Our Daily Bread -- Whose Will?

If you are unable to see the message below, click here to view.

Whose Will? February 19, 2015

“O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.” —Matthew 26:39 Read: Genesis 39:1-6, 20-23 Bible in a Year: Leviticus 25; Mark 1:23-45 “May all things happen according to your will,” is a greeting frequently exchanged during Chinese New Year. As wonderful as that may sound, events turn out best when God’s will plays out and not mine. Given a choice, Joseph would not have wished to be a slave in Egypt (Gen. 39:1). But despite his captivity, he was “successful” because “the Lord was with [him]” (v.2). The Lord even blessed his master’s home “for Joseph’s sake” (v.5). Joseph would never have chosen to go to prison in Egypt. But he did when falsely accused of sexual assault. However, for the second time we read: “the Lord was with Joseph” (v.21). There, he gained the trust of the warden (v.22) so that “whatever he did, the Lord made it prosper” (v.23). His downward spiral into prison turned out to be the start of his rise to the top position in Egypt. Few people would choose to be promoted the way God promoted Joseph. But Joseph’s God blesses, despite, and even through, adverse circumstances. God had a purpose for bringing Joseph to Egypt, and He has a purpose for placing us where we are. Instead of wishing that all things happened according to our will, we could say, as our Savior did before going to the cross, “Not as I will, but as You will” (Matt. 26:39).—C. P. Hia Lord, it is far too easy to chase my own desires and passions. Forgive me for my selfish wants and pursuit of self-centered activities. Help me to place You first and to look for what You are doing and want to do in my life. Patient waiting is often the highest way of doing God’s will. Share your thoughts on today’s devotional on Facebook or odb.org.

You can make a difference. Even the smallest donation helps reach people around the world with the life-changing wisdom of the Bible. DONATE

Share With Your Friends	Featured Video

Our mission is to make the life-changing wisdom of the Bible understandable and accessible to all. Our vision is to see people of all nations experiencing a personal relationship with Christ, growing to be more like Him, and serving in a local body of His family. To read today's Our Daily Bread online visit www.odb.org. Copyright © 2015, Our Daily Bread Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI 49555 USA. Written permission must be obtained from Our Daily Bread Ministries for any further posting or distribution. Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Unsubscribe