A cupbearer was the person who tasted the wine and food of the king before he ate or drank. That way, if it was poisoned, “So long, cupbearer,” but “Long live Pharaoh!” He also would not allow poorly prepared food to be served . . .
Read MoreTag Archives: Genesis
God’s Strategy
Twice we read in that short account, “The Lord was with Joseph.” Joseph began to see the hand of God in his prison experience. In what could have been the direst of positions, the dreariest of places, Joseph prospered.
Read MoreHis Unknown Ways
If anybody knew about unfair treatment, about a false accusation, about being an innocent victim on the receiving end, it was Joseph. First, he received unfair treatment from his family. His brothers hated him.
Read MoreThe Personal Ramifications
Imagine what must have been going through Joseph’s mind at this point, shortly after he was incarcerated. He was not only innocent, he had resisted blatant temptation over and over again.
Read MoreRun for Your Life!
The appeal of sensual lust works like a magnet, drawing two ”sudden and fierce” forces toward each other—inner desire and an outer bait. Let’s face it, you can’t escape the bait if you live in the real world.
Read MoreLessons in Adversity
This is a good time to call to mind several lessons we can learn from Jacob’s family and Joseph’s adversity. The first is obvious. No enemy is more subtle than passivity. When parents are passive, they may eventually discipline . . .
Read MoreGod’s Training Manual
Before we get better acquainted with Joseph, let’s take a quick glance at some background information. It will help if you remember that his biography falls neatly into three distinct segments.
Read MoreGod Means It for Good
After a lengthy bout with despair, severe depression, and suicide attempts, writer and poet William Cowper (1731–1800) discovered comfort in God’s providence, which led him to write “Shining out of Darkness.”
Read MoreGod Alone Knows Our Future
The longer we walk with the Lord, the more we realize that we really don’t know what each new day may bring. A phone call can come in the middle of the night shattering our joy. Suddenly everything changes.
Read MoreThe Tune of Self-Interest
After Adam and Eve disobeyed God for the first time—and sin entered the world—it didn’t take long for them to begin looking out for number one. Enter self-interest.
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