“You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated. In fact, it may be necessary to encounter the defeats, so you can know who you are, what you can rise from, how you can still come out of it.”
GENESIS 41
33“And now let Pharaoh look for a discerning and wise man and put him in charge of the land of Egypt. 34Let Pharaoh appoint commissioners over the land to take a fifth of the harvest of Egypt during the seven years of abundance. 35They should collect all the food of these good years that are coming and store up the grain under the authority of Pharaoh, to be kept in the cities for food. 36This food should be held in reserve for the country, to be used during the seven years of famine that will come upon Egypt, so that the country may not be ruined by the famine.”
37The plan seemed good to Pharaoh and to all his officials. 38So Pharaoh asked them, “Can we find anyone like this man, one in whom is the spirit of Goda ?”
39Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one so discerning and wise as you. 40You shall be in charge of my palace, and all my people are to submit to your orders. Only with respect to the throne will I be greater than you.”(41:33-40)MATTHEW 13:1-32
18“Listen then to what the parable of the sower means:19When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path.20The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. 21But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. 22The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. 23But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”
JOURNAL
Joseph just kept on being Joseph. Devoted to God, humble and consistent. Two years after the cupbearer failed to tell Pharaoh about Joseph...Pharoah has a dream that no-one can interpret and the cupbearer remembers Joseph.
Then he gets his chance and he is honored and put in charge of ALL of Egypt. To really put that in perspective is like a prisoner becoming President of the United States in one day. What a story...what a God! Yet this is the way God works, when things seem absolutely at their worst God as only God can...comes through.
Thinking through it further...it really is the parable of the seed...Joseph is the good soil that took the seed, understood it and it produced a crop many times more than what was sown. It wasn't because Joseph suddenly had a change of heart...no...Joseph remained the same throughout the 15+ year ordeal. Joseph was faithful and when the timing was right, God flipped the switch.
Then he gets his chance and he is honored and put in charge of ALL of Egypt. To really put that in perspective is like a prisoner becoming President of the United States in one day. What a story...what a God! Yet this is the way God works, when things seem absolutely at their worst God as only God can...comes through.
Thinking through it further...it really is the parable of the seed...Joseph is the good soil that took the seed, understood it and it produced a crop many times more than what was sown. It wasn't because Joseph suddenly had a change of heart...no...Joseph remained the same throughout the 15+ year ordeal. Joseph was faithful and when the timing was right, God flipped the switch.
7Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. 8Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. 9Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
GALATIANS 6:7-9
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