Genesis 37:23-24, 28 - So it came about, when Joseph reached his brothers, that they stripped Joseph of his tunic, the varicolored tunic that was on him; and they took him and threw him into the pit…. Then some Midianite traders passed by, so they pulled him up and lifted Joseph out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. NASU
 

• Lesson #1 - Life Isn't Fair

 
In our text today Joseph is about to learn a very important lesson and that is "Life Isn't Fair." He was his father's favorite son, but that wasn't his fault. The fault rested on the shoulders of his father, Jacob, not on Joseph.
 
God causes Joseph to have a dream where his father, mother, and brothers would one day bow down to him and the hatred from the brothers intensifies. Jacob gives Joseph a special colorful tunic to show his favoritism and Joseph is going to pay the price for all of these special blessings being bestowed upon him.
 

• If Only

 
If only I had learned the lesson "life isn't fair" as an adolescent I really believe some of my troublesome times may have been avoided. I can vividly remember saying, "But that isn't fair."
 
At that moment, I wish someone would have made me sit in a chair and looked me straight in the eyes and said, "You are correct life isn't fair so quick expecting it to be fair. The sooner you learn this lesson the better off you will be in handling life."
 

• If You Have Children

 
I am of the opinion if you have children or grandchildren you should do them a favor and read this passage of scripture to them and inform them there is a very valuable lesson to be learned in life and that lesson is "Life isn't fair" so do yourself a favor and learn it quickly.
 
I informed my children about life being unfair this way, the first lesson you want to learn about life: It Isn't Fair. I also said it this way: Life 101 - It Isn't Fair.
 

• Potiphar's Wife

 
In Genesis 39 is the story of Potiphar's wife trying to seduce Joseph. He wants no part of this situation and when he runs away from her she lies to her husband and says Joseph tried to rape her but she screamed and he ran away. Joseph once again learns life isn't fair because Potiphar a very influential man in Egypt has Joseph incarcerated.
 
There are so many unfair situations in life and I am certainly not going to try and list them. You will know them when you see them.
 
My advice is to remember what Joseph says to his brothers at the end of Genesis 50:19-20 - But Joseph said to them, "Do not be afraid, for am I in God's place? "As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive."
 
There are people in life who will do things to you because they want to hurt you. They mean evil against you as Joseph's brothers did against him.
 
You will also want to remember God can use the injustices of life to work to your benefit as He did with Joseph.
 
Think About This:
 
The college of hard knocks is the only one that doesn't let the student drop out when the course gets tough.

Stay Pumped,

Gary A. Serago
​
Minister of God's Word

Prov. 15:31-32 - He whose ear listens to the life-giving reproof will dwell among the wise. He who neglects discipline despises himself, but he who listens to reproof acquires understanding. NASB
     Ears That Listen

If you are one that is able to listen to someone else giving you correct advice you will be successful. If your ears are able to listen to the life-giving reproof from others you will prosper. The item we need are ears that will listen to others when they share correct information with us.

    How Many Times Have We Said, "If Only I Would Have Listened."

As I sit here and write this Pump Up I am smiling, but when I was going through life looking back on another mistake I made because I would not listen I wasn't laughing. I wasn't even smiling. I was asking myself, "Why didn't you listen?"

The answer is right there in Proverbs because I didn't have ears that would listen. I thought I knew what was best. The one thing I find amazing is the times I didn't listen and I was correct I can't remember those situations as easily as I remember the ones where I didn't listen and was wrong.

    Reminds Me Of The "How To Be Successful Story"

A young college student was sitting in the 5,000 member congregation. He was going to graduate from the local seminary this year. He asked the preacher after service if he could meet with him for 5 minutes. The preacher told him to stop by the office tomorrow morning at 9 am.

The young man was there promptly. As he sat in the preacher's office he explained that he would be graduating in the spring and wanted to have a successful ministry like his and was there any advice he could give him.
 
The preacher told him why sure. "I can tell you how to have a successful ministry in three words."

The young student said, "Are you kidding me?" The preacher said, "Not at all. Are you ready to write them down?"

"Yes." he replied.
 
"Make Right Decisions." the preacher said.

As the young student wrote down those three words he asked, "How will I know if I'm making right decisions?"

"I can answer your question with one word. Experience!" said the preacher.

With a pondered look on his face he asked, "And how do I get this experience?"

With a big smile on the preacher's face he said, "By Making Wrong Decisions."

There my friends is how to be successful. You will make decisions in life and not all of them are going to be the right ones. You just have to learn from your mistakes. Make the necessary adjustments, make another decision and continue to move forward.

    The Choice Is Yours

You can either listen to others and be successful as Proverbs states or don't listen to others and learn from your own mistakes. Hopefully, your mistakes will not be too costly and you will be able to rebound and move forward becoming successful.
 
The choice really is yours.

Think On These:

The biggest fool of all is the one who refuses to learn from his mistakes.
 
Making mistakes isn't stupid, disregarding them is.
 
A mistake is proof that someone was at least trying to accomplish something. 
 
Stay Pumped, 
 
Gary A. Serago

Minister of God's Word
​

Prov.15:1 - "A gentle answer turns away wrath, But a harsh word stirs up anger."

• One Premarital Counseling Session

It was the only premarital counseling session that I ever had like it. The young and innocent were before me on this one special day. I got to the part where I try to help them when they have their first fight.
 
He informed me, "We are never going to have a fight. We are in love."
I said, "What?"
He said it again, "We are never ever going to have a fight. We are in love."
 
How foolish of me not to know that.
 
You can only imagine what was running through my mind.
 
Well, I didn't push on this issue and let it drop. I am sure they probably talked about me when they got into their car to leave. I can hear them saying, "Wow, the preacher really doesn't know what he is talking about if he thinks we are going to ever have a fight."
 
Well, I did see them again. The first time in my office their chairs were right next to each other, they were holding hands and looking into each other's eyes. This time their chairs were apart, they were not holding hands and they would not even look at each other.  

• Words

Words have a way of really getting us into some hot water. I found out that he had said some things that really hurt her and the more he said the worse the situation became.
 
I commended them for calling and making an appointment to come in and at least get some counseling. We were able to work together this time, as they now were ready to listen.
 
Words of truth will not do you any good if you will not listen to them.
 
When disagreeing with someone listen to these words - "A gentle answer turns away wrath, But a harsh word stirs up anger."

• Words of Wisdom From Dr. Roger Chambers 

Roger and I were speaking together at a men's retreat in PA. This event gave us a lot of time to talk to one another as we were bunked in the same building. I will never forget this one nugget of advice that he gave me, "Just because something is true doesn't mean it has to be said." Wow! Now that is money in the bank folks. 
 
How many times have we said something that was true and all it did was exacerbate the situation?  

• One Couple's Solution 

I found this to be a great solution for couples that may be headed in the wrong direction in an argument. The wife told me when she and her husband get into a fight he is always the one who diffuses it by following the advice of Solomon.

She said this is what he says, "He quotes their anniversary date and then says, I love you and would do it again."
 
Now she doesn’t want him to say that because she wants to continue the fight because in her mind she hasn't won the argument, but when he says this she thinks no matter what I say I can't win now, so she drops it.  

• Your Solution 

Have a plan in your playbook if an argument is getting started how to diffuse it before any emotional damage is done.
 
Remember the words of Solomon - "A gentle answer turns away wrath, But a harsh word stirs up anger."
 
You might want to remember if you say the hurtful things it is like throwing gasoline on a fire. Are you ready to pay the price for the explosion and damage that will be caused by this behavior?
 
You say the hurtful things and they will not go away no matter how many times you say you are sorry.
 
So do yourself a favor and don't say them. Speak the gentle answers that bring the arguments to an end without hurting anyone.
 
Think About This:
 
In an argument, the best weapon to hold is your tongue unless it is going to give the gentle answers.
 
When a person uses profanity to support an argument, it indicates that either the person or the argument is weak and probably both. 

Stay Pumped,
 
Gary A. Serago

Minister of God's Word
​

​1 Sam. 17:37-39 - And Saul said to David, "Go, and may the LORD be with you." Then Saul clothed David with his garments and put a bronze helmet on his head, and he clothed him with armor. David girded his sword over his armor and tried to walk, for he had not tested them. So David said to Saul, "I cannot go with these, for I have not tested them."  NASU 

• You Have To Be Yourself 

David was not able to fight wearing Saul's equipment. David had to be himself. He could not be burdened with all of Saul's equipment. He was a shepherd. Their clothing was light, not heavy like the armor Saul was trying to place upon him.
 
Saul was a very tall man (I Sam.9:2). There was no way his armor was going to fit on David. David respectfully informs King Saul he cannot wear them for he has not had time to test or train in them and off they come.
 
Many times in life people will want us to be someone we are not. It is at times like this we need to be like David and be who we are. 

• David Was Comfortable In His Own Skin 

When David goes out to fight Goliath he went out the same way he did when a lion and a bear stole one of his father's sheep. 1 Sam. 17:40 - He took his stick in his hand and chose for himself five smooth stones from the brook, and put them in the shepherd's bag which he had, even in his pouch, and his sling was in his hand; and he approached the Philistine.
 
He went as a shepherd who had FAITH in the God of Israel and he was going to be victorious.
 
This is what David says to Goliath, 1 Sam. 17:45-46 - Then David said to the Philistine, "You come to me with a sword, a spear, and a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have taunted. 46 "This day the LORD will deliver you up into my hands, and I will strike you down and remove your head from you. And I will give the dead bodies of the army of the Philistines this day to the birds of the sky and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel,.…
 
David informs Goliath the God of Israel is not only going to deliver him into his hands He is going to deliver the entire Philistine Army into his hands.
 
David was comfortable being a shepherd. David was comfortable sharing his faith in the God of Israel. David knew God was the One who was directing his steps in this life. 

• What About Us? 

Are we comfortable in our own skin? Are we as bold as David to share our faith in the God of all creation?

We really must learn to be ourselves in this world.
 
Think On This: 
 
You Can't Be The Best When You're Trying To Be Like The Rest. Be Yourself.

Stay Pumped,
 
Gary A. Serago

Minister of God's Word