Throughout the story of Joseph’s life, God is always at work in a good and gracious way.  He is with Joseph, prospering him in his affliction.  He is revealing the details of a severe famine so that the people can be prepared and survive.  God is also at work in the hearts and minds of Joseph’s brothers, bringing about a contrition that will lead to reconciliation.The post Acknowledging The Work of God (Genesis 42 – 43) first appeared on The Oasis.

After 13 years of preparation, Joseph is finally ready and equipped to assume such a privileged and powerful position.  Great works of God through us require great periods of preparation.  Will we trust God in and through our seasons of preparation?The post Joseph’s Patience Pays Off (Genesis 41 – 42) first appeared on The Oasis.

Joseph would be granted great privilege, power, and position in his life but it was not granted until great preparation had taken place.  All of life is preparing us to serve god in even bigger and more significant ways.  Like Joseph, we must trust in God’s perfect timing.The post Great Service Requires Great Preparation (Genesis 40 -41) first appeared on The Oasis.

Joseph’s life is a great example of the obstacles and challenges we will overcome when we keep trusting God.  Joseph’s faith in God was steadfast, resolute, and tenacious.  Our faith, like Joseph’s, will be tested.  Therefore we must build and maintain a steady faith otherwise we will give in or give up.The post The triumph of Persistent Faith (Genesis 37) first appeared on The Oasis.

Genesis 39 reveals that God is present in the palaces and in the prisons; in the years of feast and the years of famine.  God walks with us through each and every circumstance of life and is able and available to help us.The post God Is Present (Genesis 39:1-23) first appeared on The Oasis.

Joseph’s experience of being sold by his brothers as a slave was a test as to whether he would continue to trust God even when his circumstances were against him.  God’s plan was not thwarted by the actions of Joseph’s brothers.  God was strategically placing him in the land of Egypt.  Though the dreams God gives us may seemingly die, we must be faithful to God who will fulfill His word to us in His perfect timing.

The post The Death of a Dream (Genesis 37:9-36) first appeared on The Oasis.

These verses give us the family background information of Joseph’s life.  It reminds us that no matter what our childhood was like, we can achieve God’s purpose for our life if we just remain faithful to Him.  God will use all of life’s experiences or opportunities to prepare us and grow us for what lies ahead.The post Joseph’s Family Dynamic (Genesis 37:1-11) first appeared on The Oasis.

Jesus illustrates the distinct destinies that await our souls in eternity.  These destinies which cannot be altered after death are determined by the value one places on the Word of God and the authority and influence we allow it to have in our lives.The post The Authority and Sufficiency of the Scriptures (Luke 16:19-31) first appeared on The Oasis.

In this passage, Jesus is contrasting the response of men to the recovery of lost possessions with the response of heaven to the recovery of lost people.  The leaders of Israel had too much compassion for their lost possessions, but they cared little for lost people.The post Lost and Found (Luke 15:11-32) first appeared on The Oasis.

So many in Jesus’ day were positioning themselves in places and in ways that would not strengthen or sustain them.  Let us pay close attention to Jesus’ words and realize that our allegiance to Him is what alone will strengthen and sustain us.The post Positioning Oneself with Men or with God? (Luke 14:7-14) first appeared on The Oasis.