today in the Word for July 8-12
Today in The Word
Monday July 8, 2019
Have you ever heard the phrase, ‘The clothes make the man?’ Welcome to The Word with Pastor David. The story of Joseph in the book of Genesis is marked by the clothes Joseph wears. His first robe is found in Genesis 37:3-4 when he was 17:
“Now Israel loved Joseph more than any of his other sons, because he had been born to him in his old age; and he made an ornate robe for him. When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him.”
Joseph wore the robe of a beloved son. But his family hated him, plotted to kill him, and eventually sold him as a slave, and faked his death. Maybe you come from a dysfunctional family. Maybe you feel like you’ve been ‘voted off the island’ by your siblings. Maybe you wonder what a father’s love would feel like. The Word says God loves you and wants you in his family. Romans 8:15-16 reads:
“…the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.”
God is in the business of adopting us into his family. God is our Abba, or daddy God. God wants us to become his kids. He wants to put his robe of righteousness on us (Isaiah 61:10) and welcome us to the family.
And that’s the Word from Deer Lodge Assembly on the corner of 5th and Montana.
Today in The Word
Tuesday July 9, 2019
How do we react when we face temptation in difficult circumstances? Welcome to The Word with Pastor David. The story of Joseph in the book of Genesis is marked by the robes of Joseph’s life. His second robe is found in Genesis 39. Joseph has been sold as a slave to a wealthy man named Potiphar and wears a servant’s robe. Joseph is an excellent worker, but his problem is Potiphar’s wife who is looking for an easy affair with the young and handsome slave her husband has bought. When she propositions him for the umpteenth time, he responds to her temptation with verse 8 of chapter 39:
“But he refused. “With me in charge,” he told her, “my master does not concern himself with anything in the house; everything he owns he has entrusted to my care.”
Joseph explains that he is in a position of trust. And he has no intention of violating his boss’ trust. Honesty is what we do when no one is watching. Many temptations that come our way can be avoided by asking ourselves if we are in a position of trust. Joseph could have crumbled when propositioned by the powerful lady of the house. After all, his world had collapsed and he was now owned by another and in a foreign land. But he did not. His path of action was clear when he remembered he had been placed in a position of trust. And we do well to remember who trusts us, and act in a trustworthy manner.
And that’s the Word from David Baker of Deer Lodge Assembly on the corner of 5th and Montana.
Today in the Word
Wednesday July 10, 2019
How can we face down temptation in difficult circumstances? Welcome to The Word with Pastor David. Joseph has been sold as a slave to a wealthy man named Potiphar and wears a servant’s robe. Joseph is an excellent worker, but his problem is Potiphar’s wife who is looking for an easy affair with the young and handsome slave her husband has bought. When she propositions him for the umpteenth time, he responds to her temptation with verse 9 of Genesis 39:
“…My master has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do such a wicked thing…?”
Joseph points out that Mrs. Potiphar does not belong to him, but belongs to her husband. Many sins can be avoided altogether if we ask ourselves the question: ‘Does this belong to me?’ Many affairs would never happen if we were to ask, ‘Does she belong to me?’ All theft and embezzlement would be unlikely if we were to ask, ‘Does this stuff/money belong to me?’ Much gossip and slander would dry up if we ask, ‘Does this information belong to me?’
We can get confused when our situation is difficult. But Joseph was in a terrible situation, yet his course of action became clear when asked for sex by someone’s wife. She did not belong to him in marriage, so she did not belong to him at all. So, he ran from her advance.
And that’s the Word from Pastor David of Deer Lodge Assembly. Join our Wednesday adult Bible Study at 6:30 for more of the Word.
Today in the Word
Thursday July 11, 2019
How do we resist temptation in difficult circumstances? Welcome to The Word with Pastor David. Joseph has been sold as a slave to a wealthy man named Potiphar and wears a servant’s robe. Joseph is an excellent worker, but his problem is Potiphar’s wife who is looking for an easy affair with the young and handsome slave her husband has bought. When she propositions him for the umpteenth time, he responds to her temptation with integrity in the following statement in Genesis 39:9-10:
“” How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?”
And though she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her…”
Joseph remembered an important truth that armors us against temptations. Our sin may harm others, but all sin is ultimately against God. God is the one whose commands we violate when we sin. When King David finally confesses his sexual sin with Bathsheba, he declares to God in Psalm 51:4:
“Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight…”
We get confused when we only see sin as about other humans. We justify our behavior because others have wronged us. We excuse our behavior by saying no one will get hurt. But the heart of the problem with sin is that we have broken trust with God by breaking his command. When we remember who we are ultimately offending, many of our choices become clearer, even in difficult circumstances.
And that is the Word from Deer Lodge Assembly on the corner of 5th and Montana.
Today in the Word
Friday July 12, 2019
Is our suffering at the hands of another’s evil actions pointless? Welcome to The Word with Pastor David. The third robe that comes into Joseph’s life comes from the hand of the Pharaoh of Egypt. Joseph is able by God’s power to interpret the dream God gave Pharaoh, and so he is given royal robes and rocketed to importance in the government of Egypt. His new position not only allows him to spare his Jewish family from a terrible famine, but save from starvation countless others in the Mediterranean basin. Joseph explains to his selfish and jealous (and worried) brothers in Genesis 50:20:
“…Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.”
God did not cause Joseph’s brothers to sin against him when they sold him. But God can use even the wickedness of people for his own larger purposes. Joseph was shaped and sculpted by his many years of slavery and unfair imprisonment. Suffering at the hands of the evil of others is not pointless when we are part of God’s family. Joseph became a work of God’s art for the good of others. Ephesians 2:10 reads:
“…we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
Our difficulties need not be pointless. God can sculpt us to do significant good through the midst of difficulty—just like Joseph.
And that’s the Word. You can enjoy more of the Word this Sunday at 10:45 at Deer Lodge Assembly on the corner of 5th and Montana.