Hopes and Dreams

Genesis 40:1–23

Have you ever had your hopes raised, followed by a quick and crushing disappointment? Perhaps you were counting on a job promotion that went to someone else. Or your application for a loan was denied. Most of us have! That is why it is so easy for us to relate to Joseph’s story.

Joseph had been falsely accused and imprisoned. Yet in prison, he flourished. The warden recognized Joseph’s abilities and gave him many responsibilities (Gen. 39:22–23). Genesis 40 opens with the line, “Some time later” (v. 1). We don’t know how long Joseph was in prison, but his total time of slavery and imprisonment was about 13 years. Much as Abraham and Sarah waited years for a child, Joseph had to wait years to see how God would fulfill His promise to Abraham through him.

In prison, Joseph met the former cupbearer and baker for Pharaoh (v. 1). Each one had a dream that troubled them (v. 8). Dream interpretation was a complex process in the ancient world. Joseph knew better. He told them, “Do not interpretations belong to God? Tell me your dreams” (v. 8). Through his God-given ability, he interpreted the dreams of both men. He affirmed that the cupbearer would be restored to his position while the baker would be executed (vv. 13, 18).

The story is full of dramatic tension. Joseph had finally found a way to escape his life in prison. He begged the cupbearer, “Remember me and show me kindness; mention me to Pharaoh and get me out of this prison” (v. 14). But the passage ends on a despairing note: “The chief cupbearer, however, did not remember Joseph” (v. 20). We can imagine the crushing disappointment as Joseph waited day after day for release. But the suffering of Joseph would end up being a blessing not only for Egypt but also for the “saving of many lives” (Gen. 50:20).

Go Deeper

Have you experienced times when a door closed unexpectedly? Have you ever seen God use a disappointing answer in a positive way?

Pray with Us: Lord God, thank You for all the lessons we’ve been learning in Genesis. Thank You that the story of Joseph’s disappointments ends in huge blessings. Holy Spirit, give us strength to trust God amid our own disappointments.

I LOVE THIS ANALOGY:
You are holding a cup of coffee when someone comes along and bumps into you or shakes your arm, making you spill your coffee everywhere.
Why did you spill the coffee?
"Because someone bumped into me!!!"
Wrong answer.
You spilled the coffee because there was coffee in your cup.
Had there been tea in the cup, you would have spilled tea.
Whatever is inside the cup is what will spill out.
Therefore, when life comes along and shakes you (which WILL happen), whatever is inside you will come out. It's easy to fake it until you get rattled.
So we have to ask ourselves... “what's in my cup?"
When life gets tough, what spills over?
Joy, gratitude, peace and humility?
Anger, bitterness, victim mentality and quitting tendencies?
Life provides the cup, YOU choose how to fill it.
Today let's work towards filling our cups with gratitude, forgiveness, joy, words of affirmation, resilience, positivity; and kindness, gentleness, and love for others.

NEVER HAD IT SUMMED UP LIKE THIS BEFORE.

Why go to Church?

I think this is fantastic, I just love the guy's answer, and the interpretation for the word BIBLE. Enjoy and pass it on.

A Church goer wrote a letter to the editor of a newspaper and complained that it made no sense to go to church every Sunday. He wrote: "I've gone for 30 years now, and in that time I have heard something like 3,000 sermons, but for the life of me, I can't remember a single one of them. So, I think I am wasting my time, the preachers and priests are wasting theirs by giving sermons at all".

This started a real controversy in the "Letters to the Editor" column.

Much to the delight of the editor, it went on for weeks until someone wrote this clincher:

"I've been married for 30 years now. In that time my wife has cooked some 32,000 meals. But, for the life of me, I cannot recall the entire menu for a single one of those meals. But I do know this: They all nourished me and gave me the strength I needed to do my work. If my wife had not given me these meals, I would be physically dead today. Likewise, if I had not gone to church for nourishment, I would be spiritually dead today!" When you are DOWN to nothing, God is UP to something! Faith sees the invisible, believes in the incredible & receives the impossible! Thank God for our physical and our spiritual nourishment! IF YOU CANNOT SEE GOD IN ALL, YOU CANNOT SEE GOD AT ALL!!

B I. B L. E. simply means: Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth!

When you are about to forward this to others, the devil will discourage you. So go on! Forward this to people who are DEAR to you and TRUST GOD. HALLELUJAH❤️🙏 Be blessed today and always by adding me for daily prayers and encouragement! Hallelujah.

Life Lesson everyone learns too Late

1. God knows when to send you exactly what you need.

2. Being private, staying low key and not telling everyone everything is self-care.

3. Seek respect not attention it lasts longer.

4. There will always be someone who does not see your worth. Do not let it be you.

5. Time always exposes what you truly mean to someone.

6. Be careful who you trust salt and sugar look the same.

7. NO regrets just do better next time.

8. Remember some things have to end for better things to begin

9.Life will separate you from your friends so appreciate each moment you have together

The Old testament is the anticipation of Christ.

The Gospels-The incarnations of Christ.

The Book of Acts -The proclamation of Christ

The Epistles – The explanation of Christ

Revelation – The glorification of Christ

CHRIST IS EVERYWHERE IN SCRIPTURE

John McArthur

GOD

Never said:

“Understand Me”

He spoke.

“Trust Me”

Hope For The Day

Inspiration

When we receive Jesus as our Lord and Savior, the Holy Spirit also comes and lives in us. With the help of the Holy Spirit, we can be witnesses of Christ. We don't have to be a certain place to talk about Jesus and be a witness to Him. We can show others the love of Jesus in our own homes to our family, in our office to our co-workers, and in the towns, we live in. We are called to be a witness everywhere we go. Wherever God has you right now is where he wants you to be a witness for Him.

Prayer is a bullet proof vest,

For protection from evil

And we will find our purpose and meaning in life by putting God first.

Faith that goes no further than the head can never bring peace to the heart.
John Blanchard

7 Promises of God to you….

1. I will be with you. Isaiah 43:2
2. “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you…”
3. I will protect you. Psalm 121:7
4. “The Lord will keep you from all harm—He will watch over your life.”
5. I will be your strength. Proverbs 18:10
6. “The Name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run into it and are safe.”
7. I will answer you. Jeremiah 33:3
8. “Call to Me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know.”
9. I will provide for you. Jeremiah 29:11
10. “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
11. I will give you peace. John 14:27
12. “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give you I do not give to you as the world gives. DO not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”
13. I will always love you. Jeremiah 31:3
14. “The Lord appeared to us in the last, saying; “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.”

God has a purpose for your pain a reason for your struggle and a reward for your faithfulness.  Trust Him and don’t give up.

How beautiful upon the web are the fingers of him who shares good news, who publishes the peace of God in Christ, who shares the good news of our happiness and joy in him, and who publishes in his feeds: “God reigns!”

Don’t forget

Most important in life

GOD

Most beautiful attire

SMILE

Greatest asset

FAITH

Most powerful force

LOVE

Greatest weapon

PRAYER

I’m ambassador of Jesus Christ standing at the gates of hell redirecting traffic.

Psalm 34:1-4

Don’t put your pastor on a pedestal where he can be knocked off

Put him on your prayer list where he can be lifted up.

Food For Thought

God did not give us the book of revelation, so we’d build bomb shelters in the backyard.  He gave us the book so that we’d build bigger dinner tables and invite friends over and tell them about Jesus.

The Five Finger Prayer

1. Thumb  People who are close to you​

Your thumb is nearest to you. Begin your prayers by praying for those closest to you.

     2. Pointer ​People who point the way​.

Pray for those who teach, instruct, and heal.  They need support and wisdom in pointing others in the right direction.

    3.Tall Finger People in authority

This finger reminds us of our leaders. Pray for the business and industry and administrators.

    4. Ring Finger People who are weak

This is actually our weakest finger. It reminds us to pray for those who are weak, in trouble or in pain.

    5.Little Finger Our own needs

This is the smallest finger of all. Your pinky should remind you to pray for yourself.

As the Bible says, “The least shall be the greatest among you.”

Who are you praying for today?

MY PART

God didn’t put me on this earth.

To have an easy time,

He put me here to fight a fight,

To hold a battle line.

He put me here to help the weak

And myself to grow strong.

He put me here to lend a hand,

And help the world along,

He put me here to say a word of

Encouragement and cheer.

He put me here to sing a song.

For someone else to hear.

He didn’t put me here to whine,

Stick out my lips and pout.

He put me here to do His work,

And Satan’s evil rout.

He only asks that I do my best.

To carry out His plans,

Forget rewards and starry crowns,

And leave all in His hands.

James 5:14

Love this ♥️

A pastor asked an older farmer, decked out in bib overalls, to say grace for the morning breakfast. 

"Lord, I hate buttermilk", the farmer began. The visiting pastor opened one eye to glance at the farmer and wonder where this was going. 

The farmer loudly proclaimed, "Lord, I hate lard." Now the pastor was growing concerned. 

Without missing a beat, the farmer continued, "And Lord, you know I don't much care for raw white flour". The pastor once again opened an eye to glance around the room and saw that he wasn't the only one to feel uncomfortable. 

Then the farmer added, "But Lord, when you mix them all together and bake them, I do love warm fresh biscuits. So, Lord, when things come up that we don't like, when life gets hard, when we don't understand what you're saying to us, help us to just relax and wait until you are done mixing. It will probably be even better than biscuits. Amen." 

Within that prayer there is great wisdom for all when it comes to complicated situations like we are experiencing in the world today. 

Stay strong, my friends, because our LORD is mixing several things that we don't really care for, but something even better is going to come when HE is done with it. AMEN!

We need the Word of God, but we also need prayer. The Bible and prayer are inseparable.