First Church of God in Harvey
Sunday Morning, January 11th, 2009
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Let us pray.
Welcome......
This is the day which the Lord hath made we will rejoice and be glad in it. This Sunday
should be a day of rejoicing for what God has done, and is doing for us. No matter what
we have been going through, no matter how things might appears to be, we have been
blessed by God. We are here this morning only because of God’s goodness and God’s
mercy. Saints, it is alright to give God the praise that is due to him (let’s take the time to
praise the Lord.......)
Last Sunday we were blessed as Bro. Charles Johnson shared with us about a man called
Jacob who wrestled with God, he was blessed by God, and went away walking with a
limp. Sometimes being blessed by God might give us a new walk, and Jacob surely
recived a new walk from God, because he was now walking with a limp. Last Sunday
Bro. Johnson spoke about Jacob, and today we will be speaking about Jacob’s son Joseph
who completely trusted God, and how God worked things out for his good.
Please turn with me in your bibles from thw King James Version to Genesis 50 verses 15
through 21, and let us all stand and read together. Please tell someone if you are God’s
child he will work it out.
I want to thank...
There is a familiar saying we have been hearing over the past few months, which says,
yes we can, I believe it is now changed to yes we did. These sayings might sound good,
but are they really true? You see without God we can do nothing. In the news last week I
heard about a billionaire who took his life because he had lost a few billion dollars, even
though he still had billions remaining. You see, without God life is not worth living, but
with God life is worth living even if all we have is a few dollars in the bank.
Saints and friends, we have come a long way, and on Tuesday of this week, what we
thought was impossible will be made possible. What we thought could never happen in
our life time is about to take place. This Tuesday at 10:00 am Eastern Standard Time, the
44th president of the United States will be sworn in, and for the first time in the history
of the United States the president will be an Afro-American or some might say bi-racial,
in the person of president elect Barack Obama. What had seen impossible about 40 years
ago is now made possible, for with God all things are possible. My topic for today is,
With God We Can.
When I was in High School many years ago, I saw my High School teacher took a short
run on the scoccer field, and then somersaulted. He made a 360 degree turn in the air. I
was amazed, and wonder, how could he have done that. To me that was impossible. I saw
it, but I could hardly believe it. If I told you I would try to run across the podium in my
robe, and then make a flip or make a somersault, how many of you would believe I
could do it? Let me see your hands......Some of you would say what’s wrong with pastor
today, talking about trying to somersault on the podium. You are right, I would not be
able to do it, but guess what, with God the impossible can be made possible, and with
God you can.
With that in mind, I want everyone to start dreaming, the way is now clear, that everyone
can strive to be the best they can for God. If you were born in the United States you can
now strive to be the president one day, and God can make your dreams come through,
because with God you can......elaborate...
Our president elect caused me to think about Joseph, who despite all the odds will be
taking the highest office in the land. Everything was going bad for Joseph, he was on a
downward path, but after a while things changed, and he started to move upwards. If you
have reached rock bottom, and you are looking for a change, the only way you can go
now, is to go upwards......elaborate...
As we study the life of Joseph, we find this young man was hated by his brothers and
despised because of his dreams. They were jealous because their father had given Joseph
a multi-colored coat, and so at the right time they plotted to kill him, but later had a
change of heart, and he was sold into slavery. It is hard to be hated by those who are
close to you and who are supposed to love you. Joseph was bought by Potiphar, an officer
of the guard of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, and the Lord was with Joseph. Joseph was
falsely accused by His Master’s wife for attempted rape.. He was "charged, tried, and
convicted," and was cast into prison where the king’s prisoners were kept. It seems
everything bad was happening to Joseph. Multiplied evil was all around, but in the midst,
God started to work. Have you ever experinced days when everything is going bad? You
are late for work and the car wont start. It seems you are hitting every red light, you just
can’t get a break. You get to work late, and the boss is ready for the attack. When those
times of stress come, we have to remind ourselves that with God we can..
It seems Joseph’s life was on a downword road; it seems there was no way out for him,
but there in prison God was with him.. The bible says in Genesis 39 verse 21. "But the
Lord was with Joseph, and showed him mercy, and gave him favor in the sight of the
keeper of the prison." How many of you here today are glad that God is with you? It is
good to know that God is taking care of his people even when things don’t look so good.
It is good to know that even when bad things happen God is still there. The bible says in
Psalm 23 verse 4, "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will
fear no evil: for thou art with me: thy rod and thy staff they comfort me." God is always
there taking good care of his children.....elaborate..
In prison, Joseph was summoned by Pharaoh to come to king’s house and interpret his
dreams. Joseph was released because God had given him the ability to interpret dreams. .
In Genesis 41 verses 39 and 40 we read these words, "And Pharaoh said unto Joseph,
Forasmuch as God hath shewed thee all this, there is none so discreet and wise as thou
art. Thou shalt be over my house, and according unto thy word shall all my people be
ruled: only in the throne will I be greater than thou." Joseph was second in command in
Egypt, and I believe he came to tealize that with God he could achieve anything. As a
child of God, when things are going bad for you, just leave it into the hands of the Lord,
because God is working everything out for your good, and with God you can.
Last Friday, on my way here, I was listening to pastor Lutzer on the Moody Radio, and he
said when God really, really want to test you, he will cause you to lose something or
somebody very close to you. It may be a child, your spouse or a very dear friend. Ask Bro.
Job and he will tell you. Ask Abraham, because he almost lost his son of promise. Some
of you here today quite likely have really, really been tested by God.
Maybe you have lost a dear friend; maybe your money supply is almost gone;; maybe
you have lost your job; you have been to the doctor, and you did not receive a good
report; your so called friends might have lied on you; you had to spend a night in jail
becuase there was no one to bail you out, and the list could go on and on. Maybe you
have just received some bad news that you are not yet ready to share with the saints, but
whatever it might be God can make the impossible possible, for with God you can.
When bad things happened to Joseph, he simple allowed his light to shine. Things might
seem real bad right now, but if you are God’s child, just hang in there, God will work it
out for your good, and with God you can..
In our text, we find that Jacob is dead, and Joseph brother’s are really concern. Look at
verse 15 (read) I can hear the brothers saying, daddy is dead; the old man is gone, and
maybe Joseph was doing all this good stuff for us while daddy was alive, because he was
daddy’s boy. We can’t take any chances now, we have to make sure that Joseph is for
real; we have to make sure that he has really forgiven us.
It seems to me there are people who just cannot accept or give forgiveness. You say you
are sorry, please forgive me, but as far as you are concerned it is just words being used
meaning nothing. Joseph had forgiven his brothers, but that seems too good to be true.
These brothers got together and started to think of all the past sufferings they had caused
their younger brother.
In verses 16 and 17 of our text they used their dead father for a scapegoat, for their
mediator (read) Out of guilt and fear, these brothers sent a messenger to Joseph with a
friendly reminder asking for his forgiveness. These brothers might have thought when
they sold Joseph that would be the end. They might have thought when they lied to their
father that would be the end. They might have thought that as the years pass by this
incident of Joseph being sold into Egypt would all pass away. They forgot that someday
their sin would find them out. God is sending out a warning to be careful how we treat
others. Be careful what we say and do to others. It is so very easy for some to be abusive,
to be unfriendly, to be unloving, and forget that God is seeing all that we say and all that
we do.
These brothers were afraid, they felt they had committed a sin that could never be
forgiven, but they were forgiven by Joseph. There are people today who have been
forgiven by God, their slate has been wiped clean, but they feel they cannot forgive
themselves. I want somebody to know today, if God has forgiven you, accept it, you have
been forgiven......elaborate.....
In verse 18 of our text we find Joseph’s dream being fulfilled. In Genesis 37 verse 7
Joseph had told his brothers of his dream, and now years later it is being fulfilled. When
the brothers had first heard Joseph’s dream they were jealous of him, they hated him, but
now they are willing to be his servants. The bible says that "they fell down before his
face." We who are saved today had to one day fall down "before Jesus Christ to obtain
the forgiveness of our sins." If you are here today, you don’t know Christ as your Lord
and Savior today you can fall down at his feet and ask for his forgiveness. Thank God
anyone who comes to the Lord and ask for his forgiveness will be forgiven. It does not
matter what you have done, just say I am sorry. It does not matter how far you have gone,
just say I am sorry. Jesus says in John 6 verse 37, All that the Father giveth me shall
come to me: and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.
In verses 19 through 21 of our text we see grace being extended (read 19-21) Joseph was
saying when you put me in that pit, when you sold me into slavery, you had no mercy on
me. What you did to me was horrible, it was unjust, it was evil, but as I look back over
those years of suffering, sold as a slave; falsely accused of attempted rape; locked up in
prison; these were years of pain and suffering. Those years of pain and suffering later
turned into blessings. Everything that happened to me; the bad things that I had to go
through, God meant it for good. Every event in my life was carefully and skillfully
planned by God. You thought you were doing evil, you thought you were just getting rid
of me, you thought no one would know, but all that you were doing was in the plan of
God. I want somebody to know today, just take care, God is working everything out for
your good. Don’t get discouraged, because God is working everything out for your good.
Your co-worker might not understand you, but God is working everything out for your
good. Your boss might not understand, but God is working everything out for yout good.
Your kids might not understand, but God is working everything out for your good. Your
neighbors maybe are trying to figure you out but God is working everything out for your
good. The saints might not fully understand you, but God is working everything out for
your good, and with God you can make it, with God you can take it.
Pastor Beecher Hicks, Jr. wrote these words as if Joseph was speaking to his brothers,
and I quote, "What you thought would be my bad times, God has a recycling process to
turn into my good times. What you thought would be my defeat, God has a recycling
process to make my success. What you thought would be my way out, God has a
recycling process to make my way up. What you though would be my midnight, God has a
recycling process to make my morning. What you thought would have me limping, God
has a recycling process to keep me leapimg. What you thought would be my stumbling
block, God has a recycling process to make my stepping stone. You meant eveil unto me,
but God meant it for good, end of quote...Saints you can take it, it’s alright, because with
God you can.
So brothers, don’t be afraid, I will nourish you, I will take care of you and your children.
Brothers I am not here to seek out revenge, I will take care of you. Brothers daddy is
gone, but don’t be afraid, because everything that happened God meant it for good.
Let’s ask ourselves a few questions. "Why am I here? Why do I get up every morning?
Why do I go to work? Why do I pay my bills? Why do I care about my family? What is
the purpose of my life?" The purpose of my life and your life is to glorify God. If God is
not getting the glory out of our lives we are not serving our useful purpose. So as we
work, we should work to the glory of God. As we pay our bills, we should pay our bills to
the glory of God. As we take care of our family we should do so to the glory of God, and
with God in our lives we can make it, because with God we can..
So as we glorify God, let’s reach out and touch somebody’s life. As bad things happens to
us, let’s reach out and glorify God. As the trials come our way, let’s reach out and glorify
God. As we try to figure things out, and try to ask God why, let’s reach out and glorify
God. As we glorify God in our struggles, as we glorify God in our pain, as we glorify God
in being misunderstood, as we glorify God, these words in Romans 8 verse 28 will
become real to us, And we know (there is no doubt in our minds) that all things (not
some things, but all things) work together for good to them that love God, to them
who are called according to his purpose.
Last Thursday in New York a plane crashed, and all 155 passengers were saved.
Somebody say it was a miracle; somebody say it was luck, but the God whom we serve
spared their lives and gave them all a second chance. When we talk about God we don’t
talk about luck, but we talk abou God’s grace and mercy. You are not here today because
of luck, but we are all here because of God’s mercy.
As we examine our selves today, let’s ask ourselves, how much do we care about those
who are lost? How much do we care about the 155 passengers who could have lost their
lives, and maybe not knowing the Lord? How concerned are we about those around us
who are lost? Can we find the time to talk to them about their souls? or do we act as if
we don’t care? Today, let’s all make an effort to tell someone about Jesus wherever we
might be. There is somebody waiting to hear from you and from me, and with God we
can. All around Harvey there are lost folks. They are searching for hope in their
hopelessness. They are searching for help in their helplessness, can we help? with God
we can. People are crying out, can we hear their cry? People are wondering if we really
care? Today let’s reach out and give a helping hand, because with God we can.
Today I believe God is callimg men, women, boys and girls to be the best for God, and
with God you can. For the unsaved, God is calling you to put your life into his hands, and
with God you can. For those who are saved God is calling you to have a closer walk with
him, and with God you can.
Let us all stand
Call to dscipleship
Closing song/prayer
