Reading for today
Old Testament: Genesis 46, 47, 48
New Testament: Matthew 16
Thoughts from today’s reading
Genesis 47:4. Pharaoh asked Joseph to recommend a competent man among his brothers to be appointed as Chief herdsman over Pharaohs herds.
Being a child of the covenant does not automatically make you competent in your work. Being a Christian does not translate to instant character. Competence and character must be developed and it should be recognisable and recommendable by others.
Genesis 48:15-19. The people begged for bread in exchange for their livestock when all their money had failed. Joseph bought all their livestock and a year later they came back. This time they asked for seed and not only bread to keep them and their land alive.
The power of the seed is to release life that is stored in itself. This is why Jesus kept likening the word to the seed. These people proved that man shall not live by bread alone but by the word (seed) of God.
Matthew 16:16-23. In one moment Peter was receiving the revelation of Christ from the Spirit of God, and in the next moment he was succumbing to the wisdom of the devil by trying to reason with Jesus as to why he would not go through the cross.
The carnal mind cannot rightly discern the will of God, we only understand it by the Spirit of God.
Prayers
1. Father I pray that I will work on my character by being a doer of your word and not a hearer alone. Help me to be diligent in my spiritual and natural duties so that I will be a person of good report both within and outside of the community of believers.
2. Lord I pray give us this day our daily bread that feeds our spirit by the seed of the word of God and that feeds our physical bodies.
3. Lord I pray for the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Christ to cover my life so that I am able to rightly discern your will for my life. May I not be reliant on the wisdom of men when seeking your next steps for my life.
“During the night God spoke to him in a vision. “Jacob! Jacob!” he called. “Here I am,” Jacob replied.”
Genesis 46:2 NLT
What came to me here was God spoke to Jacob in a vision not a dream. So he wasn’t sleeping, he was most likely awake and meditating, praying, waiting on God at night. Even in his old age, he did not relent on his prayer life. This is an encouragement to me to press in more in my prayer life and wait on God for He has so much He wants to say to us and what a beautiful assurance He gave to Jacob that his son Joseph will be with him when he dies
“And beyond what I have given your brothers, I am giving you an extra portion of the land that I took from the Amorites with my sword and bow.””
Genesis 48:22 NLT
Again here Jacob is talking about fighting battles where he overcame, again no where is it listed that these men were warriors but yet it seemed whatever land they moved into, they fought battles and conquered and took portions of the lands.
God is not expecting us to be living in defeat when we are more than conquerors, He gave us the armour of God for a reason so we better get up and start fighting to walk in the victory that is already given to us in Christ Jesus and take the land we are in for Christ while we are at it.
“Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm.”
Ephesians 6:13 NLT