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What Genesis 50:20 & Philippians 2:1-18 & Gal 2:20 have in common?
By J.P.
"But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good ----in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive." - (Gen 50:20)
I am absolutely blown away when I consider the life of Joseph! When I think of all that he had to go through and endure - not really ever understanding why, (during those great moments of trials, tribulations, persecutions, and false accusations & hostilities against himself) why he had to go & grow through so much pain and heartache. Until alas! he finally sees the fulfilment of the dreams given him from above finally fulfilled over the years of pain.
God had shown Joseph as a young boy just a glimpse of what He was going to bring to pass through the life of Joseph effecting and affecting ..."to save many people alive." However when he was given the dream, he did not understand it & in fact misinterpreted it to some degree because a hint of some pride welled up on his part in how he relayed the dream to his family.
Joseph lost his life as he knew it to be from that point forward - stripped & ripped of his cloak of many colors & thrown into a pit for dead & then to be sold into slavery - so much for the family and the world bowing down to him (Joseph the dreamer)!
I am struck with the thought of reputation here. How humbling it must have been for him to lose his way of life to even have your very own brothers tear your very life from you even your reputation of being beloved of the father (think of any reputation you may hold - secular or in Christendom. What if it were torn from you today? Perhaps your "supposed" reputation has already been ripped torn and killed - how do you feel?)! How utterly helpless & worthless Joseph must have felt - but also, if you remember the account, how he made the best of each situation, he didn't just lie down and die - he lived! (If you need to be encouraged today, then read Hebrews 11 & 12, 1 Pet 1-5)
Can you live through your most humbling of circumstances right now? Can you press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus, even if your reputation be at stake?! Are you able to look at the things that you once considered gain to you and count them as loss for Christ?! perhaps even counting them all as dung in exchange for knowing the fullness of the one who has loved you with an everlasting love - the one who has made Himself of no reputation, so that you and I might gain Him and heaven!? Are you and I willing lose what we have for all of our lives striven to gain: our reputation and self worth? If not, then we have not begun to know Jesus Christ and Him crucified for us personally & experientially! We have only known Him in our heads, but have not touched the hem of His garment, nor sat and ate with Him at His table of communion - but have chosen to watch him from the side of the road or peering at Him through the fence of religion!
Will you and I, if asked by God, be willing like Ezekiel to lie on our side for 390 days straight and turn over on the other for another 40 days - in front of your family, friends, peers and strangers to send a message for the Lord to His people?!
Think of all of the saints of old and all the saints of today who have lost everything - even under wicked and evil circumstances - yet in the process have gained Christ and have been used of God to save many people alive!
May we all be so foolish to follow the Lord to this extreme! Only the Lord can take something so ridiculous, some things that may even have the appearance of evil, and turn it out for His glory and good and for the good of the world!
Think about it - what good can come from premeditated torture and murder of the Son of God? The resurrection of Himself and a full train of His children restored to Himself (children that were justly condemned to hell!)
Oh that we would be of no reputation today - not even a hint of religion but may the stamp of being a bond servant of Christ be on our heads today - so that the scripture would be true of each and everyone of us this day as we humbly declare:
I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me, and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and delivered Himself up for me (kjv).
As we let go of our lives and live by the will of God, we too will find that we won't be far from finding out what Joseph found out -
"But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good ----in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive." - (Gen 50:20) And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose... (Ro 8:28 & read through 39)
Of course we look at Jesus who made Himself of no reputation to the highest degree and was exalted to the highest degree as well - making salvation available to all! Awesome. And we are to pick up our cross and follow Him!
Lord, I / we are not asking for trouble - however, we are asking that the only reputation that we would hold is the reputation of being nothing before You! & You being glorified through us as vessels fitted for Your service and purpose! Strengthen us in these days that remain ahead to exhibit the faith of & in Your Son our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ and be found pleasing to you! Should we be found wearing sheepskins and goatskins and wandering about living in dens and caves - perhaps find ourselves on the blocks of men being sold, tortured and killed for thy great name - let us not shrink back during the day but allow us to gaze into thy holy face and live! May we too be able to say Father forgive them for they know not what they do - & into thy hands I commit my spirit...may we trust You beyond this degree into your most precious presence! In your name Jesus I/we ask these things to Your glory! Amen! and Amen!
Help us Lord - Help us and teach us to trust you (at all times)!
AMEN.
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