2018-11-05
Genesis 41:42 NKJV
The third coat Joseph wore was: The coat of destiny. Because Joseph honored God in the most difficult of circumstances, he ended up on the throne of Egypt, wearing the coat of rulership and fulfilling his destiny. The Psalmist said God “sent a man before them – Joseph – who was sold as a slave. They hurt his feet with fetters, he was laid in irons. Until the time that his word came to pass, the word of the Lord tested him. The King sent and released him, the ruler of the people let him go free. He made him lord of his house, and ruler of all his possessions” (Psalm 105:17-21 NKJV). The tests and temptations you are facing are over your future. They are preparing you for your destiny! All of your life can be training for one season, for one assignment. And the greater the assignment, the greater the attack that will come against you. Five times in Genesis chapter 39 the Bible says, “The Lord was with Joseph.” But that did not exempt him from betrayal by his family; or repeated temptation at the hands of his boss’s wife; or slander and false imprisonment; or disappointment at the hands of the butler he befriended in prison. Looking back, however, Joseph realized that all of these experiences were “training for reigning.” When asked why he used only wood taken from trees that had weathered the biggest storms to make his violins, Stradivarius replied, “Weather-beaten wood makes the sweetest music.” So persevere, keep trusting God, and you’ll sing a song of victory.
Soul food: Isa 42-44; John 8:1-20; Ps 96; Prov 28:17-20
2018-11-04
Genesis 39:12 NKJV
The second coat Joseph wore was: The coat of temptation. The Bible says, “When Joseph went into the house to do his work…she caught him by his [coat], saying, ‘Lie with me.’ But he left his [coat] in her hand, and fled and ran outside” (vv. 11-12 NKJV). Joseph was young, handsome, lonely, far from home, and facing repeated temptation at the hands of his boss’s wife. Yet he resisted her advances and said, “How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?” (v. 9 NKJV). His first concern was not that he couldn’t get away with it, but that he couldn’t live with himself if he said yes. Remembering how God had loved, preserved, and blessed him put the brakes on any carnal inclinations and impulses he may have had. Not so with David. After his affair with Bathsheba, he wrote these words in his penitential prayer of Psalm 51: “Against You, You only, have I sinned, and done this evil in Your sight” (v. 4 NKJV). Who are you sinning against? God. Who is observing what you’re doing? God: the One who demonstrated the extent of His love for you at Calvary. Did God forgive David? Yes, and He will forgive you too. But David’s story proves that sometimes we have to live with the consequences of our deeds, and they can devastate not only us but those who look to us for guidance. Paul, the greatest of the apostles, acknowledged this truth: “I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified” (1 Corinthians 9:27 NKJV).
Soul food: Acts 9:1-19; 2 Cor 11:21-33; 2 Cor 12:7-10; Acts 16:16-40
2018-11-03
Genesis 37:3 NKJV
Let’s look at the three different coats Joseph wore, as they present a picture of your life as a Christian. First, the coat of salvation. Notice, it was a “gift” from his father; Joseph never paid a penny for it, or sewed a stitch, or provided an inch of fabric. And that’s the story of our salvation, isn’t it? The Bible says, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9 NKJV). Motivated by jealousy and resentment, Joseph’s brothers threw him into a pit and dipped his coat in the blood of a goat in order to convince their father that he had been devoured by a wild beast. Are you getting the picture here? “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:7 NKJV). In Old Testament times, when someone sinned they brought a sacrificial lamb to the altar and the priest shed its blood as payment for their sins. But the priest did not examine the person, he examined the lamb. If the lamb was “worthy,” the person was accepted and their sins were atoned for. So the moment you acknowledge your sin and pray, “Father, I come in the name of Jesus, the Lamb of God,” you are totally forgiven and accepted. “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16 NKJV).
Soul food: Isa 38-41; John 7:45-53; Ps 9; Prov 28:13-16
2018-11-02
Ephesians 1:9 NIV
What a joy it is when the will of God is no longer a mystery, because He has made it “known to us.” Suddenly your outlook is different, your attitude changes, and fear can no longer play games with your mind. Now you know – and knowledge is power! The Bible says, “The people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits” (Daniel 11:32). There are times you know things in your spirit that you can’t figure out in your head. And it can cause you to be misunderstood. You can carry the knowledge of a breakthrough or a blessing in your spirit long before it happens. The Bible says, “We know about these things because God has sent His Spirit to tell us” (1 Corinthians 2:10 TLB). When God imparts wisdom to you, it puts you in a position to succeed. What separates the bank president from the janitor? It’s what he or she knows! They may be equal in every other sense, but one has paid a price to learn things that place him or her in a different position that brings different rewards. “We know these things.” God can cause you to know something that will change the course of your life. He can show you something during the night that changes how you feel in the morning. In His presence you receive insights that give you purpose, hope, dignity, direction, and the strength to get up and fight for what He promised you in His Word. So get into His presence today – and stay there until He reveals to you His will in the matter.
Soul food: Isa 34-37; John 7:25-44; Ps 104:24-35; Prov 28:9-12
2018-11-01
Psalm 25:1 NKJV
When you need help, turn to Psalms chapter 25 and note what David did. (1) He knew where to go. “Unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.” Recently a reader called us to ask for prayer for a family member who had just been diagnosed with stage four cancer. How quickly our lives can change! Where can we turn in such moments? To God. He’s known by many names in Scripture, and one of them is Jehovah-Rapha – the Lord who heals you. How wonderful! His Word says, “He heals your diseases – every one” (Ps 103:3 TM). With God no sickness is incurable, which means you can go to Him today with confidence. (2) He knew Who to trust. “O my God, I trust in thee” (Psalm 25:2). A man or woman without God has to fill the role of God in his or her own life. That may be okay in good times, but what about malignant cells, faulty heartbeats, layoffs at work, home foreclosures, and phone calls that bring bad news in the wee hours of the morning? To whom do you turn then? “Unto thee, O Lord!” (3) He knew how to pray: “Show me, teach me, lead me.” “Show me thy ways…teach me thy paths…Lead me in thy truth…for thou art the God of my salvation” (vv. 4-5). Theologian Richard Foster says, “To pray is to change. It’s the central avenue God uses to transform us. If we’re not willing to change we will soon abandon prayer.” So have you prayed about it? If not, get into God’s presence right away. That’s where you’ll find the help you need.
Soul food: Isa 30-33; John 7:14-24; Ps 104:1-23; Prov 28:5-8
2018-10-31
Ephesians 4:15 NIV
Whether you are a reformer, a server, an achiever, an artist, a thinker, a loyalist, an enthusiast, a commander, or a peacemaker, every one of us wrestles with sin. And knowing that each category of sin has its own hidden temptations should make you less envious of others when you’re not doing well yourself, and less likely to judge them when you are. Recognizing your particular pattern sin lets you know what you need to work on. For example, if you’re a reformer you need to be aware of your tendency toward self-righteousness. However, it’s also important to recognize that you’ve been wired by God with a passion for justice – and that’s a good thing. Indeed, you’ll feel His presence most when you can express these things with freedom and love. Finally, knowing other people’s patterns helps you to empathize and live in harmony with them. As you learn about their patterns you become more patient with those whose sins are different from yours. For example, you can make sure “helpers” don’t always get stuck in the “serving” mode, and encourage “peacemakers” to speak honestly when they’re angry. Our goal should be to take off our religious masks, strengthen one another in our areas of struggle, and do it in a gracious, nonjudgmental way. When we know and accept ourselves and others, we can walk together in love. “Speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up.” Only then are we free to become the best version of ourselves – God’s hand-signed edition.
Soul food: Deut 18:9-18; Dan 2; Isa 47:5-15; Acts 16:16-34
