How did Little Joey Turn out So Good?

Genesis 37 - 50
Moses in preparing his novel called Genesis relates some fascinating human interest stories. One that endears me each time is how Joseph saves the universe! What? You’ve never read that part? Well my friend it is there as plain as day in chapters 37 - 50.

Joseph was a casula. Whoa brother you lost me there. Casula (ka-SOO-la) is a Portuguese word which usually means, “Spoiled rotten little brat”. Well... that might be the Amplified version of the definition. It actually means the youngest child in a family. The “baby”.

Joseph being the casula got doted on by daddy. Jacob’s favoritism lead to such bitterness that Joseph´s brothers wanted to kill him literally. While planning to do just that Joseph was saved by big brother Rubin. That, “salvation” lead to a life of slavery in Egypt shortly after being sold to a caravan of Ishmaelites. Lovely little family tradition that. Let’s sell the casula! Yay! Sounds like something from Star Wars.

Soon after his unexpected journey in chains to Egypt Potiphar buys him. If you have read this charming account you probably have noticed a phrase like, “and God was with Joseph” repeated several time. It is a good thing that God was with Joseph. Just imagine if He wasn’t. Things might have turned out bad. Oh, wait, how could it get much worse than nearly being murdered by your siblings and then sold into slavery. Well it did get worse.

Everywhere that Joe went things got better for all concerned. For all but Joe that is. In his slavery Mrs. Potifer is enamored with the handsome lad and all but drags him into her bed. When he squirms out of her grasp, leaving his cloak, she squeals on him and he goes to prison for at least two years! My Word! This guy is doomed!

Through all of these seemingly endless difficulties Joseph shines. He is used by God to be a blessing each situation. My question is, “Why?”. Why did Joseph turn out so good after going through enough bad experiences to make the strongest person bitter? The answer to this question will encourage those of you who are in tough straights or seemingly impossible situations right now.

Maybe you are like Joseph and have been treated unjustly your whole life. Look through Joseph’s glasses to see what he saw. His prescription is revealed in Genesis 45.5-8 and Genesis 50.20. Read those passages right now. It will help your vision.

Paul, in Romans 8.28 Tells us that ALL things are working together for the good to them who love God and who are the called according to His purpose. The, “all” in Paul's phrase is a Greek word that means... All. Elsewhere Paul tells us that we are to give thanks in “Everything” that happens to us (1 Thess. 5.18). That Greek word means... everything.

Joseph had learned that lesson. He saw God in every situation, trouble and trial. God was acting in both the good and the apparent bad. His action was working toward a greater good. That good would eventually save the universe with the birth of Jesus the Christ. Joseph suffered so that you could be saved. Do you see it? Who will be helped by your suffering? Put on Joseph’s glasses and have a look around.

God Made Clothes

And the Lord God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them. Gen 3:21 I have always heard the following explanation of this verse. Because Adam and Eve had sinned, they died spiritually. They also lost the right to be in the Garden of Eden and were cursed in other ways. For example, they had made clothes out of fig leaves, but God sacrificed a lamb; thus, God shed blood and made clothes. This sacrifice of an innocent lamb symbolized what Jesus Christ would do in the distant future. Is this what you have heard? I don't know; it seems like this interpretation is stretching what Moses wrote in the above text. The text says that God made clothes for Adam and his wife from skins. We see no blood, we don't know what kind of skins, nor can I imagine God making an animal sacrifice. Did God have to skin animals to make these clothes? Or could he have just made them like he had everything else in the universe just a little while earlier? To th...

What Are You Worth?

What are you Worth? Have you ever thought about what you are worth? In investing circles there is a term used to gauge this exact question, it's called Net Worth. You take all of your assets, like property owned, funds in your bank account, clothes, jewelry, car, etc.. You total all of these things. You then take everything you owe, like mortgage, car loan, and credit card debt, and you subtract these items from the first total. This gives you your net worth. That number represents where you are financially. Most people never stop to think about this number because they don't understand anything about it. They never have two nickels to rub together. They live from hand to mouth and know (or at least believe) nothing will ever change so, they fall into the "daily grind" mentality. Psalm 49 should be a great encouragement to such as these. The sons of Korah write about them. These sons write about all of us. They call all people everywhere to listen to their wisdom. Bo...

Who did What?

We see Abraham lying at times. He twice told people that his wife was his sister. He was worried that someone might kill him because his old wife was so beautiful. In the text that I read today, he comes into territory ruled by Abimelek and tells the great fib. Not too long afterward, the king takes Sarah into his harem. Lately, I have become interested in real estate investing and have learned quite a bit in the last few years. One crucial lesson acquired was that I need to treat investing as a business and not have too many sentimental attachments. Years ago, I would rent with a "charitable" mindset. I kept the rent low on my only rental because I was "helping people (friends) out." I kept that rent low for 20 years. For those years, that rent never moved from $650 a month. Granted, we could keep the property and barely pay the maintenance and taxes, but the rent was low. It wasn't until I turned that property over to a property manager that I realized what ...

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