Genesis 39:5 – The Joseph Effect

Devotions

Bible Verse of the Day

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 even wake every morning with a strong feeling of dread as your alarm goes off, waking you for your “wonderful” job. Joseph 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 (much better). 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. So, another lesson Joseph 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 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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John 8:17-18 – Verum Dictum

Bible, Devotions, Jesus

Daily Devotional Bible Verse

In your Law it is written that the testimony of two people is true. I am the one who bears witness about myself, and the Father who sent me bears witness about me. (John 8:17-18 ESV)

It was a maxim of Jewish law, “that the testimony of two people is true.” Simply put, two corroborating witnesses are more likely in the truth than one. This was derived from Deuteronomy 17:6, where “at the mouth of two witnesses shall he that is worthy of death be put to death.” Two witnesses were required, in favor of life, that in a case punishable by death, as with a case of treason, ample evidence of the accused’s guilt would be supplied. The Pharisees accused Jesus of false testimony on the grounds that he bore witness about himself, but that was not so. As Jesus reminded them, “the Father who sent me bears witness about me.” The Father and his Spirit bore witness about Jesus at the Jordan. Continue Reading →

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John 7:18 – Free From Falsehood

Christian Walk, Devotions, Praise

Daily Devotional Bible Verse

The one who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory; but the one who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and in him there is no falsehood. John 7:18 (ESV)

Every day we hear and we speak many words. We hear words from our families, our coworkers, television, movies and the radio. And as Proverbs rightly explains, “When words are many, transgression is not lacking” (Proverbs 10:19). So our day, while full of words, is more than likely also full of transgression! We are no strangers to lies and it would seem “falsehood” is as inevitable as the sunrise. But as Christians we should learn from Jesus’ words, realizing that we can avoid falsehood by seeking the Father’s glory rather than our own. Continue Reading →

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Gen. 12:7-8 – Where Are the Altars Now

Christian Walk, Devotions, Encouraging, Praise, Thanksgiving

Daily Devotional Bible Verse

Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.” So he built there an altar to the Lord, who had appeared to him. From there he moved to the hill country on the east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. And there he built an altar to the Lord and called upon the name of the Lord. (Genesis 12:7-8 ESV)

A memory from the past can be very powerful in our lives. A bad relationship years earlier can effect the way we deal with others of the opposite sex. A teacher encouraging us in our endeavors can keep us going when we fail years after the encouragement. We might remember these memories through physical tokens we carry or even emotional baggage.

We witness here that whenever Abram had an encounter with God or needed his help, he built an altar. Generally, in our day, we aren’t taught to erect an altar at church, but Continue Reading →

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Jeremiah 3:12-13 – Just Admit It

Devotions, Prayer, Sin

Daily Devotional Bible Verse

Return, faithless Israel, declares the Lord. I will not look on you in anger, for I am merciful, declares the Lord; I will not be angry forever. Only acknowledge your guilt, that you rebelled against the Lord your God and scattered your favors among foreigners under every green tree, and that you have not obeyed my voice, declares the Lord. Jeremiah 3:12-13 (ESV)

Admitting we have messed up can be a hard thing to do. We usually don’t admit we messed up or sinned unless we get caught. It might be that we are ashamed of what we did and believe others will look down on us; and often, the sin we are struggling with is something we have looked down on others for. Maybe we are afraid the person we sinned against will never forgive us for what we have done. These are all valid and real emotions that race through our minds after we have sinned and try to figure out how to get back on track with God. We are called to confess our sins and pray for each other even though it won’t be easy (James 5:16). But, we should never have a hard time confessing our sins before God. Continue Reading →

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Luke 2:11-12 – Un-boxing God

Christian Walk, Devotions, Gospel, Jesus

Daily Devotional Bible Verse

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger. (Luke 2:11-12 ESV)

We love gadgets. We love seeing that delivery truck pull up in front of the house, and eagerly hop down the stairs to answer the door. When inside, the box is immediately ripped open and whatever was contained inside is put to quick use. Many times, when we begin using the new product, if it’s a good one that is, we discover many features we never knew it had! Sometimes, things turn out to be even better than we had anticipated.

The same is definitely true with God, he is infinitely better than we anticipate. But, we still try to keep God in a “God Box” and think of him in terms of the nifty features he comes with, when he wants us to let him come bursting out of the box and show us how much more he is. Continue Reading →

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