Pseudo Proofs

Week 3 Day 1

Genesis 37-38; Luke 15

Genesis 37:19-20, 23
¹⁹ "Here comes that dreamer!" they said to each other. ²⁰ "Come now, let's kill him and throw him into one of these cisterns and say that a ferocious animal devoured him. Then we'll see what comes of his dreams."
 ²³ So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe—the richly ornamented robe he was wearing- ²⁴ and they took him and threw him into the cistern. Now the cistern was empty; there was no water in it.  
³⁴ Then Jacob tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and mourned for his son many days. ³⁵ All his sons and daughters came to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted. "No," he said, "in mourning will I go down to the grave to my son." So his father wept for him. 

// THOUGHTS:

For the sake of jealousy, self-fulfillment, pre-judgment, and selfishness Joseph's brothers caused distortion in Jacobs' family:

_Joseph thrown into the cistern (physically hurt)
_Joseph stripped off of what he had (the colorful coat given by his father, physically removed from the family forcefully)
_Jacob's mourning

All these selfish things went a long way all because they (the brothers, except Reuben towards the end) gave in to their personal wrong motives. All these happened because they were jealous and pre-judged Joseph for everything he's said with his dream and it was also "backed-up" with Jacob's favorable actions towards Joseph (ie. the coat).  It started as a plan - they (the brothers) talked about it - they had a company of those who agreed on the plot so it succeeded.  Noticing the jealousy grew because of wrong assumptions (pre-judgment with pseudo proofs - creating bad meaning to what was evident seen with their eyes).  That jealousy grew because they fed it with lots of things to the point of just wanting Joseph killed.  Joseph, on the other hand, had pure motives.. just being obedient to his father and receiving any gifts his father had given to him with full joy and appreciation. 

Are sometimes becoming Israel's sons - jealous, pre-judging, and plotting evil with our brothers and sisters who are seemingly doing something bad against us?  The main lesson here is that, jealousy is caused by some pre-judgments, ingratitude, making it grow by finding company with others who may "sympathize", etc.  As children of God, we are not called to do these acts anymore.  When these things sometimes attack us, we ought to stop it by the power of the Holy Spirit.  God has given us the power and ability to fight the powers of the enemy; even the ones that spring forth from our old self. 

// BELLE:

Yes, I can do this!  My old self has a lot of inclinations to jealousy, pre-judgment, plotting distrustful act towards some people who may "seemingly" be doing things against me.  It could be that it's just my pre-judgment and what I see and observe are pseudo proofs that somehow could support my pre-judgment.  By the power of the Holy Spirit, I must not judge.  Love does not envy (1 Cor 13).  If I were to act in complete true agape love, then I must dislodge any form of jealousy, pre-judgment and plots of distrustful acts as a result of these jealousy and perhaps, rage. 

Turn to the Word immediately.  Kill the evil within.  Love others, yes, even your enemies!


// LORD, please forgive me!  Thank you for Your truths that always direct me to what I need to hear at the right time.  Please help me to continually yield to You.  Forgive me for having pre-judgments, being jealous, and plotting some sort of distrustful acts towards some people.  In the name of Jesus, I pray that You will help me to change and to abide in Your power at all times.  Thank you for Your righteous hand that led me to the paths of righteousness when these attacks happen.  I know You are shaping me and I just pray that You will exude out in the way I live my life.  I just offer my life to You, in Jesus' name, amen.