DAYS OF DISTINCTION: How God's Gotcha in Goshen: PROVISION

The ground beneath our feet feels shaky right now. Everywhere we turn, headlines scream of violence, deep divisions fracture our communities, and even our families. Apocalyptic predictions circulate wildly, stirring up fear and anxiety. Where can we find solid ground when everything around us trembles?

This episode introduces a first way that God took care of His people, as we explore:  "Days of Distinction: How God's Got You in Goshen." God provided safe harbor for His people during chaotic times. Drawing from the biblical account of Goshen—where the Israelites found provision and protection during Egypt's plagues—we discover a spiritual principle that transcends ancient history. Goshen wasn't merely a geographical location; it represents God's pattern of drawing a distinction around His people, saying "I've got you" when the world is in turmoil.

When Joseph told his starving family, "You shall live in Goshen and be near me," we can see an example of how God positions provision before crisis hits. This pattern continues throughout Scripture and into our lives today. While the world fixates on shortages and collapse, believers can rest in the promise that God "will meet all your needs according to the riches of His glory in Christ Jesus." More than stockpiling supplies or retreating in fear, what our world desperately needs are faith-filled voices testifying to God's faithfulness. Like Joseph, we're called not to hoard God's provision but to extend it generously to others.

Ready to experience God's distinction in your life? Join us for this journey and discover how to "Seek Him Speak Him"—first encountering God personally through His Word, then sharing His truth with those around you. When you feel surrounded by chaos, remember you're actually surrounded by the God of heaven's armies, who still provides for His people today.

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The Family Disciple Me ministry exists to catalyze devotion driven discipleship in our homes and around the world. We believe that discipleship starts with a conversation, and FDM provides free, easily-accessible, biblical resources to encourage these meaningful conversations  along life's way. Sign up through our website to be "the first to know" about upcoming releases and resources (including the FDM App - coming soon!!!) You can also follow Family Disciple Me on social media. 

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Transcript

Our Shaken World

Speaker 1 0:04

Our world feels so shaken right now, doesn't it? I don't know about you, but at least for me, in every direction I look, it feels like there are so many reasons to be afraid, to be discouraged, to be unsettled. There was the assassination of Charlie Kirk and all that is unfolding from that loss, that tragic loss. There was the 9-11 memorials, as we remember how those acts of terrorism affect our country. There's deep, deep division, just running like fault lines through our country. I don't know about you, but there's ways that those fault lines are running through my own life, my own family. And then there's this Catholic prophecy of the three days of darkness that has people terrified about what's to come. In every direction I look, everywhere that we turn, it feels like uncertainty is swirling, but in the midst of that there is so much reason for hope. I'm so glad that you're joining me here today as we are looking at Days of Distinction.

Speaker 1 1:24

How God's Got Ya in Goshen? Hi, my name is Tasha Williams and I'm the founder and the executive director of the Family Disciple Me ministry. And whatever brought you into this moment, I'm so glad that you're joining us here. Our goal as a ministry is four simple words seek Him, speak Him, and everything that we do is about making that happen in our own lives and in the lives of others. You see, in everything we want to go to God's Word and seek Him. And then we want to turn around and we want to speak Him into the lives of those that he's entrusted to us. And honestly, I can't think of a better time to do that, when everything around us is shaking, because God's word is eternal and the encouragement that he has in it for you and for me is something that we can hold on to, no matter what is happening around us. So here's the question we're asking In times like this, how do we anchor our hearts? Where do we stand firm when everything around us is unstable? In these days of distinction, we're looking at how God's gotcha in Goshen, because when everything in the world is shaking, god draws a line around his people and says I've got you, you're mine.

Goshen: God's Protection Amid Chaos

Speaker 1 2:53

In Exodus 8.23 is where I started this saga in my own life, where God said I will make a distinction between my people and your people. That distinction was lived out in Goshen, the land where God's people lived in Egypt, when the plagues fell on the Egyptians way back there in the time of the Exodus, goshen was sheltered, starting with the fourth plague. I've always pondered that, but it was only recently as I shared in the last podcast, when my family was on our camping trip in beautiful Crested Butte that God highlighted this scripture where he said I will make a distinction when darkness covered the land, light remained in Goshen. Over and over again, god showed that he knew how to take care of his people in the midst of chaos. That's why this series matters right now, because while the world is spinning with fear and violence and division, god still makes a division for his people. You see, goshen is more than geography. It's a picture of his care, his covering his presence in the midst of a broken world.

God's Provision Before Crisis Hits

Speaker 1 4:13

The very first time the story of Goshen shows up in Scripture is in Genesis 45, verses 10 and 11, when Joseph told his family you shall live in the region of Goshen and be near me, I will provide for you there. Think about that. Famine was raging, everybody was hungry. It was a nightmare trying to provide for their families, and yet God had already positioned Joseph there to provide for his people. And that's how God works he sees the need before it even comes. He provides before the crisis even hits. For me, this ties directly into Philippians 4, verse 19, where it says my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of His glory in Christ Jesus.

Speaker 1 5:10

As we hear constant chatter about shortages and collapses or prophecies of doom where we have to stock up on beeswax candles, god reminds us he is our provider. He always has been the provider for His people and he still is today. He didn't forget about His people in Goshen. In fact, he planted them there to take care of them, and the same is true for us. He has not forgotten us. He has not abandoned His promises.

Speaker 1 5:45

So let me ask you what fears are swirling in your heart right now? In what ways are you afraid for your life? Are you afraid for your family, your children, your grandchildren, those that God has entrusted to you? Where in your life do you need to remember that God's got you? Maybe today it's a famine in your finances. Maybe it's a famine in your relationships or in your emotional health. Like Joseph's brothers, like his father, you may be wondering will I even survive this? But God has already provided for us through Christ. He knew what was about to come our way before the crisis came, and he is going to be faithful to provide for what you need, for what your family needs. That's why this Days of Distinction collection of conversations matters so much to me. That's why I believe it is so important to consider how God's gotcha in Goshen.

Sharing God's Faithfulness With Others

Speaker 1 6:58

Over the coming weeks we're going to keep exploring different ways that God's gotcha in Goshen, but today I want you to spend time thinking about this first P of provision God provides. He provides in so many ways for His people. God sustains his people no matter what they're facing. Even Charlie Kirk's wife in the hours before his assassination, she was posting on social media what God was speaking to her through his word. It is so significant to look at how God sustains his people, how he provides for them. So my challenge for you today is to remember he has not forgotten you. He's got you. He's got your family.

Speaker 1 7:49

Thing is, this world does not need any more fear right now, does it? And I'm actually not sure that we need any more beeswax candles. Not sure that we need any more beeswax candles, because we are surrounded. We're surrounded If we have a real relationship with Jesus Christ. We're surrounded by the God of heaven's armies. He will sustain us. He promises to provide for us, whatever that looks like. Whether it's in life or in death, he takes care of His people.

Speaker 1 8:23

And right now, what this world needs, what this world needs, what our families need more than anything, are faith-filled voices who testify to God's provision and His care. That's what it means, with Family, disciple Me, to seek him and then turn around to speak him. You see, back in the ancient days, joseph didn't hoard what God had given him. Instead, he extended it. He extended that provision to his entire family and friend. We have that same calling.

Speaker 1 9:00

I know that in some ways you're being warned right now to keep the doors locked, to keep the curtains drawn, but all I can say is that our God is such a generous God. He does not call us to hoard unto ourselves and protect only ourselves. He wants us to welcome others in to real relationship with him, to experience his goodness, his blessing, his provision, as God provides for us. We're invited to share his faithfulness, his provision, with others, pointing them away from the fear Let the fear be behind us and pointing them toward trust in Him. So welcome, welcome to these Days of Distinction. How God's Got you in Goshen.

God's Distinction Through Redemption

Speaker 1 9:55

I challenge you to do what we always do with the Family Disciple Me ministry to spend some time in the Coordinating Discipleship Conversation Guide, seek the Lord about what he wants to say to you personally through His Word and then, once you do that, once you do that, turn around. Don't keep it to yourself. Turn around and speak Him into the lives of those he's entrusted to you and those that he's going to send your way. Today, in a world that's marked, absolutely marked, by headlines of violence, memories of tragedy, of deep, deep division, of fearful speculation, we have a God. We have a God who draws a line of distinction over His people, and that distinction isn't just being set apart to be sheltered. That distinction is all about redemption. So today, as we begin talking about His redemption through provision, may you be encouraged that God supplies. He did it for Joseph and his family way back in ancient Goshen and, friend, he promises to do that for us today. So be encouraged, be challenged, be blessed. I look forward to seeing you here in the next episode. God bless you, friend.