Seeing God Through Storms

Date: Wednesday, January 14, 2015
Today's Chapters: Genesis 40-42
Message Title: Seeing God Through Storms

Hello My Friend, 

At times it seems as though we face one trial after another and when that happens we can become discouraged, depressed, even wondering where God is and why He is not helping. One of my favorite poems is, Footprints in The Sand (1963), “LORD you said that once I decided to follow you, you'd walk with me all the way. But I have noticed that during the most troublesome times in my life there is only one set of footprints. I don't understand why when I needed you most you would leave me. The LORD replied, my precious, precious child, I Love you and I would never leave you! During your times of trial and suffering when you see only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you.” If you have accepted the Lord, Jesus Christ as your Savior, He is always with you and will never leave you. We may face some trials, but He is always with us. “For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” - Romans 8:38,39.

While I am sure Joseph had some ups and down on his journey, he never let his spirit get down, he always saw God's hand in everything. Even in prison, he managed to make the best of things, and encouraged the other prisoners as well, including two men with a couple of disturbing dreams. “And Joseph came in unto them in the morning, and looked upon them, and, behold, they were sad. And he asked Pharaoh's officers that were with him in the ward of his lord's house, saying, Wherefore look ye so sadly to day? And they said unto him, We have dreamed a dream, and there is no interpreter of it. And Joseph said unto them, Do not interpretations belong to God? tell me them, I pray you. And it came to pass the third day, which was Pharaoh's birthday, that he made a feast unto all his servants: and he lifted up the head of the chief butler and of the chief baker among his servants. And he restored the chief butler unto his butlership again; and he gave the cup into Pharaoh's hand: But he hanged the chief baker: as Joseph had interpreted to them. Yet did not the chief butler remember Joseph, but forgat him.” - Genesis 40:6-8,20-23.

We may not always like the situations we are in, but we can keep our spirits up, and really the only one who can help us do that is Jesus He is our strength to weather every storm, and with Him, we will see that beautiful rainbow that appears after the storm. “That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:” - 1 Peter 1:7.

After two more years in prison, the butler finally remembered Joseph, after the Pharaoh had a disturbing dream. “And it came to pass in the morning that his spirit was troubled; and he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt, and all the wise men thereof: and Pharaoh told them his dream; but there was none that could interpret them unto Pharaoh. Then spake the chief butler unto Pharaoh, saying, I do remember my faults this day: Pharaoh was wroth with his servants, and put me in ward in the captain of the guard's house, both me and the chief baker: And we dreamed a dream in one night, I and he; we dreamed each man according to the interpretation of his dream. And there was there with us a young man, an Hebrew, servant to the captain of the guard; and we told him, and he interpreted to us our dreams; to each man according to his dream he did interpret.” - Genesis 41:8-12.

Now, here is Joseph standing before Pharaoh himself to tell him what his dreams meant, he was not ashamed to say that God was the one who will tell him what it meant. After he interprets the dream, Pharaoh is so impressed, that he not only released him from prison, but made himgovernor in the land, and put him in charge of making sure that there was enough food to withstand the famine. “And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Forasmuch as God hath shewed thee all this, there is none so discreet and wise as thou art: Thou shalt be over my house, and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled: only in the throne will I be greater than thou. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, See, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt. And Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand, and put it upon Joseph's hand, and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck; And he made him to ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried before him, Bow the knee: and he made him ruler over all the land of Egypt. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I am Pharaoh, and without thee shall no man lift up his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt. And Pharaoh called Joseph's name Zaphnathpaaneah; and he gave him to wife Asenath the daughter of Potipherah priest of On. And Joseph went out over all the land of Egypt.” - Genesis 41:39-45.

The name Pharaoh gave him has two meanings, in Hebrew it means, revealer of a secret, in Coptic it means, preserver of the age. God used Joseph to preserve life not only throughout Egypt, but even nations surrounding them, including Canaan. While we are in the storms of life, it can be hard to see it coming to an end, but there is always and pretty wonderful end when we trust God. “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.” - Jeremiah 29:11-13.

Now, time had passed, and the famine was great, people from all over were coming to buy food, Jacob sent all of his sons, except for Benjamin, to Egypt to buy food. “And the sons of Israel came to buy corn among those that came: for the famine was in the land of Canaan. And Josephwas the governor over the land, and he it was that sold to all the people of the land: and Joseph's brethren came, and bowed down themselves before him with their faces to the earth. And Joseph saw his brethren, and he knew them, but made himself strange unto them, and spake roughly unto them; and he said unto them, Whence come ye? And they said, From the land of Canaan to buy food. And Joseph knew his brethren, but they knew not him. And Joseph remembered the dreams which he dreamed of them, and said unto them, Ye are spies; to see the nakedness of the land ye are come. If ye be true men, let one of your brethren be bound in the house of your prison: go ye, carry corn for the famine of your houses: But bring your youngest brother unto me; so shall your words be verified, and ye shall not die. And they did so. And they said one to another, We are verily guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon us.” - Genesis 42:5-9,19-21.

Joseph's brothers never got over the fact of what they did to their brother as well as their father, but now realize that the trouble they were facing for no reason at all was the result of what they had done thirteen years ago. This is a reminder that everything we do comes back to us whether it be for good or bad, no matter how long it takes. If you are facing trials don't be sad, first, think about what is going on. Is Christ your Savior? Have you gotten away from God? Have you been faithful to God? If the answer is no, it's time to seek Christ, and get right with God, if the answer is yes, keep you head up, trust in God, know that He is with you, and there is an expected end. “Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.” - 1 Peter 4:12,13.

Today's Prayer: God, We may not always see You working in our lives or that Your presence is even with us, but that is when You are preparing us for Your most glorious appearing yet. Lord, be with me, when I am discouraged, and have no clue what's going on, lift up my spirit, and give me that hope of an expected end. You are my strength and guide, without You, I wither and feel dead inside, give me vision to see what is ahead, and let me never lose sight of what You have waiting for me at the end of the storm. In Jesus' name. Amen. 

God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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