God Is with Me, Part 2

JD Greer, how would your life change if you really believe that in everything God was with you that he been with you for Joseph.

It meant that wherever he was.

Wherever you want him to serve God wherever he was. He applied himself to what you look like a serve God in this moment in this place where I am likely after their religion. JD here, as always, I'm your host Molly benefits are at least somewhat familiar with the popular Old Testament story of Joseph and his multicolored coat is been described as amazing and technicolor, but today Pastor JD is explaining that this is more than just an interesting musical storyline from being sold into slavery by his brothers, thrown into prison and then writing the power and being reunited with his family.

Just a slight beautiful picture of God's sovereign plan we are picking up the story in Genesis chapter 50 as Joseph is reflecting back on the flight. There are a couple of ways that you can interpret Joseph first, and most importantly you can and should interpreted as a picture is a premonition of Jesus, of course, unlike Joseph Jesus was not just sold into slavery. He was put to death. But, like Joseph, he would be raised from that pit to sit on the highest rung of a lamb like Joseph instead of exacting vengeance from that throne he would use his exalted position to forgive and save his brothers, and my Joseph would weep tears of joy when we were reconciled. Jesus is the whole point of this story as he is.

Every story in the Bible.

The whole point is to show you that in all things God is fully in control of history. Working out his perfect plan to put Jesus on the throne, and to save and glorify the church to his exalted rain and resurrection. Okay, but in light of that, the other way you can interpret Joseph life is as a picture of what looks like a lid with the assurance of God is with you because Jesus is on the front just like God was in complete control Joseph life working at all for his good plan.

So he is in control of your life because you are sons and daughters of Abraham.

Just like Joseph was working all things for his good purposes in your life. Just as he was with Joseph. Verse 19 chapter 50 you meant for evil human free will, God meant it for good. I never got a purpose and everything Joseph said bad things about things he was overriding what other people meant for evil. He was overwriting it for good. Now couple of things here that want to make sure you see first believing this does not reduce the sin of others.

Notice that Joseph doesn't downplay what his brothers did because it evil. You see, I say that because sometimes as a means of coping with our past.

We try to downplay the bad things of people done. Part of experiencing God's healing for your past.

Listen involves facing up to the fact that people have sinned against you and you don't want to cope with it by just saying what was in that bad, it was back.

It's just that that's not where the discussion stops God overwrites the evil that they did with good night. Second, knowing that God has a good plan. Everything that mean you can always see it here. Sometimes you can hear Joseph like you can.

But in the middle of it all Joseph could see that he had read the book of Genesis. Recently my wife and I together we read the book 7 women by Eric the tax of seven women to change the world is a chapter in Erin Corrie 10 boom, Corrie 10 boom was the Dutch Christian World War II was put into a concentration camp because she was helping to smuggle Jews and help them escape the Holocaust so she ends up in a concentration camp. She's there with her sister Betsy and she said she said was is everything that you would think it will be.

It was awful.

She said that the torture on the execution.

She said one overlook things that made it so bad was the felt never let a shower and she said we just stayed in filter because of that there were just the simple like swarms of fleas always around. She said my sister Betsy who was stronger in faith and I was when they look at me and says you know the Bible says we are to rejoice in all things and give thanks in everything. Which means we need a thank God right now for these fleas course if you are out of your mind.

There is no way on God's green earth I never to say thank you for these fleas. She's in my social look at me and said what in your and Sam, thank you for the both of us and she bowed her head. Thank God for this wretched fleas. She said we him in our barracks we would meet every day would never happen and we meet, we have a little time of worship with just a small group of us and we can say Bible verses to each other and we had a small Bible that we might smuggled and we read the Bible. It was the source of life to us. She's the one thing I can never figure out what is the guards would never come into our barracks. It was the only place on the entire concentration camp or they wouldn't go. She says one day it dawned on me why they wouldn't comment back. She said one explained it to me.

It would always well Bible camp. The couldn't tell what they were doing if they come in and found them worshiping that would've beaten them or even worse I could tell she said the reason they would come in was because of those fleas, she says, and Betsy looked at me and said thank God for this lease. My question for you, who are the fleas in your life.

Can you think God for the fleas, knowing that he's got a purpose for them. Even if you can't quite see it right now.

Sometimes you die. Of course, without seeing it, however, that life is is in many ways like a tapestry that every strand is in its place and it's beautiful. You flip it over on the back and it will type this chaotic mess always strings a beautiful's disastrous life for us. Looks like that side of the tapestry. What happens is one day in eternity. God just flips it over every single strand was in its place. Sometimes the growth happens and you sometimes what God is doing is doing something you told you before this ancient culture of Japan was famous for its pottery. Lots of ancient cultures may pottery but this Japanese people did something with her pottery that nobody else did, they would take the last stage was to take the pots and they would shatter them, and 100 pieces they would pick up the pieces and they would melt golden piece back together the pots now held together by this gold uses the pieces together so that the value of the restored pipe was much greater than the value of the pot before it was broken in a surgeon that gives you a picture of what Jesus will do in our lives. Let's live breakups. He let's like Russia sometimes so that he can put himself into these broken parts of our lives into these cracks and vis-à-vis the part of our lives. It just feel like the Christ, so that the value that we have of knowing him through the pain is greater than if we had never gone through it. Sometimes the pain that you you experience enables you to minister to other people that go to the same pain. God let you become like Jesus to know what it means to suffer so that you can care for those in suffering. The apostle Paul said it this way is that I went through all this suffering so that I could comfort others out of the comfort wherewith I have been confident never know how to tell them that Jesus was sweet in the midst of this kind of pain if I had walk through it myself. Maybe you went through that miscarriage.

Maybe you went through that betrayal. Maybe you went through that brokenness, so that you could tell somebody else going to the same thing.

Jesus is enough for this situation is I've tasted of him and I've seen that it is good. Will you let God put you through suffering. If it means bringing salvation people. Romans 828 balls, to summarize his life this way is a verse a lot of people know very few people in my thing and understand we know we know that for all those who love God, like Joseph, all things are working together for good reason for God to those who are called according to his purpose is purpose is right what what what is its purpose? About the day, usually for new purpose.

He prayed that sin to be conformed to the image of his son.

What is God's purpose for you. It's to make you look like and love Jesus and so he will allow life to shape you in a certain way that you can experience the fullness of the beauty of Jesus. And I know that sometimes what you're going through.

Makes no sense at all and you just gotta trust the story of Joseph that mean that God can work it all out satisfactorily to your understanding in your lifetime, but that God is going to work it out in the grand scheme of history one day he'll flip over the tapestry and you'll see that there was not one spurious molecule that was not one wasted second one wasted event had a purpose for it all. One day God will put Jesus on the throne and you could know as surely as Jesus raised from the dead, that he is working out all his purposes for good in your life you say dictating was I just want to see it: I understand, just understand for just a minute like I could go through it understand that that's definitely how I feel but I can assure you. 10 seconds into eternity this matter. It's not a matter.

Hope all is well of this first before something light and momentary affliction light and momentary affliction was Paul's affliction light and momentary. Do you know anything about the apostle Paul is not talking about like slow Internet speed here, having Time Warner Cable as his cable service is not what he means there and Paul was varsity when it came to suffering been betrayed by his friends, forsaken by his nation being three times with rods he been stoned five times not like the drinking guy like that with the rocks kind, and even through a body even do more suffering than most of us would have experience in 10 lifetimes. Maybe some of you have experience suffering is level but most of us have it.

It's not like momentary comparatively, but I know that God is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory. It's like compared to the weight of glory.

It's not like compared to what it feels like it's like compared to what God is, who we throw it and I know that in that moment he set him a look back and I'm going to hardly remember the suffering because of the glory that is revealed through its anything about the scene in Genesis 50 Joseph sitting there rehearsing with discussed all the bitterness of the painful menu may not present you what was really like you. It was like to be in that pit not even talk about getting a midget, not even thinking about it, it's all washed away.

Enjoy and return it to you. When can remember either when we been there. This is why the writer says it is good to him writer.

We've been there 10,000 years, bright shining as the sun, we've no less days to complain our case than when we first begun. As I write to complain our case we Miller stays the same. God's glorious praise for many dangers, toils and snares I had already comets grace and brought me safe thus far, and grace.

And let me know the Lord promised good to me. His word mild secured was my shield and portion always would be. As long as life endures. I knew it I knew that he was there every step of the way Joseph life shows it is not one wasted event, not one wasted.

Second, not one spurious molecule in all the universe is in charge when you're in the pit. The presidency are busy as we put you in the palace right and in fact when you find listen, this is really important is that the pit in the present of the means of the palace is what Joseph life shows you this is hard to hear is hard to teach. This is very sobering.

The path to God's blessing and salvation of the world of all suffering.

God did not save the nation of Israel. Despite Joseph suffering he saved them through Joseph suffering because of it.

The apostle Paul would say. I therefore fill up in my body. What is lacking in the wounds of Christ that verse only sounds a little blasphemous tenant.

But what could possibly be lacking in the wounds of Christ, did you say it is finished.

It was lacking in the wounds of Christ. Is this it would matter of Jesus died for everybody. If nobody ever heard about. So what Paul meant is the way that they're going to hear about it the way that they are going to obtain the blessing is through my wounds. When Jesus uses somebody he doesn't call them to a platform he calls them to an altar.

It is through our suffering that God bring salvation to the world.

We have this idea that the abundant life is about slowly moving toward comfort and ease and luxury away from suffering and stress and worry. That's the blessed life. Oh occasionally you have a sacrifice wrinkled in here and there that you're asked to bear. That's not true. I don't care who says it. How slick their smile is expensive there sooner if they have their own plate. Jesus said if you don't come after me, you have to take up your cross and follow me there was not despite my wounds. I save the world. It was through my wounds. What is it mean for you to carry the cross. It means that the wounds Jesus will save your to receive. Also, just like salvation came to us through his words. Salvation is going to come to others through ours, meaning that you're like some kind of you know just when you love you I can once again, we can suffer. I don't want to suffer, but it means I'm not surprised when it comes in. I don't think godforsaken me because God didn't forsake Jesus and God brought salvation through Jesus say Joseph that is not reciting me.

How would your life change if you really believe that in everything God was with you but been with you for Joseph. It meant that wherever he was. Wherever you want to serve God is a lot of people wrong and that's why I'm here.

I'm a been really unfortunate in the waterways but I'm not to be better. I'm not even going to despair wherever he was.

He applied himself and he said what's it look like to serve God in this moment in this place where I am there was more more you learn from that perspective to give grace. You see, where he says that Lasso freight do not fear will provide for you and your little ones is because he knew that God had a good plan was a plan that involves salvation not only for Joseph's brothers, but for Joseph it was because of that, because he knew the good thing that God was doing in history that he was able to extend grace to the people in his life. Joseph's ability to forgive. Here is amazing.

Absolutely amazing. It's not a feeling that he had that came from him being some kind of superhuman that made them different than us just like you and me.

It was a choice lesson that was grounded in the knowledge that a got a been in control of everything in his life and be that God is showing great grace for him and his family to you guys were the golden rule right golden rule is doing to others as you would have been doing to you.

Jesus upgraded that at the end of his life to the platinum rule doing to others as I have gone on to you. I want you to start treating other people with the grace that I've shown to you. Some of you have people in your life that you cannot forgive. I want to explain to you why. The reason you can't forgive them is because you feel like they damaged you. You feel like they took something away from you that you can't have back years of your life. Things about yourself and you hate them for it. Now what if you believed without taking away from the evil that they did it all that behind all those bad things that was a good God who was taking care of you and working all things for good Solomon one. It's always been one of my favorite songs or whoever dwells in the shelter of the most high will rest in the shadow of the Almighty sounds good. Yeah, surely he will save you and deliver you out of the deadly pestilence will cover you with his feathers under his wings you will find refuge, you will fear the terror of night for the arrow that flies by day, the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, the plague that destroys at midday thousand may fall your side, 10,000 may fall at your right hand, but as errors in the pestilence, but it'll never even thought you if you say the Lord is my refuge, no harm will ever overtake you. He will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways they will lift you up in their hands so that you will not strike so much as strike your foot against a stone to give stones all the time I got there the night at 3 AM I'm working my way to the living room enough. I'm a little corners that seems to be just design for your barefoot and just take it and I'm like why is my guardian angel Rizzi world by Nicholas Cage was watching over me, making sure that nothing happened. Maybe the errors of somebody's criticism had penetrated you deeply. Maybe it's been much worse in criticism maybe physically they have harmed you, maybe you going to the storm of a bad relationship for the pestilence of bad health or bad finances. You'll feel like you been shielded from those things feel that way is this all not true. Is it just sentimental poetry.

We quote to ourselves and pretend like nothing's happening was it not true for Joseph. Joseph of redness, not yet. That's my experience arrow didn't touch me the pestilence of danger on anything that I did the only way to be true is if God was somehow in all those bad things using them and transforming them for good. Ultimately the arrow that fluid midday was not doing damage God did shield me with the way he shielded me was not by not making here or by making the arrow go away if he transform that arrow of hate as it was flying through the air. He transformed it into a surgical instrument of good in my life just like you did with Joseph. I may have gone to the storm. I may have gone to the storm.

But God transform the storm into rivers a blessing in my life. Here's how the Psalm ends. David says this. I'll be with them in trouble. God says with them in trouble. I deliver him and honor him with long life I will satisfy him, and I will show him my salvation. I know that even in trouble. God is with me overwriting the pain for good and using it as a part of the salvation plan several years ago I read a book called the Bishop of Rwanda for my pastor named John Luciana went to the genocide that Took Pl. in Rwanda several years ago.

He was a Tuesday and said multiple my brother and my family were killed in this thing is one thing to survive genocide.

It's another thing to try to live in a country that is dealing from the wounds of genocide, people killing other people and people who are now having to live side-by-side with people who destroyed their family set an alarm, probably more about forgiveness and those post genocide years than I can ever expect to learn in a lifetime. He said there were two lies from the pit two lies from hell he said about forgiveness that most of us believe that absolutely paralyzes the sum of these is a laudable one that you're supposed away to the person shows they repented before you forgive them is ultimately your forgiveness is not a response to them as response to Jesus, it's about what you believe about Jesus not about them. You want to look through them and for Christ sake, you're saying I forgive them for your sake, not for theirs is the second lie is that forgiveness is a feeling that you can't really do it until you feel it he says is not a feeling. So forgiveness is a choice that you make based on what you believe about God. You look through the wicked act that they didn't behind do you see a Savior with bleeding hands and you say that I can't trust them, but I can trust him and I trust that behind all this was a good God who never left me or forsake me. So that's not a feeling that's an act of faith and feelings.

God will give a moment on the court and was in this court and boom said that in the concentration camp. There was one guard was worse than all the other shall never forget his face. The look of delight on his face that he was the reason I know I would never forget that face because 30 years after I was released I was speaking in a church in Germany and after the service. An old man came up to me is up to one look at him.

30 years later, and I knew exactly what was it was that guard is.

He reached out his hand to me and he said about 20 years ago. He said I became a Christian and he dropped his head. He said I'm so so sorry. Can you ever forgive me for what I put you through that ultimately led to the death of your sister review her word she said.

I knew I had to take the man's hand, is an act of obedience. I knew it, she said, but I did want to. How could I this is the man who was a part of the death of my sister. She said, but in my heart. I said I know I know I can with my I know I can with my I know I can do that that much. Jesus you gotta take it from there. She said as I reached out my hand the most incredible thing took place.

The current started in my shoulder. It raced down my arm and it sprang into our join hands and then this healing want single flood. My whole being bringing tears to my eyes in his. I forgive you, brother. I cried with all my heart for a long moment.

We grasp each other's hands the phone regarding the former prisoner. I had never known God's love so intensely as I did write then forgiveness release from bitterness, not reconciling with your past blessing is not that bad. Forgiveness release from bitterness comes from a choice that you make based on what you know to be true about God. The behind every evil thing is a good God was that I will never leave you.

I will never forsake you an assurance of resurrection from the dead is thrown I'm working for good in your life. Is it going to waisted second powerful encouragement from the scriptures today on Senate life with JD Greer this message was title God is with me and it's part of our series called the whole story. We will join us every day of the study. As we walk through the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. If you ever is the day you can always catch up online@jdgreer.com.

We have a great new prayer resource for you from Pastor JD this month. It's a book called just don't have a happy healthy prayer life struggle with prayer the way when sometimes even the why. So Jeannie, what is it that you think keep people from truly praying I thought a lot of people say this out loud. Okay so during your car going when this is our little secret. A lot of Christians are convinced the prayer actually does anything right you like. While sometimes I pray and things happen sometimes afraid I don't.

Sometimes I forget to pray in the venison paper happens anyway. So how was this really how is it really effective. What I want to show through this book just as is exactly how God is hardwired universe through prayer.

That prayer is the means by which vehicle by which he does his work on earth. John Wesley, the father of one of the fathers of the great awakening in our country famously said God does nothing except an answer prayer theologically is probably an overstatement, but the sentiment is this is the vehicle by which God releases his power in your life. If your parent looking for help with your kid, your spouse, looking for help in your marriage. Just ask. You asked because that's the means by which God will use his power into you and in any such a necessary relationship that that Jesus himself was driven to it and if it was necessary for him skimming necessary for us and I wanted to help equip you. Be sure to get in touch today and we can get you a copy as our way of thinking history for this prayer, that when you give a donation today at $25 or more partners to sign call 866-5285 224. You can get online and multimedia vents inviting you to join us again tomorrow story on Senate life by JD Greer ministry