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January 10, 2010

BETRAYAL – LOYALTY
Genesis 39

GETTING TO KNOW YOU….

1. The cold weather has been miserable the past week. What has been the hardest thing for you to deal with because of the weather during the past week.

2. Pastor Dave talked about the loyalty of Joseph to God, to his owner/employer and to his employer’s marriage this past Sunday. When you think about loyalty, what memories, good or bad come to mind?

DIGGING DEEPER….

*NOTE: In Preparation for your Courage Crossing or Study Time, begin by carefully reading through Genesis Chapter 39, picturing in your mind what it must have been like for Joseph to go through the events recorded…

1. As Pastor Dave Began his message, he talked about an incident his he went through with his son Mike and a teacher in high school many years ago. He made the statement, ‘God Wants Us To Live At A Higher Level.’ As you begin either your personal study time or your small group time:

a. What Does That Statement Mean To You?

b. Can You List Some Areas Where You Have Been or You Want To Live At A Higher Level.

2. Pastor Said That Joseph Was Loyal to God.

a. In what ways, do you think, Joseph would have shown his personal loyalty to God?
b. Likewise, how can we show our loyalty to God at Work? At Home? Privately?

3. The 40th Psalm is an amazing passage of scripture:

‘I waited patiently for the Lord, he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire. He set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise, many will see and fear and put their trust in the Lord. Blessed is the man or woman who makes the Lord his trust, who does not look to the proud, to those who turned aside to false gods.’ Psalm 40:1-4

a. How do you/can you ‘wait patiently’ on the Lord?
b. Notice, the Psalmist said he was ‘lifted out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire.’ That would seem to me to indicate that some of the slime/mud/mire would no doubt have been attached to him still. How about you? What do you think? How should we deal with that ‘muck’ in our life?

c. ‘Many will see and fear and put their trust in the Lord.’ God uses our ‘Pit’ experiences for others. Either in your life or others, what illustrations of this have you seen?

3. Because of Joseph’s Loyalty, Potiphar promoted him. Joseph, was willing to accept being ‘under’ him. Pastor Dave said ‘You Have To Get Under What God Has Over You—So You Can Get Over What God Has Placed Under You.’

a. Historically or even right now, Who has God placed you under?

4. ‘Character’… Joseph Had The Character To Endure The Temptation And Come Out On The Other Side (Gen.39:7-9, 12, 21-23)

a. As You think through Chapters 37 and 39 of Genesis, what were the significant things that helped contribute to the building of Joseph’s character?

b. What, in your opinion is God allowing you to deal with (or has God allowed you to deal with) that is building your character?

TAKING IT HOME

‘Loyalty’… God blesses Loyalty to Him. In fact, as we have seen in the story of Joseph, Loyalty leads to Prosperity… Success…. Opportunity…. and Character when we resist the inevitable Temptation that comes. What are the areas you need to be working on to build your Loyalty to God? Pray about them this week…. And, if you are comfortable, share them with your group and ask them to pray for you.