Gtcotr/ss080412
Life
is but a journey, a marvelous adventure specifically designed for each and
every person. You, I, each one of us has been created by God’s own hand with a
specific purpose in mind.
Every
person has the potential to be great. However, being great in the eyes of man
is not the same as being great in the eyes of God. God counts us as great when
we reach the pinnacle of His will for our life.
For what would it profit a man if he were to gain the whole
world and lose his own soul – or what would a man give in exchange for his
soul? (Matthew 16:26)
Greatness,
like success, can only be measured by God and is solely dependent on us
reaching our God given goals.
It
is reported that Billy Graham was once asked if he would consider running for
President of the United States. He firmly replied, “God has called me to preach
the Gospel of Jesus Christ – I would not stoop to become President of the
United States.” In no way was he casting dispersions on the person, the
position or the office nor was he making light of the call to be President.
Billy was merely pointing out what was obvious to him and yet so foreign to
many others … Billy Graham’s conviction was that for any person to do something
other than what they had been created and called to do was to stoop beneath the
bar of acceptability with God. You see:
What God has given each person to do is their highest calling.
Life
should be a script which only God can write – a journey whose guide can only be
found in the Holy Spirit. Only God can measure success and only God can choose a
destiny. As God said to Jeremiah …
Before I formed you in the belly I knew you and before you came
out of the womb I had already consecrated you and I ordained you to be a
prophet to the nations. (Jeremiah 1:5)
Every
person is designed by God for purpose and life offers us opportunities
according to that purpose. Many times people experience failure for no other
reason than they refuse to embrace God’s path for their life. We cannot refuse
to do God’s will or refuse to do it God’s way and expect His blessings on our
adventure. It is possible to achieve some measure of success in the eyes of man
even without God’s help or approval – however … man’s measure of success will
certainly last no longer than this life, if that long, and eternity is too long
to be lived as a failure.
One
of the enduring qualities Joseph teaches us is that he recognized the fact that
life is often an unpredictable journey. Joseph simply wanted to please God at
every turn.
Joseph
was on a journey – not just any journey – but Joseph was on a God ordained
journey, a God protected journey, a God predicted journey, a God blessed
journey, a journey for God … and as long as Joseph kept trusting and pleasing
God, God stood responsible for the outcome.
Allow
me to catch us up on the life of Joseph from Genesis 41 through 44.
Genesis 45
1 Then Joseph could not restrain himself before
all those who stood by him, and he cried out, "Make everyone go out from
me!" So no one stood with him while Joseph made himself known to his
brothers.
2 And he wept aloud, and the Egyptians and the
house of Pharaoh heard it.
3 Then Joseph said to his
brothers, "I am Joseph; does my father still live?" But his brothers
could not answer him, for they were dismayed in his presence.
4 And Joseph said to his
brothers, "Please come near to me." So they came near. Then he said:
"I am Joseph your brother, whom you sold into Egypt.
5 "But now, do not
therefore be grieved or angry with yourselves because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life.
6 "For these two years
the famine has been in the land, and there are still five years in which there
will be neither plowing nor harvesting.
7 "And God sent me before you to preserve a posterity for you in the
earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance.
8 "So now it was not you who sent me here, but God; and He has made me
a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the
land of Egypt.
Life
is a journey … most often an unpredictable journey – but a journey on purpose.
Joseph
was not afraid of where his journey might lead him
Joseph
was not angry over how his journey had ill affected him
Joseph
was not continually complaining about his journey’s hardships
Joseph
was not bitter about his journey’s personal costs
Joseph
was not defined by the limitations of his journey
In
the end Joseph realized something we have been repeating for years:
The Journey Is Your Friend
It
is the journey which prepares us to operate at destiny’s capacity. To struggle
against the journey or to sit down and not participate would be to believe God
cannot rescue us from our troubled places. God will not forget your purpose –
regardless of where you presently are in life … God has our purpose in mind and
is constantly guiding us towards our greatest day.
Even
today - you are here on purpose
God
does not cause your hardships - but given the chance, He will work through them
and continue to guide you toward His perfect will for your life. God will not
be defeated by what someone else does to you or does not do for you … and even
though the devil may determine to harm you, God will overcome evil with good
and turn your mourning into dancing. (Psalms 30:11)
The
light afflictions we face are but for a moment … (2 Corinthians 4:17)
Eye
has not seen, ear has not heard … (1 Corinthians 2:9)
Joseph
understood these things firsthand. What can we learn from this account of his
life today?
Here are four more
lessons from the Life of Joseph that teach us how to successfully live a
purpose-filled life.
Whatever we face in life we need to remember:
1.
If God is not concerned about it – we don’t need to be either.
a. Not everything that
bothers us bothers God
b. God may have plans
of which we know absolutely nothing
2.
If God is concerned about it – we really don’t need to be.
a. God is big enough to
take care of things Himself
b. Vengeance is Mine
says the Lord (Romans 12:19)
3.
If God tells us to do something – do it.
a. But if He does not …
keep quiet – let Him handle it
b. God is not going to
tell us to sit around and be mad at somebody or to wish them harm or plot their
failure
c. We can’t go around
trying to do what only God should do
d. No one else but
Jesus can be our Savior
i. Don’t go begging
ii. There is a
difference between blessing and begging
iii. Begging is
manipulation; Blessing is manifestation
iv. Our deliverance
should depend on a manifestation
e. We cannot save
anyone else either
i. We should not allow
ourselves to be manipulated
ii. Nor should we be
drawn off God’s path for our life to begin a journey which does not belong to
us
iii. Run your race,
finish your course, keep the faith (Hebrews 12:1 & 2 Timothy 4:7)
Genesis 45: 24 Then he sent his brothers
away, and as they departed, he said to them, “Do not quarrel on the way.”
4.
Do not quarrel on the way
a.
Blaming others while vindicating ourselves
serves no purpose
b. Just get along with others – preserve unity – don’t argue
– avoid strife and be family … don’t always have to be faultless
