THROUGH THE BIBLE IN THREE YEARS
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My spell-checker refused to accept Jesus as "Providor." It wanted me to spell it "provider." So I commanded it to accept "Providor."
Since then, I've had no problems with my spell-checker!
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Gen 42:29-38
29 And they came unto Jacob their father unto the land of Canaan, and told him all that befell unto them; saying,
30 The man, who is the lord of the land, spake roughly to us, and took us for spies of the country.
31 And we said unto him, We are true men; we are no spies:
32 We be twelve brethren, sons of our father; one is not, and the youngest is this day with our father in the land of Canaan.
33 And the man, the lord of the country, said unto us, Hereby shall I know that ye are true men; leave one of your brethren here with me, and take food for the famine of your households, and be gone:
34 And bring your youngest brother unto me: then shall I know that ye are no spies, but that ye are true men: so will I deliver you your brother, and ye shall traffick in the land.
35 And it came to pass as they emptied their sacks, that, behold, every man's bundle of money was in his sack: and when both they and their father saw the bundles of money, they were afraid.
36 And Jacob their father said unto them, Me have ye bereaved of my children: Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and ye will take Benjamin away: all these things are against me.
37 And Reuben spake unto his father, saying, Slay my two sons, if I bring him not to thee: deliver him into my hand, and I will bring him to thee again.
38 And he said, My son shall not go down with you; for his brother is dead, and he is left alone: if mischief befall him by the way in the which ye go, then shall ye bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave.
KJV
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Joseph kept Simeon as collateral to ensure the other brothers would bring back Benjamin. As a gesture of kindness (perhaps in return for his rough treatment of them), Joseph had their money replaced in the sacks of corn.
When the brothers realized their money was in the sacks, they were afraid of being accused of stealing. The guilt feelings had so clouded their lives they could not recognize blesssings!
The brothers told Jacob all that had happened. He was so concerned with making Benjamin the heir-apparent that he refused to try and rescue Simeon!
Is it true that sometimes we let old feelings interfere with good decision making?
Instead of praising God, and maybe sending a "thank you" note, Jacob began to have a PITY PARTY!
Do you ever have feelings like these? "Woe is me! EVERYTHING is against me!"
Do we sometimes look at things which really are blessings, and count them as
recriminations? Do we allow unforgiven sins to limit the flow of God's grace to us?
Shouldn't we rather humble ourselves and be honest about our sins?
Jacob refused Reuben's proposal. He was still holding to his desire to make
Benjamin the heir apparent.
Do we sometimes hold to OUR OWN desires so much that God cannot bless us?
Once, I was playing with my grandson in the "toy room." He had a toy in both
hands, and I was holding another one - which I offered to him. He looked at the
toy in my hand, and he wanted it. But he was holding tightly to the toys in each
of his hands. He looked and he looked. And finally, he dropped one of the toys
in his hands, to reach for the one in my hands.
Friends, we need to LET GO of our desires, and REACH FOR God's!
Love ya,
Bruce