Latest / Calvary Church with Ed Taylor Podcast / #10149 - Joseph’s Painful Life Begins - Genesis 37

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#10149 - Joseph’s Painful Life Begins - Genesis 37 · Calvary Church with Ed Taylor Podcast

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Welcome to the Study of God's Word with pastor and author Ed
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Taylor recorded live at Calvary Church in Aurora, Co To learn
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more about the many resources available through Abounding
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Grace Media or to tune into our live stream services, visit us
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online at Calvary, Co dot Church or download our free Calvary
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Church app. Now here's Pastor Ed to take us
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into our study. Amen.
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Take your Bibles, Open them to Genesis chapter 37.
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We start a new chapter today, Genesis 37, and the title of our
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Bible study is Joseph's Painful Life Begins.
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Joseph's Painful Life begins. By now in your studies, you know
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that the book of Genesis, all 50 chapters can be divided up into
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two main sections. The sections are four great
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events, The Creation, Fall. The flood.
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And the Tower of Babel and then four.
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Great people Abraham, Isaac, Jacob.
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And Joseph, these four great people are also often.
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Referred to as the Patriarchs, the.
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Fathers Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph.
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We are now in our 49th Bible study in the book of Genesis and
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for the last. 48 studies we've covered a lot of.
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Biblical history. Our goal in studying the Bible
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is to become like Jesus and to see Jesus in the Old Testament
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to understand God's. Will for our.
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Lives, and for me personally, this is the second time now that
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I've taught through Genesis. I've been amazed.
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At the grace of God. It is jumped off the.
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Pages. For me in a new way as I've been
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studying Genesis. This beautiful gift of the
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grace. Of God.
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How God won't give up. So important.
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How God won't give up on you. How He won't throw his children
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away. He won't turn his back on us.
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How He's always helping us and propping us up, giving us more
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chances. To get it right.
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Giving us another opportunity and another opportunity.
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Giving us the strength to overcome, to see things restored
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and reconciled. And I hope you've seen that too.
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Our attention from now until the end of the book now is on
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Joseph. Joseph was an upright young man,
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a wonderful example of a life. Lived good.
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In the sight of God, we've all met people who have.
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Appeared to have great. Potential in life and have never
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really made it, and that's discouraging.
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You look at their lives and they seem to be so much hope, so much
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promise that they fizzled out along the way.
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They have a besetting sin that they won't deal with, or some
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attitude where they won't surrender to the Lord or won't
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give of themselves. They won't go.
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Farther. Sometimes it's even because they
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let things in their past hold them back, they don't receive
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the fullness of the forgiveness of their sin.
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Where they're never really able to overcome the faults and the.
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Failures or bad habits that they picked up.
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When they were unbelievers. Which we would call the flesh.
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Sinful habits or have bad habits they've picked up along the way
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as believers and are just unwilling to surrender them to
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the. Lord Joseph's.
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Not one of them. He's not that person that
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doesn't live up to his potential.
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In many ways he becomes a great picture and type of Jesus.
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We want to pay attention to that along the way.
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Now, I have to say, a lot of us in the room today have had real
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challenging and difficult pasts in our lives, whether they were
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sinful mistakes that we made and we're paying the price for the
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consequences of our own sin or horrible things that were done
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to us. Our past all of us have.
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Some place of trauma or hurt or pain in our lives.
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And it can be easy, in response to pain, to allow these things
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to become stumbling blocks in our own progress, making
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progress in the things of God, even some you'll.
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See. Will use their past.
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Pain as excuses, It doesn't. Always start out as excuses.
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It usually starts out as a good. Reason.
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There's always a good reason. There's always a good reason why
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there's a lack of obedience. Always a good reason why they
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won't go far. They're.
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Always a good. Reason.
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But good reasons often become bad excuses, holding so many men
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and women back. We live in a culture.
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I think you're familiar with it, perhaps have even dealt with it
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personally. And if you have, take this in
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its most purest form, in the freedom that God.
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Offers to you. But in our.
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Culture. We're saturated with what?
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Has been called a victim mentality where it's very.
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Easy to play the role. Of a victim, especially if you
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have been hurt by someone and there is a.
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Part of your life where you are a.
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Victim or something has happened to you and it's wrong and injust
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and unjust. But the idea of a.
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Victim mentality is that now becomes your identity.
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And you live that way. And rather than taking personal
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responsibility for their own. Lives psychologists, social
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workers. Everyone seems to.
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Categorize you as the. Victim, and therefore you have.
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A right to fail. And you have a right.
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To fade. And you have a.
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Right to fizzle out. You have a.
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Right to be selfish, you have a. Right to be self-centered and it
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takes things to extremes. And I believe if anyone in the
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Bible had a reason, a valid reason, to cry victim, it would
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be Joseph. So many bad things happened to
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him. So many difficult, real, painful
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things within his family, within his workplace, within so many
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areas of his. Life, he had a.
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Difficult upbringing, one of many mixed up kids.
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He lived in a messed up family with four moms and all sorts of
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drama and difficulty. He lost his own biological mom
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when he was just a young teenager.
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He had an uncle, His name was Laban that cheated and his
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uncle's esaw that was unpredictable.
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His dad wasn't always there for him, but did give him extra
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favoritism along the way. His own brothers, The definition
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of sibling. Rivalries what?
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Joseph experienced his own brothers, hated him and despised
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him. And these words, they have
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meanings. They're not just observations of
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the text. This is a real man who
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experienced real, difficult, painful difficulties in his life
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he was sold into. Slavery accused falsely of rape.
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And as we. Study through his life the.
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List will continue, but in Joseph's life like our own, it's
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important to remember as we have our own list of things we have
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our own issues and own. Difficulties we have our.
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Own family drama, difficulties with parents lacking parents,
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abandonment. I mean, sin does so much damage.
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To the core of. Who you are and who I am, it it
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it begins to erase. Your identity and try to replace
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it with something else. Remember in.
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Joseph's life as we look. Ahead in the.
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Future studies that God was. Using the.
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Tragedies of his life to. Shape and mold him, I know.
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That we would rather have God do.
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It some other way, but the tragedies in your life are being
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used to shape and mold you. They weren't designed to destroy
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him, but rather to prepare him. To humble him, to create a
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unique dependence that was required in his life for the
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present and even from the future.
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Never is it a recorded, although I'm not saying it's not
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possible, but God did not see it fit for him for us to record a
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time in. Joseph's life, where he was
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bitter, where he was. Resentful, I mean, he may have.
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Momentarily, he may have had. Deep, deep things in the being
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alone in prison for so many years, or all the things he had
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to deal with. But the highlight in his life
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what God wants us to. See is the ability of a regular.
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Human being. To have a steadfast.
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Obedience in the worst of times that we would.
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Be like the Paul would. Say to the church and Ephesus
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that we could stand. Fast therefore with the.
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Spiritual Armor of God on. And that your faith in Jesus is
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real. It's not some religious
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activity. It's not because you were raised
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in a Christian home. It's not because you were raised
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in the Western culture. It's not because you were born
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into Catholicism and then you were exposed to Jesus.
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Then you heard the gospel and you were born again.
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It's not. It's because God is real.
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He's your. Creator and He loves you so
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much, Lady. Sin is only begotten, Son.
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Jesus. Christ to die on your behalf.
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Jesus was buried and rose again the third day.
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So that you and I might have a real relationship with him, one
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of. Steadfast Trust.
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And obedience, and even now as your feet might, as your feet
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might slip out from under you, and your knees might be weak,
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and your mind might be. Assaulted.
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With. Thoughts and memories and
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spiritual attacks and feelings like You'll never overcome and
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You're Never Good enough. And on and on the list.
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Goes God. Is able and you'll see it in the
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life. Of Joseph.
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To give you a. Steadfast Trust.
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And obedience so that you can stand.
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By faith. In the God who loves you and
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Cares for you, and even though you may stumble, the Bible says
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you might stumble. Many times oh man falls 7 times
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he'll rise again. How?
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By faith and let. Joseph's story.
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Burn into you. The ability of God to.
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Keep a man and keep a woman strong.
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Strong leaders, strong women of God, Strong men of God are not
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just born. They're made, They're developed.
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They mature. God builds them.
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Who's. Building your life right now.
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Is it the way of this culture? And what they?
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Have to offer. And all the goals and the
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accomplishments and what might be available?
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Or is God? Are you allowing God to build
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your life? Are you allowing God to
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highlight in your life what needs to stay and what needs to
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go? How do you define yourself?
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Do you define? Yourself by how the Bible sees
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you, How God sees you. Through the lens of.
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Christ or how the culture sees you, or how?
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You might even see yourself down on yourself, living in
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condemnation all the time, beating yourself up because
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that's what you've learned along the way.
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God saves us and we're raw, unrefined material.
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And he begins to immediately takes his chisel in hand.
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And begins chipping away at the things that won't build you up.
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Spiritually we see all this. In the life.
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Of Joseph so pick. Up with me on this.
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Study through the. End of the book of Genesis in
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verse one of chapter 37. Now Jacob dwelled in the land
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where his father was a stranger in the land of Canaan.
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This is the genealogy of Jacob. Joseph being 17 years old was
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feeding the. Flock with his brothers.
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And the lad was with the sons of Bilha, and the sons of Zilpa,
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his father's wives, and. Joseph brought a bad report.
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To them, to his father, Jacob has taken up residence in
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Canaan, the area really where Abraham made his home.
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He's just 17 years old, this young, impressionable teenager
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out serving and caring. For the sheep.
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And he saw some things in his. Brother's life that he felt.
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Dad need to know about now I want you to mark his age 17.
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It's so important to know that God loves young people and he.
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Loves those that are. Teenagers now, just a few years
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ago here in the church, we completely refashioned.
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How we see. Our young people in this church,
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and no longer do we. Look at the.
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Kiddos in the Children's ministry.
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As the future of the Church. And no longer.
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Do we look at? The young people in the junior
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high and middle school ministry. As the future of the.
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Church and We made truly substantive changes among our
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high schoolers, and we don't refer to them as the.
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Future of the Church? Any longer.
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You are the Church every. Single age group.
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Is the Church of Jesus Christ. And there is a plan and a
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purpose and a usefulness of every man, woman, and child of
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any age in the hands of God. I was thinking back this week.
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The testimony came. Back that part of the.
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Pathway of Marie and I coming to know Jesus Christ was our little
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son Eddie. Who would come home from
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Christian? Daycare at A.
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Wonderful Assembly of God Church not too far from our apartment.
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He would come back all. Joyful with his little we.
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Didn't go to church back then. But we dropped.
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Our son off at. A church daycare.
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And he would come home with all these little papers, and I
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remember the day he'd look at me with his little brown eyes and
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he goes, Daddy, do you have Jesus in your heart?
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And I'm like, what are they teaching this kid?
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What does that mean? Where did that come from?
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But it was a little seeds of the gospel.
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Through my own child. Where prior to that?
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I mean, even in that season, Marie and I were really living
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the lives of statistics. We were just teenage parents.
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Lost as lost could be. And yet God was graciously and
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patiently keeping us together for the appointed time.
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Because God had a plan for our lives.
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If you would have. Showed up in that time period in
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our lives. You go, oh man, that guy has.
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Lost. That guy has lost.
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And you would have been right. But God would have said that guy
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has lost. But I've got a plan for him.
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Like Saul, Tarsis and stay away from Saul.
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Stay away from. Saul and God said you.
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Stay close enough to Saul, because I got a plan for that
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man. I've got a plan that.
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If I told. You you wouldn't even believe
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it. And I wonder what the plan is
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for your life if God. Was tell us we.
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Wouldn't even believe it. So you don't understand how bad
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it is right now and how difficult it is.
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And you know they're living the life.
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Of a statistic. And I'm telling you right now,
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you don't need to live. That life of a statistic.
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You can turn to Jesus right now and you'll turn your life around
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and it doesn't matter. What?
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How? How?
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What age you are, How old you are.
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Especially you parents, man. Your kids really need to know
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you believe in them and that you have confidence in them.
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That that you will. Be there to support them along
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the way and you'll pick them up when they fall and you'll help
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them understand what they don't understand and you'll give
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context. To a world you think the world's
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chaotic, what do you think your kids?
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See and hear even if. You hold back what's?
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On the news and it Hey man, they go to the market with you.
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They see what they see. They experience what they
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experience. But they have very little.
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Depending on what their age is, capability of processing it with
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a Christian worldview. With an understanding of God's
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control in their lives, understanding how to trust God
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in the chaos. And you know who they learn that
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from you, and so it's important that you understand.
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How to see the world through? The lens of the scriptures and
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be able to have context and understanding for what you're
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experiencing at a much greater level.
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He's 17 and God loves him just like he loves the teenagers in
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our church. And out of God's.
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Love we. Support and encourage and are
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committed. They're not the.
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Future of the Church. Get that out of.
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Your out of your language every time you say it Pinch.
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Yourself or. You know, get a swear jar, but
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make that something else and just say, hey, look, they're not
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the future. These kids aren't the future.
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They are the church. And you begin praying for.
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What's God's purpose? Where does?
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God want to use them. What can we entrust to them?
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How can we test them as as the future deacons?
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Or elders. Or pastors.
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Or leaders of the church. Letting them have the
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opportunity to express their faith and obedience.
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So here's Joseph Young, impressionable, but also
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obedient. He has integrity here, some
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honesty and practical godliness. I don't know.
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If it was the wisest. Thing.
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To rat out his brothers, but that's the choice.
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That he made. He chose to honor the
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relationship with his dad over and above those that were
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considered his peers or. His older brothers.
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I think speaking the truth and love, there's wisdom.
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But he did bring a bad report to them of his father.
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This section of Joseph's life is commentators disagree, and so do
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believers. Disagree.
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Of whether Joseph's really being.
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Prideful here, or he is. Expressing integrity perhaps?
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It's a little of both. But I do know this.
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There there's a lot of difficulty that arises because
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believers. Will not tell the truth about
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something that they see, that they will not expose the
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darkness. That they will not.
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Say hey brother, this is. Wrong, sister.
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You can't be doing this. You can't be going there and
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then bringing it to the attention, you know, in this
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case, bringing it to attention of his father and I think.
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That's the first place. Always.
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To begin, when you see or experience something, you take.
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It to the Father. And begin to pray for the
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situation and ask God for wisdom.
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But I'm telling you, Church, don't turn a blind eye to sin,
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the blatant sin God has allowed. You to see.
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It for a reason. Not to approve it, but to expose
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the unfruitful works of darkness.
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The Bible. Says.
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And to walk in the light, notice verse 3.
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Now Israel. Remember, Jacob was renamed
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Israel. So most of the time when the
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Bible uses this name Israel, you have Jacob in a submissive
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place. He loved Joseph more than all
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his children because he was the son of his old.
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Age. And he made him a tunic of many
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colors. And when his.
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Brother saw that their father. Loved him more than all his.
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Brothers they hated. Him and could not speak
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peaceably to him. Israel, you say?
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Why? Why would?
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Israel governed by God, make the mistake of showing favoritism to
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a son. And why would Israel governed by
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God make the mistake of giving his son this very special?
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Coat. And I would just say, hey, even
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those that are governed by God can make big mistakes.
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You don't have to be a Jacob, you know Jacob, we see him so
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often as the conniver and the manipulator and the person
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that's always working a deal. You don't have to be a Jacob to
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make big simple mistakes, you know?
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And here he is showing favoritism, maybe.
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Israel. Here Jacob was.
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Trying to right the wrongs of his own father or his
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grandfather. You know how we feel sometimes
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as parents. I'm never going to do it like my
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mom or dad. I'm going to improve but end up
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repeating some of the same mistakes our parents made
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nonetheless. It's just the weakness of our
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humanity. But Jacob.
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Grew up in a home where his dad loved Isa more and his mom loved
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him more, and he understood favoritism.
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There was tension and frustration.
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And eventually, separation. But that's what favoritism
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toward one child over another in your home will do every time and
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because of. This he gets a special gift.
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It says he was. Given in verse 4.
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Excuse me, Joseph, in verse three he made him a tunic of
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many. Colors.
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Get out of your mind the Sunday. School picture of this coat that
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we we so. Often saw it, see even in Bible
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cartoons. It was probably very colorful,
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but it was. Different from our modern day.
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Coats it was. A long cloth, about 10 feet
21:23
long, with a hole in the head. That you could put over.
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And and had sleeves on it. Which was very rare you had.
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Half in the front, half in the back, tied it with a rope around
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the waist and that in those day, in that day.
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Those The men wore tunics without sleeves because they
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couldn't afford them. This was something special that
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would draw attention to Dad's love and favor.
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Of Joseph it was the. Coat.
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In one dictionary it said the coat of an Eastern Chieftain,
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one that was usually given to the son who was destined to be
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the father's. Heir.
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Tunics with sleeves, implied authority, rulership, and power.
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And I also read one place that. Tunics with sleeves also implied
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that the person wearing him would never have to do manual
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labor, and he was going to be free from the kind of manual
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labor even though Joseph was out feeding the flock there.
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But interesting, it was special. Made him stand out.
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His brothers didn't get it, and I'm sure Jacob was
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well-intentioned. But even worse, acts done with
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well intentions can still do considerable damage.
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Jacob was directly. And indirectly pitting Joseph
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against. His other brothers, whether he.
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Realized it or not and it's natural and verse four for them
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to be upset and not be able to. Speak peaceably to him.
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Verse 5 Now Joseph dreamed a dream and he.
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Told it to his brothers. And they hated him even more.
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And he said to them, please hear the dream which I've dreamed.
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There we were binding sheaves in the field.
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Then behold, my sheaf arose and stood up.
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Right. And indeed, your sheaves bowed
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down to my sheep. That's going to make his.
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Brothers real happy. And his brother said to him,
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Shall you indeed reign over us? Or shall you indeed have?
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Dominion over us. So they hated him even more for
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his dreams and for his words. Now, Joseph.
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I. Believe has a simplicity.
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Here he receives a dream. He wants to share it.
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I don't. Again, I don't know if there's
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great wisdom in telling his brothers, but there is a
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sincerity and integrity and immaturity of his age.
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Perhaps you see those of you that are younger in the room
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today. Although you are the church, you
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also have to. Admit that there is maturity and
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growth that needs to come in your life.
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That's why it's. Good for the younger to be with
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the older and the older. To be with the.
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Younger, you know, the younger need the wisdom and maturity of
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the older, and the older need the faith and excitement and
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risktaking of the kids man. And just to watch him and just
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see him go for it and be open to new things.
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That's the body of Christ. And personally, I don't see so
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much a. Tattletale here, Other.
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Than a young man trying to sort out.
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These things that God is giving him, the situation he has in
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life. I don't see him goading his
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brothers to making it. Worse, he receives a.
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Dream and he. Shares it perhaps?
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Not so much in wisdom, but he shares it nonetheless.
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His brothers, they also have a problem.
24:38
The focus might be on Joseph. Why are you sharing this?
24:41
He step back for a second and go.
24:43
Why are his? Brothers getting so angry, Why
24:47
are they hating him? And we already know from the
24:50
situation with check them in the massacre.
24:52
These boys. They're not.
24:54
They're not the most upright young men and older men for that
24:58
matter. And they.
24:59
Have issues as well. Anger and hatred being one of
25:03
them. Can I just say to you, church, I
25:05
don't want to develop it. I've done it in other studies.
25:07
But anger is nothing to ignore in your life.
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And I know there's always one or two among us, maybe on the radio
25:15
right now yelling at me. Yeah, but the Bible says to be
25:18
angry and not sin. So I can be angry at you,
25:21
pastor, like I am right now and not sin.
25:24
But I mean if. That is a verse that applies to
25:26
you all the. Time.
25:28
You're probably angry in sin all the time.
25:33
That's true. You're is a.
25:35
Righteous anger. You're right.
25:37
Jesus demonstrated it. Paul would write to be angry and
25:41
not sin. And and it's easy to to watch
25:44
something on the news and be righteously angry.
25:47
What's happening to children? What's happening in our culture?
25:50
People being taken advantage of. It's true.
25:52
But remember a righteous anger. Remember this.
25:55
A righteous anger will be for the.
25:57
Glory of God. Not for personal opinions.
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That's not a righteous anger or personal offense.
26:05
And a lot of times what's called righteous anger is actually
26:08
just. Fleshly outbursts of wrath.
26:11
And I'm just telling you, pay attention to it, Stay clear of
26:15
it. Don't create an environment in
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your life. Where you're okay with it.
26:24
Anger is. Like fire?
26:28
You know, in the right setting it's very very useful.
26:31
Like in the fire in your fireplace, or in a fire pit.
26:34
It's used greatly in a. Barbecue can be very helpful.
26:39
But fire out up in the mountains or in a feel a.
26:43
Grass field. Or in a farm, I could be very
26:46
destructive and anger can be very destructive.
26:50
Let me read to you the New Living Translation and Ephesians
26:53
chapter 4 and verse 26. It says and don't sin by letting
26:59
anger control you. Don't let the sun go down while
27:03
you're still angry for anger. Gives a foothold to the devil.
27:08
Did you hear that anger? Yeah, but it's righteous anger.
27:13
Be careful. Be very very careful.
27:17
The Bible says that the. Wrath of man does not produce
27:21
the righteousness of God, and what's happening in the brothers
27:24
right now is not going to produce the righteousness of God
27:28
if your anger is left on. Check, it'll lead to all.
27:30
Sorts of sin and roots of bitterness begin to take hold,
27:34
and it's disastrous. Verse 9.
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Then he dreams to another dream and told it to his brothers and
27:40
said, look, I have dreamed another dream and this time the
27:43
sun, the moon, the 11th stars bowed down to me and so he.
27:46
Told it to his. Father and his brothers and his
27:48
father rebuked him and said, What is this dream that you have
27:51
dreamed shot your mother and I and your brothers indeed come to
27:55
bow down to the earth? Before you.
27:59
Yeah, Jacob, actually, in a few years, that's what will happen.
28:01
But not yet. Verse 11.
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And his brothers envied him. Oh, now he's got anger, hatred
28:07
and envy. A unholy Trinity of emotions
28:13
that you don't want to. Describe your life hatred.
28:17
Envy. Anger.
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Noticed his father kept the the matter.
28:26
His. Brothers envied him but his.
28:27
Father kept. This matter in his mind, another
28:31
glimpse into the family. This dream submitting to Joseph
28:34
the universe is bowing down to. Joseph this.
28:38
Dream is interesting in a different way because this is
28:41
the same image that's used in Revelation chapter 12.
28:46
As you use the. Scriptures to interpret
28:48
scriptures. We know that in Revelation the
28:50
sign is a reference to the entire nation of Israel.
28:54
And you Bible students you can. Study it for yourself.
28:56
As you compare. These two passages together,
29:00
this is a prophetic word Did. Joseph is this is, this is an
29:04
interesting thing with Joseph in and of itself, because he's
29:06
getting an understanding of. What it What the the?
29:09
Encompassing what the future of his life's going to be.
29:12
He's not given all the. Pieces of our heart.
29:14
It's. Going to be.
29:15
When the brothers bow down, when all of Israel comes and bows
29:18
down, he's not given the whole, he's not giving it.
29:21
Piece by piece, but God's. Giving him insight of what the
29:24
end's going to look like in a time of great difficulty.
29:28
Notice now in verse 12. Then his brothers went to feed
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their. Father's flock.
29:32
And shekum, and Israel said. To Joseph.
29:35
Are not your brothers feeding the flock?
29:37
And shekum come, I'll send you to them.
29:40
And so he said, here I am. And he said to him, please.
29:44
Go and see. If it's well with your.
29:45
Brothers and well with your flocks and bring back word to
29:47
me. So he sent him out of the valley
29:49
of Hebron and he went to check him.
29:52
Now a certain man found him and there he was wandering in the
29:55
field. And the man asked, saying, what
29:57
are you seeking? And he said, I'm seeking my
29:58
brothers, please tell me where they're feeding their flocks for
30:01
17. And the man said they've
30:03
departed from here. I heard them say, let's go to
30:06
Dothan. So Joseph went after his
30:08
brothers and found them in Dothan.
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Again, you Bible students, remember back in.
30:13
Chapter 34. When the men of Shekum believed
30:17
that they would own Jacob and all his stuff, that's what they
30:20
what they thought. But now we.
30:21
See just the opposite as. The land of shekum is being used
30:25
for grazing and dad sends his son.
30:29
Joseph to His Brothers about a. 60 mile or so journey.
30:32
And this is not a highlight in the parenting life of Jacob
30:36
either. He doesn't have any idea what's
30:38
going on between. All the brothers, all the.
30:41
Siblings and Joseph or he refuses?
30:44
To see it but either way. It's not a good parenting skill
30:48
to not recognize. This with his kids or?
30:51
To simply ignore it because he doesn't care.
30:56
He's sending Joseph into the lion's den.
31:00
He is sending Joseph. So all that's going to happen to
31:05
him into his brother's hands, Joseph.
31:07
Obeys does what his dad. Tells him to do, but he wanders
31:12
around. He can't find his brothers and
31:13
he met by this man. Not much is said about this man,
31:18
but I appreciate. The help of God God gives.
31:21
Joseph help. He puts.
31:22
I love how God will put certain people on our.
31:24
Lives at certain times to help us, to guide us and support.
31:30
Us. Over the years, you can look at
31:32
key times in your life and see how God has just given you a
31:35
sister, given you a brother, given you a voice, given you a
31:39
study, given you someone at the right time at the right place.
31:42
You didn't even know how significant they would be, and I
31:47
wonder if you have ever noticed that.
31:49
You are that. Person to help a wandering boy,
31:56
man, woman, girl find their way. Pointing them back.
32:01
To what they're really. Need and what they're looking
32:04
for How often are we looking for God's guidance?
32:08
But also how? Often are we stepping in and
32:11
allowing God. To use us.
32:13
In this way, your life is significant even in the smaller
32:17
things. You find a guy, you just find
32:19
somebody wandering and you give them good direction.
32:22
You give them good direction. Pick up again in verse 18.
32:24
Now it says. Now when they saw him afar off,
32:29
even before he came near them, they conspired against him to
32:34
kill him. Why?
32:37
They hate him, they're angry and they envy him.
32:42
This is the end. A conspiracy to kill him.
32:47
Verse 19, they said to one another.
32:48
Look this. Dreamer is coming.
32:51
Come. Therefore, let's kill him and
32:54
cast him into some pit. And we shall say, some wild
32:57
beast has devoured him, and we shall see what becomes of his
33:02
dreams. But Ruben heard it, and he
33:05
delivered him out of their hands, and said, let us not kill
33:08
him. And Ruben said to them, shed no
33:11
blood, but cast him into this pit which is in the wilderness,
33:14
and do not lay a hand on him, that he might deliver him out of
33:17
their hands and bring him. Back to his father.
33:22
They hate him, conspired to kill him.
33:25
That word conspire can. Also be translated decided
33:29
deceitfully. They didn't let it be known, but
33:32
Ruben steps in to save him and has a heart for him and saved
33:37
his life. Before they could ever.
33:38
Touch him and had a plan to reunite him.
33:42
With dad. Notice verse 23 and came to pass
33:46
on. Joseph had come to his.
33:47
Brothers, that they stripped Joseph of his.
33:49
Tunic. The tunic of many colors that
33:51
was on him, and they took him and cast him into a pit.
33:55
And the pit was empty. If you like to write in your
33:57
bibles, you can circle the. Word pit.
33:59
It was probably a. Cistern A dry cistern.
34:02
Cisterns were dug into the ground.
34:05
To collect water. So it was a dry pit.
34:08
A dry. Cistern and it says there was no
34:13
water in it. Verse 25.
34:14
They sat down to eat a meal. Then they lifted their eyes and
34:17
looked. Verse 25 there was a company of
34:19
Ishma lights. Coming from Gilead with their
34:22
camels bearing spices, balm and Mer on their way to carry them
34:25
down to J to Egypt now. Judah said to his brothers, What
34:30
prophet is there if we? Kill our brother and conceal his
34:33
blood. Let's sell him to the
34:36
Ishmaelites and let not our hand be upon him, for he's our
34:39
brother and our. Flesh well thanks.
34:41
Judah, let's sell him. He's our brother.
34:45
And remember what is Judah's name mean?
34:48
Praise. And this is someone that was
34:51
born to praise unto God. And he's selling his brother,
34:56
thinking he's doing them a favor by not killing him.
34:59
And he had some leadership among his brothers stronger than Ruben
35:02
because his brothers listened. Then Midianite traitors passed.
35:06
By so that the brothers. Pulled Joseph up, lift him out
35:09
of the pit, sold him to the Ishmaelites for 20 shekels of
35:13
silver and they. Took Joseph to Egypt. 20 shekels
35:20
of silver I want you to understand something here that
35:23
that would amount to two shekels a person for this two shekels a
35:30
person. That's what they got out of
35:35
this. But you know what?
35:37
They really got? A conscience that would never
35:41
let up. A conscience that would eat at
35:46
them and plague them. For many years into the future,
35:51
they wouldn't be able to get out from under it.
35:54
Verse 29, Ruben returned to the pit, and indeed Joseph was not
35:58
in the pit and he. Tore his clothes, which is?
36:02
A sign of mourning and grief, he returned to his brothers and
36:05
said the lad is no more and I. Where shall I go?
36:09
And so they took Joseph's. Tunic.
36:11
And they killed a kid of the mark that.
36:14
They killed a kid of the goats. And dipped the tunic in the
36:18
blood and they sent the tunic of many colors and they brought it
36:22
to their father and said we have found this, do you know whether
36:26
it's your son's tunic or not? And he recognized it and said it
36:29
is my son's tunic. A wild beast has devoured.
36:33
Him without doubt Joseph is torn to pieces.
36:38
And then Jacob. Tore his clothes put sackcloth.
36:41
On his waist and mourned for his son many days.
36:44
And all his sons and all. His daughters arose.
36:46
To comfort him. But he refused to.
36:49
Be comforted, and he said, For I shall go down into the grave to
36:52
my son in mourning. Thus his father wept.
36:56
For him, the Midianites sold him to Egypt, in Egypt to partifer
37:01
and officer. Of Pharaoh.
37:03
And a captain. Of the guard.
37:06
Ruben is devastated, Probably thinks.
37:09
Joseph left the pit to go tell Dad about it.
37:15
And these are the first pangs of conscience beginning in Ruben.
37:19
But he comes to find out that they take a goat and kill it and
37:24
mix it would mix the blood on the tunic.
37:26
And I asked you to mark that word goat because.
37:31
How did they deceive? Dad by using a goat?
37:35
And how did Jacob deceive his dad?
37:38
Same way. Turn back to chapter 27 with me.
37:42
So I know it's been a few weeks, but it's only been a few
37:45
chapters. Genesis chapter 27, you know how
37:49
the. World says what goes.
37:51
Around you know what the. Bible says.
37:54
Though what a man sow. It that is what he'll reap.
38:00
Notice beginning in verse 8. Of.
38:02
Chapter 27. Now, though from my son, obey My
38:07
voice. According to what I command you
38:09
going out of the flock and bring from me their.
38:12
Two choice kids of the goats. And I'll make savory food from
38:17
them. For your father such.
38:19
As he loves you'll take. It to your father.
38:22
That he may eat and that he may bless.
38:25
You before his death. And it goes on with Jacob and
38:29
Rebecca with his mom, you know, trying to.
38:31
Deceive Dad, But it started with the goats.
38:35
And now he's being deceived. With a goat.
38:38
The scripture is in Galatians chapter 6 and verse seven.
38:41
Do not be deceived. God is not mocked and that's the
38:45
key. God is not mocked for whatever a
38:48
man. Sows he will also reap.
38:51
And he. Who sows to the flesh will have
38:53
the flesh reap. Corruption and he.
38:55
Who sows to the spirit will have the spirit reap.
38:58
Everlasting life joke. Jacob mourns for his son many
39:02
days. And notice the hypocrites back
39:06
in verse and chapter 37. All of his sons and his
39:10
daughters come to comfort him in his mourning.
39:14
And that reminds us of the deep hypocrisy in their lives.
39:19
They're just liars. Is it possible to be?
39:24
The in the company of the Saints and to meet just rank liars.
39:31
Yes, it's possible. When you allow.
39:38
The flesh to rise up, and you feed your flesh.
39:41
You mix in a little anger, a little envy, maybe a little
39:45
hatred, little. Jealousy.
39:47
All of the works of the flesh. You just don't know who you're
39:52
going to become. But it won't be.
39:54
Reflective of who Jesus is. It's so important that we walk
39:59
in the Spirit, not fulfilling the lust of the flesh.
40:02
That we yield ourselves. Even tonight, even as we gather,
40:06
you're opening yourself for the Holy Spirit.
40:08
To. Help you walk in the spirit.
40:11
I know we're at Bible study and I know we're just listening to
40:14
something on the radio, but that's not true.
40:16
You're not just doing anything. You are in the best place of
40:20
submitting yourself. To the word of God.
40:23
Opening yourself. To words that would encourage.
40:26
You words that would. Strengthen you.
40:28
Words that would help you. Words that will grow you.
40:31
Words that will stick with you. Words that will fill you.
40:35
And develop you and grow. You.
40:40
In the things of the Lord. As we come to the end of chapter
40:43
37, so many bad things happen to.
40:46
Joseph. But it's just the.
40:47
Beginning, because by the time we end, he's a young man, free,
40:52
living in his home, experiencing the joy of the favoritism of his
40:56
dad dealing with his. Brothers a little bit by.
40:59
The time we end the chapter, he's been sold to these
41:02
Ishmaelites, probably mixed with Midianite traders.
41:07
That head in now to Egypt and now he's sold.
41:10
To this officer, he's just a piece of property.
41:13
And it's going to get harder for him.
41:16
Difficult in dark days, but times that God will use
41:20
nevertheless. So.
41:22
Father, I pray that. Sin would not make us.
41:25
We would not yield ourselves to sin.
41:28
We would not. Yield ourselves to our flesh.
41:32
Even tonight. It's a word from you, God.
41:35
There's a word. To us as parents, not to play
41:37
favoritism. There's a word to all.
41:40
Of us not to be controlled by anger or envy or strife, not to
41:45
allow murder as Jesus talked. About if we hate our.
41:49
Brother, we've already murdered them in our hearts.
41:53
God that we would. Be in a place in a position.
41:57
Where your Holy Spirit. Can.
41:59
Speak to us that we. Would grow in your grace
42:03
tonight. That we would not forsake the
42:05
gathering together as some. Do but that.
42:12
Like we used to sing in that song, or would be blessed
42:14
because we came. You have.
42:16
A reward for obedience a. Word or two or three?
42:20
A prayer with a brother or sister.
42:23
Being reminded of the Suffering Church.
42:25
Singing together. Putting a new song in our
42:27
hearts. Hearing a testimony of victory
42:31
and contentment. With.
42:36
Those that are. Struggling and suffering among
42:39
us, May you have your. Way with us, Lord, as we study
42:43
the life of Joseph. There are those among us that
42:47
have. A hard life to God.
42:49
It's harder than most, and yet you're using it as a testimony
42:56
of your faithfulness and your goodness.
43:00
And just thinking, God of those seasons in our life where you
43:02
could look at our life and just go, man, I I just don't know any
43:05
way out of this. I don't think I I I just don't
43:08
see it. I I don't even want it.
43:10
And yet, God, you acted at just the right time just like Paul
43:13
Sodigulations at just the right time and may you give us
43:17
strength and patience. For just the right.
43:20
Time in Jesus name. Amen.
43:24
We pray that you've been encouraged by this Bible study
43:27
delivered live from the sanctuary of Calvary Church.
43:30
For prayer, call us at 87730 Grace.
43:35
That's 877-304-7223. To listen to this message in its
43:41
entirety or to join us for our live stream services, visit us
43:45
online at Calvary, Co dot Church or download our free Calvary
43:51
Church app. Be blessed as you worship Jesus
43:53
this week.