Dream Again - 5

Dream Again - 5

Subject: Excuses that are Dream Killers Cont.

By Rick Welborne

Proverbs 13:12 (NLT) ¹² Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a dream fulfilled is a tree of life. 

Psalm 105:17-21 (NLT)
¹⁷  Then he sent someone to Egypt ahead of them— Joseph, who was sold as a slave.
¹⁸  They bruised his feet with fetters and placed his neck in an iron collar.
¹⁹  Until the time came to fulfill his dreams, the LORD tested Joseph’s character.
²⁰  Then Pharaoh sent for him and set him free; the ruler of the nation opened his prison door.
²¹  Joseph was put in charge of all the king’s household; he became ruler over all the king’s possessions. 

--Three weeks ago we discussed our dreams and we talked about these three things: 1. It is not so much about us as it is about “them”. 2. It is about the timing of God. 3. It is about the test.

--Two weeks ago we talked about the excuse of family as a dream killer. We saw how that when we pursue our dreams no matter what family says, it can lead to their salvation.

--Tonight let’s look at being falsely accused and being forgotten.

--God has given Joseph some pretty incredible dreams, and by all indications, the devil is determined to stop the dreams from coming to pass…He is threatened by those who dream..

--Last week we saw how Satan tried his best to use family to dissuade Joseph from his dreams…His brothers were jealous and hated him…his father was upset and rebuked him. 

--There is no evidence that anyone in the family tried to encourage him to go after God and to go after his dreams…not even his father who loved him more than the others. 

--When the enemy saw that being rejected by family, being sold into slavery, being carried away brutally didn’t work, he thought he needed to change his strategy.

--Remember this, the devil is always attacking us to distract us. God is allowing things so that He can test our character. God was not testing Joseph so He would fail…same for you and your tests.

--God is blessing Joseph in Potiphar’s house so much that everything he was putting his hands to was prospering and being ran with excellence. Potiphar had no worries with Joseph there.

1. The Enemy Will Try False Accusations to Kill Your God Given Dreams. 

Genesis 39:10-12 (NLT)
¹⁰  She kept putting pressure on Joseph day after day, but he refused to sleep with her, and he kept out of her way as much as possible.
¹¹  One day, however, no one else was around when he went in to do his work.
¹²  She came and grabbed him by his cloak, demanding, “Come on, sleep with me!” Joseph tore himself away, but he left his cloak in her hand as he ran from the house. 

--Potiphar’s wife noticed Joseph was handsome and well built (many of you guys know the curse he had) and she was determined to mess around with him…He was just as determined that was not going to happen.

--Let me stop here and truly commend Joseph because of what he did when Potiphar’s wife attacked him. He ran from her with intentionality. He belonged to God alone. 

--So what do we do when people falsely accuse us of something we did not do? Joseph was in deep trouble. Potiphar’s wife was like Pharaoh…her words were law. There was One credible witness…The Lord! 

--Joseph decided to move onto the next adventure with God knowing that this was only a test and about the timing of God. We have to keep reminding ourselves about the “them” who need salvation.

--So Joseph was thrown into prison. As far as I can remember, I cannot remember any other preacher speculating about this situation of Joseph being thrown in prison. I will. 

--If Potiphar really thought this slave, in whom he had placed his total trust in, had truly attempted to rape his wife, wouldn’t he have had him killed. 

--If the law permitted a rapist to be put to death and it was in his authority to do so, don’t you think Potiphar would have taken Joseph’s life? Unless he knew who Joseph was and also knew his wife.

--Maybe Potiphar knew his wife did not love him (obviously she was not faithful) and therefore he spared Joseph’s life. God may have opened his eyes.

Genesis 39:20-23 (NKJV)
²⁰  Then Joseph's master took him and put him into the prison, a place where the king's prisoners were confined. And he was there in the prison.
²¹  But the LORD was with Joseph and showed him mercy, and He gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison.
²²  And the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph's hand all the prisoners who were in the prison; whatever they did there, it was his doing.
²³  The keeper of the prison did not look into anything that was under Joseph's authority, because the LORD was with him; and whatever he did, the LORD made it prosper. 

--There is never a good excuse to give up on your God given dreams when you are falsely accused…why? Because the Lord is with you and because the final chapter has not been written yet. 

2. The Enemy Will Try to Make You Believe You Are Forgotten. 

--How is it even possible to fulfill your God given dreams (and the dreams are about “them”) when they don’t even know you exist…they don’t even know if you are alive.

--Being forgotten, forsaken, abandoned, overlooked, alone are some of the most difficult things we Christians or anyone else can face. One of the reasons suicide rates are so high.

--Joseph is abandoned by his brothers…he is away from his family, especially his father who loved him so much. He is in a strange land and all he has left is his God…and some incredible dreams. 

--Please don’t misunderstand me, I realize that you don’t have to be in a foreign country away from your family to feel lonely or forgotten…sometimes you can be in the same house and feel forsaken.

--I guarantee that if I asked tonight how many of you live day after day in your own house feeling that no one in the house even cares if you are there…there would be many. 

--Some believe they would like it if you were not there at all. You must never forget that you still have your God and you still have your God given dreams. 

--Joseph, in prison, does a wonderful thing, he interprets the butlers dream and the butler is restored to his place serving the king. Joseph gives him this request:

Genesis 40:13-15 (NIV) ¹³  Within three days Pharaoh will lift up your head and restore you to your position, and you will put Pharaoh's cup in his hand, just as you used to do when you were his cupbearer.
¹⁴  But when all goes well with you, remember me and show me kindness; mention me to Pharaoh and get me out of this prison.
¹⁵  For I was forcibly carried off from the land of the Hebrews, and even here I have done nothing to deserve being put in a dungeon."

--A very simple request, feel his pain. Remember me and show me kindness; mention me to Pharaoh and get me out of this prison. I did nothing wrong…remember me, please! 

1. It is not so much about us as it is about “them”. 2. It is about the timing of God. 3. It is about the test.

--This almost seems cruel that Joseph would be forgotten again…let’s look at God’s economy…the “them” were not there yet…it may have been too early (not God’s time).

--Again God was testing his character…two more years. We have too ways of looking at this: How cruel was God to make him wait longer or how great is God to give him such an awesome task…saving the world. 

--When we experience these feelings of being alone, being forgotten, being abandoned, being forsaken, being overlooked…what are we to do? We do like Joseph and we have stand-alone faith. 

Bill Gothard: Stand-alone faith can only happen when we realize that we are not alone! Stand-alone faith may cause you to have the appearance of being a failure! Stand-alone faith survives by standing on the principles of God’s Word and upon godly character! Stand-alone faith is more fearful of God than the consequences! Stand-alone faith needs no approval of man (family) but only a mandate from God! Stand-alone faith is an inward attitude of the heart that manifest itself in words and action! Stand-alone faith is motivated by a love relationship with Jesus not a response to people’s expectations of us!

--You see this thing of serving God may leave you, at times, in places where it seems you have been forgotten. Make sure Jesus is Savior and Lord!

--Renew your mind with the truths of God’s Word, remind yourself over and over of your God given dreams, and start seeing life and your circumstances from God’s point of view. 

--During this time earnestly be obedient to the prompting of Holy Spirit and walking in the Spirit every day.

--This one we may not care too much about…learn to identify with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection and be dogged determined to do what is right, forgotten or not.

--When you feel forgotten, love the Lord to the point where you are more concerned about protecting His reputation rather than pleasing yourself. Listen to Job:

Job 19:14-17 & 25-27 (NLT)
¹⁴  My family is gone, and my close friends have forgotten me.
¹⁵  My servants and maids consider me a stranger. I am like a foreigner to them.
¹⁶  When I call my servant, he doesn’t come; I have to plead with him!
¹⁷  My breath is repulsive to my wife. I am rejected by my own family.
²⁵  “But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and he will stand upon the earth at last.
²⁶  And after my body has decayed, yet in my body I will see God!
²⁷  I will see him for myself. Yes, I will see him with my own eyes. I am overwhelmed at the thought! 

--Just like with Joseph, Job had to wait on the timing of God. He was not forgotten…His Redeemer lives!

Job 42:10-12 (NLT)
¹⁰  When Job prayed for his friends, the LORD restored his fortunes. In fact, the LORD gave him twice as much as before! 

¹¹  Then all his brothers, sisters, and former friends came and feasted with him in his home. And they consoled him and comforted him because of all the trials the LORD had brought against him. And each of them brought him a gift of money and a gold ring.
¹²  So the LORD blessed Job in the second half of his life even more than in the beginning. 

Courageous – 1

Courageous – 1

Subject – Uncertainty is Guaranteed 

By Rick Welborne

2 Samuel 23:20-23 (NLT2)
²⁰  There was also Benaiah son of Jehoiada, a valiant warrior from Kabzeel. He did many heroic deeds, which included killing two champions of Moab. Another time, on a snowy day, he chased a lion down into a pit and killed it.
²¹  Once, armed only with a club, he killed a great Egyptian warrior who was armed with a spear. Benaiah wrenched the spear from the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with it.
²²  Deeds like these made Benaiah as famous as the Three mightiest warriors.
²³  He was more honored than the other members of the Thirty, though he was not one of the Three. And David made him captain of his bodyguard.

--One thing is for certain, life is filled with uncertainty. Our lives change in just a moment.

Oswald Chambers – To be certain of God means that we are uncertain in all our ways; we do not know what a day may bring forth. This is generally said with a sigh of sadness; it should rather be an expression of breathless expectation. 

--One thing for sure, Benaiah did not wake up on the day he was in a pit with a lion knowing every detail that would happen. It was not on his “to do” list or on his “wish list.”

--This lion encounter was as unplanned as a bad toothache. As we read this incident that happened 3000 years ago, we fail to truly appreciate the element of surprise. We know how it ends.

--We read the story and think the outcome was inevitable. Psychologist call this “hindsight bias”. We tend to, as we read scripture, to play the role of Monday morning quarterback. 

--But to appreciate the faith of Benaiah, you need to try to feel what he felt before he killed the lion. As you put yourself in his snow boots, you will experience a lot of emotional uncertainty.

--Him killing the lion was not a foregone conclusion. Statistics were definitely against him. Hand to hand combat with another human is one thing, but fighting the king of the beasts. Yikes!

--So many things to consider; how hard was it snowing? Was the snow hard and slippery? Visibility?  What time of day was it? Had Benaiah eaten his Wheaties? How hungry was the lion? Remember Daniel?

Daniel 6:24 (NKJV)
²⁴  And the king gave the command, and they brought those men who had accused Daniel, and they cast them into the den of lions--them, their children, and their wives; and the lions overpowered them, and broke all their bones in pieces before they ever came to the bottom of the den. 

--One thing that was for certain with Benaiah…He had an uncertain outcome. It could have gone either way. We must ask ourselves, what did Benaiah know?

1. He Knew God Was with Him.

--Yes, he had a sense of destiny but with that sense of destiny there is always a degree of uncertainty. Benaiah did not know if he would win or lose, live or die. 

--He could have run away and running away would have reduced uncertainty and even increased security. But lion chasers aren’t wired that way. The unknown does not scare them. 

--Security and playing it safe scares lion chasers more than uncertainty does. They don’t want to live the rest of their lives saying “What if?”

--So lion chasers, like Benaiah, chase lions. In the short term, it increases uncertainty, but in the long run, it reduces regrets. Embracing uncertainty is one dimension of our faith.

--You have to make the decision that if you are going to reach your God given potential and your God given destiny, sometimes you have to run away from security and chase uncertainty. Verses?

--Isn’t that why Jonathan left the safety of the Israelite camp and climbed a cliff. The military stalemate was driving him crazy so he decided to pick a fight with the Philistines.

1 Samuel 14:6 (NLT2)
⁶  “Let’s go across to the outpost of those pagans,” Jonathan said to his armor bearer. “Perhaps the LORD will help us, for nothing can hinder the LORD. He can win a battle whether he has many warriors or only a few!” 

--If you read here in the NLT it says “perhaps” and in the NKJV it says “may be”. I don’t know about you but it sounds like there was a measure of uncertainty in Jonathan’s mind and heart.

--Jonathan says for nothing can hinder the LORD. He can win a battle whether he has many warriors or only a few! In other words, even though he was uncertain, he felt that the Lord was with him.

--Let us think about Abraham. Isn’t that what he did when he left his family and his country to pursue the promise of God? 

--In a day when the average person did not travel more than thirty miles from their birthplace, he decided, even with a great measure of uncertainty, to follow God’s destiny for him.

Hebrews 11:8 (NKJV)
⁸  By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.

--Isn’t that what Noah did when he built and ark in the middle of the desert? I am sure there was a great measure of uncertainty. But lion chasers go after whatever God wants them to do.

Genesis 6:22 (NIV) ²²  Noah did everything just as God commanded him.

--That’s what lion chasers do; they climb cliffs, they move to foreign countries, and they build boats in the desert. They are considered crazy.

--But they did amazing things because they were not afraid of uncertainty. Key. They knew God was with them. 

--Lion chasers do not have to worry about what is coming because God knows. They don’t need explanations for every disappointment because they know God has a plan.

2. You Cannot Plan Pentecost.

--One of our biggest mistakes in serving God is that we focus our energies on telling God what to do, how to do it, and when to do it. 

--We even repeat ourselves over and over again just to make sure that God did not miss any of the important details. What if, instead of spending energy making plans for God, we spent our energy seeking God?

--Isn’t that what happened on the Day of Pentecost? The disciples did not have a plan. They were clueless. Sometimes uncertainty makes us pray like it depends on God. They did for ten days.

Acts 2:1-4 (NIV)
¹  When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place.
²  Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.
³  They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them.
⁴  All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. 

--God could not have scripted the Day of Pentecost any better. The outpouring of Holy Spirit happened during the Feast of Pentecost, when Jewish pilgrims came from all over the ancient world to Jerusalem.

--Those pilgrims were all able to hear the gospel in their native tongues. Not only were there 3000 believers baptized, but 3000 missionaries went back home to spread the good news.

--You could not have coordinated an event any better than this but here is the point; from the perspective of the disciples, the Day of Pentecost was totally unplanned. Amazing!

--It was not like they woke up that morning and said, “I believe I want to speak in a foreign language today.” They had no category for what was about to happen. It was unprecedented.

--It was not like they had made an appointment that after 10 days they would be filled with Holy Spirit and I am sure Peter had not prepared a three-point sermon. Not even a change of clothes for the baptism. 

--Even though Jesus told them to go and wait in Jerusalem for the Promise of the Father, they had no idea what that could possibly look like. You can’t plan Pentecost! Jesus told them:

Luke 24:45-49 (NIV)
⁴⁵  Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures.
⁴⁶  He told them, "This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day,
⁴⁷  and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
⁴⁸  You are witnesses of these things.
⁴⁹  I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high."

--Okay guys, Jesus told us His plan and our plan…here it is in a nut shell. Jesus is sending the Promise of the Father (hands raised…what’s that?). Don’t know!

--We go to Jerusalem and stay there until whatever this is happens to us. Well, that’s clear! So what did they do? They obeyed!

Luke 24:51-53 (NIV)
⁵¹  While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven.
⁵²  Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy.
⁵³  And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God.

--So what happened? They obeyed. You can’t plan Pentecost but what you can do is seek Good, fast, and worship for ten days and watch what God does.

--What if we sought God with the same intensity they did instead of spending all of our time giving God instructions about what He should do. 

Acts 2:38-41 (NKJV)
³⁸  Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
³⁹  For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call."
⁴⁰  And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, "Be saved from this perverse generation."
⁴¹  Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. 

--At Pentecost the disciples were uncertain about what God would do…what a wonderful surprise. 

Dream Again - 4

Dream Again - 4

Subject: Excuses that are Dream Killers

By Rick Welborne

Proverbs 13:12 (NLT)
¹²  Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a dream fulfilled is a tree of life. 

Psalm 105:17-21 (NLT)
¹⁷  Then he sent someone to Egypt ahead of them— Joseph, who was sold as a slave.
¹⁸  They bruised his feet with fetters and placed his neck in an iron collar.
¹⁹  Until the time came to fulfill his dreams, the LORD tested Joseph’s character.
²⁰  Then Pharaoh sent for him and set him free; the ruler of the nation opened his prison door.
²¹  Joseph was put in charge of all the king’s household; he became ruler over all the king’s possessions. 

--Last week as we discussed our dreams we talked about “Them”, the Timing of God, and the Test.

--Tonight I want us to concentrate on the test and what the enemy uses the most to derail us from the dreams and destiny God has given us. Let’s look at family.

1. The enemy can use family as a dream killer in your life.

Genesis 37:1-11 (NIV)
¹  Jacob lived in the land where his father had stayed, the land of Canaan.
²  This is the account of Jacob. Joseph, a young man of seventeen, was tending the flocks with his brothers, the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father's wives, and he brought their father a bad report about them.
³  Now Israel loved Joseph more than any of his other sons, because he had been born to him in his old age; and he made a richly ornamented robe for him.
⁴  When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him.
⁵  Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him all the more.
⁶  He said to them, "Listen to this dream I had:
⁷  We were binding sheaves of grain out in the field when suddenly my sheaf rose and stood upright, while your sheaves gathered around mine and bowed down to it."
⁸  His brothers said to him, "Do you intend to reign over us? Will you actually rule us?" And they hated him all the more because of his dream and what he had said.
⁹  Then he had another dream, and he told it to his brothers. "Listen," he said, "I had another dream, and this time the sun and moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me."
¹⁰  When he told his father as well as his brothers, his father rebuked him and said, "What is this dream you had? Will your mother and I and your brothers actually come and bow down to the ground before you?"
¹¹  His brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the matter in mind. 

--How many of you can agree that family, at the least, can be interesting if not just down right difficult. No family is immune from having challenges and problems. Wars and rumors of wars.

--Before you give up on families too quick, any group of people can have problems all because of one common denominator…people! Everyone comes with their thoughts, opinions, biases. 

1 Corinthians 10:13 (NKJV) ¹³  No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it. 

--Joseph had family, therefore Joseph had problems. He had multiple brothers and dad had multiple wives (moms and step moms). Joseph could not resist being a tattletale. He gave bad reports.

--Jacob loved Joseph more than the other brothers (trouble)…He was his fav…Dad made him a special coat…a robe with many ornaments…probably very expensive…latest fashion of the day just for the brat.

--Joseph’s brothers saw that their father loved Joseph more than them (trouble) and they hated him so much they could talk to him without being angry and bitter…be careful parents with your favorites.

^--Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him all the more. My dad and I had a horrible relationship but when I told him my dream of ministry…He hated me more. 

--Joseph told his dream to his parents and they rebuked him…His family was trying to kill his dreams by how they responded to him and how they hated him. They wanted to kill him. Put him in a pit and sold him.

--For many of us the dream would be over because the rejection of family would be too great of a price to pay to fulfill our dreams…How many families will be held accountable for being dream killers?

--But here is my question…can we really use family members as an excuse for not serving God and following our God given dreams? No matter the hate, no matter the rejection, no matter the pain. Listen to Jesus:

Matthew 10:37-38 (NKJV)
³⁷  He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.
³⁸  And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. 

--Joseph didn’t, I didn’t, and you do not have the right or the privilege of forsaking your dreams because of family. Before you abandon your dreams, you better read the rest of the story. 

Joseph’s brothers end up coming to him (after he is exalted) for him to save their entire family. And yes, they bow! My parents came to Christ as I followed my dreams.

--My calling, my dream was to be obedient to God and not get distracted because family reacted or even overreacted to what God was telling me to do. Jesus is the One Who called you. Your Source!

--When I left for Bible School all I had was a call from God. I arrived at school with $17 dollars in my wallet…there was a man who said he would support me, he died!

--Every trial Joseph went thru he could have gone back in his mind to that ridiculous family who treated him wrong and that could have been his ticket to quit but he didn’t quit.

Luke 18:1 (MSG) ¹ Jesus told them a story showing that it was necessary for them to pray consistently and never quit. 

--Have you ever thought how important each decision is? One right decision and we fulfill our destinies and one bad decision (based on influence of family) our lives only become a shadow of what could have been.

Mark Batterson: Every life is defined by decisive moments, and those moments of decision often dictate the course of decades. That shouldn’t make you nervous, not if God is ordering your footsteps. It should fill you with a sense of destiny.

2. The enemy can use un-forgiveness toward our families as a dream killer.

--The day finally came…the day when Joseph had his brothers right where most of us would be glad to have them. These guys tried to destroy my life and now they are at my mercy. What would you do?

--Another one of those moments in your life that will determine your destiny and the destiny of many generations to come…kill these guys and then, send for my father. What would that do to dad?

Psalm 105:17-19 (NLT)
¹⁷  Then he sent someone to Egypt ahead of them— Joseph, who was sold as a slave.
¹⁸  They bruised his feet with fetters and placed his neck in an iron collar.
¹⁹  Until the time came to fulfill his dreams, the LORD tested Joseph’s character. 

1. It is not so much about us as it is about “them”. 2. It is about the timing of God. 3. It is about the test.

Genesis 45:1-5 (NKJV)
¹  Then Joseph could not restrain himself before all those who stood by him, and he cried out, "Make everyone go out from me!" So no one stood with him while Joseph made himself known to his brothers.²  And he wept aloud, and the Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh heard it.                                                                           ³  Then Joseph said to his brothers, "I am Joseph; does my father still live?" But his brothers could not answer him, for they were dismayed in his presence.
⁴  And Joseph said to his brothers, "Please come near to me." So they came near. Then he said: "I am Joseph your brother, whom you sold into Egypt.
⁵  But now, do not therefore be grieved or angry with yourselves because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life. 

--I don’t think these brothers were feeling grief or anger as much as they were experiencing unbelievable fear. We are dead! We are going to be repaid what we deserve. This is it!

--At the moment when he was in full control and had the authority to do what he had the right to do…He did something that truly defies all human logic…He forgave them…He chose to see the big picture.

--You see, Joseph was sent before them to preserve life, the time came for his dreams to be fulfilled, and again Joseph’s character was being tested. Forgiveness or revenge?

--I have seen God orchestrate people’s lives and destinies to come to this place of reconciliation or revenge …those who chose forgiveness found new life and those who didn’t found death.

--I have even seen people come to this place with God where they felt God had been unfair to them, maybe a loved one was hurt or even died, a place of renewed relationship with God…some walk away. 

--Our forgiveness of them may just be the very thing that leads them to salvation…They get to see you be like Jesus…Father, forgive them because they do not know what they are doing.

Batterson: Yes, decisive moments are few and far between. But the ripple effects of those moments transcend time and space. Our actions and inactions have eternal ramifications. And for the record, inaction is an action. When we fail to take action, we forfeit the future. And just as inaction is an action, indecision is a decision.

3. The enemy cannot use family when we decide to work with God for their salvation.

--Joseph saw his life from God’s perspective and saw how God (thru adversity) set him up to be his family’s salvation. What about your family? Have you written them off…God hasn’t! He wants to use you.

Genesis 45:7-8 (NIV) ⁷ But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance. ⁸ "So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God. 

--Joseph saw himself working with God…are you working with God for your family…have you forgiven them? They shouldn’t have to ask for it. Take every opportunity to share the love of Jesus with them.

--Joseph did not wait for an apology…he simply forgave because their salvation was more important than his pride.

--You know my parents received Jesus and what a glorious story that is but now my siblings, my nieces, nephews, cousins…they are part of my calling and I refuse to let the enemy have them.

--One day, I declare there will be salvation and family reconciliation…You see it is about “Them”, it is about the timing of God, and it is a test of my character especially in light of my family and forgiveness!

Dream Again - 3

Dream Again - 3

Subject: Joseph’s Tests

By Rick Welborne

Proverbs 13:12 (NLT)
¹²  Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a dream fulfilled is a tree of life. 

Psalm 105:17-21 (NLT)
¹⁷  Then he sent someone to Egypt ahead of them— Joseph, who was sold as a slave.
¹⁸  They bruised his feet with fetters and placed his neck in an iron collar.
¹⁹  Until the time came to fulfill his dreams, the LORD tested Joseph’s character.
²⁰  Then Pharaoh sent for him and set him free; the ruler of the nation opened his prison door.
²¹  Joseph was put in charge of all the king’s household; he became ruler over all the king’s possessions. 

--We really do not know why in God’s economy or in His providence that He has chosen for things to be, let’s say, extremely difficult or just outright impossible.

--I believe Psalms 105 explains to a great degree the answer to this question and this a sermon within the sermon which I am sure I will refer back to at some point.

--Verse 17 God sent someone (Joseph) ahead of them (Israel)…ok, Pastor, that is profound but what are you saying. Thanks for asking…My first point is this…

1. It is not so much about us as it is about “them”.

--Have you ever considered that the dream God has given you is not really all about you…it is about “them”. “Them” in your life may be family, friends, co-workers, classmates…God always thinks bigger.

--Their deliverance is more important to God than your comfort…their deliverance is more important to God than your plans…their deliverance is more important than your own personal dreams.

--God is so consumed with “them” that He did something that most of us would think to be unconceivable:

John 3:16-17 (NKJV)
¹⁶  For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
¹⁷  For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

--I hope you can see the parallel between Jesus and Joseph…God so loved “them” that He sent Jesus and He so loved “them” that He sent Joseph. God is consumed with reaching “them”. What about us?

--So many times we miss God’s dream for us because we think it is all about us, we think it is for us, and we think God’s goal is to elevate us. That is not how God thinks!

--One of the reasons (my personal opinion) that churches have lost their power and effectiveness is that people have been led to believe it is all about self instead of “them”. Super Wal-Mart mentality!

--God has tried to help your pastor keep before you the “them” who desperately need Jesus…The “them” around the world we reach thru missions or the “them” we reach thru local ministries.

--The “them” we can reach thru La Vida, thru Hallowed King, thru House of Hope, thru our bus ministry, thru each of us sharing Christ with “them”. It is about reasonable service to others.

Romans 12:1 (NKJV)
¹  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 

--Poor Joseph thought he was going to become a living sacrifice for his dreams…Jesus did become a sacrifice for His dreams of saving “them” for saving us. 

--Joseph, once he arrived in his land of bondage, chose to serve whomever he was placed under their authority and, every time, God’s hand was upon him with favor and blessings…he served “them”.

--He served those whom he would eventually rule over and the “them” God would use him to save through his wisdom and compassion. His willingness to serve would be his family’s salvation. My dad and mom.

--As you pursue the God given dreams in your life, recognize God is always thinking about “them” so He will require you present your body as a living sacrifice which is your reasonable service.

--You see, your ministry to “them” can be derailed by your selfishness to take care of “you”. The devil will always provide opportunities for you to abandon your dreams. It may even feel right.

--Do you think he just kept believing God has given me great dreams and I do not want to do anything to derail His plan…One mistake and we can spend 40 years in the desert…ask Moses. Killed the Egyptian.

2. It is about the timing of God.

Psalm 105:17-21 (NLT) ¹⁷ Then he sent someone to Egypt ahead of them— Joseph, who was sold as a slave.
¹⁸  They bruised his feet with fetters and placed his neck in an iron collar.
¹⁹  Until the time came to fulfill his dreams…

--It is almost inconceivable for us to think (with our American Christian mentality) that God would be willing to allow His children to suffer just so He can reach other people.

--Maybe we should ask Jesus what He thinks about that. Waiting on the timing of God can be, actually it is, one of the most difficult things we believers can go thru.

--Joseph was given dreams as a young teenager about his family and the world coming and bowing down before him.  Just imagine with me Joseph being in a pit looking up into the heavens. “Trust Me!”

--Imagine being sold as a slave, feet bruised with fetters, his neck in an iron collar…I have dreams and God is saying trust me!

--Imagine in Potiphar’s house being in charge of everything and suddenly you are falsely accused of rape…the whole time God is simply saying to trust Me with your dreams…it is not the right time.

--Imagine being put in prison for something you did not do…the years are passing quickly and it seems the dreams are getting more and more dim…did I really hear from God? Was it just me?

--Imagine helping someone in prison who was restored to his position (the butler) with the king and God used you to interpret his dream…the irony…his dream comes true but what about your dreams. 

--He is restored and is so happy to be living his dream…note here…while you are living God’s dreams for you don’t forget those who are still waiting for their dreams to come to pass. Joseph was forgotten in prison.

Genesis 41:1 (NKJV)
¹  Then it came to pass, at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh had a dream; and behold, he stood by the river. 

--Two full years go by and the Pharaoh has a dream that he cannot interpret…the butler remembers Joseph’s words to him before he left the prison:

Genesis 40:14 (NIV) ¹⁴ But when all goes well with you, remember me and show me kindness; mention me to Pharaoh and get me out of this prison. 

--Don’t forget the people God has placed in your lives to help you get to your destiny and who have helped you to fulfill God’s dreams. Being forgotten hurts and it opens up other doors.

--Joseph had the potential of getting angry with God and bitter with people…I was forced to leave my family and I did nothing worthy of prison…this is where trusting God must trump difficult circumstances. 

Ephesians 4:26-27 (NKJV) ²⁶  "Be angry, and do not sin": do not let the sun go down on your wrath,
²⁷  nor give place to the devil.

--Five years goes by, ten years goes by, fifteen years goes by, twenty years goes by…one trial after another…I must be faithful…I must not quit…I have to keep dreaming…I have to keep trusting.

Proverbs 3:5-6 (NKJV)
⁵  Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding;
⁶  In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. 

Psalm 105:19 (NLT) ¹⁹ Until the time came to fulfill his dreams…

--Whether we believe it or accept it or even like it…God has a timing in what He does and that includes the dreams He has for us.

--Ecclesiastes 1 tells us there is a time and a season for everything under the sun and that God has made everything beautiful in its time. Not sure we believe that the way we act and react.

--When the time is right, God will fulfill His dreams for us and it will be a beautiful thing. Our job (like Joseph) is to remain faithful no matter the length of time or the difficulty until He does it.

3. It is about the test.

Psalm 105:17-21 (NLT) ¹⁷ Then he sent someone to Egypt ahead of them— Joseph, who was sold as a slave.
¹⁸  They bruised his feet with fetters and placed his neck in an iron collar.
¹⁹  Until the time came to fulfill his dreams, the LORD tested Joseph’s character.
²⁰  Then Pharaoh sent for him and set him free; the ruler of the nation opened his prison door.
²¹  Joseph was put in charge of all the king’s household; he became ruler over all the king’s possessions. 

--How are you doing with the test you are in? How are you doing as you wait for your God given dreams? What about your character? Is it in tact with God and His will for your life? Passing or failing? 

--Most of us, if we were honest, if we had been Joseph would have failed the test at some point. We would have been angry at God and bitter toward our siblings…just not fair.

--So why should we dream, why should we be concerned about “them”, why should we trust God’s timing, and why should we pass the test we encounter:

Genesis 45:7-8 (NIV)
⁷  But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance.
⁸  "So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God. 

Identity Theft – 7

Identity Theft – 7

Subject – Helping Our People Trust Jesus with Their Identity

By Rick Welborne

Psalm 104:1&4-5 (NKJV)
¹  Bless the LORD, O my soul! O LORD my God, You are very great: You are clothed with honor and majesty,
⁴  Who makes His angels spirits, His ministers a flame of fire.
⁵  You who laid the foundations of the earth, So that it should not be moved forever, 

--Today I want to encourage you to find your identity in Christ and let God be your only foundation. Before I conclude this sermon I want you to know you can trust the Lord!

--I am sure all of you remember Pastor Mark telling his story about coming here. The children’s pastor before him was loved very much. Pastor Mark struggled.

--I told him to be himself and not to worry about the former guy. Just be who God created you to be and everything will be okay. You just do you!

--When Pastor Aaron came, there were a few people who did not like his style of worship and leading. They wanted me to make him change or to let him go. No, God has spoken to me.

--I am glad God gave me the wisdom to let these guys be who God created them to be and that they have made Christ their foundation. Not me or not what people wanted them to be. Both are very successful.

--So why is it important to make Christ your foundation?

1. When God is my foundation, He helps me with my weaknesses.

2 Corinthians 12:7-10 (NLT2)
⁷  even though I have received such wonderful revelations from God. So to keep me from becoming proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud.
⁸  Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away.
⁹  Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.
¹⁰  That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 

--I love when people argue about Paul’s thorn in the flesh…His bad eyes, His mother-in-law, His guilt of persecuting the church…The Word tells us…A messenger from Satan…a demon to torment him.

--Whether we admit it or not, we all have weaknesses. If you say you don’t, your weakness is pride. In our weaknesses, if we will fall on our foundation, we will be made strong. Think about these verses:

Matthew 21:42&44 (NKJV)
⁴²  Jesus said to them, "Have you never read in the Scriptures: 'The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone. This was the LORD'S doing, And it is marvelous in our eyes'?
⁴⁴  And whoever falls on this stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder." 

--It is better to fall the Stone, Jesus Christ, and be broken than to let that Stone fall on us. It is much better to fall on the Stone. What does that mean?

James 4:6-10 (NLT2)                                                                                                                                               ⁶ As the Scriptures say, “God opposes the proud but favors the humble.”
⁷ So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
⁸ Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world.
⁹ Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy.
¹⁰ Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor. 

2. Christ’s Foundation is What Makes Me Sufficient to do God’s Work

2 Corinthians 3:5-6 (NKJV) ⁵ Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God,
⁶  who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

--We are not all that. God is the One Who makes us sufficient to do God’s work. If it is you, you will fall. If your identity is defined by Him, you will be blessed.

--I love this…He makes us sufficient as ministers. Thank God for that. How does He do that? By Holy Spirit. As we submit to God and depend on Holy Spirit, our ministry will be effective. 

3. Christ Laid the Foundation of the Earth.

--That’s funny to me. Look at our text again.

Psalm 104:1&4-5 (NKJV)
¹  Bless the LORD, O my soul! O LORD my God, You are very great: You are clothed with honor and majesty,
⁴  Who makes His angels spirits, His ministers a flame of fire.
⁵  You who laid the foundations of the earth, So that it should not be moved forever, 

--I hope this illustration shows you how much we all need God and how much our identity should be found in Him alone. This is why should be able to trust Him.

Psalm 104:5 (NIV) ⁵ He set the earth on its foundations; it can never be moved. 

--He set the earth on its foundation…again that is funny. Take the globe. Watch and see how much like God I am.

A. The earth is just suspended in space…nothing holding it up but God. Drop the globe.

B. On the earth people are standing on the top, the bottom, and the sides…let the man fall. Only God can do that. Gravity.

C. Just to make it tougher, the earth is spinning on its axis at 1000miles per hour. Why are the people and the things on the earth not slung off? Let me try. Nope! Only God’s foundation.

D. Oh, yes, the earth is exactly the right distance from the sun. 93 million miles. Any closer…we burn up. Further away, we freeze and starve. Only God’s foundation.

E. Water is a liquid and has a tendency not to stay where it should especially if the glass or earth, in this case, is tilted. Why doesn’t the water just sling off into space? God!

--So what’s the point, Pastor Rick? If God can set the earth on its foundation, how much more can He take care of you and me? My identity and my destiny are founded on Him!

--Man could not take care of his own foundation, so God had to intervene. 

1 Peter 1:18-20 (NKJV)
¹⁸  knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers,
¹⁹  but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.
²⁰  He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you

1 Corinthians 3:9-11 (NKJV)
⁹  For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, you are God's building.
¹⁰ According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it.
¹¹ For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

--He is your foundation and He is your identity! Trust Him with everything inside of you!

Proverbs 3:5-7&19 (NLT2)
⁵  Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.
⁶  Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.
⁷  Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom. Instead, fear the LORD and turn away from evil.
¹⁹  By wisdom the LORD founded the earth; by understanding he created the heavens. 

1 Peter 2:10 (NLT2) ¹⁰ “Once you had no identity as a people; now you are God’s people. Once you received no mercy; now you have received God’s mercy.” 

--He has the whole world in His hands and you, too!