Having a break

 Hi Everyone,

I am having a short break from posting. Will return in a week or so.

Blessings,

Loes

A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; OLD TESTAMENT STORIES: GOD MEANS IT FOR GOOD P/74

 

                                                                                    Read Part One HERE

A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; OLD TESTAMENT STORIES 

             GOD MEANS IT FOR GOOD

                          PART LXXIV 

"I, Jacob, father of twelve sons, have arrived in Goshen, in Egypt... I would have never believed that I would leave Canaan for Egypt... However, times are still very difficult... For we still suffer the consequences of a famine... The only country that has grain is Egypt....I had sent ten of my sons there two years ago... At that time they came back without my son Simeon... Morever, they told me then that they could only return to Egypt to buy more grain if my youngest son Benjamin would be with them....I was not willing for that to happen... However, we eventually ran out of food.... So I had no choice but to let all of my sons go back to Egypt to buy grain for us... Including my youngest son Benjamin...When they came back from that trip all my sons, including Simeon, returned to me.... Moreover, they came back with carts and special gifts... They then told me an unbelievable story!!... They told me that the son I believed to have been killed by a wild animal many years ago, was, in fact, alive!!.... They told me not only was he alive...He was the official in charge of the grain distribution in Egypt... Initially, I could not believe them.... But when I looked at the carts and the other gifts this official has sent I knew this story was true!... My son... The son I had loved so much... Was alive!.... God had kept His promise!... I now know that I should have remembered the dreams He had given this son as a seventeen-year old...I am now in Egypt....My son is standing before me... We have just embraced each other... Many tears have been shed... His and mine.... God is good!... He has given me back my son I believed to have been lost forever... I can now go to my forefathers in peace!"... Please read the typed out attachment when you will learn that Jacob is now at peace having met Joseph....

 

                 ATTACHMENT A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; OLD TESTAMENT STORIES 

                                              GOD MEANS IT FOR GOOD

                                                          PART LXIV

Jacob, what has arrived with his family in Goshen, is now at peace as you can read in Genesis 46:30

Israel said to Joseph, "Now I am ready to die, since I have seen for myself that you are still alive."

Jacob never thought that today would happen, but it has: he has embraced the son he believed to be dead.

A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; OLD TESTAMENT STORIES: GOD MEANS IT FOR GOOD P/73

 

                                                                                    Read Part One HERE

A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; OLD TESTAMENT STORIES 

            GOD MEANS IT FOR GOOD

                         PART LXXIII

"I, Joseph, the official in charge of the grain distribution here in Egypt, am on my way to Goshen... I am not going there in my capacity as an official... I am going there as the long-lost son of my father Jacob... I have known that my family would come to Egypt ever since my brothers came before me recently to buy grain from me... At that time I tested them a number of times...I wanted to make sure the Lord had changed their hearts... He had changed my heart... But I did not know if He had changed their hearts... However, my brothers passed all the tests I put them through... I now know that God has done a mighty work in their lives and in their hearts... After I put them trough a final test I revealed to them who I am... I told them that I am not an "Egyptian" official... But that I am their long-lost brother Joseph... They could not believe me to start with... But we ended up embracing each other at that time... I then told them to go back to Canaan and tell our father to move to Egypt....I knew it would be hard for him to accept that I am alive... It would be even harder for him to believe that I have the most important position in Egypt apart from Pharaoh... So I gave them carts for them to travel in and other gifts to help my father believe that I am really alive and am an important dignitary... However, I know that the moment I see my father my position here in Egypt will not matter.... I will stand before him as the long-lost son and all I will want to do is to embrace him... I know too that I will weep many tears the moment I embrace him... Tears that have been waiting to be shed for a long time already... Tears of joy and tears of sorrow.".... Please read the typed out attachment when you will learn that Joseph finally appears before his father....

 

                   ATTACHMENT A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; OLD TESTAMENT STORIES

                                                    GOD MEANS IT FOR GOOD

                                                                   PART LXXIII

As soon as Joseph comes before his father, he is no longer the "Egyptian" official in charge of the grain distribution but a son who has not seen his father for many years as you can read in Genesis 46:29b

As soon as Joseph appeared before him, he threw his arms around his father and wept for a long time.

Joseph finally allows all the tearts that have been gathered up on the inside of him over all these years to come out... Tears of joy to finally see his father again and tears of sorrow over the many lost years.....

Read Part Seventy-Four HERE

 

       

A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; OLD TESTAMENT STORIES: GOD MEANS IT FOR GOOD P/72

 

                                                                                    Read Part One HERE

A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; OLD TESTAMENT STORIES

            GOD MEANS IT FOR GOOD

                        PART LXXII 

"I, Joseph, the official in charge of the grain distribution here in Egypt, have anxiously been waiting for my family...They are supposed to come here.... Of course, each day I have had to go about my daily duties as usual... So no-one knew what was going on in my heart....But I kept looking out for my family....And then, earlier today, my brother Judah appeared!... I was so happy to see him....I took him aside the moment I was able to do so.... I provided him with some refreshments before asking him any questions.... As soon as he had had something to eat and to drink, I asked him how their trip had gone so far... I wanted to know if the carts I had provided for the family had been comfortable for them to travel in... I was so pleased to hear that travelling in the carts had made all the difference for my father as well as the wives and children of my brothers... I then explained to Judah the best way for them to travel to Goshen... After Judah left I got myself ready.... It is time for me to go to Goshen... For it is time for me to see my father!!... Please read the typed out attachment when you will learn that Joseph gets himself ready to meet his father....

 

                ATTACHMENT A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; OLD TESTAMENT STORIES

                                                  GOD MEANS IT FOR GOOD

                                                               PART LXXII

After Judah's visit to Joseph to let him known that his father with his entire family has arrived in Egypt, Joseph goes to meet him as you can read in Genesis 46:28b - 29a

When they arrived in the region of Goshen, Joseph had his chariot made ready and went to Goshen to meet his father Israel.

No doubt, Joseph has been waiting for this moment ever since his brothers left for Canaan just a short while ago. 

Read Part Seventy-Three HERE

A PURPOSEFL LIFE: OLD TESTAMENT STORIES; GOD MEANS IT FOR GOOD P/71

 

                                                                                    Read Part One HERE                

A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; OLD TESTAMENT STORIES 

             GOD MEANS IT FOR GOOD

                        PART LXXI 

"I, Jacob, am on my way from Canaan to Egypt... My son, Joseph, the official in charge of the grain distribution in Egypt, has invited us to live there.... He has suggested as well that we move to Goshen... However, we have not been there before... So we need to find out the best route for us to go there... It is especially important for us since I have a large family including many younger ones... God has blessed me with a large family... And He has blessed me with much livestock.... And many possessions.... I have not always felt blessed... In fact, I have not felt blessed since the day my son Joseph went missing... For twenty-two years I believed that God had led me down by allowing my son, my favourite son, to be killed by an animal... But I now know I was wrong... My son is alive!....God has kept him alive so that the dreams He had given him could be fulfilled...And they are being fulfilled....I am about to see him!.... I have sent Judah ahead to get directions for us how to reach Goshen... I chose to send Judah because I learned from his brothers that he pleaded with Joseph not to keep his youngest brother Benjamins as a slave...But that he would serve as a slave in his place... So that Benjamin could go home to me.... Truly, God has done a work in the heart of this son of mine...I have not always been so sure of him... But today I am...Today I can see he meant what he said..... When he told me he would give his life for the life of his youngest brother... Because he could not face me suffering the loss of that son who has beome so dear to me."... Please read the typed out attachment when you will learn that Jacob sends Judah ahead of them....

 

                    ATTACHMENT A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; OLD TESTAMENT STORIES

                                                       GOD MEANS IT FOR GOOD 

                                                                PART LXXI

When Jacob and his family get nearer to Egypt, he sends Judah ahead of them to Joseph as you can read in Genesis 46:28a

Now Jacob sent Judah ahead of him to Joseph to get directions to Goshen.

Jacob knows that they should settle in Goshen so it is important that that they not waste time but go there straight away after their arrival in Egypt. 

Read Part Seventy-Two HERE

                             

A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; OLD TESTAMENT STORIES: GOD MEANS IT FOR GOOD P/70

 

                                                                                   Read Part One HERE

A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; OLD TESTAMENT STORIES

              GOD MEANS IT FOR GOOD

                           PART LXX 

"I, Jacob, father of twelve sons, have been travelling with my family to Egypt since yesterday morning... Last night we spent the night in Beersheba.... But this morning we all got up early so we could continue our travel... I am very grateful for the carts that Pharaoh, the ruler of Egypt, has provided for us... Travelling in these carts makes the journey so much more comfortable.... Especially for myself, since I am getting older... It is so much more comfortable too for the wives and children of my sons...We are not only travelling with the whole family... We are bringing with us all our livestock and our possessions... I don't know for how long we will be in Egypt....Only God knows.... However, we are prepared to stay there for a very long time... I know too that God will eventually bring us back to the land He promised to give us... In the meantime it will be important to settle in Egypt.... And my son Joseph is there... God is so good... For He has given me back the son I thought I had lost forever!!... I cannot wait to see him... And to embrace him."... Please read the typed out attachment when you will learn that Joseph leaves Beersheba for Egypt to meet with Joseph....

 

                     ATTACHMENT A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; OLD TESTAMENT STORIES

                                                      GOD MEANS IT FOR GOOD

                                                                  PART LXX

After Jacob and his family spent the night in Beersheba, they contined their travel to Egypt as you can read in Genesis 46:5-7

Then Jacob left Beersheba and Israel's sons took their father Jacob and their children and their wives in the carts that Pharaoh had sent to transport him. So Jacob and all his offspring went to Egypt, taking with them their livestock and the possessions they had aquired in Canaan. Jacob brought with him to Egypt his sons and grandsons and his daughters and granddaughters - all his offspring.

Jacob and his family were able to travel in relative comfort since Pharaoh, the Egyptian ruler, had provided carts for them to travel in. 

Read Part Seventy-One HERE

A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; OLD TESTAMENT STORIES: GOD MEANS IT FOR GOODP/69

 

                                                                                    Read Part One HERE

A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; OLD TESTAMENT STORIES

          GOD MEANS IT FOR GOOD

                        PART LXIX 

"I, Jacob, father of twelve sons, am on my way to Egypt together with my family... I never thought I would move from Canaan... But this morning we left early... However, we cannot reach Egypt in one day so we stopped over at Beersheba... I knew that before going to sleep last night I should offer sacrifices to my God and the God of my father Isaac... I now realise that God has kept His word... Many years ago... Twenty-two years ago to be exact....My favourite son Joseph told me about a dream he had had.... In that dream his brothers and I were bowing down to him... I did not know what to make of that dream... Yet I sensed the dream was from God...Soon afterwards I sent Joseph on a mission to find his brothers... A day or two later his brothers came to see me...However, Joseph was not with them... All they had was his many coloured coat.... The coat I had given him... I then decided that Joseph must have been killed by an animal.... I buried the dream Joseph had told me about... It could not be true... God could not possibly keep His word since Joseph was no longer alive... But now I realise that I should have held on to God's word that one day his brothers and I would bow down to him.... Had I done so I would have saved myself many, many days, even years of anguish... But God is so good... For He came to see me in a vision last night... And He spoke comforting words to me... It has been many years since the Lord spoke to me...Perhaps He has not spoken to me because I lived in unbelief all these years... But I am so grateful that He has spoken this time... And He has promised that He will be with me in Egypt... We must now leave Beersheba for Egypt.".... Please read the typed out attachment when you will learn that Jacob and his family had a stopover at Beersheba on their way to Egypt....

 

                     ATTACHMENT A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; OLD TESTAMENT STORIES

                                                   GOD MEANS IT FOR GOOD 

                                                                 PART LXIX

Jacob realises that that his eleven sons, who have returned from Egypt, have told him the truth when they said to him that his son Joseph is alive and is in charge of the grain distribution in that country. He must accept Joseph's invitation to move to Egypt and travel to Beersheba which is on the way to Egypt as you can read in Genesis 46:1-7

So Israel set out with all that was his, and when he reached Beersheba, he offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac. And God spoke to Israel in a vision at night and said, "Jacob!Jacob!" "Here I am," he replied. ""I am God, the God of your father." He said, "Don't be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation there. I will go down to Egypt with you, and I will surely bring you back again. And Joseph's own hand will close your eyes."

God personally assures Jacob that he is doing the right thing by going to Egypt thereby removing any fear he may still have related to his move into the unknown.

Read Part Seventy HERE