WEBVTT 00:00:02.240 --> 00:00:09.599 Welcome to Sharper Sword, the publication ministry of Lighthouse Baptist Church in Lemon Grove, California. 00:00:09.919 --> 00:00:16.480 Lighthouse believes that individuals can reach their potential for the Lord as they grow in Christ. 00:00:16.719 --> 00:00:22.320 We want to hear our Lord say, Well done, thou good and faithful servant. 00:00:22.719 --> 00:00:29.600 Let's join Pastor Doug Fisher as he preaches another important biblical message from the Word of God. 00:00:32.960 --> 00:00:35.759 Take your Bible today, please, please. 00:00:36.079 --> 00:00:38.320 Proverbs chapter number three. 00:00:38.560 --> 00:00:44.320 Proverbs chapter number three, and Genesis chapter number thirty-seven. 00:00:44.560 --> 00:00:50.399 Proverbs chapter number three, and Genesis chapter number thirseven. 00:00:50.640 --> 00:00:51.920 Again, thanks for being here. 00:00:52.079 --> 00:00:55.439 Our evening service is tonight at 530. 00:00:55.600 --> 00:00:56.960 We look forward to that. 00:00:57.200 --> 00:01:00.799 Proverbs chapter 3, Genesis chapter 37. 00:01:01.039 --> 00:01:07.920 If you're a little new to our church, I noticed we had one announcement that had a little spunk to it. 00:01:08.159 --> 00:01:10.319 Do you know what the word spunk means? 00:01:10.560 --> 00:01:11.519 It is a word. 00:01:11.840 --> 00:01:13.439 S-P-U-N-K. 00:01:14.799 --> 00:01:19.840 The word spunk speaks of liveliness, being a little alive. 00:01:20.159 --> 00:01:25.120 And I want to tell you this what we don't want is a dead church. 00:01:26.000 --> 00:01:36.319 Now, I'm not saying this in a scolding way, but uh I'm getting a little bit older and grayer, but that doesn't mean I still can't have spunk. 00:01:37.439 --> 00:01:43.439 And as our church ages a little bit, we still need the spunky ones. 00:01:43.840 --> 00:01:49.760 If you don't have a little spunk, you don't attract those that want to do something and be alive. 00:01:50.079 --> 00:01:51.840 Come on, are you still with me or not? 00:01:52.159 --> 00:01:58.719 Yeah, so I'm glad we have different announcers that come up, and there's just a little bit of liveliness to it. 00:01:58.799 --> 00:02:12.479 And by the way, I understand the sanctuary and everything, but part of being a Christian church is to attract all ages and have different things going on that keeps the spunk in there a little bit. 00:02:12.639 --> 00:02:16.080 I'm gonna preach on that upcoming, believe me, you'll hear about it more. 00:02:16.240 --> 00:02:19.120 But I just appreciate that we have that here. 00:02:19.439 --> 00:02:26.400 And uh while they're going to play some volleyball and everything, I'll be looking forward to my black chair at home. 00:02:27.840 --> 00:02:29.680 Praying for their spunk. 00:02:29.840 --> 00:02:31.439 Proverbs chapter number three. 00:02:31.680 --> 00:02:40.719 Proverbs chapter three, a scripture that many of you may have memorized, but I want to really ask you to study it with me today and bear this out just a little bit. 00:02:40.879 --> 00:02:45.520 So Proverbs chapter three, and don't turn off now when you see the scriptures. 00:02:45.680 --> 00:02:46.800 Look at verse five. 00:02:47.039 --> 00:02:48.319 Verse number five. 00:02:48.479 --> 00:02:51.520 It says this trust in the Lord. 00:02:51.599 --> 00:02:57.120 If you have your own Bible, underline the word trust with all thine heart. 00:02:57.759 --> 00:03:01.439 Lean not unto thine own understanding. 00:03:01.680 --> 00:03:04.639 Underline trust, underline lean not. 00:03:04.879 --> 00:03:07.360 In all thy ways, acknowledge him. 00:03:07.759 --> 00:03:15.280 Underline, acknowledge, and he shall direct thy paths, the direction of the Lord. 00:03:15.360 --> 00:03:18.960 So trust, lean not, acknowledge, and direct. 00:03:19.280 --> 00:03:23.120 We want our Lord to direct our path in life. 00:03:23.360 --> 00:03:25.520 I want to make this clear to you. 00:03:25.599 --> 00:03:29.680 Uh, the sooner that we turn our path over to him, the better. 00:03:30.159 --> 00:03:35.120 The sooner we turn our pilgrimage over to him, our journey over to him. 00:03:35.439 --> 00:03:41.840 Uh, statement though, journey doesn't mean always changing locations, although it might. 00:03:42.080 --> 00:03:46.240 Part of our journey may be God changing the location of where we're at. 00:03:46.479 --> 00:03:52.159 Sometimes, though, God leaves someone in the same place, but they're still on a journey. 00:03:52.400 --> 00:03:57.919 Even though they may not geographically move, they're still on a spiritual journey for the Lord. 00:03:58.080 --> 00:04:03.840 I want you to look, if you would, in Genesis chapter 37 and watch very carefully a journey. 00:04:04.000 --> 00:04:10.400 That's very, very important because sometimes the journey is a little difficult and hard to understand. 00:04:10.719 --> 00:04:14.960 Remember, trust in the Lord, lean not to thine own understanding. 00:04:15.039 --> 00:04:16.879 You're in Genesis 37. 00:04:17.120 --> 00:04:22.399 In all thy ways, acknowledge him, talk about him, and then he directs the path. 00:04:22.560 --> 00:04:31.519 In Genesis 37, uh, Joseph was going to go on a journey that would require him not to lean to his own understanding. 00:04:31.680 --> 00:04:34.480 In Genesis chapter number 37, stay with me. 00:04:34.639 --> 00:04:36.639 Notice verse number three. 00:04:37.360 --> 00:04:42.160 Israel loved Joseph more than all his children. 00:04:42.399 --> 00:04:44.240 And you may say, well, there's a problem there. 00:04:44.399 --> 00:04:46.639 Just read what it says, please. 00:04:46.879 --> 00:04:49.920 Notice, because he was the son of his old age. 00:04:50.079 --> 00:04:54.800 I don't want to go into this very much, but I want to tell you, uh, I have eight children. 00:04:55.040 --> 00:04:59.519 My old, my, my youngest ones benefit from my old age. 00:04:59.839 --> 00:05:00.720 What do you mean? 00:05:00.879 --> 00:05:10.639 Uh, when we had multiple children, and I have some in here today that first and second and thirdborn, uh, we barely made it, and we didn't have quite as much. 00:05:10.959 --> 00:05:23.199 For the younger children, we have a little bit more, and and I can't help the stacking of the old old older, the older, but I want to say as I get a little older, I'm able to do just a little bit more for my younger. 00:05:23.360 --> 00:05:24.639 Are you still with me or not? 00:05:24.800 --> 00:05:36.639 And I'm not saying I have favorites, but there's no doubt it says that uh Joseph, if he was, was one of Israel's favorite, more than his other children because he was the son of his old age. 00:05:36.800 --> 00:05:40.000 Even though you don't think that's fair, just study the Bible with me. 00:05:40.160 --> 00:05:43.519 And notice it says, and he made him a coat of many colors. 00:05:43.759 --> 00:05:54.160 It wasn't just the fact that Joseph was in Israel's older age, but Joseph was born and his mother was Rachel. 00:05:54.560 --> 00:05:58.560 And Rachel was greatly loved by Dad. 00:05:59.279 --> 00:06:03.600 Dad had a couple different wives, Rachel, Leah, and then some of the handmaids. 00:06:03.839 --> 00:06:11.759 But one of the ones, I guess you would say, that Joseph loved uh in a special way was Rachel, and Rachel gave birth to Joseph. 00:06:11.920 --> 00:06:12.560 Please listen. 00:06:12.959 --> 00:06:17.439 And so Israel made him a coat of many colors. 00:06:17.680 --> 00:06:19.120 It was a special coat. 00:06:19.279 --> 00:06:24.959 He only made one of those, and Joseph had that coat, and there's spiritual implications to that. 00:06:25.040 --> 00:06:30.079 And you may say that's just wrong, but may I say to you, it's Bible. 00:06:30.399 --> 00:06:32.160 God decided to record that. 00:06:32.639 --> 00:06:37.920 God decided to show us something about a life, if you would, and there's a lot of implications to it. 00:06:38.160 --> 00:06:45.759 So he made this uh bright, beautiful coat for Joseph, and you could tell when Joseph was coming. 00:06:45.920 --> 00:06:48.560 And Joseph wore it out of honoring his father. 00:06:48.720 --> 00:06:51.120 And uh, may I say to you, please listen. 00:06:51.360 --> 00:06:54.720 Joseph didn't decide who he was born by. 00:06:55.040 --> 00:07:04.319 Joseph didn't decide that he was born in his father's older age, and Joseph didn't decide to wear the coat he was told to wear the coat. 00:07:04.560 --> 00:07:05.600 What am I saying? 00:07:05.759 --> 00:07:10.240 This was not an arrogant Joseph, this was an obedient Joseph. 00:07:10.399 --> 00:07:15.600 But it made his brothers, his other ten brothers, you say, but there were twelve. 00:07:15.680 --> 00:07:22.000 No, there were ten, because Rachel would have one more boy at her death named Benjamin. 00:07:22.160 --> 00:07:25.439 So the other ten brothers didn't like Joseph at all. 00:07:25.680 --> 00:07:26.079 Why? 00:07:26.240 --> 00:07:27.439 He had this coat. 00:07:27.759 --> 00:07:31.759 May I remind you though, these other brothers had different mothers. 00:07:32.000 --> 00:07:41.600 And Rachel and Leah had a rivalry, and so there was a rivalry amongst the brothers to Joseph, and they did not like Joseph at all. 00:07:42.000 --> 00:07:45.680 May I say to you that they envied him, which means this. 00:07:45.839 --> 00:07:46.399 Stay with me. 00:07:46.480 --> 00:07:47.600 Look at verse 11. 00:07:47.839 --> 00:07:49.040 Verse number 11. 00:07:49.279 --> 00:07:51.920 And his brother envied him. 00:07:52.319 --> 00:07:53.199 What does that mean? 00:07:53.360 --> 00:08:04.160 Envy is a word that speaks about grudge or holding a grudge towards, or looking to them like there's an excellence and they feel a little inferior and they have a grudge about that. 00:08:04.399 --> 00:08:07.920 Joseph had some dreams, two of them, that God gave him. 00:08:08.079 --> 00:08:22.079 The dreams would talk about what would come in the future, but may I say Joseph's dreams told him that one day he would be a little bit more superior to them and be in charge of them. 00:08:22.240 --> 00:08:26.399 It wasn't Joseph deciding that, it was God deciding that. 00:08:26.639 --> 00:08:34.240 Joseph knew a little bit about the big picture, but he did not know about the segments of the journey along the way. 00:08:34.559 --> 00:08:39.840 Sometimes God reveals to us the possibility of a big picture in the future. 00:08:40.000 --> 00:08:43.840 Something that God shows you that might come about in our life. 00:08:44.159 --> 00:08:47.840 But he doesn't give us the specifics of getting there. 00:08:48.080 --> 00:08:56.240 Sometimes the journey has segments to it that don't make any sense, and we cannot lean to our own understanding. 00:08:56.559 --> 00:09:02.639 It doesn't make sense that this all works together for good, what we're going through at the time. 00:09:02.879 --> 00:09:04.720 Joseph had this big picture. 00:09:04.879 --> 00:09:06.799 He knew what the dreams were. 00:09:06.960 --> 00:09:15.600 His father knew what the dreams were, and may I say his brother knew a little bit about the dreams and they didn't believe him and they grudged him because? 00:09:15.919 --> 00:09:16.320 Why? 00:09:16.480 --> 00:09:27.519 Because he had the dreams, because he had the coat of many colors on, because his father preferred him, and because he was the son of Rachel, whom their mother and some of their handmaids hated. 00:09:27.679 --> 00:09:28.639 What am I saying? 00:09:28.799 --> 00:09:32.159 There was certainly some dysfunctionality in the home. 00:09:32.879 --> 00:09:34.720 But it's recorded by God. 00:09:34.879 --> 00:09:39.440 And so Dad sends Joseph to check, go out and check on the brothers. 00:09:39.519 --> 00:09:41.519 Look at verse 18, stay with me. 00:09:41.759 --> 00:09:42.879 Verse 18. 00:09:43.200 --> 00:09:48.559 And when they saw him afar off, they could see him coming because of that coat. 00:09:48.720 --> 00:09:55.360 And when they saw him afar off, even when he came near unto them, they conspired against him to slay him. 00:09:55.759 --> 00:09:59.919 They didn't like him, and they decided they were going to do away with him. 00:10:00.159 --> 00:10:03.440 And they said, Behold, this dreamer cometh. 00:10:03.679 --> 00:10:06.559 If you would, verse number 19, that's sarcasm. 00:10:07.039 --> 00:10:08.559 Here comes the dreamer. 00:10:08.799 --> 00:10:10.399 Here come Dad's favorite. 00:10:10.559 --> 00:10:12.639 Here comes the son of Rachel. 00:10:12.879 --> 00:10:15.440 Here comes the one who thinks he's somebody. 00:10:15.600 --> 00:10:22.159 May I say to you, that was their interpretation, not Joseph's, and not God's. 00:10:22.480 --> 00:10:25.120 God was going to be with Joseph throughout the whole thing. 00:10:25.279 --> 00:10:26.480 Verse 20, stay with me. 00:10:26.639 --> 00:10:34.799 Come now, therefore, let us slay him, cast him into some pit, and we will say some evil beast has devoured him. 00:10:35.120 --> 00:10:39.360 And what shall, and we shall see what will become of his dreams. 00:10:39.679 --> 00:10:41.360 Notice the sarcasm in there. 00:10:41.600 --> 00:10:45.759 We'll kill him, we'll throw him in a pit, and then we'll see what happens of his dreams. 00:10:45.919 --> 00:10:51.919 Reuben, one of the eldest, heard that, and please take note of what Reuben says. 00:10:52.240 --> 00:10:53.200 This is important. 00:10:54.080 --> 00:10:55.360 Let's not kill him. 00:10:55.759 --> 00:10:57.440 We don't want to shed his blood. 00:10:58.080 --> 00:10:59.200 We don't want to kill him. 00:10:59.360 --> 00:11:04.480 So, verse 24, they took him, cast him into a pit, verse 24. 00:11:04.720 --> 00:11:09.200 The pit was empty, there was no water, and there he is in that pit. 00:11:09.919 --> 00:11:13.519 Please listen perfectly in God's will. 00:11:13.919 --> 00:11:15.039 What am I saying? 00:11:15.519 --> 00:11:23.120 Isn't it something that God can use somebody's envy to get Joseph the direction he needs to go? 00:11:23.919 --> 00:11:26.320 You may have somebody begrudging you. 00:11:26.559 --> 00:11:35.279 I may have somebody after me, but chances are God perfectly knows what's going on and it's leading us towards something. 00:11:35.679 --> 00:11:41.120 It may not be a geographical change, but it might be a spiritual growth thing. 00:11:41.919 --> 00:11:48.480 I remember many, many, many, many, many, many years ago here at our church, there was a person that was really at me. 00:11:48.720 --> 00:11:51.120 Nobody would know who that person is. 00:11:51.600 --> 00:12:03.360 That person oppressed me for about a year and a half and stood up one time in the congregation and tried to kind of say some things about me, and it was just one of those deals. 00:12:03.440 --> 00:12:05.440 And you say, What did you do wrong? 00:12:05.600 --> 00:12:11.519 She had a situation in her past that had to do with a pastor, and I was a pastor. 00:12:13.120 --> 00:12:14.320 I'll say it again. 00:12:14.559 --> 00:12:19.279 She had a situation in her past that had to do with a pastor, and I was a pastor. 00:12:19.919 --> 00:12:24.159 I spent hundreds and hundreds of hours with her. 00:12:24.559 --> 00:12:30.399 But she uh found things and wanted to say things even publicly about me. 00:12:30.559 --> 00:12:31.519 Please listen. 00:12:31.840 --> 00:12:33.600 It oppressed me. 00:12:34.480 --> 00:12:38.000 I went away at night and it really got to me. 00:12:38.320 --> 00:12:40.240 I thank God for her now. 00:12:40.799 --> 00:12:41.279 Why? 00:12:41.519 --> 00:12:44.399 She taught me so much about the Proverbs. 00:12:45.600 --> 00:12:46.080 Huh? 00:12:46.320 --> 00:12:49.519 Oh, I've learned so many proverbs because of her. 00:12:51.120 --> 00:12:53.360 I believe she'll be going to heaven. 00:12:53.679 --> 00:12:58.320 If God gives me a little time to remember who she is in heaven, I will thank her. 00:12:59.039 --> 00:13:03.200 I'm not planning on doing that because I don't think I'll we'll be even remembering all that. 00:13:03.279 --> 00:13:07.360 But what I'm saying is, sometimes the negative teaches us so much. 00:13:08.080 --> 00:13:11.279 Sometimes we learn so much, but not at the time. 00:13:12.240 --> 00:13:14.159 It doesn't start that way. 00:13:14.399 --> 00:13:16.080 In fact, I want to show you something. 00:13:16.240 --> 00:13:17.200 Please stay with me. 00:13:17.360 --> 00:13:21.360 Hold your place there in Genesis 37 and look over at Genesis 50. 00:13:21.440 --> 00:13:22.320 You're doing great. 00:13:22.559 --> 00:13:24.639 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart. 00:13:24.799 --> 00:13:30.000 Lean not into thine own understanding in all thy ways, acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. 00:13:30.080 --> 00:13:31.279 Look at Genesis 50. 00:13:31.360 --> 00:13:33.600 We're holding our place in Genesis 37. 00:13:33.759 --> 00:13:37.679 In Genesis 50, Joseph says something that's very important. 00:13:37.759 --> 00:13:38.799 Look at verse 20. 00:13:38.960 --> 00:13:39.840 You're doing great. 00:13:40.000 --> 00:13:40.879 Verse 20. 00:13:41.120 --> 00:13:58.000 He says, He's talking to his brothers, and he says, But as for you, his brothers, 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. 00:13:58.159 --> 00:14:02.000 I want to I want to please ask you to look up here just for a moment. 00:14:02.240 --> 00:14:06.480 Here's Joseph farther down the line, and he's talking to his brothers now. 00:14:06.639 --> 00:14:13.279 Now that Joseph understands so much, and he says to his brothers, You all meant it for evil. 00:14:13.840 --> 00:14:18.559 But God had a purpose in it, and he meant it for good. 00:14:19.600 --> 00:14:22.080 That was way out here in his life. 00:14:22.320 --> 00:14:23.200 Please listen. 00:14:23.440 --> 00:14:26.320 Let's go back to where he was in the pit. 00:14:26.879 --> 00:14:28.799 He was not thinking that. 00:14:29.120 --> 00:14:30.000 What do you mean? 00:14:30.240 --> 00:14:34.799 He was not thinking, well, they meant it for evil, but God meant it for good. 00:14:35.279 --> 00:14:39.440 Because when you're in it, you don't think that way. 00:14:40.080 --> 00:14:41.279 When you're in what? 00:14:41.440 --> 00:14:42.399 In the pit. 00:14:43.440 --> 00:14:44.559 You say, what's the pit? 00:14:44.799 --> 00:14:45.919 You know the pit. 00:14:46.960 --> 00:14:47.840 What pit? 00:14:48.240 --> 00:14:57.120 The pit of somebody envying you, the pit of somebody after you, the pit of somebody saying things, the pit of someone that intended evil. 00:14:57.360 --> 00:15:01.440 The pit that was perfectly in God's will, but it just doesn't look like it. 00:15:01.919 --> 00:15:03.279 Come on, are you still with me? 00:15:03.840 --> 00:15:08.720 Now look, I'd like to have in the pit, I'd like to have the attitude, God meant it for good. 00:15:08.799 --> 00:15:10.480 It's all gonna be good, it's all gonna work out. 00:15:10.639 --> 00:15:14.399 I read the Bible, it happened for Joseph, it happened for Moses, it happened for David. 00:15:14.559 --> 00:15:17.600 But sometimes in the pit it's like, what's going on? 00:15:18.879 --> 00:15:25.360 But back way over there, Joseph is gonna say, Yes, you meant it for evil, but God had a plan in it. 00:15:25.440 --> 00:15:35.759 But when you're in the pit, getting ready to be sold and moved away from your family and moved away from your father, it doesn't look that great. 00:15:36.000 --> 00:15:41.679 Sometimes the current situation, it's hard to trust in the Lord with all thine heart. 00:15:42.000 --> 00:15:45.360 And lean not to thine own understanding. 00:15:45.759 --> 00:15:48.159 Because Joseph didn't put himself in the pit. 00:15:48.399 --> 00:15:49.120 Stay with me. 00:15:49.279 --> 00:15:51.840 The idea was that the brothers put him in the pit. 00:15:52.000 --> 00:15:53.519 The Lord knew what he was doing. 00:15:53.679 --> 00:15:55.919 Later he would say, God meant it for good. 00:15:56.080 --> 00:15:58.399 But I want you to go back just for a moment to the pit. 00:15:58.559 --> 00:15:59.039 Stay with me. 00:15:59.120 --> 00:16:00.559 Look at Genesis 37. 00:16:00.720 --> 00:16:01.759 You're doing well. 00:16:01.919 --> 00:16:03.200 Stay right with me today. 00:16:03.360 --> 00:16:04.720 Verse 24. 00:16:05.039 --> 00:16:07.679 And they took him and cast him into a pit. 00:16:07.840 --> 00:16:09.120 The pit was empty. 00:16:09.279 --> 00:16:12.240 Well, the next thing that happens, look at verse 28. 00:16:12.960 --> 00:16:16.480 Then they're passed by Midianites' merchantmen. 00:16:16.639 --> 00:16:18.399 You say, What do you mean, merchantmen? 00:16:18.559 --> 00:16:25.840 Well, they were traders, they were buyers, they were sellers, but not just goods, they were buyers and sellers of people. 00:16:26.559 --> 00:16:30.879 So they decided to sell Joseph to the merchantmen. 00:16:31.039 --> 00:16:39.279 And the Midianites' merchantmen they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit and sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites for 20 pieces of silver. 00:16:39.519 --> 00:16:42.480 Please listen, it's a type of Christ being sold. 00:16:42.639 --> 00:16:43.679 Would you agree with that? 00:16:43.919 --> 00:16:49.440 But the idea is they sold him for 20 pieces of silver, and they brought Joseph into Egypt. 00:16:49.679 --> 00:16:53.840 To them, Joseph was only worth 20 pieces of silver. 00:16:54.159 --> 00:16:59.600 But may I say to you, we need to study just for a moment because Joseph's brought up out of the pit. 00:16:59.919 --> 00:17:01.679 He has no choice. 00:17:01.919 --> 00:17:04.079 The Midianites buy him. 00:17:04.319 --> 00:17:06.960 And please look at Psalms 105. 00:17:07.359 --> 00:17:09.359 Look at Psalms 105. 00:17:09.680 --> 00:17:13.119 And it tells us something about the journey at this time. 00:17:13.440 --> 00:17:16.319 Lean not in all thy lean not to thy understanding. 00:17:16.480 --> 00:17:18.000 Look at Psalms 105. 00:17:18.400 --> 00:17:20.640 Psalms 105, I'll let you turn there. 00:17:20.799 --> 00:17:26.720 And watch what God says about the selling of Joseph from the pit to the Ishmaelites. 00:17:26.880 --> 00:17:27.920 Verse 17. 00:17:28.319 --> 00:17:30.400 He sent a man before them. 00:17:30.559 --> 00:17:32.000 Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. 00:17:32.160 --> 00:17:33.279 Stop there for a moment. 00:17:33.599 --> 00:17:36.319 He sent a man before them. 00:17:36.640 --> 00:17:43.759 He sent Joseph before his brothers, who was sold for a servant. 00:17:43.920 --> 00:17:52.079 So God is sending him, whose feet they hurt with fetters, fetters, leg irons, chains. 00:17:52.720 --> 00:17:54.960 He was laid in iron. 00:17:55.279 --> 00:18:15.839 I want to go into detail, but putting the leg irons on, putting the chains on, him having to walk, it rubbed, it soared, it infected, it hurt painful until the time that his word came, the word of the Lord tried him. 00:18:16.960 --> 00:18:19.839 The word of the Lord tried him. 00:18:20.799 --> 00:18:23.519 He had a dream, he had an overall vision. 00:18:23.759 --> 00:18:28.480 They put him in a pit out of jealous, envy, grudge. 00:18:28.640 --> 00:18:30.480 I mean, they didn't like him. 00:18:30.640 --> 00:18:32.400 They sold him to the Ishmaelites. 00:18:32.480 --> 00:18:33.200 Please listen. 00:18:33.359 --> 00:18:36.640 He went away in fetters, leg irons, chains. 00:18:36.880 --> 00:18:47.119 They watched him walk away, and there is a little statement in Genesis about what Joseph's attitude was. 00:18:47.279 --> 00:18:48.960 Look in Genesis if you would. 00:18:49.039 --> 00:18:49.839 Stay with me. 00:18:50.079 --> 00:18:50.880 Genesis. 00:18:51.039 --> 00:18:53.119 And notice this very carefully. 00:18:53.279 --> 00:18:56.799 Look at Genesis chapter number 30. 00:18:58.240 --> 00:18:59.200 Let me get it. 00:18:59.440 --> 00:19:03.759 Genesis chapter number 39. 00:19:04.400 --> 00:19:05.200 39. 00:19:05.519 --> 00:19:07.039 Actually, I don't want 39. 00:19:07.119 --> 00:19:08.319 I want 40. 00:19:10.799 --> 00:19:12.480 Look at Genesis 42. 00:19:12.720 --> 00:19:13.200 Sorry. 00:19:13.440 --> 00:19:14.240 A lot of scriptures. 00:19:14.400 --> 00:19:15.519 Genesis 42. 00:19:15.680 --> 00:19:16.400 Stay right with me. 00:19:16.559 --> 00:19:17.839 Genesis 42. 00:19:18.079 --> 00:19:20.880 Watch what Joseph says when he walks away. 00:19:21.039 --> 00:19:22.079 Everybody still with me? 00:19:22.480 --> 00:19:22.799 Please. 00:19:22.960 --> 00:19:24.799 Genesis chapter 42. 00:19:24.960 --> 00:19:27.359 And remember, he's on God's journey. 00:19:27.599 --> 00:19:29.200 Look at Genesis 42. 00:19:29.440 --> 00:19:31.440 Notice verse number 21. 00:19:32.000 --> 00:19:33.359 Verse number 21. 00:19:33.599 --> 00:19:43.680 When he's talking to his brothers, they don't know it's him, and he said that they said this we are verily, truly, we are verily, truly guilty concerning our brother. 00:19:44.000 --> 00:19:51.440 In that ye saw the anguish of his soul, when he besought us, we would not hear. 00:19:51.839 --> 00:19:55.039 Therefore, is this distress come upon us? 00:19:55.279 --> 00:20:00.160 We saw the anguish of his soul when they sold him to the Midianites. 00:20:00.240 --> 00:20:02.160 The Midianites put him in leg irons. 00:20:02.559 --> 00:20:09.920 Evidently, Joseph, in the anguish of his soul, besought them, asked them, like, what are you doing? 00:20:10.079 --> 00:20:11.279 Why are you doing to this? 00:20:11.680 --> 00:20:13.519 And they wouldn't listen. 00:20:14.160 --> 00:20:17.200 Listen, he's in God's perfect will. 00:20:18.559 --> 00:20:24.160 You have to lean not, we have to lean not to our unknown understanding once in a while. 00:20:24.400 --> 00:20:36.720 Because when God brings about a journey, a pilgrimage, a destination, either geographically or locally, of growth, sometimes we do not understand it. 00:20:37.119 --> 00:20:42.720 God can stir up adversaries for a purpose and a reason of teaching us something. 00:20:42.960 --> 00:20:44.160 Would you agree with that? 00:20:44.559 --> 00:20:47.920 So he's crying out in the anguish of his soul. 00:20:48.160 --> 00:20:54.000 He's beseeching them, he's asking them, and notice verse 22 Reuben answered them. 00:20:54.160 --> 00:20:58.559 He says to the to the brothers, Spake I not again unto you? 00:20:59.359 --> 00:21:00.960 Didn't I tell you years ago? 00:21:01.200 --> 00:21:04.000 Didn't I tell you, do not sin against the child? 00:21:04.160 --> 00:21:05.759 And you would not hear. 00:21:06.559 --> 00:21:11.119 Therefore, behold, also his blood is required. 00:21:11.599 --> 00:21:14.559 Joseph was understanding what they were saying. 00:21:14.880 --> 00:21:18.559 But Reuben was the one who said, Don't do this. 00:21:18.799 --> 00:21:19.519 Don't do this. 00:21:19.680 --> 00:21:20.720 Don't kill him. 00:21:21.039 --> 00:21:24.319 Reuben was the one who didn't want his blood shed. 00:21:24.480 --> 00:21:27.200 It was Judah who said, Let's just sell him. 00:21:27.359 --> 00:21:30.960 Therefore, we won't be able to be a blood guilt. 00:21:31.119 --> 00:21:38.640 But may I say to you, something was going on in Joseph's life that at that time did not make sense to Joseph. 00:21:38.880 --> 00:21:45.839 He knew the dream, he knew the overall, but he didn't know how he was going to get there, and it was out of his control. 00:21:46.480 --> 00:21:49.519 Sometimes things in our lives are out of our control. 00:21:50.079 --> 00:21:53.839 Sometimes people's attitudes towards us are out of our control. 00:21:54.240 --> 00:21:59.759 Sometimes people's actions towards us are out of our control, but God meant it for good. 00:22:00.319 --> 00:22:01.839 Come on, are you still with me? 00:22:02.079 --> 00:22:06.319 They meant it for evil, but God had a plan for our life and meant it for good. 00:22:06.480 --> 00:22:08.160 You say, this is just Joseph. 00:22:08.319 --> 00:22:09.279 It happened to Moses. 00:22:09.599 --> 00:22:10.720 It happened to David. 00:22:10.880 --> 00:22:12.799 It happened to Naomi and Ruth. 00:22:12.880 --> 00:22:23.039 I'm saying over and over again in the Bible, sometimes the journey God has us on has some evil intentions from people in there, and God allows it. 00:22:24.240 --> 00:22:25.839 Say amen right there. 00:22:26.079 --> 00:22:28.480 You say, how can a loving God allow that? 00:22:28.640 --> 00:22:40.079 To get us where he's going, to teach us along the way, to worship him, to trust and obey him, to thank him in the good times and in the bad times. 00:22:40.240 --> 00:22:45.599 To be able to say, when we get way out here in our lives somewhere, you know what? 00:22:45.759 --> 00:22:48.960 I can look back now and see God was in that. 00:22:49.680 --> 00:22:51.200 God had a plan for that. 00:22:51.359 --> 00:22:59.200 God allowed that evil to come upon me, but I gotta tell you, at the time it hurt, it was painful, there was anguish. 00:22:59.359 --> 00:23:04.240 I cried out, you didn't hear me, you sold me, you betrayed me. 00:23:04.640 --> 00:23:06.319 I know I wasn't of your mother. 00:23:06.480 --> 00:23:07.920 I know I had the coat on. 00:23:08.160 --> 00:23:10.960 I know you took the coat from me. 00:23:12.960 --> 00:23:19.440 He didn't know they took that coat and ripped it and put blood on it and faked the death. 00:23:21.200 --> 00:23:29.359 They didn't know that that caused their dad 20 years of blaming himself falsely. 00:23:31.599 --> 00:23:34.480 Dad said, I'll go to my grave mourning. 00:23:35.279 --> 00:23:42.799 Because dad was the one that sent Joseph, and they kept quiet in a code of dishonor all those years. 00:23:44.079 --> 00:23:47.200 It's a type of how they treated Christ. 00:23:49.279 --> 00:23:53.279 It's a type of him going as a lamb before the slaughter. 00:23:53.519 --> 00:23:56.240 They lied about him, they betrayed him. 00:23:56.559 --> 00:23:58.960 His own brethren sold him out. 00:23:59.440 --> 00:24:00.160 You say who? 00:24:00.319 --> 00:24:00.720 The apostles? 00:24:00.960 --> 00:24:04.640 Well, one of them did Judas, but his own Jewish brother sold him out. 00:24:05.599 --> 00:24:06.480 What are you saying? 00:24:06.640 --> 00:24:11.119 I'm saying sometimes in the midst of it, it doesn't look like God's in it. 00:24:11.759 --> 00:24:13.680 It just doesn't look because why? 00:24:13.839 --> 00:24:18.640 Our understanding can't wrap our minds around how this could be good. 00:24:19.440 --> 00:24:21.039 It can't be good. 00:24:21.440 --> 00:24:23.599 It's gotta be the devil. 00:24:25.279 --> 00:24:31.440 Now, I'm not saying principalities and powers aren't involved, but God still got the devil under control. 00:24:33.599 --> 00:24:36.319 Even in the book of Job, it didn't look good. 00:24:37.279 --> 00:24:40.000 Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar come at him. 00:24:40.400 --> 00:24:44.400 And it didn't look good, but God still had the devil under control. 00:24:45.599 --> 00:24:54.880 And even though we might have some things happen to us along the way, we just have to believe in trusting him that he's directing our path. 00:24:55.119 --> 00:24:58.400 And what we're required to do is I don't understand it. 00:24:58.559 --> 00:25:00.559 I'm not gonna lean on my understanding. 00:25:00.720 --> 00:25:02.400 I'm just supposed to acknowledge him. 00:25:02.799 --> 00:25:04.480 I'm just supposed to acknowledge him. 00:25:04.799 --> 00:25:06.880 I'm just supposed to tell people God's good. 00:25:07.039 --> 00:25:09.599 I'm just supposed to tell people about the salvation of God. 00:25:09.759 --> 00:25:12.319 I'm just supposed to tell people how to worship God. 00:25:12.400 --> 00:25:14.319 I'm just supposed to keep talking about God. 00:25:14.480 --> 00:25:17.279 While I'm in this whole thing, I just gotta keep talking about God. 00:25:17.440 --> 00:25:17.759 Why? 00:25:17.920 --> 00:25:19.759 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart. 00:25:19.920 --> 00:25:22.000 Lean not to thine own understanding. 00:25:22.160 --> 00:25:27.440 In all thy ways, acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. 00:25:27.599 --> 00:25:29.440 Even when we don't understand the direction. 00:25:29.599 --> 00:25:30.960 Are you still with me today? 00:25:31.279 --> 00:25:33.440 Somebody is in this today. 00:25:33.759 --> 00:25:35.839 Somebody is in the midst of this today. 00:25:36.000 --> 00:25:40.240 And may I say they saw that anguish, if you would, of the soul there. 00:25:40.400 --> 00:25:43.200 Look back at Genesis chapter number 39. 00:25:43.519 --> 00:25:44.720 Genesis 39. 00:25:45.200 --> 00:25:48.640 We're moving on through Genesis chapter number 39. 00:25:48.960 --> 00:25:56.559 And may I say to you, Genesis chapter number 39, he's now sent to Potiphar's house. 00:25:56.799 --> 00:25:58.799 He's bought by the Midianites. 00:25:58.960 --> 00:26:00.720 He goes to Potiphar's house. 00:26:00.880 --> 00:26:03.519 He becomes a servant in Potiphar's house. 00:26:03.599 --> 00:26:12.880 And the next thing that happens, Genesis chapter 39, you can read in verse number 17, 18, 19, that he's lied about. 00:26:13.200 --> 00:26:23.519 The master's wife says that Joseph tried to seduce her, and that this Jewish young lad, if you would, tried to try to have at her. 00:26:23.599 --> 00:26:24.720 And it's not true. 00:26:24.880 --> 00:26:26.799 And so she made this thing up. 00:26:26.960 --> 00:26:30.240 After her numerous advances, Joseph said no. 00:26:30.400 --> 00:26:34.640 And finally, if you would, she too goes after Joseph. 00:26:34.799 --> 00:26:38.640 The brothers went after him, and she goes after him in a different way. 00:26:38.799 --> 00:26:40.400 Notice verse number 20. 00:26:40.559 --> 00:26:49.599 And Joseph's master, Potiphar, took him, put him into the prison, a place where the king's prisoners were bound. 00:26:49.759 --> 00:26:54.000 Now, please, that doesn't mean he had special accommodations. 00:26:54.240 --> 00:26:57.039 That means he had worse accommodations. 00:26:57.359 --> 00:27:03.200 That means he was in the deepest part of the prison where the king's prisoners were bound. 00:27:03.279 --> 00:27:07.680 And may I say that means he wasn't treated very well at all, and he was there in prison. 00:27:07.759 --> 00:27:08.960 But look at verse 21. 00:27:09.119 --> 00:27:13.759 But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him mercy, gave him favor. 00:27:14.160 --> 00:27:16.799 He gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison. 00:27:16.960 --> 00:27:22.400