Recognition amidst opposition!
Verse for Today: Friday, March 01, 2013
Genesis 39:2 – The Lord was with Joseph, so he succeeded in everything he did as he served in the home of his Egyptian master.
Success according to the world depends on intelligence, skills and tactics. But God’s children find success because their God is with them to guide them and create favorable circumstances for them. Their success is living for God daily and accomplishing His agenda for each day. God gives His children wisdom, knowledge and grace to deal in their daily situations. When God is with us, we become a blessing to the people we serve. But the enemy of our souls will try to destroy our testimony and peace through false allegations. Joseph had a wonderful upbringing under his godly father. Joseph was able to distinguish between evil and righteousness at home and live to fear God in all that he did. He realized the importance of the dreams the Lord gave him, even though its significance was not clear to him. When his brothers did evil in the sight of God, he had the spiritual insight to report it to their father so that they could be corrected appropriately. He was an obedient son and willingly went in search of his brothers without murmur or fear. Joseph was a faithful worker who knew that his God was watching his every move. So he worked to primarily please God and then only his master. When his master gave him greater responsibilities, we do not see him puffed up or misuse it for filthy lucre. Thus when his ways were right before God, he became progressively successful. Joseph is a prime example of a slave who was elevated to be a steward because he was first and foremost submitted to God. When we use all our abilities for God, He will enlarge our territories and elevate our prospects for His glory. But we must watch out not to succumb to the pressures of the enemy. Like Joseph, we must work as unto the Lord and wait for Him to recognize and reward us at His time for His glory. We should suffer without murmur when the world gets upset about our success and try to pull us down.
Dear friend, are you finding success in your ways according to divine principles and precepts? The world is prompting us to adopt dubious ways to get richness and recognition. It encourages bribery, nepotism, exaggeration, leg pulling, gossip and discrediting others to achieve success. But God wants us to serve to please Him. He wants us to have right motives and transparency in our dealings and relationships. God’s ways are laid bare before us in His precepts. No matter whom we work for, God wants us to serve Him. Daniel, Nehemiah and David served to please God and so He elevated them. Today God is looking for men and women who are willing to serve Him no matter whom they work for. Then the world will see how the hand of God is upon us. This will either provoke the world to fight us with hatred and false allegations like Haman, or confess our God like Nebuchadnezzar. Joseph pursued the path of God as he served under Potiphar. His master was able to see Joseph’s faithfulness and gave him greater responsibilities. Even when temptations came, he resisted it because of the fear of God in his heart. Even though the enemy’s false accusations led him to suffer, God further elevated him to a place from where Joseph became an instrument of blessings for people during famine and the path for God’s plan of redemption. If we are willing to suffer and pay the price to stand for truth, transparency, fear of God and selflessness, we will find favor in God’s eyes which will keep us going in the midst of opposition, misunderstanding and persecution.
Psalms 1:3 – He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither.
Thought for Today
When we serve on the basis of God’s precepts, He will see our toil and reward us at the right time.
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