Time Out! Devotions

Genesis 39:1-23 (NIV)

¹ 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.

² The LORD was with Joseph and he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master. ³ When his master saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD gave him success in everything he did, ⁴ 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. ⁵ 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. ⁶ So he left in Joseph’s care everything he had; with Joseph in charge, he did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate.

Now Joseph was well-built and handsome, ⁷ and after a while his master’s wife took notice of Joseph and said, “Come to bed with me!” ⁸ But he refused. “With me in charge,” he told her, “my master does not concern himself with anything in the house; everything he owns he has entrusted to my care. ⁹ No one is greater in this house than I am. My master has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?” ¹⁰ And though she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her or even be with her.

¹¹ One day he went into the house to attend to his duties, and none of the household servants was inside. ¹² 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. ¹³ When she saw that he had left his cloak in her hand and had run out of the house, ¹⁴ she called her household servants. “Look,” she said to them, “this Hebrew has been brought to us to make sport of us! He came in here to sleep with me, but I screamed. ¹⁵ When he heard me scream for help, he left his cloak beside me and ran out of the house.” ¹⁶ She kept his cloak beside her until his master came home. ¹⁷ Then she told him this story: “That Hebrew slave you brought us came to me to make sport of me. ¹⁸ But as soon as I screamed for help, he left his cloak beside me and ran out of the house.”

¹⁹ When his master heard the story his wife told him, saying, “This is how your slave treated me,” he burned with anger. ²⁰ 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, ²¹ the LORD was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden. ²² 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. ²³ 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.

In this day of “instant” news, we regularly see images of calamity in our world. And on a personal level, we experience seasons of hardship as well. The same is true of friends and family who encounter difficulties with children, job layoffs, and marriage breakups.

As Christians, we have a heavenly Father who has promised to be with us in our troubles. We can rely on Him—He knows what will happen before we do; nothing is hidden from His sight (Hebrews 4:13). He sees in the darkness of troubled times as clearly as He does in the daylight (Psalm 139:11-12). Through His Spirit, He offers us the comfort, strength, and wisdom to persevere. The story of Joseph illustrates this truth. After being rejected by his brothers at a young age and sold into slavery, he was falsely accused by his master’s wife and imprisoned. But in the midst of those terrible times, the young Hebrew man experienced God’s presence and favor.

I doubt Joseph comprehended the Lord’s intentions during his slavery and imprisonment. But later on, as second-in-command to Pharaoh, he understood God’s purpose in allowing those difficult years. In the end, Joseph testified to what he knew to be true. His brothers had meant to harm him, but God used all the hardship to accomplish His good plan (Genesis 45:4-8; 50:20).

When troubles hit, remember what is true and take heart. The indwelling Holy Spirit has the resources to provide what we need, equip us for the journey, and sustain us with His presence throughout the dark days. Nothing can stop the purposes of our Lord from being carried out (Isaiah 14:27).

(devotional by Dr. Charles Stanley from the

June 2010 issue of In Touch magazine)

(devotional by Bayless Conley from Christianity.com)

Perhaps you are in a very stressful time in your life right now, and you feel you can’t go on.  I want you to know that you are not alone.  In fact, some of the greatest men and women of God have gone through what you are going through right now.

One of those individuals is the prophet Elijah. After a great spiritual victory over the priests of Baal, we find him on the run, wondering whether life is even worth it.

We catch the story in 1 Kings 19:4-6,

But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a broom tree.  And he prayed that he might die, and said, “It is enough!  Now, LORD, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers!”  Then as he lay and slept under a broom tree, suddenly an angel touched him, and said to him, “Arise and eat.”  Then he looked, and there by his head was a cake baked on coals, and a jar of water.  So he ate and drank, and lay down again.

Elijah had reached that “zero” place in his life.  There was nothing left.  He had given it all and the tank was empty.

Maybe that describes you right now, you are on the verge of quitting.  You figure, “I’ve had enough.  I’m done.  Enough pressures, enough hassles, I cannot ride this thing out anymore.  My strength is gone!”

Well, did you notice that when Elijah was at the end of his strength, that was when God intervened?  Being out of strength, being at zero, is not a bad place to be. If you will look to God, He is prepared to meet you in your moment of need.

Visit the Answers with Bayless Conley website for more ways to Connect with God
and view today’s Answers with Bayless Conley broadcast at LightSource.com.

FEATURED RESOURCE

Four Things God Wants to Help You With

Did you know that God desires to help you? It’s true! God is in the business of helping people, and He wants you to rely on Him to help and sustain you.

In this two-part message called “Four Things God Wants to Help You With,” Bayless Conley reveals key areas of your life where God can and will assist you.  When you listen to or watch this message, you’ll see why you were never meant to live this life alone!

(Life Principles by Dr. Charles Stanley from In Touch Ministries)

When you seek an intimate relationship with God and commit to obey Him no matter what, you will undoubtedly experience seasons of difficulty and uncertainty. This is because your walk with Him is a journey of faith, and there will be situations when your trust in Him is tested so your love for Him can grow. What will you cling to when problems rain down on your life and everything you depend upon seems to be swept away by intense winds of adversity? What will you hold on to when the waves of doubt threaten to crash down on you?

The Father has given you His immovable, unfailing Word to keep you anchored in your relationship with Him during such times of trial and testing. Scripture reminds you that He is absolutely faithful to fulfill every promise He has given (Joshua 23:14) and will never leave or forsake you (Deuteronomy 31:6, 8). So read the Bible and cling to the truth you find within its pages. God assures you, “My word…will not return to Me empty, without accomplishing what I desire, and without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it” (Isaiah 55:11).

Life Principles Resources

NASB Life Principles Bible Read the Scriptures in Dr. Stanley’s favorite teaching translation while learning the 30 Life Principles that have guided him for more than 50 years. Buy Now »

Talking with God Experience the joy of connecting with the Lord in two-way communication. This study covers a variety of fascinating topics such as effective intercession, the value of fasting, what to do when prayers seem to go unanswered, the power of aligning with God’s will, and more. Buy Now »

Life Principles to Live By - Vol. 1 In the Bible, God has given us the promises and precepts necessary to become mature followers of Jesus Christ. In this first volume of his Life Principles sermon series, Dr. Stanley offers in-depth teaching on five of 30 truths that will help you grow in love, knowledge, and service to the Lord. Buy Now »

(Dena Ross is the Entertainment Editor at Beliefnet)

It’s hard to believe, but “The Wizard of Oz,” one of the most beloved movies of all time, celebrates its 70th birthday this year. Not only has the classic story of Dorothy and her funny friends entertained generations of moviegoers, it has also taught us some unforgettable lessons about life.

Here are 10 of the life lessons you can learn from “The Wizard of Oz.”

• A true friend will help you on your life’s journey and get you through all the problems—big and small—that may arise. So accept your friends, quirks and all, and recognize when they need a little help too. Because you never know when you’ll need them around to rescue you from some flying monkeys.
• Although Glinda the Good Witch directs Dorothy to the yellow brick road, explaining that it will lead her to the one person who can get her back home to Kansas, let’s face it: Dorothy probably could have found the road on her own. It was right there in front of her. Discover your own path in life—what you want to be, where you want to go, how you want to live–and be sure to sing and skip throughout the journey.
• One of the most memorable scenes in the film is when we discover the Wizard is just a man. He has no magical powers. He doesn’t even have a booming voice. The lesson? Don’t try to be something you’re not, because the people who matter in this life will love you no matter what.
• Although it should go without saying, home means more than just your house or apartment. It’s wherever the people you love—and who love you—are found. You can have many different “homes,” and even if you haven’t visited in a while, you can always go back.
• We all remember the scene where Dorothy misses her balloon flight home, starts to cry, and is subsequently notified by Glinda that with those fancy ruby slippers, she had the power to return home the whole time; she just needed to discover it for herself. When in doubt, look within for the answer. You’re more powerful than you think.
• Whether you want a better home, a more exciting job, or a new love, allow yourself to take a moment from your busy life to look over the rainbow and visualize future possibilities. This could really inspire you to start turning the dream into reality.
• Sure, that mean Miss Gultch threatened to take Toto away after he snapped at her. But if Dorothy had not run away, she probably wouldn’t have gotten caught up in that tornado mess. Confronting your problems and figuring out a solution (with a little help from your friends or family) will help you feel better about yourself and allow you to sleep at night. You won’t even need a poppy field.
• Dorothy knew giving her ruby slippers to the Wicked Witch would only lead to trouble. (The sparks that flew when the Witch tried to take them from her might have been an indication.) So when someone tries to make you do something you know in your heart isn’t right, stand firm and stay true to yourself.
• Wonder what would have happened had Dorothy chosen to follow the Wicked Witch instead of Glinda? Probably nothing good. Dorothy chose to follow the Good Witch and was helped along her journey. Being positive and believing in good will make it easier for good things to happen in your life.
• The answer to Dorothy’s problem getting home was literally under her nose the entire time–on her feet to be precise. When you’ve racked your brain for a fix to your own problem (big or small) and still don’t have a solution, try stepping away from it for a minute to clear your mind. Tackling your troubles with a clear head may help you find the simple answers that are right in front of you.

(from – http://www.beliefnet.com/Entertainment/Movies/2009/10/Wizard-of-Oz.aspx?source=NEWSLETTER&nlsource=10&ppc=75455&utm_campaign=Inspiration&utm_source=NL&utm_medium=newsletter)