Failure Is Not The End (Part 1)

Joseph was 17 the first time he had his dreams about ruling over his family. We can read in the bible though the dream wasn’t about being their king or boss, as his brothers misinterpreted it. No, bowing before Joseph, in the dream, didn’t mean he was going to be the king of Israel or the leader of the family. The dreams meant that Joseph was going to be divinely placed in a position with the power and the influence to save Israel, not only as a family, but as a future nation.

However, the misinterpretation of Josephs’ dreams caused his brothers anger and envy. They just lost it over a dream and tried to kill him and then they sold him into slavery. After being bought and “exported” to Egypt he found a nice job but being a hardworking, wise and handsome young man caused him more trouble than he ever thought. An ambitious lady put her eyes on him. After declining her “friend requests”, he was “sued” for sexual harassment, and because the lady’s husband was not only the offended partner but also Joseph’s boss, judge, and ruler, poor Joe ended up getting undeserved punishment in jail.

Did Joseph fail though? This article is about failures but the bible doesn’t tell us that Joseph committed any mistake or sin. He was human and at some point he felt like a failure himself. He probably thought he was “Bad luck Joe”. His mother did a good job of teaching him the scriptures and the sovereignty of God. Arising from his own human doubts and questions, he put his loyalty and faith in God above everything.<>

Read more at http://www.beliefnet.com/faiths/christianity/articles/5-bible-characters-who-were-successful-after-miserable-failure.aspx#dEhDYC8vAePuydk4.99

Joseph was 17 the first time he had his dreams about ruling over his family. We can read in the bible though the dream wasn’t about being their king or boss, as his brothers misinterpreted it. No, bowing before Joseph, in the dream, didn’t mean he was going to be the king of Israel or the leader of the family. The dreams meant that Joseph was going to be divinely placed in a position with the power and the influence to save Israel, not only as a family, but as a future nation.

However, the misinterpretation of Josephs’ dreams caused his brothers anger and envy. They just lost it over a dream and tried to kill him and then they sold him into slavery. After being bought and “exported” to Egypt he found a nice job but being a hardworking, wise and handsome young man caused him more trouble than he ever thought. An ambitious lady put her eyes on him. After declining her “friend requests”, he was “sued” for sexual harassment, and because the lady’s husband was not only the offended partner but also Joseph’s boss, judge, and ruler, poor Joe ended up getting undeserved punishment in jail.

Did Joseph fail though? This article is about failures but the bible doesn’t tell us that Joseph committed any mistake or sin. He was human and at some point he felt like a failure himself. He probably thought he was “Bad luck Joe”. His mother did a good job of teaching him the scriptures and the sovereignty of God. Arising from his own human doubts and questions, he put his loyalty and faith in God above everything.<>

Read more at http://www.beliefnet.com/faiths/christianity/articles/5-bible-characters-who-were-successful-after-miserable-failure.aspx#dEhDYC8vAePuydk4.99

oseph was 17 the first time he had his dreams about ruling over his family. We can read in the bible though the dream wasn’t about being their king or boss, as his brothers misinterpreted it. No, bowing before Joseph, in the dream, didn’t mean he was going to be the king of Israel or the leader of the family. The dreams meant that Joseph was going to be divinely placed in a position with the power and the influence to save Israel, not only as a family, but as a future nation.

However, the misinterpretation of Josephs’ dreams caused his brothers anger and envy. They just lost it over a dream and tried to kill him and then they sold him into slavery. After being bought and “exported” to Egypt he found a nice job but being a hardworking, wise and handsome young man caused him more trouble than he ever thought. An ambitious lady put her eyes on him. After declining her “friend requests”, he was “sued” for sexual harassment, and because the lady’s husband was not only the offended partner but also Joseph’s boss, judge, and ruler, poor Joe ended up getting undeserved punishment in jail.

Did Joseph fail though? This article is about failures but the bible doesn’t tell us that Joseph committed any mistake or sin. He was human and at some point he felt like a failure himself. He probably thought he was “Bad luck Joe”. His mother did a good job of teaching him the scriptures and the sovereignty of God. Arising from his own human doubts and questions, he put his loyalty and faith in God above everything

Read more at http://www.beliefnet.com/faiths/christianity/articles/5-bible-characters-who-were-successful-after-miserable-failure.aspx#dEhDYC8vAePuydk4.99

Failure Is Not The End (Part 1)

Joseph was 17 the first time he had his dreams about ruling over his family. We can read in the bible though the dream wasn’t about being their king or boss, as his brothers misinterpreted it. No, bowing before Joseph, in the dream, didn’t mean he was going to be the king of Israel or the leader of the family. The dreams meant that Joseph was going to be divinely placed in a position with the power and the influence to save Israel, not only as a family, but as a future nation.

Yet the misinterpretation of Josephs’ dreams caused his brothers anger and envy. They lost it over a dream and tried to kill him and then they sold him into slavery. After being bought and exported to Egypt, but being a hardworking, wise and handsome young man caused him more trouble than he ever thought. An ambitious lady put her eyes on him. After declining her friend requests, he was accused of sexual misconduct, and because the lady’s husband was not only the offended partner but also Joseph’s boss, judge, and ruler, poor Joe ended up getting undeserved punishment in jail.

Did Joseph fail though? The Bible doesn’t tell us that Joseph committed any mistake or sin. He was human and at some point he felt like a failure himself. His mother did a good job of teaching him the scriptures and the sovereignty of God. Arising from his own human doubts and questions, he put his loyalty and faith in God above everything.

Most Christians worship Bible heroes. They think that people from the Bible never had any bad thoughts or made any mistakes. They love David who had many wives and concubines, murdered an innocent man and committed adultery with the man’s wife and got her pregnant. So if our beloved David was actually a sinner, why couldn’t Joseph be just as human as all of us and have bad thoughts, or a moments of doubts?

We’ve all read about Joseph’s way to prison, but let’s read about the victory God gave him after Joseph showed stewardship of his spiritual gift and loyalty and integrity and many other things:

Genesis 41:39-42 "Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one so discerning and wise as you. You shall be in charge of my palace, and all my people are to submit to your orders. Only with respect to the throne will I be greater than you. So Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I hereby put you in charge of the whole land of Egypt.” Then Pharaoh took his signet ring from his finger and put it on Joseph’s finger. He dressed him in robes of fine linen and put a gold chain around his neck."

If Joseph lived in our time, everyone would probably consider him a loser, but God knew his heart, just as He knows yours. If you stay loyal, faithful to God, and keep exercising that gift or talent he has given you, there will be a day when victory will come. You will arise, not to be king, rich or famous, but to be in a position of influence where God will use you in a mighty way,not for your glory, but for his glory. He is the God who never fails His people.