Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

Today’s devotion comes from Genesis 41:38-49.  Here is a link to this Scripture – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+41&version=NASB1995

For this shorter format of a daily devotion, I quote only the following verses.

“Then Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find a man like this, in whom is a divine spirit?”  So Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has informed you of all this, there is no one so discerning and wise as you are.  You shall be over my house, and according to your command all my people shall do homage;  only in the throne I will be greater than you.”  Pharaoh said to Joseph, “See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt.”  Then Pharaoh took off his signet ring from his hand and put it on Joseph’s hand, and clothed him in garments of fine linen and put the gold necklace around his neck.  He had him ride in his second chariot;  and they proclaimed before him, “Bow the knee!”  And he set him over all the land of Egypt.  …

…  During the seven years of plenty the land brought forth abundantly.  So he (Joseph) gathered all the food of these seven years which occurred in the land of Egypt and placed the food in the cities;  he placed in every city the food from its own surrounding fields.  Thus Joseph stored up grain in great abundance like the sand of the sea, until he stopped measuring it, for it was beyond measure.”  Genesis 41:38-41 and 47-49.

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Pharaoh encouraged Joseph and entrusted Egypt to Joseph, telling Joseph: “there is no one so discerning and wise as you are.”

We likewise want to be discerning and wise.  

This following statement is obvious to us, but it is important to still consider what we should specifically do. Scripture will help us more than TV or the internet to be (at least more) discerning and wise.   

I have been very recently again convicted to be more discerning and wise in what I watch on TV and what I surf on the internet.  It is a struggle that I have had for so many years.  Here is a quote from a “Letter to Harry” a/k/a Gold Mine that I wrote way back on September 6, 1994.  “The best example of this discontentment can be found in watching me watch TV.  When I watch TV, I constantly change channels with my remote control:  click, click, click, around and around and around.  I must believe that there is some peace and joy out there on some channel,”.  

“10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom,
And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
11 For by me your days will be multiplied,
And years of life will be added to you.” Proverbs 9:10-11.

“You, however, continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.  All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;  so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.”  2 Timothy 3:14-17.

“Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.”  Philippians 4:8. 

How can we be discerning and know the value (a/k/a appraise) things?

But, there is hope!

“But His doing (God’s doing) you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption,”.  1 Corinthians 1:30.  

“But he who is spiritual appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no one. For WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, THAT HE WILL INSTRUCT HIM?  But we have the mind of Christ.”  1 Corinthians 2:15-16.

“Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.  Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.”  Colossians 3:1-2. 

Today’s devotion comes from Genesis 41:25-37.

“Now Joseph said to Pharaoh, “Pharaoh’s dreams are one and the same;  God has told to Pharaoh what He is about to do.  The seven good cows are seven years;  and the seven good ears are seven years;  the dreams are one and the same.  The seven lean and ugly cows that came up after them are seven years, and the seven thin ears scorched by the east wind will be seven years of famine.  It is as I have spoken to Pharaoh:  God has shown to Pharaoh what He is about to do.  Behold, seven years of great abundance are coming in all the land of Egypt;  and after them seven years of famine will come, and all the abundance will be forgotten in the land of Egypt, and the famine will ravage the land.  So the abundance will be unknown in the land because of that subsequent famine;  for it will be very severe.  Now as for the repeating of the dream to Pharaoh twice, it means that the matter is determined by God, and God will quickly bring it about.  Now let Pharaoh look for a man discerning and wise, and set him over the land of Egypt.  Let Pharaoh take action to appoint overseers in charge of the land, and let him exact a fifth of the produce of the land of Egypt in the seven years of abundance.  Then let them gather all the food of these good years that are coming, and store up the grain for food in the cities under Pharaoh’s authority, and let them guard it.  Let the food become as a reserve for the land for the seven years of famine which will occur in the land of Egypt, so that the land will not perish during the famine.”

Now the proposal seemed good to Pharaoh and to all his servants.”  Genesis 41:25-37. 

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God has also told us what He is about to do, but unlike Pharaoh, God has not told us when He is going to do it.  God is going to bring about “… the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God,  who WILL RENDER TO EACH PERSON ACCORDING TO HIS DEEDS:  to those who by perseverance in doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life;  but to those who are selfishly ambitious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, wrath and indignation.”  Romans 2:5-8. 

Pharaoh stored up grain and the land did not perish during the famine.  What are we going to store up?

“Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming.  But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what time of the night the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert and would not have allowed his house to be broken into.  For this reason you also must be ready;  for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will.

“Who then is the faithful and sensible slave whom his master put in charge of his household to give them their food at the proper time?  Blessed is that slave whom his master finds so doing when he comes.  Truly I say to you that he will put him in charge of all his possessions.  But if that evil slave says in his heart, ‘My master is not coming for a long time,’ and begins to beat his fellow slaves and eat and drink with drunkards;  the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour which he does not know,  and will cut him in pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites;  in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”  Matthew 24:42-51.

“And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come;  take your ease, eat, drink and be merry.”’  But God said to him, ‘You fool!  This very night your soul is required of you;  and now who will own what you have prepared?’  So is the man who stores up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”  Luke 12:19-21.

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.  But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal;  for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”  Matthew 6:19-21.

But, there is hope!

“…  Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look on the fields, that they are white for harvest.  Already he who reaps is receiving wages and is gathering fruit for life eternal;  so that he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together.”  John 4:35-36. 

“Do not be deceived, God is not mocked;  for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap.  For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.  Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.  So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith.”  Galatians 6:7-9.

“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.”  Ephesians 2:10.

“for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.”  Philippians 2:13.

“but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.”  1 Corinthians 15:57-58.

Today’s devotion comes from Genesis 41:17-24.

“So Pharaoh spoke to Joseph, “In my dream, behold, I was standing on the bank of the Nile;  and behold, seven cows, fat and sleek came up out of the Nile, and they grazed in the marsh grass.  Lo, seven other cows came up after them, poor and very ugly and gaunt, such as I had never seen for ugliness in all the land of Egypt;  and the lean and ugly cows ate up the first seven fat cows.  Yet when they had devoured them, it could not be detected that they had devoured them, for they were just as ugly as before.  Then I awoke.  I saw also in my dream, and behold, seven ears, full and good, came up on a single stalk;  and lo, seven ears, withered, thin, and scorched by the east wind, sprouted up after them;  and the thin ears swallowed the seven good ears.  Then I told it to the magicians, but there was no one who could explain it to me.”  Genesis 41:17-24.

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How often we run to others for explanations! 

“When they say to you, “Consult the mediums and the spiritists who whisper and mutter,” should not a people consult their God?  Should they consult the dead on behalf of the living?”  Isaiah 8:19.

How often we fear others!

“It is the LORD of hosts whom you should regard as holy.
And He shall be your fear,
And He shall be your dread.” Isaiah 8:13.

Seek the LORD through the study of the Scriptures.  

“You, however, continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.  All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;  so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.”  2 Timothy 3:14-17.

Wait patiently for the LORD.

“I waited patiently for the LORD;
And He inclined to me and heard my cry.
2 He brought me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the miry clay,
And He set my feet upon a rock making my footsteps firm.
3 He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God;
Many will see and fear
And will trust in the LORD.

4 How blessed is the man who has made the LORD his trust,
And has not turned to the proud, nor to those who lapse into falsehood.
5 Many, O LORD my God, are the wonders which You have done,
And Your thoughts toward us;
There is none to compare with You.
If I would declare and speak of them,
They would be too numerous to count.” Psalm 40:1-5.

“And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence so as to realize the full assurance of hope until the end, so that you will not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

For when God made the promise to Abraham, since He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself, saying, “I WILL SURELY BLESS YOU AND I WILL SURELY MULTIPLY YOU.”  And so, having patiently waited, he obtained the promise.”  Hebrews 6:11-15.

Today’s devotion comes from Genesis 41:1-16.  Here is a link to this Scripture – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+41&version=NASB1995

I quote only the following verses.

“Now it happened at the end of two full years that Pharaoh had a dream, and behold, he was standing by the Nile.  …  Now in the morning his spirit was troubled, so he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt, and all its wise men.  And Pharaoh told them his dreams, but there was no one who could interpret them to Pharaoh.

Then the chief cupbearer spoke to Pharaoh, saying, “I would make mention today of my own offenses.  Pharaoh was furious with his servants, and he put me in confinement in the house of the captain of the bodyguard, both me and the chief baker.  We had a dream on the same night, he and I;  each of us dreamed according to the interpretation of his own dream.  Now a Hebrew youth was with us there, a servant of the captain of the bodyguard, and we related them to him, and he interpreted our dreams for us.  To each one he interpreted according to his own dream.  And just as he interpreted for us, so it happened; he restored me in my office, but he hanged him.”

Then Pharaoh sent and called for Joseph, and they hurriedly brought him out of the dungeon;  and when he had shaved himself and changed his clothes, he came to Pharaoh.  Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I have had a dream, but no one can interpret it;  and I have heard it said about you, that when you hear a dream you can interpret it.”  Joseph then answered Pharaoh, saying, “It is not in me;  God will give Pharaoh a favorable answer.” Genesis 41:1 and 8-16.

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In yesterday’s devotion, we covered a similar theme.  Joseph had correctly interpreted the dreams of the chief cupbearer and the chief baker, but Joseph knew that he would not be able to interpret their dreams if God had not given him the ability to interpret their dreams.  “…  Then Joseph said to them, “Do not interpretations belong to God?  Tell it to me, please.”  Genesis 40:8.  We then specifically considered that we also cannot understand the bigger and more mysterious and more important things, namely things pertaining to salvation, unless God grants us the ability to understand, discern, and believe these things pertaining to salvation.

In today’s Scripture, we read:  “Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I have had a dream, but no one can interpret it;  and I have heard it said about you, that when you hear a dream you can interpret it.”  Joseph then answered Pharaoh, saying, “It is not in me;  God will give Pharaoh a favorable answer.”

Today, we will more generally consider the broader theme that God gives us all that we need under the partial quote of Joseph which we use as the title to this devotion:  “It is not in me;  God will give”.

“For who regards you as superior?  What do you have that you did not receive?  And if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?”  1 Corinthians 4:7.

“But when Peter saw this, he replied to the people, “Men of Israel, why are you amazed at this, or why do you gaze at us, as if by our own power or piety we had made him walk?”  Acts 3:12. 

“What then is Apollos?  And what is Paul?  Servants through whom you believed, even as the Lord gave opportunity to each one.  I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth.  So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth.”  1 Corinthians 3:5-7.

“Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit.  And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord.  There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons.  But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.  For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit;  to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, and to another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues.  But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills.”  1 Corinthians 12:4-11.

“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.”  Ephesians 2:10.

“for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.”  Philippians 2:13.

“9 “Remember the former things long past,
For I am God, and there is no other;
I am God, and there is no one like Me,
10 Declaring the end from the beginning,
And from ancient times things which have not been done,
Saying, ‘My purpose will be established,
And I will accomplish all My good pleasure’;
11 Calling a bird of prey from the east,
The man of My purpose from a far country.
Truly I have spoken; truly I will bring it to pass.
I have planned it, surely I will do it.” Isaiah 46:9-11.

Today’s devotion comes from Genesis 39:6b-23.

“Now Joseph was handsome in form and appearance.  It came about after these events that his master’s wife looked with desire at Joseph, and she said, “Lie with me.”  But he refused and said to his master’s wife, “Behold, with me here, my master does not concern himself with anything in the house, and he has put all that he owns in my charge.  There is no one greater in this house than I, and he has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife.  How then could I do this great evil and sin against God?”  As she spoke to Joseph day after day, he did not listen to her to lie beside her or be with her.  Now it happened one day that he went into the house to do his work, and none of the men of the household was there inside.  She caught him by his garment, saying, “Lie with me!”  And he left his garment in her hand and fled, and went outside.  When she saw that he had left his garment in her hand and had fled outside, she called to the men of her household and said to them, “See, he has brought in a Hebrew to us to make sport of us;  he came in to me to lie with me, and I screamed.  When he heard that I raised my voice and screamed, he left his garment beside me and fled and went outside.”  So she left his garment beside her until his master came home.  Then she spoke to him with these words, “The Hebrew slave, whom you brought to us, came in to me to make sport of me;  and as I raised my voice and screamed, he left his garment beside me and fled outside.”  

Now when his master heard the words of his wife, which she spoke to him, saying, “This is what your slave did to me,” his anger burned.  So Joseph’s master took him and put him into the jail, the place where the king’s prisoners were confined;  and he was there in the jail.  But the LORD was with Joseph and extended kindness to him, and gave him favor in the sight of the chief jailer.  The chief jailer committed to Joseph’s charge all the prisoners who were in the jail;  so that whatever was done there, he was responsible for it.  The chief jailer did not supervise anything under Joseph’s charge because the LORD was with him;  and whatever he did, the LORD made to prosper.”  Genesis 39:6b-23.  

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“The mind of man plans his way,
But the LORD directs his steps.” Proverbs 16:9.

We have our own agenda (of things that we think we need to do), and we also have our “bucket list” (of things that we think we want to do).

We can reasonably speculate that being in jail was neither on Joseph’s agenda nor his bucket list.  But, as we will see in the next two chapters, God had His own plan for Joseph to meet the Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, through Pharaoh’s chief cupbearer who was in same jail where Joseph was imprisoned.  

God also has His own plans for us.  We remember the three verses in yesterday’s devotion.

“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.”  Ephesians 2:10.

“for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.”  Philippians 2:13.

“For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.”  Philippians 1:6.  

But, we need not fear. God was with Joseph even in jail, and God will be with us wherever we may go.

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9.

“… for He Himself has said, “I WILL NEVER DESERT YOU, NOR WILL I EVER FORSAKE YOU,” so that we confidently say,

“THE LORD IS MY HELPER, I WILL NOT BE AFRAID.
WHAT WILL MAN DO TO ME?” Hebrews 13:5-6.

In conclusion, God will accomplish all of His good pleasure for us.

“9 “Remember the former things long past,
For I am God, and there is no other;
I am God, and there is no one like Me,
10 Declaring the end from the beginning,
And from ancient times things which have not been done,
Saying, ‘My purpose will be established,
And I will accomplish all My good pleasure’;
11 Calling a bird of prey from the east,
The man of My purpose from a far country.
Truly I have spoken; truly I will bring it to pass.
I have planned it, surely I will do it.” Isaiah 46:9-11.

Today’s devotion comes from Genesis chapter 38.  Here is a link to this chapter – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+38&version=NASB1995

I quote only the following verses. 

“And it came about at that time, that Judah departed from his brothers and visited a certain Adullamite, whose name was Hirah.  Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite whose name was Shua;  and he took her and went in to her.  So she conceived and bore a son and he named him Er.  Then she conceived again and bore a son and named him Onan.  She bore still another son and named him Shelah;  and it was at Chezib that she bore him.

Now Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, and her name was Tamar.  But Er, Judah’s firstborn, was evil in the sight of the LORD, so the LORD took his life.  Then Judah said to Onan, “Go in to your brother’s wife, and perform your duty as a brother-in-law to her, and raise up offspring for your brother.”  Onan knew that the offspring would not be his;  so when he went in to his brother’s wife, he wasted his seed on the ground in order not to give offspring to his brother.  But what he did was displeasing in the sight of the LORD;  so He took his life also.  Then Judah said to his daughter-in-law Tamar, “Remain a widow in your father’s house until my son Shelah grows up”;  for he thought, “I am afraid that he too may die like his brothers.”  So Tamar went and lived in her father’s house.

Now after a considerable time Shua’s daughter, the wife of Judah, died;  and when the time of mourning was ended, Judah went up to his sheepshearers at Timnah, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite.  It was told to Tamar, “Behold, your father-in-law is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep.”  So she removed her widow’s garments and covered herself with a veil, and wrapped herself, and sat in the gateway of Enaim, which is on the road to Timnah;  for she saw that Shelah had grown up, and she had not been given to him as a wife.  When Judah saw her, he thought she was a harlot, for she had covered her face.  So he turned aside to her by the road, and said, “Here now, let me come in to you”;  for he did not know that she was his daughter-in-law.  And she said, “What will you give me, that you may come in to me?”  He said, therefore, “I will send you a young goat from the flock.”  She said, moreover, “Will you give a pledge until you send it?”  He said, “What pledge shall I give you?”  And she said, “Your seal and your cord, and your staff that is in your hand.”  So he gave them to her and went in to her, and she conceived by him.  Then she arose and departed, and removed her veil and put on her widow’s garments.”  Genesis 38:1-19.

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“5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart
And do not lean on your own understanding.
6 In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He will make your paths straight.
7 Do not be wise in your own eyes;
Fear the LORD and turn away from evil.
8 It will be healing to your body
And refreshment to your bones.” Proverbs 3:5-8.