Genesis 41:17-42:17, Matthew 13:24-46, Psalm 18:1-15, Proverbs 4:1-6
Today is the 20th day of January, welcome to the Daily Audio Bible, I’m Brian, it is awesome to be here with you today as we gather around the Global Campfire and take the next step forward together. We’re working our way through the book of Genesis. But in the book of Genesis were working our way through the story now of Joseph, who is the great grandson of Abraham and its an intriguing story because a lot of really, really difficult horrible things have happened to Joseph in his young life but those really challenging things have led him now to be standing before the king of Egypt, also known as the Pharaoh. Pharaoh has had a restless night, he’s at a couple of dreams that are bothering him tremendously, but nobody can tell them if they have meaning or if they do have meaning what the meaning is so, Joseph who was been in that dungeon has been showered and shaved and brought before the Pharaoh to tell him the meaning of his dreams. Joseph has told Pharaoh, I can’t do this, but God can and so now Pharaoh is prepared to tell Joseph his dreams and that’s where we pick up the story. We’re reading from the New Living Translation this week, Genesis chapter 41 verse 17 through verse 42.
Commentary:
Okay, so a massive switch or change of fortune for Joseph in the book of Genesis today and we’re told in today’s reading that when this happens Joseph is 30 years old so, he’s fairly young man who has spent nearly half of his life in slavery unjustly. He was sold or trafficked by his own brothers. He was the slave of Potiphar but he found favor, he did well as a servant and he became in charge of everything. But Potiphar’s wife wanted and we talked about all that and he fled and so he ends up in a dungeon. He interprets some dreams in the dungeon, he becomes in charge of the dungeon but he also gets left in the dungeon. So, we are observing story in the Scriptures where nothing is right or just or fair for Joseph. I mean he’s guilty of being a little bit arrogant as a younger man, he’s telling his family his dreams, he’s guilty of being the favorite son of his father Jacob, but he didn’t do anything in that case, other than that his mother was Rachel and she has passed away and his father loved her. And one of the things that we’re supposed to glean here is that Joseph has every opportunity to grumble and complain, he has every opportunity to cry foul. There’s nothing he can do about any of this, but in his heart of hearts he has every reason to become bitter and just allow that to consume him rather than doing that he clings to God for dear life and you can only imagine what kind of experience it must’ve been for Joseph for armed guards to come from the palace, looking for Joseph, collecting Joseph. At first Joseph wouldn’t know whether he’s going to be set free or whether he’s going to be executed. What a strange twist right, I mean he’s been in the dungeon for years. So, he’s probably not well kept and the next thing he knows he’s being cleaned up and brought before the king but the God that Joseph has been clinging to gives Joseph insight into Pharaoh’s dreams. Pharaoh recognizes what’s going on here and puts Joseph in charge of the land of Egypt. That’s quite a switch of fortunes to happen in one day. So, in today’s reading we go through all of that. Then we go through seven years of prosperity and now we are in the years of the famine and I thought I can work in these stories sometimes, we just have to pay attention like, we moved a decade into the future rather quickly. But the point of the story is the famine did come as Joseph had said. Egypt was prepared because of Joseph’s advice and implementation of his administration. The famine is severe and it is touching the nearby nations, including the land of Canaan, where Israel or Jacob and his sons are living. Jacob sends his brothers to get food and they meet up with their brother Joseph. They don’t know it and they bowed to him just like he dreamed. Now, Joseph is speaking harshly and accusing them of spying, but he knows who they are. So, as he just turned vindictive after all of this because if he wants to be vindictive, he could say I am your brother you sold me into slavery now you will die. So, as we watch this forward what we’re watching Joseph do is test his brothers. He’s getting them to reveal their heart. He’s not just jumping in and identifying himself and showing his superiority. He’s trying to get information. So, we’ll watch that as the story develops tomorrow, but as we read the story we’re not just supposed to think well, Joseph is a really righteous person, we’re supposed to see that he has every opportunity to lose faith, to lose hope and to deny God because where is God in the middle of all this. Joseph doesn’t do that and it takes a long time but all things are beginning to work together for the good of Joseph. And so, let’s consider even inviting the Holy Spirit to help us consider the things that we have been enduring for a long time. Have we’ve grown bitter and angry? Have we lost hope, have we lost faith? Joseph’s story gives us a posture, a perspective, a model to consider.
Prayer:
And so, Holy Spirit, come and help us to consider that, help us as we consider and meditate upon the story of Joseph today or anything that you’ve brought to mind from the Scriptures today. Lead us toward what we need to know, lead us into the truth, lead us to be wise, we pray in the name of Jesus, we ask. Amen.
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And that’s it for today, I’m Brian, I love you and I’ll be waiting for you here tomorrow.
Prayer and Encouragements:
Hey DAB family, first of all, I just wanted to give praises for making it halfway through January. This is my second year going through Daily Audio Bible first thing in the morning and I just love how much it’s become a part of my routine and how much this community means to me. Yeah, and just waking up and listening to God’s word and feeling connected to this group of people who read and worship daily together. That is such a blessing. Real quick, I just wanted to lift up a prayer request for a family in our church, one of those like, core families in your church, you know in your community, everybody knows and loves. They have a beautiful, just turned 13-year-old daughter who on January 1st who was admitted to the ER where they found a cancerous brain tumor. So, she’s gone two surgeries since then to remove the tumor but she does still have a long road in front of her for pediatric oncology. And, yeah, and fighting a cancerous brain tumor. And, you know, we believe that God has already done amazing things and that He’s going to continue to do amazing things but if you guys could just lift Emmy up in your prayers. And Emmy and her family the Arnolds, Erin, Brett and their son. I just really ask that you guys, keep them in your prayers cause they have a long road and their really amazing, so. Thank you.
Hi, my name is Crystal and I am a struggling mess. My husband has been so far from me. He has separated from me for a couple of years now and he comes over and my, I miss him so much. And I am trying to stand for my whole family, my kids, my marriage and me. I haven’t always done everything right but he just, it’s just so hard, I don’t understand because my kids are living in the world. My husband’s living in the world with another and I’m trying so hard to pray for each one of them, standing in the gap. And I know that God is victorious and I know He has a plan and a purpose for me and our family. And I might, just struggling and asking for a favor, like Abraham and of faith, that continued faith in my Father. That I can pray continually for myself and my husband to come back to God and to his family if it’s God’s will. But I believe in positive attributes and speaking the word and talking forward and I just love listening to all of you guys. I think I’ve called a couple of times but I just wanted to reach out. This is a new year and thank everybody for sharing their heart with me. And thank Brian …
Good morning, Daily Audio family, my name is Todd. Just praying, I ask that you guys could keep me in prayer. For the beginning of this year, just feels, like the other lady, just feels lost a little bit. And I’m just praying that my walk with Christ could heighten and I could experience Jesus more than I have. I know that I, I know that I have gifts and purpose but I’ve stand at a standstill where I’m just kind of lost. Then just getting back in the word, just praying that I could just for encouragement, mental, peace and stress and strength even during this pandemic to, to keep going. So, just asking that you guys pray for me, for my life, for my walk, for my faith. I know that I’m saved, I’m a believer but the enemy is constantly attacking my mental on I’m not good enough or I’m not doing this good enough or anything else and I know that’s just the trick of the enemy. I just pray for encouragement and strength while I continue this journey to follow God and read and live picking up my cross daily. And leading my family, I have a beautiful wife and children. My wife right now is not a believer so, that’s a challenge in itself. But I just pray that she will be able to find Jesus even through my leadership and just me sacrificing, living it.
Good morning Daily Audio Bible family. My name is Reshawnda. I’ve been a part of this family for probably, at least, 13 years. And what just happened in those years just listening to the Daily Audio Bible and I’m usually very quiet. I’ve only called in once for my son when he was three for heart surgery. That went well and he’s almost 16. Today, I’m calling for that same son and I just want to put in a prayer request for him just for his salvation and his walk. He has told us that he isn’t a believer and he’s doing things you know, contrary to how he was raised. But I’m listening to the community prayer today and I’m just so encouraged by all the call-ins. It’s January 16th but I’m listening to the prayers from the beginning of the month and I’m so encouraged by the people who encourage us who have children to just keep going. And I do have children in all stages, my oldest is almost 30 and my baby, who we’re getting ready to adopt is almost two, so I have 28, 29, 28, 17, almost 16 and a two-year-old. So, I just wanna lift him up for his salvation and choices and different things like that. And I’m just reminded of Brian’s own testimony where he walked away but came back and look what he’s done now. I’m hanging on to all of your encouragement and all of God’s promises and Brian’s testimony. Guys, continue to pray for my son Michael. Have a good day.
Hello, Daily Audio Bible family, it’s Jennifer from Ohio. It’s been a while since I called in, the last time I called in I think it was during the time with my mother was battling with Glioblastoma and she passed away a few months after that phone call. But that is actually part of the reason why I’m calling today because I think one of the most beautiful aspects of this ministry is when we hear the voice of another person and it touches our hearts in a way that we never expected. And Dorothy Jane, I heard your voice on the Sunday, January 16th podcast and let me tell you that just by virtue of your voice, the vernacular that you used, you blessed my life in a way that I can’t possibly describe. You remind me so much of my mother. I feel like, whenever I hear your voice, it’s a little love note from God just allowing me to get a sense of her presence once again through your voice. My mom, you reminded us that you were 85-years-old, my mom was 75-years-old, she passed away. But I promise you, I feel like there are so many similarities, just in your personality, just by the things that I’ve heard you say. So, I just wanna say you matter to me and everyone in this family. Those who call in and those who don’t, you all matter. And I think it is such a beautiful thing when our stories, our journeys, our paths intersect and we’re able to touch each other’s lives. Please keep calling in and keep sharing your testimonies, your prayer requests and your stories because somebody out there needs to hear it. I love you all, talk to you soon.