Genesis 39
One of the most compelling and attractive narratives in Scripture. Betrayed, deserted, and sold. For many this would be the end of a sad story, but this is just the beginning for Joseph. Why?
The Lord was with Him
His Master Saw the Lord was with Him
The Lord gave him success
The Lord blessed all he had in house and field
When Gabrielle and I were living in Illinois I graduated in the Fall of 2002, but see still had 1 semester of school left. I was the pastor of a small church and they paid me to keep the doors open. I needed another Job. I started applying to factories in the area. My first interview was with Highland Implement, a company that made Plant covers and Easter grass. The plant manager gathered that I had no mechanical or factory experience and made me the Swing shift Manager. My Job was to keep production and manage my crew of 14 operators, 1 mechanic and 1 person in shipping.
Our shift out produced the other 2 shifts by 20-30% most weeks. There is no doubt in my mind it was because of God’s presence in my life. The people who worked under me were treated with more love, respect, and understanding then most of them had ever experienced. The Plant manager recognized that knew how to manage people, and gave me a raise and increased my responsibilities. The mechanics taught me how to do there job so we could keep more machines in operation.
The Lord blessed in the House and the field. God used me to increase plant cover production. But he also used me to walk people through gambling addictions, Drug use, changed the work atmosphere, Walked a man through the death of his wife, help two families come back to God and find a church. What we do in the House spreads out to the field (peoples lives).
We begin to see how the people of God will be a blessing to the rest of the world.
The people of God will bless their jobs who wouldn’t love to work for or with a person filled with Love joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, and self control.
What does it Look like when the Lord is with you (on the job or at home)?
God was with Joseph, but he has a problem. He is a great looking man. “A fine figure and a handsome face.” This double compliment is only given to Joseph and his mother Rachel. Joseph is your cover model for the 50 Beautiful people.
Now Potiphar’s wife is our desperate House wife, we don’t know what she looks like, but we know she is persistent. Day after day pushing Joseph to be with her. This is an environment of temptation. Almost all of us have to overcome these kinds of environment.
• Friends that Drink to much
• Co –workers that gossip
• Friends who ignore there families
• Working on the internet
• Working with money
• Working with food, or attractive people
How do we stand firm and essentially stand out in these environments?
• Speak what is left unspoken
• Ask someone to hold you accountable
• Bring what is hidden into the Light
Durley Camp. Gabrielle was working in the office as the Assistant Director (many doing the office work). I was the Recreation director, and the other rec. Director was an attractive young women my age. Gabrielle and I had thankfully received some counseling and advice for how to handle the situation. We needed to talk about it. Gabrielle voiced her concerns that I would be attracted to this woman and we need to be careful about how we interacted. Gabrielle would share when she felt my actions bordered on flirtatious. I would remain accountable for being overly conscious about or planning meetings and time together.
• Focus on Commitments – For Joseph it was his commitment to his master and God. In my example it was my commitment to Gabrielle and God.
Motivation can be an important place focus our attention on. Do we live to please others, ourselves, or God? I believe we will find living others and ourselves to be filled with uncertainty and changing expectations. The beauty of God’s desire and will is that it is solid and good.
Despite his obedience and Integrity, he is thrown into prison for allegedly attempting to sleep with Potiphar’s wife. From start to finish this passage spoke to me about overcoming adversity, and remaining faithful to God. A quick run down.
• Alienated from family
• Sold into slavery
• Seduced
• Sexually harassed
• Falsely accused
• Thrown in prison
In all these challenges God was with him. God blesses Joseph with great success and favor in ever situation, but he does not spare him from pain.
I know that some of us in this room could produce a list of our own that would compare if not surpass Joseph’s list. If we learned anything from Job we need to remember that God allows pain and suffering to touch those who He loves and follow him faithfully.
At the end of our time last week a comment was made about God having a plan for Joseph, and regardless of circumstances that got in the way, God kept working in his life. I argued that God has a plan for each of our lives, and he is constantly working with us.
How do we overcome challenges (roadblocks) in our lives?
