Weekly Post
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Pastor's Blog is HERE
7-27-06
You probably know the story of Joseph from Genesis. There were some things
about Joseph's faith that should be true of all of us but don't seem to be. For
one thing Joseph actually feared God. He told his master's wife that he would
not sin against God when she tried to lure him into bed. It almost seems novel
today to actually take God's standards as such rather than as things to be
considered as we make our decisions. It seems like we are always trying to
convince folks that they should surrender their lives to Christ, but that's not
quite right since they MUST do so, and they should be afraid not to do so. If
Christians see no necessity to surrender how in the world will we convince the
lost? We won't.
Joseph also was willing to give God credit as when he told Pharaoh, "it is not in
me to interpret your dream but God will." We say things like that, too,
sometimes, but I wonder how often we really mean it. If there is anything we
have a problem with it is that we are so often concerned about our own image
more than that of Jesus.
Last (for this discussion) Joseph waited on God. He spent 2 years in prison and
he didn't give up on God. I'm sure I don't have to even say anything about this
one. Who is willing to wait on God to do anything other than bless what we are
already doing? I will say that we can develop this characteristic quickly when
we don't want to do something that we know God wants done.
All of these characteristics grow out of faith, that is if one believes God he will
certainly fear His chastening hand, credit God for all good things, and wait for
Him to deliver.
Dale
You probably know the story of Joseph from Genesis. There were some things
about Joseph's faith that should be true of all of us but don't seem to be. For
one thing Joseph actually feared God. He told his master's wife that he would
not sin against God when she tried to lure him into bed. It almost seems novel
today to actually take God's standards as such rather than as things to be
considered as we make our decisions. It seems like we are always trying to
convince folks that they should surrender their lives to Christ, but that's not
quite right since they MUST do so, and they should be afraid not to do so. If
Christians see no necessity to surrender how in the world will we convince the
lost? We won't.
Joseph also was willing to give God credit as when he told Pharaoh, "it is not in
me to interpret your dream but God will." We say things like that, too,
sometimes, but I wonder how often we really mean it. If there is anything we
have a problem with it is that we are so often concerned about our own image
more than that of Jesus.
Last (for this discussion) Joseph waited on God. He spent 2 years in prison and
he didn't give up on God. I'm sure I don't have to even say anything about this
one. Who is willing to wait on God to do anything other than bless what we are
already doing? I will say that we can develop this characteristic quickly when
we don't want to do something that we know God wants done.
All of these characteristics grow out of faith, that is if one believes God he will
certainly fear His chastening hand, credit God for all good things, and wait for
Him to deliver.
Dale
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