Month: November 2013

Life of Joseph – Part 19 – Forgetful

I hate forgetting things. Especially important things.

I remember one Saturday night years ago, sitting down at home to enjoy a quiet evening. All of a sudden I remembered that I was supposed to play the piano for a special youth event that night. The sad thing was that by the time I remembered, the event was already over! That was very out of character for me. And what really bothered me was that I had let people down. People were depending on me and it just ‘slipped my mind.’

I wonder if that’s how the cupbearer felt when he learned that no one could interpret Pharaoh’s dreams. He immediately realized he knew someone who could interpret dreams . . . and he also remembered that he was supposed to have told Pharaoh about this young Hebrew man two years earlier. His forgetfulness had caused Joseph to spend two more years in prison for something he didn’t do.

Here’s the next part of our story.

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Genesis 41:9-14 / Amplified Bible (AMP)

9 Then the chief butler said to Pharaoh, I remember my faults today. 10 When Pharaoh was angry with his servants and put me in custody in the captain of the guard’s house, both me and the chief baker, 11 We dreamed a dream in the same night, he and I; we dreamed each of us according to [the significance of] the interpretation of his dream.

12 And there was there with us a young man, a Hebrew, servant to the captain of the guard and chief executioner; and we told him our dreams, and he interpreted them to us, to each man according to the significance of his dream. 13 And as he interpreted to us, so it came to pass; I was restored to my office [as chief butler], and the baker was hanged.

14 Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him hastily out of the dungeon. But Joseph [first] shaved himself, changed his clothes, and made himself presentable; then he came into Pharaoh’s presence.

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Here are some truths I found.

– If we have an important part to play in someone’s destiny, God will jog our memory when necessary.

– God will work out every little detail in order for us to fulfill our destiny.

  • Pharaoh got angry with the cupbearer and baker.
  • They were put in the same prison where Joseph was.
  • God gave them dreams about their future.
  • Joseph interpreted their dreams.
  • Things worked out like Joseph said they would.
  • Later Pharaoh had strange dreams.
  • No one could interpret them.
  • The cupbearer remembered Joseph, who was still in prison.

– When the time is right, our breakthrough can happen very quickly.

– We need to prepare every area of our lives so we’re ready to walk through the doors of opportunity when God opens them for us.

Application Questions:

– When has God used me to play a part in someone’s destiny?

– What details has God worked out in my life recently–preparing me for His destiny?

– How quickly could my breakthrough happen?

– What do I need to do now–so I’m prepared to walk through the doors God is opening for me?

Life of Joseph – Part 18 – Pharoah’s Dreams

I had a very strange dream the other night. Of course it had some elements that reflected events of the previous day, but it also had an overall theme that I believe was meaningful. And fortunately or unfortunately, I woke up before the “end” . . . before the big event that was about to happen in my dream.

I felt like I knew what my dream was about, but I shared it with a close friend that morning to get her input. She immediately said what she thought it meant . . . which agreed with my assessment. And it falls in line with some other messages I’ve been receiving through sermons and prophesies and friends speaking into my life. So I’m going to continue following the wisdom I’m receiving . . . including what I learned from this dream.

However, there are times I have dreams and I feel like there’s some meaning to it, but for the life of me I can’t figure out what it is. And then there are those dreams that just seem to be a conglomeration of the previous day’s events.

In today’s section in our story, Pharaoh has a weird dream. In fact, he has two of them, back to back. He believes they’re important, but he can’t figure out what they mean . . . and neither can any of the smart people he surrounds himself with.

Here’s what happens:

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Genesis 41:1-8 / Amplified Bible (AMP)

41 After two full years, Pharaoh dreamed that he stood by the river [Nile]. 2 And behold, there came up out of the river [Nile] seven well-favored cows, sleek and handsome and fat; and they grazed in the reed grass [in a marshy pasture]. 3 And behold, seven other cows came up after them out of the river [Nile], ill favored and gaunt and ugly, and stood by the fat cows on the bank of the river [Nile]. 4 And the ill-favored, gaunt, and ugly cows ate up the seven well-favored and fat cows. Then Pharaoh awoke.

5 But he slept and dreamed the second time; and behold, seven ears of grain came out on one stalk, plump and good. 6 And behold, after them seven ears [of grain] sprouted, thin and blighted by the east wind. 7 And the seven thin ears [of grain] devoured the seven plump and full ears. And Pharaoh awoke, and behold, it was a dream.

8 So when morning came his spirit was troubled, and he sent and called for all the magicians and all the wise men of Egypt. And Pharaoh told them his dreams, but not one could interpret them to [him].

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The main thing that sticks out to me in this section is the first phrase . . . “After two full years . . . .”

This means Joseph has spent TWO MORE YEARS in prison for something he didn’t do.  And the cupbearer, whose dream Joseph interpreted two years earlier, has been back at work for Pharaoh that entire time and hasn’t once thought about Joseph, or taken the time to mention him to Pharaoh.

Waiting for God to fulfill the dreams He’s given us can take a lot longer than we anticipated. I’m sure Joseph would never have guessed he would be in prison this long. I’m sure he thought two years ago that the cupbearer would immediately tell Pharaoh about him and he would be a free man.

But God had a bigger plan. Much bigger than Joseph could have guessed!

Today’s truths:

– We don’t know exactly WHEN God’s going to do what He’s shown/told us He will do. We just know that He WILL do it!

– God sometimes uses dreams to warn us of something and to give us time to prepare for it.

– You can’t accurately interpret a God-given dream with human intellect.

– You don’t need to worry about how many other people “audition” for the part God has chosen for you . . . God will save it for you!

Application Questions:

– What promise/dream/vision am I still waiting for God to fulfill? How long have I been waiting?

– What dreams have I had lately? How am I using them to prepare for the future?

– What resources do I use to interpret my dreams?

– When has God saved a “part” just for me?

Life of Joseph – Part 17 – Happy Birthday, Pharoah!

So Joseph interpreted the cupbearer’s and the baker’s dreams. He told both of them that what they had dreamed would happen within 3 days. And the third day was Pharoah’s birthday.

Here are today’s verses:

Genesis 40:20-23 / Amplified Bible (AMP)

20 And on the third day, Pharaoh’s birthday, he made a feast for all his servants; and he lifted up the heads of the chief butler and the chief baker [by inviting them also] among his servants.

21 And he restored the chief butler to his butlership, and the butler gave the cup into Pharaoh’s hand;

22 But [Pharaoh] hanged the chief baker, as Joseph had interpreted to them.

23 But [even after all that] the chief butler gave no thought to Joseph, but forgot [all about] him.

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To celebrate his birthday, Pharaoh throws himself a party and invites all of his officials . . . including the cupbearer and the baker that he had put in prison!

And sure enough, he restored the cupbearer to his position — he put the cup in Pharoah’s hand.

And unfortunately, he had the chief baker hanged — just like Joseph had interpreted.

But once the cupbearer was back at work, he totally forgot about Joseph . . . and about his request to tell Pharaoh about Joseph who was in prison for something he didn’t do.

Truths I found in these verses:

– When God gives us dreams to prepare us for a future event, we can count on that event happening at some point in time.

– Some broken relationships are restored while others come to an end.

– No matter what we do for people — no matter how important or life-changing it is — they may not remember us for very long.

– Our destiny is not in the hands of other people. It’s not dependent on other people remembering to connect us to the people we think we need to be connected to when we think we need to be connected.

Application Questions:

– What dreams and visions and scriptures has God given me to prepare me for my future? Which ones have already happened? Which ones are “in process?”

– Which relationships in my life have been restored? Which ones have ended?

– Who has seemingly forgotten what I’ve done for them? What connection was I expecting them to make for me?

– When have I seen God make a connection for me that no one else could?

Life of Joseph – Part 16 – Bad Dreams

Last week Joseph shared the interpretation of the cupbearer’s dream. And it was good!

So that gave the baker the motivation to tell Joseph what he dreamed. However, the outcome wasn’t the same. In fact, it was pretty bad!

Here’s what happened:

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Genesis 40:16-19 / Amplified Bible (AMP)

16 When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was good, he said to Joseph, I also dreamed, and behold, I had three cake baskets on my head.

17 And in the uppermost basket were some of all kinds of baked food for Pharaoh, but the birds [of prey] were eating out of the basket on my head.

18 And Joseph answered, This is the interpretation of it: The three baskets are three days.

19 Within three days Pharaoh will lift up your head but will have you beheaded and hung on a tree, and [you will not so much as be given burial, but] the birds will eat your flesh.

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Yuck! That doesn’t sound too appetizing. Except for the birds.

It makes me wonder why the cupbearer’s life was spared but the baker’s wasn’t. Maybe it had to do with what they each did to make Pharoah angry. But then the decisions about each of them could have just been a whim of Pharoah’s. We don’t know. And that brings us to our first truth.

– We don’t all get a happy ending . . . at least not here on planet Earth. (We’re not guaranteed a pain-free life. But we are guaranteed that whatever we have to go through, God is right there with us and will redeem it for good if we will cooperate with HIm.)

– Sometimes we have to tell someone things that aren’t fun or pleasant. (Joseph was definitely the bearer of some bad news in this situation.)

– Our life is not going to look like our friend’s life. (We shouldn’t expect that just because some particular situation turned out well for someone else, that if we follow in their steps it will turn out well for us, too.)

– Nothing about us is cookie cutter, which means each one of our lives is going to be unique. (So although there are some basic do’s and don’ts in life, we each need to seek God’s will and pray and discover His solutions for the unique life He’s given us.)

Application Questions:

When have I had a happy ending that a friend didn’t have, and vice versa?

When have I followed a friend’s steps and gotten a different result?

When have I had to share something unpleasant with someone, and vice versa?

In what areas of my life would having a cookie cutter life be easier to navigate?

What am I facing now that needs a unique solution?