WEBVTT 00:00:02.560 --> 00:00:05.280 Thank you for joining us on the CCW podcast. 00:00:05.440 --> 00:00:11.119 Make sure you connect with us on social media to stay up to date on ministries and events happening at CCW. 00:00:11.279 --> 00:00:15.039 We hope you're encouraged, inspired, and motivated by today's message. 00:00:15.199 --> 00:00:19.199 To find out how to connect with us, keep listening after the message ends. 00:00:25.519 --> 00:00:27.199 Good morning, CCW. 00:00:28.480 --> 00:00:32.079 Once you take your Bibles, turn them to Genesis chapter 40. 00:00:32.320 --> 00:00:35.200 We're continuing our hold the line. 00:00:35.439 --> 00:00:43.439 And if I'd have thought far in advance, this would have been entitled How to Hold While You're Holding, but it's the line of patience. 00:00:44.320 --> 00:00:45.679 The line of patience. 00:00:46.000 --> 00:00:52.240 I want to say that my son on Friday, Weston, turned 13. 00:00:52.560 --> 00:01:00.079 And so you won't see him because Saturday immediately he had a temperature after turning 13. 00:01:00.320 --> 00:01:03.359 So anyway, prayers for many. 00:01:03.439 --> 00:01:04.640 There's many in our church. 00:01:04.879 --> 00:01:09.359 I've gotten calls in Texas week, people with the flu and getting all this stuff. 00:01:09.439 --> 00:01:11.359 So I'm glad you don't have the stuff. 00:01:11.840 --> 00:01:13.040 But we're going to pray. 00:01:13.280 --> 00:01:14.560 God keeps you from it. 00:01:14.959 --> 00:01:18.719 Just a quick update, many of you that uh asked about my father. 00:01:18.879 --> 00:01:22.959 He is still in temple hospital in the burn unit. 00:01:23.200 --> 00:01:30.879 And one side has taken the skin grafting, another side needs some prayer over it that it will take better. 00:01:31.040 --> 00:01:35.359 He had a temperature early in the week, and uh I think that has faded. 00:01:35.519 --> 00:01:37.120 But anyway, appreciate the prayers. 00:01:37.280 --> 00:01:39.359 I know he has told me, thank you. 00:01:39.599 --> 00:01:41.120 Tell your people thank you. 00:01:41.200 --> 00:01:42.480 Um, it's helping. 00:01:42.640 --> 00:01:45.439 So appreciate prayers on that. 00:01:45.680 --> 00:01:47.840 Genesis chapter 50. 00:01:48.400 --> 00:01:54.000 I uh about five years ago got a garage refrigerator. 00:01:54.159 --> 00:02:03.519 We used to kind of joke that, you know, maybe you and your wife or you in your family, you kind of joke, one day you'll know we have gotten where we want to be. 00:02:03.840 --> 00:02:14.319 Uh Pastor Eli told me one day when he had a house and there's Christmas lights on the outside of his house, that's how I'll know that he's gotten somewhere that he wants to be. 00:02:14.560 --> 00:02:23.439 And uh we looked at people in the family when we were youngly married and saw the fridge in the garage that had all the drinks. 00:02:23.840 --> 00:02:25.199 And we thought, one day. 00:02:25.360 --> 00:02:29.759 So I ordered and got a$50 fridge used. 00:02:29.919 --> 00:02:39.199 Well, anyway, uh it's been dying for the better part of a year and a half, and that's pretty good, husbands, for a spouse to allow that to go on. 00:02:39.520 --> 00:02:44.080 Year and a half, and she's like, I need I need the garage fridge, Rick, and she does a lot of cooking and this and that. 00:02:44.159 --> 00:02:47.919 And so, anyway, I've been on marketplace, but there's deadlines, right? 00:02:48.080 --> 00:02:50.080 There's deadlines for your dearly beloved. 00:02:50.400 --> 00:02:51.840 And she's like, I need a fridge. 00:02:51.919 --> 00:02:54.319 And finally, I I made four offers. 00:02:54.479 --> 00:02:56.639 I went up to a hundred dollars to people. 00:02:56.960 --> 00:03:01.439 None of them bit on my offers for a new used garage fridge. 00:03:01.599 --> 00:03:08.960 So there we were in the big store looking at the best deal for a garage fridge, and it was a pretty good deal. 00:03:09.039 --> 00:03:13.680 And they were selling, you know, this fridge, and they sold that they have a delivery. 00:03:13.759 --> 00:03:14.879 And I'm like, well, that's good. 00:03:14.960 --> 00:03:15.680 They can deliver it. 00:03:15.759 --> 00:03:23.840 I would have taken it that day if they had it, but they tell us in a few days, we'll set up your delivery, and you'll just have to hold for those days. 00:03:24.080 --> 00:03:24.400 Okay. 00:03:24.800 --> 00:03:30.800 So the day comes, and we're like kids at Christmas waiting on the arrival of the fridge. 00:03:31.039 --> 00:03:37.680 And so they're texting, confirmations, all this stuff is happening throughout the day, with how, and you know, they give you a window, right? 00:03:37.840 --> 00:03:38.960 Y'all know about the window? 00:03:39.120 --> 00:03:41.120 The window's really irritating for me. 00:03:41.280 --> 00:03:56.479 They're like eight to fourteen hours, and so we are in this window, and they're texting throughout the window, and we get a second text of the day, and they're like, uh, you are two away from your delivery, so please dispose of your old fridge. 00:03:56.639 --> 00:03:57.199 Make sure. 00:03:57.360 --> 00:04:02.879 Now, just on the back end, so you know, Heather was catering for somebody the next morning. 00:04:02.960 --> 00:04:04.240 So we had stuff in the fridge. 00:04:04.319 --> 00:04:09.280 So we get it all out, we dispose of the fridge, and we're waiting, we're waiting, we're waiting. 00:04:09.360 --> 00:04:21.360 It's nearing unto nine o'clock, and I start trying to make calls and all this, and and a text comes across that says that they made an attempt, no delivery made. 00:04:21.439 --> 00:04:23.600 I'm like, ain't no attempt been made. 00:04:23.920 --> 00:04:30.240 We've been sitting out here out the window, staring like Santa Claus was coming to town, and there was no attempt. 00:04:30.480 --> 00:04:32.240 And so we're waiting, waiting, wait. 00:04:32.399 --> 00:04:35.600 We see that, and I get on the phone, and you know what happens? 00:04:35.680 --> 00:04:36.639 I get on the phone the first time. 00:04:36.720 --> 00:04:38.079 I'm sorry, sir, that's not my department. 00:04:38.160 --> 00:04:38.879 Please hold. 00:04:39.040 --> 00:04:39.360 Okay. 00:04:40.240 --> 00:04:42.480 Wait for a few minutes, I get to the next person. 00:04:42.560 --> 00:04:46.399 Now tell me about, oh, oh, that's not us, that's the delivery service. 00:04:46.560 --> 00:04:49.519 I'm like, you are the one that told me about the delivery service. 00:04:49.680 --> 00:04:50.560 It is you. 00:04:50.720 --> 00:04:52.480 Well, we third party that, sir. 00:04:52.560 --> 00:04:54.079 I said, Well, can you give me their number? 00:04:54.240 --> 00:04:55.439 Well, that they're not gonna answer you. 00:04:55.519 --> 00:04:56.160 They're done for the night. 00:04:56.240 --> 00:04:57.839 I'm like, well, what are we going to do? 00:04:57.920 --> 00:05:00.399 Can you tell me, am I next in line tomorrow? 00:05:00.639 --> 00:05:02.560 You'll have to hold for that answer, sir. 00:05:02.720 --> 00:05:04.240 Hold, hold, hold, hold, hold. 00:05:04.319 --> 00:05:06.160 Okay, all day long, hold. 00:05:06.319 --> 00:05:12.240 And I finally get somebody and they say, sir, that's gonna be they'll call you in the morning. 00:05:12.399 --> 00:05:18.319 And so I get numbers, I get that person's name, I tell them what I need, my compensation for the matter. 00:05:18.480 --> 00:05:20.720 I tell them that's this has been a day's worth of work. 00:05:20.800 --> 00:05:22.160 We've been waiting, waiting, waiting. 00:05:22.240 --> 00:05:27.439 Anyhow, next morning they tell me, okay, I'm thinking, we're next on the list, right? 00:05:27.600 --> 00:05:28.399 Couldn't get to it. 00:05:28.480 --> 00:05:29.360 We were too away. 00:05:29.519 --> 00:05:32.319 Well, sorry, you got sir, we can't do it like that. 00:05:32.399 --> 00:05:33.600 You've been out of the system. 00:05:33.759 --> 00:05:34.959 There's no human, that's the problem. 00:05:35.040 --> 00:05:37.199 There's no human working on all these holes. 00:05:37.439 --> 00:05:39.360 You'll have to hold for six days. 00:05:39.600 --> 00:05:41.360 I'm like, we were two away. 00:05:41.600 --> 00:05:43.759 It took six days to get it delivered. 00:05:43.920 --> 00:05:45.839 Now we're six more days. 00:05:46.079 --> 00:05:47.439 Hold, hold, sir. 00:05:47.519 --> 00:05:48.000 I'm sorry. 00:05:48.079 --> 00:05:49.199 And so, okay. 00:05:49.680 --> 00:05:56.399 We go on vacation, come back, and it's been delivered, and they said, sir, we can't do anything for you in the meantime. 00:05:56.480 --> 00:05:59.439 You'll have to call somebody when you get back about this inconvenience. 00:05:59.519 --> 00:06:00.639 I was like, okay. 00:06:01.199 --> 00:06:03.360 I'm I can hold, I can wait on that. 00:06:03.519 --> 00:06:04.399 So we get back. 00:06:04.560 --> 00:06:07.040 They said somebody will call you once it's delivered. 00:06:07.120 --> 00:06:08.480 That call never happened. 00:06:08.720 --> 00:06:14.079 So I call somebody and they say, now tell me the whole situation again. 00:06:14.319 --> 00:06:16.319 I'm like, is there not notes in a computer? 00:06:16.399 --> 00:06:17.360 We're in the age of AI. 00:06:17.439 --> 00:06:18.879 Somebody could have recorded me. 00:06:19.120 --> 00:06:21.120 Anyhow, I didn't say that, I thought it. 00:06:21.279 --> 00:06:25.040 I talk to somebody and they say, sir, please hold. 00:06:25.759 --> 00:06:26.079 Okay. 00:06:26.959 --> 00:06:33.199 I get to the next person and they say, sir, we can give you$100 back for your inconvenience. 00:06:33.439 --> 00:06:36.160 And uh I said, How about$200? 00:06:36.399 --> 00:06:38.959 She said, Hold, please. 00:06:40.079 --> 00:06:43.759 She goes to somebody, she comes back and said, This is all we can do. 00:06:43.920 --> 00:06:45.519 We can only do$100. 00:06:45.920 --> 00:06:48.879 I said, Can I talk to the person who's in charge of$200? 00:06:49.279 --> 00:06:51.120 She said, sir, please hold. 00:06:51.360 --> 00:06:56.720 She comes back and she says, How's$225 sound, sir? 00:06:56.879 --> 00:06:59.040 I said, it pays to hold. 00:07:00.399 --> 00:07:02.560 It pays, church. 00:07:03.279 --> 00:07:05.600 Sometimes in life it pays to hold. 00:07:05.759 --> 00:07:07.279 Will you pray with me? 00:07:08.240 --> 00:07:10.560 Lord, we thank you for your goodness. 00:07:10.720 --> 00:07:12.000 We thank you for your grace. 00:07:12.160 --> 00:07:21.839 We thank you, God, that when we don't see it, when we don't know it, God, behind all of the scenes, you are always at work. 00:07:22.399 --> 00:07:28.319 And God, we thank you when even what we think is best, Lord, you know what is best. 00:07:28.720 --> 00:07:37.439 And God, I pray that you would draw us today to a better understanding of your character and how to hold while we're holding. 00:07:37.519 --> 00:07:39.279 We love you, Lord, in Jesus' name. 00:07:39.600 --> 00:07:40.240 Amen. 00:07:40.560 --> 00:07:45.199 There in Genesis chapter 40, the first point this morning, patient and serving. 00:07:45.360 --> 00:07:48.160 Let's look at verses 1 through 4. 00:07:48.319 --> 00:07:55.360 It says, It came to pass after these things that the butler and the baker of the king of Egypt offended their lord, the king of Egypt. 00:07:55.439 --> 00:07:59.600 And Pharaoh was angry with his two officers, the chief butler and the chief baker. 00:07:59.759 --> 00:08:14.639 So he put them in custody in the house of the captain of the guard in the prison, which is Potiphar, the place where Joseph was confined, and the captain of the guard charged Joseph with them, and he served them, so they were in custody for a while. 00:08:14.879 --> 00:08:18.000 Letter A this morning is this, steady in assignment. 00:08:18.720 --> 00:08:22.879 How did the butler and the baker offend Pharaoh? 00:08:23.040 --> 00:08:23.519 I wonder. 00:08:23.759 --> 00:08:26.000 Curiosity has me here. 00:08:26.319 --> 00:08:29.360 It sounds like the opening line of a bad joke. 00:08:29.519 --> 00:08:32.480 A butler, a baker, and a Hebrew went down to prison. 00:08:33.759 --> 00:08:35.840 Did they poison his food? 00:08:36.720 --> 00:08:41.200 Did everybody know that he didn't like his eggs running together? 00:08:41.759 --> 00:08:42.799 Paper plates. 00:08:42.960 --> 00:08:50.799 I I don't know what kind of culinary disaster happened between the butler and the baker, but it made Pharaoh angry. 00:08:51.039 --> 00:08:57.360 It stands a reason that maybe commentators believe there was some sort of food negligence. 00:08:57.919 --> 00:09:02.879 Here at CCW, I'm proud to say we are not negligent when it comes to food. 00:09:03.120 --> 00:09:03.759 Amen. 00:09:04.559 --> 00:09:08.720 The Bible says when we meet together, we eat together, I think is what it says. 00:09:08.879 --> 00:09:11.200 Acts 2.42, and they broke bread. 00:09:11.519 --> 00:09:19.440 And so, whatever the reason were, God wanted them this to meet with Joseph. 00:09:19.600 --> 00:09:20.960 That I believe. 00:09:21.279 --> 00:09:23.679 And this is the wheel within the wheel. 00:09:23.840 --> 00:09:26.639 How many of you have seen these little toys? 00:09:27.120 --> 00:09:28.960 You've seen these before. 00:09:29.360 --> 00:09:35.600 You open that up, there's more, and you open that up, and it keeps going. 00:09:35.840 --> 00:09:38.559 How many of you kids, you need a great Christmas present? 00:09:38.720 --> 00:09:40.480 I mean, next Christmas. 00:09:40.799 --> 00:09:42.559 Some of y'all, this is it. 00:09:42.799 --> 00:09:43.759 That would do you. 00:09:43.840 --> 00:09:45.360 You'd be playing with that all day long. 00:09:45.519 --> 00:09:49.759 Put up the PlayStation 5, because you got one of these Russian dolls. 00:09:50.879 --> 00:09:57.759 Well, within the scope of God's working, we have this verse, Romans 8.28. 00:09:57.919 --> 00:10:05.919 It says, and we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to those who are called according to his purposes. 00:10:06.559 --> 00:10:10.799 All of life is pointing towards God's story. 00:10:10.960 --> 00:10:18.480 And we've got a vapor within that story to be involved in God's story. 00:10:18.720 --> 00:10:26.639 But I would submit to you, if you're living outside of the purpose that God has given you, that you're noise in that story. 00:10:26.799 --> 00:10:37.840 God can use you, but if you're living outside of your purpose, God has uniquely gifted every person and says, all things work together for good to them that love God and the called. 00:10:38.000 --> 00:10:41.919 Are you working within the calling God's placed in your life? 00:10:42.159 --> 00:10:48.559 So a question for you as we jump in: how are you leveraging your day today? 00:10:49.200 --> 00:10:51.360 What about your week next week? 00:10:51.519 --> 00:10:52.559 What about your month? 00:10:52.720 --> 00:10:56.080 Are you leveraging the giftedness that God has given you? 00:10:56.240 --> 00:11:02.879 Or are you leveraging yourself towards some other set of goals and ideas? 00:11:03.200 --> 00:11:04.799 I'm not saying don't have goals. 00:11:04.879 --> 00:11:06.399 I'm not saying don't build your business. 00:11:06.480 --> 00:11:08.879 I'm not saying don't build yourself in a sport. 00:11:08.960 --> 00:11:18.320 I'm saying within those things, God has a plan and purpose, and he wants to use everything for his thing. 00:11:18.879 --> 00:11:21.120 Are you using your giftedness? 00:11:21.360 --> 00:11:24.879 If it is sports, are you impacting people in that world? 00:11:25.039 --> 00:11:30.720 Whatever your job is, are you using yourself in that way? 00:11:31.200 --> 00:11:34.879 Well, we see this about Joseph. 00:11:35.279 --> 00:11:37.759 Months and months he's in prison. 00:11:38.080 --> 00:11:42.879 But when a butler and a baker meet him, guess what they find out about him? 00:11:43.039 --> 00:11:45.039 There's a man steady at work. 00:11:45.679 --> 00:11:58.480 You find it interesting that two of the officers of the president of the land, the pharaoh of Egypt, two of his high-ranking officials end up in prison with Joseph. 00:11:58.639 --> 00:11:59.919 Remember who Joseph was? 00:12:00.080 --> 00:12:04.159 A shepherd boy, one of this blended, messed up, crazy family. 00:12:04.320 --> 00:12:08.799 There he is, and two of the officers of the land are with him in prison. 00:12:09.039 --> 00:12:12.559 Seems like within the doll, God's working. 00:12:12.879 --> 00:12:17.120 Joseph, when they meet him, is a picture of someone steady in assignment. 00:12:17.200 --> 00:12:24.399 I want you to go back to Genesis chapter 39 and just see a couple of verses that point to this. 00:12:25.840 --> 00:12:35.279 Verse 22 in chapter 39, it says, And the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph's hand all the prisoners who were in prison. 00:12:35.440 --> 00:12:39.840 Whatever they did there, it was his doing. 00:12:40.399 --> 00:12:48.720 The keeper of the prison did not look into anything that was under Joseph's authority because the Lord was with him, and whatever he did, the Lord made it to prosper. 00:12:48.960 --> 00:12:49.919 Did you see that? 00:12:50.080 --> 00:12:53.600 The keeper of the prison committed everything unto Joseph's hand. 00:12:53.919 --> 00:13:00.399 And second, it said, and whatever they did, Joseph was the doer of it. 00:13:00.720 --> 00:13:05.679 Joseph was not in prison, in a corner, whining about what's happened. 00:13:05.759 --> 00:13:09.519 It says, Joseph was a doer of all of these things. 00:13:09.679 --> 00:13:11.759 Yes, Joseph has favor. 00:13:12.080 --> 00:13:16.799 Yes, Joseph walked with the Lord, but he continued, hear me, church, to work. 00:13:17.600 --> 00:13:19.120 He worked steadily. 00:13:19.440 --> 00:13:27.519 He didn't stop working, even though he was just previously in the palace, maybe feeling like he was climbing the ladder of life success. 00:13:27.679 --> 00:13:31.200 Now he's in the prison and he doesn't give up. 00:13:32.320 --> 00:13:36.799 He keeps on steadily working, and that's what the butler and baker find in him. 00:13:37.440 --> 00:13:41.440 Church, prosperity doesn't happen with an inactivity. 00:13:43.120 --> 00:13:45.679 The jailer promoted Joseph. 00:13:45.840 --> 00:13:46.799 Now I'm gonna tell you this. 00:13:46.960 --> 00:13:50.960 I doubt that Joseph was lazy and got promoted. 00:13:51.200 --> 00:13:56.480 I believe he got promoted in that system because he was a worker. 00:13:58.159 --> 00:14:01.120 He didn't look at his situation and say, that's it. 00:14:02.000 --> 00:14:08.240 Pit, sold out, slaved, now I'm unjustly in prison. 00:14:08.559 --> 00:14:11.120 He continued working. 00:14:11.840 --> 00:14:13.039 He was steady. 00:14:13.519 --> 00:14:17.919 So many people today want the dream church without the journey. 00:14:19.120 --> 00:14:20.080 You hear me? 00:14:20.320 --> 00:14:29.039 We want to get to this spot that every 70 and 80 year old has climbed to, but we don't want all of the in between. 00:14:29.279 --> 00:14:29.759 Right? 00:14:29.919 --> 00:14:39.120 I was talking to the other day about a meal me and Heather were having, and uh my son was talking about a meal, and I said, look, we're 44. 00:14:39.279 --> 00:14:41.840 It took a long time to be able to get to that meal. 00:14:42.000 --> 00:14:43.919 Of course you can't go out for that meal. 00:14:44.080 --> 00:14:45.679 You gotta climb to that space. 00:14:45.759 --> 00:14:48.399 You got to work to get to this place. 00:14:49.519 --> 00:14:54.000 Raise your hand and point if you've got a spouse here who's ultra competitive. 00:14:54.240 --> 00:14:55.200 Point at them. 00:14:55.440 --> 00:14:55.919 Go ahead. 00:14:56.000 --> 00:14:56.480 It's okay. 00:14:56.559 --> 00:14:59.440 I know Valentine's Day was yesterday, but it's okay. 00:14:59.919 --> 00:15:01.600 I'm glad to see that. 00:15:02.000 --> 00:15:02.799 Anybody else? 00:15:02.960 --> 00:15:05.279 You're silent, you thought it, but you didn't want to do it. 00:15:05.919 --> 00:15:08.639 It's Valentine's has passed, you're not going to get in trouble. 00:15:08.960 --> 00:15:09.279 Okay. 00:15:10.159 --> 00:15:11.600 I'm glad to see it. 00:15:11.759 --> 00:15:14.000 Uh my wife is pretty competitive. 00:15:14.240 --> 00:15:20.000 In 10th grade, I won a set of wind sprints in soccer. 00:15:20.159 --> 00:15:22.559 Against 11th graders, 12th graders, the whole thing. 00:15:22.720 --> 00:15:24.320 And I'll never forget this. 00:15:24.879 --> 00:15:35.120 When I felt that feeling of winning that wind sprint, full field soccer sprint, and got to the end line and saw there were players that I thought were better than me. 00:15:35.279 --> 00:15:41.600 When I won that wind sprint, I never wanted to feel the feeling of not winning a win sprint again. 00:15:41.679 --> 00:15:45.679 And I did not lose a wind sprint the rest of my soccer career. 00:15:46.559 --> 00:15:49.360 And so I would leave practice dead. 00:15:49.679 --> 00:15:50.559 I would go home. 00:15:50.639 --> 00:15:53.600 I would, if my mom was picking me up, I would nap in the car home. 00:15:53.679 --> 00:15:55.919 I would just leave totally spent. 00:15:56.480 --> 00:15:58.399 And I know this verse, and I want you to hear it. 00:15:58.480 --> 00:16:01.120 The Bible says in Colossians, do everything. 00:16:01.519 --> 00:16:02.480 Everything. 00:16:02.720 --> 00:16:08.159 Everything that you put your hands to, do everything heartily as unto God and not unto man. 00:16:08.639 --> 00:16:10.399 When you're serving, it's unto God. 00:16:10.559 --> 00:16:11.759 When you're working, it's unto God. 00:16:11.919 --> 00:16:13.759 When you're parenting, it's unto God. 00:16:13.919 --> 00:16:16.799 When you're doing something, it's unto God. 00:16:17.519 --> 00:16:21.919 I have loved every job I've ever had except for one. 00:16:22.480 --> 00:16:30.480 I worked for Abercrombie and Fitch for a little spell during college, and we were folding shirts day after day. 00:16:30.559 --> 00:16:41.120 And then you would come in and haphazardly pull a shirt off the thing, look at it, and then irrationally fold it back like it was folded. 00:16:41.279 --> 00:16:43.200 Look, I don't unfold a shirt, folks. 00:16:43.279 --> 00:16:44.879 I'm just telling you something from Jesus. 00:16:45.039 --> 00:16:46.720 You don't need to unfold a shirt. 00:16:46.879 --> 00:16:49.120 By this point, you know your size. 00:16:50.480 --> 00:16:52.480 And I don't know what they do when they put it back. 00:16:52.559 --> 00:16:53.360 And then I had to go back. 00:16:53.519 --> 00:16:54.240 We had a board. 00:16:54.320 --> 00:16:55.840 You had to put everything on a board. 00:16:55.919 --> 00:16:57.200 And I'm all night following people. 00:16:57.759 --> 00:16:59.279 Don't you unfold that shirt? 00:16:59.440 --> 00:17:01.200 Oh, they unfolded it. 00:17:01.440 --> 00:17:02.240 Time after time. 00:17:02.320 --> 00:17:04.079 It's the only job I hated. 00:17:04.400 --> 00:17:05.920 But this I know. 00:17:06.240 --> 00:17:09.920 Joseph, everywhere he went, it seems he was employee of the month. 00:17:10.079 --> 00:17:12.319 Month after month, time after time. 00:17:12.480 --> 00:17:16.480 Whatever he went into, it was evident he liked work. 00:17:17.680 --> 00:17:22.240 Church, holding, patience, does not mean passive. 00:17:23.599 --> 00:17:27.279 Waiting seasons aren't wasteful seasons. 00:17:27.759 --> 00:17:29.759 Stay steady in assignment. 00:17:29.920 --> 00:17:30.559 Learn. 00:17:30.880 --> 00:17:31.519 Watch. 00:17:31.839 --> 00:17:32.160 Work. 00:17:32.640 --> 00:17:33.279 Grow. 00:17:33.599 --> 00:17:34.480 Continue. 00:17:34.720 --> 00:17:37.519 Hold the line when you're holding. 00:17:37.759 --> 00:17:38.480 Letter be. 00:17:38.640 --> 00:17:40.240 We see a selfless attention. 00:17:40.400 --> 00:17:42.319 Look down at verse 6 and 7. 00:17:47.599 --> 00:17:53.920 And Joseph came into them in the morning and looked at them and saw that they were sad. 00:17:54.799 --> 00:18:02.319 So he asked Pharaoh's officers who were with him in the custody of his Lord's house, saying, Why do you look so sad today? 00:18:02.720 --> 00:18:07.279 So the butler and baker are sent to prison, and it says that Joseph served them. 00:18:07.519 --> 00:18:14.640 And Joseph notices a change in the temperature of two people that are under his care. 00:18:15.039 --> 00:18:31.680 If Joseph had been consumed with his pity, with his sentence, if he had been consumed about his brothers, if he'd been sitting around in bitterness and anger, I'm not sure Joseph would be concerned for the butler and the baker. 00:18:32.640 --> 00:18:38.240 As far as Joseph knows at this point, he has no end to this sentence. 00:18:38.400 --> 00:18:46.880 He has a dream out there somewhere, but he is in prison, and we cannot tell that anyone has told him anything about the time frame. 00:18:47.599 --> 00:18:51.920 He's been thrown into a pit, he's been made a slave, he's wrongfully accused of immorality. 00:18:52.079 --> 00:18:58.000 If anyone could be sad, it's maybe not the butler or baker, but Joseph. 00:18:58.240 --> 00:19:03.359 But Joseph is busy trying to help inmates. 00:19:04.319 --> 00:19:05.519 Here's a theory. 00:19:05.680 --> 00:19:08.240 This is old psychology study. 00:19:08.640 --> 00:19:16.480 If you're busy helping people with their problems and their struggles, you'll have a lot less time to be discouraged about your own. 00:19:18.559 --> 00:19:22.960 Pause, church, and see if there's someone you need to help. 00:19:23.440 --> 00:19:26.559 Joseph notices something simple, sadness. 00:19:26.960 --> 00:19:38.160 Before he discusses dreams or helps them in anything, before he becomes someone pivotal in the butler and baker's life, before he has any touch like that, he has this awareness. 00:19:38.640 --> 00:19:44.240 He takes a look around and he sees that people are saddened. 00:19:45.039 --> 00:19:48.319 Are you using awareness? 00:19:49.200 --> 00:19:51.440 I'm gonna tell you, church, there's people. 00:19:52.000 --> 00:19:58.079 I get a lot of church prayers, church needs, there's people next to you that are hurting. 00:19:58.960 --> 00:20:04.960 There's people next to you, there's someone in this room that got a diagnosis of cancer. 00:20:05.359 --> 00:20:10.799 There's somebody here today who's lost a job in the last month. 00:20:11.279 --> 00:20:15.680 There's somebody here today that has lost a family member in the last few months. 00:20:15.920 --> 00:20:18.640 There's people next to you that are hurting. 00:20:18.799 --> 00:20:23.119 Someone here next to you, they're struggling just by looking in the mirror. 00:20:23.359 --> 00:20:24.160 It's a struggle. 00:20:24.240 --> 00:20:26.079 And they're hurting on the inside. 00:20:27.920 --> 00:20:30.000 People are lost in comparison. 00:20:30.160 --> 00:20:31.200 People are hurting. 00:20:31.359 --> 00:20:36.720 Are you aware of the help that's needed around you? 00:20:37.279 --> 00:20:39.359 When we close today, I want to ask you something. 00:20:40.000 --> 00:20:46.000 Something practical, but I want to ask you, and you can ask yourself right there now, deal with it before invitation. 00:20:46.319 --> 00:20:54.720 Would you be willing as a Christian, as a body member of this church, to walk to somebody near you and say, Is there anything you need help with? 00:20:54.880 --> 00:20:56.960 And we're supposed to be this family. 00:20:57.599 --> 00:21:03.119 Are you willing to step out of uncomfort for a moment and say, Is there something I can pray with you? 00:21:03.279 --> 00:21:04.880 Is there some way I can help you? 00:21:05.039 --> 00:21:07.200 I promise you, people need help. 00:21:07.440 --> 00:21:10.400 Joseph just happened to be someone who noticed. 00:21:11.039 --> 00:21:12.480 When somebody was sad. 00:21:14.720 --> 00:21:16.240 If you want to know, ask. 00:21:16.400 --> 00:21:18.640 So hold the line by helping. 00:21:20.240 --> 00:21:22.400 No one here is your enemy, right? 00:21:24.880 --> 00:21:28.079 If they are your enemy, you know what Jesus said about an enemy? 00:21:28.480 --> 00:21:29.440 Bless them. 00:21:31.519 --> 00:21:33.519 That's hard, Pastor. 00:21:34.160 --> 00:21:42.079 You'll have a lot less time to think about your discouragement if you will spend some time encouraging someone who's hurting. 00:21:42.480 --> 00:21:45.759 Secondly, this morning, be patient with signs. 00:21:45.920 --> 00:21:51.039 I want you to look at these signs, these dreams. 00:21:51.279 --> 00:21:52.240 Verse 8. 00:21:52.559 --> 00:21:54.480 We're going through we're going through the dreams. 00:21:54.559 --> 00:21:56.640 Verse 8 through 13, then 16 through 19. 00:21:56.799 --> 00:21:58.400 A lot of information here. 00:21:58.480 --> 00:21:59.839 We'll get back to some practical process. 00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:06.720 Points in a moment, but it says, and they said to him, to Joseph, we each have had a dream, and there is no interpreter of it. 00:22:06.880 --> 00:22:10.400 So Joseph said to them, Do not interpretations belong to God? 00:22:10.559 --> 00:22:11.759 Tell them to me, please. 00:22:12.000 --> 00:22:19.119 Then the chief butler told his dream to Joseph and said to him, Behold, in my dream a vine was before me, and in the vine were three branches. 00:22:19.279 --> 00:22:24.880 It was as though it budded, its blossoms shot forth, and its clusters brought forth ripe grapes. 00:22:25.039 --> 00:22:30.960 Then Pharaoh's cup was in my hand, and I took the grapes and pressed them into the Pharaoh's cup, and placed the cup in Pharaoh's hand. 00:22:31.119 --> 00:22:34.400 And Joseph said to him, This is the interpretation of it. 00:22:34.559 --> 00:22:35.920 The three branches are three days. 00:22:36.000 --> 00:22:40.240 Now within three days, Pharaoh will lift up your head and restore you. 00:22:40.640 --> 00:22:41.440 Pause there. 00:22:41.519 --> 00:22:43.920 Let's go to the baker's dream, verse 16. 00:22:44.480 --> 00:22:50.000 When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was good, he said to Joseph, I also was in my dream. 00:22:50.160 --> 00:22:52.319 And there were three white baskets on my head. 00:22:52.400 --> 00:22:58.559 In the uppermost basket were all kinds of baked goods for Pharaoh, and the birds ate them out of the basket on my head. 00:22:58.799 --> 00:23:02.000 So Joseph answered and said, This is the interpretation of it. 00:23:02.240 --> 00:23:03.599 Three baskets are three days. 00:23:03.759 --> 00:23:12.559 Within three days, Pharaoh will lift off your head from you and hang you on a tree, and the birds will eat your flesh from you. 00:23:12.799 --> 00:23:13.440 Letter A. 00:23:13.519 --> 00:23:16.559 I want you to see a problematic dream. 00:23:17.680 --> 00:23:20.880 Joseph, don't miss his part here, patient. 00:23:21.119 --> 00:23:28.079 Hear me, church, and ready to serve and use his gift when the time is ripe. 00:23:28.319 --> 00:23:29.839 In a dungeon, hear me. 00:23:30.000 --> 00:23:33.200 Not in Potiphar's house, not in a palace, in a dungeon. 00:23:33.359 --> 00:23:36.720 He will serve where no one has to see him. 00:23:37.039 --> 00:23:38.640 That's holding the line in character. 00:23:38.799 --> 00:23:43.599 1 Peter 4 10 says, Use whatever gift you have to serve others. 00:23:43.759 --> 00:23:45.039 That's why you're gifted. 00:23:45.279 --> 00:23:47.200 Anyhow, the butler dreams. 00:23:47.599 --> 00:23:50.400 Here's his dream a vine with three branches that was full of grapes. 00:23:50.480 --> 00:23:52.880 Pharaoh's cup was in his hand and he made grape juice. 00:23:53.039 --> 00:23:53.920 Baker dreams. 00:23:54.079 --> 00:23:59.359 Three white baskets on his head, all kinds of baked goods on the baskets, and the birds are eating out of the baskets. 00:23:59.680 --> 00:24:01.519 Why don't you ask this question? 00:24:02.000 --> 00:24:06.000 When we started into this story, where did it all begin? 00:24:06.960 --> 00:24:09.119 It really started with a dream. 00:24:10.799 --> 00:24:11.759 Started with a dream. 00:24:12.000 --> 00:24:17.440 Eleven brothers had a problem with that dream, felt it was a problem. 00:24:17.839 --> 00:24:21.359 Do you wonder as time has gone by in the story of Joseph? 00:24:21.519 --> 00:24:24.240 What does Joseph feel about his dream? 00:24:26.160 --> 00:24:32.720 The best advice that I can give you, church, right now, I know that God puts dreams in your heart. 00:24:32.880 --> 00:24:36.319 And sometimes your dreams are on hold. 00:24:36.720 --> 00:24:41.759 Take your dreams, and here's what you need to do: scale them through God's word. 00:24:42.079 --> 00:24:43.759 Check your dream with God's word. 00:24:44.079 --> 00:24:46.799 Check your dream with godly counsel. 00:24:47.119 --> 00:24:48.400 And be patient. 00:24:48.880 --> 00:24:50.240 Hold while you're holding. 00:24:50.319 --> 00:24:53.119 Don't give up on a dream that God's placed before you. 00:24:53.359 --> 00:24:55.279 But hold while you're holding. 00:24:55.839 --> 00:24:57.200 So we see these two dreams. 00:24:57.359 --> 00:24:58.079 Letter be. 00:24:58.640 --> 00:25:00.559 One of them has a promising definition. 00:25:00.720 --> 00:25:02.400 Look at verse 13. 00:25:09.680 --> 00:25:15.519 It says, now within three days, Pharaoh will lift up your head and restore you to your place. 00:25:15.759 --> 00:25:22.160 And you will put Pharaoh's cup in his hand according to the former manner when you were his butler. 00:25:22.960 --> 00:25:28.640 Now we come to understand for the baker, the dream means he's gonna die. 00:25:28.960 --> 00:25:36.240 Not a great interpretation, but for the butler, the interpretation, and for both of them, interpretation is about clarity, not comfort. 00:25:36.400 --> 00:25:40.720 Joseph's job is not to tell you a good story. 00:25:40.880 --> 00:25:45.680 You come to me, and I'm gonna tell you the best story about your life. 00:25:45.920 --> 00:25:48.880 Joseph's job is to relay the truth. 00:25:49.039 --> 00:25:51.440 And sometimes, church, the truth hurts. 00:25:51.599 --> 00:25:54.480 Sometimes the truth does not hurt, but the truth is the truth. 00:25:54.640 --> 00:25:55.920 It's like a doctor. 00:25:56.079 --> 00:26:01.039