Assurance

2/23/2008 11:03 AM

SPIRITUAL DIARY

My Worship Time                  Focus:  Assurance

Bible Reading & Meditation             Reference:  Genesis 50:18-21

            Message of the verses:  “18  Then his brothers also came and fell down before him and said, "Behold, we are your servants."  19  But Joseph said to them, "Do not be afraid, for am I in God’s place?  20  "As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive.  21  "So therefore, do not be afraid; I will provide for you and your little ones." So he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.”

            These verses remind me again of what the Lord Jesus Christ has done, as this is another picture of Christ seen through Joseph.

            Joseph’s brothers had lived in fear that Joseph was going to bring revenge on them because of their actions many years earlier, and were trusting in their father to keep Joseph from getting even with them.  Now that Jacob was gone they came to Joseph’s house to speak to him about this and offer themselves as his servants in order to make reconciliation for their sins against Joseph.  (I am sure that Joseph called them to his house for they would not have gone their on their own because of their fear). 

            The problem with the brothers and also some believers today, is that they could not accept the fact that forgiveness was free and they did not have to do anything to repay for this forgiveness.  Jospeh realized that the sin of his brothers was wrong, and he mentioned it, but that God had worked it out for good and therefore Joseph put his trust in the Lord and did not hold this sin against his brothers.  Peter said something similar concerning the death of Jesus Christ, “23  Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:  24  Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.”  (Acts 2:23-24).  Peter is not saying here that there was no sin involved, but that God used the greatest sin ever committed by mankind to give the greatest blessing ever to mankind.

            Spiritual meaning for my life today;  The picture of the prodigal son is seen in the verses above for he tried to come back to his father and offer himself as a servant, yet his father would not have anything to do with that because he offered him free forgiveness because the father saw that his son realized that he was a sinner in need of salvation.

            There are times when I repeat the same sin again and again that I too have a hard time believing that I am forgiven and can do nothing to deserve God’s forgiveness, but the Bible shows me that I am truly forgiven.

My Steps of Faith Today:  Believe in the forgiveness that God has provided me through Jesus Christ my Lord.

Memory verses for the week:  Philippians 1:9-11

9. And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment,
10. so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ;
11. having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.