Introduction
After spending years in self-imposed spiritual exile, I finally
“Came to my senses, and came home.”
During those days, wandering aimlessly in some kind of spiritual
wilderness, there were times when I was at the outer edge of despair.
Because of the patient, gracious love of God and some friends who
kept my name before Him in prayer, I finally decided: “Enough of this
nonsense!” So I came back
to my Christian “home.”
When that took place, it followed almost logically that I
should turn again to reading the Bible. I’d been away for so long, I’d almost forgotten what that was
like. Just to read. And
think. And pray. And listen. It was
like I’d raised the windows of my mind and fresh breezes began to blow
through. The discoveries I
made refreshed my hope, restored my desire to serve, awakened me when
everyone who had “written me off” would have had good reason to do
so. But I’ve
read the final chapter, and I know the Author and outcome of this story. And no matter what happens in my little corner of the world, or
on an increasingly grave international scene, I am confident of this
fact: “THE LORD GOD
OMNIPOTENT REIGNS.” He
also loves, and heals, and forgives, and restores those who call upon
Him.
Another thing that happened was I developed a strong, growing
impression to share some things which have been giving me hope and
encouragement. Perhaps it
is out of a desire to verbalize and confirm this for my own benefit. Then, too, since God knows who is reading this right now (or
shall someday), and what their own needs may be, He may have been the
“author and finisher” of this project.
That has been (and remains) my prayer since I began to think in
the direction of “A BOOK.” It
would fulfill my greatest ambition if something you read here helps lift
your heart, renew your courage and commitment, and strengthen your
faith. I’ve not yet come to what I view is an accurate, complete and
honest assessment of the “Hebrew heroes without their haloes” about
whom I write, so I’m going to take some more time to meditate.
Hope you will, too. We can learn a lot!
In a nutshell, that pretty much capsulates my reason for writing
“God’s Comeback Kids.”
There are so many interesting ways of studying Scripture.
My approach in this project is just one of them.
Specifically, I’m thinking about some people in the Bible whose
lives provided help and hope for me personally.
If you “hang with me” in this venture, it will involve your
reading about them in a broader context.
And perhaps viewing them (and yourself) in a new light. I recommend that the Bible be your primary source and that you
see what it says before you worry about someone else’s interpretation.
Then you can draw your own conclusions.
Thus, may I introduce you to some of
GOD’S COMEBACK KIDS?
DON KIMREY, North Topsail Beach,
N.C. ~ May 10, 2009
Mother’s Day
The first of God’s “Comeback Kids” to come to my mind is
Joseph of Egypt. His
story begins in the thirty-seventh chapter of Genesis. In re-reading the
story of his life, I’m also remembering the things that happened to
him: The conditions under
which he lived. The ways he
got kicked around, used, and knocked down repeatedly.
Perhaps, more importantly for us, is the way he handled the way
he was treated. And how he
dealt with those who “done him wrong.”
Ask yourself: “How
in the world did he overcome obstacles that could and probably should
have overcome and overwhelmed any other average person?”
And, for your consideration, these questions: What did the way he
handled adversity have to do with his restoration and return to
prosperity and a life of service which earned him a place in a FAITH
HEROES HALL OF FAME? How did his immense suffering affect the way he behaved when
he got through his trials of faith?
Did his failures and successes have any effect on anyone other
than himself?
I’ve also tried to imagine how his family dynamic ever
deteriorated to the point where his brothers turned on him the way they
did. Jacob, after all, became known as Israel, and in a
sense was a ‘father’ of his nation.
His sons, (Joseph’s older brothers) about whom we read some
not-so-flattering reports, were THE HEADS of the Tribes of Israel!
Not only were they jealous and resentful. They were going to kill Joseph, their younger brother.
(That, itself, should be a lesson against jealousy and hatred.
It is nothing in the world if it isn’t the seed of murder.
Murder is the final, fatal fruit of hatred, when it is turned
loose to run its course.). As
the gravity of what they were doing weighed heavily upon them, the
brothers had a change of strategy, even if their attitudes were not
corrected. Then they did the next worst thing: They tortured Joseph. Threw him into a deep well in the
desert. They got cold feet,
drew Joseph out later in the day and when a straggling band of nomad
traders ambled by, they sold their own brother at a bargain basement,
discount price! And when they went home later that afternoon, with sorrowing
heads hanging down, they handed their Dad the fabled “coat of many
colors” (perhaps the most
famous tailor made sport jacket in history!) with yet another
added…the color of blood.
I wondered how it came to that.
It appears that Jacob clearly was very partial to Joseph.
Spoiled him, perhaps. Did you ever see the Smothers Brothers on
television? I used to laugh
at how Tommy always tried to explain any deficiency on his part by
telling Dickie: “Mom
always liked you best.” Even
if it’s just a perception, parental favoritism does exacerbate sibling
rivalry. Perhaps it’s a good lesson for parents to try to be
even-handed and distribute affection evenly without showing favor.
There’s also the very evident fact that Joseph wasn’t a
humble little guy. He could
strut, even while sitting down, in his new sport jacket and was also
boastful in letting the other brothers know his dad had it made
“special” for him. Tailor-made
the sport jacket just for him. He flaunted his special coat and special gifts and taunted the
older other brothers with his revelation that he’d had some very
convincing dreams about how he would someday be in charge of them.
“Yeah, right.” I
can hear the brothers muttering and cursing under their breaths.
“ You little jerk. You
spoiled brat!”
Their resentment had long simmered and grown and boiled and
seethed beneath the surface, and that hot day out under the desert sun,
it boiled over. Their anger
erupted like an angry volcano! As you read the story, you don’t have to have too vivid an
imagination to be able to recreate the events when they finally ambushed
him out in the desert.
Joseph was caught completely off guard! “Hey! Cut it out, you
guys! This isn’t funny! I’m gonna tell Dad!”
He was innocent, young, and naïve. . . but he must have been
terribly annoying at the very least.
And “Little Joey,” they must have snarled, “doesn’t have
a clue!” They’d had
enough. “You little
twerp!” Talk about being
blind-sided? From out of
nowhere, like a bolt of lightning and a deafening clap of thunder, his
life was completely changed.
Life has a way sometimes of charging hard at us like that!
I’m not sure who caused it, but you don’t have to be a
certified genius in human relations to understand some of the family
dynamics and mechanics going on here. From the time of Cain and Abel we’ve known that sibling rivalry
can sometimes turn deadly. That
there is a mean streak, venomous, vile, violent and deadly as a cobra,
in some people. We’ve
also learned that otherwise selfish, cowardly, unthinking people can
summon bravery in a crowd, which they could never possess individually.
Most bullies inside are cowards.
\Hyenas run in packs and are usually cowardly when isolated and
cornered. This was not a new thing under the sun that day in the desert.
So, the brothers ambushed Joseph.
In my imagination, I can almost visualize the scene. Out in the middle of nowhere. No one heard his cries for help. Nobody took up for him. The
incredible odds against him left him without even the chance of a
snowball beneath the blazing desert sun that day. It was anything but a fair fight. Joseph didn’t have a chance to defend himself. And they dropped him into a well.
I don’t know how deep or how dark or damp the well it was. Or how long the brothers left him down there. But I’ve read
stories of little guys who fell into wells.
Entire communities have come to a halt. And combined their energy and resources and worked together
tirelessly for days to try to rescue the little fella from a well.
Television and news reporters, and lights, crews of unselfish
volunteers and cameras, and rescue dogs, and helicopters. . . just to
find and rescue one little life. Along with many others glued to their tee vee sets, I’ve also
sat and watched and waited, and hoped, and prayed. And always joined the excited celebration when the little one was
rescued.
No such thing happened for young Joseph that day, though. As I read the account and pondered, I could almost hear his
wails echoing up along the stone walls in the well.
I could envision young “Joey” looking up, seeing the
silhouettes of the heads and shoulders of his brothers as shadows
against the light of the afternoon sky.
Screaming up to them for help.
Hearing them taunt him and then watching as they turned away and
left him there. “Come on, guys! Cut
it Out! Get me outta’
here! You’ve had your
fun!”
His cries for help echoed against the walls and died flat on the
desert sand. How do you
suppose Joseph felt then? How
have you felt when someone whom you loved and trusted turned on you?
If that kind of thing ever figured in your “fading”
spiritually, doesn’t this little episode help to put things back in a
little better perspective?
I’m not really certain how much such a thought would help. When I suffer, it hurts.
And telling me my pain isn’t as bad as someone else’s
doesn’t do much for me. Or
telling me my pain and
problems aren’t the worst anyone ever suffered.
However, if I look honestly and objectively at situations, I can
understand I’m not alone. And
there are options. I
don’t have to quit in despair! Those
who fight hard and win eventually tell me there’s hope for me.
Especially when I see someone as decent as Joseph facing such an
ordeal and then, after years of being down and out he comes shining
through. He did it! You
and I can, too. That’s
the kind of message consistently conveyed in Scripture! Do you recall
reading Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar in school?
Remember the plot to kill the ruler?
Do the lines “Beware the Ides of March,” and “Et tu,
Brute,” still sound a bit familiar?
When the plot to
assassinate Caesar was pulled off, perhaps the biggest surprise and pain
was when a fatal wound was inflicted on him by his trusted friend:
“You, too, Brutus” (Et
tu, Brute? My Latin teacher would be proud that I remembered that
phrase.), Julius cried in
disbelief as he died. Betrayal
at the hands of a loved, trusted friend?!
I know that sounds familiar to some who will read and ponder
these lines. If it hasn’t
happened yet, you may consider this a warning.
Have you ever been hurt really bad by anyone?
By someone this close to you?
By anyone as badly as this must have hurt?
Were you angry? Afraid? Horrified?
You bet your life! It must have seared Joseph’s soul and left
scars that lasted the rest of his life.
Talk about trauma? Disappointment?
How’s that just for starters!?
This may have been the first, but certainly wasn’t the last or
the worst of the calamities to befall the young man who emerged later as
a spiritual giant and became known to history as Joseph of Egypt.
Now, if you understand anything at all about Scripture, I hope
you will grasp this fact and clutch it forever closely to your heart:
These stories are not recorded just to add to your bank of
information. They’re not
there to entertain or excite your imagination.
They weren’t told simply to have you admire great “saints”
and their accomplishments. The
truths are universal and eternal. As
timeless and certain as the love of God.
And they contain principles which we can apply to our own lives.
God knew when this kind of thing happened again that someone,
somewhere, someday (YOU? Or
I?), would face similar challenges.
He wanted us to know about this so we could learn how to deal
with it. We don’t need to
be taught how to just QUIT. Or hate. Or how
to whine and complain. Or
how to blame others for our problems. That’s
just “doing what comes naturally!”
What we (especially this writer) need are lessons in courage. Hope. Faith.
Forgiveness. Determination to continue … no matter what reasons
may arise for us to use as excuses to complain or quit.
Joseph is a great example of what I’m calling
“God’s Comeback Kids.” I
want to know him better. We
need to know him better! Perhaps
he can teach us how to deal with people who’ve betrayed us.
I think he can cure me of self-pity or envy.
(Reference: Genesis 39:1-20)
I’m still trying to figure out how one young guy, well
intentioned, minding his own business, could manage to get himself into
so much trouble!
The Bible states that Joseph was handsome.
He was young. And he must obviously, been quite bright.
Sometimes such assets can quickly become liabilities.
He was bought off the slave block by a high ranking Egyptian
officer, put to work in his owner’s house, He gets noticed fairly
early on, and rises quickly in the ranks.
Potiphar recognizes his ability and promotes him rapidly... But
keep in mind, he is still a slave! He’ll be all right as long as he knows his place.
And stays in it.
Do you notice that a change has been taking place in this young
fellow? Slowly, but
obviously. He doesn’t seem so cocky any more, does he?
He’s developing a sense of confidence, but not arrogance. And it shows. People
don’t dread to see him coming any more like his brothers did.
He’s learning to earn the respect and trust of his peers as
well as his superiors. What’s
taking place? Is he, by
chance, growing? Does
it seem to you that he’s already learning from his bitter experience?
Becoming more mature? In
that sense, has the brutal experience at the hands of his brothers
already begun to mold and shape his character?
Potiphar wasn’t the only one who took notice of the
handsome young Jew. Spoiled
perhaps, bored, no doubt, Mrs. Potiphar takes notice and shows interest.
Before long, she started making subtle moves on Joseph.
Who, you remember is probably in his late teens at this time.
I doubt he’d ever even dated a girl.
He’s a strapping young man.
Red blood and testosterone are flowing freely.
The more he tries to politely ignore her, the more aggressive she
becomes. There’s nothing to indicate he’s less than masculine, so my
guess is that when a pretty lady starts flirting with him he’s
flattered. As any
red-blooded male would be, if he tells truth.
As she "ratchets the pressure up a few notches," Joseph
isn’t sure what to do. His pulse is pounding.
His heart is racing. But
he’s not dumb! He knows
the possibility of peril as well as pleasure inherent in this
opportunity. And, if he has
the good sense I give him credit for having, he’s probably a bit
psyched out. To put it
bluntly: He’s also
frightened.
Keep several things in mind as you contemplate his current
dilemma. One is that he
hasn’t read The Ten Commandments.
They hadn’t been written at this time.
Moses wouldn’t even be born for years and his trip to the top
of Mount Sinai was generations and miles away.
So Joseph hadn’t even heard the words: “Thou salt not commit
adultery.” But somehow,
somewhere, that information was carved into his consciousness and his
conscience. Please don’t
ask me how he knew, because I honestly have no idea.
But he knew what was about to happen ought not happen, and he
tried as gracefully as he could to avoid getting further involved.
Remember: This was
not just his boss’s wife. It
was his Owner’s wife!!
Keep in mind, too, that Joseph probably wasn’t accustomed to
well-dressed ladies. Especially
ones who smelled of sweetly scented, expensive, exotic Egyptian
perfumes. He had a sister.
And there were probably other cousins and girls whom he knew as he grew
up. But they were nomads
and lived mostly in smelly tents around smelly camels. And goats.
I don’t know if the ladies back home then were all wrapped up
head to toe in the kind of things we see nomads and Arabs wearing today
in the Middle East. But it
isn’t likely they were clothed in silk or fine linen, flowing and
accenting their female figures. And
I have an idea the females of his acquaintance back home, back then, and
back when, didn’t take perfumed bubble baths daily, aided by handmaids
or eunuchs. They probably
had hairy legs and “B. O.” BIG
time!! When I thought about
the kind of females whom he’d experienced back home, about the only
thing I could have added to make them less attractive was seeing them
with rotting teeth and dipping snuff.
Just the kinda gal who had everything a man could want. . .
muscles, hairy legs, and a mustache!
Now, abruptly, Joseph encounters a well dressed, probably
sophisticated, lady with only seduction and conquest on her mind.
Ninety-eight or ninety nine percent of the men you and I know
would have been an easy mark for her.
I’ve run this episode through my mind numerous times, and
always come to the same conclusion:
It was a REAL TEST. Without
being salacious or trying to titillate the senses, there are strong
sexual undertones here. Make
no mistake about it. God is
not afraid of sex. He
invented it. He also invented fire. And
butterflies and morning glories. And
hummingbirds and hornets and rattlesnakes, and a host of other things
which can be useful or beautiful, helpful or harmful . . . or absolutely
disastrous if dealt with unwisely or incorrectly. And God expects us to use good sense and judgment in making
the right decisions. His
people should always do the right thing, no matter what the pressure may
be. And invariably, there
is that inerrant sense that warns when something "just ain't
right!" We kid
ourselves if we try to think otherwise.
The thing I hope you’ll keep in mind as you study this
situation is that others have had experiences similar to yours.
As far as I can determine in this case, Joseph was absolutely
innocent. He wasn’t stalking “Mrs.P.”
He wasn’t looking for trouble.
Trouble was looking for him.
If I've ever seen an instance in which someone was not complicit,
this is it. He was set up! He played no role at all in the calamity which was
about to strike.
No matter how he resisted, she persisted and insisted until he
finally ran away. Far from
being a cowardly act, that was the most sensible thing a young man could
have done. . . given that set of circumstances he was facing at the
time. In some cases, the
Bible challenges you to “resist the devil, and he will flee from
you.” (James 4:7)
Or it encourages you to be strong and Stand.
Hold your ground. In
other instances, specifically referring to sexual indiscretion, the
Scripture teaches that the best thing to do is “flee youthful
lusts.” (II Timothy 2:22) Don’t
hang around long to see how strong you can be.
Run! Get away as far
and as fast from the temptation as quickly as you can!
That’s what Joseph did. The
only trouble is, “Ms. Pot” tried to grab onto his arm and he jerked
away. . . leaving his coat. It
was either that, or his arm! He
was learning. Thus, he’s now twice brought an entirely new meaning to the
idea of giving someone “the coat off your back.”
I once read a sermon by an old Scottish minister who remarked
wryly: “It’s better to lose a good cloak than to lose a good
conscience!” (Alexander Maclaren)
Running away didn’t solve this problem, though.
As Joseph fled the scene, the little femme fatale who so recently
had been purring like a kitten began to yell and scream like a banshee!
She was a “cougar” purring, prowling and
stalking young, innocent prey long before it became the current
vogue among some older women seeking younger men.
The soft, honey coated voice suddenly turned shrill and rattled
the rafters of the residence.
At a very early age, Joseph was about to learn what a poet would
pen centuries later; “Heaven
Hath no rage like a love to hatred turned, nor hell a fury like a woman
scorned.” (William Congreve)
Since she couldn’t have him, “Mrs. P” decided she would
have her revenge. Her fangs
and claws were bared. Her
voice was cold and harsh and shrill as she accused the young Jew of
assault, possibly attempted rape. And
it was probably only by the grace of God that her false accusation did
not cost our young friend his life. Knowing very little about ancient
Egyptian law, I am familiar with the theory of the “Divine right of
Kings” and the disregard many in that region then (and now) seem to
have for justice or human life.
Joseph was blind-sided. Wrongly
accused. Falsely arrested. Unjustly imprisoned. It
came down to her word against his.
Whom will the authorities believe?
Whom would you have believed?
Have you ever been an innocent victim of circumstances? Got
pushed, or tripped, or shoved into a bad situation and you got really
racked up and played no role in it?
Someone, perhaps it was even your best friend . . . Lied about
you or betrayed you. That happens. And
there is ample evidence that the male isn’t always the aggressor in
male-female exchanges. When
she didn’t get her way, the honey soaked voice turned sour and vile,
venomous and vindictive. Shaken
to the core, Joseph didn’t realize the storm which was about to burst
upon him.
Later that afternoon, Joseph is probably still shaken in his
quarters when Potiphar’s guards break in and whisk him off to the
“slammer.” He probably doesn’t even have a chance to speak in his own
defense. No phone calls to
his family or his attorney. In
less time than it takes to tell the story, Joseph is thrown into a
dungeon. Potiphar's guards
angrily slam and lock the door and he’s left there in the dark and
stink, alone again in an incredible situation, with only burning,
unanswered questions.
As night descends and darkness deepens in the dungeon, Joseph has
little or no idea about what has happened, or why.
Much less does he know of the years of loneliness and isolation
that will follow. Nor does
he have the faintest notion that from these personal disasters God was
even then working a plan to use him to build a nation and inspire
multitudes after he walks back again into the light, a free man, to
serve.
He’s innocent. He has done NOTHING to deserve the mistreatment being
meted out so mercilessly.
As you can imagine, this incident struck me as being very
delicate. I do not intend
to write carelessly or in poor taste.
I AM attempting to view and present the incidents as they
actually happened. I’ve been asking HOW did our friend get into such a mess.
In my own case, I can’t think of many instances in which I’ve
been an innocent bystander. Usually, I played some role in getting
myself estranged from God or away from His fellowship.
But this young man did nothing wrong.
NOTHING.
Joseph showed incredible self-restraint and integrity.
From the brash young man whom we met not too long ago, we see a
man of strength and character, and moral integrity emerge.
I do not doubt that someone, someday, somewhere will read this
and KNOW this lesson was meant as God’s word to you.
My sincere prayer is that you'll discover the keyto survival as
Joseph did, and that this study will be hopeful and helpful.
A point I think we should consider is this:
Victory does not mean a thing unless there is a real battle, a
struggle. In order to
understand and appreciate winning, I believe you need to be always aware
of the possibility of defeat and the agony of failure. Have you noticed,
too, that the most celebrated victories are the ones which have had the
most at stake and the ones that have been fought the hardest?
No one gets really pumped up or inspired by failures.
Knowing some of what Joseph endured, and the way he “endured
hardness as a good soldier” (II Timothy 2:3) with such style and
grace, in his case, I confess to you that I've often pumped my fist and
nearly shouted: "Yeah!!"
The immediate context is Genesis 50:15-21.
The idea that struck me so forcefully is contained in the very
last chapter, verses 19-21. In
my opinion, it is one of the most beautiful, profound, and hopeful
sentences ever uttered in any language.
It shows me that Joseph has made a complete comeback.
He “gets it!”
At last, Joseph understands what has happened and why it
happened. He discovered
this truth AFTER he’d weathered several storms.
Of cyclonic proportions! Storms
which would have swamped and destroyed perhaps anyone and everyone
tested this way . . . except for the fact which Joseph discovered and
stated.
He didn’t have a clue at the time.
But you do. Because
he’s “been there, done that” and discovered a wise loving God at
work, you can benefit from his experience and his example.
When you’re reading a really interesting story, do you ever run
ahead to see what the outcome will be?
I confess to having done that on occasions.
This was one of them.
Over the years I’d read the entire story of Joseph’s life
several times before, but gave in to the temptation again to be sure
what the outcome would be. I
had a bit of an advantage over Joseph.
I’ve been taught that “the Lord God omnipotent Reigns!”
(Revelation 19:6) But Joseph hadn’t heard those words or anything that
assured him of a good outcome or a happy ending.
As I read the story again, the air has been heavy around Joseph.
I almost felt as if I needed to catch my breath and wished I
could give him some relief. It seemed to me that he’d had one large, crushing
blow after another dealt to him. One
boulder and then another rolled right over him.
I reminded myself that my original, clearly stated purpose was to
provide hope, encouragement, and reason to continue.
But for what seems to be a long, long time, we dealt with one
disappointing problem for Joseph after another. I thought he could use some relief and wished I could have
told him what he taught me looking at his story from this side of
history. I also didn’t
want you to hold your breath till you’re blue in your face and fall
out wondering, worrying, hoping for a positive outcome.
As I searched for that outcome, the restoration and perhaps his
return, something Joseph said later in his life emerged like a bright
ray of hope. It seemed to
me to rise like Mount Everest from the desert floor and tower high over
the plains. The last chapter of Genesis tells what happened when the
circumstances in that region of the world turned the tables on
Joseph’s brothers. At
first, Joseph played a bit of cat and mouse with them.
You can hardly blame him, can you?
He messed with their minds for a while until they had their minds
and their consciences tied in disheveled, guilty knots.
Then he pulled the coup de gras and pulled off his mask: “Hey, guys. It’s
me! Joseph!
I’m alive and well in Egypt and have the power of life and
death. Yep. Over you,
too!”
You could’ve heard a pin drop!
Then they waited for the hammer to drop.
Or a guillotine swishing swiftly, silently through the air before
slicing their heads off! Or
the trapdoor for the gallows to drop from under them to tighten the
noose around their necks with a sudden jerk, and lights out. (But, of
course, the French had no yet appeared on the stage of human history,
much less had they civilized and
refined executions with their sophisticated invention. Nor had the
gallows been invented. Executions were deliberately designed to be
cruel, brutal, slow, and humiliating.)
Reckon they were afraid? That
makes me wish I’d been kinder to my brother, if I’d ever had one!
Here’s the idea: “You
meant it for evil. But God
meant it for good.” Read
it again. Slowly. Thoughtfully.
As you view your life, with its challenges, disappointments,
heartaches, and suffering. . . Would it have any bearing on your
situation if you took that view and came to understand that no matter
what happened, or whose fault it may have been or what their intentions
were. Someone else may have
been meaning evil against you.
BUT GOD MEANS IT FOR GOOD!
Joseph didn’t know that to be true at the time all this was
happening.
Joseph has, with this pronouncement, completed the requirements
to become one of “God’s Comeback Kids.”
He stepped up to the plate with the bases loaded and belted a
grand slam. When he crossed home plate, I feel like whistling, stamping
my feet shouting with joy. I
never saw a more beautiful expression of faith! It wouldn’t have
occurred to me if Joseph hadn’t discovered and displayed the truth in
his own experience. I know
of no single statement in the Old Testament that speaks more eloquently,
more powerfully of hope. If
you’ve been cheated, someone meant to hurt you.
That’s bad. Never
mind, God had a higher, better purpose in mind and when you get through
your present challenges you’re going to be kinder, stronger, more
compassionate than you possibly could have been if you’d never hurt.
Your doctor just told you that you have an incurable illness and
it’s approaching its terminal stage?
Or perhaps someone, or something intends evil for you.
Or maybe you got caught in a downsizing and the company you
served faithfully for years doesn’t need your services anymore?
And they don’t seem to care. You’re history! Someone, or some force, is working against you.
What if you used the insight we just gained from Joseph’s
story?
“YOU MEANT IT FOR EVIL AGAINST
ME, BUT GOD MEANT IT FOR GOOD.”
(Genesis 50:20)
May I make a suggestion? Memorize
that profound idea. It is a
treasure. Perhaps you just
discovered it for the first time.
You discovered it. It’s
yours now. Claim it!
“Behold, I have set before you an open door that no man can shut.”
TO BE CONTINUED
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