Thursday, December 29, 2011

Trust

Genesis 46:3,6-7
And he said, I am G-d, the G-d of thy father: fear not to go down into Egypt; for I will there make of thee a great nation: . . .And they took their cattle, and their goods, which they had gotten in the land of Canaan, and came into Egypt, Jacob, and all his seed with him: His sons, and his sons' sons with him, his daughters, and his sons' daughters, and all his seed brought he with him into Egypt.

Acts 16:31
And they said, Believe on the Lord Y'hshuwah Messiah, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.

Trusting G-d leaves a legacy beyond our selves . . .

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Stuff

Genesis 45:20
Also regard not your stuff; for the good of all the land of Egypt is yours.

Matthew 6:31
Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

What do you suppose G-d would like to give us, if we'd just quit trying to hang on to all of our stuff and make it fit into the life HE has planned for us?

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Circumstances Beyond Our Control

Genesis 45:8
So now it was not you that sent me hither, but G-d: and he hath made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt.

I Thessalonians 5:18
In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of G-d in Messiah Y'hshuwah concerning you.

When it's outside of our control, we need to remember that there is nothing outside of G-d's control.

Monday, December 26, 2011

When We Can't See the Reason

Genesis 45:5
Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for G-d did send me before you to preserve life.

Romans 8:28
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love G-d, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

Next time we don't understand the circumstances or situation and want to blame ourselves or the devil, perhaps we should reconsider, and give G-d the glory.

Sunday, December 25, 2011

Advocate

Genesis 44:18
Then Judah came near unto him, and said, Oh my lord, let thy servant, I pray thee, speak a word in my lord's ears, and let not thine anger burn against thy servant: for thou art even as Pharaoh.

I John 2:1
My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Y'hshuwah Immanuel the righteous:

G-d drew the parallel all those years apart. Y'hshuwah Immanuel is our advocate and He was born of the tribe of Judah.

Friday, December 23, 2011

For the Record

Genesis 41:40
Thou shalt be over my house, and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled: only in the throne will I be greater than thou.

Acts 7:10
And delivered him out of all his afflictions, and gave him favour and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh king of Egypt; and he made him governor over Egypt and all his house.

G-d's hand in keeping the children of Israel alive was not forgotten through all those years, and is recorded still. G-d hasn't changed!

Established

Genesis 41:32
And for that the dream was doubled unto Pharaoh twice; it is because the thing is established by G-d, and G-d will shortly bring it to pass.

Revelation 11:3
And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.

G-d consistently gives "word" of HIS decisions twice. We should take heed . . . this has been written quite awhile now.

Circumstances

Genesis 41:16
And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, It is not in me: G-d shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace.

Acts 7:9
And the patriarchs, moved with envy, sold Joseph into Egypt: but G-d was with him,

Sometimes we allow the circumstances to make us question the presence of G-d . . . Joseph, however; even in prison falsely accused gave G-d the glory.

Sunday, December 18, 2011

Genesis 41:9
Then spake the chief butler unto Pharaoh, saying, I do remember my faults this day:

Matthew 6:12
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

Realizing we have failed is the beginning of a new beginning . . .

Thursday, December 15, 2011

Blessing ?

Genesis 39:5
And it came to pass from the time that he had made him overseer in his house, and over all that he had, that YHWH blessed the Egyptian's house for Joseph's sake; and the blessing of YHWH was upon all that he had in the house, and in the field.

Luke 18:29, 30
And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or parents, or brethren, or wife, or children, for the kingdom of God's sake, Who shall not receive manifold more in this present time, and in the world to come life everlasting.

Often, YHWH doesn't make it clear, just what HE has in mind, but . . . if we trust HIM that our life is in HIS plan, we can know that the end results will be everlasting!

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Certainly No Coincidence

Genesis 38:25, 26
When she was brought forth, she sent to her father in law, saying, By the man, whose these are, am I with child: and she said, Discern, I pray thee, whose are these, the signet, and bracelets, and staff. And Judah acknowledged them, and said, She hath been more righteous than I; because that I gave her not to Shelah my son. And he knew her again no more.

Matthew 1:3
And Judas begat Phares and Zara of Thamar; and Phares begat Esrom; and Esrom begat Aram;

Interestingly, this Torah reading coincides with the religious celebration of Messiah's birth. In Torah we find that tradition gave way to truth and in the account of the Gospel, we discover that although Messiah had a virgin mother, his great great great grandmas . . . were far from pure. Coincidence in the timing . . . I don't think so!

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Sold out

Genesis 37:28
Then there passed by Midianites merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmeelites for twenty pieces of silver: and they brought Joseph into Egypt.

Matthew 26:15
And said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver.

It's amazing what a small sum we settle for, to sell out to the enemy or sell someone else out. For 20 pieces of silver, Joseph was used to save Israel from famine. For 30 pieces of silver, Y'hshuwah paid the price of redemption for the world.

Monday, December 12, 2011

Willing to be Sent

Genesis 37:13
And Israel said unto Joseph, Do not thy brethren feed the flock in Shechem? come, and I will send thee unto them. And he said to him, Here am I.

Matthew 15:24
But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

Joseph, here in this passage of the Old Testament and Y'hshuwah in the New, both were sent to be used of G-d to feed the house of Israel . . . In spite of the way they were treated, both were willing to be used.

Sunday, December 11, 2011

Hatred

Genesis 37:4, 8
And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him. And his brethren said to him, Shalt thou indeed reign over us? or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us? And they hated him yet the more for his dreams, and for his words.

I John 2:9
He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now.

Jealousy and resentment are ugly, ugly emotions that foster hatred. Hatred has no part in the kingdom of heaven.

Friday, December 9, 2011

Peace and Prosperity

Genesis 36:7
For they were exceeding rich, and could not dwell together: neither was the land in which they sojourned able to bear them, for the multitude of their flocks.

Romans 12:18
If it be possible, as much as is in you, have peace with all men.

Jacob faced his greatest fear and was met with peace, by the very man that vowed to kill him, years earlier. The brothers were reconciled, and even when their blessings of prosperity could have become an issue once again, instead, they peaceably put space between themselves. By the way, G-d's definition of prosperity throughout Scripture references flocks and herds and land, not money.

Thursday, December 8, 2011

Strange gods?

Genesis 35:2
Then Jacob said unto his household, and to all that were with him, Put away the strange gods that are among you, and be clean, and change your garments:

Acts 15:20
But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood. 29. That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well.

Until we take a personal inventory of our life and values, we really don't know how many "idols" we cling to. Our society is particularly good at euphemisms.

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Gracious Abundance

Genesis 33:11
Take, I pray thee, my blessing that is brought to thee; because G-d hath dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough. And he urged him, and he took it.

Ephesians 3:20
Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,

When we are living in G-d's will, we will have "more than enough!"
G-d will provide long before we happen on to the need, or the need happens on to us. G-d deals graciously with His people.

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Boldness is of G-d

Genesis 33:3
And he passed over before them, and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.

Acts 4:13
Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Y'hshuwah.

A G-dly man faces his fear boldly and appropriately, regardless of the possibilities of the potential outcome. In the preceding verses, Jacob's encounter with G-d gave him the boldness he needed to face his biggest fear, as did their life with Messiah empower Peter and John. An unG-dly man hides behind the women, the children, the opinion, and words . . .

Monday, December 5, 2011

Settling a Matter

Genesis 32:20
And say ye moreover, Behold, thy servant Jacob is behind us. For he said, I will appease him with the present that goeth before me, and afterward I will see his face; peradventure he will accept of me.

Matthew 5:23, 24
Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.

As we enter into G-d's purpose in our life or approach HIM to offer our service and gifts, we must do all within our power to be at peace and make amends if we are at fault. We have no control over the response, but we have the responsibility to make the effort.

Sunday, December 4, 2011

Realizing our Place with G-d

Genesis 32:10
I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which thou hast showed unto thy servant; for with my staff I passed over this Jordan; and now I am become two bands.

John 1:27
He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe's latchet I am not worthy to unloose.

A servant of G-d remembers who he or she is in the plan and who G-d is. As a servant of YHWH G-d, it is our blessed privilege to be used of Him. HE is not dependent upon us!