Meanwhile for what’s to come

When Joseph was taken to Egypt by the Ishmaelite traders, he was purchased by Potiphar, an Egyptian officer. Potiphar was captain of the guard for Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. The Lord was with Joseph, so he succeeded in everything he did as he served in the home of his Egyptian master.

Genesis 39:1‭-‬2 NLT

As I look back over my life, and think things over, I can truly say, that I really cant remember alot of stuff. There have been periods over my life that seem like it was on fast forward. Seems like it is just a blur. Either it was because it was alot going on. Or maybe it was because I was on auto pilot. Or maybe just because of my state of mind. I just know that it seems as if apart of my life was just going by really fast. Have you ever felt that way? Have you ever felt like your life was on autopilot? Have you had someone come up to you asking if you remember something, and you are struggling to remember and all you get is bits and pieces of it?

HERE IT IS…

Chapter 38 when you read it seems to be out of place. In fact some scholars believe that it almost as if it was put there for the meanwhile. And as you go into chapter 39 you realize it picks up right where Joseph left off. Why a whole chapter of something not seemingly related to the story? Almost as if God paused the story for a commercial break. Well your meanwhile may seem like it has nothing to do with what your going through. You may be working a job that seems to ha e nothing to do with what God is pointing you to. You may be in a relationship that is not going the direction that God said he would give you. This is your chapter 38. This is your meanwhile. Because even though chapter 38 seems out of place, it’s not because it highlights and shows the difference in faith and trust in God. While chapter 38 in your life is not targeted for the now but it’s the meanwhile situations that set you up for the coming of what will save you…
Do you see it?

Carry on in the meanwhile

Meanwhile, the Midianite traders arrived in Egypt, where they sold Joseph to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. Potiphar was captain of the palace guard.
Genesis 37:36 NLT
In the military we had a command from someone who was our superior. If we were doing something and a officer came in your presence whatever you were doing had to stop and someone had to call you to attention. Depending on where you were you had to salute that said officer. The officer had the ability to stop you from doing that by saying 2 words: carry on. Which to the soldier meant that you could continue with what you were doing a if he was not there (unless it was not supposed to be going on).when he said carry on it was to let you know that you have acknowledged him and you can continue what you were doing. Carry on.

HERE IT IS…

In this passage of scripture, no one tells Joseph to carry on, but what was supposed to happen to Joseph didnt. It was as if whatever happen to him didnt matter because God stepped in and stopped it and your able to carry on with your life. This verse starts of with the word meanwhile. As to say that while they were reporting what they said happen to Joseph to they’re father, Joseph’s life was carrying on. I just want to encourage you that while your dreams may seem like they are on hold, God stepped in and said carry on. When he tells you to carry on the one thing that connects you back to your doubters haters, nay sayers is the word meanwhile. You tried to stop me but God said carry on, while I’m carrying on, you will see me again because God gave me a break in time in the meanwhile. God said carry on, because you will eventually have a meanwhile praise.

Table for 1

Soon Joseph had another dream, and again he told his brothers about it. “Listen, I have had another dream,” he said. “The sun, moon, and eleven stars bowed low before me!” This time he told the dream to his father as well as to his brothers, but his father scolded him. “What kind of dream is that?” he asked. “Will your mother and I and your brothers actually come and bow to the ground before you?” But while his brothers were jealous of Joseph, his father wondered what the dreams meant.

Genesis 37:9‭-‬11 NLT

Can you see it yet? That dream that you had, is it close enough to taste? See it didnt hit me until I went through it that, when people say “it’s so close I can taste it” that people are not seeing it as it is. Okay, tell me this. One of my favorite movies is coming to America. The best part of the movie is at the end when the old guy tells the joke about the soup. He tells the waiter to taste the soup over and over and the waiter says ok I’ll taste it. The waiter says, wheres the spoon? How man times have you eaten without using your hands? If it’s close enough to taste it’s close enough to grab.

HERE IT IS…

Joseph tried to tell his brothers of his dreams and was discouraged. This time his father was in the room and even he couldn’t see the vision. Sometimes when you dream and it’s so close that you can taste it. Sometimes you will look up and realize you are the only one at the table to eat. It’s not because of you, o what you did, or maybe it is. Sometimes it’s okay to eat alone. The bible says that he prepares a table before my enemies. When that table is prepared it says he prepared the table before them, not for them to partake in. Sometimes you have to let people see you eat alone so that they will either leave your faith based restaurant, or finally be able to see the vision pull up a chair and wait for you to pass out the meal. It’s okay to dine alone… more food for you…

Dream killers

Dream killers

One night Joseph had a dream, and when he told his brothers about it, they hated him more than ever. “Listen to this dream,” he said. “We were out in the field, tying up bundles of grain. Suddenly my bundle stood up, and your bundles all gathered around and bowed low before mine!” His brothers responded, “So you think you will be our king, do you? Do you actually think you will reign over us?” And they hated him all the more because of his dreams and the way he talked about them.

Genesis 37:5‭-‬8 NLT

We all have friends and family we would trust with our life. We have those people that we can go to with any problem and tell them anything and know thamey will give us the answer we dont want to hear, but need to hear. This friends that we can go to and they will get mad at us but still love us. In the midst of those great ones there are always 1 or 2 posers that make you think they are good friends and will stick close to you, but they have an alternate motive. Those people will try to keep you down. Those people will make you think they have your best interest at heart. They really dont want you to surpass them

HERE IT IS…

Joseph had half brothers that he lived with that were those friends/family. People that he thought would have his best interest at heart but didnt. It’s hard when God favors you, keeps you, and moves you in places that others cant go because they dont have the same spirit you have. His own brothers were jealous of him because his father favored him. It was not just his earthly father but his spiritual father. God had his hands all over him and had something great for Joseph. The problem was not everyone could go with him. God has something great for you that some people just cant travel with you to get there, but they will be positioned to see it. It’s not the spot they wanted to be in because they either want what you have or be where your going. Dont allow those people to keep your from going where God has destined you to go

Broken to be better

One from the vault…

He still holds me…

Today I was looking at this guy’s wood stove for his fireplace and he was telling me about how much he loved it. He was telling me about how much heat it puts out and how it helps out his electric bill. That’s always a good thing when you can lower a bill. Then he said that he was having a issue with the heat stones that are at the bottom of his stove. He said that he is worried about them because they are starting to break into pieces. We talked a while about that and me and my coworker was telling him that their are different things he can try to replace them but he doesn’t have to. He told us that he has had the stove for over 20 years and he loved it he just wanted to try and replace those heat stones. We told him that just because the stones are broken doesn’t mean that his stones are bad because they still hold the heat like they should. He said really we said yes, and when they are broken and mix with ashes they both hold heat so when they mix together they hold heat even better.

HERE IT IS…

Don’t think that just because your broken or some things in your life are broken that God can’t use you. In fact it’s when you are broken that God does his best work. Because when your in pieces and your allowing him to fill those broken spots while in his hand, there is more of him and less of you. Those pieces will hold together better and allow you to be who you really are to be… don’t be fooled and don’t be discouraged because the God I serve is always putting pieces in place to fill those voids and creating and making a better you
#hehasmeinhishands

Get to the sun(son)

God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him. The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.

John 1:3‭-‬5 NLT

I watched an experiment on plants the other day that fascinated me. The experiment was that they took 2 plants that are equally the same and grew them side by side. The difference in the experiment was that one was on one part of the room and the other was on the other half. One was by a window the other shaded. Both received the same amount and type of water. One was spoken to daily in a uplifting way and the other was spoken to daily in a negative way. Even though they had the same opportunity the one in the shaded part of the room and spoken to negative. It did not grow as the other.

HERE IT IS…

Everything was created through Christ but we all dont recieve the same word. The word (Christ through God) gave us life, however it is the word that we recieve that gives us strength to grow the way we need and should. Sometimes we can be like that plant and be in a shaded area of life, but if we could just get to the sun(son) and recieve his word we end up growing the way he intended. We were created through Christ and we have the ability to grow and mature. Even in the dark place the plant grew because it was created to do that. It’s when it gets to the sun(son) that it is given what it needs to grow like it should.

Its setup for you

In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God.

John 1:1 NLT

Have you ever been somewhere and they seem to already have your stuff set up for you? Whether you went to a restaurant for a special occasion. Or, maybe you were going to work. Maybe, when you got home everything was already set up for you to relax. In any place or situation when your able to go somewhere and what you need is already setup it feels good to know that someone thought of you enough to know what you need and want. Not having to go through and take the time to get it prepared before your able to enjoy it makes it all the more sweeter.

HERE IT IS..

In the beginning, the Word already existed. That’s enough right there. To know that in the beginning of your life that God already thought enough of you to have your salvation already setup for you. To know that God already planned an escape route. To know that God had already planned for your healing, deliverance, extraction, your understanding. Just knowing that in the beginning you were thought about. You were on his mind. You were already talked about and decided upon. Your life, your beginning was already set up, you just have to enjoy.

The beginning to your end

He existed in the beginning with God.

John 1:2 NLT

Do you remember what is was like in the beginning? Do you remember where you were in the beginning? What did your beginning look like? What was your mindset in the beginning? All valid questions if we just look back over our life to the beginning and see where, from who, how, what, when he has brought you from. Our beginnings may not look the same. Our beginnings may not have the same story line. We may not have even started from the bottom in the beginning. The truth is we all had and have a bottom or beginning we came from. Even though my beginnings are different than yours, I praise God for you and me that we are no longer at our beginning.

HERE IT IS…

The scripture says “He existed in the beginning. “. Even though your beginning may have not been good, he existed and was there. Even if your beginning looked to be alone, he existed and was there. Just because your beginning started off rough, he existed and was there. It is my belief that even in the beginning where God started from he existed in your beginning where you started from. The great thing that I love about God is that his where he started our beginning he was there, however, he created your end before he started your in the beginning. He knew where to put you in the end, even before the beginning of your story started. Ot started rough. Ot was hard to get going. It was tough being alone. It may have been the bottom. But in the the beginning he existed to create your end. It’s not over, keep pushing.

Trained to win

He trains my hands for battle; he strengthens my arm to draw a bronze bow. You have given me your shield of victory. Your right hand supports me; your help has made me great. You have made a wide path for my feet to keep them from slipping. I chased my enemies and caught them; I did not stop until they were conquered.

Psalms 18:34‭-‬37 NLT

My oldest son is in the Marines and has completed basic training. Before he went I took both of my sons out to the woods to learn how to shoot. In training them before they picked up a gun and before we went out to the place we were shooting we were in a safe place. We showed them the guns, told them accidents an happen if you are not careful. We taught them about the guns the safety on the trigger, the bullets, the barrel, the stock. We went through the break down of each gun we were shooting. I did that first before we did anything. Once we went out to where we were shooting we talked more about where it should always be pointed and so on. It was my intention to train them how to use it.

HERE IT IS…

When my son came back from training he told me that because of what we did it made it easier for him in basic training. God is just like that, where he will train us for battle. Even though God doesn’t train us how to use the weapons of carnal and physical guns, but he shows us how to use the weapons of evil destruction. We dont have a gun, or physical bullets, but we have a weapon that we can load in our hearts, minds and mouths daily. His word trains us on how to defeat our enemies in any situation. He trains us in his safe place, and when he takes us out he tells us what to use. The great thing about Gods word is that we dont have to stop to reload. We can just turn the page and keep right on shooting. Use the weapon you have. Load it into your heart and mind, and open your mouth and speak it over your life everyday.

Delight in me

They attacked me at a moment when I was in distress, but the Lord supported me. He led me to a place of safety; he rescued me because he delights in me. The Lord rewarded me for doing right; he restored me because of my innocence.

Psalms 18:18‭-‬20 NLT

There is an old saying; “if its ain’t one thing another.”. Meaning that just when I thought I was doing good, something else comes along i have to deal with. I dont know about you, but sometimes it seems that just when you have a m ok mention to get yourself together something happens out of the blue. Usually, again this is me, it usually comes from a place that you would not have thought. It seems trouble is always lurking and waiting to try and get you off of the path God has for you. It seems hard to be able to get to a place where you can breath for a moment. To catch up to things that have been put off. To be able to deal with things th way you want to.

HERE IT IS…

The psalmist says that when I was distressed the enemy attacked. Sometimes it can feel as though even in the midst of trouble, something else comes along. But the Lord supported me. When I thought I wasnt, and couldn’t make it. But the Lord supported me. Even when my enemies came to eat of my flesh, the Lord supported me. They stumbled and fell(failed). The Lord not only supported me, but he led me to a place of safety. He didnt pick me up and put me there, but he walked me to the place of safety. Which tells me that he never left me. He guarded me. He surrounded me. To where I could get to the place of safety, safely. It’s okay, your safe in him. Why? Because he delights in you…