Your comments?
Joe
Friday, January 16, 2009
For the Glory of God
SOAP {Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer}:FOR TODAY'S FULL READING, CLICK THE TITLE LINK ABOVE | ABOUT SOAP
SCRIPTURE1-2 Joseph couldn't hold himself in any longer, keeping up a front before all his attendants. He cried out, "Leave! Clear out—everyone leave!" So there was no one with Joseph when he identified himself to his brothers. But his sobbing was so violent that the Egyptians couldn't help but hear him. The news was soon reported to Pharaoh's palace.
3 Joseph spoke to his brothers: "I am Joseph. Is my father really still alive?" But his brothers couldn't say a word. They were speechless—they couldn't believe what they were hearing and seeing.
4-8 "Come closer to me," Joseph said to his brothers. They came closer. "I am Joseph your brother whom you sold into Egypt. But don't feel badly, don't blame yourselves for selling me. God was behind it. God sent me here ahead of you to save lives. There has been a famine in the land now for two years; the famine will continue for five more years—neither plowing nor harvesting. God sent me on ahead to pave the way and make sure there was a remnant in the land, to save your lives in an amazing act of deliverance. So you see, it wasn't you who sent me here but God. He set me in place as a father to Pharaoh, put me in charge of his personal affairs, and made me ruler of all Egypt.
OBSERVATION
As God uses all things for His glory, those who serve Him will give Him all the glory.
APPLICATION
In a fit of jealousy, the son's of Israel (Jacob) sold their brother Joseph into slavery because he was his father's favorite. After several years in captivity, Joseph was elevated to the highest office in all of Egypt, second only to Pharoah, the king.
When Joseph's brothers, who thought he was probably dead, came to him in need of food, they didn't recognize him. When Joseph finally revealed himself to his brothers, he did so with forgiveness. Rather than accusing them of selling him into slavery, he forgave them and gave God the glory for delivering him into such a position of great authority that he could be used to save lives -- even the lives of his own brothers and father.
Joseph had the authority to have his brothers locked up forever for what they had done to him, but instead he was gracious and forgiving and used his experience to glorify God.
Have I been so forgiving in my life that I would do such a thing? Have I used trying events in my life to glorify God?
PRAYER
Father, You have been very gracious to me all of my life. You have provided and protected all of my life. Lord, I am grateful for Your love and mercy. May I do all that I can to bring glory to Your name for all that You've done for me.
Your comments?
Joe
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Life's Greatest Achievement
My little girl is two-and-a-half years old, and she just loves her Daddy so much. I feel so blessed to have two wonderful children.One day last week I asked my daughter to pick up my slippers by the side of my bed and bring them to me. She didn't understand what slippers were, so I told her that they looked like shoes. She grabbed them and brought them to me.
The next day, after I got home from work, my daugther walked up to me holding my slippers out and said, "Here, Daddy." My heart melted. Literally, I was so touched that my sweet little girl remembered that her Daddy liked to wear his slippers and relax after work. She wanted just to make her Daddy happy, and did so with such a simple gesture.
This morning, as I was sitting at the table after breakfast sending out some recruiting emails for some open management positions in one of the stores in my market, my little girl came down the stairs and walked up to me, saying, "Here, Daddy." Once again, she had my slippers in her hands, proving that this wasn't just a one time thing.
Again, my heart melted, and I asked her, "Did Mommy tell you to bring those to me, or did you do it on your own?"
She said, "Did on my own." Ouch! That's my heart melting at the thoughtfulness and love of this sweet little girl of mine. So pure and innocent, she just wanted to make her Daddy smile, and knew just how to do it. I don't know if I have ever felt more loved.
It's amazing, isn't it? The greatest achievement of my life took no training, no special skills, no work at all really. The greatest thing I have ever achieved is being a Daddy to two wonderful kids, and somehow I think that's exactly the way God had it planned.
Your comments?
Joe
Friday, January 9, 2009
Book Review: Kiss by Ted Dekker & Erin Healy
I received my pre-ordered copy of Ted Dekker & Erin Healy's Kiss from Amazon about ten days before the official release date. I finished reading the book yesterday. MINOR SPOLIERS FOLLOW.Kiss is Dekker's first attempt at collaborating on a book with a female author, and the feminine touch is definitely visible in the book. Shauna McAllister, daughter of pharmaceutical magnate/Senator/Presidential candidate Landon McAllister, woke up in a hospital bed missing six months of her memory, in a room surrounded by a boyfriend she didn't remember, her beloved adopted "uncle" and her abusive, hateful stepmother. Injured in a tragic car accident that severely disabled her dear brother, Shauna finds herself struggling to piece together her memory and the details of the accident when she stumbles upon a new and unexplained ability.
Shauna finds herself able to tap the memories of other people with a simple kiss or a touch. She quickly learns that her ability not only allows her to see into the past through the memories of others, but to strip those others of the memory she steals. As she soon finds herself fighting for her life and the cause of truth, Shauna struggles to control this new-found talent and to use it to her benefit as she tries to regain six lost months of her life.
Dekker and Healy have crafted an extraordinary tale of suspense, intrigue, romance, and political scandal in Kiss. If you've been a Dekker fan for long, this latest is a must-have in your Dekker library. Reminiscent of Dekker's Thr3e and Obsessed, Kiss leaves the world of the Circle behind and explores the unexplained that surrounds us. This is truly one of Dekker's best works to date.
Your comments?
Joe
Like Father, Like Son
SOAP {Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer}:FOR TODAY'S FULL READING, CLICK THE TITLE LINK ABOVE | ABOUT SOAP
SCRIPTURE
1 There was a famine in the land, as bad as the famine during the time of Abraham. And Isaac went down to Abimelech, king of the Philistines, in Gerar.
2-5 God appeared to him and said, "Don't go down to Egypt; stay where I tell you. Stay here in this land and I'll be with you and bless you. I'm giving you and your children all these lands, fulfilling the oath that I swore to your father Abraham. I'll make your descendants as many as the stars in the sky and give them all these lands. All the nations of the Earth will get a blessing for themselves through your descendants. And why? Because Abraham obeyed my summons and kept my charge—my commands, my guidelines, my teachings."
6 So Isaac stayed put in Gerar.
7 The men of the place questioned him about his wife. He said, "She's my sister." He was afraid to say "She's my wife." He was thinking, "These men might kill me to get Rebekah, she's so beautiful."
8-9 One day, after they had been there quite a long time, Abimelech, king of the Philistines, looked out his window and saw Isaac fondling his wife Rebekah. Abimelech sent for Isaac and said, "So, she's your wife. Why did you tell us 'She's my sister'?"
Isaac said, "Because I thought I might get killed by someone who wanted her."
10 Abimelech said, "But think of what you might have done to us! Given a little more time, one of the men might have slept with your wife; you would have been responsible for bringing guilt down on us."
11 Then Abimelech gave orders to his people: "Anyone who so much as lays a hand on this man or his wife dies."
12-15 Isaac planted crops in that land and took in a huge harvest. God blessed him. The man got richer and richer by the day until he was very wealthy. He accumulated flocks and herds and many, many servants, so much so that the Philistines began to envy him. They got back at him by throwing dirt and debris into all the wells that his father's servants had dug back in the days of his father Abraham, clogging up all the wells.
16 Finally, Abimelech told Isaac: "Leave. You've become far too big for us."
OBSERVATION
Are we doomed to repeat the failures of our fathers?
APPLICATION
Twice Abraham deceived others, claiming that his wife Sarah was actually his sister. Both times, he reaped great wealth as a result of his deception and was later cast out of town when discovered. Both times he managed to stay in God's favor.
Abraham's son Isaac returned to the very scene of the crime -- to Abimelech, king of the Philistines -- and committed the same act of deception. When questioned about his wife Rebekah, he told them she was his sister. When caught and confronted by Abimelech, Isaac said he was afraid he would be killed for his wife.
Isaac, like his father, amassed great wealth in Abimelech's kingdom. He was protected from harm by order of the king, and finally one day was asked to leave.
The man who would soon father the nation of Israel saved his own life -- and that of an entire future nation -- by his one simple act of deception. Why? Why did God reward Abraham and Isaac in spite of their sin?
God is merciful. God is forgiving. And God had a plan. Through Abraham and Isaac, God established the land of His people -- Israel. How different would the world be today had God held a grudge against Abraham or Isaac? God uses everything for his purpose -- good and bad. Even our sins can be used by God to achieve His plan.
PRAYER
Father, I know it's not a license to sin. But it is so awesome that You can take my mistakes and shortcomings and achieve great things from them. Use me, Lord, according to Your purpose.
Your comments?
Joe
The Obama Commercial THEY Won't Let You See
From WorldNetDaily:
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Thursday, January 8, 2009
Selfishly Unworthy
SOAP {Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer}:FOR TODAY'S FULL READING, CLICK THE TITLE LINK ABOVE | ABOUT SOAP
SCRIPTURE
1 After all this, God tested Abraham. God said, "Abraham!"
"Yes?" answered Abraham. "I'm listening."
2 He said, "Take your dear son Isaac whom you love and go to the land of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains that I'll point out to you." 3-5 Abraham got up early in the morning and saddled his donkey. He took two of his young servants and his son Isaac. He had split wood for the burnt offering. He set out for the place God had directed him. On the third day he looked up and saw the place in the distance. Abraham told his two young servants, "Stay here with the donkey. The boy and I are going over there to worship; then we'll come back to you."
6 Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and gave it to Isaac his son to carry. He carried the flint and the knife. The two of them went off together.
7 Isaac said to Abraham his father, "Father?"
"Yes, my son."
"We have flint and wood, but where's the sheep for the burnt offering?"
8 Abraham said, "Son, God will see to it that there's a sheep for the burnt offering." And they kept on walking together.
9-10 They arrived at the place to which God had directed him. Abraham built an altar. He laid out the wood. Then he tied up Isaac and laid him on the wood. Abraham reached out and took the knife to kill his son.
11 Just then an angel of God called to him out of Heaven, "Abraham! Abraham!"
"Yes, I'm listening."
12 "Don't lay a hand on that boy! Don't touch him! Now I know how fearlessly you fear God; you didn't hesitate to place your son, your dear son, on the altar for me."
13 Abraham looked up. He saw a ram caught by its horns in the thicket. Abraham took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son.
OBSERVATION
The Great Provider never fails us.
APPLICATION
How great it must have been for Abraham to have been held in such high favor with God. Even after deceiving Pharoah and Abimelech, Abraham was considered a man of God.
When God put the ultimate test to Abraham, he obeyed. I would lay down my own life in an instant for those I love. But I cannot imagine sacrificing my own son as Abraham was asked to do.
I consider myself a faithful follower of Christ. I try to live as God would want. But in comparison to the faith of Abraham, mine seems to come up wanting.
PRAYER
How, Father, does a person have such faith as Abraham did? He was willing to give his son for You, just as You have given Your Son for me. Thank You for Your grace in light of my unworthiness.
Your comments?
Joe
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