God’s Favor & Blessing

The longer I live and walk with the Lord, the more concerned I’ve become over what the Lord thinks of me rather than other people. I do care about people’s perception of me, but I care way more about what the Lord thinks. I’ve been lied too; I’ve been lied about; I’ve been hurt by people I thought were my friends; I’ve been used; I’ve been accused; The Lord knows me like no one else. He knows the desires of my heart. He knows the balances of my bank account. He knows everything about me. I care more about what He thinks of me than others. Others perception of me is what they really believe about me whether they know me or not.

His brothers sold Joseph, the son of Jacob, into slavery. His Dad was told he died. The Ishmaelites (distant relatives) had purchased him and then they sold him. Check this out….

1 Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt. Potiphar, an Egyptian who was one of Pharaoh’s officials, the captain of the guard, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had taken him there.

2 The Lord was with Joseph so that he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master. 3 When his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord gave him success in everything he did, 4 Joseph found favor in his eyes and became his attendant. Potiphar put him in charge of his household, and he entrusted to his care everything he owned. 5 From the time he put him in charge of his household and of all that he owned, the Lord blessed the household of the Egyptian because of Joseph. The blessing of the Lord was on everything Potiphar had, both in the house and in the field. 6 So Potiphar left everything he had in Joseph’s care; with Joseph in charge, he did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate. (Genesis 39:1-6 NIV)

I can’t control how others behave, but I can be in charge of my response to their behavior. Joseph had integrity and honor. He held an incredible position of leadership in the household of Potiphar in a very short time. Potiphar’s wife (aka “Hotiphar”, asked Joseph to sleep with her. Joseph knew that what she was asking was wrong in God’s eyes and he said no. He was loyal to God and his master Potiphar. When she didn’t get what she wanted she made up a story against Joseph and he was thrown in prison. Check this out…

20 Joseph’s master took him and put him in prison, the place where the king’s prisoners were confined. But while Joseph was there in the prison, 21 the Lord was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden. 22 So the warden put Joseph in charge of all those held in the prison, and he was made responsible for all that was done there. 23 The warden paid no attention to anything under Joseph’s care, because the Lord was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did. (Genesis 39:20-23 NIV)

As I move and live in my many functions as a husband, Dad, teacher, REALTOR & friend – I want the favor and blessing of God over anyone who knows me and works with me. I want my walk with the Lord to overflow out of my everyday life in every quadrant. Joseph’s integrity deeply inspires me to be known for knowing the Lord and having His favor and His blessing all over me.

Pressing On!

Dwayne