A young man, Jamal, preached at our Church Sunday !
He talked of Joseph being able to BLESS…
BLESS the same brothers that wanted to kill him.

It hit me.
I want a GENUINE HEART….
That GENUINELY loves, GENUINELY wants to
BLESS, BLESS, BLESS ~ all !

** putting’ in my order God……please !

Jamal said, The only way that Joseph could bless
his brothers is that God had healed his/Joseph’s
heart….his heart was HEALED, from the hurt.

So, I wanted GOD HIMSELF to “seal this in me ”
I wanted it tattooed on my own heart….

Reading Gen. 37 on….
1. Think of the things literally done to Joseph
2. Think of the things said about Joseph….

God was testing Joseph’s faith
God was molding Joseph’s character
God was changing the brother’s lives
God was saving a Nation….

It ain’t only about me/you …..
It ain’t only about me/you….right ?
It is ABOUT and FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD, amen ?

Suffering ….in our lives….
Draws out the good in us….(praying for)
+
Draws out the bad in us…..(asking forgiveness for)

It is the PAIN……the suffering….
Look at JESUS CHRIST on the CROSS….
UNDER EXTREME PRESSURE…
What ” character ” came out of JESUS CHRIST ?

** tall order !!

Gen. 50:20
” YOU intended to harm me, but GOD
intended it for good to accomplish what
IS NOW BEING DONE,
the saving of many lives.”

THE PURPOSE OF IT ALL….
WILL COME OUT ~ GOD IS SOVEREIGN !

AT times, God’s ways seem ( as it said in a
commentary ) are…PARADOXICAL ! ? ? ?

PARADOXICAL = to contradict
doesn’t seem how GOD WOULD DO IT….
doesn’t seem FOR THE GOOD…but it is !

God let it go so deep…
That the grief of Jacob
tore his clothes,
mourned for days
wanted no comfort at all….

Paradoxical….. our God of LOVE….?

Joseph the obedient servant of God….
Paradoxical ~
HAD to go “THROUGH” the suffering
was allowed to be thrown into a Cistern…
accused of different things…
and on it went on and on for Joseph.

to “TEST HIS CHARACTER”
so that JOSEPH would “come to”
“the place”……..
where, “he could be”…
exalted
and his
CHARACTER would be that of Christ,
genuinely….sincerely…..

Humble, Christlike,
Concerned for others more than himself
Desiring ONLY the GOD CAUSE !

Gen. 45:5
Joseph to his brothers…
” And now, do not be distressed
and do not be angry with yourselves
for selling me here,
because it was to
because it was to …..
( there is a reason
for what Joseph went through the suffering)

Because it was to ….
SAVE LIVES
THAT GOD SENT ME
AHEAD ……..
OF YOU.”

it is not about me/you/or Joseph
it is not about the other/ or the brothers
it is about the LOST + dying
+ going to hell…..