Sweet Dreams!

These weekly devotionals I will be posting come from and are copyright to Pam Iannello, my pastor's late wife who went home to be with the Lord on June 18, 2008.


Learning how to face our family problems through an in-depth study of the troubled home of Joseph.




This devotion is part of the "Family Problems" series.


Yesterday in our study of the life of Joseph in Genesis chapter 37, we looked at two sticky family situations Joseph was faced with and the proper way he handled each one. Both sets of circumstances were clearly out of his control, yet he remained steadfast in reacting properly to them. With Joseph's brothers hating him and unable to speak peaceably to him, there's no doubt this young man was probably picked on quite a bit from sun up to sun down! Imagine waking up in your home every day only to face another day of unkind and unfair treatment from the ones you love! Perhaps it's that way for you today… Don't lose hope - the Lord is in control! He will encourage you in ways you never DREAMED…

Verses 5-11:
And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it his brethren: and they hated him yet the more. And he said unto them, Hear, I pray you, this dream which I have dreamed: For, behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright; and, behold, your sheaves stood round about, and made obeisance to my sheaf. And his brethren said to him, Shalt thou indeed reign over us? or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us? And they hated him yet the more for his dreams, and for his words. And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me. And he told it to his father, and to his brethren: and his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth? And his brethren envied him; but his father observed the saying.

You would think with all the hatred Joseph was surrounded by on a daily basis that this fellow would have nightmares when he slept! Nevertheless, Joseph had some pretty encouraging dreams for they were filled with the symbolism of God's promises and protection over him. Usually, whatever thoughts we entertain during the day are what our minds will feast on during the night. Undoubtedly it's best to have our dreams divinely inspired, amen? You see, if we truly trust the Lord with all our circumstances when we are awake, then we'll enjoy an evening of sweet sleep and pleasant dreams will be a common occurrence....

Psalm 4:8
I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety.

Did you notice how Joseph's father responded when he told him about his dreams? Jacob rebuked his son! Notice too, how Joseph's brothers responded when he told them about his dreams. The Bible says they hated him yet the more! It seemed nobody was very happy when Joseph shared his encouragement from the Lord. His resentful brothers already felt as if he reigned over them and the dreams Joseph shared were just salt in an open wound as far as they were concerned. They could not dispose of the intense aggravation Joseph stirred within their hearts. This is how far their jealously and hatred of Joseph had taken them! It has been said that love blinds us to faults and hatred blinds us to virtues and scripturally speaking, I would have to agree...

Proverbs 10:12
Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins.

Ladies, when we are consumed with jealousy, every little thing feels like a giant stabbing inside, amen? Every word uttered by the person we abhor becomes a building block of bitterness as we wall ourselves in from the object of our hatred. With wicked hearts, these brothers committed crimes in order to defeat Joseph's visualization of comfort and support in the midst of his troubles. But the dream wasn't Joseph's doing, it was God's time-honored plan for Joseph's life! Thus, any plotting Joseph's brothers did against him became a part of God's sovereign plan in which they actually caused themselves to be the very instruments of accomplishing it! What encouragement we find from this portion of scripture today! No matter what plan the Lord may have for each of us, nothing can deter it's divinely inspired direction. We can have peace in knowing that anything that comes into our lives on a daily basis is first filtered through the hand of our loving God and approved by Him! No matter what your situation may be today, no matter how others may be treating you, do not let others shatter your dreams of God's promises and protection over you! Hide his Word safely in your heart and you'll find continued encouragement in what God has told you…

Proverbs 29:25
The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe.

Romans 15:4
For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.

Is the devil trying to destroy your hope today, dear lady? Is he picking on you and telling you that God has deserted you and won't be with you in your troubles? Is he using someone you love to try and destroy your peace of heart and mind? Does your troubled family situation seem as if it's just too big for God to handle? Have you almost given up because the pressure has intensified? Let me persuade you today to do what Joseph did - stick to God's Word, rest safely in God's future promises and continue to do right! You'll experience a peace that no man can steal from you and others will observe with wonder…

Philip. 4:7
And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Sweet dreams!

God Bless,
Pam
Isaiah 60:1&2
Copyright 2000 Pamela A. Iannello
Revised 2003  Meet Ms. Pam

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New Beginnings Baptist Church Website