Joseph -- Dreaming & Forgiving!

Joseph is one of my favorite persons in the Old Testament!  You can read the beautiful story of  Joseph---his amazing dreams---his trials---his sterling character---his tender forgiveness--- in chapters 37-50 of Genesis.  Let's take a little peek as Joseph talks with his brethren after the death of their father.

     "And when Joseph's brethren saw that their father was dead, they said, Joseph will peradventure hate us, and will certainly requite us all the evil which we did unto him.  And they sent a messenger unto Joseph, saying, Forgive, I pray thee now, the trespass of thy brethren, and their sin; for they did unto thee evil: and now, we pray thee, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of thy father.  And Joseph wept when they spake unto him.
And his brethren also went and fell down before his face; and they said, Behold we be thy servants.
And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: ---- ye thought evil against me: but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.  (What a wonderful lesson for each of us to remember)!
Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones.  And he comforted them and spake kindly unto them."

One of the most beautiful stories of forgiveness in all the Bible is this very tender and touching account of the miraculous reunion between Joseph, his father and his brethren as recorded in the last six chapters of Genesis.
This blessed word "forgiveness" is undoubtedly one of the sweetest, most consoling and healing words known to man.  It is wonderful to be forgiven, and it is also wonderful to forgive!  When we humbly forgive and pardon those who have wronged us, our souls seem to be flooded with unspeakable joy and peace---kind of like we feel when Jesus forgives us of every sin and puts them in the sea of His forgetfulness!  Praise the Lord!
But if we hold on to the injustice we have suffered, and nurse it, it becomes a festering wound, filling our mind and spirit with bitterness like the poison of cancer, and it is impossible for our Heavenly Father to forgive us if we do not forgive our fellow man!
     "For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you: but if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses."           
                                                                                                                           --Matthew 6:14-15
As we live from day to day, let us earnestly pray that Jesus will help us to always have a very tender, humble and forgiving spirit toward our fellow man.
Then, perhaps, those looking on can say:  "Behold, how they love one another"!!

   

Memorial Day!

Today our nation pauses to remember those who have given their lives for our freedom!
Memorial Day should be much more than a holiday of leisure and pleasure, but a time to remember those who suffered and died to ensure our political and religious freedoms!  May we not forget the great sacrifices of those who fought to make our nation the land of the free.
Today, let us pause to remember and thank God for those who died for our country!

Perhaps sometime today, as you enjoy your family gatherings, you would like to pause a few moments and lift your voices in singing together this verse of "America the Beautiful."

     "O beautiful for heroes proved in liberating strife,
          Who more than self their country loved, and mercy more than life!
      America!!   America!!   May God thy gold refine--
           Till all success be nobleness, and every gain divine!"

--Amen!

And is Kind!

In our busy lives, there are times when we feel a little overwhelmed with the cares of life!  How thankful I am that in these times we can stop for a few moments -- "Be still" and wait upon the Lord!  Perhaps the Lord wants to remind us that there is someone needing a kind word from us today.
The Apostle Paul admonished us in the book of Ephesians to be kind one to another and walk in love!

I trust this little poem by an unknown author will challenge our hearts today!

"While praying for the sin-sick world that's on its way to hell,
     Do not forget the stranger lone, who in your midst may dwell.
 The stranger coming to your school may bear a heavy load,
    And speaking kindly to that one will help to smooth the road.

 The Christlike spirit always seeks to help the lonely one;
   To graciously forgive all wrong, ere sets the glowing sun.
 To give a smile, a cheery word, which do not cost a cent,
   Has often raised a drooping heart whose strength was well-nigh spent.

 A criticism bitter, harsh, comes not from God above;
   Oh, let us then most careful be, to scatter only love."
                                                                               --Amen,

BURDENS!

The Word of God makes it quite clear that there will be some burdens to bear as we walk the road of life.  But, as always, the Lord gives us wonderful instruction and guidance in His Holy Word! 
The 18th chapter of Exodus is quite an interesting narrative between Moses and Jethro, his father-in-law.  Jethro noticed the people coming to Moses for judgment, and standing from morning until evening waiting their turn.  Jethro asked him what it was all about.  After Moses explained it all to him, Jethro said:

     "The thing that thou doest is not good.  Thou wilt surely wear away, for this thing is too heavy for thee; thou art not able to perform it thyself alone.  Hearken now unto my voice . . . thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness, and let them judge the people . . . every great matter they shall bring unto thee, but every small matter they shall judge: and they shall bear the burden with thee."

Galatians 6:2 instructs us to "Bear ye one another's burdens. . "
The Apostle Paul tells us in Romans 12:15:  "Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep."
God's Word makes it very clear that no man is an island; no man liveth unto himself, and no man dieth unto himself.  Part of our responsibility in belonging to the body of Christ is to have sincere empathy toward our brethren -- bearing their burdens with them -- sharing their sorrows and hurting when they hurt.
It is wonderful and so encouraging to know that we have Christian friends who are holding us up in prayer and bearing our burdens with us!
To be a real and true burden-bearer, we must be much more than a "fair-weather" friend.  We must be a true friend---'one who comes in when the rest of the world has gone out'!

Let's determine to be a true friend---a true burden-bearer for others---thus fulfilling the law of Christ!

Do you have a friend who needs you to come alongside today and help them bear their burden?    

Are You Standing or Following?

There is a very interesting little command in Exodus 23:2 that says -- "Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil. . ."  I think this scripture could probably be stated in just two words -- "BE SINGULAR"!  It makes me think of the song that challenges us to--- "Dare to be a Daniel!  Dare to stand alone!  Dare to have a purpose firm!  Dare to make it known!"

Ouch!  That hurts a little, doesn't it!  I don't believe I know anyone who really enjoys standing alone.  It is so much easier to follow the crowd---to be on the side of the majority.  But there comes a time when, if necessary, we must stand if we have to stand alone!  Yes---even if the multitude--the crowd--the majority--our friends, and even our family are following what we know to be evil, we must be singular and stand alone!

May God help us to do it Every Day---All the Way!!  

A Child of the King!

This little poem by Edith Young reminds us again how very blessed we are to be a child of God!  What a wonderful privilege it is to belong to the King of the Ages -- the One who rules this mighty universe, but also deigns to walk and talk with me!  Praise the Lord!

"POOR?  No, of course not!!  Why, how could I be,
                      when Christ, the King, is taking care of me!

 TIRED?  Sometimes -- yes, more than tired;
                      but then, I know a place where  I can rest again!

 LONELY?  Ah, well I know the aching blight;
                          But now -- I've Jesus with me day and night!

BURDENS?  I have them; oft they press me sore,
                          And then -- I lean the harder, trust the more.

WORTHY?  Oh, No!  The marvel of it is
                           That I should know such boundless love as His!

        And so, I'm rich; with Christ I am "joint-heir,"
        Since He once stooped my poverty to share."

Thank you, blessed Saviour, for dying that I might live!

Be Ye ...Kind

As I meditated on this little commandment, I thought about how much of God's Word -- the 10 Commandments, the Beatitudes, many of God's instructions, promises, warnings, etc. are short and very clear---not wordy and vague.  Perhaps this is so it will be much easier to memorize and hide in our hearts.  The Psalmist said God's law was his meditation all the day!
So, today, let us meditate a little while on this sweet commandment in Ephesians 4:32.
     "And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you."

The first part of this verse --"be ye kind one to another" -- is probably one of the very first scriptures we learn as a little child.  Many of us memorized it and have quoted it since we were two or three years old; but, far too often, we fail to practice it in our daily living.  It doesn't cost us anything to be kind, and it means so much in our relationships with other people.

Some synonyms for the word "kind" are:  tender---gracious---loving---good---affectionate---gentle---considerate---sympathetic---helpful---merciful.
Do these words describe you, or do you find yourself spewing forth bitterness, wrath, anger, clamour, evil speaking and malice like the apostle Paul talked about in verse 31?  Don't stop there at verse 31!  Let us go on to verse 32 and be kind one to another.

I like this little quote from an unknown source:
     "Let no one ever come to you without coming away better and happier.  Be the living expression of God's kindness:  kindness in your face -- kindness in your eyes -- kindness in your smile -- and kindness in your warm greeting."

Let's make this a "practice day" of being kind one to another!!