Today Reminder - 14 November 2012 (Ahead)

A reminder for today

God has sent me ahead of you to keep you and your families alive and to preserve many survivors. So it was God who sent me here, not you! And he is the one who made me an adviser* to Pharaoh—the manager of his entire palace and the governor of all Egypt. (Genesis 45:7-8)

Ahead – what you intended for evil, God intended for good.

Joseph’s story has been in my head all day. I think the moment Joseph saw his brothers after all those years must’ve been an emotional moment. Can you imagine the mixed feelings running through his mind? Firstly there is the anger of what they did to him and just as powerful must’ve been the longing to see his family again. Joseph is angry, yet curious about the wellbeing of his family. He goes through an emotional roller coaster where he initially decides to punish them but also displays compassion as he returns their money to them without their knowledge.

Eventually Joseph could no longer keep his emotions under control as he reveals his identity and in an instant displays the power of forgiveness. Can you just imagine the surprise, shock and overwhelming emotions that his brothers must’ve gone through? I can just see the past few years running through their minds and the faith booster as they remember Joseph’s dreams.

I love that phrase: “What you intended for evil, God intended for good” When you allow emotions to get the better of you and you ignore God, evil will conquer. But when we allow God to get the better of us and leave our own personal emotions out of it, evil will fail. What the enemy uses to destroy us, God uses to make us stronger and to prepare us for what lies ahead. God will take our bad times and turn them into glory days. 

My dear friend, as this day finally approaches its end and I look back over all that the enemy tried to bring bad into our life and how God intervened and changed the course of evil for His glory and our peace of mind, I am in awe. I am truly and completely in awe of the mercy and love that God so freely pours over our lives. And I am in awe of the amazing people that He brings into our lives to support us and to keep us standing through love and prayer. I can testify once again of His great love.

My dear friend, May you be blessed through everything that comes into your life and everything that passes you by on your journey. May God fill you with love, compassion and strength to face each day as you trust Him for victory and success, in Jesus name.

Have an awesome day, dear friend of Jesus.

Cheers

Today Reminder - 13 November 2012 (Talents)

A reminder for today

“There was a young Hebrew man with us in the prison who was a slave of the captain of the guard. We told him our dreams, and he told us what each of our dreams meant. And everything happened just as he had predicted. I was restored to my position as cup-bearer, and the chief baker was executed and impaled on a pole." (Genesis 41:12-13)

Talents – using our gifts for God’s glory.

God had placed Joseph at the right place and at the right time so that his gifts could be used for God’s purpose. Each of us is talented in so many ways and each of us is placed in this world to glorify God and to fulfil our purpose with the gifts we have.

As I sit here in the paediatric ward of the hospital listening to the cries of little ones as they are troubled by sickness and watching my oldest sleeping after such a long day of tests and blood samples, I can’t help to wonder for a moment about our purposes. 

It is funny how you set out in life with your mind set on your goals and plans and how you see yourself in the future, then after a few years you look back realising that your plans and God’s plan were not the same. God had so much more for you in mind than you could ever imagine.

I am sure Joseph did not dream of being in prison or being sold as a slave, yet all this had to happen to fulfil God’s plan. Just as I am sure where I am today I am busy living in the direction that God intended and in a way I am fulfilling His plan. Just as you are fulfilling His plan where ever you are…

My dear friend, I pray that God will give you the same strength He gives me each and every day, in Jesus name.

Have an awesome day, dear friend of Jesus.

Cheers

Today Reminder - 12 November 2012 (Success)

A reminder for today

The warden had no more worries, because Joseph took care of everything. The Lord was with him and caused everything he did to succeed. (Genesis 39:23)

Success – with God all things are possible.

No matter where circumstances took Joseph, he always made a success of it. His character played a vital role in his successes, but what is so important is that he trusted God and because his trust was in the right place, he succeeded at everything.

If God is with us, who can be against us - God knows what it is we need and He knows our weaknesses. As you continue your journey through the many obstacles that life put in your way, I can only pray that you will have character like Joseph with unbreakable faith and unmatched determination. 

My dear friend, let us face this day with the knowledge that an all mighty God stands with us in all that we can ever face and in all that lies ahead. Fear not because victory is within your grasp. Let us celebrate His mercy and His love as we head on and trust God completely to give us success in all that we do, in Jesus name.

Have an awesome day, dear friend of Jesus.

Cheers

Today Reminder - 09 November 2012 (Redirection)

A reminder for today

Potiphar was furious when he heard his wife's story about how Joseph had treated her. So he took Joseph and threw him into the prison where the king's prisoners were held, and there he remained. (Genesis 39:19-20)

Redirection:

So Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers and bought by Potiphar (Captain of the palace guard in Egypt). Joseph worked hard and did very well. In Genesis 39 verse 2 it says “The Lord was with Joseph, so he succeeded in everything he did as he served in the home of his Egyptian master.” God had taken care of Joseph, despite of all his despair as he was sold into slavery, God blessed him and all that he did, which impressed his master – “So Potiphar gave Joseph complete administrative responsibility over everything he owned. With Joseph there, he didn't worry about a thing—except what kind of food to eat!”

But God wanted Joseph to be somewhere else. Potiphar’s wife tried to take advantage of Joseph, but Joseph refused and in refusing he ran as she grabbed at him. She stood screaming with his cloak in her hands accusing Joseph as the one who tried to take advantage of her. So Joseph was placed in jail. 

God needed Joseph somewhere else to bring His plan into action. God redirected Joseph’s life from what seemed as a good life to now a life in jail, which must’ve been terrible. But Joseph did not let this redirection get him down. He knew God was with him no matter what and even in prison Joseph stood out – “Before long, the warden put Joseph in charge of all the other prisoners and over everything that happened in the prison.”

My dear friend, sometimes God changes your direction and sometimes it seems as if you are worse off than before. Do not let circumstances blind you so that you do not see the real reason God has placed you where you are. Sometimes the fork in the road takes us a good place and sometimes not, but in the end we are needed where we are. So stand up today and stand out, because the Lord is with you. You can only do better as you trust Him. God will bless you in all that you do, so put Him first.

Seek favour in God’s eyes and not in people’s eyes.

I pray that you will rise and that you will stand out as you glorify the Lord in all that you do, even when you are redirected, in Jesus name.

Have an awesome day, dear friend of Jesus.

Cheers

Today Reminder - 08 November 2012 (The pit)

A reminder for today

So when Joseph arrived, his brothers ripped off the beautiful robe he was wearing. Then they grabbed him and threw him into the cistern. Now the cistern was empty; there was no water in it. (Genesis 37:23-24)

The pit:

Can you imagine going to visit your family and instead of welcoming you they throw you in a pit. I guess in life things like this happens all the time. We are on our way to do what we normally do and then suddenly there is a pit in our way. We slip and fall and it seems as if the one bad thing leads to a number of new ones ready to take his place.

I have heard it so many times: “Life is unfair” yet we seem to get out of the pit and we find ourselves on higher ground and things go better. 

All the events that followed in Joseph’s life took him to a place no one would expected he would end up and in a situation that no one could’ve imagined. We do not know what will happen tomorrow and we can’t prepare for it, but God knows and He is already preparing for it.

My dear friend, when you find yourself stuck in a pit, do not fear. When God is in control your pit will turn into a palace - a place where God will be glorified. 

I pray that you will hand over all that burdens you to God and that God will take you form where ever you are to the place of victory for His glory, in Jesus name.

Have an awesome day, dear friend of Jesus.

Cheers