Pastor's Blog (Page 11)

Is it just me or do these statements about Joseph strongly parallel and foreshadow Him who was to come? Joseph was hated by his brothers. (cf. Luke 19:14; Acts 3:14) Joseph’s brothers sold him for 20 pieces of silver. (cf. Mt 26:15) Joseph went down to Egypt. (cf. Matt 2:13) Joseph was 30 years old when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt. (cf. Luke 3:23) The land of…

They say real men don’t cry. But I don’t think I’ve ever met a more real man than Joseph, who was certainly not ashamed to weep: He wept as he overheard his brothers acknowledging their guilt from 22 years prior when they sold him into slavery. (Gen 42:24) He wept when he saw his younger brother Benjamin for the first time in 22 years. (43:30) He wept very loudly when he…

When my ship comes in… Last Sunday we explored the lives of two biblical heroes whose ship had most certainly come in: Mary, mother of Jesus, and Joseph, son of Jacob—two model young people who were suddenly thrust into greatness. Their stellar character and integrity had been noted by God and He was pleased to favor them with choice roles in His story. And there are many…

She was pretty, smart, and confident. So she started out with the winsome approach: smiling, dressing attractively, pleasantly perfumed, making intentional eye contact, speaking admiringly, flirting innocently… She aimed to have Joseph. And Potiphar’s wife was used to getting what she wanted.  But it wasn’t working. So she upped the ante: dressed seductively, gazed…

Some say the intensity of a Hurricane Ian is God’s judgment upon a sinful people. In fact, the Bible states clearly that God did bring judgment on wicked humanity at the Flood and also upon Sodom and Gomorrah. That He brought the storm against Jonah (Jonah 1). And that at certain times He has called for the locust, famine, and drought (Amos 7:1; 2 Kings 8:1;…

A couple Sundays ago Jacob’s sons gave us a crash course on how not to respond to injustice and evil. Their sister had been raped by the young man Shechem, so in a rage-filled fury over one man’s wrong they slaughtered every man in the town, captured the women and children as slaves, seized their goods as plunder, and hamstrung their oxen…