Sermon Tone Analysis

God’s people are never promised a life free from suffering - in fact it is the exact opposite.

James, the apostle goes so far as to urge us to consider it all joy in

Although God speaks to us through every circumstance - God seems to get our undivided attention in times of defeat, loss, and pain.

suffering may cause some people to turn against others and become bitter.

It’s not what we suffer, but how we respond that determines whether our trials and struggles change us for the better or for the bitter.

Review

Joseph endured many difficulties:

Joseph was sold into SLAVERY by his brothers.

Joseph was accused of RAPE by his master’s wife

One landed Jospeh in a PIT, the other landed him in PRISON

Joseph’s trust in God never faltered.

He believed God would remain faithful to His promises.

Joseph did not allow his heart to become BITTER or RESENTFUL - instead Joseph PERSEVERED.

Chapter 40 picks up in the Life of Joseph and his troubles in Egypt.

Every time we see Joseph he is being elevated - something that only God could be lining up.

He is a slave - then placed over the other slaves.

He is put in prison - then placed over the other prisoners; don’t miss this important note - Potiphar was the “captain of the guards” in Pharaoh’s prison system - if Potiphar truly trusted his wife - why would he turn right around and place Joseph in a position like overseeing prisoners?

GOD’S FAVOR!

Say it with me - NOTHING CAN KEEP GOD’S FAVOR FROM ME.

All of this points to something that might be going through your mind right now - How does God allow this to happen to someone He loves and has a plan for?

I thought giving my life to Christ would bring blessing and prosperity.

God is concerned with His will and His plan - not ours.

God has promised to walk with us through every trial and every valley.

We need not worry.

He is working it out.

Remember that nothing can separate you from the Love of God.

Remember: Job - What if we prayed a prayer of Job? Oh God - allow me to lose it all, get sores, have all my kids die, my family reject me, my livestock (bank accounts) gone, take it all away - for your glory - I will not turn my back on you, nor be bitter.

I know you are working it out.

Remember Job did not know that blessings that were to come, He just trusted the giver of all blessings, and at the end of it He stood and proclaimed -

“Praise God from whom all blessings flow, Praise Him all creatures here below, Praise Him above ye heavenly Hosts.

Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost” Amen and Amen.

Let’s get to this portion.

God’s Favor & God’s Power

We must come to a rapid realization that with God’s favor comes God’s power - and we CANNOT get it mixed up!

If God’s hand is on your life, and you are finding favor with God and He is allowing things to happen in your life, your see prayers being answered, things lining up, and such - remember - YOU AIN’T DONE NOTHING!

God is moving and working.

It is GOD’S FAVOR and GOD’S POWER at work in your life.

There is punishment v1-4

The Cupbearer and the Baker are sent to prison - (likely due to Pharaoh blaming them for eating bad food, or getting ill after a meal)

A Prophetic Dream v 5-7

Joseph was responsible for the well-being of the prisoners - including the cupbearer and the baker (v4) when they reported a troubling dream - Jospeh was ready to help.

(we should learn from this - be ready to help those in need)

They had been in jail for some time and both had odd dreams on the same night.

They were anxious and confused about their dreams.

Have you ever had a dream that seems so real that you wake up and believe the things really happened?

Science would call these lucid dreams.

Dreams that seem so real that you feel them.

The other night I had gone to bed earlier than Jamie and I was knocked out - deep sleeping.

I was dreaming about Jamie and I and this cruise we are taking soon (because I am nervous to be on a ship like that) Jamie came in the room about the time I was at a part in the dream that we were falling off the boat and when she laid down beside me and woke me - I grabbed her around the neck and arms - thinking I was saving her from going overboard.

I was saving her.

She’s my lady.

I am her hero.

(let’s go with that) and not that I was holding on to her to keep from falling off the boat.

:)

Most people on the ancient world attached significance to dreams.

The Egyptians and Mesopotamians kept records of dreams and their interpretations.

The biblical account of dreams and interpretations proves scriptural integrity as it aligns with customs.

By the means of these dreams the cupbearer and the baker would receive special insights or prophecy into their future.

Bringing us to a controversial topic:

Does God still use dreams to reveal prophetic insight?

General Prophecy - NO.

There is nothing new under the sun and as a preacher of the gospel I feel the need to warn you - If someone comes to you and announces they are received a new revelation from God, they are false prophets.

if it’s new - it’s not true.

Be very carful of persons coming to you claiming to have a “special word” over your life, or more so - individuals that claim to have insight into future events (the world will end on this date) a person claiming to be a prophet - that makes heard a prophecy that does not come to pass - is to be put to death (Deut 18:20-22

Failed prophecies are prevalent in group/cults that change the gospel: Mormonism, Christian Science, Jehovah Witnesses, Seventh Day Adventists, Neo-Hebrewism

Both Seventh Day advent and Jehovah Witness Adventist founder Miller and soon wife Ellen White - said the end of the world would occur in 1883 - then nothing happened they moved it to 1884.

JW’s proclaim that the end of the world would come in war “The battle of the the Great God Almighty” in 1889 and all the earth’s rulership would be handed over to God in the new Heaven.

Then later in the watchtower periodical they corrected this and said the downfall would begin in 1975 and all humanity would end as we know it 3-4 years later.

Mormons join in the false prophesies as well.

Joseph Smith the delusion founder of Mormonism said he received his insight from an angel named Moroni - here are a few of the failed words.

1. the end of the world “final pruning” would come around 1835.

The US government would be overthrown “in a few years - this was stated in 1843.

These are only a few.

over the last few hundred years a number of people have come and claimed to have special revelation from God and the authority of Prophecy from God - Charles Russell: jehovah Witness, - Ellen G. White - Seventh Day Adventisits - Mary Eddy: Christian Science.

Joseph Smith: Church of Jesus Christ of Later Day Saints.

Their predictions failed, their cults are founded on peoples ideas and not solely on the word of God.

There is no need to change a prophecy given by God; as we see each of the above needed to make, and continue to this day to make changes to their doctrines, ideas, and prophecy - as one after the other fails.

Personal Prophecy - Yes

God may reveal to you, as an individual something of importance.

These are not prophecies that change the word of God, or make predictions of the word of God that we do not know.

(speculation)

Personal Revelation - God is revealing something to you, for you, or something concerning a situation.

It is NOT global (whole church) it is personal (one person, or myself)

I cannot stand here and say that next thursday at noon, all of your problems will be over and that every problem you have will be over - if so, biblically I will be put to death.

BUT - I can tell you on more than one occasion God has revealed something to me -for me- or another person, that is not proclaimed to every person but to that person alone.

Recently someone ask me to pray that they would get more work, and I said I will pray, and in that very moment God through the Holy Spirit spoke to me and told me to tell this person to get ready- they are about to get work before they even know it.

I got a text during the week confirming that the work was coming in just as we had prayed for and that I had heard God speak to me.

Am I as prophet - NO. Do I pray “a lot” yes!

Does God speak to me all the time - NO! I believe God gave me a word of wisdom, and insight for one person in their time of need - when they needed to hear it.

Because I am a plain person - I was scared even speaking it, but I knew Who it came from.

Beware - false prophets will come and take believers away from the true gospel.

Gal.1:6-7

We must be a people seeking the wisdom (discernment) of and from God. James 1:5

Now back to the life of Joseph>

Joseph Knows His Source.

Joseph tells them - I know God and all that I can do comes from God.

Likewise - God must be our source - not a resource.

In all our ways we are to acknowledge Him, so that He will lead us where He wants us.

God is my ROCK.

Jospeh knew the Rock, He Knew the Fortress, He knew the Refuge, He knew the Stronghold, He knew where his salvation came from -

We MUST know this as well.