One Year Pray for the Persecuted Bible - Flipbook - Page 81
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January 20
WHEN AHMAD—AN EDUCATED BUSINESSMAN from an Islamic
nation—learned that his brother had left Islam and placed his trust
in Christ, Ahmad booked a flight to the US so he could find and kill his
brother. Thankfully, instead of becoming a murderer, Ahmad followed
his brother’s example and became a Christian. • LORD, THANK YOU
for protecting Ahmad—and his brother. Strengthen all Christians from
a Muslim background who must decide whether to declare you to
family members. May all who hear of Jesus Christ see him as a treasure
to be grasped at any cost. Amen.
GENESIS 41:17–42:17
So Pharaoh told Joseph his dream. “In my
dream,” he said, “I was standing on the bank
of the Nile River, 18 and I saw seven fat, healthy
cows come up out of the river and begin grazing in the marsh grass. 19 But then I saw seven
sick-looking cows, scrawny and thin, come up
after them. I’ve never seen such sorry-looking
animals in all the land of Egypt. 20 These thin,
scrawny cows ate the seven fat cows. 21 But
afterward you wouldn’t have known it, for
they were still as thin and scrawny as before!
Then I woke up.
22 “In my dream I also saw seven heads of
grain, full and beautiful, growing on a single
stalk. 23 Then seven more heads of grain appeared, but these were blighted, shriveled,
and withered by the east wind. 24 And the
shriveled heads swallowed the seven healthy
heads. I told these dreams to the magicians,
but no one could tell me what they mean.”
25 Jo
seph responded, “Both of Pharaoh’s
dreams mean the same thing. God is telling Pharaoh in advance what he is about to
do. 26 The seven healthy cows and the seven
healthy heads of grain both represent seven
years of prosperity. 27 The seven thin, scrawny
cows that came up later and the seven thin
heads of grain, withered by the east wind,
represent seven years of famine.
28 “This will happen just as I have described
it, for God has revealed to Pharaoh in advance
what he is about to do. 29 The next seven years
will be a period of great prosperity throughout the land of Egypt. 30 But afterward there
will be seven years of famine so great that all
the prosperity will be forgotten in Egypt. Famine will destroy the land. 31 This famine will be
so severe that even the memory of the good
years will be erased. 32 As for having two similar dreams, it means that these events have
been decreed by God, and he will soon make
them happen.
33 “Therefore, Pha
raoh should find an
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intelligent and wise man and put him in
charge of the entire land of Egypt. 34 Then
Pharaoh should appoint supervisors over the
land and let them collect one-fifth of all the
crops during the seven good years. 35 Have
them gather all the food produced in the good
years that are just ahead and bring it to Pha
raoh’s storehouses. Store it away, and guard it
so there will be food in the cities. 36 That way
there will be enough to eat when the seven
years of famine come to the land of Egypt.
Otherwise this famine will destroy the land.”
37 Joseph’s suggestions were well received
by Pharaoh and his officials. 38 So Pharaoh
asked his officials, “Can we find anyone else
like this man so obviously filled with the spirit
of God?” 39 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since
God has revealed the meaning of the dreams
to you, clearly no one else is as intelligent or
wise as you are. 40 You will be in charge of my
court, and all my people will take orders from
you. Only I, sitting on my throne, will have a
rank higher than yours.”
41 Pha
raoh said to Joseph, “I hereby put
you in charge of the entire land of Egypt.”
42 Then Pharaoh removed his signet ring from
his hand and placed it on Joseph’s finger. He
dressed him in fine linen clothing and hung
a gold chain around his neck. 43 Then he had
Joseph ride in the chariot reserved for his
second-in-command. And wherever Joseph
went, the command was shouted, “Kneel
down!” So Pharaoh put Joseph in charge of all
Egypt. 44 And Pharaoh said to him, “I am Pha
raoh, but no one will lift a hand or foot in the
entire land of Egypt without your approval.”
45 Then Pharaoh gave Joseph a new Egyptian name, Zaphenath-paneah.* He also gave
him a wife, whose name was Asenath. She
was the daughter of Potiphera, the priest of
On.* So Joseph took charge of the entire land
of Egypt. 46 He was thirty years old when
he began serving in the court of Pharaoh,
the king of Egypt. And when Joseph left
