Posts with the tag “joseph”

“Accountability” is a common saying in the church world, and for many people it is a dirty word. I believe we view it negatively because deep down we view God as an angry judge who is generally disappointed in us. This past year, I have grown to view accountability differently - and now see it as such a gift! Let me explain...Michelle and I have always been passionate about fitness, but the older ...  Read More

When reading the story of Joseph, God’s favor on his life is evident. Let’s look!In Genesis 37, we learn that Joseph was favored by his father Jacob, who gave him a coat of many colors. When his brothers noticed that their father favored Joseph, they became jealous. Joseph’s brothers were so jealous that they ambushed him and sold him to traders coming by.Joseph was then sold to an important man n...  Read More

“For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him...” (2 Chronicles 16:9)In Genesis 39, we see the integrity of Joseph on full display. After being sold by his brothers, Joseph ends up serving under one of Pharaoh’s officials named Potiphar. Joseph was clearly a hard worker and a great leader. He possessed a lot of exceptional qualitie...  Read More

This chapter brings us back into the roller coaster ride of Joseph’s life. In verses 7-12, he gives a masterclass in confronting, resisting, and fleeing temptation. Today we will focus on Joseph’s rhetorical question to Potiphar’s wife in verse 9: “How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?”Joseph recognized that to give in to sin in this way would be “great wickedness.” He did n...  Read More

Rejection, at its core, is a feeling of being unwelcome by the people we long to be with. They consent to our presence, but we feel our presence at best is a burden and at worst unwanted. This causes an emotional pain much like physical pain. But the difference is, left unhealed, emotional pain can be re-lived and re-experienced much more vividly over the years of our lives.When my daughter Jessic...  Read More

At Heritage we try to take attendance once per semester to know who is involved in each small group. We realize that attendance-taking is a little tedious and maybe inconvenient, but it means so much to our efforts to know who in our church is connected and cared for. As some pastors like to say, “we count people because people count”. You should receive a link to provide your group names, and we ...  Read More

We now reach a part of the Joseph story that takes a very odd turn. In fact, the next chapter in the story doesn’t even mention Joseph. Instead, we read about his brother, Judah - the one who proposed selling Joseph into slavery. And it gets really messy - one of those chapters in the Bible that would be Rated R if portrayed on the big screen.Judah’s family life takes a very dark and destructive t...  Read More

Have you ever told a “little white lie”? Well, actually there is no such thing as a “little white lie” because all lying is sin and all sin is a big deal to the heart of God because of its destructive nature toward mankind. Lying to each other disrupts unity by creating conflict and destroying trust, which ultimately tears down relationships. So, it is easy for us to see why the Lord says in Prove...  Read More

“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?... You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”  (Matthew 7: 3,5)How many times have we fallen into this trap? In Genesis 38, we have an inside look at Judah as he struggles with the same issue. How...  Read More

Have you ever found yourself staring at a multi-colored, messy picture, trying to find that kid wearing the red hat and striped shirt? Before you realize it, you have spent countless minutes searching through all the distractions that look like Waldo, only to find, there he is! He was right in front of your face, smiling, just waiting to be found. Eureka!Oftentimes I found myself searching through...  Read More

Joseph was known in the Bible as a man who was steadfast and faithful under trials. His older brothers were another story! One brother, Judah, refused to follow a law of God in regard to his son’s wife, Tamar. What happened as a result of his disobedience made quite an illicit tale. Twin sons were born to Judah and Tamar. You can read about it in Genesis 38.Certainly the Bible teaches us that ever...  Read More

Compassion and generosity breaks down walls. Is there a way you could bless your group members this week to show them they matter to you? It could be as simple as a phone call, text, or note to let them know you are thinking of them and praying for them. • Is there anything (habit, relationship, mindset) God is currently leading you to move away from? Is there anything He is leading you to move to...  Read More

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you...”  (Jeremiah 1:5)The older I get, the more at peace I am with things that are beyond my control. In fact, I almost prefer it that way. Those are the situations that, for me, are easier to completely trust God with the outcome. If it’s out of my control, I can’t mess it up!So much of our childhood falls into that category. We didn’t choose our parents, ...  Read More

Childhood dreams....we all have them. Ask a child about their dreams and you will get a myriad of answers. Some dream they are pop stars, and some dream they are in a land filled with toys. Some dream of candy or unicorns or Barbie. There is no limit to what children dream. I love how they view the world through an unblemished filter. However, some childhood dreams can be prophetically sent by God...  Read More

We’ve all experienced relationship conflicts at some point in our lives. Many times, that conflict comes from within our family. In our childhood, conflict presents itself in various forms - with our parents, siblings, or other relatives. In Genesis 37, Joseph experiences conflicts with his brothers. Because their father seemingly loved Joseph more than his brothers, they hated him [37:3-4]. Scrip...  Read More

Our eight year old son so badly wants to skip ahead in life and be a man. He stands in front of the mirror holding his chin, slowly turning his head from side to side, in search of stubble. He gallantly enters the room, parading about, when he’s found peach fuzz growing on his arms or legs. Some days, he’ll nonchalantly walk by holding a suitcase while donning a mustache that he scribbled on using...  Read More

Joseph’s plight at the hands of his jealous brothers was ugly. From being the carefree, younger, favored child of Jacob to becoming a slave...no matter the ebbs and flows of his positions in Egypt, he was still a slave. Comparatively, Joseph’s new life was heart wrenching - a fate he in no way deserved. In his mind, his family was lost forever. He was not torn to pieces by a ferocious animal as hi...  Read More

If possible, share a meal together as a group at least once during this study. Fellowship over a good meal has a way of bonding us together in a very special way, especially if we are intentional to really listen to one another. • How did God use the things that were out of your control in your childhood to mold and shape you?• What did God deposit in and through your early years that is now beari...  Read More

From the outside looking in, Joseph’s life doesn’t look like it was blessed and directed by God.After all, the story we find in Genesis describes the joy and excitement of the favored son of Jacob.  Joseph had dreams that were given to him by God, but his decision to reveal those dreams to his brothers and parents would ultimately lead Joseph into a world of betrayal, slavery, and imprisonment.Jos...  Read More

 “For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the kno...  Read More

“Your word I have treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against You.”(Psalm 119:11)“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”(Psalm 119:105)I turned sixty years old four years ago, and my son-in-law, Adam, asked me, “On your sixtieth birthday, what are the top three pieces of advice you would give me?” I said I would have to think about two and three, but I immediately knew my re...  Read More

“In Your presence is fullness of joy...”(Psalm 16:11)God meets us in our desperation. There I was, a seventeen-year-old boy, in Cleveland, Ohio, recovering from my fifth open heart surgery. Four days had already passed, and it was getting late.  My parents had just enough time to catch the last shuttle to their hotel. They reluctantly said their goodbyes, and I found myself alone. I’m looking at m...  Read More

“For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from Him. He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken.”(Psalm 62:5,6)I’ll never forget encountering these verses from Psalm 62. I’d read this psalm many times before, but not yet in this way. This particular day, my heart was heavy with pain and desperately seeking the Lord’s comfort and direction. Eyes searchin...  Read More

“See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!”(1 John 3:1)When Jesus taught us to pray, He said, “Our Father”, not “my Father!” Yes, “Our Father!” God is Our Father (Matthew 6:9) and as born again believers, we are His children and members of His Holy Family (1 John 3:1-2). As family members of God, it is so important we asse...  Read More

Here you will find the questions that were included at the end of each Week 1 devotion. Use as many of these as you want to facilitate a small group gathering.   Strive to include E.S.P.N. in each Small Group gatheringEncouragement, Scripture, Prayer, Next Steps • What are the major hindrances to you for establishing a personal, intentional, and consistent time with the Lord in your life?• Do you ...  Read More