Let Your Life CountLet Your Life CountChapter 15Chapter 15

Dear friends, do not be Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though you are suffering, as though something strange were something strange were happening to you. But happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.when his glory is revealed.

1 Peter 4:12-131 Peter 4:12-13

Have you ever made Have you ever made bad choices that bad choices that

have affected others? have affected others?

““How can my pain How can my pain help someone else?”help someone else?”

Now his brothers had gone to Now his brothers had gone to graze their father's flocks graze their father's flocks near Shechem, and Israel near Shechem, and Israel said to Joseph, "As you know, said to Joseph, "As you know, your brothers are grazing the your brothers are grazing the flocks near Shechem. Come, I flocks near Shechem. Come, I am going to send you to am going to send you to them." them."           

            "Very well," he replied. "Very well," he replied.  So he said to him, "Go and  So he said to him, "Go and see if all is well with your see if all is well with your brothers and with the flocks, brothers and with the flocks, and bring word back to me." and bring word back to me." Then he sent him off from Then he sent him off from the Valley of Hebron. the Valley of Hebron.

When Joseph arrived at When Joseph arrived at Shechem, a man found him Shechem, a man found him wandering around in the wandering around in the fields and asked him, "What fields and asked him, "What are you looking for?" are you looking for?"

He replied, "I'm looking for He replied, "I'm looking for my brothers. Can you tell me my brothers. Can you tell me where they are grazing their where they are grazing their flocks?" flocks?" "They have moved on from "They have moved on from here," the man answered. "I here," the man answered. "I heard them say, 'Let's go to heard them say, 'Let's go to Dothan.' " Dothan.' "

    So Joseph went after his So Joseph went after his brothers and found them brothers and found them near Dothan. But they saw near Dothan. But they saw him in the distance, and him in the distance, and before he reached them, they before he reached them, they plotted to kill him. plotted to kill him.

"Here comes that dreamer!" "Here comes that dreamer!" they said to each other. they said to each other. "Come now, let's kill him and "Come now, let's kill him and throw him into one of these throw him into one of these cisterns and say that a cisterns and say that a ferocious animal devoured ferocious animal devoured him. Then we'll see what him. Then we'll see what comes of his dreams." comes of his dreams."

So when Joseph came to his So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him brothers, they stripped him of his robe—the richly of his robe—the richly ornamented robe he was ornamented robe he was wearing- and they took him wearing- and they took him and threw him into the and threw him into the cistern. Now the cistern was cistern. Now the cistern was empty; there was no water in empty; there was no water in it. it.

As they sat down to eat their As they sat down to eat their meal, they looked up and saw a meal, they looked up and saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead. Their camels were from Gilead. Their camels were loaded with spices, balm and loaded with spices, balm and myrrh, and they were on their myrrh, and they were on their way to take them down to way to take them down to Egypt. Egypt.

Judah said to his brothers, "What Judah said to his brothers, "What will we gain if we kill our brother will we gain if we kill our brother and cover up his blood? Come, and cover up his blood? Come, let's sell him to the Ishmaelites let's sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay our hands on him; and not lay our hands on him; after all, he is our brother, our after all, he is our brother, our own flesh and blood." His own flesh and blood." His brothers agreed. brothers agreed.

So when the Midianite So when the Midianite merchants came by, his merchants came by, his brothers pulled Joseph up out brothers pulled Joseph up out of the cistern and sold him of the cistern and sold him for twenty shekels of silver to for twenty shekels of silver to the Ishmaelites, who took the Ishmaelites, who took him to Egypt .him to Egypt .

Genesis 37:12-20,23-Genesis 37:12-20,23-2727

Joseph found favor in his eyes Joseph found favor in his eyes and became his attendant. and became his attendant. Potiphar put him in charge of his Potiphar put him in charge of his household, and he entrusted to household, and he entrusted to his care everything he owned. his care everything he owned. From the time he put him in From the time he put him in charge of his household and of charge of his household and of all that he owned, the LORD all that he owned, the LORD blessed the household of the blessed the household of the Egyptian because of Joseph. Egyptian because of Joseph.

The blessing of the LORD The blessing of the LORD was on everything was on everything Potiphar had, both in the Potiphar had, both in the house and in the field. So house and in the field. So he left in Joseph's care he left in Joseph's care everything he had; with everything he had; with Joseph in charge, he did Joseph in charge, he did not concern himself with not concern himself with anything except the food anything except the food he ate. he ate.

Now Joseph was well-built Now Joseph was well-built and handsome, and after and handsome, and after a while his master's wife a while his master's wife took notice of Joseph and took notice of Joseph and said, "Come to bed with said, "Come to bed with me!" me!"

But he refused. But he refused.

"With me in charge," he told her, "With me in charge," he told her, "my master does not concern "my master does not concern himself with anything in the himself with anything in the house; everything he owns he house; everything he owns he has entrusted to my care. No has entrusted to my care. No one is greater in this house than one is greater in this house than I am. My master has withheld I am. My master has withheld nothing from me except you, nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How because you are his wife. How then could I do such a wicked then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?" thing and sin against God?"

And though she spoke to Joseph And though she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go day after day, he refused to go to bed with her or even be with to bed with her or even be with her. her. One day he went into the house One day he went into the house to attend to his duties, and none to attend to his duties, and none of the household servants was of the household servants was inside. She caught him by his inside. She caught him by his cloak and said, "Come to bed cloak and said, "Come to bed with me!" But he left his cloak in with me!" But he left his cloak in her hand and ran out of the her hand and ran out of the house. Genesis 39:4-11house. Genesis 39:4-11

When his master heard the When his master heard the story his wife told him, story his wife told him, saying, "This is how your saying, "This is how your slave treated me," he burned slave treated me," he burned with anger. Joseph's master with anger. Joseph's master took him and put him in took him and put him in prison, the place where the prison, the place where the king's prisoners were king's prisoners were confined. confined.

Genesis 39:19-20Genesis 39:19-20

But while Joseph was there in But while Joseph was there in the prison, the LORD was the prison, the LORD was with him; he showed him with him; he showed him kindness and granted him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the favor in the eyes of the prison warden. So the prison warden. So the warden put Joseph in charge warden put Joseph in charge of all those held in the prison, of all those held in the prison, and he was made responsible and he was made responsible for all that was done there. for all that was done there.

The warden paid no The warden paid no attention to anything attention to anything under Joseph's care, under Joseph's care, because the LORD was because the LORD was with Joseph and gave him with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he success in whatever he did. did.

Genesis 39:20-Genesis 39:20-2323

Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Since God has made all this "Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one known to you, there is no one so discerning and wise as so discerning and wise as you. You shall be in charge of you. You shall be in charge of my palace, and all my people my palace, and all my people are to submit to your orders. are to submit to your orders. Only with respect to the Only with respect to the throne will I be greater than throne will I be greater than you." Gen. 41:39-40you." Gen. 41:39-40

"So then, it was not you "So then, it was not you who sent me here, but who sent me here, but God. He made me father God. He made me father to Pharaoh, lord of his to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household and ruler entire household and ruler of all Egypt.”of all Egypt.”

Genesis 45:8Genesis 45:8

You intended to harm me, You intended to harm me, but God intended it for but God intended it for good to accomplish what good to accomplish what is now being done, the is now being done, the saving of many lives. saving of many lives.

Genesis 50:20Genesis 50:20

Whatever happens, Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.gospel of Christ.

Phil 1:27 Phil 1:27

BE KIND. EVERYONE BE KIND. EVERYONE YOU MEET IS YOU MEET IS FIGHTING SOME SORT FIGHTING SOME SORT OF BATTLE.OF BATTLE.

How can How can YOU YOU Let Your Life Count Let Your Life Count This Week?This Week?