To see the previous post from Genesis, go to Can God Use a Sinner Like You, or Like Me?
Joseph is a fruitful vine,
a fruitful vine near a spring,
whose branches climb over a wall.
With bitterness archers attacked him;
they shot at him with hostility.
But his bow remained steady,
his strong arms stayed limber,
because of the hand of the Mighty One of Jacob,
because of the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel
Genesis 49:22-24
Joseph
Joseph endured a difficult life. Described as “archers” in this passage, Joseph faced arrows of persecution from his own siblings–they plotted to murder him, then they settled for selling him into slavery. So he was separated from his family, while he served as a slave in Egypt. Then he was falsely accused of rape by Potiphar’s wife, after which, he was tossed into a dungeon–for years.
Jesus
Jesus was another who was committed to living his life God’s way, no matter what arrows flew in his direction. He loved people, all people, including promiscuous women, prostitutes, and thieves–even when it brought brutal criticism. Although on the surface he looked as ordinary as anyone else, he healed, and helped so many, it was impossible to write it all down. (John 21:25) And though he did all these things, things no one else could do, he never bragged. The religious leadership of his day hated him. Over and over they tried to catch him in a verbal ambush, but Christ answered so cleverly and completely they eventually stopped trying. Several times they tried to kill him, but they couldn’t until his time came. His dream was to make a way for us to go to heaven, but it meant he had to die. He did it anyway.
You might be asking yourself, “How? How did Joseph and Jesus live this way?” The source of power for both Joseph and Jesus is revealed by Jacob in our text. They were both able to live the way they did “because of the hand of the Mighty One of Jacob, because of the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel…”
Your Choices
You have access to that same source of power you know.
Those decisions you’ve made the last few years that haven’t worked out for you? The ones that made you say, “Yea but…”
“Yea but she seemed like such a nice girl.”
“I know but he was so good to my five year old daughter.”
“Yes but she was so much fun to party with.” Read More
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Joseph, Jesus, and the Key to Your Choices: Genesis 49:22-26
Joseph is a fruitful vine,
a fruitful vine near a spring,
whose branches climb over a wall.
With bitterness archers attacked him;
they shot at him with hostility.
But his bow remained steady,
his strong arms stayed limber,
because of the hand of the Mighty One of Jacob,
because of the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel
Genesis 49:22-24
Joseph
Joseph endured a difficult life. Described as “archers” in this passage, Joseph faced arrows of persecution from his own siblings–they plotted to murder him, then they settled for selling him into slavery. So he was separated from his family, while he served as a slave in Egypt. Then he was falsely accused of rape by Potiphar’s wife, after which, he was tossed into a dungeon–for years.
Jesus
Jesus was another who was committed to living his life God’s way, no matter what arrows flew in his direction. He loved people, all people, including promiscuous women, prostitutes, and thieves–even when it brought brutal criticism. Although on the surface he looked as ordinary as anyone else, he healed, and helped so many, it was impossible to write it all down. (John 21:25) And though he did all these things, things no one else could do, he never bragged. The religious leadership of his day hated him. Over and over they tried to catch him in a verbal ambush, but Christ answered so cleverly and completely they eventually stopped trying. Several times they tried to kill him, but they couldn’t until his time came. His dream was to make a way for us to go to heaven, but it meant he had to die. He did it anyway.
You might be asking yourself, “How? How did Joseph and Jesus live this way?” The source of power for both Joseph and Jesus is revealed by Jacob in our text. They were both able to live the way they did “because of the hand of the Mighty One of Jacob, because of the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel…”
Your Choices
You have access to that same source of power you know.
Those decisions you’ve made the last few years that haven’t worked out for you? The ones that made you say, “Yea but…”
“Yea but she seemed like such a nice girl.”
“I know but he was so good to my five year old daughter.”
“Yes but she was so much fun to party with.” Read More
Share now:
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2 Comments
Posted on January 12, 2013 by Kurt Bennett
Bible Commentary, Bible Study, Genesis
Genesis 4:9, Good choices, Jesus, joseph, make good choices, make good decisions, why do I make bad decisions
Love Like Jesus–The Power of the Tongue
The Power of the Tongue
How Jesus Loved People
Jesus loved people by commending them for what they had going for them. Here on the mountainside He commends those who hunger for righteousness, and those who are merciful, and those pure in heart, and those who strive to make peace, and those wrongly persecuted because of their righteousness. Throughout the gospels we see Jesus commending and adding value to people. He commended Nathanael’s honesty when he said, “here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.” He commended the promiscuous woman at the well when he said, “What you have just said is quite true.” He commended the woman who had been bleeding for twelve years when he said, “your faith has healed you.” (John 1:47, John 4:18, Matthew 9:22)
How to Love Like Jesus
I just read about a left-wing, lesbian, college professor Read More
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Posted on January 5, 2013 by Kurt Bennett
Bible Commentary, How Jesus Loved People - How You Can Too, Marriage
Christian lesbian, encourage, Love like Jesus, Matthew 5, power of the tongue, Rosaria Champagne Butterfield, Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert, sermon on mount
Eating Crow, Prayer, and God’s Holy Spirit
At the end of that prayer time there in the prayer room, a small group of men asked God to pour out His Holy Spirit upon our congregation in abundant measure. They asked Him, if that offer were to be made again, would He move people to respond with such enthusiasm and in such great numbers we would have logistical problems handling so many. They asked that people would respond in such numbers they would be lined up, with not enough room for them to fit in the prayer room or wherever they were called to assemble. Read More
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Posted on January 4, 2013 by Kurt Bennett
Bible Commentary, Bible Study
Acts, anointing, Applegate Christian Fellowship, Applegate Fellowship, fresh outpouring, Holy Spirit, Luke 11, pray for Holy Spirit
Love Like Jesus–How to Respond to the Emotionally Needy: Matthew 5:3-5
How Jesus Loved People
If you were sitting in the crowd during Jesus’ sermon, and it happened to be a time in your life when you were poor in spirit, or mourning, or feeling particularly meek, these words of Jesus would have resonated powerfully. He offered words of comfort and encouragement to those who were (and are) emotionally needy.
Love Like Jesus
You know that person in your life? That guy or girl that makes you think, “Oh, here she comes again,” or, “Here he comes again. It’s that needy guy. Man, he has the personality of a tree stump,” you say to yourself. Read More
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Posted on December 29, 2012 by Kurt Bennett
Bible Commentary, Bible Study, How Jesus Loved People - How You Can Too
clingy, emotionally needy, Matthew 5, meek, mourning, needy, poor in spirit, Sermon on the mount
Top 10 Posts of 2012
You can check out the top Love Like Jesus post by clicking on Love Like Jesus–Love the Unlovable. Or check out the whole series by clicking on Love Like Jesus.
2) Senna Part 2–Teach Us to Number Our Days: One of the most compelling stories I’ve ever heard is that of Formula 1 race car driver Ayrton Senna. I was surprised to find I’m not alone. Senna Part 2–Teach Us to Number Our Days is one of the most popular posts I’ve ever written. We can learn some valuable lessons from his life. If you’re interested in Ayrton Senna, you might also like Senna Part 1–Senna vs. Prost–Esau Ran to Jacob.
3) Sex and Your Future–Trading 45 Minutes for 1,000 Years: Read More
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Posted on December 27, 2012 by Kurt Bennett
Bible Commentary, Bible Study, Genesis, How Jesus Loved People - How You Can Too, I Wish Someone Had Told Me This When I Was Young
bennett's blog, God and money, Holy Spirit, Love like Jesus, marriage, Most Popular Posts, Negative Media, Senna, sex, Surrender Yourself to God
Why on Earth Did Jesus Come to Earth? The Big, the Small, and Your Predicament
The Big
God is Big.
God is Bigger than I am. He’s Bigger than you are.
Much Bigger.
He’s the One who Read More
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Posted on December 22, 2012 by Kurt Bennett
Bible Commentary, Bible Study, How Jesus Loved People - How You Can Too
atheism, Christmas, God, God universe, Why Jesus came
Can God Use a Sinner Like You, or Like Me? Genesis 49:8-12
A Sinner and Strays
I know a single mother who’s made mistakes–big mistakes. She battled drug and alcohol addiction for decades. She’s had multiple men in and out of her life. She struggled mightily at times as a single mother.
But there is this one thing about her– Read More
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Posted on December 19, 2012 by Kurt Bennett
Bible Commentary, Bible Study, Genesis
Genesis 4:9, Jesus Judah, Judah, Judah and Tamar, sinner used by God
In God’s Image: Genesis 1:26-27
Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
Genesis 1:26-27
God said, “Let us…” and “…in our image…” and “…in our likeness…” Obviously us and our mean more than One. It would seem God was referring to Read More
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Posted on December 15, 2012 by Kurt Bennett
Bible Commentary, Bible Study, Genesis
bear fruit, Bob Buford, creation, creation of man, Genesis 1:26-27, Jesus Christ, Matthew 13:8-9, Sixth Day of Creation
Your Thing (I wish someone had told me this when I was young)
Old Man: Over the years I’ve had a bunch of different “things.” When I was in high school and college, sex was my thing–I was consumed with looking for opportunities. Read More
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Posted on December 11, 2012 by Kurt Bennett
Bible Commentary, Bible Study, I Wish Someone Had Told Me This When I Was Young
atheism, Matthew 22, my thing, spirituality, why God
Love Like Jesus–Make Disciples: Matthew 5:1
How Jesus Loved People
Jesus loved people by teaching and training them how to follow God. Jesus loved people by making them into His disciples.
How to Love Like Jesus
It was in the wee hours of the morning, at the fire department, when I responded to a house fire along with three engines and a truck company. When we arrived we quickly realized it was the same house that had burned in the wee hours the morning before. We were sure we had put it out completely the first time, yet here we were again.
There was no time to dwell on the cause of our repeat performance, we had a fire to put out. So we set about our business. But as we progressed, I began to hear someone yelling over a loudspeaker. Eventually I figured out it was coming from a car dealership across the street. A man who appeared to be inebriated was yelling obscenities at us. Read More
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Posted on December 8, 2012 by Kurt Bennett
Bible Commentary, Bible Study, How Jesus Loved People - How You Can Too
disciple, Great Commission, Love like Jesus, make disciple, Matthew 5
Steve Jobs, Jesus, and Anger: Genesis 49:5-7
Read Genesis 49:1-28
Steve Jobs’ Anger at Apple
I love apple products. I bought an Apple IIC when they first came out (to this day I can say that was the best keyboard I ever set my fingers upon). I love my iPhone. I love to Face-time with my family when we’re away from each other. I even love Apple commercials, especially the one where the girl throws the hammer at the big screen with Big Brother talking. Steve Job’s penchant for perfection resulted in some amazing products and some incredible marketing. But he also had an anger problem.
In 1985 Jobs’ boss, John Sculley, who was then the CEO of Apple, decided to remove Jobs from his position as head of the Macintosh division. When Sculley gave Jobs the news, Read More
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Posted on December 6, 2012 by Kurt Bennett
Bible Commentary, Bible Study, Genesis, Marriage
anger, anger management, Genesis 4:9, Jesus, Jesus anger, Jobs, Steve Jobs
Love Like Jesus–Even If It Disrupts Your Sabbath: Mark 3:3-6
How Jesus Loved People
Jesus cared more about loving the man with the withered hand, than He did about keeping the Pharisee’s tradition concerning the Sabbath.
How to Love Like Jesus
She was walking on the shoulder of the road, in bare feet, on a day when it was too cold to be out in bare feet. Her mascara ran in the shape of a capital U down both cheeks. She was crying. No, she was sobbing.
Read More
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Posted on December 1, 2012 by Kurt Bennett
Bible Commentary, Bible Study, How Jesus Loved People - How You Can Too
Do I have to Sabbath, Love like Jesus, Mark 3, sabbath
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