NOW WHAT?
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
WE HAD A WONDERFUL FAMILY IN THIS AREA. FOE SEVERAL GENERATIONS THE FISHBACK FAMILY HAD SEVERAL PREACHERS THAT STOOD SOLID FOR THEIR CHURCH FOR MANY YEARS.
One of the Fishback Preachers had a personal motto he would tell his friends as he was leaving, he would say: BUT TO DO GOOD… Few understood what Vernon was really saying, he based “BUT TO DO GOOD” on a Bible verse. His personal motto still speaks from his grave:
Hebrews 13:16 But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.
This would be a better world if we could listen, learn and apply Fishback’s motto: “BUT TO DO GOOD.”
NOW WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO?
NOW WHAT? THERE IS A TRAP: BONDAGE AGAIN? BONDAGE AGAIN! HAVE WE EVER LEARNED THAT PROCRASTINATION IS A TERRIBLE PRISON OF GREAT BONDAGE?
Romans 8:15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
Procrastination brings bondage again. Procrastination’s bondage brings tears and troubles. WE MUST LEARN TO FREE OURSELVES. So we say: IT IS A FACT WE NEED TO FREE OURSELVES FROM THIS BONDAGE? I think I will DO THAT TOMORROW.
NOW WHAT? I READ ONCE THAT A WISE MAN SUGGESTED THAT EVERY LIVING PERSON SHOULD BE LOCKED UP IN A HOPELESS PRISON FOR ONE YEAR.
His suggestion was that few could ever learn the beauty of freedom until they understood prison life. If each person were imprisoned for a year they would learn the reality of bondage and the beauty of freedom.
NOW WHAT? I read about a strong BLACK MAN that lived in the 1850’s as a slave. The life was nothing but oppression and fear. So in the early 1860’s the man ran away from the plantation and lived several years in hiding. He would rob people’s gardens in the summer. In the winter food was much harder to get. One Friday the SLAVE went into a store and stole enough food to live. The store keeper asked what he was doing. The slave explained he had to live and someday he would repay the store keeper WHEN HE WAS FREE.
The store keeper said: Listen to me for a minute before you run off. It is 1865, several years ago our President Abraham Lincoln signed the EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION on January 1, 1863 THAT DECLARED ALL PERSONS HELD AS SLAVES HENCEFORWARD SHALL BE FREE. SIR, YOU HAVE BEEN FREE FOR TWO YEARS BUT YOU ARE STILL LIVING AS A SLAVE?
John 8:36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
NOW WHAT? THERE ARE TWO KINDS OF BONDAGE OR IMPRISONMENT:
1. METAL BARS
2. MENTAL BARS.
NOW WHAT? GOD CAN USE MANY WAYS TO GET HIS PLAYERS IN PLACE. JOSEPH WAS 17 WHEN HIS MEAN BROTHERS SOLD HIM TO SLAVE TRADERS… 13 LONG YEARS JOSEPH’S JOURNEY SEEMED HOPELESS, DOOM AND DESPAIR?
A friend told me this week… I just can’t understand what God is doing. I think GOD NEEDS TO EXPLAIN somethings to me! God is sovereign and HE DOES NOT HAVE TO EXPLAIN ANYTHING…
NOW WHAT? Joseph found great favor in Potiphar’s house: UNTIL Potiphar’s wife made false accusations--- NOW WHAT?
NOW WHAT? GOD HAS A PLAN --- TRUST THE PLAN?
Genesis 39:20 And Joseph's master took him, and put him into the prison, a place where the king's prisoners were bound: and he was there in the prison. 21 But the LORD was with Joseph, and shewed him mercy, and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison. 22 And the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph's hand all the prisoners that were in the prison; and whatsoever they did there, he was the doer of it.
HOW MANY NIGHTS DID JOSEPH LAY IN HIS PRISON CELL AND THINK ABOUT HOME? He probably dreamed of his dad? He probably thought “I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A DO OVER” … I would be nicer and not so proud. I PONDER DID JOSEPH KEEP THE DREAM ALIVE? Did Joseph’s dream fade? They will bow before me?
Now what? GOD IS NOT FINISHED JOSEPH THE PRISON IS BUT A STEPPING STONE? God knows what he is doing: The BAKER and the Butler were locked up with Joseph.
Joseph goes into their PRISON CELL and the Pharoah’s servants were SAD, VERY SAD? They tell Joseph their dream. Joseph was not mean, angry or screaming. JOSEPH LISTENED WITH COMPASSION.
Genesis 40:4 And the captain of the guard charged Joseph with them, and he served them: and they continued a season in ward.
The Butler’s dream was good, you will return to Pharoah.
The Baker’s dream was heart breaking, HE WILL BE HANGED.
NOW WHAT? MAYBE, JUST MAYBE? ALL I ASK YOU TO DO TO REPAY MY KINDNESS IS REMEMBER THIS HEBREW BOY THAT IS LOCKED UP AND I AM INNOCENT.
Genesis 40:14 But think on me when it shall be well with thee, and shew kindness, I pray thee, unto me, and make mention of me unto Pharaoh, and bring me out of this house:
NOW WHAT? WOW, JOSEPH THEY PROMISED YOU? IT IS NOT GOD’S TIME… JUST TRUST THE PLAN…
Genesis 40:23 Yet did not the chief butler remember Joseph, but forgat him.
NOW WHAT? ANOTHER TWO YEARS IN THE PEN?
Genesis 41:1 And it came to pass at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh dreamed: and, behold, he stood by the river.
Pharoah had a dream: The DREAM was 7 FAT COWS,and 7 BONEY COWS…
The second dream was a DREAM of 7 GOOD CORN EARS, 7 BAD ears of corn…
Genesis 41:9 Then spake the chief butler unto Pharaoh, saying, I do remember my faults this day:
NOW WHAT? MY DREAMS ARE DASHED…
Genesis 41:14 Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him hastily out of the dungeon: and he shaved himself, and changed his raiment, and came in unto Pharaoh. 15 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I have dreamed a dream, and there is none that can interpret it: and I have heard say of thee, that thou canst understand a dream to interpret it. 16. And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, It is not in me: God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace.
NOW WHAT? JOSEPH YOUR DREAM IS COMING TRUE!
Genesis 41:37 And the thing was good in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of all his servants.
38 And Pharaoh said unto his servants, Can we find such a one as this is, a man in whom the Spirit of God is?
NOW WHAT? THERE IS A NEW RING, BUT STILL THE DREAM IS DASHED?
Genesis 41:42 And Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand, and put it upon Joseph's hand, and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck; 43 And he made him to ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried before him, Bow the knee: and he made him ruler over all the land of Egypt.
NOW WHAT? THE 11 BROTHERS ARE SITTING AT JOSEPH’S TABLE. THEIR MONEY IS BACK IN THE BAGS. JOSEPH’S CUP IS IN THE BAG OF HIS LITTLE BROTHER? NOW WHAT?
Genesis 45:3 And Joseph said unto his brethren, I am Joseph; doth my father yet live? And his brethren could not answer him; for they were troubled at his presence. 4 And Joseph said unto his brethren, Come near to me, I pray you. And they came near. And he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt. 5 Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life. 6 For these two years hath the famine been in the land: and yet there are five years, in the which there shall neither be earing nor harvest. 7 And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance. 8 So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God: and he hath made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt.
NOW WHAT? JACOB, DAD IS DYING? JOSEPH WILL KILL US ALL BUT LITTLE BEN? NOW WHAT?
Genesis 50:19 And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God? 20 But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive. 21 Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them.
CONCLUSION: NOW WHAT? Laying in the deep, dark damp well seemed to be a curse? Nothing good can come from this? The rope drops down in the well? Joseph is so happy? Now what? The young boy is in slave market? Now what? Egypt, remember Egypt is a bad place to Hebrews? Now what? Jump up one the slave block? Highest bid? Now what? A super master Potiphar? Finally there is hope? Now what? A beautiful lady accuses him of rape? Now what? Prison, he is innocent. Now what, several years in prison? Now what? The butler and the baker? Finally a way out? Now what? They forget Joseph! Now what? BOY, IT IS TIME TO SEE THE HAND OF GOD… Now what? All that has happened seemed aimlessly down, down, down? It all seems bad? UNTIL? UNTIL
THE CALL, CLEAN UP JOSEPH, SHAVE! WHAT REALLY HAPPENED WAS GOOD! WHAT REALLY HAPPENED WAS GOD!
Genesis 45:24 So he sent his brethren away, and they departed: and he said unto them, See that ye fall not out by the way.
NOW WHAT: A DREAM COME TRUE?
Genesis 42:6 And Joseph was the governor over the land, and he it was that sold to all the people of the land: and Joseph's brethren came, and bowed down themselves before him with their faces to the earth.
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. I would love for you to pray a prayer for me. I believe the NOW WHAT IS BEFORE US!
