Hello My Friend/Guest,

Today is Thursday January 14, 2010 and we are reading through the Bible in a year. Today's message comes from the reading of the Book of Genesis chapters 40-42. If you would like to read the chapters along with us here online you can Click Here to read them or copy & paste this URL onto your browser: http://www.readytofollow.com/bible-january-14

How we handle difficult circumstances now determines our fate for the future. Although God is in control of all things, He does give us a chance to make the right decisions before it is too late and we are suffering from making the wrong ones. For instance, Joseph was deceived by his brothers, sold as a slave, and put in prison for a crime he did not commit. He could have been bitter and angry, blaming God for his problems, yet he remained positive and faithful to God, knowing that one day this too would come to pass. Eleven years would come to pass before Joseph had the opportunity to be freed from prison. He was called by Pharaoh to interpret some dreams that he had, “And it came to pass in the morning that his spirit was troubled; and he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt, and all the wise men thereof: and Pharaoh told them his dream; but there was none that could interpret them unto Pharaoh..........And there was there with us a young man, an Hebrew, servant to the captain of the guard; and we told him, and he interpreted to us our dreams; to each man according to his dream he did interpret. And it came to pass, as he interpreted to us, so it was; me he restored unto mine office, and him he hanged. Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him hastily out of the dungeon: and he shaved himself, and changed his raiment, and came in unto Pharaoh. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I have dreamed a dream, and there is none that can interpret it: and I have heard say of thee, that thou canst understand a dream to interpret it. And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, It is not in me: God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace.” - Genesis 40:8,12-16. Often, God will speak to us in a dream to guide or warn us of things that are about to take place in order to prepare us for what is to come. Want to know what your dreams mean? Ask God, He will explain it to you.

Because the Lord interpreted the dreams through Joseph, Pharaoh acknowledged him as the wisest man, making him second in command in all of Egypt. “And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Forasmuch as God hath shewed thee all this, there is none so discreet and wise as thou art: Thou shalt be over my house, and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled: only in the throne will I be greater than thou. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, See, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt. And Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand, and put it upon Joseph's hand, and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck; And he made him to ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried before him, Bow the knee: and he made him ruler over all the land of Egypt.” - Genesis 41:39-43. Joseph is a reminder to all of us that the enemies of God can not defeat the person who desires to be obedient to Him, regardless of what circumstances we face. God is in control of the affairs of our lives, even when we remain faithful to Him, we may endure months, or even years of hardship as though He is not with us. However, He is in fact with us and preparing us to be able to handle the blessings in store for us when our trials come to pass. Do you want to know why Christian's do not win the lottery? Because they would not know how to handle so much money all at once and it will also keep us from following God's Will. However, if He gave it to us little by little we would be prepared as well as grow as a Christian. The faithless critic blames God for his problems and complains: "Why me?" However, God has amazing ways of developing our talents and maturing us spiritually through difficult times, if we remain faithful to Him.

Just as Joseph's fate was changed for the good, his brothers fate was changed for the bad. There was a famine in the land just as Joseph revealed to Pharaoh from his dream and it had spread abroad and was now in the land of Canaan. Jacob sent his sons, except of Benjamin, to Egypt to get food and when Joseph saw them he confronted him, but not revealing himself as their brother. “And Joseph knew his brethren, but they knew not him. And Joseph remembered the dreams which he dreamed of them, and said unto them, Ye are spies; to see the nakedness of the land ye are come............ If ye be true men, let one of your brethren be bound in the house of your prison: go ye, carry corn for the famine of your houses: But bring your youngest brother unto me; so shall your words be verified, and ye shall not die. And they did so. And they said one to another, We are verily guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon us.” - Genesis 42:8,9,19-21. Joseph's brothers probably never got over the fact that they deceived their brother as well as their father, but now realized that the trouble they were facing was the result of what they had done thirteen years ago. This is a reminder that everything we do comes back to us whether it be for good or bad, no matter how long it takes. We have a choice to make, if we want blessings and rewards to come to us we need to treat others the way we want to be treated.

Enjoy the rest of your day/night and God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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