Winners Don't Always Look Like Winners

In truth, the people who I have admired the heroes of my life.

The deeply spiritually committed people to the Lord Jesus are people who have wrestled with some of the toughest problems that life could ever destroy them or to anyone. Furthermore, I want to do something else and that is I want to relieve you from the guilt that said that when you are going through the tough times. It is not spiritual to ask why the great heroes of the faith in the word of God. All of them have asked at one point why in the book of Judges chapter 6 when the Midianites came over upon the Israelites and devastated the camps and absolutely decimated whatever was left there. Gideon looked up to heaven and he said why did God allow this to happen.

Where are the miracles that our forefathers told us about Joe but the man who lost everything and I mean everything his children, his livestock his crops.

He lost everything. Not only that, but he became ill with boils all over his skin sitting in a pile of ashes he asked why wasn't I born dead. When the Lord Jesus Christ himself hung on the cross and for the first time he was not talking about his physical pain he was talking about his separation from the father. It is the first time ever that he was separated from the father since before return at the they have coexisted together and this is a moment when you carried your sins and my sins and then he becomes separated from the father. He called out my God my God why have you forsaken me why have you forsaken me, and our good news for you. If the son of God. Asked why don't ever feel it is unspiritual to ask why there are times in our lives when the finest dreams are crushed would also seem to be so certain get dashed when the train of our lives all of a sudden becomes derailed through no fault of your own. When life itself is turned upside down. It is natural to ask why. Several years ago. I have a friend who really was going through a tough time and it was prolonged time of real suffering, and I remember and say when you pray with method absolutely is it you know is been long time is that every time I look and I think that is a light at the end of the tunnel.

It turns out to be a train. Somebody said that you know you going to have a better day if one of the following things happen to you all of a sudden, Mike Wallace of 60 Minutes and up on your doorstep in trouble or that you call suicide prevention and they put you on hold when you turn the news on and they're showing the emergency routes out of the city or when your twin sister forgets your birthday. You know you're having a bad day when your boss tells you not to bother taking your jacket off when your income tax check balances you got problems welcome to the human race. CS Lewis, the great British thinker. Put it this way. The real problem is not wise. Some pious, humble, believing people software. But why some don't. Well, as we continue in this series of sermons from the life of Joseph, we gonna see how sometimes God's winners don't look like winners.

But there are Joseph now comes to Dawson after looking for his brothers.

After 60 miles he goes around looking for them. Another 12 miles and he finds him, and often he goes there in obedience to his father's directive he goes there after too much trouble and effort and energy. He goes there after a great deal of personal sacrifice and he probably thought all would been separated for so long. I'm sure my brothers would be glad to see me. I am sure there will welcome me. If nothing else that would like the food that I'm bringing them but then he comes in and that was not the case, why the bitterness in the heart has never been dealt with.

Have you been in a situation when you make peace with somebody you thought that everything is fine. You thought they have forgiven you, is all great little while later discover that that was not the case at all. You discover that there are going around still carrying old grievances still cutting old bitterness still cutting old resentment living in that experience. I want to tell you the reason for that. The reason for that is that they have never really dealt decisively with the root of the bitterness some people walking around this earth with a 20 pound chip on their shoulder. Using some of them, why have they going around telling you the how does everybody else's problem. How is everybody against them. They tell you how is everybody else's fault.

They tell you how everybody else's shortcoming.

Nothing of their own. Of course, the reason for that is because they have really never taken the time to analyze and deal with the poisonous roots of bitterness in their life they dealt with the surface but never dug into the roots of the great Gardner.

I think those who know me will testify to that fact. But I know enough to know this that I molded the weeds in my yard you trim it. Then you cut it goes up so fast you try to spread some of those weeds. They just with Michael on the will spray in the reason for that is that the weed will not be dead until you get bullied out by the roots. I learned that the hard way and it's a sample of bitterness in our lives. Unless you are done by the roots that will continue to spread that read poisonous fruit system well below the surface in your life and in my head as long as you keep getting rid of the cobweb, the spider is going to build again until you kill the spider and you deal with it. These folks run around from relationship to relationship, from job to job, from church to church, from pastor to pastor from counsel at the Council up in their thinking that every new situation is going to help solve the problem and it doesn't they go through the same process with meticulous preciseness and with details that happen over and over and over again why because the root system of the bitterness remain intact below the surface and the bitterness in the heart of Joseph's brother toward their brother was not going away. It was not going away by separation, it was not going away by the distance. It is not going away, but act of kindness to Joseph bringing them the provision was not going away soon as they saw him coming. They formed an unholy huddle in this Enniskillen one Ruben of course Scripture verses 21 of Genesis 37 Ruben being a typical firstborn always takes the responsibility of the whole family shows yourself you firstborn understand what I'm talking about I'm in you only care the problems of your next siblings take care of the problems of the whole world on your shoulders. Ruben hears about this practical Joseph and he tries to rescue him from the hands. He said let us not take his life. Don't shed any blood flowing into the system here in the wilderness, but don't lay hands on him.

Ruben says this to rescue him from them and take him back to his father so they stripped him out of his favorite throw this stripping out of that princely rope stripped him out of the rope that resembles a recent symbolizes the love of his daddy's see they do not only hate the dreamer but they despise the road which represented Jacob's love for his son Joseph. And because they could not do anything about his father's affection toward Joseph because I cannot do anything about the dreams themselves. They sought to do something about the dreamer so that he sees Joseph violently under throw him into a near why dry sister Norwell.

Now these systems were plentiful in the wilderness areas because they are done by the shepherds and the shepherds would dig them in order to store water during the rainy season for provision for the flock, and these should assistance was shaped like a bottle they narrow at the mouth, but they get wider as you get down why so that you can have a flat rock that will cover them and save the water inside from being contaminated but down below it's a wider subterranean room but it was absolutely horrible. It was detestable to throw anyone in one of these underground systems.

Why because there is no escape under somebody from the top will pick you up. You can climb a new one can imagine how terrified that little boy 17 years of age when his throne into the pit. But you know what through it all, God was not sitting in heaven ringing his hand all Jacob's boys a swath not forming my plan all my goodness, the brothers of Joseph, for they are defying my well I can do anything about that all the dreams that I gave Joseph Malley going down the drain. God was not sitting in heaven say all the very plan for the future survival is in jeopardy. What am I going to do, not on your life. Try as they marry God's plan always on schedule always on schedule. Not a minute early another minute late I know and you know that we don't always understand God's plan will always comprehend his plan always even see the reasons behind his plan. We don't know why he does what he does. The way he does it instill the way we wanted to be done. I don't understand that, but he always is in control of his plan in this miserable brothers sat down to eat. Most likely it was the food in the provision, the Joseph Broughton and they sat down on their were eating and then the middle of the meal by sheer luck by coincidence, a man I am glad God bless you.

Some people are alert here. Listen to that is no such thing as luck in the Christian life. There is no such thing as coincidence in the Christian life is no such thing for those who love the Lord, absolutely nothing like the Scripture tells us that God coordinates all things and listen.

The bad things that you see them but the good things that you see them good all things all things God takes them together and he bring them into his mixing to the economy, and he brings good that's got right on schedule, God sent the descendent of Ishmael. There were Joseph's cousins twice removed and now there were traders and they came to pick him up by him from his brothers and so him in Egypt was in his what happened. Look at verse 27 Judah decided that we better make some money out of this deal. Another guy was all heart is. His heart was a shape of a cash register. This is John Lewis so him to the Ishmaelites… Not lay hand upon him for his brother flesh is not sweet, so they dragged the boy out of the system was terrified, not knowing what they going to do to him not knowing what's going to happen to him, but put yourself in this place. I would think if you were his. This is a 17-year-old boy who probably never been away from home. This is probably the first time ever that is gone far as far away from home as he did.

The Lord is given agree dreams of grander the Lord have given them dreams of success in winning the trust of the Lord, and he looked forward to the day when the Lord fulfills his dream and suddenly finds himself half naked in the bottom of a pit and then pulled out the printer to be sold to the Stratus. How unfair this must affect how undeserving this must've felt for Joseph, for you know, Genesis 42 tells us that he cried and he pleaded for mercy of his brothers. He wept and he begged them to return them to his father, he agonized as he besought his brother's to release him, but for 20 pieces of silver, which is the price of a male slave. At that time the soul to those traveling merchants Ruben was away at the time of the bargaining and in the buying and selling, and he comes in he missed it all and he found out what happened with the weight of responsibility on the shoulders. His biggest concern now became not, how can I get rescue my brother but how can I tell my father what kind of story will I sell to him. What am I gonna say to my father and that becomes his first concern the listen to me. Please hear me right deception breeds deception.

Deception breeds deception the boys to protect themselves would like to they dip Joseph's coat and a goat's blood, and to get home.

It is a false evidence to the father under said can you identify this road course is nothing like verse 33 literally says Jacob Wales, it is -0. Now Jacob's fall victim to the false assumption of the death of Joseph deception breeds deception. Jacob was a man who deceived his own father years ago years ago and now he is being deceived by his own sons. Galatians 67 do not be deceived, God's cannot be marked. The man reaps that which he sews whatever you put in the ground is going to come up when Jacob tricked his father to steal the birthright of his brother Easter is now coming back to haunt him because he wanted to steal his brothers birthright deception breeds deception different of mine recently this last week. In fact asked me. He said what did you mean some time ago when you said sin pays wages and you said that pays wages and time is what the Bible means by that.

If you saw deception you will reap deception if you saw discord you will reap the score if you saw arrogance on your way to the top. You will reap humiliation on your way down.

Our sins will always find this out. Make no mistake about my father used to say to us when I was little.

He used to say.

Just remember, he said, lying has legs and will always catch up with you. I'm still looking around, see anybody catching up with this is what is happening in our society we are seeing that biblical principle works out in a society. Why in the 60s on nation. So the sin of sexual permissiveness. This all the sin of drugs and breaking of all moral restraints we have thrown away prayer out of school with God out of the school where pulled the 10 Commandments out of public building, and even the liberal institutions running around not saying what is wrong with our society. Why are we in moral decline. What is happening in our society is there in Galatians 6 do not be deceived, God is not mocked. What you sow is what you really need to intercede for our nation, unless the blood of Jesus Christ washes away our sin, it will always find this out unless you bring them into the blood of Jesus Christ and covered him with his blood and brass for forgiveness. Our sins will find us because Jacob looks at the immediate circumstances, not the large picture can see the large picture you can only see the what's in front of that's what you do and that's what I do this all we can do. He weeps and he Wales and he lives the next few years of his life in sorrow and pain and grief and agony in her agony. Someone said once he said when you are in the seller of a flexion you should start looking for the wine of God's purpose while sent Joseph gets to Egypt and you sold to the director of the Egyptian FBI. But why Egypt have ever asked yourself why Egypt a lot of other nations. All the Eitzen of the Bible talks about the mosquito bites and all the Eitzen one of other nations around Canaanites were part big, powerful nation why Egypt is a God wanted the family of Israel in Egypt for 400 years. Just as he told Abraham he would be told him earlier that now is fulfilling William R Lasko said well you know he's how you and I would think Canaan is a promised land right it is a promised land. Canaan is a promised land. Now would not be a shortcut would be a much more economical way would become much easier way if Joseph was sold to the Canaanites and got notice of this plan.

That way, we do not know you see God is going to produce from his people Israel profits writers they want to prepare them to receive the law, teachers, seniors, and ultimately the Messiah himself, the Lord Jesus Christ and he has to prepare them for their so where there would go well Canaan would not work. Why had they gone to Canaan with the size they are what within couple hundred people do things would've happened either.

That would've been absolutely eliminated and killed or in the permissive Ghana subsided, there would have been absorbed into the society and loss of identity in God as the people of God especially chosen by God to fulfill God's promises been absorbed into that society. God wants to preserve a large nation say sins into Egypt. This only place on the face of the earth at that time that they can become a large nation see only place why Egyptian society were proud people, nose up in the air. Look at me.

There were so proud that do not associate with the Hebrews to begin with. They shaved their beards in the Hebrews didn't that to them was a pulse. It was an exclusive society and therefore God sent them there to preserve them in their exclusivity Egyptian society not only pray look at the fact I'm not making that up by the what if you look at chapter 43 of the book of Genesis chapter 43 verse 32. It spells it out. It's why the second part of the verse it says the Egyptians did not eat bread with the Hebrews for that is an abomination to the Egyptian not good news for you. This Egyptian, each with anybody. As I got in the trouble that I'm in right now, but that was the kind of society. It was that's not the only reason Israel's family would be severely segregated. There and kept from being met. Melted into the Egyptian society but the other reason is this the Canaanites were barbaric, the kind the natural crude people no learning, no education, Egypt, on the other hand, was a seat of of the world civilization at the time the permits already been built. There were libraries that were universities across the land, the arts and culture and then God wanted to prepare the man who ultimately would deliver them Moses and the highest form of education and society that was known to mankind of the time. Remember when you are in the seller of a flexion start looking for the wine of God's purpose 17-year-old young man to get scattered and anguish from the pit to slavery. What can that be good to anybody 17-year-old man sees his dreams going down in the dray but he did not know he was serving God's purpose the battle and traders who were plotting across the desert carrying Joseph thinking of how much profit they can make on him. They did not know there was serving God's purpose. The brothers cruel hateful Catholic busy dividing the 20 pieces of silver between them. They did not know the serving God's purpose. Jacob weeps and he stopped his eyes out and he determines to live his life in sorrow and in pain and agree does not understand that is being part of God's purpose. God knew all along.

As he knows all along what is happening in your life.

He knows all along what's going on what's going to happen before it happened. But you know what our problem is in American Christianity is that we want God to think our way. We want God to do things our way. Instead of us submitting humility. The father when you get into the rough roads of life. When you get into the tough corners of life. When you and I feel it difficult to see beyond the immediate present, you and I see our dreams, perhaps in the dumps. It is important to know, it is vitally important to know that God has the big picture in my he has a big picture for you is a big picture for your family. He has all the big picture in my in the big picture, said that you will ultimately be blessed that you and I if we are in Jesus Christ will ultimately be glorified with him in the big picture, said that we are ultimately going to succeed in the big picture, said that we are likely going to be winners.

Even if we don't look like a winner for God's winners sometimes don't look like winners but they are the world judges by outward appearance, but God judges by different set of rules than the ones with which we judge are you going through a private Gethsemane. Are you going through a bottomland spiritually and you're asking why are you going through a confusing time in your life.

Trust the Lord's ultimate purpose is about heads and the Lord's presence, a loving father, forgive us the times when we insisted on our own way and own will and the times when we didn't understand the Joseph weeping and crying on his way to Egypt. It was in his way to become the prime minister help us in the times when we didn't understand is a better one. Traders were walking plotting along the desert. There was serving a purpose and father God, I pray that you elevate vision, elevate our eyes to such a level that we will see that you understand that you are in control, that you are sovereign, nothing happens by surprise or take you by surprise, fill our hearts with your promise for.

We pray this in Jesus name, thanks for listening to this message from Dr. Michael.

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