365 Devotionals: In the Beginning

But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. James 1:22 AMP

The Seeds of Promise Devotional Series

Restore the Lost Sheep

“In the beginning [before all time] was the Word (Christ), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God Himself”. John 1:1 AMP

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January	Book	Read From	Read To	Devotional
17^th	Genesis	Chapter 49	Chapter 50	January 17th

Memory Verses: 20 But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive. 21 Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them (Genesis 50:20-21)

GENESIS 50:15-21

15 And when Joseph’s brethren saw that their father was dead, they said, Joseph will peradventure hate us, and will certainly requite us all the evil which we did unto him. 16 And they sent a messenger unto Joseph, saying, Thy father did command before he died, saying, 17 So shall ye say unto Joseph, Forgive, I pray thee now, the trespass of thy brethren, and their sin; for they did unto thee evil: and now, we pray thee, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of thy father. And Joseph wept when they spake unto him. 18 And his brethren also went and fell down before his face; and they said, Behold, we be thy servants. 19 And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God? 20 But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive. 21 Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them.

Everything the enemy has stolen from God’s servants must be restored: including the closeness of family.

After Israel – the father of Joseph died, Joseph’s brothers feared him because he was in a high position and they knew that they had once endangered Joseph’s life. But Joseph did not then, nor had he ever held a grudge against his brethren. Joseph had no intention of behaving like a tyrant, sending his brothers to the dungeons or worse.

Joseph said, “…am I in the place of God?” Joseph acknowledged that vengeance belongs to God and that it was not his (Joseph’s) responsibility to stand in judgment against his brethren.

Joseph’s brothers had allowed jealousy to ruin their family bonds years ago. The enemy had begun with the weakest link, but his aim was to destroy the strongest. They had when Joseph was young, feigned his death and stole years from their father by sending him into a deep mourning. Their actions not only hurt their brother, but they hurt themselves. They missed out on a brotherhood that would have enriched their own lives.

Surely Joseph recalled at that had befallen him. Yet, his words did not spread hatred. Joseph was not angry. He was called to be a shepherd. He welcomed the lost sheep. Joseph had chosen long before his brothers asked forgiveness, to let their bond of brotherhood be stronger than their acts of ill will. This is a choice we have.

God looks beyond our faults and sees His children. This our model for reconciliation. We must invest ourselves in the strengthening of family, rather than re-reading the pages of faults from year to year.

The family is the first environment where we learn to relate to everything else. Destruction of the family is one of the major causes of people losing faith. How can we be a part of increasing faith? We can begin by restoring the lost sheep in our hearts with sincerity. Doing so will encourage them to receive restoration, strengthening the family.

Do you have lost sheep in your family tree? What would Jesus do?

11 For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost. 12 How think ye? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray? 13 And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that sheep, than of the ninety and nine which went not astray. 14 Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish (Matthew 18:12-14).

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