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 You
Can Make a Difference |
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Learn
More About Joseph, His Trust in God, and His Journey
to Greatness |
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Read
the Incredible Story of Joseph |
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A
new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another;
as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples,
if ye have love one to another. John 13:34-35
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YOU
CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE |
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Just as Joseph made a difference, you
can make a difference in your life, family, school,
church, community, and world! The world needs
you -- your ideas, your compassion, and your spiritual
outlook. And, it's never too late to start contributing.
The best gifts are those from the heart.
When Joseph was a teenager, he had dreams which told
him that he would be great, that his brothers would
bow down to him. Rather than keep that information
to himself, he shared his dreams with his brothers.
Bragging about such a thing was not a smart idea,
especially since his brothers were already jealous
of the fact that their father, Jacob, favored Joseph.
Rather than killing him, as they originally wanted
to do, Joseph's brothers threw him into a pit and
sold him into slavery. Out of this pit, Joseph eventually
rose to rule and save nations.
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| 1. |
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Joseph
set high standards. He had a strong work ethic
and high sense of integrity. |
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- He rose in his master's house; he was successful
because the "Lord was with him"
(Gen. 39:3).
- He refused to sleep with his master's wife
(Gen. 39: 6-16).
You can set high standards for yourself.
- Set a high goal for yourself in school,
sports, or artistic endeavors. Write down
the specific things you are going to do to
achieve this goal. Do them. It may take more
effort than expected, but the results are
worth it.
- Take a stand for morals and ethics. You
don't have to yield to peer pressure or to
the desire for instant gratification. Refuse
to be tempted to cheat, have sex out of wedlock,
do drugs, drink, or smoke. (Sexual morality
is discussed in this month's Hot
Topic.)
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| 2. |
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Joseph
made the best of horrible situations. |
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- After being sold into slavery (Gen. 37:
18-29), Joseph served his master, Potiphar,
to the best of his ability and ended up being
in charge of everything in his master's house
(Gen. 39:1-6).
- Potiphar's wife had Joseph thrown into prison
because he would not sleep with her. She told
her husband that Joseph tried to take advantage
of her. In prison, Joseph turned to God and
was put into a position of power (Gen 39:16-23).
- Because he refused to let his worsening
circumstances keep him from listening to and
trusting in God, Joseph was able to interpret
dreams. This ability eventually led to his
release from prison and his promotion to second-in-command
of all Egypt (Gen. 40 - 41).
You can make the best of a situation that
is bothering you.
- First of all, list everything for which
you are grateful.
- Next, write down what you either are learning
or could learn from the situation. See how
it could help you grow.
- Then, refuse to complain. Rather, rejoice
that God is taking care of you.
- And last, trust in God.
If you do these things, if you appreciate all
that is good, the situation will change or you
will be lifted out of it.
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Joseph
saved nations. |
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- Joseph's ability to understand God's messages
enabled him to interpret Pharoah's two dreams
that indicated there would be 7 years of plenty
followed by 7 years of famine (Gen. 41:15-36).
- As a result of his intuition, Pharaoh elevated
him to second-in-command and told Joseph that
he would be in charge of his people (Gen.
41:37-46).
- Joseph then orchestrated how the food was
to be gathered, saved, and distributed. When
the famine hit, Joseph's massive preparations
kept the Egyptians, the neighboring countries,
and the Israelites from starving.
- Joseph's work saved his own people and brought
them to Egypt.
You can make a difference in the lives of
those who are victims of war, poverty, or abuse
in your community, our nation, and the world.
- Organize a clothing and toy drive, a bake-sale,
or an auction to raise money and provide goods
for children who have lost parents and families
who have lost loved ones from the recent war.
- Contact your local churches, shelters, or
even the Red Cross to see how you can help
people in need. There are several organizations
listed on the web that provide support. You
can also just Ask Jeeves.
Your contribution will do more good and mean
more than you can ever know.
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--MFE |
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