Keep It Handy

Have you gone through tough circumstances, wondering why? Were you wronged by someone close to you? Did you ask God how such a thing could be allowed to happen? Was it revealed to you later how God used it for good? Are you still waiting for the good to come from it?

Tough circumstances come to all of us. We may have been betrayed by a family member or close friend. We may have discovered the betrayal by accident. The betrayal may have been very public. We felt ashamed, minimalized, shunned, or otherwise distraught.

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28). Holding on to that promise can be very challenging when we are going through a betrayal situation. Yet, Joseph did, even though it would still be a couple thousand years before Paul would write that proclamation.

We can hold onto it, too. We may need to repeat it to ourselves multiple times per day. We may need to post it on our bathroom mirror, so we see it each morning while brushing our teeth. It may benefit us to have it as a note in our smart phones so we can pull it up to read when we begin feeling down in the dumps.

Being reminded of God’s promises is always a good thing. Being reminded of truths written by the apostle’s is also a good thing. We can have both readily available to us. We merely need to capture them and keep them handy. The notes app on our smart phones can do just that. Of course, we can also download Bible apps onto our phones so we can search it and read it any time we feel the need. A little preplanning and a healthy desire to seek God’s will does wonders for us.

I pray we all know that God works for our good. I pray we hold onto God’s promises. I pray each one of us will take steps to capture key Biblical reminders and keep them handy to remind us. God works for your good. Remind yourself of that. Capture key passages. Keep them handy.

Genesis 45:5 “And now do not be distressed, or angry with yourselves, because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life.”

The Big Reveal

Are you able to keep a secret? How excited do you get when you know it is about time to reveal something wonderful? Do you become so overjoyed you feel as though you will burst? Isn’t it great to unveil a big surprise you have been holding inside for a while?

Keeping secrets can be difficult. Especially if it is wonderful news you want to share with others. There are many occasions for which we hold back news until we feel the time is right. But that doesn’t make it easy. We anxiously await the time to reveal our news.

Joseph wanted so badly to tell his brothers who he was. He had withheld it from them when they first visited Egypt to get food. When they returned with their youngest brother, he again did not reveal himself to them. Finally, when they returned a third time due to Joseph having had his servant play a trick on them, he could contain himself no longer. Joseph burst with joy and tears.

Most of us have not experienced a life like Joseph’s. We have not spent years and years away from our family. Having spent three years in Okinawa while serving in the Marine Corps and having only seen my mother twice in that time, I can only get a small taste of how Joseph felt.

Yet, we all can understand just a bit. We hold back from telling our family and friends about expecting a child until we have them all gathered together. We may not tell our family about a big promotion or job change immediately. Keeping Christmas, birthday, or wedding gifts secret can be very challenging for us. We want to give them to the person right away. Now, imagine those feelings and multiplying them by an order of magnitude.

I pray we all remember the joy that comes from revealing a wonderful secret. I pray we experience tears of joy. I pray each one of us get a glimpse of Joseph’s joy. Remember the joy. Know that true joy comes from God. Experience tears of joy. Be overwhelmed with joy.

Genesis 45:1 Then Joseph could no longer control himself before all those who stood by him, and he cried out, “Send everyone away from me.” So no one stayed with him when Joseph made himself known to his brothers.

Walking On Water

Have you had an exemplary work performance review? If so, how did that make you feel? Did you feel like you were on cloud nine? Did you feel as though you were able to walk on water?

When we receive rave reviews, we feel good about ourselves. It doesn’t matter if it is work related or a family member who does more than give us a little pat on the back. We like to be told we went above and beyond.

I remember when I was a young Marine, we were given performance ratings every six months. A rating of ten was the highest but was virtually unachievable. Why? The reason all my superiors gave was that no one walks on water.

Well, Peter did…for about three seconds. It didn’t take long for his fear to overcome him, and he started to sink. He had the faith to get out of the boat to begin with. But his faith wavered when he noticed the storm blowing and the waves churning.

I wonder how many of us do the same thing. I wonder if any of us would even get out of the boat. I know there have been times in my life when I have decided not to do something out of fear. Typically, it is fear of failure that stops us. Fear of heights or water or animals are not nearly the reason for us to not act as our fear of failure.

Honestly, it is our pride that creates that fear. We do not want to be laughed at. We do not want to be made fun of. But God calls us out onto the water anyway. He wants to see us step out in our faith and prove us correct in doing so.

I pray we all step out in faith. I pray we faithfully answer God’s calling. I pray each one of us will choose to walk on water with Jesus. Put your faith in action. Trust God to provide. Hear God calling. Follow God’s guidance. Take on the work he has set aside for you. Get out of your comfort zone. Get out of the boat.

Matthew 14:28-29 Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat, started walking on the water, and came toward Jesus.

Quiet Time

Have you ever needed time away from everyone? Have you needed quiet time to think? Is it sometimes a challenge to get the alone time you need? Where do you go when you need to get away from the hustle and bustle? Is there a designated place or are there multiple places?

We all need to have time alone to think at times in our lives. We may be facing a difficult decision. We may have received bad news. We may simply have had an extremely busy week filled with meetings and to-dos. Regardless, we need some down time.

There are times when we must put off getting the quiet time we need. It can be very frustrating. We may think no one understands. We may wallow in self-pity. We may even blow up and yell at a loved one. But there is someone who does understand, who went through it Himself.

Jesus had been busy. He had heard troubling news. He had planned to get away and spend some time in prayer with the Father. His plan was interrupted by a very large crowd. He healed their sick. He fed thousands of them. Though He needed to spend quiet time in prayer, He continued to serve others. Finally, He sent the disciples away in a boat and got His quiet time.

Jesus went up on a mountain to spend time in prayer, conversing with the Father. We may not have a mountain to go up, but we can find a place to spend time in prayer. It may be a room in our house. It may be a park. It may be getting up early, before anyone else to have a little quiet time. Spending quiet time in prayer is important for us, whether we acknowledge it or not. Just as Jesus spent time in prayer, we need time to do so as well. Sometimes, we need more than just five minutes. Sometimes, we need several hours, just as Jesus did.

I pray we all set aside time to spend with God. I pray we take time to go to a place of seclusion. I pray each one of us has time to get away from the busyness of life to meditate and pray. Set aside time for prayer. Step out of the busyness. Be quiet. Get to know God. Renew your mind.

Matthew 14:23 And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone,

How Will They Hear?

Yesterday, I stated we cannot put our faith in someone we do not know. What does that mean for us? If we are attending worship services, we have heard about Jesus and put our faith in Him. How did we hear about Him? Did we grow up in the church? Did we hear about Him later in life?

Do we wonder why church membership is diminishing? The answer is simple, yet hard for us to hear—we have stopped executing the mission Jesus gave us. We are no longer telling others about Him. We have stopped spreading the good news.

Some of you may think this is bold and brazen statement, and you may think it is false. However, simply do some research to see what people say when asked about who Jesus is. Even more depressing is to see what they say when asked who Moses, Abraham, Esther, Ruth, Joseph, Jacob, Paul, Peter, or any other Bible character. Even if the question is prefaced by stating they are a Bible character, the answers would be laughable if it wasn’t so sad.

The church grew because it was missional, it was telling others about a Savior. Despite popular belief, telling others about Jesus does not mean we are to stand on a street corner on step stool with a Bible in our hand. It doesn’t require us to go around the neighborhood knocking on doors and handing out tracts. It doesn’t even require us to fight for Christian rights within our government.

The most effective way to spread the Word is through normal conversation with our family, friends, and co-workers. Isn’t that also the best way to increase a business? Word of mouth is always more effective than flashy advertising. That is not to say advertising cannot be effective, but to say people are more likely to check out something a friend recommends. Our mission is far from over. We must go about our day bragging on Jesus the way we brag about a new restaurant if we are going to be effective in bringing people to faith. When the majority of our society has come to faith, we will see a change in our world.

I pray we all spread the good news to people we know. I pray we tell others about Jesus in our normal conversations. I pray each one of us will be in mission, bringing people to faith. Be in mission. Tell others about Jesus. Spread the good news. Bring people to faith. Our world needs Him now as much at it ever has.

Romans 10:14-15 But how are they to call on one in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in one of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone to proclaim him? And how are they to proclaim him unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”

It Is Simple

Are you confused by the complexity of requirements in various aspects of life? Do you quickly become frustrated by all the hoops you must jump through to abide by the rules? Do you wish things were simpler? What would you say if there was something very simple in life?

We live in a complex world. There are processes, requirements, and systems with what seems to be a million steps we must follow. Job applications can be several pages long. Tax returns ask more questions than a five-year old. And getting a home loan requires a reem of paper.

Living in a complex world can wear us down. Our jobs have become more demanding and more complex. We become mentally fatigued. We may even come to the point of just throwing our hands in the air and wanting to give up. It seems few things in life are simple. But there are simple things in life if we will take time to identify them and enjoy them.

One simple thing we can enjoy is being saved by Jesus Christ. Despite passed down heritage and man-made rules, it really is quite simple. The Apostle Paul puts it in its simplest terms when he writes to the church in Rome. We merely need to believe and confess our faith. The requirements some like to put on us are asked so they are convinced that we believe. They will not change what is in our heart.

Our faith in Jesus justifies us before God. That is our part, faith. God does all the rest. He forgives. He sheds his grace on us. He shows mercy to us. When we confess our faith, we are saved, not because of what we have done, but because of what Jesus has done. Quite simply, we cannot earn it, nor can we change God’s requirements. All we can do it is put our faith in Jesus. Of course, we cannot put our faith in someone we do not know. We will cover that tomorrow.

I pray we all accept the simple requirement of God. I pray we put our faith in Jesus Christ. I pray each one of us take a moment to step out of the complexity of the world and into the simpleness of God. Put your faith in Jesus. Confess your faith. Be justified. Be saved.

Romans 10:10 For one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved.

One Step At A Time

Do you wonder how things will turn out? Are you thinking there must be something greater than what you see going on? Are you wondering where you will be years down the road? Are you hoping for a brighter future? Is today a day of slugging through the trough?

There are days we wonder if we will make it through. Some are simply long days at work when it seems as though time is standing still. Others are days of trials and testing that drive us to our limit. Days like that are challenging and cause us to wonder where the good is.

I’m sure Joseph had some of those same thoughts. He had been sold into to slavery. He rose to be the servant in charge of an important household. He was falsely accused and thrown into prison. He provided a magnificent revelation for a couple of his fellow prisoners only to be forgotten. He was finally released and put in charge of a nation-saving plan. Finally, he realized he was put right where God wanted him to save his family.

I’m betting many of you did not realize Joseph’s story was summarized in Psalm 105. Don’t worry, most of us miss it unless we are looking for it. His story is mixed in with the story of Israel. But Joseph did not know God’s master plan when he was going through it. He did not know how it would all end. Yet, he continued to believe God was in control.

We, too, can believe that God is in control. When things are going badly, reflect on the story of Joseph. When we feel like we can take it no more, we should remember Joseph’s trials and testing. When we just want to give up, we need to remember that God is in control and has a better plan for us, just as he did for Joseph.

I pray we all trust that God is in control. I pray we reflect on Joseph’s story when times are tough. I pray each one of us will hold on to our faith and lean on Jesus during our trials. Remember Joseph. Remember his faith. Remember that God is in control. Trust God has a plan for you. Lean on Jesus to help you through trials.

Psalm 105:16-17

When he summoned famine against the land,

and broke every staff of bread, 

he had sent a man ahead of them, 

Joseph, who was sold as a slave.

Be A Reuben

Have you ever gotten carried away? Have you started thinking negatively and allowed those negative thoughts to gain momentum and get out of control? Have you been caught up in a mob mentality by a group of people? Was there someone who talked you down?

We have all seen it, even if from a distance. We may have gotten caught up in it. Someone suggests doing something, another agrees and goes a step further, and the next thing we know it has gotten out of control. People have gotten worked up and ready to act with a fury.

Once a mob mentality begins, it is hard telling where it will end. Sometimes, the best we can hope for is someone will have a little sense and pull the reins to keep the group from doing something egregious. Each group needs someone with a little restraint and some common sense to pour a little water on the flames.

Reuben was the eldest and the one who squelched the flames of his brothers. They were so upset with Joseph they were plotting to kill him. Reuben talked them back from the ledge. He convinced them to merely throw Joseph into a pit. His intent was to rescue Joseph and return him to his father, Jacob. His brothers followed his advice, but not his full intent. Joseph ends up being sold into slavery.

Perhaps the question for us is, are we the voice of reason? Are we Reuben’s when we see or hear things getting out of hand? Being the one who speaks up is not easy to do. Being the one who can convince others to back down is difficult. In fact, it is not typically the random person who can do so. It requires someone who has the respect of others. It takes someone with gumption. It is easier to be that someone when we fully trust in and lean on God to guide us.

I pray we all become someone people respect. I pray we seek to trust and lean on God. I pray each one of us will be the voice of reason when things start to get out of control. Be a Reuben. Be the voice of reason. Be someone others respect. Trust God in all situations. Lean on God to guide you.

Genesis 37:18, 21 They saw him from a distance, and before he came near to them, they conspired to kill him… But when Reuben heard it, he delivered him out of their hands, saying, “Let us not take his life.”

Snitch

Do you like tattle tells? Have you been a tattle tell? Do you like snitches? Have you been a snitch? Are there some things people do or intentions we hear that we should speak up about? Are there others we should simply stay quiet about? Do all things concern us?

As children, we might have had someone tell our parents about something we did that we shouldn’t. We may have done that regarding one of our siblings. Typically, no one likes to have their faults or something they intended to be kept secret revealed.

As adults, we do not call them tattle tells anymore, we call them snitches. There are certain groups who take an extreme disliking to snitches, but many of us do not like to have our secrets nor some of our actions revealed to a larger audience.

Joseph snitched on his brothers. Was it something he should have revealed or something he could have left alone? We do not know. We do know his brothers did not like Joseph telling their father about what they had done. They would later decide to take matters into their own hands.

What can we learn from this? First and foremost, God is always there and will always use whatever happens for the good of those who love him (Romans 8:28). Second, rather than acting rash, we might be better off to think before we act. This applies to both Joseph and his brothers. If we do not want people to state bad things about us, we probably shouldn’t do them. If we do not want people to be upset for us saying something about them, we should consider whether it is something we truly need to reveal.

I pray we all know that God will work all things to our good, if we love him. I pray we take time to consider what we plan to do before we act. I pray we evaluate what we plan to say before we say it. Trust God in all things. Know that he will work all things for your good. Love him with all your heart. Think before you act. Think before you speak.

Genesis 37:2b Joseph, being seventeen years old, was shepherding the flock with his brothers; he was a helper to the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father’s wives; and Joseph brought a bad report of them to their father.

Filled by Jesus

Are you feeling empty? Do you desire sustenance? Are you looking for physical, emotional, or spiritual nourishment? Would you like to be filled? Have you turned to the One who can fill you?

We have a variety of needs. We need physical nourishment that comes from food and water. We know the healthier we eat, the better the chance we will have good physical health. We seek emotional nourishment through relationships with others. The better those relationships, the better our mental health.

Spiritual nourishment is often overlooked or discarded in our culture. We may eat right and exercise for good physical health. We may discard bad relationships in favor of good ones to improve our emotional health. But we do not always seek to fill our spiritual needs. Even if we do, we only cursorily seek them on Sunday morning.

Folks, let’s be honest. Spending one hour a week in worship is not going to fill us spiritually. Just as we eat multiple times a day, we need to spend multiple times per day with God. Just as we interact with our family and friends throughout the day, we need to interact with God throughout the day.

Neglecting our spiritual well-being is tantamount to neglecting feeding our bodies with energy producing food. Until we recognize the absolute need to fill ourselves spiritually, we will continue to be hungry and thirsty. Our souls crave a healthy relationship with God.

I pray we all seek to have a good relationship with God. I pray we recognize the need to fill ourselves spiritually. I pray each one of us will commit to spending more time with God. Seek spiritual fulfillment. Spend time each day with God. Interact with God continually. Ask Jesus to fill you.

Matthew 14:20-21 And all ate and were filled; and they took up what was left over of the broken pieces, twelve baskets full. And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children.