A MAN CHOSEN BY GOD
This is the account of Jacob. Joseph, a young man of seventeen, was tending the flocks with his brothers, the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives, and he brought their father a bad report about them. Now Israel loved Joseph more than any of his other sons, because he had been born to him in his old age; and he made a richly ornamented robe for him. When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him. Genesis 37:2-4
Have you ever read the story of Joseph in Genesis? Joseph had a dream and told his family about it which was a mistake as it made his brothers very jealous and they hated him. While Joseph’s brothers were taking care of the sheep, their father sent Joseph out to check on his brothers and see where they were. They saw him from a distance and they then plotted to kill him. But God had a plan and intervened. The brothers ended up selling Joseph to the Ishmaelites, who took him to Egypt. Joseph went through many trials and tribulations, but God was with Joseph all the time. Joseph is an excellent example for you to learn from his life as you pray for your marriage to be resurrected from the dead.
Have you ever dealt with jealousy in your life? Did your mother or father have a favorite child in your family? Do you have a special relationship with one child over your others? Learn from Joseph’s story to not have a favorite child. That is what happened to Israel and his son, Joseph, whom he bore in his old age. He loved Joseph so much that Israel made a fancy, ornamented robe for him to wear while his brothers wore plain tunics. Joseph’s brothers hated him and were always saying bad things to him.
Then Joseph had a dream. Have you ever had a dream or a vision about something that may come to pass in the future - like a restored marriage? Never forget your dream, but keep praying for God’s perfect timing. Many years ago, a neighbor was having marriage problems and she dreamed that she came over to our house and we helped her. At that time, she did not know we had a restored marriage or that we had a marriage ministry. The Lord sent her to our home for His divine message of marriage restoration.
Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him all the more. He said to them, “Listen to this dream I had: We were binding sheaves of grain out in the field when suddenly my sheaf rose and stood upright, while your sheaves gathered around mine and bowed down to it.†His brothers said to him, “Do you intend to reign over us? Will you actually rule us?†And they hated him all the more because of his dream and what he had said. Then he had another dream, and he told it to his brothers. “Listen,†he said, “I had another dream, and this time the sun and moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me.†When he told his father as well as his brothers, his father rebuked him and said, “What is this dream you had? Will your mother and I and your brothers actually come and bow down to the ground before you?†His brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the matter in mind. Genesis 37:5-10
May you learn from the Bible lessons that God teaches us. In fact, take this one as a warning so that you will not get jealous of your loved ones or friends who may do better financially than you. Money does not always bring happiness as we see often that tragedy happens to many successful people. The enemy will use many different scenarios to try to separate and destroy your family and friend’s relationships. Beware of the enemy’s deceptive tricks.
Are you jealous of your spouse and the other person? I want to mention jealousy and envy as feelings that many standers battle with as they pray for their husband or wife. I know that I often felt jealous and angry because of where Bob was taking the other woman. Bob would often take her to our favorite places, while I was home with no babysitter and without any money to do anything special with our children. The enemy would always have me find out that Bob had taken her to our special concerts or restaurants. I know that you may have heard that your spouse took the other person to one of your dream vacation sites. Do not allow the enemy to torment your mind, as he is trying to get you mad at your spouse and quit standing! Resist the devil!
Remember, jealousy is mentioned in Galatians 5:16-26 about the sinful nature. Do not allow the enemy to put on you the spirit of jealousy. Don't be jealous of the other person, but pray for their salvation. Don't be jealous of what they are doing, as there are consequences to their sins if there is no repentance.
The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God...Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other. Galatians 5:19-21, 24-26
God had chosen Joseph at a young age to be used to save his family and God’s people during a time of famine in the future. The Lord may have spoken to you or your spouse’s heart by giving you a special call on your life with an assignment being in the ministry, or you may have been given dreams or visions of future events. Have you ever started having thoughts, dreams or a heart’s desire for your future? Have you shared it with someone else? How often after you share your thoughts or dreams, does someone say to you that you will never be able to accomplish the task because of your finances, your abilities or your lack of perseverance? May you be careful what you share with others before it is God’s timing to share. If Joseph had not shared his dreams, it would have saved him a lot of pain and suffering.
God had a plan for Joseph’s life and in spite of many circumstances, throughout many years, God used Joseph to save many other people, including his father and the brothers who had attempted to kill him years before. Let me share a scripture that the Lord gave me when I was praying for Bob to come back home.
When Joseph's brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “What if Joseph holds a grudge against us and pays us back for all the wrongs we did to him?â€â€¦But Joseph said to them, “Don't be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. So then, don't be afraid. I will provide for you and your children.†And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them. Genesis 50:15, 19-21
The Lord will use you and your family as examples and a lighthouse in the future. Are you willing to be like Joseph and to go through circumstances in your life before your marriage is restored? Then after your marriage is rebuilt on the solid rock of Jesus Christ, you and your spouse will be able to share what the Lord is doing for you, your marriage and your family. God has a plan for you, so wait for God’s perfect timing. He is never late!
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. 2 Corinthians 1:3-4
Have a blessed day,
Charlyne Steinkamp
Rejoice Marriage Ministries, Inc.
This is the account of Jacob. Joseph, a young man of seventeen, was tending the flocks with his brothers, the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives, and he brought their father a bad report about them. Now Israel loved Joseph more than any of his other sons, because he had been born to him in his old age; and he made a richly ornamented robe for him. When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him. Genesis 37:2-4
Have you ever read the story of Joseph in Genesis? Joseph had a dream and told his family about it which was a mistake as it made his brothers very jealous and they hated him. While Joseph’s brothers were taking care of the sheep, their father sent Joseph out to check on his brothers and see where they were. They saw him from a distance and they then plotted to kill him. But God had a plan and intervened. The brothers ended up selling Joseph to the Ishmaelites, who took him to Egypt. Joseph went through many trials and tribulations, but God was with Joseph all the time. Joseph is an excellent example for you to learn from his life as you pray for your marriage to be resurrected from the dead.
Have you ever dealt with jealousy in your life? Did your mother or father have a favorite child in your family? Do you have a special relationship with one child over your others? Learn from Joseph’s story to not have a favorite child. That is what happened to Israel and his son, Joseph, whom he bore in his old age. He loved Joseph so much that Israel made a fancy, ornamented robe for him to wear while his brothers wore plain tunics. Joseph’s brothers hated him and were always saying bad things to him.
Then Joseph had a dream. Have you ever had a dream or a vision about something that may come to pass in the future - like a restored marriage? Never forget your dream, but keep praying for God’s perfect timing. Many years ago, a neighbor was having marriage problems and she dreamed that she came over to our house and we helped her. At that time, she did not know we had a restored marriage or that we had a marriage ministry. The Lord sent her to our home for His divine message of marriage restoration.
Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him all the more. He said to them, “Listen to this dream I had: We were binding sheaves of grain out in the field when suddenly my sheaf rose and stood upright, while your sheaves gathered around mine and bowed down to it.†His brothers said to him, “Do you intend to reign over us? Will you actually rule us?†And they hated him all the more because of his dream and what he had said. Then he had another dream, and he told it to his brothers. “Listen,†he said, “I had another dream, and this time the sun and moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me.†When he told his father as well as his brothers, his father rebuked him and said, “What is this dream you had? Will your mother and I and your brothers actually come and bow down to the ground before you?†His brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the matter in mind. Genesis 37:5-10
May you learn from the Bible lessons that God teaches us. In fact, take this one as a warning so that you will not get jealous of your loved ones or friends who may do better financially than you. Money does not always bring happiness as we see often that tragedy happens to many successful people. The enemy will use many different scenarios to try to separate and destroy your family and friend’s relationships. Beware of the enemy’s deceptive tricks.
Are you jealous of your spouse and the other person? I want to mention jealousy and envy as feelings that many standers battle with as they pray for their husband or wife. I know that I often felt jealous and angry because of where Bob was taking the other woman. Bob would often take her to our favorite places, while I was home with no babysitter and without any money to do anything special with our children. The enemy would always have me find out that Bob had taken her to our special concerts or restaurants. I know that you may have heard that your spouse took the other person to one of your dream vacation sites. Do not allow the enemy to torment your mind, as he is trying to get you mad at your spouse and quit standing! Resist the devil!
Remember, jealousy is mentioned in Galatians 5:16-26 about the sinful nature. Do not allow the enemy to put on you the spirit of jealousy. Don't be jealous of the other person, but pray for their salvation. Don't be jealous of what they are doing, as there are consequences to their sins if there is no repentance.
The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God...Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other. Galatians 5:19-21, 24-26
God had chosen Joseph at a young age to be used to save his family and God’s people during a time of famine in the future. The Lord may have spoken to you or your spouse’s heart by giving you a special call on your life with an assignment being in the ministry, or you may have been given dreams or visions of future events. Have you ever started having thoughts, dreams or a heart’s desire for your future? Have you shared it with someone else? How often after you share your thoughts or dreams, does someone say to you that you will never be able to accomplish the task because of your finances, your abilities or your lack of perseverance? May you be careful what you share with others before it is God’s timing to share. If Joseph had not shared his dreams, it would have saved him a lot of pain and suffering.
God had a plan for Joseph’s life and in spite of many circumstances, throughout many years, God used Joseph to save many other people, including his father and the brothers who had attempted to kill him years before. Let me share a scripture that the Lord gave me when I was praying for Bob to come back home.
When Joseph's brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “What if Joseph holds a grudge against us and pays us back for all the wrongs we did to him?â€â€¦But Joseph said to them, “Don't be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. So then, don't be afraid. I will provide for you and your children.†And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them. Genesis 50:15, 19-21
The Lord will use you and your family as examples and a lighthouse in the future. Are you willing to be like Joseph and to go through circumstances in your life before your marriage is restored? Then after your marriage is rebuilt on the solid rock of Jesus Christ, you and your spouse will be able to share what the Lord is doing for you, your marriage and your family. God has a plan for you, so wait for God’s perfect timing. He is never late!
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. 2 Corinthians 1:3-4
Have a blessed day,
Charlyne Steinkamp
Rejoice Marriage Ministries, Inc.
