Devotional Song: … GO TO THIS LINK … Please take the time to take in a YouTube video of the group, Hillsong United, leading in worship/concert and singing … Through It All … poignantly singing of how our Lord never lets us go … “through it all.”
Joseph in prison ...
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Highlight Verse[s]: Genesis 39:21 [NLT] … 20 So he took Joseph and threw him into the prison where the king’s prisoners were held, and there he remained. 21 But the Lord was with Joseph in the prison and showed him His faithful love. …
… In spite of unjust imprisonment, God remained faithful to Joseph.
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Highlight Passage [context]: Genesis 39:6-12, 20-23 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… Joseph, unjustly imprisoned, … [see photo] … but God remained with him.
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Reference Passage : … Proverbs 3:5-6 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… It’s really tough when things go against us in life; but that’s when we must hold fast to our faith.
Reference Passage : … Romans 8:28 [NLT] … 28 And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.
… Even when things seem lost or out of control, we must have faith, as Christians, that our circumstances are ALWAYS for our good.
Reference Passage : … 2 Corinthians 12:9 [NLT] … 9 Each time He said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.
… In spite of the painful thorn, given to Paul, he trusted God to give him the grace to deal with his painful disability.
Reference Passage : … Hebrews 13:5 [NLT] … 5 … For God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.”
… God’s promise is to always be there for us … no matter what!!
My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, Estera Pirosca Escobar, uses a historical figure post WW2 to illustrate holding on to our faith in a caring God even when things go awry in our lives. The ODB author wrote: Haralan Popov had no idea what turn his life would take when the doorbell rang early one morning in 1948. Without any warning, the Bulgarian police took Haralan away to prison because of his faith. He spent the next thirteen years behind bars, praying for strength and courage. Despite horrible treatment, he knew God was with him, and he shared the good news of Jesus with fellow prisoners—and many believed.
The more modern ODB story illustrates what Joseph went through much of his life, being abandoned by his brothers and going through many catastrophic setbacks, … holding on to his loyalty and faithfulness to God. Yes, … through it all, … as the linked song declares, Joseph remained faithful and waited on God for his deliverance.
And so, ... if we have setbacks, ... which we will, … as did Joseph [in the highlight passage] or Paul (see 2Corinthians 12:9), I pray we can trust in our God for His mercy and grace to give us His strength in those times of trial or personal anguish, … in times where we simply don’t have enough strength to deal with the circumstances.
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My THANKFULNESS: … Oh Abba Father, … thank You, Lord, … for always being there for us when life spins out of our power or control.
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My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, … King Jesus, … I pray, Lord, that all reading here can, and will, join me to trust that our circumstances are for our good and our God will ALWAYS be there. … Amen
Blogger Note: Everyday during this year, my daily devotional blogs are influenced by the reading and study of the online devotional blog entitled “Our Daily Bread,” distributed online via email by RBC Ministries. If you GO TO THIS LINK on the date of my blog, you can read/study the ODB blogs; or you can subscribe to the blog via email at that site.
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