Verse of the day: Genesis
41:38 And Pharaoh said to his
servants, “Can we find such a one as this, a man in whom is the Spirit of God?”
What
a fantastic testimony to have before an idolatrous society! To be declared, by
Pharaoh no less, “a man in whom is the Spirit of God”. Let us stop and consider
today…can this be said about any of us who are followers of Jesus Christ? Can
people readily see the Spirit working in us, and through us? Do people see the
Spirit producing His fruit in our lives? Galatians 5:22-25 reads, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace,
longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness,
self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and
desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in
the Spirit. 25 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one
another.” Joseph demonstrated these qualities in his own life. He was a
young man who loved his father, his brothers, and his God. He proved it by
honoring his father, risking his life to make sure that his brothers were safe,
even though they hated him and betrayed him. His love for God kept him from
sinning against others, as he saw it as sin against God. Throughout his
enslavement, and imprisonment, you see that even though he seemed to have
moments of disappointment, overall he appeared to not allow his circumstances
to steal his joy and his peace. This was evident in his patience and
willingness to endure his sufferings. We know this because in all that he was
going through, he showed kindness, goodness, and gentleness toward his master,
and even to fellow prisoners, including the butler and baker. His was
self-controlled, and held on to his integrity, in the matter of Potiphar’s
wife, even though it led to a false accusation that landed him in prison. He
was a humble servant, not conceited, and did not seek position when asking the
butler to remember him; he further proved it here as he stood before Pharaoh.
Let us stop and consider that Joseph, after God revealed the meaning of Pharaoh’s
dreams through him, could have asked to be that man that he suggested should be
put in charge of carrying out Joseph’s plan. Instead, in verse 33 we read that
Joseph suggests the following, “Now therefore, let Pharaoh select a
discerning and wise man, and set him over the land of Egypt.” What a
stark contrast from the young man who told his dreams to his brothers, and
father, with a hint of arrogance. 1 Peter 5:5-6 clearly tells us that God
resists the proud, and gives grace to the humble; therefore, we are to submit
in humility to one another, and to God. When we do that, God will exalt us in
due time. James 4:6-7 reiterates this truth. What does our testimony say about
the Spirit working in our lives, when we find ourselves going through difficult
circumstances? Joseph was just a teenager when he was sold into slavery, and
here he is, a thirty year old man, who kept a consistent testimony before God
and man. How are we doing in allowing the Spirit to have free reign in our
lives to produce His fruit so that our God will be glorified before a lost and
dying world?
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