Some people are easy to love. They have qualities we admire, and they make us feel good when we are around them. In these relationships love is a "two-way street." We love them, and they love us back. But sometimes we find ourselves in the confusing position of trying to love someone who does not love us or loves us less than we love them. No matter how hard we try, we are unable to win their heart. In these sad scenarios love is only a "one-way street." This is painful under any circumstance, but the level of pain grows exponentially when the person rejecting us is a member of our family. Parents, children, spouses and other relatives "ought" to love us because we belong to them. Yet, in some cases, try as we will, the situation never seems to change. This was the emotional reality for ten of Jacob's 12 sons. From childhood they were forced to face the bitter truth that their father loved two of their brothers far more than the rest of them. In our study for today, we observe a remarkable attitude in some or all of these rejected sons. The jealousy of their younger years has disappeared, and they have clearly chosen to love their father even though he has not changed his feelings toward them. Somehow they accepted their circumstances and chose to love an old man too broken to love them back. Since many of us also find ourselves loving people who don't love us back, we'll try to learn some of the lessons these ten sons must have learned.

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Joseph's discernment not only turned Pharaoh's confusing dream into a plan for Egypt's future but was also instrumental in his own personal healing. His brothers' betrayal wounded him deeply, as did 13 years of slavery and prison. Yet as we read through these chapters describing his life, we see him emerge whole and successful in spite of his past. What was it that allowed him to break free from those years of suffering and betrayal when so often people remain crippled by their past for a lifetime? Though there are certainly many more explanations than the three we will consider here, these areas of discernment were surely involved and will still bring healing to us today just as they did to Joseph.

To receive a free copy of Dr. Steve Schell's newest book Study Verse by Verse: Revelation, email us at info@lifelessonspublishing.com and ask for your copy at no charge!

Also check out our website at lifelessonspublishing.com for additional resources for pastors and leaders. We have recorded classes and other materials offered at no charge.

Today we will focus on a very important aspect of human relationships, especially as it applies to marriage: our mental habits. If we look behind the main events of this chapter, we observe a marriage in trouble. Potiphar's wife has grown disloyal and disrespectful toward her husband to the point that she is aggressively pursuing other men. She has fallen into some negative mental habits which will produce greater unhappiness for both of them. Has he earned her contempt? Maybe, but whether he has or hasn't, her response can only make their marriage worse, not better. After observing Potiphar's marriage, we will turn to Philippians 4:6-9 in order to allow Paul to teach us the power of positive mental attitudes on our marriage and other important relationships.