The day of the Lord is great; it is dreadful. Who can endure it? return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning

 Joel 2:1-17

Let all who live in the land tremble, for the day of the Lord is coming. It is close at hand—     a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness. Like dawn spreading across the mountains a large and mighty army comes, such as never was in ancient times nor ever will be in ages to come.

They have the appearance of horses; they gallop along like cavalry. With a noise like that of chariots they leap over the mountaintops, like a crackling fire consuming stubble, like a mighty army drawn up for battle.

They rush upon the city;   they run along the wall. They climb into the houses;  like thieves they enter through the windows. Before them the earth shakes, the heavens tremble, the sun and moon are darkened,  and the stars no longer shine.

The day of the Lord is great; it is dreadful. Who can endure it?

“Even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and  mourning.”

Let the priests, who minister before the Lord, weep between the portico and the altar.

Why should they say among the peoples,  ‘Where is their God?’”

Why?

The Lord has declared that the day of the Lord is coming. Why should they say among the peoples, "Where is their God?  Because they forgot their God and turned to their desires, defiling the Lord.

The day of the Lord is great, it has been declared a long time ago, but the Lord has been patient to all of us and delayed the judgment and given us the chance to repent.

How?

Beare in mind, the love of the Lord and righteousness enduer forever!

Cry out to the Lord, For the day of the Lord is near

 Joel 1:14-20 

Declare a holy fast; call a sacred assembly. Summon the elders and all who live in the land to the house of the Lord your God, and cry out to the Lord.

Alas for that day! For the day of the Lord is near; it will come like destruction from the Almighty.

Has not the food been cut off before our very eyes— joy and gladness from the house of our God?

How the cattle moan! The herds mill about because they have no pasture;  even the flocks of sheep are suffering.

To you, Lord, I call, for fire has devoured the pastures in the wilderness and flames have burned up all the trees of the field.

Why?

Like other prophets, Joel declared that the "Day of the Lord" is approaching, and God will finally judge the world and his own people.

The day of the Lord is terrible, fire has devoured the pastures in the wilderness, and flames have burned up all the trees of the field. There is no food in the world.

How?

The data of the Lord is near, so all of us, all Chrisitns have to be alert and aware to be a good servant before the Lord.

Hear this, you elders; listen, all who live in the land; Joel 1

 Joel 1:1-13 

The word of the Lord that came to Joel son of Pethuel.

Hear this, you elders; listen, all who live in the land. Has anything like this ever happened in your days or in the days of your ancestors?

What the locust swarm has left the great locusts have eaten; what the great locusts have left the young locusts have eaten; what the young locusts have left other locusts have eaten.

Wake up, you drunkards, and weep! Wail, all you drinkers of wine; wail because of the new wine, for it has been snatched from your lips. A nation has invaded my land, a mighty army without number; it has the teeth of a lion, the fangs of a lioness. It has laid waste my vines and ruined my fig trees. It has stripped off their bark and thrown it away, leaving their branches white.

Mourn like a virgin in sackcloth grieving for the betrothed of her youth. Grain offerings and drink offerings are cut off from the house of the Lord. The priests are in mourning, those who minister before the Lord.

The vine is dried up and the fig tree is withered; the pomegranate, the palm and the apple tree—  all the trees of the field—are dried up. Surely the people’s joy is withered away.

Why?

The Lord said to the elders and priests. For they were like drunkards, so listen and wake up and mourn for the disaster is coming.

God let Joel go out to warn people in that generation.

Not only is the food gone, but the grain offering and drink offerings are cut off from the house of the Lord. It means the blessing of the Lord is left.

How?

Be aware of what I have because of the blessings of the Lord, or I may have nothing.

don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children.”

 Genesis 50:1-26

Then Joseph directed the physicians in his service to embalm his father Israel. So the physicians embalmed him, taking a full forty days, for that was the time required for embalming. And the Egyptians mourned for him seventy days.

 Pharaoh said, “Go up and bury your father, as he made you swear to do.” So Joseph went up to bury his father. All Pharaoh’s officials accompanied him—the dignitaries of his court and all the dignitaries of Egypt— besides all the members of Joseph’s household and his brothers and those belonging to his father’s household. Only their children and their flocks and herds were left in Goshen. Chariots and horsemen also went up with him. It was a very large company.

There, Joseph observed a seven-day period of mourning for his father. When the Canaanites who lived there saw the mourning at the threshing floor of Atad, they said, “The Egyptians are holding a solemn ceremony of mourning.” That is why that place near the Jordan is called Abel Mizraim.

When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “What if Joseph holds a grudge against us and pays us back for all the wrongs we did to him?”

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. So then, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children.” And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them.

Then Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die. But God will surely come to your aid and take you up out of this land to the land he promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.” And Joseph made the Israelites swear an oath and said, “God will surely come to your aid, and then you must carry my bones up from this place.”

Why?

Jacob and Joseph knew they came from the Promised Land, and it was the Lord who let them come to Egypt to escape disaster and save their lives. One day, they will return to the Promised Land.

So Joseph asked his brothers to promise to carry his bones up from this place to the homeland.

Joseph forgave the sins of his brothers is sincerely and full of love, for this is the plan of the Lord made for them.

How?

Maybe we don't know why it happened, but I believe in the Lord, and all of these events are good to those who trust in the Lord.

All these are the twelve tribes of Israel, and this is what their father said to them when he blessed them, giving each the blessing appropriate to him.

 Genesis 49:1-33

Then Jacob called for his sons and said: “Gather around so I can tell you what will happen to you in days to come.

“Assemble and listen, sons of Jacob; listen to your father Israel.

Reuben, you are my firstborn, my might, the first sign of my strength, excelling in honor, excelling in power. Turbulent as the waters, you will no longer excel, for you went up onto your father’s bed, onto my couch and defiled it.

“Simeon and Levi are brothers—  their swords are weapons of violence.

“Judah, your brothers will praise you; your hand will be on the neck of your enemies; your father’s sons will bow down to you. You are a lion’s cub, Judah;  you return from the prey, my son. Like a lion he crouches and lies down, like a lioness—who dares to rouse him?

Zebulun will live by the seashore and become a haven for ships; his border will extend toward Sidon.

Issachar is a rawboned donkey lying down among the sheep pens.

Dan will provide justice for his people as one of the tribes of Israel. Dan will be a snake by the roadside, a viper along the path,

Gad will be attacked by a band of raiders, but he will attack them at their heels.

Asher’s food will be rich; he will provide delicacies fit for a king.

Naphtali is a doe set free that bears beautiful fawns.

Joseph is a fruitful vine, a fruitful vine near a spring, whose branches climb over a wall.

Benjamin is a ravenous wolf; in the morning he devours the prey, in the evening he divides the plunder.

All these are the twelve tribes of Israel, and this is what their father said to them when he blessed them, giving each the blessing appropriate to him.

When Jacob had finished giving instructions to his sons, he drew his feet up into the bed, breathed his last and was gathered to his people.

Why?

Jacob gave instructions to his sons and described their destination. Then Jacob finished his mission in this world.

How?

My destination has been decided by the Lord. I know one day I will meet the Lord and my family in Heaven.

So he put Ephraim ahead of Manasseh.

 Genesis 48:1-22

“Now then, your two sons born to you in Egypt before I came to you here will be reckoned as mine; Ephraim and Manasseh will be mine, just as Reuben and Simeon are mine. Any children born to you after them will be yours; in the territory they inherit they will be reckoned under the names of their brothers. As I was returning from Paddan, to my sorrow Rachel died in the land of Canaan while we were still on the way, a little distance from Ephrath. So I buried her there beside the road to Ephrath” (that is, Bethlehem).

Israel said to Joseph, “I never expected to see your face again, and now God has allowed me to see your children too.”

But Israel reached out his right hand and put it on Ephraim’s head, though he was the younger, and crossing his arms, he put his left hand on Manasseh’s head, even though Manasseh was the firstborn.

Then he blessed Joseph and said, “May the God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked faithfully, the God who has been my shepherd all my life to this day, the Angel who has delivered me from all harm —may he bless these boys. May they be called by my name and the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac, and may they increase greatly on the earth.”

Nevertheless, his younger brother will be greater than he, and his descendants will become a group of nations.” He blessed them that day and said, In your name will Israel pronounce this blessing:

    ‘May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh’”

Why?

Blessing is important before the Lord! Even under the blessing of elder people. Israel could not see but he knew who will be greater among tow brothers.

How?

The way of the Lord is beyond our way, so under the blessing of the Lord is higher than any others.

Do not bury me in Egypt, but when I rest with my fathers, carry me out of Egypt and bury me where they are buried

Genesis 47:1-31

Then Joseph brought his father Jacob in and presented him before Pharaoh. After Jacob blessed Pharaoh, Pharaoh asked him, “How old are you?” And Jacob said to Pharaoh, “The years of my pilgrimage are a hundred and thirty. My years have been few and difficult, and they do not equal the years of the pilgrimage of my fathers.” Then Jacob blessed Pharaoh and went out from his presence.

So Joseph bought all the land in Egypt for Pharaoh. The Egyptians, one and all, sold their fields, because the famine was too severe for them. The land became Pharaoh’s, and Joseph reduced the people to servitude, from one end of Egypt to the other. However, he did not buy the land of the priests, because they received a regular allotment from Pharaoh and had food enough from the allotment Pharaoh gave them. That is why they did not sell their land.

Joseph said to the people, “Now that I have bought you and your land today for Pharaoh, here is seed for you so you can plant the ground. But when the crop comes in, give a fifth of it to Pharaoh. The other four-fifths you may keep as seed for the fields and as food for yourselves and your households and your children.”

So Joseph established it as a law concerning land in Egypt—still in force today—that a fifth of the produce belongs to Pharaoh. It was only the land of the priests that did not become Pharaoh’s.

Jacob lived in Egypt seventeen years, and the years of his life were a hundred and forty-even. When the time drew near for Israel to die, he called for his son Joseph and said to him, “If I have found favor in your eyes, put your hand under my thigh and promise that you will show me kindness and faithfulness. Do not bury me in Egypt, but when I rest with my fathers, carry me out of Egypt and bury me where they are buried.”

Why?

Jacob knew he came from Canaan, so he asked Joseph after he promised to bury him with his fathers.

Jacob is Israel, who came from the promised land. Came to Egypt is a temporary period. Their homeland, or the promised land, is not Egypt.

How?

Do not forget the love and word of the Lord in my life, for God's love upon me endures forever.

Joseph appeared before him, he threw his arms around his father and wept for a long time

 Genesis 46:1-34

So Israel set out with all that was his, and when he reached Beersheba, he offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac. And God spoke to Israel in a vision at night and said, “Jacob! Jacob!”

“I am God, the God of your father,” he said. “Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation there. I will go down to Egypt with you, and I will surely bring you back again. And Joseph’s own hand will close your eyes.

Jacob brought with him to Egypt his sons and grandsons and his daughters and granddaughters—all his offspring.

All those who went to Egypt with Jacob—those who were his direct descendants, not counting his sons’ wives—numbered sixty-six persons. With the two sons who had been born to Joseph in Egypt, the members of Jacob’s family, which went to Egypt, were seventy in all.

Now Jacob sent Judah ahead of him to Joseph to get directions to Goshen. When they arrived in the region of Goshen, Joseph had his chariot made ready and went to Goshen to meet his father Israel. As soon as Joseph appeared before him, he threw his arms around his father and wept for a long time.

When Pharaoh calls you in and asks, ‘What is your occupation?’  you should answer, ‘Your servants have tended livestock from our boyhood on, just as our fathers did.’ Then you will be allowed to settle in the region of Goshen, for all shepherds are detestable to the Egyptians.”

Why?

Finally, Jacob met his son Joseph. This is a long period of separation in this family. But all of these are under the way of the Lord. 

Most of us do not know what will be, what will happen, but we trust in the Lord, God is my way, my fortress. 

How?

Pray to the Lord and walk on the way of the Lord, for God is my fortress and his love endure forever.

Because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you

 Genesis 45:1-28

Then Joseph could no longer control himself before all his attendants, and he cried out, “Have everyone leave my presence!” So there was no one with Joseph when he made himself known to his brothers. And he wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard him, and Pharaoh’s household heard about it.

Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still living?” But his brothers were not able to answer him, because they were terrified at his presence.

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. So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God. He made me father to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household and ruler of all Egypt.

You can see for yourselves, and so can my brother Benjamin, that it is really I who am speaking to you. Tell my father about all the honor accorded me in Egypt and about everything you have seen. And bring my father down here quickly.

So they went up out of Egypt and came to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan. They told him, “Joseph is still alive! In fact, he is ruler of all Egypt.” Jacob was stunned; he did not believe them. But when they told him everything Joseph had said to them, and when he saw the carts Joseph had sent to carry him back, the spirit of their father Jacob revived. And Israel said, “I’m convinced! My son Joseph is still alive. I will go and see him before I die.”

Why?

It is a happy ending of this story. It is the Lord who sent Joseph ahead of his brother and be a ruler of Egypt to save the life of Jacob's whole family.

The way of the Lord is always higher than us, and always arranges those who obey his words can enjoy God's love and joy.

How?

Pray to the Lord and give thanks to the Lord for his love endure forever!

Please let your servant remain here as my lord’s slave in place of the boy, and let the boy return with his brothers

 Genesis 44:1-24

Now Joseph gave these instructions to the steward of his house: “Fill the men’s sacks with as much food as they can carry, and put each man’s silver in the mouth of his sack. Then put my cup, the silver one, in the mouth of the youngest one’s sack, along with the silver for his grain.” And he did as Joseph said.

As morning dawned, the men were sent on their way with their donkeys. They had not gone far from the city when Joseph said to his steward, “Go after those men at once, and when you catch up with them, say to them, ‘Why have you repaid good with evil? Isn’t this the cup my master drinks from and also uses for divination? This is a wicked thing you have done.’”

“Very well, then,” he said, “let it be as you say. Whoever is found to have it will become my slave; the rest of you will be free from blame.”

And the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack. At this, they tore their clothes. Then they all loaded their donkeys and returned to the city. 

“What can we say to my lord?” Judah replied. “What can we say? How can we prove our innocence? God has uncovered your servants’ guilt. We are now my lord’s slaves—we ourselves and the one who was found to have the cup.”

Then Judah went up to him and said: “Pardon your servant, my lord, let me speak a word to my lord. Do not be angry with your servant, though you are equal to Pharaoh himself. My lord asked his servants, ‘Do you have a father or a brother?’ And we answered, ‘We have an aged father, and there is a young son born to him in his old age. His brother is dead, and he is the only one of his mother’s sons left, and his father loves him.’

“Now then, please let your servant remain here as my lord’s slave in place of the boy, and let the boy return with his brothers. How can I go back to my father if the boy is not with me? No! Do not let me see the misery that would come on my father.”

Why?
Joseph tested his brothers the heart of love is real or false. Then he found his brothers changed, they loved Benjamin as like lost Joseph.

How?

The real love can pass any suffering and difficulty, so as the love of my Lord!

may God Almighty grant you mercy before the man so that he will let your other brother and Benjamin come back with you

Genesis 43:1-34

Now the famine was still severe in the land. So when they had eaten all the grain they had brought from Egypt, their father said to them, “Go back and buy us a little more food.”

But Judah said to him, “The man warned us solemnly, ‘You will not see my face again unless your brother is with you.’ If you will send our brother along with us, we will go down and buy food for you. But if you will not send him, we will not go down, because the man said to us, ‘You will not see my face again unless your brother is with you.’

Then Judah said to Israel his father, “Send the boy along with me and we will go at once, so that we and you and our children may live and not die. I myself will guarantee his safety; you can hold me personally responsible for him. If I do not bring him back to you and set him here before you, I will bear the blame before you all my life. As it is, if we had not delayed, we could have gone and returned twice.”

Then their father Israel said to them, “If it must be, then do this: Put some of the best products of the land in your bags and take them down to the man as a gift—a little balm and a little honey, some spices and myrrh, some pistachio nuts and almonds. Take double the amount of silver with you, for you must return the silver that was put back into the mouths of your sacks. Perhaps it was a mistake. Take your brother also and go back to the man at once. And may God Almighty grant you mercy before the man so that he will let your other brother and Benjamin come back with you. As for me, if I am bereaved, I am bereaved.”

So they went up to Joseph’s steward and spoke to him at the entrance to the house. “We beg your pardon, our lord,” they said, “we came down here the first time to buy food. But at the place where we stopped for the night we opened our sacks and each of us found his silver—the exact weight—in the mouth of his sack. So we have brought it back with us. We have also brought additional silver with us to buy food. We don’t know who put our silver in our sacks.”

As he looked about and saw his brother Benjamin, his own mother’s son, he asked, “Is this your youngest brother, the one you told me about?” And he said, “God be gracious to you, my son.” Deeply moved at the sight of his brother, Joseph hurried out and looked for a place to weep. He went into his private room and wept there.

When portions were served to them from Joseph’s table, Benjamin’s portion was five times as much as anyone else’s. So they feasted and drank freely with him.

Why?

Joseph met his brothers, including Nenjamin, his own mother's son. So Joseph wept, but he could not be seen by others, so he went out to his own room. So many years suffering, and now he can meet his family, it is the grace of the Lord come upon Joseph.

Jacob still trusted in his God, the Lord. Before the long trip, he prayed to the Lord, "Grant your mercy before the man so that he will let your other brother and Benjamin come back with you.

How?

No matter what happen, when we are no way, pray to the Lord! God is my way and my hope!

But you must bring your youngest brother to me, so that your words may be verified and that you may not die

 Genesis 42:1-38

When Jacob learned that there was grain in Egypt, he said to his sons, “Why do you just keep looking at each other?” He continued, “I have heard that there is grain in Egypt. Go down there and buy some for us, so that we may live and not die.”

But Jacob did not send Benjamin, Joseph’s brother, with the others, because he was afraid that harm might come to him. So Israel’s sons were among those who went to buy grain, for there was famine in the land of Canaan also.

As soon as Joseph saw his brothers, he recognized them, but he pretended to be a stranger and spoke harshly to them. “Where do you come from?” he asked.

But they replied, “Your servants were twelve brothers, the sons of one man, who lives in the land of Canaan. The youngest is now with our father, and one is no more.”

Joseph said to them, “It is just as I told you: You are spies! And this is how you will be tested: As surely as Pharaoh lives, you will not leave this place unless your youngest brother comes here. Send one of your number to get your brother; the rest of you will be kept in prison, so that your words may be tested to see if you are telling the truth. If you are not, then as surely as Pharaoh lives, you are spies!” And he put them all in custody for three days.

If you are honest men, let one of your brothers stay here in prison, while the rest of you go and take grain back for your starving households. But you must bring your youngest brother to me, so that your words may be verified and that you may not die.” This they proceeded to do.

Joseph gave orders to fill their bags with grain, to put each man’s silver back in his sack, and to give them provisions for their journey. After this was done for them, they loaded their grain on their donkeys and left.

Their father Jacob said to them, “You have deprived me of my children. Joseph is no more and Simeon is no more, and now you want to take Benjamin. Everything is against me!”

Why?

Joseph wanted to test his brother, do they still love each other among their brothers.

Jacon and his brother love their brother Benjamin either. But there is no choice. And Joseph planed to let his whole family may come together in Egypt.

How?

This is the way of the Lord to love Jacob and his whole family.

You shall be in charge of my palace, and all my people are to submit to your orders

 Genesis 41:1-57

When two full years had passed, Pharaoh had a dream: He was standing by the Nile, when out of the river there came up seven cows, sleek and fat, and they grazed among the reeds. After them, seven other cows, ugly and gaunt, came up out of the Nile and stood beside those on the riverbank. And the cows that were ugly and gaunt ate up the seven sleek, fat cows. Then Pharaoh woke up.

He fell asleep again and had a second dream: Seven heads of grain, healthy and good, were growing on a single stalk. After them, seven other heads of grain sprouted—thin and scorched by the east wind. The thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven healthy, full heads. Then Pharaoh woke up; it had been a dream.

Then the chief cupbearer said to Pharaoh, “Today I am reminded of my shortcomings. Pharaoh was once angry with his servants, and he imprisoned me and the chief baker in the house of the captain of the guard.  Each of us had a dream the same night, and each dream had a meaning of its own.  Now a young Hebrew was there with us, a servant of the captain of the guard. We told him our dreams, and he interpreted them for us, giving each man the interpretation of his dream. And things turned out exactly as he interpreted them to us: I was restored to my position, and the other man was impaled.”

Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, “The dreams of Pharaoh are one and the same. God has revealed to Pharaoh what he is about to do. The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven good heads of grain are seven years; it is one and the same dream. The seven lean, ugly cows that came up afterward are seven years, and so are the seven worthless heads of grain scorched by the east wind: They are seven years of famine.

The plan seemed good to Pharaoh and to all his officials. So Pharaoh asked them, “Can we find anyone like this man, one in whom is the spirit of God[a]?”

Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one so discerning and wise as you. You shall be in charge of my palace, and all my people are to submit to your orders. Only with respect to the throne will I be greater than you.”

Before the years of famine came, two sons were born to Joseph by Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On. Joseph named his firstborn Manasseh and said, “It is because God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father’s household.” The second son he named Ephraim[f] and said, “It is because God has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering.”

Why?

All of these event were under the hands of the Lord, God has his plan to let his people grow up and numerous in the promised land.

How?

Don't worry about what I should ear and wear the Lord is my provider and supporter. May I can live out the joy and satisfy in my daily life.

Genesis 40:1-23

After they had been in custody for some time, each of the two men—the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were being held in prison—had a dream the same night, and each dream had a meaning of its own.

Then Joseph said to them, “Do not interpretations belong to God? Tell me your dreams.”

“This is what it means,” Joseph said to him. “The three branches are three days. Within three days Pharaoh will lift up your head and restore you to your position, and you will put Pharaoh’s cup in his hand, just as you used to do when you were his cupbearer. But when all goes well with you, remember me and show me kindness; mention me to Pharaoh and get me out of this prison. I was forcibly carried off from the land of the Hebrews, and even here I have done nothing to deserve being put in a dungeon.”

Now the third day was Pharaoh’s birthday, and he gave a feast for all his officials. He lifted up the heads of the chief cupbearer and the chief baker in the presence of his officials: He restored the chief cupbearer to his position, so that he once again put the cup into Pharaoh’s hand— but he impaled the chief baker, just as Joseph had said to them in his interpretation.

The chief cupbearer, however, did not remember Joseph; he forgot him.

Why?

Joseph was in prison, but the Lord gave Joseph the opportunity to get out of prison by the cupbearer and the baker. There were different destinations, but there is an opportunity for Joseph may get out of prison. The time and opportunity is in the hands of the Lord.

How?

I won't worry or bear too much burden in my job or in my life. For I am a servant of the Lord, the timing is in the hands of the Lord, and the opportunity is in the hands of the Lord. What I should do is obey the command of the Lord told to us in the Bible and through the message in the church.

The Lord was with Joseph so that he prospered

 Genesis 39:1-23

Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt. Potiphar, an Egyptian who was one of Pharaoh’s officials, the captain of the guard, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had taken him there.

The Lord was with Joseph so that he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master. When his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord gave him success in everything he did, Joseph found favor in his eyes and became his attendant. Potiphar put him in charge of his household, and he entrusted to his care everything he owned. From the time he put him in charge of his household and of all that he owned, the Lord blessed the household of the Egyptian because of Joseph. The blessing of the Lord was on everything Potiphar had, both in the house and in the field. So Potiphar left everything he had in Joseph’s care; with Joseph in charge, he did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate.

One day he went into the house to attend to his duties, and none of the household servants was inside. She caught him by his cloak and said, “Come to bed with me!” But he left his cloak in her hand and ran out of the house.

 When his master heard the story his wife told him, saying, “This is how your slave treated me,” he burned with anger. Joseph’s master took him and put him in prison, the place where the king’s prisoners were confined.

But while Joseph was there in the prison, the Lord was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden. So the warden put Joseph in charge of all those held in the prison, and he was made responsible for all that was done there. The warden paid no attention to anything under Joseph’s care, because the Lord was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did.

Why?

Joseph was sold by his brother and became a servant in the house of Potiphar. The Lord was with Joseph so that he prospered. no matter what happened because the Lord was with him, in the house of Potiphar or in the prison, because the Lord was with him, Joseph gained favor in the eyes of the prison warden.

How?

When the Lord is with me, I may prosper in what I do or serve. May my way and my effort be valuable before the eyes of the Lord.