A life that pleases God

“That you may walk (live and conduct yourselves) in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him and desiring to please Him in all things, bearing fruit in every good work and steadily growing and increasing in and by the knowledge of God [with fuller, deeper, and clearer insight, acquaintance, and recognition.We pray] that you may be invigorated and strengthened with all power according to the might of His glory, [to exercise] every kind of endurance and patience (perseverance and forbearance) with joy”,- Colossians 1:10-11  AMPC(Amplified Bible ,Classic Edition )

“so that you may live lives worthy of the Lord and entirely pleasing to him, being fruitful in every good work and multiplying in the full knowledge of God.- We pray that you will be continually strengthened with all the power that comes from his glorious might; so that you will be able to persevere and be patient in any situation, joyfully”  -Colossians 1:10-11 CJB (Complete Jewish Bible)

 Dear Readers,

I really want to thank you all for allowing yourself to be ministered to by reading this blog.For several months now, we have been considering the life of Joseph, a young man who eventually got to the Palace. What you may not know is that this series was not originally planned as a series but one that the Lord took me through when I was going through a particular difficult period some years ago. As it seemed that there was one bad thing happening after the other, the Lord gave me comfort as I looked at the life of Joseph.

However as we enter a new month, I feel  we should take a little break and share on what I have been learning recently .I have been studying the book of Colossians and do not seem to have moved past chapter 1 verse 10. The verse talks about “ pleasing God”.  This little phrase occurs in a prayer rendered by Apostle Paul in a letter to the saints in Colossae .

Paul heard about these saints from Epaphras (Colossians 1:7 )who had brought the gospel to them. Although he had never seen these believers, Paul challenges us with the fact that he prayed for them daily( Colossians 1:9 ). What is further challenging is the content of his prayer which has been written to admonish us. In addition to the prayers recorded earlier( Colossians 1:9 ), Paul also prayed  that the kind of lives the Colossian Christians  live would be one that would be fully representative  of the gospel andpleasing God . Paul was interested that their faith being expressed in their everyday lives(  Colossians 1:6 ), he wanted them to walk the talk.

This is not the first place Paul talks about pleasing God. In his second  letter to the Corinthians( 2 Corinthians 5:9 ), he actually mentions that one of his goals or rather his main aim is to please God and because this was his own desire, he could pray the same for these saints. In the heart of every true believer and I believe in your heart also , is a longing to please God  and this is usually in response to his love for us. Naturally ,we want to   please those we love .There is something about pleasing them brings us so much delight that we   do not mind whatever the hassle as long as we receive the reward of seeing the contentment and delight on the faces of our loved ones after we have done some things. 

God wants our lives to please him but we must also make a choice to please him at all times. Apostle Paul helps us further in the letter by giving  four different things that must characterize a life that pleases God ( Colossians 1:9-11) .There is much to learn about pleasing God  but it starts first with a desire and hopefully, we shall be considering  a life that pleases God   in more detail in the coming months.

Choosing to please Him,

Grace Tom-Lawyer

On the way to the Palace 15-"the dreamer cometh 2

"They said one to another, “The master of dreams comes!"- Genesis 37:19 MEV Mounce English Version 

¹⁹ The brothers said to each other, “Here comes the big dreamer. ²⁰ Come on now, let’s kill him and throw him into one of the cisterns, and we’ll say a wild animal devoured him. Then we will see what becomes of his dreams!”²¹ When Reuben heard what they said, he saved him from them, telling them, “Let’s not take his life.” ²² Reuben said to them, “Don’t spill his blood! Throw him into this desert cistern, but don’t lay a hand on him.” He intended to save Joseph from them and take him back to his father.

²³ When Joseph reached his brothers, they stripped off Joseph’s long robe,²⁴ took him, and threw him into the cistern, an empty cistern with no water in it.  Genesis 37:19-24 CEB  Common English Bible 

Joseph’s brothers  were jealous  of him,mostly because of   his dreams. Unfortunately they did not deal with this deadly  emotion(Songs of Solomon 2:15;) which we see led them to consider  murdering him. And although we may read the story with shock, sometimes our actions are not very far from theirs.How many times have we killed someone by hating them or speaking words that  damage their reputation( Matthew 5:21;1 John 3:15 ) . While it may not be physical murder, the assassination of another’s character is on the other side of the same  coin as murder.

The primary reason for their wanting to get rid of him was because of his dreams.They not only plan to kill him but also have a plan for a cover up(Genesis 37:19-20).Somehow in the process of doing evil,there is always a need to do more than originally bargained for.They could not just kill him without thinking of a cover up, even if it meant deceiving their father whose love they were craving for.

The unanimous decision to get rid of Joseph this way by the group was challenged by  Reuben,who spoke against the plot(Genesis 37: 21 ). While it may seem laudable that he did this, it is still heartbreaking to see that he refused to take a full stand against evil( Genesis 37:22;1 Thessalonians 5:22 ).He suggested rather that  Joseph  be thrown into the cistern(pit). More light however is thrown into the reason for this suggestion when the writer of Genesis informs us that the intention of Reuben was to save him later(Genesis 37: 22), but alas good intentions have never saved anybody.

 It appears that it is  the values of the company which Reuben kept that eventually influenced him(1 Corinthians 15:33; Proverbs  13:20;22:24-25). It seems he was afraid to tell his brothers outrightly that no harm should be done to Joseph as  he tries to reason with them, reminding them of the fact that Joseph is their brother hence he  should not be  killed(Genesis 37: 23).In an attempt to save Joseph but still remain popular with the crowd,he offered the alternative of throwing him into the cistern ( pit). The man on the way to the Palace is one who will take a stand against evil and make it known(Exodus 23:2).

But if killing Joseph  was not an option, why keep him in the cistern(pit) as Reuben suggested. Would it ever be possible for the relationship to remain thesame if Joseph was rescued from the cistern( pit). Was Joseph not going to tell their father of how he had been thrown into the  cistern(pit) and could the rescue by Reuben not be his own way of getting back to his father’s favour considering that he had offended him greatly by sleeping with  his step mother( Genesis 35:22;49:3-4).

Although the other brothers seem to have taken Reuben’s advice initially, there is no record of a response to his suggestion which may indicate either a begrudging attitude towards his suggestion or a disregard   for their eldest brother.Or perhaps it could be that his brothers read in between the lines knowing that his declaration for the protection of Joseph was not entirely genuine.There is no need to remain in the company of people who do not encourage us to do good as we may find ourselves in a compromising position(Proverbs 12:26; 13:20).

The man on the way to the palace may sometimes seem to be at the mercy of others but God's sovereignty will prevail(Romans 8:28;).On the way to the Palace,we must be careful to ensure that we do not keep a company that makes it difficult for us to do right,rather it should be one that strengthens the gifts and callings of God on our lives(Proverbs 27:17;1 Samuel 18:1-3) . 

        

There is no need to remain in the company of people who do not encourage us to do good as we may find ourselves in a compromising position.Although Joseph's brothers thought his fate was determined by their actions,the hand of God was working behind the scene to bring his purposes  for Joseph to come to  pass(Genesis 45:7; Psalms 105:7) .

Yours in His Service,

Grace Tom-Lawyer. 

On the Way to the Palace 14- "the dreamer cometh"

¹⁷ The man said, “They left here. I heard them saying, ‘Let’s go to Dothan.’” So Joseph went after his brothers and found them in Dothan.

¹⁸ They saw Joseph in the distance before he got close to them, and they plotted to kill him. ¹⁹ The brothers said to each other, “Here comes the big dreamer. ²⁰ Come on now, let’s kill him and throw him into one of the cisterns, and we’ll say a wild animal devoured him. Then we will see what becomes of his dreams!” Genesis 37:17-20

  There is a certain joy that comes when we accomplish goals we have set out(2 Timothy 4:7). Sometimes we may not meet these goals according to our time schedules and although they may be well behind time, the joy of accomplishment is usually better than the bitter gall taste of having not tried at all.

Joseph  must have experienced this joy when he  eventually found ­­­his brothers, although this meant  travelling further  northwards. He accomplished the task he set out to do because the man on the way to the Palace  is a finisher and one who  can be trusted with responsibility.

But although Joseph took great pains to find his brothers, his extra mile effort was not appreciated. The man on the way to the Palace is one that recognizes that not all his extra efforts  will be appreciated.

Imagine Joseph bursting with joy to meet his brothers after a long search.Instead of a hug, a  rather unexpected  unpleasant welcome was what he received.His brothers  saw him  from afar and began to contort a murder plan.

How did these brothers who probably played with each other and carried baby Joseph at one point reach the state where they start a murderous plot. 

We are given a clue by the writer of Genesis in an  earlier recount. Several verses prior to this, we are told the brothers of Joseph hated him and were jealous of him. Although there was hardly any physical manifestation of Joseph’s  grandiose dreams, they believed in them strongly enough to plan to kill their brother .The brothers of Joseph did not deal with their jealousy and this eventually led to murder.They got to the point when they could not stand their brother any more. Somehow I wonder if they spent time on the fields talking to each other about Joseph or will I say gossiping about Joseph, talking about what their father did, his latest display of love in a mocking manner. 

Their words on seeing him enlighten us as to what the real issue was . With three little words,they state the problem as Joseph a “the dreamer cometh.”The translation above says the big dreamer cometh. The man on the way to the Palace is recognized by his dreams. These dreams shape his life, decisions and actions and bring restrictions to him. The dreams of the man on the way to the Palace  both  identify and limit him.

The brothers believed so much in his dreams and did not want the position they saw themselves in the dream. Rather than recognizing that God in his sovereign wisdom had chosen Joseph, they acted like they are more in competition.The man on the way to the Palace should realize that not everyone including relatives would applaud him.He will acquire enemies even within his household where many would prefer to compete rather than complement him.

The man on the way to the Palace must be emotionally mature so as not to be dissuaded by the mocking of others as they recognize his dreams. The size of a dream does not isolate it from mockery.  No dream however will be accomplished without an effort by the dreamer(Ephesians 3:20).He must be wholly devoted to his dreams till people can recognize him from afar off because of them, as they did Joseph, a man who eventually got to the Palace.

Yours in His Service,

Grace Tom-Lawyer.

On the Way to the Palace 13-Vulnerability& 3 other attributes

¹³ And Israel said unto Joseph, Do not thy brethren feed the flock in Shechem? come, and I will send thee unto them. And he said to him, Here am I¹⁴ And he said to him, Go, I pray thee, see whether it be well with thy brethren, and well with the flocks; and bring me word again. So he sent him out of the vale of Hebron, and he came to Shechem.¹⁵ And a certain man found him, and, behold, he was wandering in the field: and the man asked him, saying, What seekest thou?¹⁶ And he said, I seek my brethren: tell me, I pray thee, where they feed their flocks.¹⁷ And the man said, They are departed hence; for I heard them say, Let us go to Dothan. And Joseph went after his brethren, and found them in Dothan. (Genesis 37:13-17) New Living Translation

¹⁷ “They have moved on from here,” the man answered. “I heard them say, ‘Let’s go to Dothan.’”

So Joseph went after his brothers and found them near Dothan.-New International Version NIV

Joseph was called and asked by to  his father to go and check the welfare of his brothers .They were living in Hebron which was about 50miles away from Shechem. This must have been of great inconvenience to him but this man on the way to the palace was ready to do so.When Joseph got to Shechem, he  however did not find his brothers. It appears that as he continued the search for his brothers, he may have gotten  himself lost.

The next verse introduces Joseph as wandering when he was found by a certain man(Genesis 37:15). Although this man is unnamed, he proves to be of immense help to Joseph as we are told that he was found by him.

This certain man then asked Joseph the million dollar that we sometimes not want to be asked so we do not look at stupid  but when Joseph was asked, he answered truthfully  and said he was looking for his brothers.

The man on the way to the Palace is a man that is vulnerable enough to ask questions.He is not afraid to admit he does not know. Pride does not get in the way . It takes humility to learn anything(Proverbs 11:2,Psalms 25:9). Sometimes rather than simply admitting our ignorance, we subtly avoid it by giving spiritual answers. But for Joseph, the man on the Way to the Palace he was not ashamed to ask and because he asked, he was redirected. This saved him the many hours and time he would have spent in vain  searching all over Shechem especially as his brothers had left for Dotham. Joseph must have thanked the man while he redirected his search.

Joseph did not ignore the certain man because he was unknown, he reckoned that the man was God sent.The man on the Way to the palace is a man that recognizes destiny helpers. That certain man was a destiny helper whose conversation with Joseph helped him to  redirect  his steps. This certain man told Joseph that his brothers had moved to Dotham(Genesis 37:17).

Now Dothan was another 15 miles up north from Shechem. We see the heart of Joseph here as he moves further on to find his brothers.

It is easy to gloss over these facts but it takes a servant’s heart and one who really wants to do something to go another 15 miles. Joseph may have had his plans for the week when he left Hebron from Shechem, he may have calculated how long it would take and made some appointments which would all probably have gotten cancelled because he still had to  travel further north. Let us also remember that all of this travelling was not to get to a  sale of coats of many colours. It was all to go and check the welfare of his brothers who had not hidden their dislike of him.

The man on the Way to the palace is also someone who moves with the present word of God. When Joseph left home, his father had told him to go to Shechem(Genesis 37:14) but when he got to Shechem and did not find them, he was flexible enough to get the next word to move him to accomplish his mission. There are so many times we may be running with a word we heard several months ago forgetting that faith comes from hearing which is a present continuous tense(Hebrews 11:1). The man on the Way to the Palace must be ready at any time to check on what God is saying .

Joseph was also not dissuaded by the fact that the brothers had moved from Shechem. He was determined to fulfil the mission his father had given(Genesis 37:17). The man on the way to the Palace is a finisher. It does not matter the task at hand but once it has been committed to his hands, he can be trusted to get the job done. He does not allow seemingly obstacles to stop him from accomplishing his goals.

In this post, we have seen that the man on the way to the Palace is one that is vulnerable enough to ask questions,is one who hears a present word from God ,a man   that recognizes  destiny helpers and  certainly a  finisher.

Yours in His Service,

Grace Tom-Lawyer. 

On the Way to the Palace 12 -Availabilty

 “And his brethren went to feed their father’s flock in Shechem .And Israel said unto Joseph, Are not thy brethren feeding the flock in Shechem? Come , and I will send thee unto them, And he said to him,here I am”- Genesis 37: 12-13 -King James Version (KJV)

 In a well-furnished kitchen there are not only crystal goblets and silver platters, but waste cans and compost buckets—some containers used to serve fine meals, others to take out the garbage. Become the kind of container God can use to present any and every kind of gift to his guests for their blessing-2 Timothy 2:21-26 The Message (MSG)

Although Joseph is the favourite son of Jacob, Jacob’s care for his other children is evident in the above conversation between him and Joseph. Some commentators have said that Jacob was a  shrewd businessman and as such, he wanted to know what was going on with his sons and his investments.While  we may not be able to judge Jacob’s motives for sending Joseph it is commendable that  he cared about the state of his children and his flocks. He did not leave it to chance. It is necessary for the man on the way to the Palace to emulate this and be  one who knows the state of his flock.

 It is also of note here that the writer of Genesis decides to use the name Israel here instead of Jacob. Throughout the book of Genesis, we see an interchange between the names of Jacob and Israel and it appears that Jacob is used usually  when the flesh is having the upper hand while Israel  is used when the spirit is more in control.

Since Israel is used in this case, I will like to infer that this errand was a divine one and the sensitivity of the man on the way to the Palace is seen again.Joseph responded appropriately.

This conversation between Joseph and his father reveals yet another virtue we must emulate if we will eventually get to the Palace like Joseph.

When  Israel (Jacob) called Joseph, he gave a brief recount of where his others sons were , expressed his concern for their safety  and asked Joseph to go and search for them.

Shechem was not anything less than 50 miles from where the family originally lodged  in Hebron and would require at some  days journey, not without inconvenience .However when Joseph was called to undertake this task, his reply is noteworthy –"Here I am ".These three words denote  Availability ,another characteristic of the man on the Way to the Palace.

The man on the way to the Palace is available, there is a readiness on his part to be sent, a willingness to be used .It does not matter to the man on the way to the Palace the task at hand rather it is the drive to please his master that is overwhelming.

Joseph said “Here I am” to his father’s request and did not end there but backed up his words by actually going to look for his brothers in Shechem. This is in contrast to the call of Moses whose encounter with God  essentially could be summarized as ”Here I am but send Aaron”  at the burning bush(Genesis 3).

The availability of the man on the way to the Palace is one that is not selective,when Paul was addressing Timothy , he said to him to become the kind of vessel God can use to do any and every kind of work (2 Timothy 2:20-21 The Message).

On the way to the Palace, there is no work too little or too big for the man, rather it is the desire to please his master that is the overriding factor.It does not matter whether the errand is to be done in secret or in the open . Whether it receives the applaud of men or not, the man on the way to the Palace is one that readily follows the beckoning of his master.No wonder Paul said that we make it our aim to please him( 2 Corinthians 5:9).

The availability of the man on the way to the Palace is backed by his actions. He is a doer ( James 1:22) Joseph did not only say” here I am” but he followed it up by going to look for his brothers.

Sometimes our words of commitments are not backed up by actions and this is not a new problem. Jesus illustrated this when he gave a parable to illustrate which son was eventually obedient in the parable of the two sons who were sent. One said I will go but didn’t but the other said I will not go initially but he eventually did( Matthew 21:28-32 ).

Availability is a mark of the man who will eventually get to the palace. He may not have all the qualifications but his readiness to be used will attract the grace in his life needed to carry out whatever task that is required(Paul the least qualified-1 Corinthians 15:9-10;Ephesians 3:8).

Grace Tom-Lawyer,

Yours in His Service.

“On the Way to the Palace” is the ongoing series of “Feasting at the Table” &this  continues on  Peace &Joy Radio every Saturday 11am GMT.

On the Way to the Palace 9- Considering Jealousy

“Now the Patriarchs grew jealous of Yosef and sold him into slavery in Egypt. But Adonai was with him;” –Acts 7:9 CJB Complete Jewish Bible

“And the patriarchs, having become-jealous-of Joseph, sold him into Egypt. And God was with him”-Acts 7:9  DLNT, Disciple’s Literal New Testament

“Then the wrong in his heart makes him do the wrong thing. And the wrong thing he has done leads to death”- James 1:15 WE Worldwide English

 These evil thoughts lead to evil actions and afterwards to the death penalty from God”.-James 1:15-TLV Today’s Living Version

“Don’t let anyone under pressure to give in to evil say, “God is trying to trip me up.” God is impervious to evil, and puts evil in no one’s way. The temptation to give in to evil comes from us and only us. We have no one to blame but the leering, seducing flare-up of our own lust. Lust gets pregnant, and has a baby: sin! Sin grows up to adulthood, and becomes a real killer”- James 1:15 MSG The Message .

As long as we remain on this side of heaven, there will always be opportunities to become jealous of someone else as there will always be someone better, wiser, richer, prettier and an endless list if we choose to foolishly compare( 2 Corinthians 10:12).And since this is a temptation common to all, it is therefore wise for us to find out what really makes us jealous of another?

I will still like to draw mainly from the writings of Selwyn Hughes especially as he did a very good work on this topic. According to him, one of the reasons for jealousy is expectations. There is a certain level of expectation that the society at large could put upon us that may ultimately influence our views of ourselves and our accomplishments.

Joseph’s brothers probably expected some amount of affection from their father and seeing it all  lopsided to Joseph did not go down too well with them(Genesis 37:3-4).

A second reason for jealousy could be a feeling of inferiority. This could be subtle and one that the man on the way to the Palace needs to guard against. Whenever Joseph wore his coat of many colours around the house, it probably  made his brothers feel inferior to him in a way and this eventually provoked jealous(Genesis 37:3-4). The coat of many colours which Joseph wore was usually worn only by royalty and  heir apparent.

The third and possibly the main reason for jealousy according to Selwyn Hughes is an insecure self. When we are unable to appreciate the uniqueness of our own being  and personality, then it is easy for us to become jealous of others. It takes a level of security to acknowledge and applaud the achievements and giftedness  of others. The seeds of jealousy thrive easily in the grounds of the heart of a person who does not have or has little self worth.

But becoming jealous of another does not usually happen overnight. With determined consistency, evil thoughts can invade our hearts and would require a counter action not to allow them breed and develop. While it is not a sin for these evil thoughts to invade our hearts, the issue comes when we allow them to dwell there as eventually they will  then determine our actions(James 1:15).               

There may be other reasons for jealousy but if we are to deal with this destructive emotion , we must first  be able to admit that we have been bitten  successfully by its poisonous sting. If we are in denial of this fact, then there is very little chance that we can correct it.  

Denial of this emotion will also render the making of excuses possible. We could put on a facade while this cancerous monsters eats us within. The man on the way to the Palace must guard against jealousy but when he realizes he has been bitten by her stings, must be able to admit this and take the necessary steps out of jealousy.

In our next post, we will consider steps out of jealousy.

Yours in His Service,

Grace Tom-Lawyer.

On the way to the Palace 8-Joseph's Brothers' Jealousy

Joseph has now been given a coat of many  colours by  his earthly father and two dreams by his heavenly father(Genesis 37;3,5,9). This triad combination made him the right candidate for his brothers’ jealousy(Genesis 37:11).

Within the space of seven verses, the writer of Genesis records the hatred and  jealousy of Joseph’s brothers towards him (Genesis 37:4-11). 

Jealousy is one of the troublesome emotions of this life which the man on the way to the palace must deal with from time to time. As long as we reside on this side of heaven, there will always be plenty of opportunities  to become jealous  as there will always be someone out there better than us in as many areas as we can think of, especially when we make the erroneous choice to  compare( 2 Corinthians 10:12).      

One could say that Joseph’s brothers  were dealing with sibling rivalry  which shows a pattern for jealousy. Those who are close to us are not spared from the pangs of jealousy. We usually do not get jealous of strangers (we find it easier to admit to their superiority) but would most likely struggle to applaud our immediate circle, be it family, friends, co-workers or even church members.

Jealousy spans all areas of life and  affects all strata of people. No one is immune  from the temptation to be jealous neither is jealous  restricted to physical things such as wealth, beauty, but opportunities, privileges and even spiritual gifts and success in ministry as well. The neighbourhood preacher is most likely to be jealous of a fellow new kid on the block preacher who comes into town and has his congregation triple in size in a couple of months than the TV Evangelist who is a world wide figure..Yes the octopus like legs of  jealousy could also reach spiritual things. Paul confirms this by telling us that some people were preaching the gospel out of strife  and jealousy(Phillipians 1:15).

There are actually two kinds of jealously, one that is good and healthy as seen in the case of God being jealous towards us and wanting u not to have any idols before him( Exodus 20:5 ).The kind of jealousy we see exhibited by Joseph’s brothers is the green-eyed monster. The man on the way to the Palace is one who knows how to handle jealousy and not be swallowed by the green eyed monster.

So what is Jealousy? I have read several definitions but I think I prefer the answer given by one  of my most beloved mentors Selwyn Hughes of blessed memory who wrote Every Day with Jesus daily devotional  faithfully for over forty years.

According to Selwyn; “Jealousy is the feeling of coldness & resentment that sometimes stirs in our heart when another is praised-somebody with whom we matched ourselves in thought and to whom we imagined ourselves to be superior. It is the thing that takes the heart out of the congratulations we feel obliged to give; that keeps us silent when we hear people unfairly criticized,that makes us glad when they stumble or fall”.

 I describe it as the  pit like feeling we get when we hear about the success of another. Somewhere at the back of our minds, we wish that the congratulatory messages they received is showered on us instead. According to our standards, they are not as good as people have acknowledged and when presented with an opportunity, we may be quick to share their faults.This sometimes leads to gossip and slander.

The poison of jealousy is one that could sometimes create irrevocable damage if left unchecked as we see  in the life of Joseph brothers. These evil thoughts rather than being resisted became a permanent fixture in their hearts which eventually led to evil actions.

The man on the way to the Palace must guard against jealousy and we would explore more on this in our next post.

Yours in His Service

Grace Tom-Lawyer.