Genesis 39

Abba Father, we praise You and worship Your holy name Ancient of Days. May Your name be glorified over our land, governments, communities, nations, families, churches, businesses, work places and all that concerns us in the name of Jesus. Thank you for gift of life for You are our very own breath of life. We glorify and magnify You LORD God. Thank you for all that You are and for all that You have been to each to all of us as sons and daughters. As we enter this new week, we receive every spiritual blessing in Christ Jesus that You have prepared for us as Your children in the name of Jesus. Holy Spirit may You open up our hearts, refresh us and open the eyes of our understanding as we read and share the Word. Help us to be both be hearers and doers of the Word. We join our faith and ask that You lead us not into temptation but deliver us from all evil in the name of Jesus, Amen. Thank you LORD.

Today's Word is coming from Genesis 39 and here we see Joseph's new reality as a slave in Egypt in a high ranking officer's home called Potiphar. Genesis 39:1 says, Potiphar was an officer of Pharaoh and a captain of the guard. Genesis 39:2 reads, "The LORD was with Joseph and he was a successful man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian." In the previous post, we saw how God's ways are higher than our ways. We know through Joseph's dreams that God called Joseph to be someone great, but the greatness God promised Joseph came in a very unexpected way. I'm sure we both can agree that no one would have imagined greatness to translate to rejection from your family and sold into slavery in a foreign land but in God's perfect ways, this is was all alignment to what God had promised to do through Joseph's life for His glory.

In fact, Genesis 39:2 tells us that Joseph was a successful man. From a human perspective, Joseph was a slave. In God's perspective, Joseph was not only a successful man but he was a leader who also carried the blessing that brought prosperity into Potiphar's house. Genesis 39:4 alludes further to this and reads, "So Joseph found favor in his sight, and served him. Then he made him overseer of his house, and all that he had put under his authority." Joseph's story demonstrates the importance of holding onto what God says about you as opposed to what people say or what you even think about yourself because ultimately the most important determinant of your destiny are God's thoughts and promises concerning your life. Joseph's story also highlights to us the importance of holding unto God's promises with faithfulness and without complaints. No where is it written that Joseph complained of any of the negative circumstances around his life. This does not mean that he never experienced pain but he I believe he trusted and had faith in God more than what his eyes saw at the time.

Joseph's life may also be contrasted with Jesus Christ's earthly ministry. The gospels elucidate that Jesus sent by the Father God, came with a heart posture to serve and to do the Father's will. Genesis 20:28 NKJV reads, "Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many."

Unfortunately, for Joseph the enemy returned with temptations for Joseph through Potiphar's wife. Genesis 39:7 says, "And it came to pass after these things that his master's wife cast longing eyes on Joseph, and she said, "Lie with me." Joseph's declined to all of her requests and in response he told her, "...How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?" (Genesis 39:9). Joseph's honored and respected his master, Potiphar but even more importantly, his response shows us that Joseph feared to sin against God more than anything. This was not a fear based on God sending fire from heaven and striking Joseph dead. Instead, this fear of God was born out of a heart that reveres and loves God consequently pleasing Him and doing His will. Joseph's story is an illustration that the reverential fear of God holds the power to aid God's children from temptation.

When Potiphar's wife saw she was not getting her way with Joseph, she falsely accused him of rape (Genesis 39:14-15). Joseph was then put in a prison where the king's prisoners were confined (Genesis 39:20).

The next verse tells us that God was still with Joseph in prison and gave him mercy and favor with the keeper of the prison who entrusted everything to his care and as expected, everything Joseph did prospered (Genesis 39:21-23). Again, it is not written that Joseph complained.

I'll end with this Word found in Hebrews 12:1-2 (NKJV)

1."Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,

2."Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."

AMEN. Thank you LORD.

Invitation to salvation: I invite you to make this confession that invites you to new covenant of love that is found in the precious blood of Jesus Christ where we get to have a personal relationship with God, the Father and are kept safe in all of His blessings for His children:

"I believe with my heart and confess with my mouth that; Jesus Christ, the Son of God came in a human body to die for my sins so that I could have a new life where I am dead to sin and alive to God. I repent of my past sins and enter the Kingdom of light where I choose relationship with Jesus Christ as my Lord and Saviour and with God as my loving Father today and forever." AMEN.

Congratulations, by grace you are saved and are now a new creation in Christ Jesus. The old life has passed away and you have received the free gift of salvation into your life (2 Corinthians 5:17) where you get to freely access everything I've shared in this post. To the glory of the Almighty God. Amen.

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PS: In case you have not already, please remember to read Genesis 39 alongside this post in your personal devotional time and share your thoughts in the comments below!