, it still doesn’t make us enjoy our lot any more. Joseph’s story teaches us is that we can ask God to bless the work we are putting our hands to, even if we don’t necessarily like it; for the “Lord blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake.” Just imagine the witness we as Christians would have on our employer if our efforts were blessed. Our attitude would also change as we went to work and as we remembered that whatever we do, we ought to “work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men” (Colossians 3:23).

Ask God to bless your work for his Glory, and help you with your attitude this week.

 

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What kind of presents do you give at Christmas? Here’s an additional choice.

I hate to sound like I’m putting a damper on the millions of people having a Merry Christmas, but please don’t forget the ones that aren’t. I have a friend who gives up her Christmas Eve to spend time in a nursing home over 100 miles away so the residents there will have someone by their side. I think a lot about this gesture and wish more people would do something like this, because there’s nothing worse than being on the outside world of being alone looking through the window into the house of someone surrounded by friends and family. I humbly ask your forgiveness for sounding like such a gloomy Gus, but I just want us to remember those who wish they had someone to spend Christmas with.

For those people who are feeling alone and depressed at this time of year, here’s something to think about. It is my prayer this Christmas that you can rest in the reality of Christ! I know from personal experience that no matter how challenging the circumstances, how discouraged or how lonely you may feel at Christmas, God truly loves you and is with you wherever you may be. “The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him ‘Immanuel’ – which means, ‘God with us’.” Matthew 1:23 Will you take time this Christmas to believe that God is good, that He loves you and that He is with you? Will you place your burdens upon Jesus today? Christmas is about God’s unfathomable love for mankind and His everlasting gift of His Son, our Lord and Savior, JESUS! “For God so loved the world that He gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16 I know that it can be hard getting out of the circle of sadness and back into the light of the Lord, but with the help of the Lord, you CAN do it. Let me know if I can pray for you, and I’ll be there for you.

Let’s remember that giving and receiving presents is an awesome feeling, but remember that Jesus took the route of humility, of being born in a manger with just Mary and Joseph, rather than in the spotlight. He did it for the least of the people. Make this Christmas extra special by starting a tradition that makes someone else feel good. A stranger or a family member, it doesn’t matter. Fel free to enjoy your Christmas with the ones that bring you joy, but don’t forget the ones that may stretch you a bit, that will be your giftto yourself.

 

• Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.

• Luke 1:35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.

• Matthew 1:18-24 This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit.  Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.  But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.  She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”  All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet:  “The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel”–which means, “God with us.”  When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife.

• Luke 2:9-14 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.  But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.  Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.  This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”  Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,  “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”

• Isaiah 9:6-7 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.  Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.

• Luke 2:1-20 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world.  (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.)  And everyone went to his own town to register.  So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David.  He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.  While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born,  and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.  And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.  An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.  But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.  Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.  This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”  Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,  “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”  When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”  So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.  When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child,  and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.  But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.  The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

• Matthew 2:1-12 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem  and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.”  When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him.  When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born.  “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:  ” ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.’ ”  Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared.  He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and make a careful search for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.”  After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was.  When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.  On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh.  And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.

Stick to the plan

We often develop strategies, game-plans, life-plans – and then, at some obstacle or critical point, we say – “Just stick to the plan!” It’s usually good advice.

Life is always sending unexpected surprises, but praise God, nothing takes Him by surprise. He’s the master planner. Our family might turn against us, our friends let us down, illness, afflictions, problems and “situations” on every side…God still has a plan, for you, and for me.

Joseph is a prime example of life’s surprises. It took 13 years of endurance and character-building for him to fulfill this part of God’s plan. Sold as a slave into Egypt by his own brothers, betrayed and imprisoned, he must have wondered a lot where God was and what He was doing. But finally, as a prepared vessel, Joseph was placed in the highest position in the land, second only to Pharaoh, and commissioned to execute God’s plan for saving the world from famine. So the Lord had surprises of His own. Revealing himself to his brothers, Joseph summed it up beautifully: “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good, in order to bring it about as [it is] this day, to save many people alive. .” (Genesis 50:20)

When our situations are difficult to handle and downright impossible to explain, we need to remind ourselves that God said, “I know the plans I have for you.” Through these situations we discover how faithful and sovereign He truly is. He knows what we can handle and He will never give us more. When the test is completed, we come out with character, stronger in faith, more in love, more useful to Him, and ready……….. for our next test. 🙂 (Oh yeah…)

The fact that we have problems is a sign that we also have a promise. It’s only a matter of time before God reveals His good intentions – so until then, let’s stick to the plan! His !!!

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

But wait…Christmas isn’t over.

And he gave him the name Jesus.—Matthew 1:25

Here another piece is added to the Christmas story. The angel tells Joseph that the child should be called Jesus. Matthew sees that this birth is a fulfillment of the Isaiah 7:14 prophecy: “‘The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel’ (which means ‘God with us’).”

But Matthew does not mention Isaiah. The angel had already covered that when he told Joseph, “Do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.” Obedient to this word from the Lord, Joseph takes Mary as his wife, the baby arrives, and Joseph names the child “Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

What are we hearing from Matthew that we did not hear from Luke?

We hear that our troubles are greater than the darkness and problems that come to us from the outside. We have added to the mess we are in by our own sins and failures, and we need to be saved from our sins.

Is it not true that the warm and giving spirit of Christmas wears down quickly as it meets the realities of living in a harsh world? Our children have likely already fought over new toys. And what about you—have you already had an argument, or said a harsh word?

The angel has good news for us: God is with us in Jesus, who came to save us from our sins, are you still taking advantage of it, or have you forgotten the gift after a mere two days?

One of the most important days of Holy Week….The Story of the tomb.

Jesus resurrected and Mary Magdalene (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

This may shock you a bit but I want to share with you a passage from the Bible that few remember, but can change your life if you follow this example of true love and sacrifice.

 

MATTHEW 27:57-61 (NLT)As evening approached, Joseph, a rich man from Arimathea, who was on of Jesus‘ followers, went to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. And Pilate issued an order to release it to him. Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a long linen cloth. He placed it in his own new tomb, which had been carved out of the rock. Then he rolled a great stone across the entrance as he left. Both Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting nearby watching.

 

In the days that this passage took place, it was common for  wealthy people to buy elaborate tombs so after they died, they could be remembered by everyone as having been important. Joseph had bought one of these tombs for that very reason, but after the death of Jesus, he lovingly decided that the “Tomb of honor” was better used by someone who truly deserved a place of honor in all of our lives-Jesus Himself.

 

What have you done in your life that honors Jesus in such a way? Have you given your toys and tombs priority over Jesus? Do you see Jesus as someone who answers your prayers and keeps your life in order, or do you see him as someone you love so much that you would do anything for Him….including giving up your prized possession?

 

Our lives and relationship with God will never be right unless we learn to love Him more than ourselves and needs. I ask that as we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus, we also HONESTLY evaluate our relationship with Him. Learn to give up the things that bring worldly pleasure and replace them with the love and actions that bring you the joy of an honest and loving relationship with the man that gave His life for you. Remember, Jesus doesn’t ask for much, just your love….will you give it?