Part 4: Reconciliation

CONVERSATIONS - PART 4

 
 
 
 
 

“See, God has come to save me. I will trust in Him and not be afraid. The Lord God is my strength and my song; He has given me victory.”

Isaiah 12:2 (NLT)

“Joseph’s suggestions were well received by Pharaoh and his officials. So Pharaoh asked his officials, ‘Can we find anyone else like this man so obviously filled with the spirit of God?’ Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, ‘Since God has revealed the meaning of the dreams to you, clearly no one else is as intelligent or wise as you are. You will be in charge of my court, and all my people will take orders from you. Only I, sitting on my throne, will have a rank higher than yours.’”

Genesis 41:37-40 (NLT)

“Pharaoh said to Joseph, ‘I hereby put you in charge of the entire land of Egypt.’”

Genesis 41:41 (NLT)

“Joseph named his older son Manasseh, for he said, ‘God has made me forget all my troubles and everyone in my father’s family.’ Joseph named his second son Ephraim, for he said, ‘God has made me fruitful in this land of my grief.”

Genesis 41:51-52 (NLT)

“At last the seven years of bumper crops throughout the land of Egypt came to an end. Then the seven years of famine began, just as Joseph had predicted. The famine also struck all the surrounding countries, but throughout Egypt there was plenty of food...And people from all around came to Egypt to buy grain from Joseph because the famine was severe throughout the world.”

Genesis 41:53-54, 57 (NLT)

“When Jacob heard that grain was available in Egypt, he said to his sons, ‘Why are you standing around looking at one another? I have heard there is grain in Egypt. Go down there, and buy enough grain to keep us alive. Otherwise we’ll die.’”

Genesis 42:1-2 (NLT)

Joseph recognized his brothers instantly, but he pretended to be a stranger and spoke harshly to them. ‘Where are you from?’ he demanded. ‘From the land of Canaan,’ they replied. ‘We have come to buy food.’”

Genesis 42:7 (NLT)

“Of course, they didn’t know that Joseph understood them, for he had been speaking to them through an interpreter.”

Genesis 42:23 (NLT)

“Now he turned away from them and began to weep. When he regained his composure, he spoke to them again...”

Genesis 42:24a (NLT)

KEY TAKEAWAYS

1.  WHAT HAS THIS CRISIS TAKEN FROM ME?

2.  HOW YOU VIEW THINGS IS HOW YOU’LL DO THINGS.

“I cry out, ‘My splendor is gone! Everything I had hoped for from the Lord is lost!’ The thought of my suffering and homelessness is bitter beyond words.”

Lamentations 3:18-19 (NLT)

I will never forget this awful time, as I grieve over my loss. Yet I still dare to hope when I remember this: The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is His faithfulness; His mercies begin afresh each morning. I say to myself, ‘The Lord is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in Him!’”        Lamentations 3:20-24 (NLT)

  • Pray.

“If My people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”

2 Chronicles 7:14 (NIV)

  • Give Hope.

  • Serve.

  • Stay connected.

NEXT STEPS

  • Pray each day this week for all of us to focus on God’s hope.

  • Share your hope in the Lord this week with someone.

  • Ask God how He would want you to serve Him.

  • Learn more about being in a group.

  • Reading Plan: YouVersion® Bible App - “The Ministry of Reconciliation” (5-day plan).