Honey From The Rock

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Honey From The Rock
Psalm 81:16

"Sweet Stuff From God's Word"

A daily Bible study with Victor Knowles
Copyright 2007

"THE LORD WAS WITH HIM"

This entry was posted on 03-26-2010 and is filed under STUDIES IN GENESIS.

Joseph was now a slave in Egypt. Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, had bought Joseph from the Ishmaelites and was put into service in the Egyptian's house. Can you imagine how homesick Jospeh must have been? Whatever his feelings were toward his brothers, who had sold him into slavery, are not recorded. I am sure he felt some feelings of gratitude for Reuben, who had at least done what he could to spare his life. So now he is all alone as a slave in Egypt. Or is he all alone? I think not. Look at Genesis 39:2 ~ "The LORD was with Joseph, and he was a successful man..." Notice the correlation between the presence of the Lord and the prosperity of His servant! That should teach us something. Not only that, Potiphar saw that Joseph's God was with him and that it was the Lord who blessed everything that Joseph did. "And his master saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD made all he did to prosper in his hand" (v. 3). Because of this, Potiphar made Joseph overseer of his entire household ~ quite an honor for a young slave boy!

Can you be a success in life without the presence of the Lord? I guess that depends upon one's definition of success. If you are talking only in worldly terms, the answer could be yes. Many people have climbed the ladder of success without God's help. And pushed a lot of people off that ladder on their selfish way to the top. But if we are talking spiritual success, the answer is no. You need God's presence, guidance and direction to be the man or woman God wants you to be. Without Him we can do nothing of spiritual and eternal value. With Him we can do all things. "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" (Phil. 4:13).

Hymn/Prayer: "I need Thy presence every passing hour; what but Thy grace can foil the tempter's power? Who, like Thyself, my guide and stay can be? Through cloud and sunshine, Lord, abide with me." (Henry F. Lyte)