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So no, this is not about super heroes, but it would be cool to be one. You ever meet people and just somehow know that God is a very real part of their life? Not in the “there goes another weird Christian or bizarre mystic, but in the “I’m not sure how, but I just know that God is with that person”. For those that don’t believe in God, you just have this sense of a mystical presence around a person. I know I have. So yes, I believe people can see the supernatural in people.

So, am reading Genesis 39 today. Verse 3 and 23.

v3. His master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord caused all that he did to succeed in his hands.

v23. The keeper of the prison paid no attention to anything that was in Joseph’s charge, because the Lord was with him.

First Potiphar is keenly aware that there is something different about Joseph and that the LORD is with him. Then, the keeper of the prison see’s the same thing. Sure, the success part is nice from an earthly perspective. However, even greater is my desire for people to visibly see the supernatural in my life and be able to verbalize that it’s God in me that makes the difference…regardless of circumstance…

Do you want people to see the divine through you?  I know I do. Incredibly, it’s actually pretty simple.

• Choose to have a relationship with God. (john 3:16 – yup, as simple as that, seemingly, over used passage says.)
• Make sure your relationship is in a good place. (If it’s about you, it’s not ~ It was never about “self” for Joseph)
• Expect to experience the supernatural (john 16:15 ~ God says He will reveal Himself to us)

So, have you seen the supernatural in people?  I have, and I want to live in such a way that people would recognize God in my life as well.

Pic by Thomas Tan

So was reading Genesis 40-41 today. The context is when Joseph is thrown into jail and then interprets the cup-bearer and bakers dream. He then goes on to interpret Pharaoh’s dream. However, the part that stuck out was just after the cup-bearer and baker had had a dream.

v7-8. When Joseph came to them in the morning he saw they were troubled. “Why are your faces downcast today?” They said, “We have had dreams, and there is no one to interpret them.” And Joseph said to them, “Do not interpretations belong to God?”

I love that their first response to a dream was that they were frustrated they could not interpret it, but assumed there was a message for them.

So, today I wonder: (and I don’t remember many dreams)

• Why don’t I question the meaning of my dreams, do you ever wonder?
• If I ever do wonder and remember them, why don’t I ask God and pray about it, do you?
• I rarely tell a friend, do you?
• I’m definitely not troubled by having a dream, I don’t think twice about it. Considering I have, or at least remember very few, perhaps I should.

So, what do you think? All I know it is God who grants the interpretation. I’m going to start writing down my dreams, at the very least I will be able to look back, reflect, and bring them before God…and who knows, maybe I will get to experience the miraculous. What about you? Any cool experiences to share?

Blessings!

Pic by Phoebe

I love this picture. The Hi-Res one is here. Actually, I really like most pictures by Stephen Poff. You should check him out. The picture reminded me of how much I am loving Scripture this past year. Specifically, it reminded me of the verse in Acts 14:11.

“As they went out, the people begged that these things might be told them the next Sabbath.”

Made me wonder. Do I have that same feeling, that emotional desire and drive for more? More scriptural insight, more teaching, more quiet listening, simple more of Jesus. Thankfully i don’t have to beg, but I should want to, right?

Interesting, when Paul came back to teach the Jews the next Sabbath, they didn’t hear what they were hoping for, and kicked him out. Again, I wonder…

A quick thought on what stuck out while reading Ephesians 4 today. Specifically verse 26.

“Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil.”

I think that many people are familiar with the “don’t let the sun go down on your anger” part of that verse. For me, it was the beginning that stuck out. “Be angry, and do not sin.” It’s not like it was a new revelation that its ok to be angry, but it sure is hard to not sin while being angry.  When people are involved it so easy to make it personal right away and fend your position and attack the other. When the issue is private and I’m angry at myself, it’s just as easy to start believing lies about oneself and not hold on to the Truth that God is passionate about us and accepts us, broken and flawed as we are.

So, like I said, it just stuck out to me today. Perhaps this will be a good reminder for me today, perhaps not and perhaps a good reminder for you.

Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

Do you sometimes feel like a cracked, fragile clay pot?

So today I am reading 2 Corinthians 4 – 5.  I encourage you to read along with me and share what stuck out to you. My hope is to share quick devotional thoughts every weekday on what stuck out to me in my daily Scripture reading. (I said hope, most likely not reality. )

But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. 8 We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; 10 always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies….

6 So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. 17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison,

Today, I got quite emotional reading this passage. I’m not going through any big affliction or struggle, either is my family, but yet the weight of Paul’s words hit me somehow.  I always ask myself questions as I read Scripture and these are the ones that raced through my head.

• When I struggle do I easily get confused, feel despair, feel like I have lost, been destroyed?
• Do I choose to thank God that He may be glorified through my weakness, physical trial or otherwise?
• I prayed that i would not lose heart when and if suffering comes my way. Lord help me to be strong and faithful.
• Do I actually consider any kind of affliction to be light, compared to the future eternal glory that awaits me?
• Do I actually even think about my future inheritance through Jesus, do I cling to His promise and His great sacrifice and salvation for me?
• I thought, this gets even harder when I walk beside those whom I love deeply, should they suffer affliction in the future. (whatever the kind)

So, today was a great reminder to me that I am indeed a jar of clay, weak, prone to suffering and yet with the incredible ability to praise God throughout because I will never be destroyed. Lord, just as Paul wrote, may I be reminded that, “this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison.” Compared to our future glory and inheritance for eternity, my current affliction is indeed “light”

Lord, grant me strength to continue to fight the good fight and live faithfully for you. I realize I am a clay pot, fragile, easily broken, and one day you will make me beautiful.

Thank you that you have overcome, so that, one day, we may as well.