Friday, October 10, 2014

The Leaves are -- A new season begins

Autumn Falling Leaves Royalty Free Stock Photography - 27300587Autumn Falling Leaves Royalty Free Stock Photography - 27300587Autumn Falling Leaves Royalty Free Stock Photography - 27300587
Autumn Falling Leaves Royalty Free Stock Photography - 27300587Autumn Falling Leaves Royalty Free Stock Photography - 27300587Autumn Falling Leaves Royalty Free Stock Photography - 27300587
Autumn Falling Leaves Royalty Free Stock Photography - 27300587

Faith Under Fire











Faith Under Fire
      God wants us to have a living faith. To have an effective pray life, we must have faith in the Living God.  Our faith is put to the test many times as we pray for our families.   Our prayers must be based on the character of God, rather than what we see, what happens, or if God answers our prayers.  God had Joseph in the tarrying place.  A place of pain, weariness, and darkness.  Ps. 103:17-19.  Joseph was laid in iron.  "His soul entered into the iron."  Betrayed by family, far away from home and anything that resembled God, he lays in prison.  Enough to make anyone bitter, but He trusted God.  What kept him, he believed God was with him.      
      Enduring faith develops only under pressure, and in a place of waiting on the Lord.  Joseph knew God in a deeper way and he became more fruitful,   The leaves of youth flew away like the leaves on the autumn trees secrete to winter's cold.  His godliness became evident in the prison.  The guard and the prisoners saw it and marveled.   He gave up his authority to be over the prison to Joseph.
      As through a very small hole, we see a great view.  The great heart of Joseph poured out sympathy to the butler and the baker, who fell within his watch.  These condemned to death tugged at the heart strings of Joseph and he sought to find the answer to their dilemma.  He seeks to comfort these as he had so many others that came his way.  The butler would have good to come to him the other would die.  But he introduced him to someone bigger than death. 
      There is ministry in the tarrying place, it may the ministry of intercession.  Joseph went on to be second in place over Egypt.  The skill he learned in Potipher's house, and the prison.
      The place of tarrying is a very important place,  It's not easy.  The iron dug into Joseph's flesh, but he keep his soul from bitterness.  We are kept by the power of God.  We suffer to have the fleshly fall off and  so the glory of God will show through our brokenness. He breaks us time and time again so the light of His presence shines out.  Do not despise the hard places.  Don't keep the glory in by being bitter