Foundations Week 5, Day 1

Scripture Read:  Genesis 39 - 40
Title: Joseph's Woes
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H.E.A.R. Entry
(H) Highlight verse::  "But the LORD was with Joseph and showed him steadfast love and gave him favor in the sight of keeping the prison"  Genesis 39:21

(E) Explain: Life continues to throw curve balls at Joseph.  He is betrayed by his brothers, sold into slavery to the Ishmaelites and then sold to Potiphar in Egypt.  Fortunately for Joseph, he is faithful a man of God and God blesses him.  He is quickly promoted in the house of Potiphar as the overseer of his household and was put in charge of everything in the household.  Potiphar's wife saw that Joseph as an attractive man and she, apparently was not in a healthy marriage, so she continually made sexual advances to Joseph.  Since he was a man of God, he would not give in to her advances.  After a while she became frustrated with his denials to her her advances, she falsely accuses him of trying to seduce her.  He was unjustly thrown into prison.  However God was with Joseph and in prison he gained the trust of the warden, so he was put in charge of all the prisoners.  He also used his God-given gift of dream interpretation to help out one prisoner and bring bad news to another.  He had moments where he thought he would be released, but those moments were fleeting.  Joseph very well could have been downcast and depressed.  He could have given up hope and chose to live in negativity and bitterness.  Instead he chose to remember that God was with him and showed him steadfast love, even in the darkest moments of his life.
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(A) Application: The old saying goes, "When life throws lemons at you, make lemonade."  This is what Joseph did during this dark period of his life and this is what I/we should do as well.  There are times in my life where I believed that I was doing the right thing and standing up for righteousness sake and in return I was disciplined or punished for doing it.  This seems to be common among people across the globe.  We do what is right and get in trouble for doing it., and this is a sad testament to our society.  Discipline or punishment for doing right is such a common practice that so many of us believe the lie "that it is not even worth doing what is right" because of the repercussions, so I/we must determine in our hearts to stand up for righteousness sake because God will be with us no matter what and He will show us steadfast love.  We are told time and again in the Bible that God will be with and bless the individual(s) who love truth, justice and righteousness.  We may experience pain in standing up for it, but God will give you the strength and ability to endure and come out blessed in the end.

(R) Respond:  God, help me to see you in the midst when I face darkness and depression.  Continually remind me that I am not alone, You are with me.  Show me that no matter what I face, You are with me and showing me steadfast love.