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Christian Devotional – November 20, 2018
Have a plan. Work the plan. As Joseph was telling Pharaoh all about the plan that he had for helping the people get through the upcoming years of famine, then Pharaoh put him in charge. So what does Joseph do? Joseph executes the plan the he had been given by God. Thus Joseph stored up grain in great abundance like the sand of the sea, until he stopped measuring it, for it was beyond measure. Genesis 41:49 NASB https://bible.com/bible/100/gen.41.49.NASB These certainly were years of great abundance. Joseph stored grain in every city and the grain is described as being so great an abundance that they stopped measuring it because it…
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Christian Devotional – November 16, 2018
Joseph gets a promotion. After years and years of moving backwards down the ladder of success, all of a sudden Joseph is catapulted to the second from the top rung. Read Genesis 41:40-46 You shall be over my house, and according to your command all my people shall do homage; only in the throne I will be greater than you.” Genesis 41:40 NASB https://bible.com/bible/100/gen.41.40.NASB New job, new name, new status, new wife. All of a sudden all the things that God had promised him came into being. God doesn’t have to move through traditional channels to get things done. He just gets done what he wants to get done and…
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Christian Devotional – November 15, 2018
Give credit. We saw, a few days ago, how Joseph made sure to explain to Pharaoh exactly who was the one who would be interpreting the dreams that Pharaoh had. Now it’s Pharaoh’s turn to acknowledge God’s hand in this. Read Genesis 41:38-40 So Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has informed you of all this, there is no one so discerning and wise as you are. Genesis 41:39 NASB https://bible.com/bible/100/gen.41.39.NASB Because Joseph acknowledged God’s power to interpret dreams, Pharaoh gave the credit to God as well. However, he went a step further and recognized the wisdom that Joseph had because he listens to God. Pharaoh had probably seen several…
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Christian Devotional – November 14, 2018
Go above and beyond. Joseph was brought to Pharaoh’s presence because God interprets dreams through Joseph. But Joseph didn’t stop there. Read Genesis 41:17-36 Now let Pharaoh look for a man discerning and wise, and set him over the land of Egypt. Genesis 41:33 NASB https://bible.com/bible/100/gen.41.33.NASB Pharaoh told Joseph his dreams, and then Joseph interpreted them. But he didn’t stop there. Joseph had some advice and he dared to go agead and share that too. It’s crazy, if you think about it. The prisoner/ slave daring to tell the Pharaoh advice on what to do. Joseph was bold. He had thoughts and a plan and he shared them. Do we…
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Christian Devotional – November 13, 2018
The pressure is on, so how will you answer the difficult questions? Joseph has been hurried from the prison, told to get presentable and led before Pharaoh himself. Pharaoh tells Joseph why he has been sent for and Joseph has that moment to decide how to respond. Read Genesis 41:14-16 Joseph then answered Pharaoh, saying, “It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh a favorable answer.” Genesis 41:16 NASB https://bible.com/bible/100/gen.41.16.NASB Even with all the glory and splendor of Pharaoh’s court and the excitement of being out of prison, Joseph continues to give glory to God for being the true one who gives answers. Just like he has done throughout…
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Christian Devotional – November 12, 2018
God works behind the scenes. Sometimes we tend to think that we should know everything that God is doing, but his plan is so far reaching and vast that we can’t see exactly what God is doing. It all comes together for Joseph in Genesis 41:1-13 and Joseph doesn’t even know it. Then the chief cupbearer spoke to Pharaoh, saying, “I would make mention today of my own offenses. Genesis 41:9 NASB https://bible.com/bible/100/gen.41.9.NASB Pharaoh had a dream. He called all his magicians and wise men to help tell him what the dream meant, but nothing worked. Then, the very last person that Pharaoh would have expected ended up having words…
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Christian Devotional – November 11, 2018
How long do you expect to wait on God? A day, a week? We have such short timelines and expectations of when we think God should act. What was a timeframe for Joseph? See Genesis 41:1 Now it happened at the end of two full years that Pharaoh had a dream, and behold, he was standing by the Nile. Genesis 41:1 NASB https://bible.com/bible/100/gen.41.1.NASB Joseph had gotten his hopes up that the cupbearer would plead his case to Pharaoh. He was probably thinking every morning, “Today might be the day that the cupbearer’s story will result in me getting out of here.” Nothing. A week, a month, several months go by…
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Christian Devotional – November 10, 2018
Have you ever felt forgotten? With everything that goes on in life and in the world, it’s easy to get caught up with all the daily stuff and wonder if people remember us. Joseph knew what it felt like to be forgotten. Read Genesis 40:20-23. Yet the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph, but forgot him. Genesis 40:23 NASB https://bible.com/bible/100/gen.40.23.NASB Joseph had done something amazing. These two prisoners had told him their dreams and Joseph, through the power of God, had interpreted those dreams. And then everything came about exactly as Joseph had told them it would. That wouldn’t be something you would forget right away, right? Unfortunately, that’s exactly…
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Christian Devotional – November 9, 2018
It’s hard to deliver bad news. No one just really loves telling people difficult things, but sometimes we make the mistake of not giving feedback when we should simply because it’s not what the person wants to hear. Read Genesis 40:16-19. within three more days Pharaoh will lift up your head from you and will hang you on a tree, and the birds will eat your flesh off you.” Genesis 40:19 NASB https://bible.com/bible/100/gen.40.19.NASB Pharaoh’s chief Baker had a dream too. He shared his dream with Joseph, especially after having been encouraged by hearing such a favorable interpretation of the chief cupbearer’s dream. However, Joseph did not have nearly as good…
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Christian Devotional – November 6, 2018
“If you don’t know, I’m not going to tell you.” Have you ever heard that phrase, or said that phrase? People often spend time assuming that others are doing nothing else besides thinking about what “I” need. I guarantee you, people think about us much less than we give them credit for. They are too busy wondering what you’re thinking about them. So, if we want something, we need to ask. Read Genesis 40:8-15. Only keep me in mind when it goes well with you, and please do me a kindness by mentioning me to Pharaoh and get me out of this house. Genesis 40:14 NASB https://bible.com/bible/100/gen.40.14.NASB The chief cupbearer…