Be With Me: 7 Minutes of Biblical Wonder

An attractive cow gets today's story started.  Pharaoh sees 7 in his dream.  They are consumed by 7 other carnivorous cows.  Needless to say, he wakes up troubled and curious.  He is practically and even spiritually curious. He's king of his world, but has to reach down into the pit where Joseph is in prison to get some help. Join me for 7 minutes to enjoy 7 attractive cows. 

Today's 7 minute memory of Joseph prepares us 4000 years later to do what he did:

• be faithful to the people around us who are also in a bit of a PIT
• be faithful to the Lord while we are in the PIT
• be ready to see the Lord's activity while we are in the PIT

If you are in a PIT today, this lesson is for you. 
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNijvDWAn2Wv2KFun2AnvCA

Stay 7 minutes and learn of THE defining characteristic of God. That might be just a schooch of an exaggeration, but it is certainly MY FAVORITE: His HESED. It is a Hebrew word that is the Jupiter-sized concept of HIS STEADFAST LOVE; His faithfulness and His sticking with a mostly uncooperative people. A favorite 5 year old described it best: It is when God BUTTERS THE BREAD ON BOTH SIDES. 
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNijvDWAn2Wv2KFun2AnvCA

Can the Lord be with us in bad circumstances? Yup. So then what? 
Can He give FAVOR to what our hands do? Yup. 
The Lord is with Joseph and the Lord then gives FAVOR to the actions of Joseph.  The actions are empowered by the presence of the Lord. It is so noticeable that those around Joseph are positively impacted. Please consider 7 minutes.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNijvDWAn2Wv2KFun2AnvCA

How does a person fight against sexual temptation? What resources are available as weapons in the fight?

1. Make up your mind beforehand like Joseph to not do "this great wickedness and sin against God." God has drawn these lines in the first place.
2. Directionally move away from temptation but move toward  the things of God with the people of God.
3. If all else fails: FLEE

The Lord is with Joseph, even in the difficulty of sexual temptation.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNijvDWAn2Wv2KFun2AnvCA

Perhaps you find yourself in bad circumstances today. Well welcome to the world, and welcome to the Bible.  Our main character Joseph has been betrayed, captured, and sold as a slave in a foreign land.  The amazing thing about our passage is the following: "The Lord was with Joseph." Wait, amidst all of those bad circumstances?  Yes. Exactly. Please watch 7 minutes: 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNijvDWAn2Wv2KFun2AnvCA

Let's address one of the most critical elements of living a successful life on this planet. It is: what do I do when I find out that I am wrong.  The spiritual words for this are conviction and repentance.  Whatever you call it, it is difficult and very necessary.  Look 7 minutes with me at how 2 knuckleheads do a really good job of facing their error. 
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNijvDWAn2Wv2KFun2AnvCA

Judah almost burns his own sons to death. He realizes that HE is the bad guy in the story today and actually repents in word and deed.  Jesus comes only to save sinners.  Jesus saves the stinky. Judah is a great example of the kind of people that Jesus came for.  So are you. Please watch for 7 minutes.  Your money back if it is not beneficial for you. 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNijvDWAn2Wv2KFun2AnvCA

Judah gets involved with a prostitute that uses sex as a form of worship to a false god.  As a great-grandfather of Jesus, this act is tremendously ill-advised. It breaks not only the marriage covenant, but also the Abrahamic covenant of exclusive intimacy with the one true God. What happens when he is exposed?  Watch 7 minutes.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNijvDWAn2Wv2KFun2AnvCA

It sounds crazy, but the life of Jesus is spared in Genesis chapter 38. Jesus' great-great-grandfather almost gets burned to death while he is in the womb. The very unrighteous Judah is confronted with his sin. Fortunately, he relents and repents. Join me for 7 minutes to hear one of the messiest stories in the Bible!

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNijvDWAn2Wv2KFun2AnvCA