Bible Study Verses
Genesis 45:4-7
Then Joseph said to his brothers, "Come close to me." When they had done so, he said, "I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt! And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you. For two years now there has been famine in the land, and for the next five years there will be no plowing and reaping. But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance. (NIV 2011)
Genesis 50:19-20
But Joseph said to them, "Don't be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. (NIV 2011)
Thoughts
There are three special young men in my hunting circle that I have so much respect for. You see, these three young men are fire fighters. All are trained in what they do and all have been involved with wild lands fire fighting at one time or another. Wild land fire fighters go into some of the toughest circumstances we can imagine - tough terrain, tough heat, and tough fires.
Several years ago and again this past year in Arizona, we had a wild fire that consumed 16,420 acres of forest and rangeland. How do you stop a monster like that? How do you even step out of your vehicle and get on the fire line when you know this fire can run with the wind faster than you can get out of the way?
I don't know how they do what they do, but these young men and their fellow fire fighters go anyway. My guess is that they have to believe deeply that what they are doing will save people and the forest from certain destruction. Why else would they go into such dangerous harm's way?
(Cliff S)
Action Point
Many times as Christians we wonder what God is up to and why He has put us into the circumstances that we're in. Joseph certainly had to ask himself that question a bunch of times. But, look at his answer, "It was for good and to save lives!"
Now, fast forward a little to Christ. What was Christ here to do? To do good by giving His life to save lives.
So, what are we here for? To do good for God's kingdom and to save lives by sharing our faith in Christ with those we interact with. Wherever you are in life, whatever is going on with you, you are God's representative to the world around you. He has put you exactly where you are for His purposes. Wherever you are, God has you there to do His work - to do good and to save lives by leading others to faith in Christ!
Sportsmen's Tip of the Day
Be responsible with fires. Always save some water to drown your camp fire and never leave a hot fire unattended.
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