*The test used in reference for this message was a thought received from a message on the 7 test of Joseph submitted by SermonCentral.com contibutor, Derek Vreeland.
Why Me, Why Now?
Genesis 39:16-20
Joseph was placed in a position where he had to make a choice – one that would determine whether he keeps his job or not.
Potiphar’s wife tried to seduce him and get him into bed with her. When he denied her, she became embarrassed and enraged. When her husband, Potiphar returned, she started making up a story of how Joseph tried to rape her.
NOTICE:
When Joseph knew he was in the wrong place:
He got out of there!
He didn’t stay and try to negotiate with her
He didn’t take it up to a certain point and then quit
He didn’t stay to see what she had to offer
When Joseph saw that this was not a good thing:
He left so quickly that he left his coat.
You have no business flirting around with sin. When that opportunity arises: You have got to get out of there.
Why do Christians?
Not go to the crack houses
Not go to the bars and nightclubs
Not go to those places on the Internet…
Satan has got a trap for you set. And if he can get you in the room, he almost has you committed to jumping right in bed with sin. You have got to get out of there!!!!
So Joseph is falsely accused. This lady totally lies and gets Joseph fired and sent to prison. But he never complained.
We all have opportunity to complain:
Co-worker gets a promotion before you
Family member gets a better job
Sinners getting more material things
Someone in church gets to sing more
They are always called on to teach
· Why does this always happen to me?
· Why did I get sick – I am a worker in the church?
· Why did I lose a loved one – I am faithful
· I am honest with my taxes but he gets 5k back every year
· I am honest at work and people pass me by when it comes to raises
· I don’t socialize with the world and it gets me nowhere
We all complain because we feel like we have been done wrong. But what you say when this happens will determine what kind of person you really are.
Let me let you in on some insight:
Your boss does not have that hold on the promotion
Your boss is not the one that gives you the raise
The banker is not the one who approves your loan
- All of this is determined by God
You have been trying to please your boss, you have been trying to be nice to the banker when you should have been putting all of yourself in the position of honoring God.
You have to live with this fact:
If God wants me to have this house – I will have it
If God wants me to have this car – I will have it
If God wants me to have this job – I will have it
If God wants me to get tax money back – I will
If God wants me to overcome cancer – I will
It’s not based on what this world will “let us” do or have. It’s all about God and what HE wants from us and for us. Some of you can’t get:
· The promotion because you have not shown God your faithfulness with the job you have now.
· A bigger house because you don’t have a Christian home in the one you have
· A nicer car because the one you have now is not being used for the glory of God
· A bigger salary because you are not being faithful in giving back to God what you have now
What I am saying? We have been complaining and saying that is our:
· Bosses’ fault
· Doctors’ fault
· Loan officers’ fault
· Co-workers’ fault
…Because we don’t have no more than we have now
God says when you prove faithful over what you have now; when you are thankful for what you have now…THEN I will give you more.
Matthew 25:14-30 teaches us about three men who were given talents. Listen to what the master said to the one man who did not use his talent:
v.26 –“You wicked, lazy slave…take away his talent”
But to the two men that were faithful in using what they had, v.21 – “Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things…”
We are blessed with more only after we have proven to be faithful with what we have.
The church wants growth: The secret?
Be faithful with what you have now
When God sees that you each care about what you have now He will bless us with more.
· You can’t have more because you don’t call on the ones you have now
· You can’t have more in your Sunday school because you are not faithful to minister to those you have now
· You will have more members when you take care of the ones you have now
· You will have more money in the bank, when you take care of what you have now
· You will get more children and youth in church when you take care of the ones you have now
So Joseph is put in jail for something he did not do.
That isn’t fair but Joseph never said a word
Why? He’s been in the pit before and knows that if God wants to deliver him from this, He did it before and He could do it again.
How do I know that Joseph remained faithful to God?
Read v.21-23
Even while in jail, Joseph is still being blessed!
Not only blessed, Joseph is still in charge!
Why? God gave him favor…
Why did the Midianites purchase Joseph? God’s favor
Why did Potiphar purchase Joseph? God’s favor
Why did Potiphar put Joseph in charge? God’s favor
Why did the jailer become a Joseph fan? God’s favor
You maybe at a place in your life where you don’t have much on the world’s standard -
But if you have God’s Favor – You have all that you need.
The world bases everything on where you are now
God bases everything on where you are going
· I maybe at minimum wage now – But I am working my way up
· I maybe in a 2br. Apartment – But I am working my way up
· I maybe the lowest one on the pole – But I am working my way up
· I maybe a new Christian – but I am working my way up
You maybe in your pit – But God can still bless you
You maybe low man on the pole – But God can bless you
You maybe living on min. wage – But God can bless you
You maybe on a fixed income – But God can bless you
You maybe at a dead end job – But God can bless you
How? With His Favor!
Favor is:
The banker giving you the money and don’t know why –
Your credit history is terrible
Your budget is out of whack
But you still get the money
The boss who hires you and don’t know why –
Other candidates were more experienced
They had more education
They knew people
But they didn’t have God on their side
The Government finding a mistake on your income tax and end up sending you money instead of what you were suppose to owe
Finding that $5 bill in your pants pocket when you thought you didn’t have a dime to your name
Walking into a doctor’s office after being told that you only have 6 weeks to live and they can’t find the cancer anywhere on your body
When you have the favor of God you have everything you need.
Joseph had this favor – and he was satisfied with THAT!
I maybe in a pit – but I have God’s favor
I maybe out of money this week – but I have God’s favor
I maybe out of a job – but I have God’s favor
I maybe sick for now – but I have God’s favor
We sit around and wander why we go through these tough times in our lives.
Joseph has many obstacles that he had to overcome to get to his pinnacle in life. Why?
Once he gets to where God wants him to be, he has to believe that whatever happens while he is there – God is in control.
It’s not just getting your dream or fulfilling that commitment that is important. You have to learn that once you get there, God is faithful to keep you there.
God just doesn’t want you to arrive – He wants you to remain!
We can do this if we will just accept our times of learning and understand that complaining gets us nowhere.
Will you say?
I am a child of God who has Favor with the One who can put me where He wants me, do with me what He wants to do with me, bless me with what He wants to bless me with ONLY after I have proven to be faithful with what I already have.
