DIGGING DEEPER: THE DEVOTIONAL
A Thirty-Day Devotional For Digging Deeper: The Bible Study
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God’s Plan for Your Life
And Joseph’s master took him, and put him into the prison, a place where the king’s prisoners [were] bound: and he was there in the prison. But the Lord was with Joseph, and shewed him mercy, and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison.
—Genesis 39:20–21
When I read these two verses I thought, “Well, if God was with Joseph in prison and showed him favor, why didn’t God just keep him out of jail in the first place?” Reason—God had a plan for Joseph’s life. He was going to use Joseph to save the Jewish people, but before he could use him, Joseph had to learn to trust God. His faith had to be refined and tested so it would remain strong and his endurance would be developed. Joseph spent at least two years in prison for a crime he did not commit. (Read Genesis 39 to understand the reason for his imprisonment.) While Joseph was in prison, the warden put him in charge of all the prisoners. The warden did not have to worry about anything under Joseph’s care because the Lord was with Joseph and whatever he did God made it prosper (Genesis 39:21–23).
Have you ever felt like you were in prison? What was the reason? Was it a financial, emotional, physical, addictive, or another type of prison? Did you feel God’s presence in the midst of your problems? Do you know that God was there with you? Two scriptures promising that God is with us always are Deuteronomy 31:6 and Matthew 28:20b. Read them and meditate on them allowing God’s Word to get into your spirit.
God has a plan for your life. God is not finished with you yet; you have work to do for him. And you, like Joseph, have to be prepared. Your faith has to be tested; your faith has to stay strong through your trials. You have to be able to endure the problems and storms of life that will come your way. You will have storms, and you will have problems—they are part of living in the world. God never promised he would take you out of the troubles, but he did promise that he would be with you in the midst of your trials.
The Bible tells us that if God is for us, who can be against us (Romans 8:31). You can be sure of one thing—God loves you. He called you and will use you. Trust him today as you go forth in his name.
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About the Book
Rev. Florence Lunde contracted polio as a child and consquently is a wheelchair user, giving her a unique perspective on life. In Digging Deeper: The Devotional, she mixes her personal experiences and observations with scripture to present a noteworthy spiritually rich daily devotional.
This thirty-day devotional’s sister book (Digging Deeper:The Bible Study) is a self-reflective, interactive thematic Bible study and meant to be read in conjunction with Digging Deeper: The Devotional. It encourages you to reflect on your Christian walk to develop a closer relationship with Jesus and to apply Bible teachings to everyday life. Each chapter is saturated with Rev. Lunde’s nuggets of insight into how to live the Christian life in spite of seemingly insurmountable hardships. Themes address topics such a fear and worry, God’s presence in time of trouble, and the wisdom of trusting in God.
In Digging Deeper: The Devotional, Rev. Lunde presents the good news of how Jesus changes everything and gives you the ability to carry on through overwhelming challenges and tribulations. Together the two books are a valuable source of encouragement and personal growth for the reader.
About the Author
Rev. Florence Lunde earned a master’s degree in speech-language pathology from New York University and worked twenty-nine years in an inner-city hospital. A graduate of the Berean College, she became an ordained minister in 1982. Lunde studied with the King’s Seminary and received a graduate certificate in Christian ministry. She is the founding pastor and pastor emeritus of His Abundant Love Ministries, a ministry by/with people with physical disabilities. She is also author of God’s Word for You.