The Harvest Ministry Daily Devotion by Greg Laurie from The Harvest Church of Riverside, California, United States for Friday, May 29, 2015 "Your Best for God's Glory"
The LORD was with Joseph, and he was a successful man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian.[Genesis 39:2]
When it looked as though life was over for Joseph, in many ways it was just beginning. His brothers had sold him to slave traders, and as it turned out, those slave traders sold him to a very important person named Potiphar, who was the captain of the guard in Egypt. Potiphar was basically the head of the military police and part of the royal body guard. It was sort of like being the head of the Secret Service of that day. Also, as the chief of the executioners, Potiphar was responsible for the execution of all criminals. He was not a man to mess with.
Potiphar became the owner of Joseph and put him to work, and the Bible tells us that the Lord was with Joseph (see Genesis 39:2). God blessed Joseph because of his hard work, faithfulness, honesty, and integrity, and success followed him like a shadow.
It was almost as though Joseph had a Midas touch. He kept his priorities straight, and whatever Joseph did, he did so well that Potiphar eventually put him in charge of everything. Even Potiphar, who was clearly a nonbeliever, recognized that the Lord was with Joseph.
Joseph's life serves as a reminder that Christians should be the hardest workers and do the best work. Colossians 3:23–24 tells us, "And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ." Whatever you do, do it as though you were doing it for Christ Himself—not for the paycheck, not for the boss, and not even for the promotion.
Here is what I believe: if you will do your best work for God's glory, He will bless you.
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Joseph's life serves as a reminder that Christians should be the hardest workers and do the best work.
Today's Bible Reading
Proverbs 10:1 The proverbs of Shlomo:
A wise son is a joy to his father,
but a foolish son is a grief to his mother.
2 No good comes from ill-gotten wealth,
but righteousness rescues from death.
3 Adonai does not let the righteous go hungry,
but he thwarts the craving of the wicked.
4 Idle hands bring poverty;
diligent hands bring wealth.
5 A sensible person gathers in summer,
but he who sleeps during harvest is an embarrassment.
6 Blessings are for the head of the righteous,
but the speech of the wicked is a cover for violence.
7 The memory of the righteous will be for a blessing,
but the reputation of the wicked will rot.
8 Wise-hearted people take orders,
but a babbling fool will have trouble.
9 He who walks purely walks securely,
but he who walks in crooked ways will be found out.
10 He who winks his eye [instead of rebuking] causes pain,
yet a babbling fool will have trouble.
11 The speech of the righteous is a fountain of life,
but the speech of the wicked is a cover for violence.
12 Hate stirs up disputes,
but love covers all kinds of transgressions.
13 On the lips of the intelligent is found wisdom,
but a stick is in store for the back of a fool.
14 Wise people hide their knowledge,
but when a fool speaks, ruin is imminent.
15 The wealth of the rich is his fortified city;
the ruin of the poor is their poverty.
16 The activity of the righteous is for life;
the income of the wicked is for sin.
17 He who observes discipline is on the way to life;
but he who ignores correction is making a mistake.
18 He who covers up hate has lips that lie,
and anyone who slanders is a fool.
19 When words are many, sin is not lacking;
so he who controls his speech is wise.
20 The tongue of the righteous is like pure silver,
but the mind of the wicked is worth little.
21 The lips of the righteous feed many,
but fools die for lack of sense.
22 The blessing of Adonai is what makes people rich,
and he doesn’t mix sorrow with it.
23 To a fool, vileness is like a game,
as is wisdom to a person of discernment.
24 What a fool dreads will overtake him,
but the righteous will be given his desire.
25 When the storm has passed, the wicked are gone;
but the righteous are firmly established forever.
26 Like vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes
is a lazy person to his employer.
27 The fear of Adonai adds length to life,
but the years of the wicked are cut short.
28 What the righteous hope for will end in joy;
what the wicked expect will come to nothing.
29 The way of Adonai is a stronghold to the upright
but ruin to those who do evil.
30 The righteous will never be moved,
but the wicked will not remain in the land.
31 The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom,
but the perverse tongue will be cut off.
32 The lips of the righteous know what is wanted,
but the mouth of the wicked [knows] deceit.
11:1 False scales are an abomination to Adonai,
but accurate weights please him.
2 First comes pride, then disgrace;
but with the humble is wisdom.
3 The integrity of the upright guides them,
but the duplicity of the treacherous destroys them.
4 On the day of wrath, wealth doesn’t help;
but righteousness rescues from death.
5 The righteousness of the innocent levels their way,
but wickedness of the wicked makes them fall.
6 The righteousness of the upright rescues them,
but the treacherous are trapped by their own intrigues.
7 When a wicked man dies, his hope perishes;
what he hopes for from evil comes to nothing.
8 The righteous is delivered from trouble,
and the wicked comes to take his place.
9 With his mouth the hypocrite can ruin his neighbor,
but by knowledge the righteous are delivered.
10 When the righteous prosper, the city rejoices;
and when the wicked perish, there is joy.
11 By the blessing of the upright, a city is raised up;
but the words of the wicked tear it down.
12 He who belittles another lacks good sense,
whereas a person of discernment stays silent.
13 A gossip goes around revealing secrets,
but a trustworthy person keeps a confidence.
14 Without clever tactics an army is defeated,
and victory comes from much planning.
15 He who guarantees a loan for a stranger will suffer,
but refusing to underwrite is safe.
16 A gracious woman obtains honor;
aggressive men obtain wealth.
17 A man who is kind does himself good,
but the cruel does harm to himself.
18 The profits of the wicked are illusory;
but those who sow righteousness gain a true reward.
19 Genuine righteousness leads to life,
but the pursuer of evil goes to his own death.
20 The crooked-hearted are an abomination to Adonai,
but those sincere in their ways are his delight.
21 Depend on it: the evil will not go unpunished;
but the offspring of the righteous will escape.
22 Like a gold ring in the snout of a pig
is a beautiful woman who lacks good sense.
23 The righteous desire only good,
but what the wicked hope for brings wrath.
24 Some give freely and still get richer,
while others are stingy but grow still poorer.
25 The person who blesses others will prosper;
he who satisfies others will be satisfied himself.
26 The people will curse him who withholds grain;
but if he sells it, blessings will be on his head.
27 He who strives for good obtains favor,
but he who searches for evil — it comes to him!
28 He who trusts in his riches will fall,
but the righteous will flourish like sprouting leaves.
29 Those who trouble their families inherit the wind,
and the fool becomes slave to the wise.
30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life,
and he who is wise wins souls.
31 If the righteous are paid what they deserve here on earth,
how much more the wicked and the sinner!
12:1 He who loves knowledge loves discipline,
but he who hates correction is a boor.
2 A good man obtains Adonai’s favor,
but the schemer his condemnation.
3 No one is made secure by wickedness,
but the roots of the righteous will never be moved.
4 A capable wife is a crown for her husband,
but a shameful one is like rot in his bones.
5 The plans of the righteous are just,
but the schemes of the wicked are deceitful.
6 The words of the wicked are a deadly ambush,
but the speech of the upright rescues them.
7 Once the wicked are down, it’s the end of them;
but the house of the upright endures.
8 A person wins praise in keeping with his common sense,
but a person with a warped mind is treated with contempt.
9 Better to be despised and have a servant
than to boast of one’s status but have nothing to eat.
10 A righteous man takes care of his animal,
but the wicked? Even his compassion is cruel.
11 He who farms his land will have plenty of food,
but he who follows futilities has no sense.
12 The wicked covet the loot of evil men,
but the root of the righteous gives forth of itself.
13 The wicked is trapped by his own sinful speech,
but the righteous finds a way out of trouble.
14 One can be filled with good as the result of one’s words,
and one gets the reward one’s deeds deserve.
15 Fools suppose their way is straight,
but the wise pay attention to advice.
16 A fool’s anger is known at once,
but a cautious person slighted conceals his feelings.
17 He who tells the truth furthers justice,
but a false witness furthers deceit.
18 Idle talk can pierce like a sword,
but the tongue of the wise can heal.
19 Truthful words will stand forever,
lying speech but a moment.
20 Deceit is in the hearts of those who plot evil,
but for those advising peace there is joy.
21 No harm can come to the righteous,
but the wicked are overwhelmed with disaster.
22 Lying lips are an abomination to Adonai,
but those who deal faithfully are his delight.
23 A cautious person conceals knowledge,
but the heart of a fool blurts out folly.
24 The diligent will rule,
while the lazy will be put to forced labor.
25 Anxiety in a person’s heart weighs him down,
but a kind word cheers him up.
26 The righteous guides his friend’s way rightly,
but the way of the wicked will lead them astray.
27 A lazy man doesn’t roast what he hunted;
but when a man is diligent, his wealth is precious.
28 In the road of righteousness is life;
no death is in its pathway.
Romans 10:1 Brothers, my heart’s deepest desire and my prayer to God for Isra’el is for their salvation; 2 for I can testify to their zeal for God. But it is not based on correct understanding; 3 for, since they are unaware of God’s way of making people righteous and instead seek to set up their own, they have not submitted themselves to God’s way of making people righteous. 4 For the goal at which the Torah aims is the Messiah, who offers righteousness to everyone who trusts. 5 For Moshe writes about the righteousness grounded in the Torah that the person who does these things will attain life through them.[a] 6 Moreover, the righteousness grounded in trusting says:
“Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend to heaven?’” —
that is, to bring the Messiah down — 7 or,
“‘Who will descend into Sh’ol?’” —
that is, to bring the Messiah up from the dead. 8 What, then, does it say?
“The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart.”[b] —
that is, the word about trust which we proclaim, namely, 9 that if you acknowledge publicly with your mouth that Yeshua is Lord and trust in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be delivered. 10 For with the heart one goes on trusting and thus continues toward righteousness, while with the mouth one keeps on making public acknowledgement and thus continues toward deliverance. 11 For the passage quoted says that everyone who rests his trust on him will not be humiliated.[c] 12 That means that there is no difference between Jew and Gentile — Adonai is the same for everyone, rich toward everyone who calls on him, 13 since everyone who calls on the name of Adonai will be delivered.[d]
14 But how can they call on someone if they haven’t trusted in him? And how can they trust in someone if they haven’t heard about him? And how can they hear about someone if no one is proclaiming him? 15 And how can people proclaim him unless God sends them? — as the Tanakh puts it, “How beautiful are the feet of those announcing good news about good things!”[e]
16 The problem is that they haven’t all paid attention to the Good News and obeyed it. For Yesha‘yahu says,
“Adonai, who has trusted what he has heard from us?”[f]
17 So trust comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through a word proclaimed about the Messiah.
18 “But, I say, isn’t it rather that they didn’t hear?” No, they did hear —
“Their voice has gone out throughout the whole world
and their words to the ends of the earth.”[g]
19 “But, I say, isn’t it rather that Isra’el didn’t understand?”
“I will provoke you to jealousy over a non-nation,
over a nation void of understanding I will make you angry.”[h]
20 Moreover, Yesha‘yahu boldly says,
“I was found by those who were not looking for me,
I became known to those who did not ask for me”;[i]
21 but to Isra’el he says,
“All day long I held out my hands
to a people who kept disobeying and contradicting.”[j][Footnotes:
Romans 10:5 Leviticus 18:5
Romans 10:8 Deuteronomy 30:11–14
Romans 10:11 Isaiah 28:16
Romans 10:13 Joel 3:5(2:32)
Romans 10:15 Isaiah 52:7
Romans 10:16 Isaiah 53:1
Romans 10:18 Psalm 19:5(4)
Romans 10:19 Deuteronomy 32:21
Romans 10:20 Isaiah 65:1
Romans 10:21 Isaiah 65:2]
Harvest Ministries with Greg LaurieP.O. Box 4000
Riverside, California 92514-4000 United States
Phone: 1-800-821-3300
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