He's Just A Carpenter?

Mark 6:3  Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary?


Don't ever let somebody's words size you up? You're not what somebody's opinion is about you. Who else can know who you really are except the Lord? Why would you allow somebody else opinion of you define who you really are? "I praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are your works, And that my soul knows very well. (Ps 139:14)

Jesus was teaching in the temple and the people were amazed. Isn't this the brother of James, Justus, Jude, and Simon and his sisters? Where did he learn how to speak like this? Who does he think he is? Jesus knew that they lacked honor of him in his own hometown.

Jesus refused to allow somebody else's opinion of him define who He was. He himself knew He was the Son of the Living God. He refuses to shy away from being what the Father had spoken over him. When John the Baptist was baptizing him, He heard a voice out of heaven say; "This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased."

Pleasing the Father is the only thing that matters in life. Listening to the popularity polls will not place you on the trajectory course of your destiny. What defines you is not man's opinions about you but rather hearing what God has to say about you and your future. Allowing His voice, His will, His assignment to steer your destiny.

What if Jesus had been intimidated by the crowds' opinion? What if He had taken heart to their words and their persuasion? Jesus didn't give it another thought; he just moved forward with his mandate and still healed a few sick folks.

Many are living out their lives trying to please somebody else. Trying to fulfill your moms dream, your dads dream, your wife's dream will only leave you empty and miserable.

It's only as you live out God's dream that something will leap in your spirit. Why would you waste so much time working for anything less than the dream God has placed in your heart? He is the one who will make things happen for you. "Delight yourself in the Lord and He shall give you the desires of your heart."

Can you imagine what would have happen had Thomas Edison had given up on the light bulb after 1000 experimental attempts? What if Henry Ford had given up on the automobile after going bankrupt 5 times? What if Walt Disney had given up on his dream after being fired from his job because of a lack of creativity? What if Billy Graham had quit because somebody thought he couldn't preach?

Friend God's dreams are the only thing that matter's for your future. Don't ever allow somebody else to define who you are. There is only one voice that counts. It's Jesus.

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Can God Find Me Now?

Mark 6: 45-51 At once Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go ahead of him to Bethsaida, on the other side of the lake, while he sent the crowd away. 46 After saying good-bye to the people, he went away to a hill to pray. 47 When evening came, the boat was in the middle of the lake, while Jesus was alone on land. 48 He saw that his disciples were straining at the oars, because they were rowing against the wind; so sometime between three and six o'clock in the morning, he came to them, walking on the water. He was going to pass them by, t 49 but they saw him walking on the water. “It's a ghost!” they thought, and screamed. 50 They were all terrified when they saw him. Jesus spoke to them at once, “Courage!” he said. “It is I. Don't be afraid!” 51 Then he got into the boat with them, and the wind died down. The disciples were completely amazed
When was the last time you found yourself in a dark difficult despair? Have you questioned if God really knew about your dilemma? Does He really know where I am in my pain and sorrow? Does God even care or realize how tough my ordeal has become? Is He really going to come to my rescue?

There never has been a time yet that God wasn't aware of your sorrow, your hurt and pain. The disciples had gotten into the boat and were heading to Bethsaida as Jesus had instructed. The Lord never promised us that when we take His instructions that we would live a trouble-free life.

The disciples were doing exactly what the Lord had told them yet they found themselves struggling to get to their destination. Jesus had climbed up the mountain to pray while sending them off to the next village for ministry.

It's interesting to me that while Jesus is being refreshed and is receiving fresh instructions for his next assignment; the Father makes his Son aware that his disciples are struggling in the dark with the wind on the lake.

Jesus knows how to find you in the dark. There is nothing that can hinder him from getting to you in your dark situation. Notice there was no Boston Whaler vessel with a 250 HP Evinrude motor, there was no Sea Doo jet ski, but Jesus still has the means to come to them at 4 AM walking on the water. He may never be early, but will never be late.

As Jesus moonwalks on the water, they were afraid thinking it was a ghost, but quickly Jesus assures them, "It is I, be not afraid." As they heard those words, their doubts settled down, He climbed into the boat and the winds died down. 

He is assuring them again that there will never be a place or a time that you will be out of my mind. There will never be a place that I don't know right where you are. You will never be in a dilemma that I can't solve, you will never be a situation that I'm to busy too handle for you.

Chill out friend, If He can speak the heavens and the earth into existence and create billions of stars into the heavens and name them all by name. If He can make Adam from the dust of the earth and create Eve from his rib, come on, just how difficult is it for him to find you in your dark dilemma? 

Smile, He knows right where you are and knows how to find you and fix your nightmare of life. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today, and forever. (Hebrews 13:8) If He knows when you lose one hair out of your head. (Luke 12:7) He won't nod off or sleep through your next ordeal. 

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Do You Need New Lens?

Mark 1:1-45
Have you ever been to the eye doctor for a new set of lens? Are you in need of an eye examination? Jesus ministry was just beginning while John the Baptist ministry was coming to a head. John was just completing his last assignment while Jesus was fulfilling his first move into ministry.

As Jesus was being baptized by John the Baptist, the word declares in verse 10, "the heavens opened up over the Lord, the Spirit descended on him and a voice out of heaven said this is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased."

Immediately the Spirit led Christ into the wilderness for 40 days enduring temptations from Satan. It's cold in the night and scorching temperatures in the day. Hell plans to destroy Christ before the Father ever launched His son into ministry.

Jesus not only pressed through the temptations from Satan, but also would soon learn that his cousin John the Baptist would be taken by Herod placed in prison and would be beheaded.

How would Jesus press through the lost of his cousin John the Baptist? Were not Elizabeth and Mary pregnant the same time, and were not their baby boys born months apart? How would the Lord get focused on his mandate with the loss of John, one whom there was a dear bond?

Something awesome took place at Jesus baptism. God's Spirit came upon him and said "This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased,"The heavenly Father knew what His Son needed to forged ahead with the issues that were at hand.

Too many things in life will attempt to latch onto your spirit in moving forward with God's assignment. God has the power to give you a new set of lens. He wants us to see what He sees in order to press through ever hurt and pain and sorrow in life. There have been times in my life that things have tried to weigh me down in going forward.

What's holding you back today in moving forward with the will of God? Has something wrecked your emotions in fulfilling your assignment? Pain with a divorce, a runaway child, the loss of your employment, a hick-up or a hurt in your ministry, a bad lab report?

Shake it off, today God still opens the heavens, he still sends His spirit and He still says, "This is my beloved child in whom I am well pleased." It was those words from the Father that would catapult the Lord through the wilderness and through the loss of His cousin John the Baptist.

What would have happen to the thousands of lives who would have missed their miracle, their transformation had the Lord not placed on a new set of lens for the future. It's amazing what a new set of lens can do in moving forward into His will and plan. Go ahead; let him reset your lens today for your future.

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Rest...What's That?

Exodus 31:1-18, 35:1-3 Psalm 127:2

God is clear that we are to take a day and rest and honor and focus on Him. If God himself could work six days and take a day off, surely we can as well. It's amazing to me how busy we stay in America. When I travel overseas to Central America, it seems they have a bit slower pace. I'm not sure that's all bad. At noon for two hours it's siesta time, wow maybe we have it all backwards in our country?

I'm not convinced things are getting any better. The mind never shuts off. We say "Oh I have to check in on my twitter, my face-book, my iphone, my e-mail accounts, my work, my bank account, my bills, my kids, my spouse, my friends, my golf game, my fishing trip, my, my, my, my do we ever chill out and rest?"

If God designed our bodies to rest, and we rebel against the manual, guess what, something somewhere will break? The body requires rest. The average teen-ager needs 9 hours and the average adult needs 7 to 8 hours a night. How much do you sleep at night? Does your body ever go into the deep sleep mode? I have been guilty of allowing to much to get on the plate. It's imperative to be attentive to God's blueprint and layout for our lives.

People wonder why they live all fearful and frazzled and frustrated, and agitated, and irritated? Have you ever seen a kid who was getting fussy because he or she needed their nap? Adults are no different, each of us need to take a day that we chill out and honor God.

The average Christian 15 years ago gave 11.1% of their time each week to charitable corporations and churches. Today that same figure is less than 2% a week they give of their time and talents. Years ago people would not miss more than 2 or 3 Sundays a year in church. Now the average saint goes to church 2 to 3 hours a month to church. You know why? People have gotten so busy with their lives.

Studies show preachers would have to preach the same message 3 weekends in a row for everyone in the church to hear the message. Is something going wrong? Could it be that we are drifting away from the principals of the living word of God? Did God really say that we are to set aside one day a week and rest and honor him? Could that turn around our focus, our worship and our first love to God?

Have you set aside a day this week to rest and honor and focus on God? Don't forget, He's the one who cares more than anyone else about your physical and emotional and spiritual well being, and yes your being with Him for eternity.
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A Fallen Tragedy

Genesis 3:1-24 KJV

Adam and Eve had everything going for them until they broke the boundaries that God had spelled out for them. Everything went downhill when they chose to eat of the forbidden fruit from the tree of life.

Next we see Adam and Eve hiding from God. Why would they be hiding from God, the one who had created them, and the one who has blessed them?

Fear grips their hearts as God begins to speak to them. God ask; "Where are you?" Adams response was; "I heard you in the garden and I was afraid because I was naked." Why would Adam have a reason to be fearful? Why would he be afraid?

This is the first conversation with God since their disobedience in eating the fruit from the tree of life. Choosing your own agenda spells heartache and grief in life. Choosing your own road your own path will cause you to live without peace and fellowship with God.

Adam and Eve had fallen into the trap of believing a lie from the serpent Satan. He tells them; "the only reason God has told you not to eat from the tree of life, you will be like God."

There is no one else like God. There is no truth in the devil's words. Tell me who else can hang billions of stars and name them all by their name? Tell me who else can create the air to be 21% oxygen so a man can breathe normal air into his lungs? Let's say the air was 50% oxygen, each time one tried to light up a match, we would all be toast.

Tell me who else can create the sun to be 93 million miles away from the earth so that were not crispy creatures from being overheated, or frozen to death because any other distance and we wouldn't survive.

There is no better life than living out the blueprint God drew out for your life. Anything less is a fallen tragedy. Choose today to GET UP. Fall into the everlasting arms of Christ. He's waiting for you. You will never regret it; all of this life and eternity will say so.



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Is The Load To Heavy?

Exodus 18:1-27                VIDEO LINK FOR THIS MESSAGE AT THE BOTTOM

I'm certain that before automobiles came around they teamed up horses according to the load factor in the wagon. If they were transporting an extra heavy load, over several hundred miles they would team up more horses.

Jethro, Moses father-n-law has observed something that this great leader has missed. He is sitting from morning to the evening counseling the people of Israel with their issues and struggles. I can't imagine carrying the weight of two to three million people and their problems.

Jethro says, "Moses the thing you're doing is not good. You will surely wear away, both you and this people that is with thee. Choose you out leaders who fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, and hundreds and fifties and rulers of tens."

The reason that many leaders burn out is because they fail to set up a God system where they are not carrying the entire load. If you have ever tried to pull a boat or a heavy load up a mountain, you will quickly see why you need a lot of horses under the hood to make it over the hill.

Are you a leader who has assumed to much of the load? Have you taken more on yourself than you should? The reason 85% of pastors quit within 25 years is because they have failed to take Jethro's advice. The demands on pastors today are incredible. Is there a plan to succeed? Is there a way to keep your head above water?

Moses chose leaders and he kept his head above water. If more leaders would take this advice from the Lord, there would be less burn out and survival for leaders. God cares more about your own personal spiritual health than He does your ministry and what your able to do for the Kingdom of God.
Pray for your pastor as he seeks out God's chosen leaders for the journey and the ministry. There is a way to keep pressing and persevere into the plan that God has called each of us to accomplish.

By the way, are you one of those called horses under the hood to serve your pastor so together you'll make it over the hills and mountains that are before you. God never called any of us to do this thing alone. A team, a God system will conquer great mountains and enemies before us all.

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How Long Did The Song Last?

Exodus 15:1-27

How long through the week does your praise last from a Sunday morning celebration service? How long do you continue to rejoice after your breakthrough? Israel had just crossed the Red Sea; they've watched God drown Pharaoh and his army before their eyes. On the other side of the sea, Miriam with her tambourine leads a celebration of victory.

As they move ahead into the wilderness, they travel three days without finding any water. When they come to Marah, they soon find out they can't drink there because the waters are bitter. The celebration didn't last very long; they began to complain to Moses, "So what are we supposed to drink?"

There will never be a time in your life that you don't need the hand of God to move for your life. God doesn't allow us to go very far pass our victory before we realize we need another breakthrough, another miracle. God shows Moses a tree, he cast it in the water and the waters are made sweet.

2000 years ago there was another tree that our Lord hung on to bring about our victory over every bitter difficulty in life. Losing your job, your home, divorce, cancer, being falsely accused, dealing with a rebellious child can all be bitter. It's so easy like Israel to complain in our bitter ordeals. Learn from Israel, whining and complaining isn't going to fix your dilemmas. Every breakthrough that you need is found in the cross. Jesus paid for every hurt and sorrow that we face.

Praise is a sign of our confidence in God. Where was the tambourine, where was the celebration, where was their confidence in the God who spilt the Red Sea just three days before? Do we really believe that the God who started us on this journey is able to complete what He started?

Take your eyes off of looking back to Egypt, your old life in sin, take your eyes off of looking around, it may not look encouraging, take your eyes off of looking down on your bitter situation, rather lift up your eyes to the one who is more than able to complete what He started in you. Be confident of this very thing that He which begun a good work in you shall perform it till the day of Jesus Christ.

Moses looked to the Lord, and God gave him the answer to move pass their bitter situation. He still turns the bitter waters sweet today. How else are you going to know His greatness, unless He has proven to you that He can make your bitter waters sweet? Keep singing, keep worshipping, and keep pressing towards the one who is more than enough to make your bitter waters sweet.
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It May Get Worst Before It Gets Better

Exodus 5:1-23 KJV, Exodus 6:1-30 KJV and Exodus 7:1-25 KJV

The Children of Israel have been in bondage for 400 plus years in Egypt. God has seen their affliction of pain and suffering and assigns Moses to tell Pharaoh to let the Israelites go. Moses has a call from God in the desert to go to Pharaoh and declare to release the people from being slaves. Pharaoh refuses to release the people and things get worst for the people before they get better.

Pharaoh tells his taskmasters to make the people come up with their own straw to make the brick. Before the masters would bring them their straw to them, but now they are required to go out and collect their own straw without any change in their quota.

The people get very angry with Moses for stirring up more pain and work for them. They don't understand why things have gotten worst for them. Moses has told them that God has come to deliver them but this wasn't part of the deal. Why have things gotten worst? "Moses you didn't tell us that this action was going to make things worst!"

On the road path to freedom and deliverance always come more difficulties and stress. Pharaoh is not about to turn lose of a good thing. He has all these people's free labor making his products and building his dreams. Why would he turn Israel lose? "I will show them who's in control, I will let them think twice before they mess around with my dictatorship."

You may be praying for your kid that is running from God, a spouse who is backslidden, a boss who is under great conviction from God. Don't expect things to get better just yet. Satan doesn't want to turn lose of one that is on the wrong path and plan of death and destruction.

Praying for your family, your friends, your neighbors are so critical. You may say, "The more I pray the worst things get." This was true in Moses day and is still true today. Don't be dishearten and discouraged with more added stress. This is only a sign that the enemy of their soul does not want to turn lose of the grip that he has on their deceived path.

Keep pressing in with your prayer and fasting. God is the one who shows up to deliver people from their hold in bondage. Have things gotten worst? It's just a sign that deliverance is on the way. Remember God is the great deliver and He alone has the power to set men free.

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Glory To Rebuke To Glory

Most of us have experience a roller-coaster ride at Disney World or some other amusement park. One moment you're ascending to the top and the next your descending down to the bottom. A lot of us can identify with Peter. He's on a high revealing who Christ is, but next he's is at the bottom, with his foot in his mouth, being rebuked for saying those things that are far from God.

All of us have allowed our flesh to botch things up and have said things that were not from God. In Matthew 16, Jesus ask Peter; "Who do men say that I am?" Peter says, "Some Lord say that your Elijah or a prophet. Jesus then ask, "Who do you say that I am? Peter says, "Thou art the Christ, the son of the living God." Jesus says "Peter, flesh and blood hath not revealed this to you but my father which is in heaven."

Peter then comes off his high mountain, turns around and rebukes Jesus for foretelling his disciples that He must go to Jerusalem and suffer things before His mission is over here on earth. Peter declares, "Never Lord " Jesus says to Peter, "get thee behind me Satan."

What would the Lord do with Peter now? What would become of him after this rebuke? Would Jesus throw him away, would he send him to the junkyard? It's interesting to me how at one moment Peter's trajectory path is saying things from the Lord, and the next be so far off in left field.

Now Jesus has said to Peter, "Get thee behind me Satan, thou sayest not the things that be from God." Is it now over for Peter? Is he finished? Would the Lord change his mind about Peter's future? "Absolutely not." In Matthew 17, Jesus selects Peter, James and John. He takes them up on a high mountain. Suddenly appears Moses and Elijah. Why would the Lord be includimg Peter in this experience on a high mountain after a failure, after really botching things up? After blowing it?

Yes, Jesus takes Peter, one that he has chosen and is transfigured before he and James and John. What is Peter doing in the bunch? Didn't he just miss it? Didn't he just blow it, didn't he just rebuke Christ in moving forward with his Father's plan? Why didn't the Lord throw Peter out of this glorious moment in history?

Jesus is showing you and I that none of us is righteous, none of us are perfect, and none of us deserve to be caught up into these heavenly moments. Jesus reminds all of us, "The calling of God is without repentance." God never changes his mind about the call on your life. You may really mess things up with your life, but that will never change the call, the mandate, the assignment that God has for you.

In the name of Jesus, "Get up and move forward with God's love and mercy and compassion and call that will never change over your life." The Lord wasn't through with Peter and he's not about to change his mind about you. Eccl 7:8 Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof, and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit."

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Forgotten In A Hole? (2)

Genesis 41:1-57
Would Joseph be forever forgotten in his dark prison hole? Would anyone remember him? Would God ever bring to pass the dream that was impregnated in his heart? One day the ole former inmate, now the Kings cupbearer remembers a dreamer. King Pharaoh was stressed out over a dream that no man could interpret. The inmate says, "I know someone in a deep dark hole that can interpret your dream."

God may not ever get in a hurry, but He is always on time. God had a man in the right place at the right time to interpret Pharaoh's dream. Joseph is cleaned up, and brought to the king. "Here is what your dream means, There is coming seven years of plenty, then will come seven years of famine. Take the seven years of plenty and store up grain, so that during the seven years of famine, the people will survive."

The King responds, "Where could I find such a man who would manage and oversee such a project?" Pharaoh says, "Where else could I find a man with God's spirit in him like you?" At that point, Pharaoh placed Joseph in charge of all the kings' affairs and declares, "All my people will report to you, only as King will I be over you."

In one moment God takes a man from the pit to the palace. He promotes him to the prime minister of the land.  What was God doing in his life during these years of waiting? Was God grooming him for greatness? Did God see something coming that couldn't be seen to the natural eye?

Was something coming that was bigger than Joseph himself? Were his gifting and talents enough? Would he have to know and trust the God that could and would deliver him from and evil famine that would threaten to destroy the world and his own family?

It's the devil and hell that hates your dream, and will go to any depth to destroy what God is planning. God hasn't forgotten you regardless of how ugly things have been. It's easy to lose heart and passion in the dark. "Never doubt in the dark what God has spoken in the light." He didn't forget Joseph and He hasn't forgotten you and will bring to pass all that He has spoken. Even in your barrenness there is a harvest on the way. Forgotten in your hole? NEVER.

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Forgotten In A Hole? (1)

Genesis 40:1-23, 41:1-57
When Joseph was 17 years old, God gave him a dream that would forever change his life. The only thing was he didn't know the dream would turn his world upside down. As he shared his dream with his brothers, they became very jealous and angry and plotted a plan to get rid of him.

Their anger escalated to the level to throw him in a pit and kill him. One of the brother's Judah said, "What good will it do to kill him, let's make some money off of him and sale him to this passing caravan of Ishmaelites." Joseph was sold to them for 20 pieces of silver and was taken down to Egypt, placed on the auction block and sold to Potiphar.

Potiphar was fond of him and placed him over his house. Potiphar's wife tried to seduce Joseph but told her husband this Hebrew tried to rape me today. Potiphar in his anger threw him in prison. How long would this innocent man sit in a prison hole? Would he be forgotten? Would he rot in a hole in Egypt? Just what would become of his dream?

Can you imagine what was going through his mind sitting in a dark forgotten hole? Has God forgotten me? Was the dream a hoax from God? I've done nothing to deserve being locked up, what could this be about?

Day after day doubt's tormented his mind. Years have passed sitting in a forgotten hole? One of the inmates in prison was puzzled with a dream. Joseph interprets his dream and the inmate is released just as he revealed. "Don't forget me when your restored back to your old job."The dude forgets Joseph and goes on with his life. Another inmate has a miserable dream. Joseph interprets it and declares, "Within 3 days your head will be taken off." The dream came to pass just as he had spoken.

Now the bigger question is would Joseph believe and hold on to his own dream? Would he ever see the light of day again? What could be made of this oxymoron life that makes no sense up to this point? How do I continue to wrestle with my dream? How many more nights will pass without knowing where, when, how, and why?

The story is not over until God says it's over. Regardless of how difficult, how tough, how hard, and how dark your hole is? God will never forget what He has impregnated in your spirit. Forgotten? Dreams are not to be aborted, forgotten and destroyed, but rather developed and delivered.

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A Woman Infatuated With Joseph (2)

Genesis 39:1-23, 40:1-23

Satan is notorious at attempting to derail the plans that God has mapped out for your life. Just when Joseph has gotten a good job working for Potiphar, a lying woman tries to seduce him and tells her husband that this Hebrew whom you have brought in our home has tried to rape me.

He has just gotten out of a pit, just gotten out from being sold as a slave, just been lied on, and now this, a prison cell, "Come On?" Things have gone from bad to worst. How many times have you had doubts that the dream and the design for your life is all a hoax?

Dreams take time to be developed. Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a dream fulfilled is a tree of life. (Proverbs 13:12) When the dream is on hold, hell works overtime to get you to abort and to abandon the dream in your heart.

Would Joseph hold on to his dream? Would he take the bait from hell that God had shortsighted and shafted him? Would he lose confidence in His God? Stand up and refuse to believe lies that come from Satan. There is no truth in him.

Most of us miss the unpacking and the developing of the dream that comes to us. Hell hates our dream so much that he will go to any distance to rip it from our hearts. Would Joseph pass the test? Would he hold on to his dream? Would he lose heart and passion for God and the dream?

Listen to me friend, God believed in Joseph and God believes in you. He chose Joseph knowing that he would pass the craziness that would come his way. Joseph was not perfect, but God called him knowing the stress and the mess and the test that he would wrestle with.

God knew his brothers would abandon him. God knew friends would turn their back on him. God knew leadership would not believe his story. God knew the odds were all against him, but yet God still knew he was up for the test.

In the end, God has a man Joseph in the right place at the right time to save thousands that otherwise would have died in a famine. One of the greatest parts of this story is his words to his brothers," What you did, you meant it for evil, but God meant it for good." Don't lose your dream, God knows you'll pass the test, and fulfill the reason for the seasons in your life. Where you are today doesn't define where your heading. Dreams were given to be delivered. 

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A Woman Infatuated With Joseph (1)

Genesis 39:1-23 


God never sets us up for failure, but rather to succeed. Jacob's sons were insanely jealous over their youngest brother Joseph. Jacob didn't help by showing his son favoritism. Joseph didn't help himself by sharing all of his dreams to his brothers.

One afternoon Joseph is unpacking his dreams to his brothers and declares, "One day you will bow down to me and my leadership." These boys had their fill of listening to their brother's dreams. They decided to kill him, but one of the brothers Reuben intervened to save him. Instead they found a deep pit and threw him in it.

While Joseph is trapped in a pit, his brothers are enjoying their KFC lunch. Licking their fingers they look up and see a caravan of Ishmaelites coming. Judah said, "Brothers, what are we going to get out of killing our brother, let's sell him to these Ishmaelites." They sold him for twenty pieces of silver. Later they explain to their dad that Joseph's coat has been found stained with blood. Jacob weeps over the belief that a wild animal has killed his boy.

In chapter 39, Unbeknown to Jacob, Joseph is then taken down to Egypt and sold as a slave. Potiphar bought him and put him to work in his own house. I can't imagine what is going on in the heart of this young 17- year- old son? God has a plan for his life, but he's got to be questioning and doubting the dream that has been impregnated in his heart?

Next, Potiphar recognizes that God's favor is upon this young man. He becomes very fond of Joseph and places him in charge of all his personal affairs and turns everything over to him.

Potiphar's wife becomes infatuated with this young handsome Joseph. She catches him alone one day and begs him to sleep with her. (7) Joseph says, "How could I do this against your husband and against my God?" (9) She pestered him day after day, but he stood his ground and refused to go to bed with her.

One day, no one else was in the home and she grabbed him saying, "Sleep with me!" He left his coat in her hand and run outside. After hearing his wife's story, Potiphar was furious and has Joseph placed in prison.  

Will God leave him in prison? Will God forsake Joseph in his doubts? Why would God allow him to be taken to Egypt and be lost in a prison cell? Has God really miss it this time? Where you are today does not define where you are heading. Never doubt that God's ways are higher than our ways. Joseph would soon realize that beyond the mess is a miracle in the making. God has plans beyond our pain, and has a testimony beyond our test. Hold on, it's not over yet.

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