January 20 - Hey, Brother - Can you spare a slice of Egyptian bread?

Walk like an Egyptian: Genesis 41:17-42:17

Weed N Feed: Matthew 13:24-46

I Will Call Upon the Lord: Psalm 18:1-15

Love Wisdom and She Will Watch Over You:Proverbs 4:1-6

God always makes a way for His people. Had God not allowed Joseph to be used as Pharaoh’s second-in-command and been given the revelation of the coming famine, the Israeli race would have never existed beyond Jacob’s sons & grandsons. God kept his promise to Abraham, which was passed down to Abraham’s son, Isaac, and Isaac’s son, Jacob. Jacob, if you recall, was renamed “Israel” and is the ancestor to the Israelis.

When last we blogged, Joseph was facing pretty hard times. Now, he’s living it up in royal luxury. And to this day both Jews and Christians regard him as a hero.

Plus, God has a way of turning the tables. Joseph’s brothers, the same ones who treated him like dirt, are now coming to beg Joseph for food.

Finally, Joseph had to trust God’s foresight. He had to plan for a famine that he couldn’t detect with his natural senses. God’s direction had to be supreme in Joseph’s planning in order for Egypt & Joseph’s family to survive.

The teaching in Matthew is similar. In yesterday’s teaching Jesus told the parable about the sower spreading seeds – some of which take root & multiply to bear more seeds & more plants. Some of them, however, get choked up by the thorns & thistles. Today’s teaching from Jesus backs that up. In this parable, Jesus makes it clear that Satan is the one planting the weeds. Satan’s offspring (the weeds) get thrown into the fire, yet Jesus’ offspring get pulled into the harvest. The parable is not a perfect analogy to the reality, we can through God’s grace go from being a weed to being grain. Likewise, we can decline God’s grace and go from grain to a weed. However, the rest of the parable precisely portrays reality. The day will come when we face Heaven or Hell. If we accept Jesus as our Savior we’re going to Heaven, otherwise we’re going to Hell. There is no middle ground. This is going to happen, even though we can’t see it happening with our natural senses. Just like Joseph had to prepare for the coming famine he couldn’t see with his natural senses.