Olabode Ososami's Blog, page 63

When God Turns Away

Gen 42:24 And he turned himself about from them, and wept; and returned to them again, and communed with them, and took from them Simeon, and bound him before their eyes.

There are times when it seems God has turned away but He returns again. Christ exclaimed “My God, my God why has thou forsaken me?” but it was for a purpose. The Bible says God neither slumbers or sleeps. It takes only a second for the destroyer to pounce on the unprotected. The Bible says mothers can forsake their children but God cannot. Joseph turns away for a brief moment only to weep for a love that he could not openly express.

God loves us so much that He must sometimes leave us alone so we can grow. The story was once told of a mother eagle training her eaglets. She would take the young eaglet who is yet to learn to fly to a high altitude and drop her only to watch her flap her wings clumsily and just before she hits the ground the mother eagle will catch her eaglet and carry her up again only to be dropped again. Where God has turned away – He is still closely watching over us. He observes the attacks and how we struggle on our own to stand. He weeps at our bruises and hurts and wishes He could shorten the period of our pain … but He knows we need the experience of loneliness to truly appreciate His presence.

Do you feel God has turned away from you? He has not abandoned you. God has not given up on Nigeria. He is training and preparing you, demanding corrections … getting your attention. He is helping you. Like Job, perhaps you have been identified for a double increase in the end but a process of exposure to Satan’s arrows is appointed. When God turns away – Satan strikes because He knows your defenses are inadequate. But God still limits his progress … when God has accomplished the purpose and the appointed time is spent … He returns again with double for all our troubles. We cannot be destroyed at those times because we must still be preserved to receive our double portions and give our testimony of the God who never abandons His own.

Song.

A Rock that stands forever

Is Christ, my Righteousness!

In Him I stand un-fearing, In everlasting bliss!

Christ is my boast and glory—All wrath for me is o’er;

The judgment of the sinner

Affrighteth me no more.

There is no condemnation,

There is no hell for me!

The torment and the fire—My eyes shall never see!

For me there is no sentence, For me there is no sting,

For Christ, my Lord, who saved me,

Will shield me with His wing!

No hunger, Lord, nor thirsting,

No danger, fear, nor fight,

No foe, no tribulation, No throne, nor pow’r, nor might,

No height, no depth, no creature That has been or can be.

Can pluck me from Thy bosom —

Can sever me from Thee!

Prayer: O Lord, Let me always know you as my Rock that stands forever. Amen

 

 

The Songs of Joseph is an integration of encouragement scriptural devotions, prayers and a compendium of songs of mercy, salvation, new beginnings and victory.  We can expect as we trust and obey that our end will indeed be ultimately glorious  because God works His marvellous agenda.   Be blessed as you read and sing along, daily.   Edited by  Bolade Apampa 

Spirit of Truth

Gen 42:23 And they knew not that Joseph understood them; for he spake unto them by an interpreter.

In a previous dispensation, God spoke primarily through His selected prophets and the Holy Spirit filled individually for divine purpose – but not in a general outpouring. But the Prophet Joel spoke of another era.

Joe 2:28 And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:

From the day of Pentecost, God has sent His Spirit, the Spirit of Christ to indwell us. We have the best interpreter of God’s word in us. God Himself with us. But this is granted only to His children. Many read the Bible and have provided their own interpretation of texts … even significantly editing the text to make it more acceptable or friendly for readers. This is all good. Many commentaries have provided alternative revisions and interpretations to the word of God. This should not confuse you … God is not confused and knows all our thoughts and motivations talk less of our words.

But God has only one interpreter – God. Not our favorite teacher, preacher or commentary author. In the times when Nigeria was a colony of the British and the officials spoke through interpreters, these were often prone to coloring the words from their own selfish perspective. But the Holy Spirit will always magnify God in His word. The Bible warns us to test the spirits. This is done when we study the word of God, meditating on it … day and night. We are helped by the word to spot false spirits … for they contradict the word of God.

The word of God is not just a history book though it contains historical facts. It is coded, many parts await the revelation and interpretation of God Himself at the appointed time. As you read the word of God, pray for the help of the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth so we do not just judge by our feeble senses. It is thus fruitless to debate the Bible with scholars … when we discern that these interpretations have not come from the Holy Spirit.

When God finds an obedient servant – like He did with Moses, He speaks plainly. Christ spoke in parables – but interpreted them to His disciples. Indeed, it is one thing to hear God, and another to understand and have the wisdom for obedience as God directs and supervises Himself. Obeying God is not obeying men … we need God to hear Him, love him, understand Him and obey Him.

Song.

Blind unbelief is sure to err, and scan His work in vain

God is His own interpreter, And he will make it plain.

Prayer: O Lord, make your words plain to me – I am ready to fully obey. Amen

 

The Songs of Joseph is an integration of encouragement scriptural devotions, prayers and a compendium of songs of mercy, salvation, new beginnings and victory.  We can expect as we trust and obey that our end will indeed be ultimately glorious  because God works His marvellous agenda.   Be blessed as you read and sing along, daily.   Edited by  Bolade Apampa 

Stolen Dreams of a Nation

There are many ways to lose what you have.  Theft is one of the more painful means of loss. Our dreams define our vision, our aspirations and hopes which ultimately spell our standards and expectations … sooner or later determining what we become. To kill a man by a fiery execution is wicked but mercifully swift, but to take his dreams is to subject him to a slow and gradual decay … similar to watching worms from a corpse attached to his living body slowly eat into his organs while he can live to see it … the slow death-by-parasite reserved to punish the worst of offenders.

1Ki 3:18  And it came to pass the third day after that I was delivered, that this woman was delivered also: and we were together; there was no stranger with us in the house, save we two in the house. 19  And this woman’s child died in the night; because she overlaid it. 20  And she arose at midnight, and took my son from beside me, while thine handmaid slept, and laid it in her bosom, and laid her dead child in my bosom. 21  And when I rose in the morning to give my child suck, behold, it was dead: but when I had considered it in the morning, behold, it was not my son, which I did bear. 22  And the other woman said, Nay; but the living is my son, and the dead is thy son. And this said, No; but the dead is thy son, and the living is my son. Thus they spake before the king. 

For dreams to be stolen there are at least three conditions … first, you must be in a state of vulnerable sleep … a time of carelessness, stupor and drunkenness …foolishly trusting to lie with the devourer that feigns companionship, misreading the signals and not hearing the call from your maker screaming “Awake O sleeper”.  Second, you must be close to the thief … a destroyer planted by the destroyer who threw away his own dreams in a fit of pride in the eternal past. Finally, no one wants dead dreams …you must have a living dream, a hope and expectation of a beautiful future and a glorious end.

In the Bible story, we see all three conditions and the woman who wakes to discover after close careful scrutiny of her situation, that the baby in her arms do not belong to her.  The king, Solomon gives a judgment and restores the living baby to the rightful mother and they hail the wisdom of God.

The King of kings neither slumbers nor sleeps.  He sees and knows all. That which was stolen will be returned and there will be a restoration. God will demonstrate His wisdom in the land.  Parasites and thieves will be exposed and destinies will be repaired in Jesus name.

But wake up to your Redeemer, hear Him call … receive grace to depart from your spiritual and physical harlotries.

Isa_52:1   Awake, awake; put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city: for henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean.

As Nigeria’s social-political challenges mount,  a mass participation protest, named “Stolen Dreams Walk,” has been announced  … to take place on Thursday, May 1, 2014

As your dreams and future are restored, God will no more permit the conditions for a worse encounter of larceny.  Amen.  Rejoice and praise Him.

 

The Omniscient God

Gen 42:23 And they knew not that Joseph understood them; for he spake unto them by an interpreter.

Joseph understands perfectly all that is happening but the brothers do not know. That is because they did not know that it was Joseph before them. Many times we think God does not understand … but it is us that does not understand. The brothers are in the dark concerning what was going on but Joseph is not. The plot is now in the hands of Joseph … no more in the hands of his brethren who plotted his end.

God knows it all and controls all the events and plots. There are many things we do not know around our destiny and it is good also that we do not know these things. But there are things we can know. We can know the word of God. We can know God by His Spirit. But we will not know everything about Him. But we must never think that God is short of knowledge – He is not. Because He will not take certain decisions as you believe He must does not mean He does not understand. Joseph understands his brothers so much better than they think.

God knows you better than you think you know yourself. God knows your situation better than you think you do. God knows what you do not know about all you are going through. God knows not just what you do not know about your past, but He also knows your future and what you do not know about your future. He knows what you are facing and the great warfare concerning your family. He knows every plot to destroy your destiny and every agenda to scatter your future … He also knows what needs to be done so your end is good as expected. We know so little and imagine vainly that we are not understood. In truth, it does not matter much that men misunderstand us … even if they understood, their knowledge would still be very limited. Our God is omniscient – He knows ALL about our struggles.

Song.

Not now, but in the coming years, It may be in the better land,

We’ll read the meaning of our tears, And there, sometime, we’ll understand.

Then trust in God through all thy days; Fear not, for He doth hold thy hand;

Though dark thy way, still sing and praise; Sometime, sometime, we’ll understand.

We’ll catch the broken threads again, And finish what we here began;

Heav’n will the mysteries explain, And then, ah, then we’ll understand.

We’ll know why clouds instead of sun Were over many a cherished plan;

Why song has ceased when scarce begun: ‘Tis there, sometime, we’ll understand.

Why what we long for most of all eludes so oft our eager hand;

Why hopes are crushed and castles fall Up there, sometime, we’ll understand.

God knows the way, He holds the key, He guides us with unerring hand;

Sometime, with tearless eyes we’ll see: Yes, there, up there, we’ll understand.

Prayer: O Lord, thank you for helping me see that you understand – but it is I that need your illumination. Amen

 

The Songs of Joseph is an integration of encouragement scriptural devotions, prayers and a compendium of songs of mercy, salvation, new beginnings and victory.  We can expect as we trust and obey that our end will indeed be ultimately glorious  because God works His marvellous agenda.   Be blessed as you read and sing along, daily.   Edited by  Bolade Apampa 

Trusting God – Part II

Gen 42:22 And Reuben answered them, saying, Spake I not unto you, saying, Do not sin against the child; and ye would not hear? therefore, behold, also his blood is required.

When raking the past does not seem to address our trials, we are tempted to bring up our good deeds. But God works outside the realms of our deed and intentions. Reuben reminds them that he warned against hurting Joseph. But he was wrong to imagine the selling of Joseph was anything but a preordained event – concluded before the world began. We should trust God when we cannot have our way and when our ideas are not accepted. Saying “I told you so” is a heathen’s response or an insult to a God who has unlimited permutations to work through and still achieve the end He had predetermined. Trusting God when the way seems far from our expected track can be difficult. But remember God has told us that His ways differ from ours … as far as the earth is from the Heavens … an irreconcilable gap needs to be closed. The Holy Spirit helps us.

The sermon of Reuben is good but is irrelevant … it only prolongs pain but offers no comfort. Many times, Jesus is present to soothe and comfort us – but “Reubens” must drag in their achievements and credentials. The Reubens must learn to trust God as well as the other brothers who failed to heed good advice.

Maybe you are like Reuben. Indeed you do well to point out the warnings of consequences for sin, but we fail when we do not reveal the comforting truths of Christ’s death and resurrection … His blood, shed as a double cure to break the addictive strength of sin and its power to destroy. Whether the people hear or not – God continues His work unimpeded. We see that sin disturbs and hurts us … but not God or His eternal purposes. The wages of sin is indeed death … but death is still only an angel waiting for God’s directions.

Reuben is partially right, but has incomplete information to conclude that Joseph’s blood was shed and that Joseph is dead. He is unaware perhaps that their brother was sold for money. God has all the information and you may unknowingly be speaking from a position already corrupted with misrepresentation. We may be sincere but still wrong or have very incomplete knowledge.

The solution is to learn in all things to just trust Him who knows all and perfectly too. Peter was sleeping, trusting God when an angel came to escort him out through open gates to a freedom from a death sentence. It is so sweet to trust in Jesus.

Song.

But we never can prove the delights of His love

Until all on the altar we lay;

For the favor He shows, for the joy He bestows,

Are for them who will trust and obey.

Trust and obey, for there is no other way,

To be happy in Jesus – But to trust and obey.

Prayer: O Lord, when overwhelmed with perplexities – teach me to lay them all down at Calvary as I take all to you in prayer. Amen

The Songs of Joseph is an integration of encouragement scriptural devotions, prayers and a compendium of songs of mercy, salvation, new beginnings and victory.  We can expect as we trust and obey that our end will indeed be ultimately glorious  because God works His marvellous agenda.   Be blessed as you read and sing along, daily.   Edited by  Bolade Apampa 

Trusting God

Gen 42:20 But bring your youngest brother unto me; so shall your words be verified, and ye shall not die. And they did so. 21 And they said one to another, We are verily guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon us.

It is easier to trust when we get what we want or we understand God’s dealings with us. But this tends to be the more rare instances. When we are in trouble or face storms and droughts, we are quick to come to wrong conclusions. Our thoughts are flooded with self-doubts and many sins of the past are flashed before us. But God’s mercy does not fish in the lake of yesterday to torment you. When we fail Him, He does not rake up old scores to imprison us in old fears. Oh that we may learn to trust Him when it seems that all has failed, for he never fails.

Still, our consciences will not be silenced until we discover our salvation. Do not imagine that the unsaved soul enjoys His rest. Even without the famine, he lies tormented day and night with memories that cause him to wake up in cold sweat. He is troubled with secrets and bothered with too many plans and plots which are filled with probabilities he does not control.  Because he knows himself well, he doubts and questions himself and others … unable to trust anyone or anything. The unsaved have no anchor that holds. They must drift and be tossed with imagined and real waves … hoping to berth safely someday somewhere. They want peace … but the Bible says there is no peace for the wicked.

As you read this devotional. Learn to trust God and just put things in His hands. To obey God by doing many things can be easier for some than to obey God by just doing nothing. There are too many vain worries that cost us lost sleep and many cares and burdens that we are not designed to carry. Indeed his beloved is given a restful sleep knowing all is safe in the arms of Jesus Christ.

Song.

What a Friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear!

What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer!

O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear,

All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer.

Have we trials and temptations? Is there trouble anywhere?

We should never be discouraged; take it to the Lord in prayer.

Can we find a friend so faithful who will all our sorrows share?

Jesus knows our every weakness; take it to the Lord in prayer.

Are we weak and heavy laden, cumbered with a load of care?

Precious Savior, still our refuge, take it to the Lord in prayer.

Do your friends despise, forsake you? Take it to the Lord in prayer!

In His arms He’ll take and shield you; you will find a solace there.

Prayer: O Lord, when overwhelmed with perplexities – teach me to lay them all down at Calvary as I take all to you in prayer. Amen

The Songs of Joseph is an integration of encouragement scriptural devotions, prayers and a compendium of songs of mercy, salvation, new beginnings and victory.  We can expect as we trust and obey that our end will indeed be ultimately glorious  because God works His marvellous agenda.   Be blessed as you read and sing along, daily.   Edited by  Bolade Apampa 

Free Free Free

Gen 42:20 But bring your youngest brother unto me; so shall your words be verified, and ye shall not die. And they did so. 21 And they said one to another, We are verily guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon us.

Guilt is a powerful emotion that enslaves all that have not been mercifully delivered. We are often guilty of what we did and did not do … things we said or did not say … places we went to or did not go to. We are guilty of prayers we said and did not say … sermons we preached and did not preach … mistakes we make, initiatives we failed to take… we are guilty of being too quiet or too noisy. We are guilty of not forgiving and being too lax in discipline. There is none who will not say we are verily guilty and the devil likes it so. Satan does not want us to see that without Christ – we are only his pawns to be manipulated through our flesh and worldly seductions. Satan does not want us to know that he is the author of all evil thoughts and the mastermind behind every addiction and for centuries we have been in his laboratory of destruction. Satan does not want us to see that he is behind every damage of destiny and when we think we are making our own decision, we are only yielding to his demonic enchantments.

No man can be your enemy. It is vain to strive or be upset with men when the architect of troubles and disappointments is the enemy of our soul. He tells us to sleep and not go to church and lie to the pastor and then the same Satan heaps the guilt of failure on us. He makes us weak and fall and then he reminds us every day that we have fallen. He twists our thinking with discouraging thoughts until we are vulnerable and offers some alcohol for our relief … and then mocks us that we drunkards and not fit to be saints.

Joseph has not pronounced any guilt on his brothers. Indeed he knows that that they helped him to his destiny. Repent of past failures and ask receive strength to depart from evil. And when the devil seeks to remind you of the past, remind him that he is the architect of your failures and has no right to now accuse you when Jesus has acquitted you of wrong by His blood. Practice this thought and learn to enjoy the peace of a life without guilt in Christ. Celebrate your freedom.

Song.

Hark! sinner, hark! we have tidings so true, Tidings of pardon and blessings for you!

God in His word says that Christ on the tree, Died for guilty sinners, and “Salvation is free.”

Hear the news, sinner, free! free! free! Why not believe it? ‘Tis good news for thee.

Jesus the Just One has died on the tree, Died for guilty sinners, and “Salvation is free.”

Guilty you are, yet you know very well Jesus has suffered to save you from hell;

Tho’ now condemned, justified you may be, Jesus paid the ransom, and “Salvation is free.”

Trust not in “doing,” it cannot avail. Good resolutions and works can but fail;

“Grace, grace alone,” is the saved sinner’s plea, “Not of works,” the Scriptures say, “Salvation is free.”

Trust not in feelings, your heart is depraved. Trust only Jesus, who now lives to save;

Tears of repentance, tho’ real they may be, Ne’er can purchase Heaven, for “Salvation is free.”

Prayer: O Lord, Let your salvation replace every sense of guilt that I may sing “free…free… free”. Amen

 

The Songs of Joseph is an integration of encouragement scriptural devotions, prayers and a compendium of songs of mercy, salvation, new beginnings and victory.  We can expect as we trust and obey that our end will indeed be ultimately glorious  because God works His marvellous agenda.   Be blessed as you read and sing along, daily.   Edited by  Bolade Apampa 

Suffering for the Gospel

Gen 42:18 And Joseph said unto them the third day, This do, and live; for I fear God: 19 If ye be true men, let one of your brethren be bound in the house of your prison: go ye, carry corn for the famine of your houses:

There are instances when we are called upon to suffer for the gospel. We are puzzled at the value of this suffering, nor do we understand why this particular challenge has become so immovable … that we feel demobilized for a while. To wait for what we do not know. Waiting on God – not being able to make the progress we see ahead or holding on until we have a desired clarity – is sometimes our lot.

There are tests that appear to be prisons when we are not free to pursue our dreams and must only see others advance forward while we remain. At these times, it is good to know that what we do for God is not in vain. No sacrifice will be unrewarded by the righteous judge. If indeed we are part of the brethren we must see persecution as part of what we can expect. Jesus Christ wrote …

Mat 5:11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. 12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in Heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

Why then will you shun being reviled, maligned or persecuted … if this is a means to being blessed. Instead rejoice that Jesus is alive. Your future rewarder sees all and does not miss any details. But do not suffer for being a busy body or a meddler in the affairs of others. The toughest assignments for the kingdom are reserved for the choicest of saints. The closest friends to Jesus must consider Patmos as a necessary stop on the pilgrim’s journey. If ye be true men, then be prepared to bear some of the burdens and suffer. The stories of the martyrdom of many continually remind us that for many who went ahead … they allowed their personal dreams to die or put on hold … indeed many died – so that the gospel could reach us. These were true men. How does your testimony compare?

Song.

Toss’d with rough winds, and faint with fear, Above the tempest, soft and clear,

What still small accents greet mine ear? ‘Tis I; be not afraid.

‘Tis I, who washed thy spirit white; ‘Tis I, who gave thy blind eyes sight;

‘Tis I, thy Lord, thy life, thy light: ‘Tis I; be not afraid

These raging winds, this surging sea, Have spent their deadly force on Me:

They bear no breath of wrath to thee: ‘Tis I; be not afraid.

This bitter cup, I drank it first; To thee it is no draught accurst;

The hand that gives it thee is pierced: ‘Tis I; be not afraid.

Mine eyes are watching by thy bed,Mine arms are underneath thy head,

My blessing is around thee shed: ‘Tis I, be not afraid.

When on the other side thy feet shall rest mid thousand welcomes sweet,

One well-known Voice thy heart shall greet, ‘Tis I; be not afraid.

Prayer: O Lord, help me to stand in the tough times. Amen

The Songs of Joseph is an integration of encouragement scriptural devotions, prayers and a compendium of songs of mercy, salvation, new beginnings and victory.  We can expect as we trust and obey that our end will indeed be ultimately glorious  because God works His marvellous agenda.   Be blessed as you read and sing along, daily.   Edited by  Bolade Apampa 

Jesus, my Surety Stands

Gen 42:18 And Joseph said unto them the third day, This do, and live; for I fear God: 19 If ye be true men, let one of your brethren be bound in the house of your prison: go ye, carry corn for the famine of your houses:

Joseph gives his brothers instructions on what to do if they must live. Someone must be held as a surety while others go with corn. This is a picture of salvation in Christ. There is a better testament but it requires a surety. Jesus was made a surety of this better testament. Only He is able to save to the uttermost. Come to Him and live.

Heb 7:22 By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament. 23 And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death: 24 But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. 25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

Christ stood in our place, suffered in our place, was punished in our place and died in our place. He paid the price while we could go free. He came bound in the body of mortality – a prison he accepted and into the womb of a woman. He lived a blameless life only to be arrested, mocked, spat at and reviled by sinful man … eventually to be crucified. He went to the grave and the dark chambers of death to face principalities and made a shew of them … He took the keys of death and the grave so that we – His own will no more fear these evils. He had victory and rose the third day and ascended into the greatest glory.

He did all this so we can live. So we can carry corn in times of famine. Yet many prefer still not to accept His offer of salvation. Joseph gives the brethren instructions on what to do if they must go … they need a surety. You need a surety in the courts of Heaven to live forever. Let Jesus be your surety.

Song.

Arise, my soul, arise;

Shake off thy guilty fears;

The bleeding Sacrifice

In my behalf appears:

Before the throne my Surety stands,

Before the throne my Surety stands;

My name is written on His hands.

Five bleeding wounds He bears,

Received on Calvary,

They pour effectual prayers,

They strongly plead for me:

“Forgive him, O forgive,” they cry,

“Forgive him, O forgive,” they cry,

“Nor let that ransomed sinner die!”

Prayer: O Lord, help me … Stand as my Surety before the throne. Amen

 

The Songs of Joseph is an integration of encouragement scriptural devotions, prayers and a compendium of songs of mercy, salvation, new beginnings and victory.  We can expect as we trust and obey that our end will indeed be ultimately glorious  because God works His marvellous agenda.   Be blessed as you read and sing along, daily.   Edited by  Bolade Apampa 

Time to Reap

Gen 42:16 Send one of you, and let him fetch your brother, and ye shall be kept in prison, that your words may be proved, whether there be any truth in you: or else by the life of Pharaoh surely ye are spies. 17 And he put them all together into ward three days.

The brothers that put Joseph in prison are now arrested and jailed. Destiny will is not immune to certain divine principles. One of such is sowing and reaping. The Bible encourages us not to be weary in good deeds. We are to scatter our seeds as we do not know when it will spring forth … sometimes at the least expected time to favor us. There are many acts of kindness that you have done that you will soon see the harvest coming back to you as God multiplies the seed. You who could not see your brother in lack will also not lack. You who did not permit the stranger to be without a home will also never be homeless. You who gave a home as a facility for the work of the Kingdom will find homes equally given to you. You who cared for the helpless will always find help.

But there are wicked seeds. Alas we pray God will forget them. Indeed He forgives, but we need the learning that reaping provides to us. The brothers who facilitated the imprisonment of the innocent now will go to prison. Paul who arrests many Christian in a previous era now finds himself writing the Epistles in a prison in Rome. God is not mocked and we do not need to clamor for justice as He is always just. He is ever merciful to sustain us through our learning.

The most important thing is to change our seed if we need to. You can sow a kind word, instead of criticism. You can sow mercy instead of justice. You can give generously and scatter even more of that which others have a desperate need. You can give a room to a friend … you can sow a visit to that elderly man with no relatives to care for him.

If you are reaping the wrong seed of yesterday … you can go to God for mercy … but learn. Do not be hasty to do unto someone else that which you will not want done to you … and in multiples too. The harvest is always much more … many multiples of the seed. Mercifully, the brothers are put in prison for only three days. Joseph has truly paid the price and cannot bear to see his own incarcerated.

Isa 53:5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed

Song.

You are going to reap – just what you sow 2ce

Up in the mountain …or down in the valley

You are going to reap – just what you sow.

Prayer: O Lord, help me to change my seed today. Amen

 

The Songs of Joseph is an integration of encouragement scriptural devotions, prayers and a compendium of songs of mercy, salvation, new beginnings and victory.  We can expect as we trust and obey that our end will indeed be ultimately glorious  because God works His marvellous agenda.   Be blessed as you read and sing along, daily.   Edited by  Bolade Apampa