The Example of Joseph. (Article I found today I wanted to share)

Joseph: An Unstoppable and Shining Example Gen 39: 21-23But the LORD was with Joseph, and shewed him mercy, and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison. And the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph's hand all the prisoners that [were] in the prison; and whatsoever they did there; he was the doer [of it]. The keeper of the prison looked not to anything that was under his hand; because the LORD was with him, and that which he did, the LORD made it to prosper. Joseph is a shining light example of Christian living, and an incredible Old Testament picture of the coming life and ministry of Jesus Christ. His combination of mercy and truth certainly provided him with favor and good understanding in the sight of God and man. That does not mean everything went smoothly for Joseph; he suffered through a great deal of pain and heartbreak. If you carefully study Joseph in Genesis the most often thing Joseph did was weep, but through everything that happened, Joseph received the favor of God. 4 things to remember in order to be unstoppable giving both mercy and truth. Be someone of consistency. Joseph gave mercy and truth consistently. When he was a teenager he did right regardless of what others did. Genesis 37:1-3 "Joseph brought unto his father their evil report."  He would have been a lot more popular if he had sacrificed the truth, but he would have lost the blessing of God. Joseph refused to cover for his brothers. He took his responsibility seriously and was faithful to fulfill everything he was asked to do by his father. Joseph's relationship with his brothers was rocky because of the favoritism showed to him by his father Jacob, and this had a devastating impact on the entire family. This family definitely had their share of problems but while Joseph was not perfect and did make mistakes, he remained committed to mercy and truth and consistent.  Don't quit doing right, even if doing right doesn't bring immediate blessings. Joseph's brothers sold him into slavery because they hated him so much. They went home and told their father he was killed by a wild animal. Twenty years passed before Joseph met his brothers again but finally, their roles were reversed. Once Joseph was helpless and pleading for mercy he did not receive; now he had the power to mete the vengeance they deserved. Instead, Joseph showed them mercy. He could have let mercy and truth escape him, but he refused to allow that happen. Sometimes we do what is right, and it does not immediately result in positive blessings, but that is where our faith in God comes in. Don't quit so rapidly. Everything is according to God's purpose. Everything that happens to us is according to His purpose. We see this clearly stated in Psalm 105:17 which says, "He sent a man before them, even Joseph, who was sold for a servant." Stop and think about the events in Joseph's life. Hated by his brothers, put in a pit, sold as a slave, bought by Potiphar, falsely accused, ending up in prison, and forgotten for two full years. How would you describe all that took place? God described it as "sending a man." I don't know about you, but I would prefer a different way to get there! God sent him through numerous injustices to get him to a place where He could use him to rescue the nation of Israel ultimately to preserve the line of the Lord Jesus Christ. God's purpose was accomplished through Joseph's adversity. Keep dispensing mercy and truth. Joseph was successful because he was still committed to trusting God enough to not give up and to keep dispensing mercy and truth, even though he was in prison. Notice that the Lord was always with Joseph. Verse 21 plainly declares it. Joseph was far away from home and all the people he knew, but he was certainly not alone. Joseph could not see God with His eyes, but he didn't need to see Him to know He was with him.  God made all that Joseph did to prosper. As a result, Joseph kept getting promoted. Every time he got knocked down, he got promoted to an even higher level.  Never expect your Christian life to just keep getting better and better with nothing ever going wrong. Your circumstances are going to change. They are not always going to be pleasant, but be resolute and determined to obey the Word of God. Joseph's relationship with the Lord, I do believe, was the key to his ability to keep that vital commitment to dispense mercy and truth. Being a person of mercy and truth is easy when you're prospering and everything is going your way. What will you do if you were thrown in a pit, falsely accused, or put in prison? Will you trust God when you can't see what He is doing in your life? Are you unstoppable? Will you continue to love and care for people even if they don't love and care for you? Are you resolute and determined to live by the Word of God's truth? Whether we are in days of ease or days of difficulty, we need to take heed to Joseph's example to be a balanced Christian giving mercy and truth. Not in our power but only in and through Him can we maintain this perfect balance. Your circumstances may not be ideal and they may be even very painful, but yet the Lord is good even in those times. He is always good. He wants to show you His goodness. If you look for it you will find it. You will also discover His character and attributes in the    prison- like circumstances. Because Joseph was unstoppable, he experienced amazing opportunities to serve.