Genesis-Jacob to Joseph

Today is Tuesday.  My wife and I and over 50 of our people were at the Preacher's Delight at Faith Baptist Church in Tacoma, WA last night.  It was a blessing to hear the good preaching and to fellowship with the people.  I had the opportunity to spend time with Matthew Burklund who was in our church as a teenagers.  What a fine young man (middle aged) he has become.  My wife enjoyed talking to him till almost midnight, and we could have talked all night, but he had to go to work the next day.  I have been blessed to have pastored such wonderful people in my life and I praise God for that! I'm in Genesis and as I have been reading this time, God has showed me so many things and I have thought much throughout the day about what I am reading and how I see God working in the lives of people throughout history.  God is very active in the lives of people and I know He is very active in my life and is also in the lives of people everyday.  Oh how I want God to speak to my heart each day, throughout the day, and guide me along for His glory!  Here are some things I want to share: 1) GOOD ADVICE- In Genesis 31:16, the wives of Jacob say to him:  "Whatsoever God hath said unto thee, do."  They didn't say obey His Word because there was no Word written down, but they did say that whatsoever God said to him, he should do!  Now the first 2,500 years of history, there is no written word.  God speaks what He wants people to hear.  He speaks it, or has people dream it, or has an angel come and share it, or by some revelation, God gets His word to the lives of people.  He still does today!  God is a speaking God.  He wants to speak to you today.  To day, if ye hear His voice....  He that hath ears, let him hear.... Listen to the LORD and then take this advice... "whatsoever God hath said unto thee, do"!  2) FLEEING-FLED- In Genesis 27:43, Jacob is told to flee to Laban, his uncle.  Now, twenty years later, in Genesis 41:20, Jacob is fleeing away from Laban his uncle very speedily.  He ran from Esau, now he is running from Laban.  Once you start running from things, you usually keep running from things.  But, after he wrestled with an angel and God changed his name, then he was able to meet Esau like a man.  We need a touch of God on our lives, or we run from trouble instead of facing it.  3) THE GOD OF ABRAHAM, AND THE GOD OF NAHOR, AND THE GOD OF THEIR FATHER- This statement is found in Genesis 31:53.  What is interesting is that we are used to hearing about the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, but not going back in time.  Nahor was Abraham's brother, and their father was Terah.  God was the father of them before God ever spoke to Abraham.  We think that it all begins with Abraham, and indeed as a people it does, but not as God being their God.  Abraham was not a Jew and Jacob much later would be called Israel; but God was working in the lives of people ever since creation.  He spoke to them, He interacted in their lives.  He spoke to men and women alike and they both spoke to Him.  Men called upon the name of the LORD, and this passage shows us that God was the God of Abraham's brother and father as well as Abraham's God.  Wow!  Isn't God wonderful! 4) FOR JOSEPH'S SAKE- In Genesis 39:5, we see that the household of Potiphar was blessed "for Joseph's sake".  God blesses others because of His blessings upon our lives.  This is why it is so vitally important that we have the blessings of God upon our lives, is so that those around us would enjoy the blessings of God as well.  Even in prison, God prospered Joseph as Genesis 39:23 tells us.  Let us carry with us today the blessings of God so that those around us can be blessed! Hope you have a blessed day.  I am going to hear some more preaching, some more fellowship, eat a little, and then drive home this afternoon.  May God's blessings be yours dear friend!  Pastor Mike Mutchler