Tuesday, September 30, 2014

EXPLORE IT - Prime Minister - Genesis 41:1-46


In our passage this week, Genesis 41:1-46, we finally see the narrator taking his major turn in events.  In Genesis 39 and 40, we see Joseph rise in power and then fall in prison/remain in prison.  At the end of Genesis 40, Joseph is in no better circumstances than he was in chapter 37.  In chapter 41, we are taken to Pharaoh and hear about his two dreams (1-7).  We then sit back as the advisors to the Pharaoh are unable to explain what Pharaoh’s dreams mean (8).  The chief cupbearer finally remembers (9-13). Joseph is summoned.
Joseph’s first words to Pharaoh are those of contradiction.  Pharaoh exaggerates what he has heard about Joseph’s abilities to interpret dreams.  Joseph could have waited in submissive silence, but he spoke up.  Joseph will not accept the credit, he ensures the Pharaoh that God is the one with the answers.
After hearing Pharaoh’s dreams, Joseph, with God’s direction, is able to tell Pharaoh what God is revealing through the dreams.  There will be seven years of abundance followed by seven years of famine.  After completing the interpretation of the dreams, Joseph’s job was complete; but Joseph took a chance.  Joseph continued speaking to Pharaoh, offering him next steps.  For speaking out of turn, Joseph could have been sent back to prison; but God was with Joseph, allowing him favor.  Pharaoh realized that Joseph’s recommendations were advisable.  He also realized that God was with Joseph and he was the man for the job.
God had given Joseph the words to say when it mattered most (had God not given him the words to say, I can only imagine how differently this story would have turned out!)  God often gives us words to say in our everyday lives.  We have to decide if, like Joseph, we will be obedient and speak out when it’s uncomfortable or if we will stay silent.  Those times when we feel a knot in our stomach and the Holy Spirit is encouraging us to say something, we can honor God and speak the truth He has given us to say or we can stay silent because it is easier.  With silence, we may miss out on blessings…but maybe, if we take a chance and are obedient, maybe we too will be elevated to what God has next for us!
Let’s err on the side of obedience!
Blessings,
Pastor Amy

Monday, September 29, 2014

READ IT! - Genesis 41:1-46

This week, we are inGenesis 41:1-46 (ESV).  Let's read it together today and begin to study it this week in preparation for this coming Sunday's lesson.

Joseph Interprets Pharaoh's Dreams
Joseph Rises to Power



41 After two whole years, Pharaoh dreamed that he was standing by the Nile, and behold, there came up out of the Nile seven cows attractive and plump, and they fed in the reed grass. And behold, seven other cows, ugly and thin, came up out of the Nile after them, and stood by the other cows on the bank of the Nile. And the ugly, thin cows ate up the seven attractive, plump cows. And Pharaoh awoke. And he fell asleep and dreamed a second time. And behold, seven ears of grain, plump and good, were growing on one stalk. And behold, after them sprouted seven ears, thin andblighted by the east wind. And the thin ears swallowed up the seven plump, full ears. And Pharaoh awoke, and behold, it was a dream. So in the morning his spirit was troubled, and he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt and all its wise men. Pharaoh told them his dreams, but there was none who could interpret them to Pharaoh.
Then the chief cupbearer said to Pharaoh, “I remember my offenses today. 10 When Pharaoh wasangry with his servants and put me and the chief baker in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, 11 we dreamed on the same night, he and I, each having a dream with its own interpretation.12 A young Hebrew was there with us, a servant of the captain of the guard. When we told him, he interpreted our dreams to us, giving an interpretation to each man according to his dream. 13 And as he interpreted to us, so it came about. I was restored to my office, and the baker was hanged.”
14 Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they quickly brought him out of the pit. And when he had shaved himself and changed his clothes, he came in before Pharaoh. 15 And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I have had a dream, and there is no one who can interpret it. I have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it.” 16 Joseph answered Pharaoh, “It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh a favorable answer.”[a] 17 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Behold, in my dream I was standing on the banks of the Nile. 18 Seven cows, plump and attractive, came up out of the Nile and fed in the reed grass. 19 Seven other cows came up after them, poor and very ugly and thin, such as I had never seen in all the land of Egypt. 20 And the thin, ugly cows ate up the first seven plump cows,21 but when they had eaten them no one would have known that they had eaten them, for they were still as ugly as at the beginning. Then I awoke. 22 I also saw in my dream seven ears growing on one stalk, full and good. 23 Seven ears, withered, thin, and blighted by the east wind, sprouted after them,24 and the thin ears swallowed up the seven good ears. And I told it to the magicians, but there was no one who could explain it to me.”
25 Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, “The dreams of Pharaoh are one; God has revealed to Pharaoh what he is about to do. 26 The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven good ears are seven years; the dreams are one. 27 The seven lean and ugly cows that came up after them are seven years, and the seven empty ears blighted by the east wind are also seven years of famine. 28 It is as I told Pharaoh; God has shown to Pharaoh what he is about to do. 29 There will come seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt, 30 but after them there will arise seven years of famine, and all the plenty will be forgotten in the land of Egypt. The famine will consume the land, 31 and the plenty will be unknown in the land by reason of the famine that will follow, for it will be very severe. 32 And the doubling of Pharaoh's dream means that the thing is fixed by God, and God will shortly bring it about.33 Now therefore let Pharaoh select a discerning and wise man, and set him over the land of Egypt.34 Let Pharaoh proceed to appoint overseers over the land and take one-fifth of the produce of the land[b] of Egypt during the seven plentiful years. 35 And let them gather all the food of these good years that are coming and store up grain under the authority of Pharaoh for food in the cities, and let them keep it. 36 That food shall be a reserve for the land against the seven years of famine that are to occur in the land of Egypt, so that the land may not perish through the famine.”
37 This proposal pleased Pharaoh and all his servants. 38 And Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find a man like this, in whom is the Spirit of God?”[c] 39 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has shown you all this, there is none so discerning and wise as you are. 40 You shall be over my house, and all my people shall order themselves as you command.[d] Only as regards the throne will I be greater than you.” 41 And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt.”42 Then Pharaoh took his signet ring from his hand and put it on Joseph's hand, and clothed him in garments of fine linen and put a gold chain about his neck. 43 And he made him ride in his second chariot. And they called out before him, “Bow the knee!”[e] Thus he set him over all the land of Egypt.44 Moreover, Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh, and without your consent no one shall lift up hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.” 45 And Pharaoh called Joseph's name Zaphenath-paneah. And he gave him in marriage Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera priest of On. So Joseph went out over the land of Egypt.
46 Joseph was thirty years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh and went through all the land of Egypt.

Saturday, September 27, 2014

PREPARE FOR IT! - Genesis 39:20-41:1

This week, we're studyingGenesis 39:20-41:1(ESV).  Let's review it again today in preparation for tomorrow's sermon.

Joseph Interprets Two Prisoners' Dreams
Joseph Interprets Pharaoh's Dreams


20 And Joseph's master took him and put him into the prison, the place where the king's prisoners were confined, and he was there in prison. 21 But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him steadfast love and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison. 22 And the keeper of the prison put Joseph in charge of all the prisoners who were in the prison. Whatever was done there, he was the one who did it. 23 The keeper of the prison paid no attention to anything that was in Joseph's charge, because the Lord was with him. And whatever he did, the Lord made it succeed.
40 Some time after this, the cupbearer of the king of Egypt and his baker committed an offense against their lord the king of Egypt. And Pharaoh was angry with his two officers, the chief cupbearer and the chief baker, and he put them in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, in the prison where Joseph was confined. The captain of the guard appointed Joseph to be with them, and he attended them. They continued for some time in custody.
And one night they both dreamed—the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were confined in the prison—each his own dream, and each dream with its own interpretation. When Joseph came to them in the morning, he saw that they were troubled. So he asked Pharaoh's officers who were with him in custody in his master's house, “Why are your faces downcast today?”They said to him, “We have had dreams, and there is no one to interpret them.” And Joseph said to them, “Do not interpretations belong to God? Please tell them to me.”
So the chief cupbearer told his dream to Joseph and said to him, “In my dream there was a vine before me, 10 and on the vine there were three branches. As soon as it budded, its blossoms shot forth, and the clusters ripened into grapes. 11 Pharaoh's cup was in my hand, and I took the grapes and pressed them into Pharaoh's cup and placed the cup in Pharaoh's hand.” 12 Then Joseph said to him, “This is its interpretation: the three branches are three days. 13 In three days Pharaoh will lift up your head and restore you to your office, and you shall place Pharaoh's cup in his hand as formerly, when you were his cupbearer. 14 Only remember me, when it is well with you, and please do me the kindness to mention me to Pharaoh, and so get me out of this house. 15 For I was indeed stolen out of the land of the Hebrews, and here also I have done nothing that they should put me into the pit.”
16 When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was favorable, he said to Joseph, “I also had a dream: there were three cake baskets on my head, 17 and in the uppermost basket there were all sorts of baked food for Pharaoh, but the birds were eating it out of the basket on my head.” 18 And Joseph answered and said, “This is its interpretation: the three baskets are three days. 19 In three days Pharaoh will lift up your head—from you!—and hang you on a tree. And the birds will eat the flesh from you.”
20 On the third day, which was Pharaoh's birthday, he made a feast for all his servants and lifted up the head of the chief cupbearer and the head of the chief baker among his servants. 21 He restored the chief cupbearer to his position, and he placed the cup in Pharaoh's hand. 22 But he hanged the chief baker, as Joseph had interpreted to them. 23 Yet the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph, but forgot him.

41 After two whole years, Pharaoh dreamed that he was standing by the Nile,

Friday, September 26, 2014

Living on Mission with Joseph When Life is Unfair

Living on Mission with Joseph When Life is Unfair

Talk about unfair. First Joseph is hated by his brothers to the point that they consider killing him. Luckily, they decide instead to just sell him as a slave. Then, Joseph works really hard for Potiphar and finds himself trusted with running his entire household. But, Potiphar's wife finds him irresistible and gets mad when she can't have him... so she falsely accuses him and he lands in prison. Then he works really hard in prison and finds himself running the place. He helps some powerful folks figure out their scary dreams but is forgotten and left to rot in prison.

There seems to be a pattern here. Maybe not the pattern we think.

Yes, life is unfair. Every one of us encounters things that are really unfair - sometimes extraordinarily so. We live in a fallen world and that is just the way life is for us all. It stinks!!

The pattern that we can see in the life of Joseph goes beyond the unfair. It's his faithful service to others and his faithfulness to honor God in every situation that really stand out.

How easy would it have been for Joseph to sit in the corner and have himself a pity party and a good long pout? How easy would it have been to shake his fist at God and say "where are you?!?!"  He could have considered his life cursed and just given up.

He didn't go that route. He chose faithfulness instead. He didn't know the whole story ahead of time. He chose to be faithful and trust God in the hardest of times.

Living on mission isn't an easy road. We will encounter many kinds of injustice, pain  and sorrow in our own lives and I'm the lives of others. It's unfair. But, let's not throw our hands up and quit when life is unbearably hard. Let's choose to remain faithful and continue to serve others and to honor God. Let's choose a better perspective. "Maybe you haven't been cursed with this. Maybe you've been entrusted with it." (Lysa TerKeurst)

Let's practice living on mission and remain faithful when life is unfair.

Pastor Angela



Thursday, September 25, 2014

PRAY IT! Genesis 39:20-41:1

As we continue on in Joseph's story, he is in prison for something he did not do.  And although he helps the cupbearer, the cupbearer seemingly forgets about Joseph.  The one rather simple request Joseph made of the cupbearer in Genesis 40:14 "...remember me..." seems to go unheeded.  As if Joseph needed one more disappointment...

Joseph could have held a pity party.
Joseph could have reserved the right to be indignant and bitter.
Joseph could have stopped functioning altogether, boycotting life.

Yet, Joseph remained focused on God and continued to receive success and blessing, even in the midst of crappy circumstances. 

How can this passage inform our prayer life?

Reflect on Joseph's circumstances and his response.  How does it compare to your typical response when you feel abandoned?  Or when you feel wrongly accused?  Or when you feel unrewarded for good behavior or choosing the "right path"?  Or when you feel imprisoned by a situation?  Or when you are forgotten?  Or when the "one thing" that you asked of someone seems to be too much and disappointment sets in?  Do you find yourself trusting God, like Joseph, or determinedly hunkering down in the chair of pity/bitterness/indignation/resignation?

Ugh.

I've thrown the pity party.  I've boarded the bitter bus.  I've hidden under the blanket. 

The party wasn't fun.  The bus didn't go anywhere.  The blanket didn't provide any lasting comfort.

Honestly, in a weak moment, I want to roll my eyes at Joseph.  Of course, Joseph keeps focused on God and God keeps working things out for his good.  He is like the poster boy for how to react when life gets tough... and then tougher...

Yet... Joseph is on to something.  It is much more productive and much more peaceful to stay focused on God.  Blessing is better than my bad attitude.  It is true.  And it's not that complicated.

We are not alone.  We all experience various imprisonments and abandonments.  We can recognize that whatever it is we are going through is unpleasant, but still choose to remain focused on God.  Spend some time in prayer praising God for His steadfastness, and recount times He has come through for you.  Thank Him for his trustworthiness.  Ask for His help in areas where you need His strength to help you trust more.

Psalm 56:1-4

Be gracious to me, O God, for man tramples on me;
    all day long an attacker oppresses me;
my enemies trample on me all day long,
    for many attack me proudly.
When I am afraid,
    I put my trust in you.
In God, whose word I praise,
    in God I trust; I shall not be afraid.
    What can flesh do to me?

Dear Jesus,
Please help me to trust you.  Please help this to be my automatic first response, rather than ______ (whatever your typical response has been).  Please help me have a faithful outlook, as I keep my eyes on You, and let my attitudes and actions be dictated not by circumstances, but by my faithful God.
Amen.

The PoC Prayer Service is tonight, 7pm.  Hope to see you there!  And Sunday!  We love you, PoC!

Pastor Celia

***Get excited:  next week's prayer blog will be brought to you by our guest blogger/PoC summer intern/ONU student... "live " from Japan... the awesome Rev. Julie Shreves!!!  It will be like a hello from "the future"... (because of the time difference... haha... I'm corny and I don't care!)

Wednesday, September 24, 2014

God-given Outlook During Times of Abandonment -- A Letter from Pastor Todd

Dear Favor-Finding PoC,

When I was in college I had a roommate who I didn’t know very well. While we were friends, I didn’t know much about him. We coexisted pretty well. He went his way. I went mine. We were both very busy . . . working . . . dating great girls . . . life was good. Kim and I were crazy busy with church volunteering, work and school and every weekend was packed. It was nearing the time for us to be married so I knew I needed to move out of the apartment I shared with my roommate. Kim and I looked at the calendar and couldn’t see a date when we could pack up anytime soon, so we made the decision one night to pack up what we had so that we could just get it done. Our thinking was that it was easier to just live out of the boxes now than to find time to pack later. I could stay until the end of our lease, but then be free to simply move out with the packing already done.

It spooked my roommate. He was convinced that I was abandoning him, that I was going to walk out on him, leaving him stuck with the full amount of the rent. Like I said, I didn’t know him very well, so I did my best to explain that I wasn’t going anywhere, that I just needed to pack early while I had time. He wasn’t convinced . . . was extra paranoid, and started acting pretty strangely. Sure enough, I came home a few days later to find that he had moved out, didn’t pay rent, broke the lease and left a note that said, “Have a good life!” Seriously. I was . . . abandoned. Not gonna lie, it sucked!
I felt obligated to be unhappy about it. It never occurred to me to have a good attitude about it until I went to work and told my sad tale to a coworker who then said, “Well, I’m going back to work. Let me know when you choose to see the bright side.” Ha! What I learned in that moment was that I had to choices. I could choose to be abandoned with a good attitude and outlook, OR I could choose to be abandoned with a bad attitude and outlook. I chose hope. And it helped . . . quickly. In a matter of minutes, I found a new place to live and was released from my lease without penalty.

This week we’re going to hit the pavement with Joseph again as he is led from Potiphar’s house to the dungeon. He’s been falsely accused, betrayed by his family, and it won’t be long before he too finds himself abandoned by his friend, the Cupbearer. And he will have a choice to make. He can choose to be crushed continually by the unfaithfulness of people or he can choose to have forward-facing trust in the faithfulness of our Lord. I think you know what he’s going to choose, but I hope you run to join us on Sunday to hear the story . . . drive fast . . . be careful . . . come early . . . get a good seat!!

Over the past few months I’ve been walking with some wonderful, classy, awesome people who have every right to feel abandoned. I wish I knew why God has allowed such pain, but the truth is, I don’t know. And, that’s ok. I choose to trust Jesus and point everyone I know to Him. He has a plan. He knows that we cannot control whether we will be treated fairly today or tomorrow . But He can give us the power to choose how we will respond. Our attitude is something we can control (with His power at work in us). Resentment, hostility, bitterness, revenge – these are the common attitudes people choose when they’re mistreated and abandoned. God, however, has a different choice in mind for His children.

“For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God.” - (I Peter 2: 20)

PoC, I’m praying for you and hope that as we journey together that God truly sets us up for some major favor finding.

Let’s Keep Talking About Jesus,

Pastor Todd

Tuesday, September 23, 2014

EXPLORE IT - Prime Minister: Genesis 39:20-40:23


Our passage this week, Genesis 39:20-40:23, is the second of three scenes placed before us to witness the rise of Joseph from slavery to Pharaoh’s second in command over the whole land of Egypt.  In the first scene, we saw Joseph rise to power and fall into prison.  In this passage, we again see Joseph rise in position while in prison.  The LORD was with Joseph and allowed him to have favor in the eyes of the prison warden.
We see a common thread throughout the Joseph story of God giving individuals two dreams.  Joseph was first given two dreams in Genesis 37, illustrating his rise to power.  In this passage, we hear of two individuals, the chief cupbearer and the baker, who have dreams.  Later, we will hear of Pharaoh having two dreams (Genesis 41).  These dreams set into motion and continued the path of Joseph’s life.  His brothers called him “that dreamer” (37:19) before they sold him into slavery.  Joseph’s ability to decipher the two dreams while in prison makes him known to the cupbearer.  Because of the Pharaoh’s dreams, the cupbearer remembers Joseph and he is brought before the Pharaoh.  Joseph is then elevated into the greatest station of power.
The dreams in this passage and the meanings of the dreams should not be the main focus.  The main focus should be how God introduced Joseph to the cupbearer and through that acquaintance later arranges an introduction to the Pharaoh.  God is always at work even when we can’t see His hand.  He is oftentimes behind the scenes, preparing the way for our life in ways we can’t even imagine.  What we see as a setback, God may intend as a step towards His next promotion in our life.  Our passage this week encourages us to trust, have faith, and be patient…being content in the waiting.  (which is easier said than done!)

Blessings,
Pastor Amy

Monday, September 22, 2014

READ IT! - Genesis 39:20-41:1

This week, we are inGenesis 39:20-41:1(ESV).  Let's read it together today and begin to study it this week in preparation for this coming Sunday's lesson.

Joseph Interprets Two Prisoners' Dreams
Joseph Interprets Pharaoh's Dreams


20 And Joseph's master took him and put him into the prison, the place where the king's prisoners were confined, and he was there in prison. 21 But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him steadfast love and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison. 22 And the keeper of the prison put Joseph in charge of all the prisoners who were in the prison. Whatever was done there, he was the one who did it. 23 The keeper of the prison paid no attention to anything that was in Joseph's charge, because the Lord was with him. And whatever he did, the Lord made it succeed.
40 Some time after this, the cupbearer of the king of Egypt and his baker committed an offense against their lord the king of Egypt. And Pharaoh was angry with his two officers, the chief cupbearer and the chief baker, and he put them in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, in the prison where Joseph was confined. The captain of the guard appointed Joseph to be with them, and he attended them. They continued for some time in custody.
And one night they both dreamed—the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were confined in the prison—each his own dream, and each dream with its own interpretation. When Joseph came to them in the morning, he saw that they were troubled. So he asked Pharaoh's officers who were with him in custody in his master's house, “Why are your faces downcast today?”They said to him, “We have had dreams, and there is no one to interpret them.” And Joseph said to them, “Do not interpretations belong to God? Please tell them to me.”
So the chief cupbearer told his dream to Joseph and said to him, “In my dream there was a vine before me, 10 and on the vine there were three branches. As soon as it budded, its blossoms shot forth, and the clusters ripened into grapes. 11 Pharaoh's cup was in my hand, and I took the grapes and pressed them into Pharaoh's cup and placed the cup in Pharaoh's hand.” 12 Then Joseph said to him, “This is its interpretation: the three branches are three days. 13 In three days Pharaoh will lift up your head and restore you to your office, and you shall place Pharaoh's cup in his hand as formerly, when you were his cupbearer. 14 Only remember me, when it is well with you, and please do me the kindness to mention me to Pharaoh, and so get me out of this house. 15 For I was indeed stolen out of the land of the Hebrews, and here also I have done nothing that they should put me into the pit.”
16 When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was favorable, he said to Joseph, “I also had a dream: there were three cake baskets on my head, 17 and in the uppermost basket there were all sorts of baked food for Pharaoh, but the birds were eating it out of the basket on my head.” 18 And Joseph answered and said, “This is its interpretation: the three baskets are three days. 19 In three days Pharaoh will lift up your head—from you!—and hang you on a tree. And the birds will eat the flesh from you.”
20 On the third day, which was Pharaoh's birthday, he made a feast for all his servants and lifted up the head of the chief cupbearer and the head of the chief baker among his servants. 21 He restored the chief cupbearer to his position, and he placed the cup in Pharaoh's hand. 22 But he hanged the chief baker, as Joseph had interpreted to them. 23 Yet the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph, but forgot him.
41 After two whole years, Pharaoh dreamed that he was standing by the Nile,

Friday, September 19, 2014

Living On Mission with Joseph in Potiphar’s House


Living On Mission with Joseph in Potiphar’s House

Joseph didn’t have a choice. He was sold by his brothers into slavery.  He was purchased by Potiphar. He no longer had the option of doing whatever he wanted; he had to do whatever his master told him to do. He was a slave.

The thing about Joseph is that the blessing of God followed him wherever he served. Potiphar noticed that the Lord was with Joseph, so he put Joseph in charge of everything he owned. “From the time he put him in charge of his household and of all that he owned, the Lord blessed the household of the Egyptian because of Joseph. The blessing of the Lord was on everything Potiphar had, both in the house and in the field.” (Genesis 39:5)

Joseph was trusted by Potiphar. He was given a lot of power to make decisions every day about how things would be done in Potiphar’s house. This could easily have led to Joseph feeling entitled to do whatever he wanted, even with Potiphar’s wife as she relentlessly pursued him. When this temptation arose, however, Joseph didn’t forgot that he was a slave.

We are not slaves to anyone. We are free because of the price paid by Jesus. But, what if we choose to become a slave? Is it possible that the ones we choose to serve would be blessed like Potiphar’s household was blessed? Could we give up our rights, our preferences, and our lives—choosing to bring the blessing of God to the households of those we serve? The Apostle Paul chose this way of life.  He said, “Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible.” (1 Corinthians 9:19)

Let’s not have any fantasies about the way our lives might look if we choose this path. It won’t be pretty. We probably won’t be put in charge of a powerful person’s household. Being a slave means not getting our way. It means serving when we’re bone tired. Many times it means being separated from our family. It means giving up what we want and sometimes even what we deserve. It means we’ll likely be tempted to forget we are slaves.

How far are we willing to go to win others? “There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” (John 15:13)

Let’s practice living on mission and consider making ourselves slaves in order to win others.

Pastor Angela

Thursday, September 18, 2014

PRAY IT! PRIME MINISTER: Genesis 39:1-20

Temptation... It's not a sin.  It can lead to sin.  It's not a sin.  What it is, perhaps, is our enemy trying to cause doubt, discouragement, and distance between us and God.  When we look at the story of Joseph in Genesis 39:1-20, he was tempted, perhaps while at one of his lowest points.  And he overcame. 

So did Jesus in the wilderness. 

And so can we. 

And God can use our victory over whatever temptation that was intended for our harm to refine us, to grow us, to help us, and to help others.  Hmmm, sound familiar?  (Genesis 50:20).

For starters, we need the right view of God and the right view of temptation, as we let this passage inform our prayer life.  If we think of temptation as a door to "automatic" sin that has already defeated us before we even think to start praying and asking God for some help... well... we will definitely struggle to pray and to find victory.  If we think of temptation as a strategy that could be used by the enemy, but something that God can help us overcome with His strength and our reliance on Him (see 1 Corinthians 10:13), that is a game-changer. 

My questions for today are simple, as we spend some time prayerfully reflecting on this passage:  How do you view temptation?  Do you view it as conquerable? 
How do you view God?  Do you view Him as capable?

Prayerfully ponder Joseph's response, Jesus' response, and your response.  Praise God for past, present, and future victories.  Pray for help in areas in which you still need victory.

As always, the best place to start is daily presence - get in the presence of our capable, loving God.  He'll take it from there. 

Also, we do highly recommend our Encounter at PoC as Pastor Todd mentioned in his letter yesterday.  Prayerfully consider it!!!  And, have a great day!

Dear God,
Thank you for Jesus, who was tempted, but had victory.  Thank you for your Word, which says that I can have victory, too.  Please help me cling to you, rely on you, and yield to you in all areas of my life.  Help me to enter and remain in your presence every day.
Amen.

Please join us at the PoC Prayer Service, at 7pm! 

Blessings,
Pastor Celia