With God in charge, we can be filled with courage. God will guide us through the problems we face in our lives. We should expect God to display HIs power in carrying out His will. As we connect God’s purposes to our life’s purposes, we benefit from His sovereign care for us. (Esther)
Esau traded the lasting benefits of his birthright for the immediate pleasure of food. He acted impulsively, satisfying his immediate desires without pausing to think about the long-term consequences of his decision.
We can fall into the same trap. When we see something we really want, our first impulse is to get it. At first we feel happy because we have grabbed what we wanted. But immediate pleasure doesn’t last. We can avoid Esau’s mistake by comparing short-term pleasures with its long-term consequences before we act impulsively. (Genesis 25:27-34)
As a slave & prisoner, Joseph could have seen his situation as hopeless. Instead, he did his best with each small assignment given him. His positive attitude & hard work were soon noticed by the prison warden, who promoted Joseph to prison administrator.
Are you facing a tough & overwhelming situation? At home, at work, or at school, follow Joseph’s example by taking each small task & doing your very best. Don’t ever forget how God turned Joseph’s situation into something tremendously good!! God will see your efforts & can reverse overwhelming odds. (Genesis 39:21-23)
When Judah was younger, he had showed no concern for his brother Joseph or his father, Jacob. First he had convinced his brothers to sell Joseph as a slave. Then he had joined his brothers in lying to his father about Joseph’s life.
However, people can grow up & change! The young man who had sold one favored little brother into slavery offered to become a slave to save another little brother. Judah was so concerned for his father & younger brother that he was willing to die for them!
When you are ready to give up hope on yourself or someone else, remember that God can work a complete change in even the most selfish personality. God is in the “change business.” He can take selfishness & self-centeredness and turn it into something good for His Kingdom. (Genesis 44:14-34)
God rescued Israel through Moses & through mighty miracles. The Passover celebration is an annual reminder of their escape from slavery in Egypt.
God delivers us from the slavery of sin…Jesus Christ celebrated the Passover with HIs disciples at the Last Supper…Jesus went on to rescue us from sin by dying in our place.
Thank you Almighty God for giving Christians forgiveness, grace, hope & a future with Him in Heaven through His Living Son Jesus Christ!!!! (Exodus)
Although Joseph’s brothers had wanted to get rid of him, God used their evil actions to fulfill HIs ultimate plan. God had sent Joseph ahead to preserve their lives, save Egypt & prepare the way for the beginning of the nation of Israel. (Genesis 45:4-8)
God is sovereign. His plans are not dictated by human actions. When others intend evil toward you, remember that they are only God’s tools. As Joseph said to his brothers, “You planned evil against me. God planned it for good to bring about the present result, the survival of many people.” (Genesis 50:20)
God has a plan for each one of us. He has a plan for our lives. Each person is not the same, so every plan is a little different. God wants us to follow His plan for our lives. But we can easily start developing & following our own plan. We need to pray, read God’s Word every day & seek His plan for our lives. Jeremiah 29:11-13 says:
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”
God wants to give us a hope & a future. We need to do our part & cry out to God in prayer. Then God will listen. We will find God’s plan as we seek Him with all of our hearts.
I love my country! The United States of America is the greatest country in the world. The greatest place to live & work. Home of the free because we have the brave to make it so. I am also an eternal optimist. The glass is always always half full, or more. But I am concerned about this great country. We have turned away from God at an alarming pace. Because we have turned our backs on God, God will turn His backs on us. Just like He did with the Greeks, Romans, Medes, Persians, Germans, Russians, & every other significant power that ever existed; when they turned away from God, God allowed them to get what they deserved. Destruction. Devastation. Becoming less significant on the world stage until eventually becoming just another country or even being totally wiped off theface of the world. The US is still the leader of the world. By far, the most pwerful country in the world. But we need to heed 2 Chronicles 7:14 and return to God before we are a weak or forgotten country like all of the other former world powers!
We are going to have tough days. All of us. Guaranteed. But how we handle the tough days is up to us. Is today God’s day or is it mine? Is God in charge or am I running the show? If God is in charge of our lives & we are letting Him call the shots, God will give us strength to get through the day. God is with us all the time. He will never leave us. He is always there, always faithful. Give Jesus control of your life. Give Him the stick.
Words from a JESUS Fan 