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From Prison to Palace - The Book of Genesis · Bible in a Year with Jack Graham

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  Speaker 1: Let us pray. And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, It is
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  Speaker 1: not in me. God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace.
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  Speaker 1: Genesis 41.16 Dear God, through today's reading in Genesis 41,
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  Speaker 1: I thank you that you've given me the keys to
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  Speaker 1: any prison cell I find myself in. Through the keys
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  Speaker 1: of obedience, I thank you that when I use my gifts,
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  Speaker 1: my promotion is within reach. Thank you that, like Joseph,
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  Speaker 1: you're putting me in front of powerful people so that
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  Speaker 1: through your power and ability, I can be used as
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  Speaker 1: a vessel of solutions. I confess that my life will
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  Speaker 1: be a walking billboard for your goodness and faithfulness. As
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  Speaker 1: I reflect on the many times you've come through for me,
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  Speaker 1: I thank you for expanding my future and putting my
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  Speaker 1: life on the fast track. I thank you that all
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  Speaker 1: red tape is being cut when it comes to my destiny.
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  Speaker 1: I declare that open seats of influence are mine because
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  Speaker 1: I choose to honor you in every victory. So I
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  Speaker 1: thank you in advance for promotion, for I know that
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  Speaker 1: my promotion only comes from the Lord. Thank you that
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  Speaker 1: in a moment you take me from prison to a palace.
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  Speaker 1: In Jesus' name, amen. Thank you for praying with me today.
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  Speaker 1: Continue listening for an incredible Bible story brought to you
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  Speaker 1: by BibleInAYear.com.
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  Speaker 2: From Prison to Palace Before this story, we learned about
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  Speaker 2: Joseph's faithfulness in prison. His gifts for interpreting dreams was
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  Speaker 2: shown to Pharaoh's cupbearer and baker in the prison. He
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  Speaker 2: showed them kindness and interpreted their dreams. The cupbearer was
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  Speaker 2: restored to his position with Pharaoh, but the baker was hanged.
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  Speaker 2: The cupbearer forgot Joseph's kindness, and Joseph continued as a prisoner.
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  Speaker 2: Now we learn about Joseph finally being brought out of
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  Speaker 2: prison to help Pharaoh and Joseph's ascent to power, inspired
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  Speaker 2: by the book of Genesis.
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  Speaker 3: Hello, I'm Jack Graham with today's episode of the Bible
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  Speaker 3: in a Year podcast. In our last time together, we
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  Speaker 3: heard that Joseph interpreted dreams for two fellow prisoners, and
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  Speaker 3: both interpretations happened just as Joseph said. Though one of
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  Speaker 3: the men was hanged, just as Joseph foretold, the cupbearer
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  Speaker 3: was released and returned to the palace near to Pharaoh.
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  Speaker 3: Though the man promised to remember Joseph and help him
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  Speaker 3: once he was freed, this cupbearer soon forgot about that
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  Speaker 3: promise and Joseph remained in prison. So today we're going
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  Speaker 3: to pick up with Joseph after two more years had
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  Speaker 3: passed as he is imprisoned. He continued to pray to
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  Speaker 3: God each day and to trust in God for his
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  Speaker 3: situation to change. that the time would soon be right.
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  Speaker 3: And yes, God is about to make it happen. This
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  Speaker 3: is what we'll hear today as the Pharaoh is plagued
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  Speaker 3: with a fearful and confusing dream that would rob him
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  Speaker 3: of peace. Listen as Joseph once again turns focus to
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  Speaker 3: the place where it needs to be and see how
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  Speaker 3: God blesses his faithful obedience, perseverance, and faith. Listen now
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  Speaker 3: to find out what happens.
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  Speaker 2: Two whole years had passed. and Joseph continued to faithfully
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  Speaker 2: serve in the prison. That night he prayed to God again,
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  Speaker 2: hoping one day he would be delivered. Miles away, in
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  Speaker 2: the dead of night, Pharaoh writhed in his bed. His
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  Speaker 2: eyes could be seen moving beneath his eyelids, and beads
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  Speaker 2: of sweat dripped from his furrowed brow. Vivid images splashed
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  Speaker 2: around his mind. He dreamed he was standing beside the
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  Speaker 2: Nile River. Out of the water climbed out Seven cows, attractive, plump,
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  Speaker 2: and well-fed. Coming from behind them, seven sickly and ghastly
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  Speaker 2: cows emerged, crawling out from the river. Pharaoh watched as
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  Speaker 2: the seven sickly cows violently devoured the healthy cows. The
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  Speaker 2: Nile filled with blood, and Pharaoh awoke screaming. Pharaoh sat
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  Speaker 2: up in his bed. His short breaths could be heard
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  Speaker 2: cutting through the silence like a razor blade. He calmed
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  Speaker 2: himself and slowly drifted back to sleep. Pharaoh found himself
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  Speaker 2: immersed in a dream once again. Only this time, he
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  Speaker 2: was by an empty field. Brilliantly, seven ears of grain
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  Speaker 2: sprouted from the ground and shot into the sky. The
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  Speaker 2: grain was healthy and ripe. Pharaoh was enraptured by the
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  Speaker 2: grain's beauty when all of the sudden, seven more ears
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  Speaker 2: of blighted grain sprang up like weeds, choking out the
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  Speaker 2: healthy grain's The east wind blew as a tempest, and
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  Speaker 2: the hot air brought Pharaoh to his knees. He awoke
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  Speaker 2: in another panic. In the morning, he called all the
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  Speaker 2: magicians and wise men of Egypt to interrupt his dream.
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  Speaker 2: Yet they tried and failed. Pharaoh continued to be tormented
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  Speaker 2: by what he had seen, not sure why his heart
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  Speaker 2: and mind was consumed by fear. The chief cupbearer saw
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  Speaker 2: Pharaoh's troubled spirit, and it reminded him of the time
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  Speaker 2: he once was troubled with dreams. As he remembered this,
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  Speaker 2: his eyes widened and he gasped, saying, Today I finally
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  Speaker 2: remember my offenses. He turned to Pharaoh and said, When
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  Speaker 2: I was in prison with the baker, we both had
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  Speaker 2: dreams that concerned us. A young Hebrew was there serving,
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  Speaker 2: and he gave us each an interpretation that came true.
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  Speaker 2: Pharaoh sent and called Joseph. and they quickly brought him
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  Speaker 2: out of the pit. Joseph was shaved and given new
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  Speaker 2: clothes before being sent to Pharaoh. Joseph entered the palace doors,
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  Speaker 2: striding with the guards. The palace was more beautiful than
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  Speaker 2: he could ever have imagined. The halls were adorned with jewels,
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  Speaker 2: and the floors hewn from marble and alabaster. Ivory beams
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  Speaker 2: held up the ceiling, and in the center, sitting atop
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  Speaker 2: his throne, stood the most powerful man in the known world.
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  Speaker 2: I have heard you can hear dreams and give their meaning,
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  Speaker 2: he said. His voice was deep, exuding power and nobility.
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  Speaker 3: In each breath.
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  Speaker 2: Yet behind the powerful voice Joseph could sense fear. He
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  Speaker 2: had compassion on Pharaoh. It is not me. Dreams belong
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  Speaker 2: to God alone. He will give Pharaoh an answer, Joseph said.
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  Speaker 2: Pharaoh recounted his dreams to Joseph. Every detail and image
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  Speaker 2: was given to him. After he was finished speaking, Joseph
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  Speaker 2: sat silent for a moment. He looked up to the
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  Speaker 2: king and spoke with confidence. Your dreams are one, Joseph said.
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  Speaker 2: God has revealed to you his plans. The seven good
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  Speaker 2: cows and the seven good ears of grain represent seven
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  Speaker 2: years of great plenty and flourishing. The seven ugly cows
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  Speaker 2: and blighted grain represent seven years of famine that will follow.
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  Speaker 2: The famine will wreak havoc and destruction immediately. If we
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  Speaker 2: are not prepared, it will consume the land. The news
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  Speaker 2: troubled Pharaoh, yet he remained silent. He looked at Joseph
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  Speaker 2: with concern beaming from his eyes. Joseph sensed this and
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  Speaker 2: spoke again with confidence. You should select a wise man
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  Speaker 2: among you to take care of the land. Appoint overseers
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  Speaker 2: and take one-fifth of the produce you gained during the
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  Speaker 2: seven good years. Store the grain and save it. Then,
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  Speaker 2: when the famine comes... You will have reserves for your land,
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  Speaker 2: so nobody perishes. Pharaoh's once exhausted face turned bright with hope.
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  Speaker 2: He stepped down from his throne to stand before Joseph.
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  Speaker 2: He was taller than he had imagined. He looked around
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  Speaker 2: the room to his advisors and said, Can we find
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  Speaker 2: a man like this who has the Spirit of God?
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  Speaker 2: He smiled and looked at Joseph. Since your God has
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  Speaker 2: shown you all this, there is no one else better
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  Speaker 2: fit for the job. You shall be head over all
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  Speaker 2: my people, and they will all obey your command. Other
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  Speaker 2: than me, nobody will be greater. Listen and look. I
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  Speaker 2: have set you as head over all Egypt. Then Pharaoh
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  Speaker 2: took his signet ring and put it on Joseph's hand
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  Speaker 2: and clothed him in garments of fine linen and put
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  Speaker 2: a gold chain about his neck. Joseph was reminded of
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  Speaker 2: the robe his father once gave him. Pharaoh went into
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  Speaker 2: the city with Joseph, having him ride his second chariot.
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  Speaker 2: As they passed through the city, people cried out, Bow
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  Speaker 2: and kneel! Pharaoh smiled and said to Joseph, No one
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  Speaker 2: shall move without your consent. You are their leader. And
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  Speaker 2: Pharaoh renamed him Zaphonath-Paneah. And he gave him in marriage Asenath,
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  Speaker 2: the daughter of Potipharah, priest of On. Joseph once again
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  Speaker 2: found himself lifted from a pit into the blessings of God.
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  Speaker 2: Joseph ruled the land with the same care as Potiphar's
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  Speaker 2: house in the prison. Favor followed Joseph, and the entire
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  Speaker 2: country of Egypt was grateful for him. Joseph, a young
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  Speaker 2: man once rejected by his own brothers, found himself beloved
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  Speaker 2: by an entire nation.
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  Speaker 3: Day after day, Joseph prays that he would be delivered
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  Speaker 3: from prison. And even after praying for two years, he
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  Speaker 3: does not give up hope. He continued to faithfully serve
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  Speaker 3: God in the prison and those in the prison, giving
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  Speaker 3: comfort to prisoners who would cross paths with him. He had,
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  Speaker 3: as the scripture says, a most excellent spirit. So Joseph
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  Speaker 3: is doing enthusiastically what he was assigned to do. And
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  Speaker 3: he pointed people to his ever faithful God, the one
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  Speaker 3: true God of Abraham and Isaac and his father Jacob.
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  Speaker 3: Then suddenly the winds of change blow. As Pharaoh lies
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  Speaker 3: in bed, he dreams a dream that greatly disturbs him,
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  Speaker 3: a terrible dream. Dreams of good and bad cows and grain,
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  Speaker 3: each in groups of seven, half good followed by half bad.
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  Speaker 3: Now Pharaoh himself considered himself a god, was worshipped as
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  Speaker 3: a god on earth, but he nor his magicians and
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  Speaker 3: wise men could make heads or tails of these crazy visions.
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  Speaker 3: It's no surprise that when the Pharaoh is troubled, all
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  Speaker 3: the palace is upset. And so word reaches the cupbearer,
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  Speaker 3: the same man who forgot about Joseph two years ago
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  Speaker 3: after Joseph helped to get him out of prison by
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  Speaker 3: interpreting his dream. But then the man remembers, the cupbearer
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  Speaker 3: remembers that he has forgotten Joseph. So he tells Pharaoh
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  Speaker 3: his story, crediting Joseph for his ability to interpret difficult dreams.
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  Speaker 3: So Joseph is then called by Pharaoh, and Pharaoh wants
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  Speaker 3: to know what Joseph thinks about his dreams. Joseph, just
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  Speaker 3: as he did previously, does not take credit for himself. Instead,
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  Speaker 3: he says it is God, the one true God, who
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  Speaker 3: can give Pharaoh the answer that he's looking for. And
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  Speaker 3: here's the meaning of the dream. Egypt will experience seven
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  Speaker 3: years of abundance and then seven years of famine. Now,
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  Speaker 3: this is heavy and hurtful news, and Pharaoh is unsure
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  Speaker 3: as to what he is to do. But Joseph, still
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  Speaker 3: empowered with the wisdom of God, He keeps telling Pharaoh
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  Speaker 3: what he needs to do to prepare for a coming famine.
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  Speaker 3: He is so thorough in his plan given to him
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  Speaker 3: by God that Pharaoh puts him in charge of enacting it.
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  Speaker 3: So now Joseph has moved from the prison to the palace.
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  Speaker 3: In an instant, Joseph finds the freedom for which he
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  Speaker 3: has prayed and trusted God for so long. Not just
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  Speaker 3: the freedom of of being the second highest position in
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  Speaker 3: all of Egypt, for he was actually named the prime minister.
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  Speaker 3: Joseph has now moved by God's grace and power from
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  Speaker 3: the prison to the palace. Isn't that the way with
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  Speaker 3: you and me so many times? When we hold fast
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  Speaker 3: to God's promises and wait patiently for him, then he
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  Speaker 3: does things in our lives beyond what we could have expected.
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  Speaker 3: He does them suddenly, often, and we are in a
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  Speaker 3: place that we had prayed for all along. Joseph is
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  Speaker 3: no longer a prisoner. He is the prime minister of Egypt.
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  Speaker 3: He is a man who in all of Egypt, the
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  Speaker 3: Egyptians respected and obeyed him. Other than Pharaoh himself, there
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  Speaker 3: was no one more powerful than this Hebrew man, Joseph.
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  Speaker 3: He's now 30 years of age, and he realizes that
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  Speaker 3: God has delivered him and fulfilled the dreams of his heart. Still,
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  Speaker 3: Joseph does not forget that the real power lies with God,
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  Speaker 3: the God that he serves, the God who is with
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  Speaker 3: him in the pit, when his brothers betrayed him, the
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  Speaker 3: God who was with him in Potiphar's house when Potiphar's
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  Speaker 3: wife falsely accused him, the God who was with him
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  Speaker 3: in prison, and now the God who is with him
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  Speaker 3: in the palace. It's truly one of the great comeback stories,
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  Speaker 3: great stories of the Bible. So the question is, now
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  Speaker 3: that he is in the palace, will he serve God?
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  Speaker 3: Will he continue to be God's man in Egypt? And
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  Speaker 3: will he bring about not only the rescue of Egypt
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  Speaker 3: from a famine, but will he be faithful to his God?
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  Speaker 3: And what to do about those brothers who more than
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  Speaker 3: a decade ago conspired to hurt him, to harm him,
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  Speaker 3: and even to kill him. We're going to find out
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  Speaker 3: what happens with those brothers in the next episode. Dear God,
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  Speaker 3: like Joseph, we pray that we will wait patiently for
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  Speaker 3: you in our circumstances, knowing that sometimes you're not trying
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  Speaker 3: to change our circumstances, but you're changing us. Thank you for,
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  Speaker 3: in your own time, in your own way, fulfilling your
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  Speaker 3: purpose and plan for our lives. Knowing that suddenly, in
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  Speaker 3: your timing, in your perfect plan, your story and our
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  Speaker 3: lives will be fulfilled. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
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  Speaker 3: Thank you for listening to today's Bible in a Year podcast.
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  Speaker 3: I'm Pastor Jack Graham from Dallas, Texas. Download the Pray.com
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• 15:16
  Speaker 3: how to discover God's perfect plan and power for your life,
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  Speaker 3: be sure to visit jackgraham.org. This episode is sponsored by MediShare,
• 15:30
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• 15:37
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