Simple Evangelism

At the risk of over simplification, the success of Joseph boils down to 3 factors. Since God is no respecter of persons, this holds true for for us today.

First, God is real and is number one. Without anyone else He still exists. He is the all in all, the creator, the mighty one, the master of the universe. Without God nothing good happens. God existed back in Joseph's time, as he exists for us today.

Second Joseph had a relationship with God.  He accomplished amazingly good things. He took care of  that himself and in doing so put him in a position to help others. He took care of his own relationship with God despite what was going on around him.

When we neglect our own relationship with God we suffer. Nothing ever should stand in the way of freely associating with God. There is no altar rail, no veil, no condemnation by others, education, position, ethnic background, gender, overloaded schedule or anything else in this life that should get in the way of our approach to the throne.

Finally, once we know how much we are loved by God, then we can begin to really help others. It is beautiful the changes in Jacob's family as Joseph rose up. Jacob's blessing in Genesi 49:22-26 says it all:

22 Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well; whose branches run over the wall: 23 The archers have sorely grieved him, and shot at him, and hated him: 24 But his bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob; (from thence is the shepherd, the stone of Israel:) 25 Even by the God of thy father, who shall help thee; and by the Almighty, who shall bless thee with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that lieth under, blessings of the breasts, and of the womb: 26 The blessings of thy father have prevailed above the blessings of my progenitors unto the utmost bound of the everlasting hills: they shall be on the head of Joseph, and on the crown of the head of him that was separate from his brethren.

A fruitful bough runs over the wall! The reason Joseph 'was separate' from his brethren was that he knew God and listened to Him. It was evident in Joseph's life that he listened to God from the very beginning of the record on Joseph. It is that simple!