Are You Hungry?

Go to Joseph,

whatever he says to you, you shall do …

The peoples of all the earth came to Egypt

to buy grain from Joseph,

because the famine was severe in all the earth.

Genesis 41:55, 57

Pharaoh gave instructions to the people to obey Joseph. If the people were to live, they were to obey Joseph. All the peoples of the earth came to Egypt to buy grain from him—not just Egyptians, but all peoples.

The storehouses were built and filled by the Egyptians. The grain in them was offered to them first. As the famine went on, word spread about the grain in Egypt and all peoples began to come. None were turned away if they had the money to pay. The people sold all they had, including their lands and even themselves, in order to buy this grain.

The famine was severe in all the earth in this day of Joseph, and it is severe today. The famine of sin, the drought of depression and sickness.

The starvation of souls is rampant upon the earth.

Just as God made the way for Joseph to supply grain to all who hungered and came to him, God has made the way for us. In Matthew 17:5, God speaks on behalf of Christ and says, “This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased; listen to Him!” The Word tells us in John 3:36, “He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life.” Just as Pharoah said, “Go to Joseph, whatever he says to you, you shall do” (Genesis 41:55), so God has told us to go to Jesus, and whatever He says, we are to do.

Oh, precious one, Jesus says He is the way, the truth, and the life and no one comes to the Father except through Him (John 14:6). He tells us in John 6:35, “I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger.” He says that the one that comes to Him will certainly not be cast out (John 6:37).

Jesus came to the Jews first, but just as Joseph’s grain was available to all peoples, so His gift of life is offered and available to all, “for you were slain and purchased for God with your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation” (Revelation 5:9).

Joseph’s grain required a payment, but Jesus Himself covered the cost of His grain. He knew we could never pay the price. We could not even sell ourselves, for we were already slaves to another.

We were slaves to sin and we owed sin its wage, but when we come to Jesus, He pays off our sin debt and then He offers us the free gift of God, which is eternal life in Him. His bread is free to all who come. We may be in the midst of a severe famine, but in Christ and through Christ our every need will be supplied.

Are you suffering in sin?

Come to Christ.

Are you suffering in depression?

Do you have conflicts without and fears within?

Then come to Christ, to God

“who comforts the depressed” (2 Corinthians 7:6).

Oh, precious one, do you know those who are starving?

Have you offered them some bread?

Have you told them where they can go to be fed?

Oh Father,

Thank You for Your grain of salvation. Jesus, thank You for this bread. My soul was starving, and I came to You and I did eat and I am satisfied. My soul is full and overflowing. You give me each day my daily bread (Matthew 6:11). You are my constant supply; Your compassions are new every morning (Lamentations 3:22–23) “How blessed is the one whom You choose and bring near to You to dwell in Your courts. We will be satisfied with the goodness of Your house, Your holy temple” (Psalm 65:4). Oh I praise You, my Lord and my God.

In Jesus’ name I pray,

Amen.

Hope Held Overcomes

So Pharaoh said to Joseph,

“Since God has informed you of all this,

there is no one so discerning

and wise as you are.

You shall be over my house,

and according to your command

all my people shall do homage;

only in the throne I will be greater than you.”

Genesis 41:39–40

The truth of the Word of God and His omniscience and omnipotence never ceases to amaze. As that young man who was thrown into a pit by his brothers and then sold as a slave into a foreign land, would Joseph have ever thought that he would be hearing these words of Pharaoh addressed to him?

In 1 Corinthians 2:9 we read that, “Eye has not seen and ear has not heard, and which have not entered the heart of man, all that God has prepared for those who love Him.” Even more so, could Joseph have ever imagined the fact that God was using the story of his life to foreshadow the truth of the coming Messiah?

The Pharaoh of Egypt hands all rule over to Joseph. In Matthew 28:18 Jesus says, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.” Ephesians 1:20–23 tells us that Jesus Christ has been set far above all rule and authority and power and dominion and all things and all peoples are in subjection under him. Pharoah told Joseph that it would be only in the throne that he would be greater.

In John 14:28, Jesus is speaking to eleven of the disciples (Judas Iscariot has gone out from them), and He tells them, “If you loved Me, you would have rejoiced because I go to the Father, for the Father is greater than I.” Many have taken this verse and used it to diminish the deity of Jesus Christ. Let me take this opportunity to explain:

We read in Philippians 2:6–7 that although Jesus existed in the form of God, He did not regard equality with God a thing to hold on to. He willingly emptied Himself and took on the likeness of man. Now in this likeness of man, Jesus has positioned Himself under the authority of the throne of God. So while Jesus was on this earth, the Father was greater than Him in position. This never diminshed the deity of Christ.

He was and is and always will be God.

Jesus is the One of the Trinity that we were able to see and touch. He is the One who walked among us. His walking among us never diminished His dominion over us. “For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form” (Colossians 2:9).

Joseph walked among the people in a way that Pharoah could not, yet this never diminished his authority over the people. Just as Pharaoh placed Joseph over all of Egypt, so has God placed Jesus over all the earth.

Jesus was with God and is God; He was and is “faithful as a Son over His house, whose house we are, if we hold fast our confidence and the boast of our hope firm until the end” (Hebrews 3:6). Joseph held firm his hope in God no matter what life threw his way, and great was his reward.

Oh, precious one, we cannot even fathom what God has planned for us.

In Jeremiah 29:11 we read, “For I know the plans that I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.”

Jesus tells us in Revelation 3:21, “He who overcomes, I will grant him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.”

The question is, my dear friend, will you be one who overcomes?

Oh Father,

Your Word tells me that I have a hope: “This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil” (Hebrews 6:19); this hope is Jesus Christ. In Christ I have a future, and in Christ I have hope. In Christ I can hold on to my confidence because my confidence is Him and my confidence is Your Word, which never fails. Oh Father, that I would not be one who allows the circumstances of life to cause me to shrink back to destruction, but that I would endure all things and persevere through all trials because You are faithful and You are worthy. Oh Father, help me to overcome.

My Jesus, it is in Your name I pray,

Amen.

All Credit To God

Now a Hebrew youth was with us there,

a servant of the captain of the bodyguard,

and we related them to him,

and he interpreted our dreams for us.

Genesis 41:12

Two years have passed since the cupbearer’s release from prison.

Two years can seem like a very long time.

Two years, and the cupbearer has not remembered Joseph, yet the day has come that God will remind the cupbearer about the Hebrew youth who was able to interpret his dream.

Now the one who dreams is Pharaoh himself. The sovereignty of God is seen through this dream, as God speaks to the heart and mind of a man who does not honor Him as God. Proverbs 21:1 says, “The king’s heart is like channels of water in the hand of the Lord; He turns it wherever He wishes.”

Pharaoh’s dreams greatly disturb him. He calls all his magicians and wise men before him and shares the two dreams with them, yet they cannot interpret. They stand clueless. The cupbearer then comes before Pharaoh, for it is time for him to remember Joseph.

Joseph is brought before Pharaoh and his first words are to give all glory and credit to God: “It is not in me; God will give” (Genesis 41:16). We see another picture of Jesus Christ as He said, “For I did not speak on my own initiative, but the Father Himself who sent Me has given Me a commandment as to what to say and what to speak” (John 12:49). Jesus was God, yet in the flesh here on this earth He laid aside His glory and humbled Himself and did not consider equality with God something to be grasped (Philippians 2:6).

Joseph was not taking credit for what he knew was the sole act of God. How much better off we would be if we would give only God the glory for our talents, gifts, and abilities. Joseph did not struggle with pride. I am sure his years in slavery and prison helped him with that.

God has intricately designed each of us. He has given us talents and personalities and strengths, and when we receive salvation, spiritual gifts. How easy it is to forget that these are only ours at the good pleasure of God. How easy it is to pat ourselves on the back or accept the accolades of man as they tell us how great we are.

May we remember, as Joseph remembered, that “all things have been created through Him and for Him” (Colossians 1:16). If we boast in anything, we are to boast in our weaknesses (2 Corinthians 12:5) and in the cross of Christ (Galatians 6:14).

Oh Father,

You are my God, and all that I am and all that I ever hope to be is of you alone. You gave me life, and You knit me in my mother’s womb. You bestowed upon me spiritual gifts. Oh Father, might I never forget that all is for You and for the glory of Christ. You warn us in Deuteronomy 8:11–20 that we must be careful not to forget You because in our hearts we will begin to think that it is by our own power and our strength that we prosper, but it is all from and through You. Oh Father, that I would never forget that it is in You that I live and breathe and have my being. To You be the glory forever and ever!

In Jesus’ name I pray,

Amen.

Hold On To Hope

Yet the chief cupbearer

did not remember Joseph,

but forgot him.

Genesis 40:23

There is nowhere that we are hidden from God. There is not a prison on this earth deep or dark enough to separate us from our Creator God. There is no chain strong enough, no enemy wise enough to keep us held back from what God has purposed to do through us.

Our Father in heaven will complete what He has started in us, and His will shall certainly be accomplished.

Here in prison, Joseph meets the chief cupbearer and the chief baker of Pharaoh. Joseph notices the sadness and dejection in their countenances and goes to minister to them. He asks them why they are so sad, and they share with Joseph about the dreams that have burdened their minds. Joseph knows that interpretations belong to God, and he asks the two to share with him their dreams.

It appears that immediately God gives Joseph the interpretations of the dreams. Joseph has to deliver very bad news to the chief baker and very good news to the chief cupbearer. To the cupbearer Joseph requested that he would please remember him before Pharaoh and share his story, that he might be released.

Both interpretations come to fruition just as Joseph spoke them, yet the cupbearer did not remember Joseph.

Joseph is forgotten by man again, yet still faithful to God. I am sure he heard in his heart, “Even these may forget, but I will not forget you. Behold I have inscribed you on the palm of My hands” (Isaiah 49:15–16). Joseph held fast to his God. He held fast in the face of circumstances that looked as though God had forsaken him, yet God had not.

God knew that Pharaoh would be his guardian, and his princesses his nurses. God knew that the people would bow before Joseph with their faces to the earth and they would lick the dust off of his feet, and Joseph would know and all Egypt would know that God was the Lord.

Those who hopefully wait for the Lord will not be put to shame (Isaiah 49:23).

Oh, precious one, hold on!

Hold on to the hope you have in Christ.

Keep “looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus” (Titus 2:13). Know that one day all will know that Jesus Christ is the Lord, and all will see that those who waited for Him have not been put to shame.

Oh Father,

So many times I have felt forgotten. It is a sad and lonely feeling, a feeling of isolation and unworthiness. How thankful I am that You are in me (Colossians 1:27) and with me (Matthew 28:20). My Jesus, You were forsaken so that I might never be forsaken or forgotten. My hope is in You, in and through every circumstance of life. You are the friend that sticks closer than a brother (Proverbs 18:24). Oh Father, I will trust in You at all times and pour out my heart before You, for You are my refuge (Psalm 62:8). “Though a host encamp against me, my heart will not fear; though war arise against me, in spite of this I shall be confident” (Psalm 27:3). Joseph was faithful to You and held fast his confidence. Oh Father, that I too would hold fast my confidence and the boast of my hope firm until the end (Hebrews 3:6).

My Jesus, it’s in Your name I pray,

Amen.

Rejoicing in the Fire

Because the Lord was with him;

and whatever he did,

the Lord made to prosper.

Genesis 39:23

Joseph, sold as a slave to the Ishmaelites and then to Potiphar in Egypt, now finds himself in the king’s prison. It appeared that everywhere Joseph went, the world was against him, but God was with him. If God is with us, who can be against us (Romans 8:31)?

Every attempt by the world and the evil one to knock him down or remove him only placed him right where God needed him to be. Joseph’s situations did not catch God by surprise. As persecution and lies rose against him, God was right there with him. Everywhere he went, whether as slave or prisoner, God caused all he did to prosper.

I believe the enemy notices when God causes the works of our hands to prosper, and he wants to stop it. He knows by our prospering that God is up to something. However, I believe he has no knowledge as to what that something is. If the enemy had a clue, he would never have pushed so strongly to get Christ on that cross, and he would never have tempted Potiphar’s wife to bring this accusation against Joseph.

In 1 Peter 4:12–13 we read,

Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you,

which comes upon you for your testing,

as though some strange thing were happening to you;

but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ,

keep on rejoicing,

so that also at the revelation of His glory

you may rejoice with exultation.

My precious one, can you look at the fiery ordeal that you are now in and rejoice?

Do you see it as an opportunity for you to share in the sufferings of your Christ?

Do you understand that there is more to this ordeal than you can presently see?

Joseph’s situation, from the outside, seemed horrible, but it was only placing him in the position to be the savior and redeemer of his loved ones. Even the savior of his brothers, who had sold him into slavery in the first place.

Oh, what a picture of our beautiful one, our Savior, our Redeemer, our glorious Jesus Christ!

Oh Father,

That I would be one who trusts in You even through persecution and lies brought against me. Oh Father, that I would stand firm, as Joseph stood firm, and know that as long as You are with me, I will at all times and in every situation rejoice. You tell us to be strong and courageous, for You are with us wherever we go (Joshua 1:9). Momentary light affliction in this world produces in us the fruit of righteousness and perfects us and brings us to spiritual maturity. Oh Father, mold me into a mighty servant soldier of Your kingdom. Oh, that I would trust in You at all times. My Jesus, thank You for Your eternal presence.

It’s in Your name I pray,

Amen.

A Time to Run

How then could I do this great evil

and sin against God?

Genesis 39:9

We return now to the life of Joseph, sold into slavery and bought by Potiphar, an Egyptian officer of Pharaoh. Now Potiphar saw that Joseph was someone special. He recognized that the Lord was with him. He recognized that he had begun to prosper since Joseph had come into his charge.

Potiphar made Joseph his personal servant and placed him as overseer of his house and all that he owned. Potiphar could trust in Joseph, and so he worried about nothing while Joseph was in charge.

Potiphar had a wife, and his wife took quite a liking to Joseph and she pursued him. Joseph, however, would not return Potiphar’s wife’s advances. Day after day, she pursued him, and day after day, he refused her. He replied that Potiphar was his master, he trusted him, and he would not violate this trust. Even more, Joseph professed that he would not go into Potiphar’s wife and commit this great evil and sin against God.

This adulteress female did not want to accept Joseph’s no, so she grabbed his garment and commanded that he lie with her. Joseph ran, leaving his garment in her tightly gripped hand. In 2 Timothy 2:22 we read, “Now flee from youthful lusts and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.”

Joseph did just that; he fled!

When this woman, in her rejected anger, went to her husband and demanded that Joseph be killed because he violated her, I believe her husband knew the truth because he knew his wife and he knew Joseph. The Scripture says that “his anger burned” (Genesis 39:19).

I believed it burned not against Joseph, but against his wife, who had forced him into this situation. He had to address the charge, and he could not place the word of a slave over his wife. I believe Potipher’s belief in Joseph’s innocence is made evident in the fact that instead of killing Joseph, he placed him in the king’s prison.

Joseph knew that all sin was against God. He also knew that he could not hide himself from God. Joseph did not want to be the kind of person who would need to hide from God. He did not desire to be a man who could not look his master in the eyes.

Are you living your life today fleeing from youthful lust?

Are you able to call on the Lord from a pure heart?

Today, could you look your master in the eyes?

Oh Father,

Sometimes doing the right thing does not always give us the result we expect. Yet the right thing is still the right thing. Oh Father, that I would know, as Joseph knew, that all sin is against You. I pray that I will always have the strength of conviction to turn away from sin, to run away if need be. Oh Father, how I desire to be true to You. My Jesus, may I always be able to look You in the eyes. The seductions of this world might grab me with tightly gripped hands, but my feet are shod with the glorious gospel, and you will my clear my way as I turn from the grip and run toward You. Your grace will be sufficient, and You will always have a way of escape (1 Corinthians 10:13).

My Jesus, I love You, and it is in Your name I pray,

Amen.

Throwing Stones

When Judah saw her,

he thought she was a harlot,

for she had covered her face.

Genesis 38:15

We will discover in our journey through Genesis that God has chosen for the scepter to never depart from Judah, yet at this point in history, Judah has no clue about this prophecy. He has not demonstrated Godly leadership thus far in his life.

We see in Genesis 38:2 that Judah takes for himself a Canaanite woman. We know from Genesis 9:25 that the Canaanite is cursed. We also know from Genesis 27:46–28:1 that Rebekah was not pleased with Esau’s Canaanite wives and that Isaac and Jacob were commanded by their father not to take a Canaanite wife. I believe this runs much deeper than just personal preference. I believe this had to do with the promised seed.

This Canaanite woman bore Judah three sons. When he was of age, Judah chose for his firstborn, Er, a wife; her name was Tamar. Now Tamar was not a Canaanite woman. Er did evil and died without a son, so Judah gave Tamar, as was the custom, to his next born, Onan. Onan also did evil, and he died without a son.

Judah sent Tamar to live with her family as a widow until his third son would be of age for her. However, Judah had no intentions of giving her to his third son, for he thought Tamar was the curse.

He did not see the evil in his sons.

Judah did not keep his word and did not give Tamar to his third son. Tamar knew she had been dishonored as a woman, and so she took matters into her own hands. She had heard that Judah’s wife had died and that he was visiting in her home town, so she portrayed herself as a prostitute, and Judah went into her.

 Tamar conceived.

When word came to Judah that Tamar was pregnant, he was ready to have her stoned, yet Tamar was not an ignorant woman. She had asked Judah to leave her a pledge for his promised coming payment—his staff, his seal, and his cord—which he did. These items at this point and time in history were as good as DNA testing, so when Tamar laid these items at Judah’s feet in his answer as to whom she had conceived by, he knew she was more righteous than he.

“He who is without sin among you,

let him be the first to throw a stone at her”

(John 8:7).

Through Judah would come Christ, but not through a Canaanite wife; through Tamar.

What I love about this twisted story is how it somehow retains its goodness in the fact that Judah never laid with Tamar again. He took her in as his family, as an independent woman, and cared for her and his sons. He did not sin against God or Tamar again, but confessed his sin and repented and walked in righteousness before God and before her. I believe that it was at this point that God began an awesome work in the life of Judah, the son of Jacob.

Oh Father,

It never ceases to amaze me how You can take our worst mistakes and make them glorious. In You all things become good. You are sovereign even over sin. There is nothing that escapes Your mighty hand. No matter what we have done, when we bring it before You, You can heal and restore and make new. We may suffer consequences, but all consequences and circumstances are bearable if we are in right fellowship with You.

My Jesus, it’s in Your name I pray,

Amen.