A Blessed Partnership

And the Lord was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man…. And his master saw that the Lord was with him, and that the Lord made all that he did to prosper in his hand. Genesis 39:2, 3.
Arriving in Egypt, Joseph was sold to Potiphar, captain of the king’s guard, in whose service he remained for ten years. He was here exposed to temptations of no ordinary character. He was in the midst of idolatry. The worship of false gods was surrounded by all the pomp of royalty, supported by the wealth and culture of the most highly civilized nation then in existence. Yet Joseph preserved his simplicity and his fidelity to God. The sights and sounds of vice were all about him, but he was as one who saw and heard not. His thoughts were not permitted to linger upon forbidden subjects. The desire to gain the favor of the Egyptians could not cause him to conceal his principles. Had he attempted to do this, he would have been overcome by temptation; but he was not ashamed of the religion of his fathers, and he made no effort to hide the fact that he was a worshiper of Jehovah…. Potiphar’s confidence in Joseph increased daily, and he finally promoted him to be his steward, with full control over all his possessions….
The marked prosperity which attended everything placed under Joseph’s care was not the result of a direct miracle; but his industry, care, and energy were crowned with the divine blessing. Joseph attributed his success to the favor of God and even his idolatrous master accepted this as the secret of his unparalleled prosperity. Without steadfast, well-directed effort, however, success could never have been attained. God was glorified by the faithfulness of His servant. It was His purpose that in purity and uprightness the believer in God should appear in marked contrast to the worshipers of idols—that thus the light of heavenly grace might shine forth amid the darkness of heathenism.
Joseph’s gentleness and fidelity won the heart of the chief captain, who came to regard him as a son rather than a slave. The youth was brought in contact with men of rank and learning, and he acquired a knowledge of science, of languages, and of affairs—an education needful to the future prime minister of Egypt.
Conflict and Courage p. 74
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Prayer Requests
—–Please continue to pray for Kamerah. Because of some abnormalities in her bloodwork results, she is needing further testing.
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Dear Friends,
Some years ago, we were looking forward to seeing our old friends, Sharon and Earl who were on their way home from visiting family out west. Earl had been Ron’s roommate and best man at our wedding, so Ron was especially excited. When Sharon called I was expecting her to ask for directions to our house. Sadly, that was not the case. She said that that visit would have to wait until Jesus comes. As Sharon was describing Earl’s last days, she told us of the day before he became ill. As was his custom, he had brought on the trip books and pamphlets to hand out to those he met wherever they went. When they stopped at the last campground, Earl took the last of the literature and as he normally did, he visited from campsite to campsite speaking to the people and leaving with them something to point them to his Saviour. What a tribute to his walk with the Lord Jesus Christ!
How much I look forward to that great resurrection day “when all that are in the graves…shall come forth.” John 5:28, 29 Job asks the question, “If a man die, shall he live again?” Then he answers, “all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come.” Job 14:14 “So man lieth down, and riseth not: till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep.” vs 12 Jesus tells us, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.” 6:53, 54 Precious promise! Think of it! If we totally follow Jesus, He will raise us up at the last day at His coming.
Someday, all sickness and suffering will be over. Someday, there will be no phone calls telling of friends who have sickened and died. Someday we will we will be reunited with our loved ones who are awaiting the call of the Lifegiver. Paul assures us, “Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? 1 Cor 15:51-54 “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven wit! h a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.” 1 Thes 4:16-18 John foresaw that grand and glorious day when all sadness and sorrow will be a thing of the past, “And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sor! row, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new.” Rev 21:1-4
Let us put our complete trust the One “Who only hath immortality.” 1 Tim 6:15, 16 Let us have faith in His resurrecting power. Let us look forward to the time when we will see our loved ones face to face never to part again.
Rose