Envied and Rejected
Have you ever felt like everyone has “all the luck,” and you are just “getting by“? You know what I mean, for whatever reason, the Lord just seems to favor some folks more than others. I mean, even my wife has a sign in her office that say, “God loves everybody, but I’m his favorite!” Yeah, it is supposed to be humorous, but some people believe that’s the way our God is.
But here’s the thing, the Bible says that He doesn’t play favorites. When it comes to salvation and all of His promises, He treats everybody the same. however, and here’s the rub, he does indeed put His special favor on those who completely surrender to His calling and yield their lives to him!
Ooh, I just heard some of you cringe at that one. Well, in his time of trial Job said, “You gave me life and mercy. Your watchfulness has preserved my spirit” (Job 10:12). David said: “You bless righteous people, O Yahweh. Like a large shield, you surround them with your favor” (Psalm 5:12).
Now, some of you are going to remind me that sometimes in the Bible we read what people truly said but that what they said, was not true. And I will admit that you are correct. However, our Father in Heaven does put a special garment on those who completely give him their heart. The prophet Isaiah declared: “I will find joy in Yahweh. I will delight in my Elohim. He has dressed me in the clothes of salvation. He has wrapped me in a robe of righteousness” (Isaiah 61:10).
Joseph responded to the Spirit’s call, and surrendered everything, and as a favor from his father he received a distinctive long tunic with sleeves robe that set him apart — in fact, it was a “multicolored robe.” Sounds nice, but that favor of his father cost him a great deal! Among several other things, it cost Joseph his relationship with his brothers; they rejected him, misunderstood him, and made fun of him. In fact, we are told “all his brothers hated him” (Genesis 37:4).
Okay, so why did Joseph’s brothers turn on him? Well, most of us remember why, Joseph seemed to rub in their faces a lot, but I think verse 11 is the key: “Joseph’s brothers were jealous of him.” I suppose in some ways, we can understand it, but when they saw the robe Joseph wore all the time, they knew it showed his favor, his righteousness. They hated it because it reminded them of the Spirit’s call they had rejected! Joseph was proof of their halfhearted lifestyle!
You see, Joseph’s brothers sat around indulging in petty gossip and self-centered talk. Their hearts were real busy with lands, possessions, the future, but Joseph’s was somewhere else. He talked about the things of God; of supernatural times and signs and prophetic things. Yahweh had given him dreams, which in that day was synonymous with hearing the voice of God, and they had never had any dreams like that. What they saw was that Joseph had tapped into to something they may have wanted, but weren’t willing to put the time and effort into it.
You see, lukewarm believers around you will always talk about their cars, their houses, their jobs; all of their investments — all of the things they have gathered and that surround them. But you would rather talk about eternal things, about what God is saying and doing. Well, I can tell you from experience, they will keep doing that, you will become a reproach to their halfhearted religion they seem to prefer. They will envy you because you represent the call of the Holy Spirit they turned down!
Yes, Joseph was of a different cloth and that difference made him hated and envied among his brothers. And my friends, the same is going to happen to you if you are sold out to Jesus! Even Jesus Himself told you, “They will do all this to you because you are committed to me, since they don’t know the one who sent me” (John 15:21)
Nickolas
But here’s the thing, the Bible says that He doesn’t play favorites. When it comes to salvation and all of His promises, He treats everybody the same. however, and here’s the rub, he does indeed put His special favor on those who completely surrender to His calling and yield their lives to him!
Ooh, I just heard some of you cringe at that one. Well, in his time of trial Job said, “You gave me life and mercy. Your watchfulness has preserved my spirit” (Job 10:12). David said: “You bless righteous people, O Yahweh. Like a large shield, you surround them with your favor” (Psalm 5:12).
Now, some of you are going to remind me that sometimes in the Bible we read what people truly said but that what they said, was not true. And I will admit that you are correct. However, our Father in Heaven does put a special garment on those who completely give him their heart. The prophet Isaiah declared: “I will find joy in Yahweh. I will delight in my Elohim. He has dressed me in the clothes of salvation. He has wrapped me in a robe of righteousness” (Isaiah 61:10).
Joseph responded to the Spirit’s call, and surrendered everything, and as a favor from his father he received a distinctive long tunic with sleeves robe that set him apart — in fact, it was a “multicolored robe.” Sounds nice, but that favor of his father cost him a great deal! Among several other things, it cost Joseph his relationship with his brothers; they rejected him, misunderstood him, and made fun of him. In fact, we are told “all his brothers hated him” (Genesis 37:4).
Okay, so why did Joseph’s brothers turn on him? Well, most of us remember why, Joseph seemed to rub in their faces a lot, but I think verse 11 is the key: “Joseph’s brothers were jealous of him.” I suppose in some ways, we can understand it, but when they saw the robe Joseph wore all the time, they knew it showed his favor, his righteousness. They hated it because it reminded them of the Spirit’s call they had rejected! Joseph was proof of their halfhearted lifestyle!
You see, Joseph’s brothers sat around indulging in petty gossip and self-centered talk. Their hearts were real busy with lands, possessions, the future, but Joseph’s was somewhere else. He talked about the things of God; of supernatural times and signs and prophetic things. Yahweh had given him dreams, which in that day was synonymous with hearing the voice of God, and they had never had any dreams like that. What they saw was that Joseph had tapped into to something they may have wanted, but weren’t willing to put the time and effort into it.
You see, lukewarm believers around you will always talk about their cars, their houses, their jobs; all of their investments — all of the things they have gathered and that surround them. But you would rather talk about eternal things, about what God is saying and doing. Well, I can tell you from experience, they will keep doing that, you will become a reproach to their halfhearted religion they seem to prefer. They will envy you because you represent the call of the Holy Spirit they turned down!
Yes, Joseph was of a different cloth and that difference made him hated and envied among his brothers. And my friends, the same is going to happen to you if you are sold out to Jesus! Even Jesus Himself told you, “They will do all this to you because you are committed to me, since they don’t know the one who sent me” (John 15:21)
Nickolas
With these Morning Messages, I take you on guided tours to as Bunyan described, the Celestial City. At times, we linger at corners familiar and unseen. And explore the depths of our faith along the way.
The trail is long, but there’s no hurry. Though we do need to stock up on supplies for the way, and that’s where I need your help. If you enjoy these messages, please consider becoming a contributing member of this tour group. It will be very much appreciated.
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You know, when we have a conflict with someone, we always try to justify our side, and no longer look at them as a person, but only as the object of our anger and hurt. Somehow they have injured our pride or self-esteem. Our expectations or dreams have been disappointed. We lost something very valuable to us, and by golly we want them to pay for what they said/did . . . we tell ourselves, “I’m not going to forgive them because they never accept responsibility for what they did” or “I’m not going to forgive them because I would be a hypocrite because I do not feel like forgiving.”
The resentment is like a cancer that will slowly eat away at you if you continue to refuse to forgive! It will leak out and damage all of your other relationships, because they will get tired of hearing you slander and gossip about that person as you try to draw others to your own side. Oh sure, they shouldn’t listen to your complaints . . . but they do!
If you will let go of that unforgiveness, you will open yourself to His love and acceptance, His grace and compassion. Sure, those things were there already, but you were neglecting them with your unforgiveness. Quit trying to justify your anger. LET IT GO! That is the only way you will find a Victorious Life.
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