Our focus is on Joseph, a figure whose life story offers profound lessons on joy and resilience. Joseph’s journey is marked by betrayal, injustice, and hardship, yet he consistently chooses to rise above his circumstances with a heart full of hope and joy.

The Story of Joseph: A Snapshot

Joseph, the favored son of Jacob, found himself at the center of his brothers’ envy and resentment. They sold him into slavery, and he was taken to Egypt, where he began as a household servant in the house of Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh. Despite the grave injustice he faced, Joseph chose to maintain his integrity and work diligently. Genesis 39:2-3 tells us, “The Lord was with Joseph, so he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master. When his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord gave him success in everything he did, Joseph found favor in his eyes.”

However, Joseph’s commitment to integrity led to further trials. He was falsely accused and imprisoned. Yet, even in the confines of prison, Joseph did not succumb to bitterness. Instead, he chose to serve others and use his gifts to interpret dreams, which eventually brought him before Pharaoh.

Choosing Joy in Adversity

Joseph’s story is not just about enduring hardship but about how he chose to live with a joyful heart and a positive attitude despite it. His actions and attitude reflect a deep-seated trust in God’s plan and purpose for his life.

In Genesis 41:46-49, after interpreting Pharaoh’s dream, Joseph is appointed as the second-in-command in Egypt. He successfully manages the country’s resources during a time of severe famine. Through his wisdom and leadership, Joseph not only saves Egypt but also reunites with his family. When he finally reveals his identity to his brothers, he says in Genesis 45:5, “And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you.”

Lessons from Joseph’s Joyful Choice

Perspective Shapes Joy

Joseph’s choice to view his suffering as part of a larger plan enabled him to remain hopeful and joyful. By seeing his trials through the lens of God’s purpose, he was able to maintain a positive outlook.

Service Brings Joy

Even when Joseph was in prison, he used his gifts to help others, which in turn helped him find favor. Serving others can be a pathway to finding joy even in difficult times.

Trust in God’s Timing

Joseph’s story teaches us that joy can come from trusting God’s timing. His journey was long and arduous, but it led to a position of influence where he could be a blessing to many.

Reflection and Application

As you reflect on Joseph’s story, consider how you can choose to embrace joy in your own life, especially during difficult times. Think about how shifting your perspective to align with God’s purpose can change how you experience adversity.

Ask yourself:

• What current challenges am I facing, and how can I view them through a lens of faith and purpose?
• How can I use my talents and resources to serve others, even when it feels difficult?
• In what ways can I trust God’s timing and plan, knowing that He is working through my struggles for a greater good?

Choosing to be happy, like Joseph did, is a powerful act of faith and resilience. It reflects a deep trust in God’s goodness and a commitment to living out His purpose for our lives.

Prayer

Lord, thank You for the example of Joseph and his unwavering joy despite adversity. Help me to adopt a similar perspective in my own life. Grant me the strength to trust in Your plan, the courage to serve others, and the wisdom to see Your hand in all circumstances. Fill my heart with Your joy and peace, that I may shine as a light in the midst of trials. Amen.

Partnering Together,

Shahna Clark 

Principal, Advent Elementary and Middle School

Morning Advent Family, 

In our final installment of “Faith over Fear”, a walk through Matthew 14:1-29, we move from Jesus’ feeding of the 5000 to His miraculous miracle of walking on water and how we can learn from this how to choose faith over fear.

 Choosing Faith Over Fear (Matthew 14:27-29)

27 But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” 28 “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” 29 “Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus.

When the disciples saw Jesus walking on water, they were terrified. But Jesus immediately spoke to them, saying, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” Peter’s response was a mixture of faith and fear. He stepped out of the boat but began to sink when he took his eyes off Jesus. When we step out of the boat in our lives to follow Jesus’ call, we can learn from Peter to keep our eyes on him.  There will be waves, squalls, splashes that will try to distract us and divert our gaze from Him, but if we can keep our eyes on Him, we will not be deterred.  When we do, he will be there to catch us.  This moment illustrates the struggle between faith and fear, but also how Jesus is always there to catch us.

This brings us to ask ourselves, where in your life are you struggling between faith and fear? Jesus is calling you to step out in faith, even when the circumstances seem impossible. Keep your eyes on Him, and He will keep you from sinking. “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7).

Lord Jesus, help us to choose faith over fear. When we face challenges that seem overwhelming, remind us that You are with us, guiding us, and keeping us from sinking. Strengthen our faith and help us to keep our eyes on You. In Jesus name, Amen.

And remember Jesus loves you and so do I.

Pastor Will

Hey Advent Family,

Let’s continue along with our breakdown of Matthew 14:1-29 as we see what Jesus actually does with the little we have to offer him!  

The Miracle of Multiplication (Matthew 14:19-21)

19 And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. 20 They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. 21 The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children.

Jesus took the five loaves and two fish, looked up to heaven, blessed them, and broke them. The result was the miraculous feeding of five thousand men, besides women and children. This miracle teaches us about God’s abundant provision and the principle that when we give what we have to God, He can do exceedingly more than we can imagine. The disciples brought these five loaves and two fish after Jesus asked them to accomplish something that they could not possibly do on their own.  Jesus was showing them and showing us that sometimes He will ask us to do things for Him that will require us to realize that it will be impossible for multiplication to happen without our faith in Him, and going to Him to do it for us. 

Are there any areas in your life where you need God’s multiplication? It might be in your finances, time, or relationships. Trust that when you surrender these areas to God, He will bless and multiply them. “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us” (Ephesians 3:20).

Heavenly Father, thank You for Your abundant provision. Let us surrender our resources, time, and talents to You. Multiply them for Your purposes and for the blessing of others. In Jesus name, Amen.

And remember Jesus loves you and so do I.

Pastor Will

Morning Advent Family,

As we continue our walk-through Matthew 14:1-29, the next thing to consider is trusting in God’s provision as we chose to live our lives in Faith over Fear. 

Trusting in God’s Provision (Matthew 14:15-18)

15 As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.” 16 Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.” 17 “We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered. 18 “Bring them here to me,” he said.

As the day grew late and the crowd became hungry, the disciples wanted to send them away to find food. But Jesus told them, “You give them something to eat.” They saw only five loaves and two fish, yet Jesus saw a potential for a miracle. This moment teaches us that what we see as insufficient, God sees as an opportunity to display His power. Jesus showed his disciples and is showing us that he can take what’s little and make much of it! 

What resources or abilities do you feel are insufficient in your life? Offer them to God, trusting that He can multiply them beyond your expectations. “And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19).

Lord, help us to trust You with the little that I have. We know that in Your hands, it is more than enough. Multiply our resources and our efforts for Your glory and the good of others. In Jesus name, Amen.

And remember Jesus loves you and so do I

Pastor Will

After hearing about the death of his cousin, John the Baptist, Matthew tells us that Jesus withdrew to a solitary place, likely to grieve and pray. Jesus is fully human and fully God, and it shows us that he experienced times of sorrow and hurt just like us. Yet, when the crowds followed Him, He was moved with compassion and healed their sick. Jesus didn’t let His grief prevent Him from ministering to others. His compassion was active, even in His own time of need.

Compassion often requires us to step out of our comfort zones and respond to the needs of others, even when or if we are hurting. Ask yourself, how you can show compassion to those around you, especially in difficult times.  Always remembering that The Lord is always compassionate towards us.  “The Lord is gracious and full of compassion, slow to anger and great in mercy” (Psalm 145:8).

Say this prayer with me, Father, thank You for Your compassion towards me. Help me to extend that same compassion to others, even when I am going through difficult times. Use me as Your vessel of love and healing. In Jesus name, Amen.

And remember Jesus Loves you and so do I.

Pastor Will

This week our devotions are going to focus on living lives driven by faith and not fear, a series of devotionals I would like to call “Faith Over Fear”,  looking at Matthew 14:1-29 we will break down this passage of scripture daily and walk-through understanding what it looks like to live life from a fear-based reaction, and what it looks like to live life from a faith-based reaction and trusting in God’s provision along the way.  

The Power of Fear (Mathew 14:1-5)

14  1 At that time Herod the tetrarch heard the reports about Jesus, 2 and he said to his attendants, “This is John the Baptist; he has risen from the dead! That is why miraculous powers are at work in him.” 3 Now Herod had arrested John and bound him and put him in prison because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, 4 for John had been saying to him: “It is not lawful for you to have her.” 5 Herod wanted to kill John, but he was afraid of the people, because they considered John a prophet.

In this passage, we see Herod gripped by fear when he hears about the works of Jesus. His fear is not just about the physical threat but also about the truth that John the Baptist had spoken to him. Fear, when left unchecked, can lead us to make destructive decisions, just as it did for Herod. Fear of the truth, fear of loss, and fear of others’ opinions can drive us away from God and toward actions we later regret.

Have you ever allowed fear to influence your decisions? Are you allowing fear to dictate your actions, or are you choosing to trust God? Remember, “The fear of man brings a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord shall be safe” (Proverbs 29:25).

I pray that the Lord would help us to recognize the fears in our lives and bring them to Him. That he would give us the courage to face them with faith, knowing that he is with us.  May His truth guide our actions and not the fear of what others think or what might happen.

And Remember Jesus Love you and so do I.

Pastor Will

Do you have something in your life that is set-apart? Maybe a favorite song, shirt, dress, or a restaurant?

This morning I started reading the story of Abraham and how God called him out from the land of Ur to the land of Canaan. That must have been tough, leaving his friends, family, culture, and everything behind. I am sure you are asking, “why would God do that to Abraham?” Well, I believe that Abraham was set-apart, God had a special purpose for his people and he didn’t want to use anyone other than Abraham for this purpose.

But the word that describes Abraham is the word faith. It took faith for him to leave his life behind, to step into a new season, and worship the Lord when circumstances were tough. But the thing we can learn besides faith is that if you are set-apart, you are going to be going through a lot of change.

I believe as Christians, each and every one of us is set-apart, special, unique, and called to play a role in God’s kingdom just like Abraham. But because you are set-apart, God will call you into new things, areas, jobs, people, and circumstances because nothing increases our faith and dependence on the Lord more than change. Change can cripple us, make us vulnerable, and timid, but what God desires to build in us is the willingness to take the step of faith, especially when you are scared.

Change can be scary, but as Christians, we can understand that there is no strength without strain. Change empowers development, knowledge, experience, patience, and empathy towards others. It builds reliance upon the truth of God’s promises rather than the noise of doubts in this world.

Today, I encourage you to not see change as a bad thing, but a necessary thing. You can be filled with joy in knowing that we have a God who goes with us. We can rejoice that our circumstances are shaping us into who God has called us to be.

“The seasons change and you change, but the Lord abides evermore the same, and the streams of His love are as deep, as broad and as full as ever.” – Charles Spurgeon

Pastor Chance

Discipline is often seen in a negative light, but in God’s kingdom, it’s a sign of His love for us. Just as a loving parent corrects their child to guide them on the right path, God disciplines us to shape our character and bring us closer to Him. It’s a process of growth that, while sometimes painful, is ultimately for our good.

When we face God’s discipline, it’s easy to feel discouraged or even resentful. We might think, “Why is this happening to me?” or “God must be punishing me.” or “Oh well, I can’t help it. I prayed about it, it still didn’t turn out right I’m done trying.” Imagine if we had this attitude about anything else in life. It’s important to remember that God’s discipline is not about punishment but about transformation. It’s His way of refining us, helping us to let go of our old stubborn ways and embrace a new life in Christ.

Consider the story of Peter. He was a passionate follower of Jesus, but he often acted impulsively and made mistakes. When Peter denied Jesus three times, it was a moment of deep failure. Yet, Jesus didn’t abandon him. Instead, He lovingly restored Peter, guiding him through his mistakes and strengthening his faith. Peter’s experience of discipline and restoration prepared him to become a bold leader in the early church.

“God does not discipline us to subdue us but to condition us for a life of usefulness and blessedness. In His wisdom, He knows that an uncontrolled life is an unhappy life, so He puts reins on our wayward souls that they may be directed into the paths of righteousness.” – Billy Graham

Pastor Chance