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Recap of 8/23/09:
1. Pharaoh recognized that Joseph was a man of wisdom. Joseph’s wisdom was a product of his choosing righteousness and faithfulness. His ability to make good plans was a product of his wisdom. (See Proverbs 21:5; 22:3; 16:1-3,5,9; 30:24,25) “Plans are a necessary part of the wise man’s life; only fools follow the path of fateful chance. The plans of wise [men and women] incorporate righteous principles.” (from: God’s Wisdom for Daily Living)
2. Joseph’s life illustrates a Biblical principle of life: faithfulness in little things leads to being trusted with greater things. The parable of Luke 19:11-27 illustrates this principle for the believer. Four lessons of life can be deduced from this passage: 1) God has made an investment in us, we are to bear fruit; 2) we are responsible to the Lord for the way we use our gifts, abilities, opportunities, circumstances, means, and time. He will hold us accountable; 3) Faithfulness is the key to fruitfulness & success (but see also point #3); 4) this life is training for the kingdom and for eternity.
3. Joseph has two sons and he names them “forget” and “fruitful.” He, in God’s goodness “forgot” about the pain of the past, his mistreatment by his brothers, his slavery and imprisonment. He determined to let go of the pain of the past, the hurts of the past. Without this step in our lives we condemn ourselves to relive the past over and over in every new situation. Fruitfulness is dependent, not only on faithfulness (as point #2 above) but on forgetfulness of past hurts.
