Be With Me: 7 Minutes of Biblical Wonder

The strength of the bond between parent and child powers our observation today. Father Jacob has his bond with his child wrenched apart. His spirit is troubled for decades.  A similar pain might be experienced by those with an exposure to abortion. Watch 7 minutes to consider how a pain from 4000 years ago might speak into our culture today. Thanks for watching 7 minutes.  https://www.youtube.com/...

You know the bond that parents have with their children.  You cannot tell where one person stops and the other starts.  This intimate bond is broken in the story of Joseph being separated from his father Jacob.  Both are aggrieved parties in the story. The Lord wants us to see the beauty of this bond by having us experience its'  loss and then restoration of Joseph and Jacob.  Listen. https:/...

How does sin get exposed? Joseph accuses his brothers of stuff they did NOT do to reveal stuff that they DID do. He WRONGLY accuses them to bring forth what he RIGHTLY accuses them. It asks the question of how our wonderful God helps us to see how poor our standing before Him is in reality.  Careful!  He might use this ruse for you too!  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNijvDWAn2Wv2KFun2AnvCA

I'm still stuck on the concept that is pictured in the story of Joseph's nasty brothers. Though they are quite sinful, God demonstrates His love for them.  God gives them treasure, though they are knuckleheads.  "God treasurizes the knuckleheads".  God must be out of His mind.  Please watch and subscribe. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNijvDWAn2Wv2KFun2AnvCA

Clearly, the brothers of Joseph are a bunch of knuckleheads.  We're in a story of a response of grace and  kindness that they did not deserve. How does God respond to their treachery? He gives them more than they deserve.  He "puts treasure in their sacks." Watch 7 minutes of my shock and awe.  God must be out of His mind.  Why would God do this?  Watch!  https://www.youtube.com/cha...

Who will "bear your blame forever?" Judah must have had a change of heart.  A couple chapters ago, he was just about ready to burn his own children to death.  Here, he offers himself as a substitutionary sacrifice for others.  This point us to what Jesus is going to do for all of us.  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNijvDWAn2Wv2KFun2AnvCA

I love the Old Testament because the lessons come at you in slow motion. Watch 7 minutes today as the light bulb slowly comes on for 10 sinful brothers.  A reckoning is due. They've waited 25 years. The time has come for justice.  They are the guilty ones. Yikes! Subscribe after you watch today: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNijvDWAn2Wv2KFun2AnvCA

My prayer for you today is that you may have the heavy, unbearable weight of your sin. GUILT would be unpalatable, increasing, unlivable, and unendurable.  WHY?  well, Step 1 is sin. Step 2 is guilt, conviction, weight. There is a step 3 but first you gotta be bereft with yourself. What am I going to do?  I cannot live like this.  The knuckleheads in our story Stew in guilt for YEARS. EVERY authen...

9000 days of faithfulness are asked of Joseph. They come one at a time. He had to exercise faithfulness amidst betrayal, pits, prison, passions, and then perhaps even pride. I pray for you today in what may be asked of you.  Please watch for 7 minutes for a little help from 3500 years ago.  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNijvDWAn2Wv2KFun2AnvCA

If you are curious about the events of the Old Testament, you are in very good company.  Pharaoh was too.  He noticed the activity of God in the life of Joseph. Watch 7 minutes as we too notice and are curious about the very same things. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNijvDWAn2Wv2KFun2AnvCA

An attractive cow gets today's story started.  Pharaoh sees 7 in his dream.  They are consumed by 7 other carnivorous cows.  Needless to say, he wakes up troubled and curious.  He is practically and even spiritually curious. He's king of his world, but has to reach down into the pit where Joseph is in prison to get some help. Join me for 7 minutes to enjoy 7 attractive cows. 

Today's 7 minute memory of Joseph prepares us 4000 years later to do what he did: be faithful to the people around us who are also in a bit of a PIT be faithful to the Lord while we are in the PIT be ready to see the Lord's activity while we are in the PIT If you are in a PIT today, this lesson is for you.  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNijvDWAn2Wv2KFun2AnvCA

Stay 7 minutes and learn of THE defining characteristic of God. That might be just a schooch of an exaggeration, but it is certainly MY FAVORITE: His HESED. It is a Hebrew word that is the Jupiter-sized concept of HIS STEADFAST LOVE; His faithfulness and His sticking with a mostly uncooperative people. A favorite 5 year old described it best: It is when God BUTTERS THE BREAD ON BOTH SIDES.  https:...

Can the Lord be with us in bad circumstances? Yup. So then what?  Can He give FAVOR to what our hands do? Yup.  The Lord is with Joseph and the Lord then gives FAVOR to the actions of Joseph.  The actions are empowered by the presence of the Lord. It is so noticeable that those around Joseph are positively impacted. Please consider 7 minutes. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNijvDWAn2Wv2KFun2AnvC...

How does a person fight against sexual temptation? What resources are available as weapons in the fight? Make up your mind beforehand like Joseph to not do "this great wickedness and sin against God ." God has drawn these lines in the first place. Directionally move away from temptation but  move toward   the things of God  with the people of God . If all else fails: FLEE The Lord is wit...

Perhaps you find yourself in bad circumstances today. Well welcome to the world, and welcome to the Bible.  Our main character Joseph has been betrayed, captured, and sold as a slave in a foreign land.  The amazing thing about our passage is the following: "The Lord was with Joseph." Wait, amidst all of those bad circumstances?  Yes. Exactly. Please watch 7 minutes:  https://www.youtube....

Let's address one of the most critical elements of living a successful life on this planet. It is: what do I do when I find out that I am wrong.  The spiritual words for this are conviction and repentance.  Whatever you call it, it is difficult and very necessary.  Look 7 minutes with me at how 2 knuckleheads do a really good job of facing their error.  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNijvD...

Judah almost burns his own sons to death. He realizes that HE is the bad guy in the story today and actually repents in word and deed.  Jesus comes only to save sinners.  Jesus saves the stinky. Judah is a great example of the kind of people that Jesus came for.  So are you. Please watch for 7 minutes.  Your money back if it is not beneficial for you.  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNijvDWAn2Wv...

Judah gets involved with a prostitute that uses sex as a form of worship to a false god.  As a great-grandfather of Jesus, this act is tremendously ill-advised. It breaks not only the marriage covenant, but also the Abrahamic covenant of exclusive intimacy with the one true God. What happens when he is exposed?  Watch 7 minutes. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNijvDWAn2Wv2KFun2AnvCA

It sounds crazy, but the life of Jesus is spared in Genesis chapter 38. Jesus' great-great-grandfather almost gets burned to death while he is in the womb. The very unrighteous Judah is confronted with his sin. Fortunately, he relents and repents. Join me for 7 minutes to hear one of the messiest stories in the Bible! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNijvDWAn2Wv2KFun2AnvCA

What happens if you wake up one day  surrounded by wolves? That happens both to Jacob and Joseph.  Jacob is old, Joseph is 17. Neither is given a "spiritual hall pass" in dealing with their bad circumstances. Neither are we.  Please watch 7 minutes to a beautiful morning and beautiful thought about what we should do if we too find ourselves  surrounded by wolves. https://www.youtube.com/...

If God is theoretically GOOD, why am I in a PIT? Does being an innocent or not-so-innocent person in a pit give me a spiritual hall pass? Joseph, who is a junior or senior in High School fins himself asking these questions. He is DISAPPOINTED by people, yet APPOINTED by God.  You probably are too.  Listen 7 minutes to find out. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNijvDWAn2Wv2KFun2AnvCA

In today's story, a 17 year old SAVES the WORLD.  This righteous 17yo saves his murderous brothers.  Ironically, Jesus comes 2000 years later thru the murderous line.  Listen as the spiritual salvation  of the world depends on a TEENAGER. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNijvDWAn2Wv2KFun2AnvCA

"I see the Lord active in your life so I ...WANT TO KILL YOU" People are a jealous bunch.  Listen 7 minutes to a 4000 year old story that you will also see in today's headlines. Wrestle a bit with me about anger, jealousy and murder--all the fun stuff. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNijvDWAn2Wv2KFun2AnvCA

Genesis 36 sets up the ongoing redemptive story that eventually leads to Jesus.  It does so by tidying up some details by describing what happens to the people "On the WRONG SIDE OF THE TRACKS." That group of people come from ESAU, who is Jacob's brother and Isaac's son.  It is mostly not a pretty picture.  Listen. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNijvDWAn2Wv2KFun2AnvCA