WEBVTT 00:00:00.560 --> 00:00:03.279 Genesis chapter 41 is where we're gonna be today. 00:00:03.359 --> 00:00:11.199 Now we were on some vacation uh last week and uh grateful to those of you who asked us how that went. 00:00:11.279 --> 00:00:19.839 And for those of you who were praying for us, you know, it feels a little bit weird, to be honest, to not be here on a Sunday, last Sunday, grateful for the job that Daniel did uh for sure. 00:00:19.920 --> 00:00:21.280 But we had just a really great week. 00:00:21.359 --> 00:00:25.280 We had a really great time uh kind of hanging around at home and doing little day trips. 00:00:25.440 --> 00:00:27.679 We, you know, hung out with some friends up north. 00:00:27.839 --> 00:00:33.039 We ended up uh going to visit our uh old church, Harvest Berry, and saw some friends uh there. 00:00:33.200 --> 00:00:35.840 Again, we just kind of relaxed, we went and did some things. 00:00:36.000 --> 00:00:48.880 Ange and I uh had a day uh away together, we saw my family, we saw Ange's family, and you know, I remember actually at one point, like halfway through the week, I don't remember her saying this, but I remember being like, like, man, I feel so rested right now. 00:00:49.119 --> 00:00:52.960 Which is always like the holy grail of vacation feelings, isn't it? 00:00:53.119 --> 00:01:06.719 You know, it was one of those kind of uh kind of those funny, kind of great vacations, really, where it feels like we did a lot, we accomplished a lot of things, but at the same time, it was just so uh restful and relaxing and uh rejuvenating. 00:01:06.799 --> 00:01:11.519 And of course, uh all of that is out the window now after a week of work, um, but that's okay. 00:01:11.680 --> 00:01:20.400 Um, you know, when your vacations or your holidays kind of uh when they come to an end, when they're over, how do you tend to feel? 00:01:20.640 --> 00:01:21.760 How do you tend to feel? 00:01:21.920 --> 00:01:29.120 Maybe, maybe you kind of feel like uh like a like we do a lot of the time, where like at the very end of it, you're like, man, I need another vacation after that vacation. 00:01:29.359 --> 00:01:29.599 Right? 00:01:29.680 --> 00:01:38.079 You ever felt like that on the last day, and you maybe talked to your spouse about this before, and you've been like, you know, I imagine how how amazing it would be just have like one more week, right? 00:01:38.239 --> 00:01:40.560 One more week, or or even one more day. 00:01:40.879 --> 00:01:43.680 Imagine the naps we would get in, right? 00:01:43.760 --> 00:01:45.920 And we, you know, it would just how incredible would that be? 00:01:46.000 --> 00:01:48.079 And you just you you kind of long for that, right? 00:01:48.159 --> 00:01:49.840 You have that kind of approach to it. 00:01:50.000 --> 00:01:56.239 Or maybe you're sort of you know on the other side of the equation when your holidays end, and you're kind of like, you're kind of antsy, right? 00:01:56.319 --> 00:02:06.560 You're done with you know all the sitting around and you know, all of the you know, the rich food that you tend to eat and all of the money spent, and and you're kind of like, I just, I just sort of I want to get back to it now, right? 00:02:06.799 --> 00:02:10.800 I want to get to work, I want to get back to life as as normal. 00:02:11.199 --> 00:02:20.879 All right, well, kind of regardless of how you handle or handle the end of a holiday, uh, we all have to face the reality uh that holidays come to an end. 00:02:21.039 --> 00:02:22.719 All right, we have to face that reality. 00:02:22.879 --> 00:02:36.080 Well, what we're gonna be looking at today here is how to approach life when God graciously brings our our various trials, our hardships, our sufferings to an end. 00:02:36.240 --> 00:02:36.479 Right? 00:02:36.560 --> 00:02:38.400 How are we supposed to approach life? 00:02:38.560 --> 00:02:45.199 You know, where when we've kind of come out of it, where we've we've learned the things that God wanted to teach us, right? 00:02:45.280 --> 00:02:55.599 We've we've experienced the you know the growth, we've we've been healed from the various heart issues and and spiritual issues that we needed to grow through. 00:02:55.759 --> 00:03:02.080 We've you know, we've come out of the other side of it with greater intimacy with God now than we ever did before. 00:03:02.240 --> 00:03:05.759 And so the question is, what should my mindset be like now? 00:03:06.000 --> 00:03:08.479 Right now that my trial is over. 00:03:14.479 --> 00:03:15.919 Uh through our series here. 00:03:16.000 --> 00:03:24.000 And what we're gonna see here is that he was a slave or he was in prison, kind of all of that, for 13 years. 00:03:24.240 --> 00:03:25.280 Right, 13 years. 00:03:25.439 --> 00:03:28.000 That is a long trial, right? 00:03:28.159 --> 00:03:33.599 That that's a long time to be to be suffering and to be kind of going through all of that. 00:03:33.680 --> 00:03:34.479 But here's the thing. 00:03:34.639 --> 00:03:35.520 Here's the thing. 00:03:35.759 --> 00:03:36.719 It did end. 00:03:37.280 --> 00:03:37.599 Right? 00:03:37.680 --> 00:03:40.000 It did come to a close, it finished. 00:03:40.240 --> 00:03:42.479 And uh so now what? 00:03:42.639 --> 00:03:42.879 Right? 00:03:42.960 --> 00:03:43.520 So now what? 00:03:43.599 --> 00:03:46.240 That's that's a great question uh to ask of this text. 00:03:46.319 --> 00:03:50.719 It's a great question to uh to ponder and to think about in your own life as well. 00:03:50.800 --> 00:03:55.120 And as we see here, as we're gonna see, the Lord had some huge plans for Joseph. 00:03:55.280 --> 00:03:55.599 Right? 00:03:55.680 --> 00:04:00.400 Yeah, he had a lot in store for him, and that's really the way that we need to approach it too. 00:04:00.639 --> 00:04:10.639 Whenever we come out to the end of a trial and you know, and and the relief comes and the joy is there again, and and the season is just is easier and better than it was before. 00:04:10.879 --> 00:04:18.480 Okay, when my trial is over, we need to understand that God's intention is to use me more powerfully than ever before. 00:04:18.800 --> 00:04:19.680 Do you understand that? 00:04:19.759 --> 00:04:20.720 Are you ready for that? 00:04:20.879 --> 00:04:25.279 That's what we're gonna be looking at here today as we jump into Genesis 41. 00:04:25.360 --> 00:04:27.439 Before we get into it, let's pray together. 00:04:27.600 --> 00:04:38.079 Lord, we come before you now, recognizing that uh, Lord, you uh bring us through trials and challenges and difficulty, discipline, all of it, Lord. 00:04:38.240 --> 00:04:47.920 Uh not so that we can just, you know, have more fun in life or you know, kick our feet up or whatever it is, but Lord, you have a plan for our lives. 00:04:48.000 --> 00:04:49.920 You have a plan to use us powerfully, Lord. 00:04:50.000 --> 00:04:50.879 Thank you for your mercy. 00:04:51.040 --> 00:04:53.360 Thank you for your your grace to do that in our lives. 00:04:53.439 --> 00:04:54.000 Who are we? 00:04:54.319 --> 00:04:57.519 Lord, who are we that that you would use us? 00:04:57.600 --> 00:05:05.040 And so, God, I pray, Lord, that we would just humbly as a church submit ourselves to your word here today, Lord. 00:05:05.120 --> 00:05:15.199 I pray that uh for those of us who have you know come out of a trial, maybe uh maybe it was a long time ago, maybe it was very recently, Lord, I pray now that we would capitalize on the work that you have done in our hearts. 00:05:15.600 --> 00:05:33.519 Lord, I pray for those who are still in the thick of it, Lord, who are in a trial, who are who are struggling and wrestling with the suffering and all of it, Lord, I pray that they would again be reminded and realize that you are accomplish accomplishing things in their heart and in their lives so that you can prepare them for a life sold out to you to make disciples. 00:05:33.839 --> 00:05:36.240 And so, God, would you help us as your church again? 00:05:36.319 --> 00:05:36.879 We pray. 00:05:37.120 --> 00:05:40.079 We bring this uh before you in Christ's name. 00:05:40.399 --> 00:05:41.040 Amen. 00:05:41.600 --> 00:05:42.240 Amen. 00:05:42.720 --> 00:05:48.560 Well, um, I love that Genesis chapter 41 uh is in the Bible, right? 00:05:48.720 --> 00:06:06.800 Because as much as we need to talk about our attitude and our approach and our understanding of life during the trial, right, it's it's equally important, okay, that we understand God's intention for us after the trial comes to a close. 00:06:06.959 --> 00:06:07.199 Right? 00:06:07.439 --> 00:06:09.519 So crucial that we get that, right? 00:06:09.600 --> 00:06:23.680 So far from you know, God just bringing us through all that pain and heartache and everything so that we can, again, just kind of you know live a life of comfort and and ease and you know, just kind of do whatever we want with life, or or just kind of coast until the next challenge comes along. 00:06:23.839 --> 00:06:25.839 Far from all of that, right? 00:06:26.000 --> 00:06:28.160 God intends to put you on mission. 00:06:28.480 --> 00:06:30.399 He intends to use you powerfully. 00:06:30.639 --> 00:06:31.680 Do you know that? 00:06:31.920 --> 00:06:32.480 Do you know that? 00:06:32.560 --> 00:06:33.519 I would ask you this too. 00:06:33.680 --> 00:06:34.800 Do you want that? 00:06:35.199 --> 00:06:37.120 Is your heart aligned with that? 00:06:37.279 --> 00:06:37.519 Right? 00:06:37.680 --> 00:06:48.319 He uh he allowed you to go through all of that suffering and all of that difficulty and grief to prepare you for greater usefulness for his kingdom. 00:06:48.560 --> 00:06:51.040 And that's really, I mean, we're really getting to the first thing here. 00:06:51.120 --> 00:06:52.959 So if you've got notes with you, take a look. 00:06:53.120 --> 00:06:57.680 It's realized that he's been working behind the scenes to prepare me for what's next. 00:06:57.920 --> 00:06:59.360 To prepare me for what's next. 00:06:59.519 --> 00:07:03.680 Now take a look at the text here, uh, chapter 41, starting in verse one. 00:07:03.920 --> 00:07:04.959 We're gonna go through this. 00:07:05.120 --> 00:07:05.360 Right? 00:07:05.439 --> 00:07:05.920 It says this. 00:07:06.000 --> 00:07:08.720 I remember remember we looked at this two weeks ago when I was here, right? 00:07:08.879 --> 00:07:10.639 After two whole years. 00:07:10.959 --> 00:07:13.279 Right, Joseph, where was he in this time? 00:07:13.519 --> 00:07:14.959 He was in prison, wasn't he? 00:07:15.120 --> 00:07:16.480 And you remember the story from before? 00:07:16.639 --> 00:07:33.439 Remember how he had uh he had interpreted the chief uh baker and the chief cupbearer's dreams, and he said to them, He's like, Hey, just remember me when you go to Pharaoh and everything works out for you, and the Lord brings these things to pass, don't forget about me here, because I am not here uh for any good reason. 00:07:34.000 --> 00:07:35.680 And what, of course, did they do? 00:07:35.920 --> 00:07:42.480 Well, the the baker, of course, was hanged, and and the cupbearer, he was restored to his position and promptly forgot about him. 00:07:42.720 --> 00:07:53.279 And so, after two whole years of sitting there and and and rotting and probably wrestling with the emotions and the discouragement and the frustration, all of it, after two whole years, look what happens. 00:07:53.519 --> 00:07:54.639 Pharaoh dreamed. 00:07:54.800 --> 00:07:54.959 Right? 00:07:55.120 --> 00:08:04.160 Pharaoh dreamed that he was standing by the Nile, and behold, there came up out of the Nile seven cows, attractive and plump, and they fed in the reed grass. 00:08:04.399 --> 00:08:11.199 And behold, seven other cows, ugly and thin, came up out of the Nile after them and stood by the other cows on the bank of the Nile. 00:08:11.360 --> 00:08:12.720 Okay, this is interesting, verse four. 00:08:12.800 --> 00:08:16.560 And the ugly, thin cows ate up the seven attractive, plump cows. 00:08:16.720 --> 00:08:18.079 And Pharaoh awoke. 00:08:18.319 --> 00:08:20.000 Can you imagine awaking after something like that? 00:08:20.160 --> 00:08:21.279 You're like, what's that all about? 00:08:21.600 --> 00:08:21.759 Right? 00:08:21.839 --> 00:08:24.959 And then he falls asleep again and dreams a second time. 00:08:25.199 --> 00:08:29.360 And behold, seven ears of grain, plump and good, were growing on one stalk. 00:08:29.519 --> 00:08:34.000 And behold, after them sprouted seven ears, thin and blighted by the east wind. 00:08:34.159 --> 00:08:40.639 And the thin ears, because so similar to what happened with the cows, swallowed up the seven plump, full ears. 00:08:40.879 --> 00:08:43.840 And Pharaoh awoke, and behold, it was a dream. 00:08:44.080 --> 00:08:44.320 Right? 00:08:44.399 --> 00:08:52.639 So you see what the Lord is doing is this is this should remind us of the dreams that, you know, two years ago had been brought before him, right? 00:08:52.720 --> 00:08:54.559 With the cup, the cupbearer and the baker. 00:08:54.639 --> 00:08:56.000 And so you're like, hmm, interesting. 00:08:56.159 --> 00:08:57.440 The Lord's doing some things here. 00:08:57.519 --> 00:08:59.840 Uh, probably should pay attention to all of this. 00:09:00.320 --> 00:09:01.919 Right, verse 8, keep going. 00:09:02.080 --> 00:09:10.240 So in the morning his spirit was troubled, again, just like those other guys' spirits were troubled, and he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt and all the wise men. 00:09:10.639 --> 00:09:14.960 Pharaoh told them his dreams, but there was none who could interpret them to Pharaoh. 00:09:15.120 --> 00:09:17.519 Right, probably not a good day for those guys. 00:09:17.840 --> 00:09:22.960 Then, verse 9, then the chief cupbearer said to Pharaoh, I remember my offenses today. 00:09:23.200 --> 00:09:30.559 And you're like, All right, right, we give the little kind of fist pump because we know that Joseph's right about to come back into the picture here, into the story. 00:09:30.720 --> 00:09:32.080 He's like, I remember. 00:09:32.399 --> 00:09:43.840 Verse 10, when Pharaoh was angry with his servants and put me and the chief baker in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, we dreamed on the same night, he and I, each having a dream with its own interpretation. 00:09:44.080 --> 00:09:48.879 A young Hebrew, that's Joseph, was there with us, a servant of the captain of the guard. 00:09:49.120 --> 00:09:57.360 When we told him, he interpreted our dreams to us, giving an interpretation to each man according to his dream. 00:09:57.759 --> 00:10:01.440 And as he interpreted to us, so it came about. 00:10:01.600 --> 00:10:04.720 I was restored to my office, and the baker was hanged. 00:10:04.799 --> 00:10:06.799 And listen to this, verse 14, so cool. 00:10:06.960 --> 00:10:11.360 Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and then quickly. 00:10:11.679 --> 00:10:13.279 Okay, how how interesting is that word? 00:10:13.360 --> 00:10:14.960 That'd be a good word to underline right there. 00:10:15.200 --> 00:10:20.159 Quickly, because how I mean, we know, right, how how quickly life can go sideways. 00:10:20.399 --> 00:10:20.720 Right? 00:10:20.799 --> 00:10:24.159 All it takes is that phone call in the middle of the night. 00:10:24.320 --> 00:10:26.879 Some some financial thing goes sideways. 00:10:27.039 --> 00:10:33.519 How quickly can life be go from you know blessing and ease to suffering and trial? 00:10:33.759 --> 00:10:36.080 Right, we know that it can go, it can go very fast. 00:10:36.159 --> 00:10:41.360 What's so cool to see here, though, is just as quickly things can go from bad to really good. 00:10:41.600 --> 00:10:45.679 And you start to see here that that Joseph's trial, it's over. 00:10:45.919 --> 00:10:46.240 Right? 00:10:46.320 --> 00:10:46.720 It's over. 00:10:46.799 --> 00:10:48.879 And we're gonna see how this all plays out here. 00:10:48.960 --> 00:10:51.279 So Pharaoh, right, he sends, he calls for Joseph. 00:10:51.440 --> 00:10:54.320 They quickly brought him out of the pit. 00:10:54.720 --> 00:10:55.360 Out of the pit. 00:10:55.519 --> 00:10:58.080 Probably about the third time now we've seen that phrase. 00:10:58.320 --> 00:11:00.879 Because we know that uh so far it's been the opposite. 00:11:01.039 --> 00:11:02.639 He's been thrown into a couple pits. 00:11:02.799 --> 00:11:05.440 He was thrown in by his brothers when he was sold into slavery. 00:11:05.519 --> 00:11:09.519 He was thrown into the prison by Potiphar and uh all that nonsense. 00:11:09.679 --> 00:11:11.759 Well, now he's being brought out of the pit. 00:11:11.840 --> 00:11:16.720 Again, all signifying that Joseph's life is taking a radical, radical turn. 00:11:16.879 --> 00:11:22.320 And it says this, and when he had sh when he had shaved himself and changed his clothes, he came in before Pharaoh. 00:11:23.120 --> 00:11:31.200 Pretty incredible what's happening here in the life of Joseph, going one way, one way, day after day, month after month, year after year, two years of all of it. 00:11:31.279 --> 00:11:33.039 All of a sudden, bam! Right, things change. 00:11:33.200 --> 00:11:34.639 They turn on a dime. 00:11:34.960 --> 00:11:35.279 Right? 00:11:35.440 --> 00:11:36.639 Turn on a dime. 00:11:37.120 --> 00:11:50.080 Now, it's amazing to realize that, you know, as Joseph, he would have, he would have absolutely struggled with, you know, the length of time that he was in prison, it was the two years, he would have struggled with the fact that all of it was unfair, unfair. 00:11:50.159 --> 00:11:52.000 He didn't deserve all of that. 00:11:52.159 --> 00:11:52.480 Right? 00:11:52.559 --> 00:11:58.639 What we can see is that the whole time, right, the entire time that he's in prison, what is the Lord doing? 00:11:58.879 --> 00:12:00.799 He's setting the stage, right? 00:12:00.879 --> 00:12:15.919 He's setting the stage behind the scenes, you know, causing the dreams of the baker, he's causing the dream of the cupbearer, and then two years later he's causing the dream of Pharaoh, and then he kind of connects all of it back to Joseph and brings him out of prison. 00:12:16.000 --> 00:12:17.360 And again, the trial is over. 00:12:17.519 --> 00:12:23.360 Isn't it amazing when you start to think about how the Lord has moved, how he has set the stage and done all of that behind the scenes. 00:12:23.440 --> 00:12:26.559 Did Joseph have any clue that it was all gonna culminate like this? 00:12:26.879 --> 00:12:28.240 No, he didn't. 00:12:28.639 --> 00:12:28.960 No. 00:12:29.200 --> 00:12:30.879 You know, it's just it's just so easy. 00:12:30.960 --> 00:12:42.480 It's too easy for us to go through, you know, our life challenges, our trials, and really wonder and ask ourselves, you know, the question, you know, why is this happening? 00:12:42.960 --> 00:12:46.080 You know, what is going on right now? 00:12:46.480 --> 00:12:48.320 My life is a mess. 00:12:48.480 --> 00:12:48.639 Right? 00:12:48.799 --> 00:12:52.399 And maybe it's not even something that you cause, it's just things that are happening to you. 00:12:52.480 --> 00:12:57.440 And you and we often get to the question, like, what good could happen out of this? 00:12:57.919 --> 00:12:58.159 Right? 00:12:58.320 --> 00:12:59.919 What good could come of it? 00:13:00.240 --> 00:13:01.759 Well, I've got the answer for you. 00:13:02.000 --> 00:13:02.799 One word. 00:13:03.360 --> 00:13:04.720 Lots, right? 00:13:04.960 --> 00:13:08.720 Lots of good can come from your trials. 00:13:08.799 --> 00:13:09.039 Right? 00:13:09.120 --> 00:13:10.720 It's because again, it's so easy for us. 00:13:10.879 --> 00:13:28.080 We read this Joseph narrative and we kind of see the story, and and we, it's easy for us to kind of think, well, obviously, you know, the Lord is, you know, setting the stage behind the scenes in his life, and he was doing that, and most of us know this story and how it's gonna play out, and how the Lord's gonna use him mightily, and how the Lord did all of that. 00:13:28.159 --> 00:13:31.039 We kind of see all of that, we know what came's uh came next. 00:13:31.120 --> 00:13:35.120 We get it, God was working in Joseph's life, but then what do we struggle with? 00:13:35.600 --> 00:13:40.000 We struggle to realize that God does the exact same thing with us. 00:13:40.399 --> 00:13:40.639 Right? 00:13:40.720 --> 00:13:42.960 He does the exact same thing, it's no different. 00:13:43.200 --> 00:13:52.080 When you're going through something difficult, when you are going through something just heart-wrenching, heartbreaking, challenging, emotionally, you're just a train wreck. 00:13:52.240 --> 00:13:56.720 All of it, because of the circumstances in your life, know that God is doing something with that. 00:13:57.600 --> 00:14:04.480 He may seem silent, but it's usually and often in the most silent times, the Lord's actually uh doing his hardest work. 00:14:04.720 --> 00:14:07.840 And we need to remember that as we see that in the life of Joseph. 00:14:08.000 --> 00:14:09.200 So understand this, okay? 00:14:09.360 --> 00:14:29.679 When you come through your trial, okay, when you come out of that and you're on the out other side of it, know that that what you went through, all of the pain, right, all of the confusion and the fear that gets kind of we get kind of wrapped up in, know that it was preparation for God's future plans for your life. 00:14:30.000 --> 00:14:32.799 It was preparation for future plans. 00:14:33.039 --> 00:14:35.360 Okay, first of all, we need to realize that. 00:14:35.519 --> 00:14:39.360 Okay, and then I would also encourage you, get excited about it. 00:14:39.600 --> 00:14:39.919 Right? 00:14:40.080 --> 00:14:40.960 Get excited about that. 00:14:41.120 --> 00:14:46.559 How amazing, how incredible is it that the Lord would desire to use people like you and me. 00:14:47.200 --> 00:14:48.960 He doesn't just use pastors, right? 00:14:49.039 --> 00:14:56.720 He wants to use every single person sitting here and every challenge, every difficulty that we difficulty that we go through. 00:14:56.799 --> 00:15:01.759 He doesn't want to waste that, he doesn't want to see that wasted, he wants to use it for his glory. 00:15:03.120 --> 00:15:03.360 Right? 00:15:03.519 --> 00:15:08.639 He wants to use your your difficult experiences for his great purposes. 00:15:09.120 --> 00:15:38.080 And too often we kind of lack that that awareness uh of understanding all of that, and we forget, and we get our eyes off of the Lord and and onto the details and the circumstances of our life, and we we lack that realization that that the newfound maturity that we've experienced as we've come through the trial, and the wisdom that God has given us, and and the transformed heart that loves Him and loves His ways more than anything, all of that was really God like putting us through boot camp. 00:15:38.320 --> 00:15:38.639 Right? 00:15:38.720 --> 00:15:42.240 He was He was preparing us for deployment. 00:15:42.480 --> 00:15:44.320 That is what God is doing. 00:15:44.480 --> 00:15:49.679 He's getting you ready to be sprung into action for his glory. 00:15:49.919 --> 00:15:51.120 Do you realize that? 00:15:51.279 --> 00:15:52.000 Do you know that? 00:15:52.159 --> 00:15:54.480 Are you on board with that plan? 00:15:54.799 --> 00:15:56.399 You need to coach yourself, right? 00:15:56.720 --> 00:15:57.600 You coach yourself through this. 00:15:57.679 --> 00:15:59.440 So I know I don't see the end of this. 00:15:59.679 --> 00:16:07.679 I know I don't know exactly where this is going, and I don't know all of the details, but I gotta trust you because you tell me to, you command me to trust in you. 00:16:08.240 --> 00:16:09.759 His ways are not our ways. 00:16:09.840 --> 00:16:14.080 We're not always gonna know what they are, and then when he reveals them to us, uh, it's amazing. 00:16:14.799 --> 00:16:15.919 Okay, so be ready. 00:16:16.559 --> 00:16:20.159 Be ready for whatever he's got planned for you next. 00:16:21.440 --> 00:16:28.000 Alright, when my trial's over, God's intention is to use me more powerfully than ever. 00:16:28.480 --> 00:16:35.120 Okay, so second thing, okay, humbly give him the glory every time I make an impact for his kingdom. 00:16:35.519 --> 00:16:42.159 Okay, humbly give him the glory every single time uh you make an impact for his kingdom. 00:16:42.399 --> 00:16:46.480 All right, let's take a look at verse 15 now and see how this all plays out. 00:16:46.639 --> 00:16:46.879 Right? 00:16:46.960 --> 00:16:52.639 And Pharaoh said to Joseph, I have had a dream, and there is no one who can interpret it. 00:16:52.879 --> 00:16:59.039 I have heard it said that you, okay, so listen to kind of the trajectory here in what uh Pharaoh's thinking. 00:16:59.120 --> 00:17:05.279 He said, I've heard, I've heard it said that you, of you, that when you hear a dream, you can interpret it. 00:17:05.519 --> 00:17:09.039 Okay, so who is Pharaoh kind of like automatically giving glory to here? 00:17:09.200 --> 00:17:10.480 He's giving glory to Joseph. 00:17:10.559 --> 00:17:12.799 He's like, that the power must reside within you. 00:17:12.960 --> 00:17:18.079 You must be pretty special, you must be kind of like better than one of my my magicians here. 00:17:18.160 --> 00:17:19.359 But I love Joseph's response. 00:17:19.440 --> 00:17:21.839 Again, this is worthy of highlighting in your Bibles. 00:17:22.000 --> 00:17:22.640 Verse 16. 00:17:22.799 --> 00:17:25.759 Joseph answered Pharaoh, it is not in me. 00:17:26.480 --> 00:17:28.000 It is not in me. 00:17:28.160 --> 00:17:28.559 Right? 00:17:28.799 --> 00:17:32.319 God will give Pharaoh a favorable answer. 00:17:32.799 --> 00:17:33.680 Love that. 00:17:33.920 --> 00:17:36.400 Love the attitude, love the deflection there. 00:17:36.559 --> 00:17:38.559 Love that Joseph didn't claim that at all. 00:17:38.720 --> 00:17:40.799 You can tell it's and we'll see it as we go here. 00:17:40.880 --> 00:17:42.240 It's more than just words. 00:17:42.400 --> 00:17:44.240 You know, like, praise God for what he's done. 00:17:44.400 --> 00:17:44.799 Glory to him. 00:17:44.960 --> 00:17:47.599 But all the time we're like, yeah, right, taking it, own it. 00:17:47.680 --> 00:17:49.200 That's not Joseph here, right? 00:17:49.279 --> 00:17:51.279 No, it's it's it's legitimate. 00:17:51.440 --> 00:17:51.759 Right? 00:17:51.839 --> 00:17:53.359 He wants to give God the glory. 00:17:53.599 --> 00:17:54.960 So what does it say, verse 17? 00:17:55.039 --> 00:17:57.359 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, Behold, in my dream. 00:17:57.519 --> 00:18:04.160 And so what he does, he starts to explain then uh the two dreams that he has, and he kind of explains it as basically one dream. 00:18:04.240 --> 00:18:06.960 So he walks him through all of that, jump down to verse 25. 00:18:07.519 --> 00:18:10.880 Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, the dreams of Pharaoh are one. 00:18:10.960 --> 00:18:12.559 And then notice how he repeats himself here. 00:18:12.799 --> 00:18:16.240 God has revealed to Pharaoh what he is about to do. 00:18:17.680 --> 00:18:23.440 How amazing is this when you kind of contrast this with where Joseph was at back in chapter 37? 00:18:23.759 --> 00:18:24.000 Right? 00:18:24.240 --> 00:18:27.200 Joseph has dreams of his own, right? 00:18:27.279 --> 00:18:29.519 Of of his family bowing to him. 00:18:29.599 --> 00:18:34.640 Was there any mention of, you know, God did this for me, and man, glory to God for this dream that he's given me? 00:18:34.799 --> 00:18:36.240 No, Joseph wasn't there at all. 00:18:36.400 --> 00:18:37.839 He's like, I'm pretty awesome. 00:18:38.079 --> 00:18:40.720 I had these dreams, you, you know, punk older brothers. 00:18:40.880 --> 00:18:42.960 You guys are gonna be bound to me in the future here, right? 00:18:43.039 --> 00:18:44.960 He he totally, he was all about himself. 00:18:45.119 --> 00:18:51.440 He was very him centered, Joseph-centered through all of it, but he's not there anymore, right? 00:18:51.680 --> 00:18:54.960 So he's revealing to Pharaoh what he's about to do. 00:18:55.039 --> 00:18:56.480 That's the Lord, verse 26. 00:18:56.880 --> 00:19:00.960 The seven good cows, he explains it now, and are seven years. 00:19:01.039 --> 00:19:03.279 And the seven good ears are seven years. 00:19:03.440 --> 00:19:04.799 Their dreams are one. 00:19:05.359 --> 00:19:16.000 The lean and ugly cows that came up after them are seven years, and the seven empty ears of corn, uh, or grain, blighted by the east wind, are also seven years of famine. 00:19:16.319 --> 00:19:20.720 It is as I told Pharaoh, he says it again, God has shown to Pharaoh what he is about to do. 00:19:20.880 --> 00:19:22.240 Glory to him all the way. 00:19:22.559 --> 00:19:23.440 Verse 29. 00:19:23.920 --> 00:19:33.519 There will come seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt, but after them there will arise seven years of famine, and all the plenty will be for uh forgotten in the land of Egypt. 00:19:34.000 --> 00:19:43.039 The famine will consume the land, and the plenty will be unknown in the land by reason of the famine that will follow, for it will be very severe. 00:19:43.279 --> 00:19:43.440 Okay? 00:19:43.839 --> 00:19:50.799 And then the doubling of Pharaoh's dream means that the thing is fixed by God, and God will shortly bring it about. 00:19:50.880 --> 00:19:56.160 And so he's saying the doubling of the dream means that God's about to make this happen real quick. 00:19:56.319 --> 00:19:56.640 Right? 00:19:56.720 --> 00:20:00.720 So you better pay attention to the word of the Lord here, Pharaoh. 00:20:01.279 --> 00:20:02.640 Okay, verse 33. 00:20:03.039 --> 00:20:05.759 Now, therefore, he gives some advice. 00:20:06.079 --> 00:20:10.480 Let Pharaoh select a discerning and wise man and set him over the land of Egypt. 00:20:10.559 --> 00:20:12.960 By the way, I don't think he had a clue that this was about to be him. 00:20:13.119 --> 00:20:13.359 Right? 00:20:13.680 --> 00:20:14.559 You think he would have? 00:20:14.799 --> 00:20:15.440 I doubt it. 00:20:15.599 --> 00:20:21.599 I mean, he's in prison, there's maybe no even guarantee that he wasn't going right back there after this, you know, ten minutes worth of work uh was gonna happen. 00:20:21.759 --> 00:20:24.799 But he's like, this is what needs to happen, because the Lord gave him this word. 00:20:25.039 --> 00:20:26.400 Set him over the land of Egypt. 00:20:26.480 --> 00:20:43.279 Let Pharaoh proceed to appoint overseers over the land and take one fifth of the produce of the land of Egypt during the seven plentiful years, and let them gather all the food of these good years that are coming, and store up grain under the authority of Pharaoh for food in the cities, and let them keep it. 00:20:43.680 --> 00:20:53.200 The food, that food shall be a reserve for the land against the seven years of famine that are to occur in the land of Egypt, so that the land may not perish through the famine. 00:20:53.440 --> 00:20:58.480 Okay, this f this proposal, this is verse 37, pleased Pharaoh and all of his servants. 00:20:58.640 --> 00:21:04.319 And Pharaoh said to his servants, Can we find a man like this in whom is the Spirit of God? 00:21:04.720 --> 00:21:06.000 More about that in a sec. 00:21:06.240 --> 00:21:14.240 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, Since God has shown you all this, there is none so discerning and wise as you are. 00:21:14.480 --> 00:21:18.160 Now, at first glance here, it kind of looks like, well, you know, it's capital G, God. 00:21:18.240 --> 00:21:23.039 Is Pharaoh giving glory uh to the Lord God for all of this? 00:21:23.200 --> 00:21:25.759 Well, maybe he was kind of starting to see it here. 00:21:25.839 --> 00:21:30.640 Uh, but the way that that word is used in the Hebrew, it's actually the word Elohim. 00:21:30.720 --> 00:21:32.079 You've probably heard that word before. 00:21:32.240 --> 00:21:35.680 And it can mean in the Hebrew God's plural. 00:21:35.920 --> 00:21:41.039 Okay, so it's not likely that he's actually giving glory to the God of Joseph here. 00:21:41.119 --> 00:21:55.839 But interestingly enough, when when Joseph uses the word God, remember we looked at it back in verse 25 and back in 28, and then also in 32, it's actually uh ha Elohim, meaning the one true God. 00:21:56.319 --> 00:21:59.680 And so Joseph is very careful and very special. 00:22:00.240 --> 00:22:04.400 Specific to say that the one true God will give you a favorable answer. 00:22:04.559 --> 00:22:09.920 The one true God is going to save Egypt here if you listen to him. 00:22:10.319 --> 00:22:10.640 Right? 00:22:10.720 --> 00:22:11.279 I love that. 00:22:11.440 --> 00:22:17.359 Glory to the Lord every step of the way here for Joseph. 00:22:17.519 --> 00:22:20.079 And so you begin to see the impact that he's having here, right? 00:22:20.319 --> 00:22:22.400 Like a pretty, a pretty incredible day. 00:22:22.880 --> 00:22:30.960 He goes from, you know, in prison again to, you know, what we're going to see here in front of, you know, showered, shaved, in front of the king of Egypt. 00:22:31.119 --> 00:22:35.039 I mean, and then and then given this new role and this new task. 00:22:35.200 --> 00:22:37.519 We're going to see about that in a second here. 00:22:37.680 --> 00:22:37.839 Right? 00:22:38.000 --> 00:22:41.839 And it just, I mean, what Joseph shared here, right? 00:22:42.000 --> 00:22:43.680 It was the Lord that did it through Joseph. 00:22:43.759 --> 00:22:49.119 But what Joseph told Pharaoh was about to change this entire nation. 00:22:49.279 --> 00:22:49.519 Right? 00:22:49.839 --> 00:22:51.920 That's like some serious impact. 00:22:52.240 --> 00:22:52.480 Right? 00:22:53.279 --> 00:22:55.279 It wasn't just a couple of words that were exchanged. 00:22:55.359 --> 00:23:00.400 It was like massive history reorientation taking place here. 00:23:00.880 --> 00:23:13.519 Now, one of the most thrilling things that you will experience in your walk with the Lord, you know, is when the Lord begins to use you to make an impact for his kingdom. 00:23:14.160 --> 00:23:15.440 Have you seen that happen? 00:23:15.680 --> 00:23:36.720 Have you experienced that as you've grown, as you have come out of your trial and all the newfound wisdom and the things that you have learned through those times, you start to you start to be able to, you know, the Lord starts bringing about conversations that you have with people and you're able to share that, and the Lord seems to be using you powerfully in their lives, and then people are, you know, people are growing and becoming uh you know better disciples through all of it. 00:23:36.799 --> 00:23:43.039 I mean, amazing, right, when the Lord begins to use you through all of this, and I'm sure I trust that you've seen that in your life. 00:23:43.680 --> 00:23:51.680 One of my favorite things uh that I always loved was listening to youth leaders uh talk about why they wanted to be youth leaders. 00:23:51.839 --> 00:23:53.279 Right, have you ever wondered about that? 00:23:53.440 --> 00:23:55.680 Like, why would somebody ever want to be a youth leader, right? 00:23:55.759 --> 00:23:56.880 Working with guys like this and stuff. 00:23:56.960 --> 00:23:58.640 Like, why would they love you, man? 00:23:58.799 --> 00:23:59.200 Love you. 00:23:59.359 --> 00:24:01.680 But why why would why would you want to do that? 00:24:01.839 --> 00:24:02.079 Right? 00:24:02.160 --> 00:24:02.799 And I loved it. 00:24:02.960 --> 00:24:12.559 Almost every time, in almost every single leader, their like number one answer was that I don't want to see students make the same mistakes that I made. 00:24:12.799 --> 00:24:12.960 Right? 00:24:13.359 --> 00:24:14.000 I don't want to see that. 00:24:14.079 --> 00:24:30.720 And so what had often happened is that the leaders themselves have have gone through the trials, they've made some mistakes, maybe they've suffered, you know, at the discipline at the hand of the Lord, they have grown and learned some things, and now in them there was this burning desire to disciple others who need the wisdom that they've been given. 00:24:30.960 --> 00:24:31.200 Right? 00:24:31.279 --> 00:24:33.359 And they love it, and there's a fire for it. 00:24:33.519 --> 00:24:37.279 And that was, I mean, like the main reason I ever became a youth pastor. 00:24:37.519 --> 00:24:42.319 Because I wanted to see students not make the same dumb mistakes that I made. 00:24:42.799 --> 00:24:43.119 Right? 00:24:43.200 --> 00:24:49.359 They they wanted to, they wanted to be used, they wanted to, you know, have an impact for the kingdom. 00:24:49.680 --> 00:24:50.960 I love that. 00:24:51.440 --> 00:24:58.960 Now, obviously, you know, the Lord doesn't call everybody to youth ministry, and I know all God's people said amen uh to all of that. 00:24:59.119 --> 00:25:06.400 Um, but maybe that you maybe you have noticed that after a season of of hardship, the Lord started using you more powerfully. 00:25:06.559 --> 00:25:16.480 Again, you started to sense that, you started to see that, your impact that you'd notice, like, wow, it's it's it's it's way greater than than it was before I went through all of that. 00:25:17.119 --> 00:25:25.839 Well, it's in those moments that we have to remember, just like we see Joseph remembering and realizing and knowing here, we have to remember that it's God who gets the glory. 00:25:26.079 --> 00:25:26.319 Right? 00:25:26.400 --> 00:25:27.759 It's God who gets the glory. 00:25:28.079 --> 00:25:36.880 Because in our pride and in our flesh, the temptation is always gonna be to think that you know that I'm the one doing this. 00:25:37.039 --> 00:25:37.359 Right? 00:25:37.519 --> 00:25:38.400 I'm the one doing this. 00:25:38.559 --> 00:25:40.720 Wow, look at all the things that I've learned. 00:25:40.960 --> 00:25:43.680 Look at look at look at the wisdom that I've got now. 00:25:44.079 --> 00:25:49.440 You know, you know, how how fortunate the Lord is to have me on his team, right? 00:25:49.519 --> 00:25:53.359 That's those are kind of the things that, you know, would we say that out loud? 00:25:53.759 --> 00:25:54.720 Unlikely. 00:25:54.960 --> 00:25:59.119 Unlikely, but it's but it's kind of in like the the bedrock of our heart, right? 00:25:59.200 --> 00:26:04.480 And and in our pride, especially in the early days where we've yet to really kind of season and and mature. 00:26:04.559 --> 00:26:08.240 We start to we start to think that that this is really, this is my doing. 00:26:08.319 --> 00:26:14.240 Look at the impact that that I'm having, and you know, I must be, you know, I must be pretty great. 00:26:14.880 --> 00:26:29.200 Okay, that Joseph was able to legitimately give the glory to God for the impact that he was having came as a direct result of the fact that the Lord had so deeply humbled him through his difficult circumstances. 00:26:29.519 --> 00:26:29.680 Right? 00:26:29.839 --> 00:26:32.400 He was he was he was he was disciplined, right? 00:26:32.559 --> 00:26:41.519 He was he was in a trial, he changed, as that the pride that was there just a few chapters ago is not there, you know, anymore. 00:26:42.000 --> 00:27:01.759 And so the next time that you're tempted to kind of hold on to that glory for yourself and and take the compliment that God gives you and and receive it only for yourself and not remember that the Lord has done this, remind yourself, okay, remind yourself that the abilities that you have to serve the kingdom were given to you by God. 00:27:02.319 --> 00:27:04.160 They were given to you by Him. 00:27:04.400 --> 00:27:12.720 And just maybe, you know, on the on the on the before you suffered all of that that difficulty, you weren't in the position to be used very well, right? 00:27:12.960 --> 00:27:20.240 And so now you have to realize that these things that God has given me, I must, I must steward these gifts and these abilities well. 00:27:20.480 --> 00:27:20.799 Right? 00:27:20.880 --> 00:27:21.920 I must handle them. 00:27:22.000 --> 00:27:24.000 I don't want to see them go to waste. 00:27:24.160 --> 00:27:27.599 I don't want to see, I just I don't want to just bury these things in the ground. 00:27:27.680 --> 00:27:28.960 I want to act. 00:27:29.440 --> 00:27:31.680 And that really leads us to the next thing here. 00:27:31.920 --> 00:27:36.000