Today, we continue our series entitled “Laser Focus,” emphasizing living with a Laser Focus on the Fixed Purpose God established for us before the world began.
(Proverbs 4:25 TPT)
Set your gaze on the path before you. With fixed purpose, looking straight ahead, ignore life’s distractions.
Scriptures for today:
(James 1:2-4 TPT)
2 My fellow believers, when it seems as though you are facing nothing but difficulties, see it as an invaluable opportunity to experience the greatest joy that you can!
3 For you know that when your faith is tested, it stirs up power within you to endure all things.
4 And then as your endurance grows even stronger it will release perfection into every part of your being until there is nothing missing and nothing lacking.
(Ecc 3:1 ERV)
There is a right time for everything, and everything on earth will happen at the right time.
(Genesis? ?45?:?1?-?3? ?ERV??)
“Joseph could not control himself any longer. He cried in front of all the people who were there. Joseph said, “Tell everyone to leave here.” So all the people left. Only the brothers were left with Joseph. Then he told them who he was. Joseph continued to cry, and all the Egyptian people in Pharaoh’s house heard it. He said to his brothers, “I am your brother Joseph. Is my father doing well?” But the brothers did not answer him because they were confused and afraid.”
Setting the stage:
Yesterday, we saw how Judah openly proved they were a repentant group of men. The ten brothers no longer operated in hatred and jealousy. They were displaying love and compassion. After Judah passionately pleaded the case for Benjamin and even offered to take his place as the prisoner and slave. By this point, Joseph was convinced that the brothers had changed and could not take it any longer. He had played the role of a distant ruler for long enough. After they showed their brokenness, he was ready to show them his love and forgiveness.
Joseph maintained his character for one final statement. He said, “Tell everyone to leave here.” And with that, Joseph was left all alone with his brothers, all 11 of them. While they were all alone, Joseph took this opportunity to expose himself to his brothers. When he did, his compassion and mercy got the best of him. Joseph began to cry uncontrollably. He cried so loud that the Egyptians couldn’t help but hear him.
There he was. After all these years, Joseph was reunited with his family. The dream had come to pass. And instead of getting revenge on the brothers who had done him wrong, Joseph’s heart was filled with love and overwhelming joy. Through the tears, without an interpreter, he said, in their native language, “I am your brother Joseph. Is my father doing well?” His brothers couldn’t say a word. They were literally speechless. They couldn’t believe what they were hearing and seeing.
So, what does this mean for you today? Since we are all called and commanded to walk and live as Jesus did on earth, I will point out a few parallels between Joseph and Jesus in this event and how it applies to us.
1. Patience.
Joseph wanted dearly to expose himself to his brothers, but he patiently waited until they proved they had changed. In the case of Jesus, He will not wait until we are changed because we cannot truly change without Him, but He will wait until we repent. Jesus loves us and wants to expose Himself to us, but His complete exposure only comes once we repent of our sin and accept Him as Lord.
God loves you, and He passionately wants to see you become the man/woman He has called you to be, but He will not force you. He will patiently wait until you open your heart to Him, His love, and His plans for your life.
How this applies to you:
— Reflect on areas where you need to repent and open your heart to God’s love and plans.
— Recognize that God patiently waits for you to align with His purpose.
— Be thankful for the patience God shows you and extend that same patience to others.
— When you mature in Christ, you develop patience; so much patience that you are capable of enduring and waiting, even when you want to do something but you hold back because God tells you it is not time yet.
— One of the key aspects of Godly patience is the ability to wait on God’s timing. If you are not patient, you will get out ahead of God.
2. Compassion.
In Jesus’ earthly ministry, we see several examples of compassion. Jesus was moved to action because of the situations of others. His compassion compelled him to act. He did not allow His good fortune to cause Him to overlook the misfortune of others. Likewise, Joseph operated with Godly compassion. He was living well. He was the second in command of the only nation with food. He looked at his brothers, who were affected by the famine and acted compassionately towards them. Joseph did not allow his plenty to cause him to overlook their lack.
As a believer, compassion and empathy are true signs of maturity. If you are in a position to be a blessing to others, you are made aware of how bad their situation is, and you can simply go on living without it bothering you because it is not affecting you, then you have not developed the heart of God. The heart of God bleeds for those who need His help.
How this applies to you:
— Seek to develop a heart of compassion, allowing yourself to be moved by the needs of others.
— Empathy puts you in their shoes so you can feel what they feel. But then compassion compels you to do something about it.
— Recognize opportunities where you can be a blessing to others, even when it is not convenient for you.
— Understand that showing compassion is a true sign of spiritual maturity.
3. Forgiveness.
These brothers had done Joseph wrong. Joseph was in a position to repay his brothers for the wrong. He had the power to have them killed. But instead of sentencing them for what they had done wrong, Joseph forgave his brothers and overlooked their sin. He chose to bless them instead of punishing them.
This is how it is with Jesus. He operates in divine forgiveness. We come to Him as people who have done Him wrong. We come to the foot of the cross as broken men and women who have sinned against Him time and time again. We don’t deserve it, but He forgives us over and over. 70×7 in a day, He forgives us (Matthew 18:21).
As you develop in Christ and mature in Him, He will lead you to be like Him in every area of your life. Forgiveness is a major part of it. I know people who claim to be like Jesus when it benefits them. They say, “I can do all things through Christ” (Phil 4:13) or “As Jesus is, so am I, in this world!” (1 John 4:17) when they are going after something they want. But when God leads them to forgive, they are quick to pull out the “I am not Jesus” card! Listen, you cannot have it both ways. You cannot say you are LIKE JESUS when it benefits you, and then you are NOT when the Holy Spirit is leading you to do something you selfishly don’t want to do. Bottom line: as you grow, God will lead you to forgive!
How this applies to you:
— Reflect on those you need to forgive and take steps to extend forgiveness as Jesus does.
— Recognize that true maturity in Christ involves forgiving others as God forgives you.
— Understand that forgiveness is not optional but a command from God to those who seek to be like Him.
4. Love.
Joseph operated in love. He had his brother’s best interest in mind. He was not focused on their wrongs. He was focused on their need. Once they showed a changed heart, Joseph was willing to expose his love. Likewise, Jesus loves you. He loves you despite all you have done to Him. He has your best interest in mind. He is not focused on your wrongs. He is focused on the plans He made for you before the world began! Like the brothers in the text, once you show your repentance, you will experience the fullness of His love!
The message of love and forgiveness is something we truly need in the United States right now. Let’s look at something God said through the Apostle Paul:
“Don’t be angry with each other, but forgive each other. If you feel someone has wronged you, forgive them. Forgive others because the Lord forgave you. Together with these things, the most important part of your new life is to love each other. Love is what holds everything together in perfect unity. Let the peace that Christ gives control your thinking. It is for peace that you were chosen to be together in one body. And always be thankful.” (Colossians? ?3:13-15? ?ERV??)
How this applies to you:
— Focus on showing love to others, even those who have wronged you.
— Understand that God’s love for you is unconditional, and He expects you to extend the same love to others.
— Recognize that love is the foundation of your new life in Christ and strive to live it out daily.
— Walking in love is how Jesus said we would be identified as His disciples (John 13:35). God’s love is supposed to be your ID. If you don’t operate in love, people won’t be able to identify you as one of Jesus’ followers.
5. Our Goal is to Develop the Heart of God.
As we walk with God, many focus on learning how to activate their faith. However, a key aspect of faith is love. Faith works by love (Gal 5:6), so you cannot just focus on faith. You must be focused on transformation. You want to grow (or die) to the point where your heart reflects His. Developing the heart of God means aligning our desires, actions, and thoughts with His. It requires intentional effort to hear His voice and respond to His leading in every area of our lives. Our ultimate goal is to embody His love, compassion, patience, and forgiveness in our daily interactions and decisions.
How this applies to you:
— Seek to align your thoughts and actions with God’s desires, striving to reflect His character in your daily life.
— Value and heed the guidance of spiritual leaders who are in tune with God’s heart, allowing their wisdom to help shape your walk with God.
— Focus on living in harmony with heaven, making decisions, and cultivating attitudes that are in sync with God’s will and purpose for your life.
— Strive to live your life as a conduit of God’s love and light in this world!
Declaration of Faith:
Father, I open my heart fully to Your love and plans, embracing whatever I need to do to experience spiritual growth.
I act with compassion and empathy, reflecting Your heart in my daily life.
I choose to forgive others as You have forgiven me, releasing all bitterness.
I let love drive my actions, seeking to be a blessing to others.
I align my life with Your will, striving to develop Your heart within me.
I live in harmony with Your purpose, guided by Your Spirit daily.
I reflect Your character, filled with patience, empathy, compassion, and love.
I walk in Your grace, knowing You bless me despite my performance.
I believe all things are possible because of Your love for me, and I demonstrate this love in this world every day!
I declare that GREATER IS COMING FOR ME! I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
This is Today’s Word. Apply it and prosper!
