Don't Forget God

"Now before the year of famine came,two sons were born to Joseph, whom Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera priest of On, bore to him.   Joseph named the firstborn Manasseh, 'For,' he said, 'God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father’s household.'. He named the second Ephraim, 'For,' he said, 'God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction.'"  -Genesis 41.50-52

Joseph has done well.  He went from prison to the palace; from a slave to second in command of Egypt.  He is now one of the most powerful men in the world.  His plans are being implemented throughout the land, and he's even started a family.  He has a wife who has given him two sons.

As he looks back over the past few years, and at all that he has been able to accomplish, he could have taken the credit for it.  He could have looked at it all with a sense if entitlement, something that was deserved for all that he had been put through.  But this isn't the attitude we find.  There is no smug arrogance, but rather grateful humility.

Joseph names his first son Manasseh, declaring that God has made him forget about what his brothers did to him.  He has set the past aside, and is grateful for the blessings God has given him, not because he deserves them, but because God is good and loves to give good things to His children.

Joseph is blessed with a second son and names him Ephraim.  He announces that God has blessed him in the land where he was a slave and a prisoner.  God brought him through the hard times, and was with him.  Now God has blessed him beyond the suffering and affliction.

Men, when we make it and become successful do we forget about God?  How many turn to God at the low points, but as soon as things turn around look at Him and say, "I've got things from here"?  They never thank God for His provision, or His blessings.  God is forgotten.

May this never be true of us.  May we never forget God.  Let us draw near to Him in the low points and trust in Him to provide.  And let us draw nearer to Him on the mountain tops and praise Him for all that He has done.

God can bless you to the point of forgetting your hardships, and He can make you fruitful in the place of your affliction.  When he does, don't forget to thank and praise Him.

"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

To God alone be the Glory!

Strength and Honor

Have a Plan

"'Now let Pharaoh look for a man discerning and wise, and set him over the land of Egypt. Let Pharaoh take action to appoint overseers in charge of the land, and let him exact a fifth of the produce of the land of Egypt in the seven years of abundance. Then let them gather all the food of these good years that are coming, and store up the grain for food in the cities under Pharaoh’s authority, and let them guard it. Let the food become as a reserve for the land for the seven years of famine which will occur in the land of Egypt, so that the land will not perish during the famine.' Now the proposal seemed good to Pharaoh and to all his servants." -Genesis 41.33-37

Pharaoh tells Joseph his dreams, and God gives Joseph the meaning to relay to Pharaoh, and because the dreams have the same meaning God is going to bring the abundance and the famine soon. And before Pharaoh can begin to panic and wonder what to do, Joseph is there with the answer.

Find a wise man and put him in charge. There need to be overseers who collect a portion of all that is grown during the next seven years, and it needs to be stored under guard. And then during the years of famine the food will be available for the people, so that Egypt survives. He has a plan for the problem, and Pharaoh likes the suggestion.

Men, it's important to have a plan. When problems arise you have an idea of what to do, so you aren't caught off guard and unprepared. When you go into battle, you have a plan. When you head into a job, you have a plan. When we go in unprepared chaos follows and panic ensues.

Who knows the first thoughts that crossed Pharaoh's mind when he heard how severe the famine would be. But before he can even begin to worry about what to do, Joseph spells it all out for him. When God is with us, He guides us and makes out paths straight. He gives wisdom and insight so that we can have a plan of attack. When we trust in the Lord and do not lean on our own understanding, everything falls into place, and He establishes our plans, but more on this when we get to Proverbs.

Men, don't go in with no strategy, have a plan.

"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

To God alone be the Glory!

Strength and Honor

Point Others to God

"Joseph then answered Pharaoh, saying, 'It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh a favorable answer.'" -Genesis 41.16

Here Joseph is standing before Pharaoh. One of the most powerful men in the world is looking him in the eye and seeking his guidance. It would be easy to draw attention to himself, making himself stand out, and creating a name for himself. But that isn't the approach he takes. He doesn't say, "Yes Pharaoh, tell me your dream and I'll give you the answer." Instead he sets himself aside and says, "No, it isn't me. Instead, look to God." He has the opportunity to set himself apart, but instead he draws all the attention to God.

Men, when you find yourself in situations like this, what do you do? When I first started this new job I was talking with the guy who was training me about everything God had brought my wife and I threw in the last two years. As I shared about the financial struggles we'd had, the unemployment and having living with family, and how God had taken care of us he told me, "You got yourself through that. Take credit for it." But I couldn't. I told him, "But I didn't. So many things happened that was out of my control. We only made it because of God."

If we don't give God the credit we do two things. First, we take credit that isn't ours to receive. We rob God of the glory that He alone is worthy of. Two, when we take credit from God, we say to Him we don't need Him. And if we tell God we don't need Him, He politely leaves because He's a gentleman. When God leaves, we're left to our own devices, and we've already seen what a mess that gets us into.

What would have happened had Joseph taken credit and God didn't give him the interpretation to Pharaoh's dream? Back to prison? Death? Certainly the future that unfolded wouldn't have taken place. What do we miss out on by taking credit to God? And when we give Him the credit, we point the focus of others towards Him.

We are here on this earth to help others focus on God. The more glory we give Him, the more focus we take off of us and turn to Him. Joseph told Pharaoh straight up, "It's not me, but God." From the beginning he is pointing Pharaoh to God. Who are we pointing others to, us or God?

"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

To God alone be the Glory!

Strength and Honor

Not Too Proud

"Then the chief cupbearer spoke to Pharaoh, saying, 'I would make mention today of my own offenses. Pharaoh was furious with his servants, and he put me in confinement in the house of the captain of the bodyguard, both me and the chief baker. We had a dream on the same night, he and I; each of us dreamed according to the interpretation of his own dream. Now a Hebrew youth was with us there, a servant of the captain of the bodyguard, and we related them to him, and he interpreted our dreams for us. To each one he interpreted according to his own dream. And just as he interpreted for us, so it happened; he restored me in my office, but he hanged him.'. Then Pharaoh sent and called for Joseph, and they hurriedly brought him out of the dungeon; and when he had shaved himself and changed his clothes, he came to Pharaoh. Pharaoh said to Joseph, 'I have had a dream, but no one can interpret it; and I have heard it said about you, that when you hear a dream you can interpret it.'"  -Genesis 41.9-15

Pharaoh is troubled by a dream that no one can interpret.  None of his wise men have an answer for him, and that makes this dream all the more troubling.  But then one his servants, the cupbearer who had been sent to prison two years earlier.  He remembers a young man, a Hebrew, who had correctly interpreted two dreams in prison.  He mentions him to Pharaoh, and Joseph is sent for.

The Pharaohs were believed to be gods in human form.  He has had a dream that he can't figure out, nor can any of his wisest advisors.  And what's amazing is that he takes advice from a servant.  He listens to what he has to say, and then does what he suggests.  

The suggestion involved a young foreigner.  The Egyptians saw foreigners as uncivilized barbarians.  If you look at hieroglyphic images you see the Egyptians are always clean shaven and short haired, foreigners are shown with long hair and beards.  Not only is Pharaoh taking advice from a servant, but he seeks the counsel of an uncivilized youth.

Men, how proud are we?  How quick are we to seek advice, let alone the advice of someone younger, or less educated?  How much have we missed out on, or lost, because of our pride?

Over the past few years I've learned to learn from people younger than me.  I've learned to be humble enough to listen, even to the college freshman who thinks he knows everything, and even though most of the time he has absolutely no idea, he does bring a different perspective.

I think the Church has lost a lot of ground because it has refused to listen to the youth.  I think fathers lose a lot of ground because they refuse to listen to their children.  I think men lose a lot of ground when they refuse to be humble and listen.

Don't be too proud to learn from those who are younger.  The bring insights that your experience can easily overlook.  Not everything they say is a gem, but if we never humble ourselves and listen, we miss the ones they throw out.

"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

To God alone be the Glory!

Strength and Honor

God's Timing

"Now it happened at the end of two full years that Pharaoh had a dream, and behold, he was standing by the Nile." -Genesis 41.1

Joseph has been in prison under a false accusation for a long time.  At one point it looked like there was a glimmer of hope.  He had interpreted a dream for one of Pharoah's servants, the cupbearer, and he had been freed.  Joseph had asked him to remember him, and to tell the king he was innocent, but in two years he never mentions him.

Then Pharaoh has a dream and it all comes back.  He remembers and tells Pharaoh.  Joseph is sent for and freed.

If Joseph had never been sold as a slave he never would have been falsely accused.  Had he never been accused he wouldn't have ended up in jail.  If he hadn't been in jail he never would have met the cupbearer.  And if he had never met the cupbearer Pharaoh's dream wouldn't have been interpreted.

Had Joseph been set free with the cupbearer he may have headed back to Canaan.  Pharaoh would have had the dream but Joseph would have been gone.  But that isn't how the story happens.  Joseph is in prison another two years, and when Pharaoh has his dream he is right where he can be found.

Men, sometimes it feels like we're just stuck.  We have done nothing to be where we are, and the people we believe will help us forget about us.  But if we are in the center of God's will, then we can patiently wait for His timing.

Your prayer may be answered with God saying, "Not yet."  When that happens let us trust Him, and wait on his timing.  He has us right where He needs us, so at the right moment we can be found and used for the big picture. 

"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

To God alone be the Glory!

Strength and Honor