Lord, let me not be so far from You as being close to You, but let me as close to You as being one with You. t.b.c. How can we be one with God? t.b.c. Abiding in the Vine. Walking in the Spirit. Walking in the Light.

JOSEPH    How many journeys did Joseph make from the pit to the palace ? t.b.c.     He made the actual, physical journey when he was sold by his brothers to an Ishmaelite caravan going to Egypt with their spices to be sold there. Most likely it was a camel-drawn caravan, travelling on dirt road, so there was no clip-clop, clip-clop on tarmac from horses’ hooves. Yet for mile after mile he did not think about what his future might be, but he thought of all that he was leaving behind, and no going back! t.b.c.     He was leaving his father, his beloved brother Benjamin, his homeland, his dream and God’s plan for his life. Little did he know that each step of the journey, and everything, however unjust and cruel that had already happened and was going to happen to him were not stumbling blocks but stepping stones to the fulfillment of his God-given destiny. t.b.c.      Most likely there was a language barrier between Joseph and the Ishmalites . So he was trapped in his thoughts all through his journey to Egypt. At least the Ishmaelites would not have treated him badly, so that when he stood on the auction block naked, to be examined by potential buyers, they would see that his body was without wounds, scars or diseases. And this way the Ishmaelites could sell him for more than they had paid for him. t.b.c. So even to the Ishmaelites Joseph was a blessing. In Potifer’s house, in prison, in Pharoah’s palace Joseph was a blessing. It was the same with his father Jacob when he worked for Laban. The Blessing of Abraham was passed down the generations. “And if ye be Christ’s……” Gal. 3:29 t.b.c. The second journey Joseph made from the pit to the palace was his mental/emotional journey. t.b.c. How long does it take to travel 200 miles by camel from the promised land to Egypt? Joseph had all that time to marinate in his emotions. He would have agonized about his father and brother being heartbroken, crushed and devastated to hear that he was dead, killed by a wild animal. t.b.c. Was Joseph quick to forgive his brothers, before he got to Egypt, or did he forgive them sometime after as Potifer’s slave. This would have been the beginning of his third journey, his spiritual journey. t.b.c. Joseph was a young, handsome, bronzed and virile young man and Mrs. Potifer fancied him. She tempted him daily, saying “Come lie with me.” She might have added what the prostitute in Proverbs said, ” Stolen waters are sweet and bread eaten in secret is pleasant. ” t.b.c. But Joseph’s reply was, How can I do this great evil and sin against God. He was walking in the fear of God although it may have seemed that God had forsaken him and forgotten about him. He chose God rather than the pleasures of Egypt. t.b.c. Sexual immorality was not on Joseph’s bucket list, but walking in the fear of God was; not as a one-off event but as a lifetime commitment. ( fear of God-awe, respect, reverance towards God. Pro.2:5 the reverant and worshipful fear of the Lord…. t.b.c. Later on Joseph was able to say, according to the meaning of the name of his first son, Mannasah – God has helped me to forget my toil and my father’s house. His second son was called Ephraim, meaning God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction. t.b.c. When two of his inmates told their dreams to Joseph he did not say, Dreams! Dreams! Dreams! I’m sick of them! My own dreams are shattered! He did not get selfish, feeling sorry for himself or started sulking. He was gracious and interpreted the two dreams which did come true. t.b.c. ( Somebody prayed, Father, help me to be gracious, even when the tears are falling. ) t.b.c. One more night in prison, and the next day Joseph was made governor of Egypt, second in command to Pharoah after he had interpreted his dream. Suddenly!!! Acceleration!!! t.b.c. By the time his brothers came to Egypt to buy grain because of the famine, Joseph was living out his destiny. But revenge on his brothers was not on his mind. As he said to them, “You meant it for evil, but God meant it for good. t.b.c. After Joseph rejected Potipher’s wife she probably went into town for some retail therapy! Maybe she saw Joseph passing by in his chariot and thought, I could have had a piece of that pie. But Joseph is faithful, honourable, a man of integrity who walks in the fear of his God. Maybe Potipher will buy another slave and I will have another chance. Well, tomorrow is another day. To her slave, Come on girl. I want to go to the jewellery shop.