Emmanuel Okoro (aka MrLift)

My 2025 is special  "The woman became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She saw that he was a special baby and kept him hidden for three months. (Exo. 2.2 NLT)  This year you will give birth to that dream that you have been carrying for awhile now. It is instructive to note that the woman in our text gave birth to her baby and she called her child special. Despite all the negativity around her, she was a slave, she could not even bring the child to the open. She hid. him for three months, yet she declared that the child is special.  It is very important what name you call your own. There is an adage in my place that says that "it is the name you call yourself that others will call you." In a country where male children were ordered to be killed and casted into the River Nile, this woman called her child special.  I decree that your own shall be special. But much more important than my decree, is what you speak with your own mouth. God says as you have spoken in my ea...

It pays to fear God  "But the midwives feared God, and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the male children alive. And so it was, because the midwives feared God, that He provided households for them. (Exod.1.17, 21) It pays to fear God.  Welcome to the last day of the year 2024, congratulations to you,, you made it. In a few hours, we will shout happy new year. And that will signify the beginning of 2025. Let me be the first to say to you, Happy New Year.  Our text tells the story of a king, a Pharaoh who did not know Joseph and as such put the children of Israel under taskmaster, they became slaves in Egypt. Now notice that many years before now, God had told Abraham that his descendant will be slave in Egypt. (See Gen. 15.13-15)  Meaning this did not take God unaware. He knew this was going to happen and had His plan in place.  This Pharaoh told the midwives to kill every male child that is born but the midwives disobeyed that order bec...

Special skills  "But the children of Israel were fruitful and increased abundantly, multiplied and grew exceedingly mighty; and the land was filled with them" (Exod.1.7) We saw how a conducive environment made the children of Israel grow exceedingly mighty. Today, we want to look at another salient quality that accounted for that exceeding growth.  In Genesis 47, we see Joseph introducing his family to Pharaoh and he tells Pharaoh that his brothers are livestock farmers - Shepherd.  "Pharaoh asked them, "What kind of work do you do? Your servants are shepherds, the same as our fathers were." (Gen.47.3)  So Pharaoh says to him, "if you know any among them that are especially good at their work, put them in charge of my own livestock." (Gen.47.6 MSB) To grow exceedingly you must be especially good at your work. Do not do a shabby job and expect to get referral. This guys grew not only because of a conducive environment but also because they were especia...

Grow...  "But the children of Israel were fruitful and increased abundantly, multiplied and grew exceedingly mighty; and the land was filled with them" (Exod.1.7 Growth can be as challenging, if not more challenging than the lack of it. In fact, the only thing more challenging than the lack of growth, is growth. The children of Israel were given such a conducive environment that they were left with no other option than to grow.  Our text says they were fruitful. Why were they fruitful? Genesis tells us that they were settled on the best part of the land of Egypt.  "The land of Egypt is before thee; in the best of the land make thy father and brethren to dwell; in the land of Goshen let them dwell: and if thou knowest any men of activity among them, then make them rulers over my cattle. (Gen.47.6 KJV) One of the major success factors, one of the growth indicators why the Israeli grew exceedingly mighty will be a conducive environment. Do that for yourself as you enter thi...

First amongst equals...  "As for me, I'm presenting you, as the first among your brothers, the ridge of land I took from Amorites with my sword and bow." [JC](Gen.48.22)  The bible teaches that the person who has done well is deserving of a double honour.  "Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine." (1Tim.5.17)  And without a doubt Joseph was one such person. He truly deserves double honour.  This teaches us that God recognises and rewards faithfulness. When one is faithful over what one was given, one gets rewarded. I am reminded of the story of the talent. The one who was given five talent, worked hard gained five talents more. He was made ruler over ten cities. Same with the one with two talent, gained two more and was made ruler over four cities.  ""He said, "Good servant! Great work! Because you've been trustworthy in this small job, I'm making you governor o...

May your head not reject blessings "saying, "That's the wrong head, Father; the other one is the firstborn; place your right hand on his head." (Gen.48.18)  Merry Christmas to you and your family!!!  Our text tells the story of a father who was stock in his ways. Having been away from home for so long and very well entrenched in the culture of the new land, spoke up in a place where he believed his father was doing the wrong thing.  Was it not customary for the first born to receive the double portion of the blessing? Why then should he sit and watch as this justice was been subverted? Why should the younger get the double portion and the older is silent? Maybe he needs a little history lesson. His own father was the younger but got the father Isaac's blessing. He, also wasn't the oldest of his father's house but he got the double portion from Jacob his father.  "And I give you an extra portion beyond what I have given your brothers--the portion that...

A time for everything  As I read through the story of how Joseph conquered Egypt for Pharaoh, it made me ponder the importance of timing. Doing what needs to be done when it needs to done.  "So they brought Joseph their livestock. He traded them food for their horses, sheep, cattle, and donkeys. He got them through that year in exchange for all their livestock.  Joseph then announced to the people: "Here's how things stand: I've bought you and your land for Pharaoh. In exchange I'm giving you seed so you can plant the ground. When the crops are harvested, you must give a fifth to Pharaoh and keep four-fifths for yourselves, for seed for yourselves and your families--you're going to be able to feed your children!" (Gen.47.17, 23-24) They had the seven years of plenty just as Joseph had but the difference was that they wasted their years of plenty while Joseph kept his surplus.  Now the famine is here, sowing in this season brings little or no harvest. Jose...

When the money fails "And when money failed in the land of Egypt, and in the land of Canaan, all the Egyptians came unto Joseph, and said, Give us bread: for why should we die in thy presence? for the money faileth." (Gen.47.15 KJV) Growing up I remember seeing this framed photograph of two men, one had beside him so much food and a very happy expression on his face; while the other one had money spilling out of safe all around him but he had this dejected and sad expression on his face. That is the story of our text, only this time, money has failed. The people didn't have any more money to buy food. Money makes men happy, one may think, until money fails. When with so much money one still is not able to accomplish what one sets out to accomplish, you know has failed, one has so much money, yet one's money is not able to secure health, then you know money has failed. The Bible tells us that money answers all things. As far as things are concerned, money answers t...

Take care of your own "Joseph took good care of them--his father and brothers and all his father's family, right down to the smallest baby. He made sure they had plenty of everything. [JC](Gen.47.12)  Joseph must have been a wealthy man. The Bible says he took care of them. That is, his father, and brothers and all his father's family, right down to the smallest baby. When the Bible talks about Jacob and his sons, you would think, they were some young men who were incapable of fending for themselves. But these were fathers, even granfathers but Joseph took care of them aal.  It is true that God was involved in that He had shown Joseph the interpretation to Pharaoh's dream and this gave him an advantage but he could have used this advantage to torture his brothers, who were responsible for the pain he went through. But He had God's perspective on the matter. He understood God's plan, knowing that God had sent him ahead to reverse life.  You may be in a position ...

When famine grows "These two years of famine will grow to seven, during which there will be neither plowing nor harvest. (Gen.45.6 NLT) Some times in life the famine grows and there is nothing one could do about it. The difficulties persist despite our best efforts, the child is on drugs, the husband is out of job and the business is failing.  Joseph tells his brothers, the famine has only been two years and it is going to grow. This is some times the beauty of God - that He is not limited by circumstances or situations. He does not save by many or a few. He cannot be boxed.  Do you remember the Hebrew boys? Couldn't God have delivered them before they were thrown into the fire? If He had done that, maybe we will not speak of it or write about it today the way we do. God did not promise us that we will always be exempted from trouble, He however promised that He will be with us in trouble. God showed us through the story of the three Hebrew boys that He is not only the God tha...

God did it "But don't be angry with yourselves that you did this to me, for God did it. He sent me here ahead of you to preserve your lives. (Gen.45.5 NLT) Looking at the situations of your life right now, there are certain happenings that you would never attribute to the doings of God. Take Joseph as a case in point. He was derobed, and thrown into a pit. His brothers spoke of killing him but they reasoned, "what good will that be to us". Just then, there came the travelling Ishemelite who happened to be slave-traders. The boys brought Joseph out of the pit and sold him into slavery. That was bad enough, however, in Egypt, he was lied against and he ended up in prison and the prisoner he had helped regain freedom, forgot about him for two full years. But when he recounted the story, he simply said: "God did it". Life truly is lived forward but understood backward. With a benefit of hindsight, Joseph can now boldly say this was the doing of the Lord. God kn...

Don't worry. Everything is in order  "The steward said, "Everything's in order. Don't worry. Your God and the God of your father must have given you a bonus. I was paid in full." And with that, he presented Simeon to them." (Gen.43.23)  When one tells you not to worry that everything is in order, that probably will not stop you from worrying. But when you consider the capacity of the one who makes that statement, you will probably take the person more seriously. I truly believe God is telling you to not worry, that everything is in order.  This was the situation the sons of Jacob found themselves. They've finally convinced their father to let Benjamin go with them to see the man and on getting there, they were ushered into the living quarters of the man, scared, they try to reassure the man's steward that they now have the money that they found in their bag with them, they also have more to cover whatever expense they will likely incur. As they w...

The big IF  "May God Almighty give you mercy as you go before the man, that he might release Simeon and return Benjamin. And if I must bear the anguish of their deaths, then so be it." (Gen.43.14 NLT) Not until we come to that place where the 'ifs' do not have the power to hold us back we are not ready to achieve greatness. We ask the "What if" questions and then allow them to hold us back. What if I do not succeed? What if people laugh at me? What if that is not the right road? What if... What if... What if...  Jacob had asked that same question, he had asked, "What if something bad were to happen to Benjamin? And that had kept them in a state of inactivity to the point where they were almost starving to death. And it was only at that point, did he allow himself to do what was necessary, what needed to be done.  So in our text we see him say, "And if I must bear the anguish of their deaths, then so be it." (Gen.43.14 NLT) if I must...then so ...

Making up for past mistakes "Take double the money that you found in your sacks, as it was probably someone's mistake. (Gen.43.12 NLT) Can we really make up for past mistakes? What can you do to right the wrong of the past? If the past is past, what can the present do that will affect the past? The best you can do is do your best in the present. Is making up for past mistakes truly a mirage? Is it okay for one to be remorseful when one realises that one has done wrong in the past. Yes it is. Starting now, you can change your ways and start doing right. Even when we say sorry, it most times only alleviate the pain of the one wronged.  Our text show how Jacob tells his children to take double what was found in their sack. He was trying to make up for the wrong of the past. The story of Zacchaeus comes to mind when he told Jesus that he was going to give back fourfold whatever he had collected by false accusation from others.  "And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord; Be...

Hard life: if it has to be, it has to be "Israel said, "Why are you making my life so difficult! Why did you ever tell the man you had another brother?" (Gen.43.6)  While God was orchestrating event to unite Jacob and Joseph again, it appears Jacob was doing everything in his power to resist it unknowingly. God was working behind the scenes but on the stage of life, we seen Jacob resisting the possibilities.  What could God be working or orchestrating on your behalf but you are unknowingly resisting? In fact, Reuben tried to intervene, putting the life of his two sons on the line but Jacob refused.  "Reuben spoke up: "I'll put my two sons in your hands as hostages. If I don't bring Benjamin back, you can kill them. Trust me with Benjamin; I'll bring him back." But Jacob refused. "My son will not go down with you." (Gen.42.37-38) Judah also had to put his life on the line before his father would give in  "Judah pushed his father I...

It gets good before it gets better "Jacob exclaimed, "You have deprived me of my children! Joseph has disappeared, Simeon is gone, and now you want to take Benjamin, too. Everything is going against me!" (Gen.42.36 NLT) When we look back at our lives, we can sometimes find out that it gets good before it gets better. This is me stopping short of saying it gets bad before it gets good. That is the story of our text.  Jacob, in his thinking has lost Joseph, to him Joseph was dead. Little wonder, he protects Benjamin with everything he's got. He would not let him out if his sight. To worsen the matter, Simeon is been seized by the Joseph that he thought was dead but he did not know this. And he has been told that his children will not be sold food until Benjamin was produced to prove that the brothers were indeed honest men. He is forced to let go of the one thing he wants to hold on to in order to seven everything he is willing to let go. God has a sense of humour.  So...

What is God doing to us?  "He called out to his brothers, "My money has been returned; it's right here in my bag!" They were puzzled--and frightened. "What's God doing to us?" (Gen.42.28)  The number one fall-guy of the entire universe is none other than God. God is to blame for almost everything that happens to us; so we thank. So, you hear people ask, "God, why me?  This was the case in our text, their monies have been returned to their bag and they asked the question, "What is God doing to us?" You failed that exam and you ask, "What is God doing to me?" You did not get that promotion, you ask, "What is God doing to me?" You did not get the job, you ask, "What is God doing to me?"  There are so many of us in that boat right now. You are asking what God is doing to you. If this question is asked genuinely and with all sincerity, God may find an occasion to teach us. We ask this question because we do not un...

We are honest men "We're all the sons of the same man; we're honest men; we'd never think of spying." (Gen.42.11)  I wanted to title today's devotion as "Judged by your past, validated by your present". They considered themselves honest men in the present but Joseph had to test the validity of that declaration. He judged them dishonest, in fact as spies. So he was going to give them an opportunity to validate their claim.  What we used to be and do in the past should not be what we are judged by but we are judged by what we do today. Ezekiel the prophet said it this way: "The soul that sins is the soul that dies. The child does not share the guilt of the parent, nor the parent the guilt of the child. If you live upright and well, you get the credit; if you live a wicked life, you're guilty as charged. The same thing goes for a good person who turns his back on an upright life and starts sinning, plunging into the same vile obscenities that t...

Unfriendly purposes "And Joseph remembered the dreams he had dreamed about them and said to them, You are spies and with unfriendly purpose you have come to observe [secretly] the nakedness of the land."(Gen.42.9 AMP) I wonder how Joseph had kept and checked his emotions when he saw his brothers bowing themselves to him and treating him with honour. Our text says he remembered the dreams he had dreamed about them.  "Joseph was running the country; he was the one who gave out rations to all the people. When Joseph's brothers arrived, they treated him with honor, bowing to him." (Gen.42.6)  They treated Joseph with honour having not recognized Joseph for who he was. Maybe, they would have treated him as such because of his new position. But this throws up the way we treat people we are familiar with - especially family members. We tend to treat outsiders with respect and honour than we do family members. The brothers had not only maltreated Joseph but also sold hi...

Once bitten twice shy  "Jacob didn't send Joseph's brother Benjamin with them; he was afraid that something bad might happen to him." (Gen.42.4)  Fear of past failure is one reason future success is aborted. The story of the fish in an aquarium that keeps bumping its head against a hard object every time it tries to reach its food comes to mind. The aquarium is divided in half by a transparent glass. The fish is on one side and its feed on the other side. Through the transparent glass it can see its feed but when it tries to reach the feed, it bumps into the transparent glass. After several tries, it gave up. So even when the transparent glass was removed, it would not reach for the feed.  That is the story of Jacob in our text. He had let Joseph, his beloved son out of his sight, alone with his other brothers, perhaps for the first time and Joseph did not return home. Now he is scared to let Benjamin out of his sight. Once bitten twice shy. What is it you are scared ...

You are the man for the job  "So Pharaoh said to Joseph, "You're the man for us. God has given you the inside story--no one is as qualified as you in experience and wisdom."(Gen.41.39) Others tend to see the gifts, talents and abilities in you before you see them. While Joseph proposed for a wise man be found to run the affairs of Egypt, Pharaoh spotted him and said to him, 'You are the man for the job".  I have come to say to you that you are the man for the job. You have the solution to the problem, you have the answer to the question, you are the man for the job. Do not belittle your God given abilities. God has given you the inside story - there are things you know, abilities you have, skills you possess - all of these are God endorsement on you.  The Bible tells the story of the mighty man of valour that was in hiding, threshing wheat in a winepress. Because his situation and surrounding suggested otherwise to him. But the angel of God saw him different...

God is telling Pharaoh(you) what to do Joseph said to Pharaoh, "Pharaoh's two dreams both mean the same thing. God is telling Pharaoh what he is going to do." (Gen.41.25)  Joseph said to Pharaoh, God is telling you what He is going to do. This is very instructive because this is what is happening in our world today.  God is speaking to the world about what He is going to do but the world haven't a clue what God is saying. And unlike Pharaoh, the world is not making any effort to understand what God is saying.  For Pharaoh to understand, he had to listen to Joseph. Our text says, "Joseph said to Pharaoh... " What is God telling you today? What God is telling you may be in the mouth or in the voice of your Pastor. Or better said, the interpretation or confirmation of what God is saying to you may be in the mouth of your Pastor or a leader over you    Samuel heard the voice of God and assumed it was Eli's voice. You would probably hear God's voice throu...

Not I, but God  "Joseph answered, "Not I, but God. God will set Pharaoh's mind at ease." (Gen.41.16)  It is very easy for success to go to one's head and make one big headed. But like Joseph we must constantly and consistently remind ourselves that whatever we have succeeded at in this world, it is not about us but God.  Remember the story of the donkey that thought the praise and accolades Jesus received during the triumphant entry into Jerusalem was its. The Bible records that people spread theirs clothes for the donkey that carried Jesus to walk on but it was not really for the donkey, it was for Jesus.  John the Baptist said it best when he said, 'He must increase, but I decrease  He must increase, but I must decrease." (John.3.30) It is His increase that brings about your decrease. So that it not I must decrease in order for Him to increase but His increase will cause consistent decrease on your part.  Joseph ascribed his success, whatever they were...