Merry Christmas

Wisdom from Dream Coat to Prison Ware to Dream Coat

I'm going to give you the Gena version of a guy named Joseph. As always I will encourage you to read your Bible to get the accurate history.

Joseph is one of 12 boys whose father is Jacob. Even though as parents we aren't supposed to have favorites, Jacob openly shows Joseph is his. 

He has a multicolored coat made especially for Joseph which Joseph not only wears but makes sure his siblings know he is the favorite.

His brothers get sick of him and decide to get rid of their "favored" brother Joseph. They sell him to slave traders, take his special coat from dad, dip it in goats blood and tell their father his beloved son was killed by a wild beast.

Yikes! And you think your family is dysfunctional?

When Joseph was  younger God showed him in a dream that he indeed would be a great ruler one day, however, where we will pick up his life story he was a slave for at least 13 years and in prison for at least 2.

While he's in prison, for a crime he didn't commit I might add, he meets 2 guys that work for the king. They both have a dream they don't understand and Joseph interprets the dreams for them.

Basically he tells the king's Cup Bearer he will go back to work for Pharaoh and the Baker, well his future was not as bright.

Joseph asks the Cup Bearer to remember him when he gets out and hopes he'll ask the king to release Joseph as well.

As disappointing as it must have been for Joseph it does appear it was part of God's plan for him to be in prison.

TWO YEARS later the King himself has a dream he can't interpret and the Cup Bearer finally remembers Joseph and tells the King about him. 
 
Here's what I find interesting. When Pharaoh sent for Joseph, he didn't waste any time by telling Pharaoh how he was arrested on false charges and was sent to prison for a crime he didn't commit. 
Instead he listens to Pharaoh's dream and tells him God has the answer.
“Pharaoh said to Joseph, ‘I had a dream, and no one can interpret it. But I have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it.’
‘I cannot do it,’ Joseph replied to Pharaoh, ‘but God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires.’” (Genesis 41:15–16)
Gems don't you find it amazing that in spite of the fact Joseph has had years of suffering and being in prison he still trust God!
Would I? Would you?

Pharaoh had plenty of men that could interpret dreams but he didn't have anyone with the wisdom to interpret a revelation from God.

The same way Pharaoh knew Joseph was filled with the spirit of wisdom by the explanation of his dream, it should be evident to believers around us that we receive supernatural wisdom.

Now you may be saying “that's a pretty conceded statement” but you would be wrong.

The word of God promises us wisdom.

"If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him." (James 1:5)

I have been in my own spiritual prison with some circumstances with my children. I am really trying not to react in the natural but want to use wisdom.

How I do that is by asking God to give me wisdom than reading the Bible to find answers. 

Sometimes we use our knowledge but that is not always a great idea. There is a big difference between wisdom and knowledge.

Knowledge is knowing that the street is one way, wisdom is looking both directions anyways. ~ Anonymous.

Gems I don't always understand why certain things happen in our lives. I'm sure Joseph didn't understand why he was sold by his brothers or ended up in prison.  I do know we need wisdom to make good decisions. 

   
Unfortunately the only way to get wisdom is to go through stuff you would rather avoid.

Ecclesiastes 1:18 For with much wisdom comes much sorrow; the more knowledge, the more grief.

The only way I will get wisdom to pass on to someone else is to go through the grief myself. 

In my opinion the only thing that would be worse than the grief would be to not share the wisdom with someone else.

So whoever this current wisdom is for all I can say is UGH!!

I pray I will be out of this wisdom training prison soon and when I open my mouth I will have supernatural words to share. 

Gems let's ask God for supernatural wisdom that He promises and let's help turn prison ware into dream coats.

Bible vs Sex In The City

I turned on my TV today, I don't have cable so there's not a lot to choose from but my intent was to watch my daily Bible teaching. As I scanned the channels Sex in The City was on and I stayed there a few minutes. 

It's one of those shows that at times actually have a good story line, you just have to get past all the premarital sex and list of other things that offend God. 

Never the less I parked there for a minute then realized the irony of the situation chuckled and changed the channel.

I remember when I used to watch this show. My justification (I am queen of justification) was like I said earlier, this show can have some really good story lines. I bought into this lie until I realized if one of my kids came into the room I immediately changed the channel. 

Hmmmmm

I could no longer in clear conscience watch the show but here it was today years later appealing to my sinful nature.

Earlier in the day I was out walking. I was listening to praise music, thank God there was no chiwawa in this story, but a lesson none the less.

I was thinking the only time I'm close to having a clean heart is when I'm worshiping because it's then I have my thoughts more on Jesus than me. 

 

Gems I'm just being real here I make a lot of life about me. I don't mean to, I didn't start thinking about myself as I was walking but when I started thinking about worship I thought about how I looked to God instead of thinking how God should look to me.

Of course the Holy Spirit didn't leave me there too long. I went from thinking how humble I must look before God to noticing a Christmas decoration of a Nut Cracker in someones yard.

 

This image sent my thoughts to a little wooden man incense burner my aunt gave me and my ex-husband years ago from Austria that he kept.

From here I went to “I can't believe he didn't give me that back after our divorce. I gave him all his family stuff back.” Mind you this divorce took place 17 years ago.

My final thought your really going to love. 

“Would it be wrong to go to his house and just take it back without him knowing? It's not like he'll miss it.”

I know none of you have ever had these kind of thoughts. 

You're probably rethinking ever having me over for a visit or at least thinking you should hide your family heirlooms.

The Holy Spirit asked me at this moment was I still in worship mode?

Honestly Gems I don't know how that happens. Obviously that junk is still in me.

Luke 6:45 The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.

This is exactly why when I'm given the choice of Sex In The City or something like it, OR a show I can watch in front of a five year old, or dare I say Jesus Himself, I go with the latter.

Not because I'm holier than thou but because I might be eviler than thou. 
The good news is every time some of that junk comes out it makes my heart a little cleaner.

How do I keep from putting more junk in? Good question! 

We do that by changing the channel. Not going to the gross movies, listening to better music and for the best cure of all, meditating on Gods word.

Isaiah 23:3 You will keep him in perfect peace,Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You.

Psalms 119:15 I will meditate on Your precepts,
And contemplate Your ways.

So there you go Gems, confession #526,987,542. Feel free to join me on my journey from Sex In The City to Bible verses In The City.