He's in Your Tough Places – Genesis 39:21

. . . But there in jail 

21 God was still with Joseph: He reached out in kindness to him; he put him on good terms with the head jailer.

– Genesis 39:21

He's in Your Tough Places

Where is the most unholy, most disgusting, most dangerous, most awful place you have ever been?  I can list quite a few places but I'd have to say that the Houston city jail's holding tanks would be right there at the top of my list.  It was worse than even having to spend a week in the cargo elevator pits of a navy ship cleaning the sludge ( as part of my punishment for oversleeping one day).  I won't go into detail on why I was in the city jail, but just know that it was hot, and humid, and smelly, and scary, and chaotic, and uncertain, and disgusting, and the most awful place I can remember having to spend time in. Even though it was only for 3 days, it seemed like eternity as I stood/leaned against the wall the entire time (the benches and seating areas were all occupied by very large men with hair on their knuckles and warts on their eyeballs), and I tried to sleep with one eye open (and with my back to the wall).  I wasn't a Christian back then, but growing up Catholic, I knew who God was and I couldn't imagine Him ever stepping foot into a place like that.

But God!

That's right!  God is in jails.  He's in sludge pits.  He's in prison cells.  He's in execution chambers.  He's in the most vile, disgusting, evil places on earth . . . as long as His children are there.  God goes with us, and He is with us as long as we need Him to be (which is always).  In fact, the Bible says He goes BEFORE us, and He makes sure the path is made clear for us.  That's how good our God; our Father; the Creator and Lover of our very souls is to us.  He loves us so much that He doesn't even think twice about it, and what's even better is that He influences those around us and puts us on good terms with those in authority over us.  

Now what does that mean?  Well it doesn't mean that every situation is going to be easy.  Look at Paul's life.  He was beaten up and stoned and left for dead, and he had to go through a lot of pain and suffering . . . but God was still with him.  So what it does mean is that even though we have to go through stuff, and sometimes we are unjustly thrust into bad places and situations, God still has a plan for us.  And if we are in relationship with Him, then He will make sure that we come through whatever we have to go through, and we will still have favor.

If you never read the book, The Hiding Place, by Corrie ten Boom, I recommend you read it.  In one recounting of the events in a concentration camp, it shows that God used a lice and flea infestation as a means to keep the guards away so that the prisoners could spend time in prayer, and Bible study, and ministering to each other.  God was in the concentration camp, and even though there was death, and cruelty, and evil all around, He was there with His angels, ministering and working things out. He was still God and He was still good, even though his children were suffering.  

You see we all have stuff to go through.  We all have injustices that happen and wrongs done to us that may never be made right, but our Father, Who is in heaven, Whose Name is Holy, Whose Kingdom will come (regardless of what's happening to us), Whose Will, will be done – even while we are suffering through "stuff" here on earth, and just like it is and has always been done in heaven, Who will provide for us the Grace we need today (and again tomorrow, and then again the next and the next and the next day), Who is faithful to forgive our sins (so we should be forgiving those who oppress us and who do us harm), Who will never let us be tempted without a way out ( a decision we have to make each time), and Who WILL deliver us from Satan's traps and plans to destroy our relationship with Him.

God is God . . . ALL the time, and everywhere, and in each situation – both good and bad.  He Loves us, and even though we have to fall, and we have to go through some bad stuff, and we sometimes find ourselves in some pretty nasty places, His loving arms are there to embrace us and to hold us and to comfort us.  He is ALWAYS right there with us.

Prayer

Father, thank You for being willing to go with us no matter where we find ourselves.  Thank You for never abandoning us in most desperate times of need.  Even though it may seem like You are nowhere to be found, if we just look, and listen, and quiet ourselves in reflection of who You are, we will find you.  Thank You for loving us so very much!

Have a blessed day everyone!

– Richard

Bless Your Boss – Genesis 39:5

5 From that moment on, God blessed the home of the Egyptian - all because of Joseph. The blessing of God spread over everything he owned, at home and in the fields, . . .

– Genesis 39:5

Bless Your Boss

Do you realize that others can be blessed because of you – even though you are under their thumb (so to speak)?  Joseph was Potiphar's slave – mere property – like a camel or a fancy blanket, and because he was favored by God, his master and everything his master owned, was blessed.  Potiphar's family was blessed, his other slaves were blessed, his animals were blessed, his crops were blessed, and even his time was blessed . . . and he didn't even love Joseph's God.  As an Egyptian, he probably worshipped every Tut, Ra, and Horus, along with the sunrise, sunset, rain cloud, and dust devils that occurred daily.  But still, God, because of His love for Joseph, saw to it that Potiphar was a blessed man.  Well ain't that just peachy.

But it is "peachy."  It shows that even though God's children can sometimes find themselves in adverse surroundings, God will bless the situation so that while were in it, a path will be cleared for us to prosper as well.  Now, please know that I understand that in this United States of America, we are not slaves and we are not sold as property –  but we do have to make a living. And because of our responsibilities and our debts, we, for the most part, have to go to work every day and are often subjected to things like hostile environments, bosses who are out to get us, co-workers who betray our trusts, and often we have to perform tasks that we feel are beneath us, etc. etc.  We are slaves to the system and time is our task master, but because of God's provision and His favor, we can be a blessing, and we can bring light and peace into our places of employment. The workplace can be a blessed place because God finds favor in you and me!

Imagine what it would be like at your job without you.  People would be throwing each other out the windows right? OK, OK . . . maybe that is a bit extreme, but I bet for a bunch of you, it's probably not that far from the truth is it?  

But through you (and me), God can bless our employers. He can bless our managers and those with authority over us. He can bless our coworkers. He can bless the janitorial staff. He can bless the interns, and He can even bless the people who come in to water the plants once a week . . . all because He finds favor in us.  He has a plan for our future and because He wants us to be His Light and His Hands, and His Joy, and Peace, and Love in the darkness of corporate America, He will bless those who have authority over us.  

It's pretty heady stuff if you think about it.  I mean, how many times have you grumbled about your job . . . and it's God who put you there!  How many times have you wished you could work somewhere else . . . and God wants you right where you are, and He's even given you favor and put you in a great situation?!  I know I have. I find myself doing it all the time.  I mean I do my job well (and I'm very good at what I do - if I do say so myself), but for too often I take that for granted.  There are a lot of mornings when I'm waiting for that train to bring me into the city that I grumble and wish I had a job that was closer to home.  Oh how that must hurt God's ear to have to listen to that stuff.  He has blessed me, and if I think about it (and I have), I'm in a very good situation, and the company I work for is doing extremely well in this tough economy . . . and I have the gall to grumble about it?  Shame on me!

Well no more!  I'm going to bless God where I am.  I'm going to thank Him for my quirky boss, and my smelly co-worker, and the loud obnoxious mouth-breather in the cube next to me.  I'm going to look for ways to be a blessing, and I'm going to keep my eyes open so that I can see God moving and so I can see and recognize His blessings on those around me.  I know that I am where I am because that is where God wants me, and when He's ready, He'll move me somewhere else.  Until then, I am going to be a "Joseph" in this foreign land, and the foreigners, and all they put their hands to will be blessed, because God has blessed me!

How about you?  Are you ready to bless the socks off of your employer?  Think about it.  Pray about it.  Then do it!  Together, we can change our work place, but more important . . . we can change people's lives, through the Blessings of The Strong God, The Joyful God, The Loving God, The One and Only God . . . who we humbly serve.

Prayer

Father, I beg that You forgive my grumblings and my whining.  Forgive me for acting like a spoiled brat and for not recognizing the blessing that You have placed before me.  Forgive my selfish ways and help me to be a blessing and to show Your Love to my coworkers and my employers.  Help me to love with Your love and to see with Your eyes, and to serve with Your heart.  And Father, I pray blessings over those in authority over me.

Have a blessed day my Brothers!

– Richard

Hey Man! – Genesis 37:15

15 A man met him as he was wandering through the fields and asked him, "What are you looking for?"

– Genesis 37:15

Hey Man!

I love how the Bible uses ordinary men and women (like you and me), to help illustrate and to enhance the stories of our greatest heroes.  In this passage, Joseph is trying to find his brothers who are out tending their flocks.  He has a simple yet specific task to do, and his journey is going to change his life forever—it's going to fulfill the dreams he's been having—and it's going to set the wheels of God's plan in motion.  A plan to take Joseph and to change him from a dreamer and a spoiled child, and to train him in humility, patience, purity, responsibility, wisdom, and leadership so that he can be God's example of redemption and grace to thousands of generations.

A lot is about to happen.  The story is about to get really good.  The intrigue, and the drama, and the evil plot are about to unfold, but first . . . enter stage right . . . a man . . . non-descript, unnamed, never-to-be-heard-from-again, with a simple question . . . "What are you looking for?"

This basic yet important question, from this oh-so-overlooked character in God's Word speaks volumes to us today.  I love it because to me, it's a golden nugget; a prize found; a revelation and a joy of discovery, and it's the kind of thing our wonderful Father loves to carefully place in and throughout His Word . . . just for us.  That man could be any of us, and it could be at any point in our day; in our busy lives; in our don't-bother-me-now, I'minahurry, earbuds in, nose-in-a-book, can't-spare-a-dime, journey to wherever.  The opportunity to be in-on God's plan for someone else's life could be just around the next corner, or in the next seat on the bus, or in the checkout line at the corner market, and these "moments" present themselves every day, and if we don't take the time to look up and see the world around us, we could miss it.

God uses ordinary folks, just like us, to give directions, to speak encouragement, to bring hope, and even to launch a world-changing ministry, all because we bother to take the time to speak a kind word or two.  The phrases may seem meaningless, but in God's plan they become battle cries.  They take on the life of something much bigger and much more than we could ever imagine.  They could be the 4 or 5 words that change a person's life and just like the man in our story, we will probably never know the impact we had in the bigger story.  One day we will be watching the news, or reading an article, or hearing through the grapevine about someone who has done amazing things, and we may never know that it was our question that got it all rolling.

We just have to be open and obedient.  We have to take a look around and see what's going on with the people God has placed in and on our everyday paths. The lives are out there and we are all meant to intersect and to influence each other - that's how God works.  It's through you and it's through me that become His hands and His voice.  We need to start making it a practice and a priority to no longer be idle.  Yes it takes effort; yes it means getting involved; yes we may be looked at weird or even shot down from time-to-time, but it's what God wants us to do.  And when we learn to truly walk in the Spirit, He will guide us to the people we need to talk to – after all, it's His plan right?

Who knows, one day we will just be on our way, doing our mundane to-do's, being who God created us to be, and even though we don't know it, at the start of something God designed just for us, someone will walk up to us and ask, "Hey man, what are you looking for?" 

Prayer

Father I thank You for Your Word and the way You relate to us through Your wonderful stories. A simple question, asked by a simple man like me launched Joseph into a terrible and wonderful adventure.  I love how You work and I pray that I would take me nose out of my own life and look around to see what's happening all around me - to Your children.  Forgive me for being so self-centered and unaware.  Help me to see and to ask those simple, yet life-changing questions.

Have a blessed day everyone!

– Richard

Rockin' the Gray – Genesis 37:3

3 Israel loved Joseph more than any of his other sons because he was the child of his old age. And he made him an elaborately embroidered coat.

– Genesis 37:3

Rockin' the Gray

There are birthday milestones that seem to get people down, especially once one passes the quarter-century mark. 25 can be a devastating number  as people realize their youth is quickly fading and they are entering the age of responsibility (hopefully).  Then as thirty passes by, life evaluations start taking place and daily grooming routines take on the removal of strange ear hair and those wiry gray stragglers.

By forty, most of us have settled and made peace with the fact that we are no longer twenty, and hopefully we are well into our careers and family.  These stresses produce all kinds of gray hair (everywhere), and the nice physique that was once a no-brainer now requires constant attention and tweaking to be able to stay in our current pant size.

In our fifties and sixties, we sit back and smile at the youthful exuberance of our children's children, and we reminisce about the days when we to could run and jump and twirl with abandon and ease.  But we smile for different reasons as well.  Despite the aches and the pains, and the more frequent trips to the doctor (and pharmacy); despite the blander and more sensible diet, and the much earlier bedtime, we smile with a sense of accomplishment and we enjoy the wisdom that we've gained through the years of life-expereinces, and the lessons learned from mistakes that have been overcome.  Our finances are generally more in order (hopefully), and our leisure time is a lot more leisurely.

Today's scripture reminds us that God also takes note of our age, and He wants to remind us that there are still many blessings and surprises in store for us as we get older.  He isn't done with us by any means, and we shouldn't expect that our usefulness in the kingdom is no longer needed.  The fruit of our efforts, with God's help and provision can be the stuff that changes nations.  We just have to be willing to take what God has given us, no matter how insignificant we think our offerings are, and put our faith to work.  

Retirement in God's kingdom is not an option, and if we will devote our experiences and our life-lessons to our Heavenly Father, He will promote us and He will bless us, and He will surprise us in ways we never thought possible.  The " New Thing" that God births in us, or from us just might be the best thing we ever do, but we have to be willing and available fro Him to work in and through us.  

It's time to stop looking at getting older as an excuse to slow down.  God wants to produce something elaborate in us – something we can love and be proud of, and something that will bring us more joy than we have ever known.

Prayer

Father, Thank You for continuing to work in us, no matter how old we are.  May our hands never be still when it comes to working the harvest fields.  Thank You for reminding us that Your blessings are elaborate and exciting, at every stage of our lives.

Have a blessed day everyone!

– Richard

Through The Fire – Genesis 35:18

18 With her last breath, for she was now dying, she named him Ben-oni (Son-of-My-Pain), but his father named him Ben-jamin (Son-of-Good-Fortune).

– Genesis 35:18

Through The Fire

We all go through experiences in our lives that we would much rather not have to go through.  Whether it is the death of a loved one, a terrible illness, heart-break, financial difficulties, family and/or relationship problems, etc., etc.  No-one is exempt from the hard things in this life.  Sometimes, things can get so miserable, and the weight of the pain, and the worry, and the turmoil in our lives can seem like they will never end, and the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel just seems like a cruel joke made up by those who have never had to go through what we are going through.  

The truth of the matter is that our pain and misery, as awful and crushing as it may be, will always pale in comparison to someone else's – even if it's the same set of circumstances.  In other words, the man who lost his family in a tragic car accident will suffer terrible loss and all that comes with it, but there is another man who has lost his family, one-at-a-time, due to a terrible disease, and has had to sit helplessly by and watch as each member slowly, and painfully draws their last breath.  Which is worse?  To the men going through it all, nothing can be worse than what they are enduring, but each man's story can be trumped by another story, and yet another, and yet another, each more tragic and more heart-wrenching than the one preceding.

But here is the good news . . . the suffering, the pain, the tragedy of anything and everything we have to go through in this life is temporary.  And while that is little comfort to those in the midst of their chaos, the Comforter, the Restorer, the Eternal Life Himself is able to lift us out of the muck and the mire, and He is faithful to bring Joy out of even the most dire circumstances.  All we have to do is call His name; all we need is to confess our reliance on Him; all that is required is for us to realize that Jesus is our Savior and that He has prepared a place for us where Love, and Peace, are eternally ours.

Jesus said, "I've told you all this so that trusting me, you will be unshakable and assured, deeply at peace. In this godless world you will continue to experience difficulties. But take heart! I've conquered the world." (John 16:33-MSG).  So you see, our lives are going to be painful.  It's guaranteed, but you need to realize and understand that we were not created for this world.  We were created for a much better life – an eternal life – a life spent really living, where death, and disease, and pain, and sorrow, and heartache are not even in the vocabulary.  We need to trust in Jesus so that no matter what we face, our faith in Him will be unshakable, our place with Him will be assured, our lives will reflect a deep peace that will amaze everyone who can see the terrible things we are facing.

Is it easy to do?  Not at all.  I'm not saying that we shouldn't be affected by tragedy or that we shouldn't  feel pain or sorrow or suffering.  All I'm trying to get across is that when the pain has subsided, and the time for mourning has run its course, the Son of Good Fortune will be there to bring us back to life.  Our testimony will be Grace. Our countenance will be Joy, and our Faith will be stronger than ever – Unshakable.  So Take Heart!  Jesus, our Savior, our Redeemer, our Champion has overcome this world, in fact, He has CONQUERED this world, and all the misery that it holds.  He is our Truth, and He is our Strong God, and through Him, we will get through the fire and we will stand Victorious . . . and HE will be Glorified . . . now . . . and forever . . . AMEN!

Prayer

Father, thank You for reminding me that the sufferings of this world are temporary and that there will always be Joy and Good Fortune on the other side of even our most painful experiences.  Nothing this world can throw at us is permanent, and You will bring Beauty from our ashes.

Thank You Lord!

Have a blessed day everyone!

– Richard

Never Fear – God IS Here! – Genesis 32:7

7 Jacob was scared. Very scared. Panicked, he divided his people, sheep, cattle, and camels into two camps.

– Genesis 32:7

Never Fear – God IS Here!

In this story, Jacob is headed back home after God told him to – God also told him that He would be with him (Genesis 31:3).  Now Jacob, many years earlier had cheated his brother out of his birth-right and was afraid of what his brother might do to him – especially after hearing that Esau was on his way to greet him, along with 400 men.  The scripture tells us that Jacob was scared. Not only was he scared, but he was VERY scared.  In fact, he was so scared, he was panicked!  He was now going to have to face the music for something that took place many years earlier.

What gets me about this story, is that God Himself spoke to Jacob and told him that HE would go with him on his journey back home.  Doesn't that stand to reason that if God was with him, then nothing his brother could do would harm him?  I mean, c'mon man!  God was WITH him!  It isn't as if God told Jacob:

"Jacob, go back home, and after your brother gets his revenge and has his way with you, I'll be there to help you pick up the pieces of your miserable life."

No, God told Jacob that HE, God, THE Most High, THE Creator of the entire universe, would be traveling with him on his journey back home.  I don't get why Jacob was so afraid.  I don't get why he would have gotten to a point of panic.  I really don't get why someone close to him didn't remind him that God was right there with him.  Maybe that would have calmed him down.  Maybe . . . but then this story really wouldn't drive home the point that it does.

You see, Esau (who had been cheated out of his birth-right by Jacob), was on his way to meet his brother to embrace him, and to celebrate his return.  He was on his way to show how much he loved and missed his brother.  He took 400 men with him to display the true gift of forgiveness and restoration, and to show everyone that a brothers love is stronger than any misdeed.  The Bible tells us that Esau ran up and embraced him, held him tight and kissed him. And they both wept (Genesis 33:4).  The bond that they once shared was whole once again.

We do this same thing don't we.  Fear gets us to take our eyes off of the promises of God and instead we focus all our energy on the problems that we have built up in our minds.  Our past experiences, our failures, our sins that were committed long ago, come back to haunt us . . . in our minds.  Even when God has given us a vision or a mission – even when He was put a task in our heart, we become panicked because of the consequences that could lay before us once our past is found out.  My brothers and sisters, I'm here to tell you that God is with you.  He loves you and He is bigger than any consequence.  He is stronger than any adversary.  He is able – MORE than able, to bring to fruition the promises He has given you.  If God tells you something, then there is nothing that can prevent it from becoming a reality. Well, almost nothing.

The truth is that there is one thing that can stand in your way . . . YOU!  That's right, You and Me!  WE are our biggest obstacle.  When we doubt; when we fear; when we don't really believe that our God is THE Strong God, then we stand in the way of God working.  He wants to see us prosper.  He desires to be our Champion.  He longs to be our Portion, and if we will just BELIEVE that He IS God, then we will never have a thing to fear.  We will never have to be scared – or VERY scared!  We will never have to panic . . . because HE travels with us.  The Creator of ALL things rides shotgun, listening to that awesome praise music, and He is mapping out all the details.  He is our Navigator, and if we will just listen and obey, He will fulfill every promise, restore every relationship, and He will take us to places we never thought possible.

God is for you!  Don't let your fear stand in the way of the success He already has mapped out for you.  You'll see in the long run, the thing you feared the most, just might turn out to be a blessing in disguise.

Prayer

Father, Your promises are big sometimes, and we see our own limitations which can bring fear and doubt.  Help us to have the faith to trust in You.  Help us to believe because we are like little children sometimes, and even though we have see You work time-after-time, we are quick to forget, and we can tend to focus on what we can't do instead of what You can do.  Help our unbelief Lord, that we might move strong and with purpose when You ask us to; that we won't fear, or hesitate, or doubt; that we would rely on you and that we would realize the promises You have given us.  And we will praise You oh Lord, and we will sing of Your Glorious Victory, and all will know that You are our God!

Have a blessed day everyone!

– Richard

Re-Focus! Look! It’s Jesus! – Hebrews 3:1

1   So, my dear Christian friends, companions in following this call to the heights, take a good hard look at Jesus. He's the centerpiece of everything we believe…

    – Hebrews 3:1

Re-Focus!   Look!   It’s Jesus!

Are you the type of person that gets easily distracted?  I know I can be.  As an artist – a visually-driven person – my attention can quickly be drawn to things that look new, fresh and different.  I also tend to get bored rather quickly, so I need constant stimulation in order to keep my focus.  It’s something that I’ve had to learn about myself, and so over the years, and through many self-imposed trials, I can now recognize when I need to refocus my attention in order to stay on track.

My Christian walk has been the same way.  Luckily, I made most of my biggest mistakes prior to inviting Jesus into my heart, but it still has taken me years to know that I need to re-fresh my mind – to re-energize my passion – to re-focus my attention, on to Jesus, and I need to do it every day.

It’s too easy (for me anyway) to let one day turn to two or three without having read God’s Word or having even prayed, so every morning, I need to remind myself of who I belong to.  I have a little ritual that I go through (that my beautiful wife taught me), where I put on the Armor of God and I start with Ephesians 6 v 10 - Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.

I visualize myself putting on my armor one piece at a time and when I’m done I visualize kneeling in front of Jesus with my head bowed, and I offer my service, my heart, and my very best - just for today.  I only do it for today because I know myself, and I need to repeat this every morning in order to keep my focus. 

Some of you might think it's a cop out to only devote one day at a time.  It's what I have to do – the whole visualization thing might seem silly to some but it works for me.  It helps me stay focused on Jesus, and it reminds me that there are so many things out there that are going to be vying for my attention – even things that would appear to be “Christian,” but upon close inspection they take focus away from our Savior.  The battlefield is all around me and I NEED to do this every day so that I can stay strong and continue on the path – straight to Jesus.

All I’m saying is this – whatever you have to do, whatever it takes, however silly or odd it might seem to other people, do what YOU need to do to keep your eyes on Jesus.  When it comes down to it, that’s ALL that matters.  You will have to answer for YOU ONLY! 

Jesus said, I am the Way!  I am the Truth!  I am the Life!  It just makes sense to do everything you can to make sure you use His Truth to learn His Way, and to make His Life, your life too!

Prayer

Lord Jesus, I commit this day to You.  Everything I say, everything I do, all that I am, I give to You.  I look to You for my strength and I pray that I will hear Your voice throughout this day.  I love You Lord Jesus!

Have a blessed day everyone!

– Richard