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God is perfect in all his ways (Psalm 18: 30; 2 Samuel 22: 31) and we remember that he is the creator of the universe (Genesis 1:1). In Psalm 24: 1 he also says, “The earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.” It was God’s will to send Joseph to Egypt in his plan to save the Israelites. Egypt was a physical place that God still uses to proclaim spiritual insights. In the midst of the famine, God provided the food that Egypt and the Israelites needed and in the midst of sin and hate, in today’s society, John 3:16 declares, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever shall believe on him shall not perish, but have everlasting life. God’s perfect will for our life is that we know Jesus in the pardon of our sins and know his love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance through the power of the Holy Ghost. Joseph had many pitfalls in his life, but he trusted the dream and showed grace through all the evil plots because he remembered the promises in the visions God had shown him.
God’s providence is in His plan that he reveals in his promises for our life. He wants us to trust him like Joseph did without complaining and bitterness because he will work all things for the good. Romans 12: 2 says, “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God, and he says, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you,”(Matthew 6: 33). Although Joseph had many challenges, he trusted God. Joseph became rich and powerful and he was able to help Egypt and his family. We pray that you have already trusted God and received the Lord as your personal Savior. If you are not sure or you want to accept him at this moment, you have the opportunity to accept and receive salvation, right now! Romans 10: 9 says, “For if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God has raised him from the dead, thou shall be saved.” If you believe this in your heart and you want the Lord be your savior, ask him to come into your heart, forgive you, and use you for his glory as only he can. The songwriter says, he will make your life brand new, for he knows just what to do! Thanks again and please continue to visit with us on the website, for worship services, and/or for bible study and let us know how we can help you in your walk with the Lord. Be blessed, Pastor Kirkland
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God’s plan allowed Joseph to prosper through a perilous path and to be in place to provide food for the land including his own family who came to Egypt in search of food (Genesis 42: 3). Romans 8: 28 says, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” God used an intricately, planned chain of events to lead to an amazing outcome for Israel’s children! Oftentimes, hindsight affords us the grace of seeing how God has worked in our lives to use us for his purpose in building his kingdom. How has God used your life, your testimony, or your tests to bless others through you or to bless you through others?
First, look back at your life and see where you live, what turn of events got you to this place, this job, this school, this church, this profession? What about that person who you held the door for, the family you blessed for Christmas, that friend you were able to loan money to, the family of friend you were able to comfort in the loss of their loved one, the hope you shared with a co-worker or friend who confided their negative diagnosis and/or prognosis, that wife and children you helped to get shelter from an abusive situation, that young person you were able to encourage and advise through your own past, how you helped someone being bullied or talked about, or how your prayers of faith prevail on behalf of friends, family, church members, pastors, the country, and yourself? Secondly, see yourself on both sides of these situations in the providence of God; who has blessed you? The Bible declares that all things work together for good and he uses all things to brings us closer to his will for our lives. Romans 12: 2 says, “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” Reading and meditating on God’s Word helps us to renew our minds, to share his blessings, and to see how we are blessed and blessed to be a blessing. The providence of God positioned Joseph in the plan to prepare to serve God’s purpose. Joseph was able to provide food for Egypt and his family (the Israelites) in a foreign country (Genesis 47: 12). We do not always know God’s plan, but we can always trust that all things will be used for his purpose. Please come back and visit as we conclude with Post #3d and consider the perfection of God’s providence. Be blessed Pastor Kirkland The second part of Blog #3 continues with the providence of God and his plan for Joseph. In Genesis 37, we learn that when he was only seventeen, Joseph’s brothers wanted to kill him, but instead through the providence of God he was left in a pit and sold into slavery and ended up in Egypt (genesis 37: 36). God’s providence allowed Joseph to prosper in all his ways. From the pit he ended up in Potiphar’s (the Pharaoh's captain of the guard) house and became the second in command (Genesis 39), even though an adulterous lie lands him in prison, God’s plan allowed Joseph to be promoted even in prison. In prison, Joseph had an opportunity to interpret the dreams of two inmates and the revelation of the dreams came true as he had said. In the providence of God, the released inmate later remembered Joseph’s accuracy when Pharaoh had dreams that no one else could interpret in Genesis 40. Joseph gives God the praise and relies on God to reveal the dream to him for Pharaoh (41: 16).
God’s plan revealed the meaning of Pharaoh's dreams to Joseph. The dreams of fat and lean cows and fat and lean corn foretold seven years of plenty and seven years of famine in the land of Egypt (Genesis 41: 25-32). Pharaoh trusted the explanation of the dream and put Joseph in charge of managing the grain for all of Egypt in order to provide food for the land in the coming time of famine. In God’s plan, Joseph saved one-fifth of the grain in each year of plenty to prepare for the years of famine. This plan provided Egypt with a vast surplus of grain to feed the people and prevented starvation and disaster from the seven years of famine. Even Joseph’s family was able to be fed in Egypt through the providence of God (Genesis 42: 2). Joseph rose to power and authority from the pit, in Potiphar’s place, in prison, and in Pharaoh's palace (Genesis 45). Through it all Joseph blessed the Lord and was able to praise God for using him in the plan to save Israel (Genesis 45: 7). Next in Post #3c, we will look at purpose in the Providence of God. As always thank you for visiting and be blessed, Pastor Kirkland The providence of God is divine in nature, infallible, and perfect. It is a special holy care and protection that God bestows on his children to guide them, protect them, and to use them for his glory. In Jeremiah 29:11, God tells Jeremiah that he has a good plan for his life that will allow him to prosper in his calling as a prophet. God also had a plan to redeem man to himself after the fall of Adam and Eve that he reveals from Genesis (3:15) through Revelations. God speaks to Noah to build the ark to save a remnant for his kingdom (Genesis 6: 13-18). God also called Abraham (then Abram) to leave his family and God promises he will be the father of many children, untold riches and that all nations will be blessed through him (Genesis 12: 1-3).
We will fast forward to focus on the promise revealed through the life of Joseph, Abraham’s great-grandson found in chapters 37 and 39-50. The “Providence of God” will include four posts to reflect on the providence of God through the life of Joseph. Joseph was the eleventh of twelve sons born to Jacob (later renamed Israel by God), Abraham’s grandson by Isaac his son, the child of promise born to Sarah. Joseph had a special place in his father’s heart because he was the son of his old age and of his favorite wife Rebekah. Joseph incurred much jealousy and abuse from his older brothers because of his father’s favoritism and Joseph’s dreams. God had given Joseph prophetic dreams of him having rule and authority over his family. God has a way of working his plan to provide for his people and Joseph’s story tells of the mysterious ways God used to perform his wonders. Reflect with us as we see Joseph in the providence of God through this four-part blog post. Be blessed, Pastor Kirkland "Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance (Psalm 33: 12)."
In the United States of America, the 4th of July is a celebration of independence and freedom. We pledge our allegiance to the flag, this country, and the principles upon which it stands: liberty and justice for all. The Pledge of Allegiance is known and/or recited by most of our students, children, military members, and citizens in this country and it includes these four words, “...one nation under God…” According to US History.org, the Pledge of Allegiance was written in August 1892 by the socialist minister Francis Bellamy (1855-1931), later adapted by the U. S. and in 1954, the words “under God” were added in response to the Communist threat. It now reads,"I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all." As we celebrate the birth of this great country and our history of liberty and justice, we can be thankful for being one nation under God, Psalm 33: 12 says, “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance.” This Psalm is thought to be written by David as an exhortation to God’s people to remember the goodness of God and “praise him for his wonderful works toward the children of men” (Psalm 107: 31). One nation under God, knows Jesus as their Lord and Savior. David has a history of being in many challenges and dire circumstances including keeping his father’s herds and facing the lion and the bear, facing Goliath, being a victim of King Saul’s wrath, the sin of adultery, countless battles of war, treason in battle, and battles with his family. Through it all, the Lord called David a man after his own heart (I Samuel 13: 14). David praised the Lord in his victories, in his weaknesses, in repentance, and for God’s strength and deliverance. Like Israel, the U.S. is a nation under God’s love and protection. The Lord blesses us with his bounty and bestows us with his guidance through the circumstances in our lives. Like David and us, the Israelites and the United States make mistakes and go contrary to God’s will, but God’s people remain under the providence of God. Even with all the events in the news: politics, natural disasters, injustices around the world we are one nation under God that is used to spread his word and his love. Proverbs 9: 10 says, The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and knowing the Holy One is understanding.” Believing that he is the Creator of all things including us, gives us reverence and appreciation for his greatness. In one nation under God, God’s people are sought out to give their witness to a dying world to tell of the goodness of God and how he has blessed them in happiness and sorrow. As a nation under God, we are blessed to be the leaders of the free world and to whom much is given much is required. One nation that should be indivisible from God’s word and sharing his love through the tools and resources he has blessed us with. After Solomon built the temple, the Lord admonished the Israelites in 2nd Chronicles 7: 14 that, “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” Prayer confirms our faith and without faith it is impossible to please God, for he that cometh to God must believe he is a rewarder of him who diligently seeks him (Hebrews 11: 6). As one nation under God, we are blessed to know that Jesus is our portion and he will withhold no good thing from his children as the scripture says, “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance (Psalm 33: 12). As we pray and pledge, let us remember that we are one nation under God’s word and chosen for the fulfilment of liberty and justice for all! We thank you for visiting our website, please contact us for more fellowship in the word. Be blessed, Pastor Kirkland |
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