Joseph’s life is an amazing story. We see him move from dreamer to leader, but not before first experiencing jealousy and betrayal as he moved from prison to palace. If anyone had a reason to complain, it was Joseph. He experienced evil returned for good, lies for integrity, but still God provided the path that opened to the fulfillment of the promise. The truth is God was preparing Joseph for his moment of ministry. On the way to our dreams, God often leads our path of destiny through challenge and adversity. But in so doing God is also refining and purifying us so that when our moment of leadership comes we are fully prepared and strengthen to face the trials and temptations of the moment. Joseph would one day rise to a position of power second only to the Pharaoh of Egypt. He would need integrity and wisdom that only adversity and challenge could provide. When he finally met his brothers who had betrayed him and sold him into slavery, he was able to see God’s plan and extend forgiveness and grace. His words offer all of us a perspective of faith and wisdom:
“You intended it to harm me, but God intended it for good” (Genesis 50:20, NIV).
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Dr TJ Jenney, PhDDr. T. J. Jenney, Ph.D. is a seasoned pastor and leader who has served churches as well as served as a campus minister and chaplain for police and fire departments as well as the Air Force Auxiliary. Dr. Jenney also served as a faculty member at Purdue University, serving as an adjunct professor in Organizational Leadership. His experience includes serving as a president and CEO of non-profit organizations. He holds a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology and Higher Education Administration from Purdue and an M.Div and an S.T.M. from Yale University. He served as a contributing editor of William B. Eerdmans Bible Dictionary (1989) and Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (2000), as well as written articles for journals. Archives
January 2021
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