Joseph's story relates the best of times and the worst of times. He was his father's favorite son. This partiality made his eleven brothers angry and resentful. Thus, when chance came, they sold him to slavers headed for Egypt.

Once in Egypt, Joseph was sold as a slave to a very rich man. He rose to a position second only to his master. Alas, his handsomeness attracted his master's wife and she attempted to seduce him. When rebuked, she declared rape, and Joseph was thrown into Pharaoh's prison.

As a prisoner, Joseph rose to foreman in charge of all the other prisoners. He interpreted the Pharaoh's butcher and wine taster's dreams correctly, and two years later he was summoned to the palace to interpret Pharaoh's dream. Upon the fulfillment of his interpretation, Joseph rose from jailbird to ruler of Egypt, second only to Pharaoh himself.

Joseph certainly was beset by cruel circumstances as his status was stolen from him again and again. He refused, however, to be a victim, but honored God no matter what the situation. Throughout his many struggles, Joseph knew God was working in his life, so he continued to worship God and follow His laws. As ruler of Egypt, Joseph forgave his brothers with these words: You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done... (Gen. 50:20a) We find no victimization in the life of Joseph, only his rejuvenation of faith in God. We too can rise above our circumstances when we choose to have faith and take action through God's promises.

³Now Israel loved Joseph more than any of his other sons, because he had been born to him in his old age; and he made a richly ornamented robe for him. ⁴When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him. (Gen. 37:3-4)

Jealousy and favoritism pervert normal family relation-ships. Joseph fed his brothers' resentment by sharing two dreams that portrayed his ruling over them. (Gen. 37:5-11)

1. Do you envy or resent a family member or a friend? Pray for them right now. If no resentments, why not?
2. Joseph's dreams were prophetic and sustained him in his many trials. But most people's dreams are symbolic. Consider your dreams. What do they tell you?
3. How does God most frequently communicate with you: dreams, prayer, Scriptures, sermons, friends, family, group interaction, or circumstances? Explain.

JOURNAL: LUKE 15:25-32 HOW DO YOU RESPOND TO JEALOUSY, YOURS OR SOMEONE ELSE'S?

²³Love the LORD, all his saints! The LORD preserves the faithful, but the proud he pays back in full. ²⁴Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the LORD. (Ps. 31:23 24)

1. Why are you called a "saint" when you don't do everything perfectly?
2. If you can't be perfect, how can you be faithful?
3. When you are weakened by your illness and demoralized by your circumstances, how can you "take heart"?
4. Ps. 31:5 states, Into your hands I commit my spirit; redeem me, O LORD, the God of truth. Where can you apply the truth of this Scripture in your life: during a health crisis, struggling with financial issues, feeling alone in your pain, dealing with family circumstances, being overwhelmed by your situation, adjusting to your changing life-style?

JOURNAL: PS. 27 WHEN ARE YOU AFRAID? HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH YOUR FEARS? HOW CAN GOD HELP?