John 17:6 "I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word."

What an amazing verse this is! Jude 1 also reminds us that we are "kept by Jesus Christ" He will keep us as long as we need to be kept.

If you can lose your salvation by your works, you have to gain it back by your works, too. Since you weren't saved and forgiven because of the good things that you did, you can't lose your salvation based on terrible things that you now do. You didn’t earn by giving, but were saved by grace.

Indeed, Jesus holds us and holds us up—eternally and daily. Breath by breath he holds our life. The logic of heaven holds. Since God did not spare his Son (Rom. 8:31-38), but gave him up, therefore, he will give us all things with him. Take hold because God takes hold of you.

Christian, this day you'll lose battles big and small with sin, but you won't lose your salvation given wholly by Jesus. Why? Because it's based on what He did, not what you do. Oh, praise the Lord!

Father, thank you that biblical truth and theology inform me that you hold me. Father, you gave us to your Son. He holds us securely because He is the Good Shepherd. And we obey your word now because you are worthy to be praised. Thank you for taking care of us in this way! If I could lose my salvation, I would. But it is not up to me. It has been purchased once-for-all as Hebrews tells us by you and you alone. Oh, Father, forgive me this day of my sin, but I praise you for your keeping me secure! In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Romans 8:30 "And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified."

For many, this is a very scary verse with a very scary word— “predestination.” Yet, this word is the “fingernails on a chalkboard” to my soul and my pride.  Friend, this word is not scary but reassuring! The biblical doctrine of predestination is meant to comfort and bring truth to assure God's people, not as a weapon to cut down or a wall to climb.

And let’s be honest: You will hate the doctrine of predestination until you study Scripture to such a degree that you hate how little you studied it before.  Have you looked at Ephesians 1? Have you looked at Romans 8-9? Have you considered how much God talks about how he has planned since the beginning?

Here’s a practical takeaways:

--If God predestined the bloody, sinner-saving cross and brought from it eternal blessing, why can't he predestine our troubles and turn them for good (Rom. 8:28-30)?

—Our boldness in evangelism is strengthened by the firmness of our belief in predestination (Acts 4:27-29).

--“In love God predestined us for adoption through Jesus Christ . . . to the praise of the glory of his grace.” Eph. 1:5

--It is breathtaking that before the ages God predestined that his infinite wisdom would plan our eternal glory. (1 Cor. 2:7)

-Etc.

Friend, we’ve been predestined in love before the world began, cared for presently (in space & time), and guaranteed a future inheritance beyond all imagining.  How can we not praise the Lord?

Father, sometimes we don’t like the Scripture because it arrests our attention to areas of our life that we don’t want any light or knowledge to spring forth from. Yet, Lord, words such as predestined remind me just how deep is your love and how high and wide is your mercy. Lord, we know your grace is ever deeper. Our hearts overflow with praise to you. Only a God like you could do this for us. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

1 Corinthians 1:24 "but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God."

God has only known two different people: Those in Christ and those who are not.  The Gospel is open to all.  All who call on the name of the Lord will be saved.

""For God so loved the world ... that whoever ..."" (John 3:16). Yes, God chose some. But God loves and welcomes all. Ever since God called out in the garden, ""Adam, where are you"" he has been pursuing humanity in spite of our sin. This is breathtaking love.

In the middle of the universe is a love too amazing to be limited to what we deserve (judgment). There’s no greater love. No greater sacrifice. No greater offer. No greater rescue. No greater gift. Proclaim it!

After you tried the elevated-life, still-deeper life, and your best-life-now, go to the all-everything Gospel for all of life. This is how God loved the world: he gave Jesus so that anyone (whosoever) believes in him will be saved.  What better words could you find to start the day than ""God so loved the world that he gave his only Son”?

Father, thank you that offered the Gospel not just to a select few of awesome and amazing people. But you offered it to us sinners—the ones that need it the most. Tear down the spiritual eyes of some who see the Gospel only for the Jews or Greeks or something else. Thank you that your love of this world is unmatched and unrivaled. God, you are good. I pray these things in Jesus’ name. Amen.

1 Thessalonians 5:23 "May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ."

It is the nature of God’s grace to sanctify.   Any “gospel"" that doesn't have the power to sanctify (set us apart unto holiness - 1 Peter 1:14-16) us doesn't have the authority to justify us (declare us right in God’s eyes—all by Christ).  

For many believers, sanctification is a series of daily attempts to stop sinning and then making themselves feel miserable when they can’t. Who would choose to live in the midst of a blazing fire? Yet, it is the only way to be refined as God makes us more like Christ. Sanctification and an easy life are incompatible.  

We are all in different places in our sanctification, but there is only one class of Christian: a forgiven sinner.  Whatever you are facing today, “This is good for my sanctification. This is good for my sanctification. This is good for my sanctification.”  Gospel Implications: Justification by sanctification is a heresy. Justification without sanctification is a myth.  

Will you trust God with what lies ahead?

Father, remind us today that the doctrine of sanctification that says to try harder isn’t your plan for us. Equally, the doctrine that says to stop trying altogether isn’t what you have for us. Remind us today that the same act of faith that has to always look to Jesus alone for justification looks to Christ alone sanctification and glorification as well. Christ wasn’t given to us to be saved but also to grow in you. Thank you for these truths. Seal my heart in them today for your glory. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Genesis 43:23 He replied, “Peace to you, do not be afraid. Your God and the God of your father has put treasure in your sacks for you. I received your money.”

There’s little doubt that most are looking for an edge.  Whether in sports, school, or video games, spending time “picking the brain” of the experts is a dream for most people to get ahead

If you want to learn the secrets of basketball, ask Michael Jordan or LeBron James.

If you want to learn the secrets of movie making, ask Steven Spielberg

If you want to learn the secrets of karate, ask Chuck Norris.

And, if you want to learn how to handle grudges and forgiveness, ask Joseph.

As we tag along with Joseph’s brother, we see that some 20 years after selling Joseph as a slave, they still struggle with a guilty conscience. Just as God providentially brought Joseph through slavery, prison, and now being second-in-command over Egypt, so also God arranged providentially for his brothers to be confronted over their guilt of the past. The LORD was forcing these brothers to face their past sins. They had not gotten away with it!

Only 10 brothers of Joseph go down to get grain to eat. Jacob, their father, doesn’t allow Benjamin to go with his brothers. The reason for holding Benjamin back is based on fear, “I am afraid that harm may befall him” (Genesis 42:4). Jacob has already lost Joseph and he doesn’t want to lose Benjamin, too.

God’s plan was for Jacob (Israel) and his family to move to Egypt. There God would take care of this family. But the brothers of Joseph didn’t want to go because, for all they knew, Joseph was in Egypt. They didn’t want to be around him.

Something only God could do was taking place. Remember, over 20 years before, Joseph had shared two dreams to his brothers and father. These dreams showed that his family would bow down to him. His brothers hated him for that, but not they were the ones bowing, unknowingly, before Joseph. God was faithful to fulfill His promise to Joseph.

We, as the reader, just stand here with our mouths open. We understand what is going on, but the brothers don’t. The ten brothers of Joseph confess their guilt to one another and they come clean about how they had mistreated Joseph. The amazing thing is that Joseph was right there, hearing everything. Of course, he had pretended to speak through an interpreter. But he understood what they were saying

Holding a grudge in your heart is like holding a rattlesnake by the tail: Stupid at best, deadly at worse. As long as we keep gazing at Jesus, all excuses we make for grudge-holding, gossiping & and not forgiving are doomed. Friend, take comfort today that there is enough grace and forgiveness in Jesus to forgive all your wrongs past, present, and future. Don’t take this as a pass to sin, but do realize you will never exhaust God’s storehouses of infinite mercy.

Father, only a fool will choose to nurse a grudge or fertilize roots of bitterness today. The gospel deconstructs both. Help us to realize this. As you worked grace in the heart of Joseph, may it be true of us. Help me to know that whatever grudge I have against another brother or sister in Christ, a pastor, a church, a deacon, or whomever it may be, Lord, help me to realize that your grace covers every sin, including my own. I pray this in Jesus' name. Amen.

Genesis 44:29 "If you take this one from me too and harm comes to him, you will bring my gray head down to the grave in misery."

I consider myself to be a competitive person.  I like to work hard in training to do well in various competitions (especially running).  I play and work with a passion.  Many of my friends also share this same spirit of competitiveness.  In fact, it is always a struggle to see who will come out on top when we get together.

Are you a jealous individual? Do you ever wish that you had something that someone else has? Jealousy can cover a wide range of items. You can be jealous of someone’s house, car, looks, job, or abilities.

Jealousy has caused big waves to happen in the family of Jacob. Because of jealousy, Joseph was hated, his brothers sold him into slavery and lied to their father about his death, and Jacob had to live 20 years without the knowledge of the truth. In today’s story, we see Joseph testing his brothers through jealousy and through loyalty.

Jacob gets angry out at his sons, blaming them for putting the entire family into this situation. The brothers respond to Jacob’s pitiful comment: “We were simply answering the man’s questions! How could we have known that the issue with Benjamin would come up?” So, Judah puts his own life on the line in order to be the guarantee of Benjamin, or he would take the blame forever. Clearly, Judah felt a great sense of responsibility for Benjamin.

Jacob finally gives in that it is time for the sons to travel back to Egypt. The only reason why Jacob allows Benjamin to go with his other sons is purely related to food. They were starving! Jacob tells his sons to prepare a lavish gift for the ruler of Egypt, just like he did for Esau in Genesis 33. The brothers also were to take double the amount of money that they took on their first visit. Jacob then prays, entrusting his sons into the hands of the all-powerful, covenant-keeping God. The whole situation is now completely out of Jacob’s hands but completely, by God’s design, in His hands.

The ten brothers are brought into Joseph’s house. The brothers of Joseph were still thinking about the issue of the money. They also feared that this plan to eat with the ruler was a trap. To show there were no hard feelings or tricks up his sleeve, a servant restored Simeon to them. Joseph then asks about their father. As Joseph notices Benjamin, he gives them a blessing. Overcome with emotion, Joseph has to leave the room as to not show who he is. However, Joseph does give Benjamin more money than all the other brothers.

What does this have to do with jealousy? So often families and ever churches are fractured by jealousy and envy. Joseph was not jealous of his brothers—they all enjoyed each other’s company.

Cain killed Abel for one reason—jealousy.  John wrote, “We should not be like Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil and his brother's righteous” (1 John 3:12), 

Satan, the great enemy of our souls, first created his rebellion in heaven because he was jealous.  Jealousy comes from the evil one, and if it is found in your life, then stop and consider the source.  It is not of God!.

Can the Lord be jealous, avenging, wrathful, AND slow to anger and good? Nahum 1 says he can and exults. God is right to be a jealous God. He will not share his glory with another.

Are you jealous of what the LORD is doing in someone else’s life? Are you bitter that you don’t have the same circumstances as another brother or sister in the LORD?  There is no place for jealousy in the Christian life.  It is subtle and it can gnaw at your heart on every level.  

Ask the LORD today to give you contentment in whatever place you find yourself today.

Father, thank you that you are a jealous God. You are the only God worthy of all praise and adoration. You alone are God. You are a jealous God--and that is for our good. It is good for my family. It is good for my personal faith. Thank you for being jealous of us and reminding us that you are worthy of all of our praise. Nothing can change that fact. Help me today to be jealous for your glory. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Genesis 45:1 Then Joseph could no longer control himself before all his attendants, and he cried out, “Have everyone leave my presence!” So there was no one with Joseph when he made himself known to his brothers.

Can you imagine what conflicting thoughts must have been going through the minds of Joseph’s brothers? The video reel of sin, regret, shame, and fear played over again in their minds as they faced their brother in person.

What about Joseph? The pent-up emotion, smothered feelings, and tender thoughts were revolving in his head just the same.  

We must be careful here not to overemphasize or devotionalize this passage.  However, there is a picture here between Joseph and his brothers that is very encouraging.   Just as Joseph revealed himself to his brothers, so also God, in conversion and sanctification, reveals Himself to his people during strenuous times.

Can I ask you: Are you a risk-taker? Do you think God is a risk-taker?

Believe it or not, there is a belief called Open Theism that says God is a cosmic risk taker.  They say God is said to not be in control, does not know the future, nor does He control the future.  Open theists claim that God does have knowledge of the future—it is just limited and based upon our human response.

The last time I checked, though, the God of the Bible was in complete control and knows everything (1 John 3:20).  In Genesis 45, Joseph reassured his brothers that their hatred toward him actually worked out for their deliverance via God’s divine foresight and plan.

Genesis 45:9 ”But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance.”

Either God took a giant risk, banking on the fact that Joseph would come through okay (the odds were stacked against him), or, God, in His entire sovereign plan, knew exactly what was going to happen and failed to take a crapshoot.  I believe the latter is the only position that is true to Scripture.

By faith, no matter what you are going through, you can trust in the God who never changes (Malachi 3:6) and who works all things out for the good of those who love Him (Romans 8:28).

Recognizing and accepting God’s sovereignty is the only way to stay sane in an insane world.

Father, we thank you that you are not a risk-taker. We thank you that what your have ordered from eternity past is exactly what we need. Father, forgive us this day when, like Joseph, we may have been surprised how you worked. Yet, despite terrible events in one point, you have used such good for the betterment of our faith to be more like Christ. Thank you, Lord. Thank you that the cruel cross of your Son, Jesus Christ, as terrible as it was, was meant for our greatest good--your wrath satisfied and our salvation complete. In Jesus' name. Amen.