“So Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, “It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh an answer of peace” (Genesis 41:16).
The Bible is one complete picture. The illustration goes as follows, we mess up, God restores. How does man mess up? The Lord tells us in Jeremiah 17:9, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it.” Since man has embraced this “follow your heart” mentality it only makes sense that we are wicked and heading toward a wicked direction. How glorious it is that Jesus plants Himself in this same heart and cleans it out!
The point? What are you looking for? What is your drive? May it be Jesus. James 1:17 tells us that every good thing comes from the Lord. The good things of this world are gifts, and gifts from the Lord. We receive and we rest, He does the work. If every good thing is from the Lord, than that which is not good is not from the Lord. God does not tempt us, neither does He cast evil upon us. Look at Joseph and the situation that led up to this point. It was the fact that man is sinful that caused him to be put in that situation of imprisonment. It was the jealousy of his brothers, the lust of Potipher’s wife, and the selfishness of the
Now consider the words of Joseph, “It is not me; God will give Pharaoh an answer of peace.” God is a God of peace. Your choice to follow Jesus will bring you division from the world and division with the world, but ultimately peace with God.
“It is not in me…” What was not in Joseph? Power was not in Joseph. Power to interpret, power to solve the situation was far from Joseph. Once again, what is in the heart of man is ultimately evil!
“…answer of peace.” Our Lord came to create division from the world that we may know peace. I do not know how hectic your life can feel. I do not know if you ever feel over your head with burdens. Remember, it is not in you, but an answer of peace is coming. This answer may even come through you like it did Joseph. Jeremiah 29:11 tells us, “I know the thoughts I think towards you,” says the Lord, “thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.”
7 comments:
WOW! Josephs life was like a roller coaster the time! He was up high one moment, and then drooped like a pair of baggy jeans!
Jeremiah 29:11 is such an encouraging verse. I like the NIV version a lot:
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
I never knew that Joseph got married! That is pretty cool, but why does it seem like evryone in the Bible, so far , has had boy.
Grils weren't important in those days, so they didn't always get counted
:P
OH SURE!!!!!!!!!!! Girls where importint too you know. If there weren't any girls, there wouldn't be any of these boys to speak of.
Thats not what I meant. They werent considred that important so they were not always recorded in the bible. I wan't saying that they kill'ed girls. I think that the only daughter of Jacob that got recorded was a few chapters back because of the incedent. Jacob probably had more daughters, but there wasn't much need to record them.
YEAH,TRUE
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