On a cold Wednesday night, we are going to have a HOT Bible discussion on Genesis 42, at Harvest Hills Community Church in Clinton! Hope to see you there!

Genesis 42; Joseph’s brothers go to Egypt - 22 two years after selling him!

Let’s read the chapter!

Joseph spoke harshly to his brothers, called them spies, pretended to be a stranger to them, challenged their honesty, wept for them, gave them food, gave their money back, sent them back to their country,  unharmed; What do we learn about Joseph from the things he did?

What are we discovering about his brothers in this chapter?

Comparing verse 18b with 28b, what can we say about Joseph’s and his brother’s relationships with God?

If you were Joseph, how would you have reacted?

Let’s re-read verses 21-22, and Psalm 51:3-4;  ‘For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. 4 Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight; so you are right in your verdict and justified when you judge’. With these verses in mind, let’s talk about guilt & personal responsibility.

Pastor Scott’s article for the paper that he sent out today talked about the things God allowed in his life to lead him to where he is today. In chapters 37-42, we see the things God allowed in Joseph’s life to bring him to this position of leadership in Egypt. How about you? What things has God allowed in your life to bring you to where you are today?

God “broke” Joseph’s brothers by making them go to Egypt for food, God “broke” Joseph by taking him out of comfortable circumstances and stretching him. God often has to “break” us before He can use us.

How has God “broken” you? How did it “strengthen” you?

Are you willing to let God do whatever He needs to in your life to make you usable to Him? If not, why? Be honest with the Lord, and ask Him to make you willing, trusting His loving and sovereign hand in your life.

D.L. Moody commentary: The Holy Spirit is already here. He has not been absent from this earth for 2,000 years; He has been in the church and He is with all believers. So the moment our hearts are emptied of selfishness and ambition and self-seeking and everything that is contrary to God’s law, the Holy Spirit will come and fill every corner of our hearts; but if we are full of pride and conceit, ambition and self-seeking, pleasure and the world, there is no room for the Spirit of God. Many Christians are praying to God to fill them when they are full already with something else. Before we pray that God would fill us with the Holy Spirit, we ought to pray that He would empty us. There must be an emptying before there can be a filling.

SPECS on Bible study
S - sin to confess and stop

P - promise to have or keep

E - example to follow

C - command to do or obey

S - stumbling block or problem to avoid or go around