Complacency
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4 Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Come close to me.” When they had done so, he said, “I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt!
5 And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you.
6 For two years now there has been famine in the land, and for the next five years there will be no plowing and reaping.
7 But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance.
8 “So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God. He made me father to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household and ruler of all Egypt.
10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.
11 If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.
11 If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.
7 The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray.
8 Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.
9 Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.
10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.
11 If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.
1 Peter 4:
We have been looking at enemies of the faith.
We have been looking at enemies of the faith.
We have been looking at enemies of the faith.
We have been looking at enemies of the faith.
FEAR.
TEMPTATION.
Faith means action. Advancement. Faith is not static and passive, faith is active and always moving.
Without faith it is impossible to please God.
Yet we often talk about faith as if it was magical and automatic. As if faith was just a mere feeling or agreement and excuse ourselves from the requirement of faith with is ACTION.
Faith has an enemy called complacency.
Complacency wasn’t supposed to be a bad thing, it is like a deviation of pleasure and rest that turned into laziness and apathy.
32 For the waywardness of the simple will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them;
12 At that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps and punish those who are complacent, who are like wine left on its dregs, who think, ‘The Lord will do nothing, either good or bad.’
Life often presents us opportunities to stay static. To stop moving. To stop advancing.
Suddenly we don’t pursue the things we once did, we stop dreaming, and we fall into a routine where even though we may be good people, we are not pursuing God’s best for us anymore.
God given destiny and complacency can’t coexist.
God given destiny and complacency can’t coexist.
When you give into complacency you are giving up your God given destiny; his plan.
Joseph was presented with many opportunities to give up on God and fall into complacency.
Let’s look at his life...
DREAMS
Not one but two dreams.
Sheaf of grain.
The New International Version Chapter 37
“I had another dream, and this time the sun and moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me.”
Oh they got mad.
HIS BROTHERS GET JEALOUS AND PLOT TO KILL HIM
But they end up selling him instead. The enemy can’t kill what God gives life to.
Scripture says that Joseph’s father cried (wept) for his son.
Now if you know the story, you know Joseph didn’t die. Why would God let Jacob weep for his son? Because when you walk with God, pain always has a purpose. Jacob had to go through this so that Joseph could be used by God.
I am here to remind you that when you walk with God, even your pain has purpose. It is not wrong to cry, it is wrong to cry and do nothing with it. You have to get up and keep moving, cry all you want but don’t give up on fighting. God is orchestrating something that you can’t see here and now, but at just the right time, He will finish what he started but you gotta keep moving!
I am here to remind you that when you walk with God, even your pain has purpose. It is not wrong to cry, it is wrong to cry and do nothing with it. You have to get up and keep moving, cry all you want but don’t give up on fighting. God is orchestrating something that you can’t see here and now, but at just the right time, He will finish what he started but you gotta keep moving!
And so Joseph ends up in Egypt.
2 The Lord was with Joseph so that he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master.
3 When his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord gave him success in everything he did,
4 Joseph found favor in his eyes and became his attendant. Potiphar put him in charge of his household, and he entrusted to his care everything he owned.
5 From the time he put him in charge of his household and of all that he owned, the Lord blessed the household of the Egyptian because of Joseph. The blessing of the Lord was on everything Potiphar had, both in the house and in the field.
6 So Potiphar left everything he had in Joseph’s care; with Joseph in charge, he did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate. Now Joseph was well-built and handsome,
Well, turns out Potiphar’s wife was after Joseph. And seems like Joseph knew how to handle temptation cause one day this lady came in trying to seduce him and even grabbed his clothes. But Joseph took off running!
He was still falsely accused and sent to prison. “But the Lord was with Him”
You can’t judge a book by its cover. He is in prison, yet God is with him.
Not everyone facing struggles is facing them because they deserve them. God is sometimes working through the struggles.
And I want to know if there is anyone here who feels the struggle but can say GOD IS WITH ME.
I KEEP MOVING. I KEEP ADVANCING. I AM NOT STOPPING!
20 Joseph’s master took him and put him in prison, the place where the king’s prisoners were confined. But while Joseph was there in the prison,
21 the Lord was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden.
You can’t judge a book by its cover. He is in prison, yet God is with him.
Not everyone facing struggles is facing them because they deserve them. God is sometimes working through the struggles.
And I want to know if there is anyone here who feels the struggle but can say GOD IS WITH ME.
I KEEP MOVING. I KEEP ADVANCING. I AM NOT STOPPING!
I WILL NOT GIVE INTO COMPLACENCY!
CUPBEARER & BAKER
These two have interesting dreams.
Cupbearer dreams vine branches...
The New International Version Chapter 40
Within three days Pharaoh will lift up your head and restore you to your position
Baker dreams baskets of bread...
The New International Version Chapter 40
“The three baskets are three days. 19 Within three days Pharaoh will lift off your head and impale your body on a pole. And the birds will eat away your flesh.”
Joseph had every excuse to be complacent and tell both good things. But obedience don’t compromise even in times of hardship.
Your position is not an indication of success. Your faithfulness in any situation is; faithfulness is success.
Your position is not an indication of success. Your faithfulness in any situation is; faithfulness is success.
Now everything happened as Joseph said it would.
The New International Version Chapter 40
The chief cupbearer, however, did not remember Joseph; he forgot him.
But God did not forget Joseph. God was with Joseph.
Joseph was a servant. Complacency is selfish, faith filled souls serve others.
You’ll find purpose in other people’s needs.
You’ll find purpose in other people’s needs.
And after two years, Pharaoh had two dreams.
CUPBEARER REMEMBERS JOSEPH>
You may know the story, Joseph again gets the opportunity to interpret the dreams.
40 You shall be in charge of my palace, and all my people are to submit to your orders. Only with respect to the throne will I be greater than you.”
Complacency
When Joseph gave up his dreams to help other man’s dreams come true. His dream actually followed him.
Unselfish Joseph, favored by God, mistreated by people found himself in a palace, IN CHARGE of everything because he would not give into complacency.
You have a purpose. You are a rescuer, you are a message carrier, and your destiny is waiting for you, you just have to keep moving.
4 Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Come close to me.” When they had done so, he said, “I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt!
5 And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you.
6 For two years now there has been famine in the land, and for the next five years there will be no plowing and reaping.
7 But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance.
8 “So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God. He made me father to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household and ruler of all Egypt.
What would happen if none of us would give into complacency.
If we are honest we are all looking for that ultimate rest where we don’t worry about anything or anyone.
But Faith is all about others and us serving our purpose; to bring as many to the knowledge of God.
Can we commit to see life with the lens of faith at all times? Even when it doesn’t make any sense?
Even if you don’t have a dream like Joseph, let me tell you every God follower’s dream:
10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
It doesn’t say when to do good works. Because it sure feels sometimes like giving up doesn’t it. But what if when we give up doing these good works what we are doing is giving up our God given destiny.
His plans are better. BE faithful where you are and see God do the impossible.
All of this is possible because of Jesus. Who was in heaven, but came down to rescue us.
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