What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? —Matthew 16:26 What choice would you make? If you could own the whole world and everything in it, but it would mean forfeiting your soul in Hell after you die, would you do it? Would temporarily having all this world offers be more important to you than to be with the Lord Jesus in Heaven forever? Apparently, that is the case with the majority of people and they don’t even own much of what this world offers! Still, they rather just live for the…

Then the Lord asked Moses, “Who makes a person’s mouth? Who decides whether people speak or do not speak, hear or do not hear, see or do not see? Is it not I, the Lord? Now go! I will be with you as you speak, and I will instruct you in what to say.” —Exodus 4:11-12 Is there someone the Lord wants you to speak to, but you feel inadequate? Are you coming up with all kinds of excuses as to why you cannot go and speak to that person or group of people? Who made you? Surely if the Lord asks you to speak to a person or group…

In time, Joseph and all of his brothers died, ending that entire generation.… Eventually, a new king came to power in Egypt who knew nothing about Joseph or what he had done. —Exodus 1:6, 8 When new leadership does not know or deliberately ignores the biblical history of the past generation or generations —populace beware! Ungodly leaders will institute their ungodly ways on people that will be harmful and destructive. Elitists think they know what is best for the rest of the people. They think they are the smartest people in the room. So it was with this new king that came to power in Egypt. He did not know…

After burying Jacob, Joseph returned to Egypt with his brothers and all who had accompanied him to his father’s burial. But now that their father was dead, Joseph’s brothers became fearful. “Now Joseph will show his anger and pay us back for all the wrong we did to him,” they said. So they sent this message to Joseph: “Before your father died, he instructed us to say to you: ‘Please forgive your brothers for the great wrong they did to you—for their sin in treating you so cruelly.’ So we, the servants of the God of your father, beg you to forgive our sin.” When Joseph received the message, he…

Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear. But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” “Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You…

Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Come close to me.” When they had done so, he said, “I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt! And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you. For two years now there has been famine in the land, and for the next five years there will be no plowing and reaping. But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance. —Genesis 45:4-7 Twenty-two years…

They said to one another, “Surely we are being punished because of our brother. We saw how distressed he was when he pleaded with us for his life, but we would not listen; that’s why this distress has come on us.” Reuben replied, “Didn’t I tell you not to sin against the boy? But you wouldn’t listen! Now we must give an accounting for his blood.” —Genesis 42:21-22 There are those who would dismiss guilt as a way society or a group within society manipulates people into doing what they want. They see the conscience as something that has evolved according to the cultures requirements and not as a God-given…

Then they got Joseph’s robe, slaughtered a goat and dipped the robe in the blood. They took the ornate robe back to their father and said, “We found this. Examine it to see whether it is your son’s robe.” He recognized it and said, “It is my son’s robe! Some ferocious animal has devoured him. Joseph has surely been torn to pieces.” Then Jacob tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and mourned for his son many days. All his sons and daughters came to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted. “No,” he said, “I will continue to mourn until I join my son in the grave.” So his…

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” —Matthew 11:28-30 Jesus is not like the teachers of the law and Pharisees. Jesus said, “They do not practice what they preach. They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them” (Matthew 23:4). No instead we are told “In fact, this is…

“If you love your father or mother more than you love me, you are not worthy of being mine; or if you love your son or daughter more than me, you are not worthy of being mine. If you refuse to take up your cross and follow me, you are not worthy of being mine. If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it.” —Matthew 10:37-39 Who are you living life for— yourself or Jesus? Is Jesus first place in your life? Do you love Him above all? Are you faithfully following Him regardless of the…