WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:08.740 Some time after this, the cupbearer of the king of Egypt and his baker committed an offense against their lord, the king of Egypt. 00:00:08.960 --> 00:00:19.400 And Pharaoh was angry with his two officers, the chief cupbearer and the chief baker, and he put them in custody in the house of the captain of the guard in the prison where Joseph was confined. 00:00:19.719 --> 00:00:24.400 The captain of the guard appointed Joseph to be with them, and he attended them. 00:00:24.740 --> 00:00:26.699 They continued for some time in custody. 00:00:26.699 --> 00:00:37.659 And one night they both dreamed, the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were confined in the prison, each his own dream and each dream with its own interpretation. 00:00:38.320 --> 00:00:42.739 When Joseph came to them in the morning, he saw that they were troubled. 00:00:43.140 --> 00:00:50.560 So he asked Pharaoh's officers who were with him in custody in his master's house, why are your faces downcast today? 00:00:50.799 --> 00:00:55.760 They said to him, we have had dreams and there is no one to interpret them. 00:00:55.759 --> 00:01:00.359 And Joseph said to them, do not interpretations belong to God? 00:01:00.780 --> 00:01:02.399 Please tell them to me. 00:01:03.140 --> 00:01:09.879 So the chief cupbearer told his dream to Joseph and said to him, in my dream, there was a vine before me. 00:01:10.219 --> 00:01:12.180 And on the vine, there were three branches. 00:01:12.739 --> 00:01:17.780 As soon as it budded, its blossoms shot forth and the cluster ripened into grapes. 00:01:17.780 --> 00:01:25.340 Pharaoh's cup was in my hand, and I took the grapes and pressed them into Pharaoh's cup and placed the cup in Pharaoh's hand. 00:01:26.099 --> 00:01:29.079 Then Joseph said to him, this is the interpretation. 00:01:29.700 --> 00:01:31.480 The three branches are three days. 00:01:32.000 --> 00:01:41.439 In three days, Pharaoh will lift up your head and restore you to your office, and you shall place Pharaoh's cup in his hand as formerly when you were his cupbearer. 00:01:41.439 --> 00:01:47.359 Only remember me when it is well with you, and please do me the kindness to mention me to Pharaoh. 00:01:47.959 --> 00:01:52.840 And so get me out of this house, for I was indeed stolen out of the land of the Hebrews. 00:01:53.359 --> 00:01:57.140 And here also I have done nothing that they should put me into the pit. 00:01:57.140 --> 00:02:04.120 When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was favorable, he said to Joseph, I also had a dream. 00:02:04.579 --> 00:02:10.900 There were three cake baskets on my head, and in the uppermost basket there were all sorts of baked food for Pharaoh. 00:02:11.280 --> 00:02:14.360 But the birds were eating it out of the baskets on my head. 00:02:14.939 --> 00:02:18.219 And Joseph answered and said, this is the interpretation. 00:02:18.680 --> 00:02:20.580 The three baskets are three days. 00:02:20.580 --> 00:02:28.420 In three days, Pharaoh will lift up your head from you and hang you on a tree, and the birds will eat the flesh from you. 00:02:29.100 --> 00:02:39.060 On the third day, which was Pharaoh's birthday, he made a feast for all his servants and lifted up the head of the chief cupbearer and the head of the chief baker among his servants. 00:02:39.420 --> 00:02:44.620 He restored the chief cupbearer to his position, and he placed the cup in Pharaoh's hand. 00:02:45.200 --> 00:02:48.660 But he hanged the chief baker, as Joseph had interpreted to them. 00:02:48.659 --> 00:02:53.000 Yet the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph, but forgot him. 00:02:54.039 --> 00:02:55.000 Chapter 41. 00:02:55.680 --> 00:02:59.719 After two whole years, Pharaoh dreamed that he was standing by the Nile. 00:03:00.039 --> 00:03:06.579 And behold, there came up out of the Nile seven cows, attractive and plump, and they fed in the reed grass. 00:03:07.060 --> 00:03:14.800 And behold, seven other cows, ugly and thin, came up out of the Nile after them and stood by the other cows on the bank of the Nile. 00:03:14.800 --> 00:03:20.280 And the ugly thin cows ate up the seven attractive, plump cows. 00:03:20.620 --> 00:03:21.780 And Pharaoh awoke. 00:03:22.300 --> 00:03:24.600 And he fell asleep and dreamed a second time. 00:03:25.040 --> 00:03:29.439 And behold, seven ears of grain, plump and good, were growing on one stalk. 00:03:29.980 --> 00:03:34.840 And behold, after them sprouted seven ears, thin and blighted by the east wind. 00:03:34.840 --> 00:03:39.159 And the thin ears swallowed up the seven plump, full ears. 00:03:39.580 --> 00:03:40.620 And Pharaoh awoke. 00:03:40.819 --> 00:03:42.480 And behold, it was a dream. 00:03:43.300 --> 00:03:45.539 So in the morning his spirit was troubled. 00:03:46.000 --> 00:03:51.960 And he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt and all the wise men. 00:03:52.520 --> 00:03:53.980 Pharaoh told them his dream. 00:03:53.979 --> 00:03:59.099 But there was none that could interpret them for Pharaoh. 00:03:59.719 --> 00:04:10.579 Then the chief cupbearer said to Pharaoh, I remember my offenses today when Pharaoh was angry with his servants and put me and the chief baker in custody in the house of the captain of the guard. 00:04:10.819 --> 00:04:16.099 We dreamed on the same night, he and I each having a dream with its own interpretation. 00:04:16.800 --> 00:04:20.480 A young Hebrew was there with us, a servant of the captain of the guard. 00:04:20.480 --> 00:04:28.960 When we told him, he interpreted our dreams to us, giving an interpretation to each man according to his dream. 00:04:29.439 --> 00:04:32.759 And as he interpreted to us, so it came about. 00:04:33.060 --> 00:04:35.920 I was restored to my office and the baker was hanged. 00:04:36.700 --> 00:04:41.140 Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph and they quickly brought him out of the pit. 00:04:41.500 --> 00:04:45.840 And when he had shaved himself and changed his clothes, he came in before Pharaoh. 00:04:45.839 --> 00:04:51.439 And Pharaoh said to Joseph, I have had a dream and there is no one who can interpret it. 00:04:51.799 --> 00:04:56.339 I have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream, you can interpret it. 00:04:56.739 --> 00:04:59.299 Joseph answered Pharaoh, it is not me. 00:04:59.819 --> 00:05:02.059 God will give Pharaoh a favorable answer. 00:05:02.839 --> 00:05:07.579 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, behold, in my dream, I was standing on the banks of the Nile. 00:05:08.199 --> 00:05:12.639 Seven cows, plump and attractive, came out of the Nile and fed in the reed grass. 00:05:12.639 --> 00:05:19.939 Seven other cows came up after them, poor and very ugly and thin, such as I had never seen in all the land of Egypt. 00:05:20.579 --> 00:05:23.959 And the thin, ugly cows ate up the seven plump cows. 00:05:24.379 --> 00:05:31.419 But when they had eaten them, no one would have known that they had eaten them, for they were still as ugly as at the beginning. 00:05:32.120 --> 00:05:33.019 Then I awoke. 00:05:33.019 --> 00:05:40.500 I also saw in my dream seven ears growing on one stalk, full and good. 00:05:41.039 --> 00:05:45.579 Seven ears, withered thin and blightened by the east wind, sprouted after them. 00:05:46.019 --> 00:05:49.039 And the thin ears swallowed up the seven good ears. 00:05:49.459 --> 00:05:54.359 And I told it to the magicians, and there was no one who could explain it to me. 00:05:55.019 --> 00:05:58.319 Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, the dreams of Pharaoh are one. 00:05:58.919 --> 00:06:01.839 God has revealed to Pharaoh what he is about to do. 00:06:01.839 --> 00:06:06.959 The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven good ears are seven years. 00:06:07.419 --> 00:06:08.519 The dreams are one. 00:06:08.979 --> 00:06:18.000 The seven lean and ugly cows that came up after them are seven years, and the seven empty ears blighted by the east wind are also seven years of famine. 00:06:18.579 --> 00:06:20.139 It is as I told Pharaoh. 00:06:20.559 --> 00:06:23.359 God has shown to Pharaoh what he is about to do. 00:06:23.919 --> 00:06:27.899 There will come seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt. 00:06:27.899 --> 00:06:34.479 But after them, there will arise seven years of famine, and all the plenty will be forgotten in the land of Egypt. 00:06:34.859 --> 00:06:43.679 The famine will consume the land, and the plenty will be unknown in the land by reason of the famine that will follow, for it will be very severe. 00:06:43.680 --> 00:06:53.319 And the doubling of Pharaoh's dream means that the thing is fixed by God, and God will shortly bring it about. 00:06:53.319 --> 00:06:59.759 Now, therefore, let Pharaoh select a discerning and wise man, and set him over the land of Egypt. 00:07:00.219 --> 00:07:09.300 Let Pharaoh proceed to appoint overseers over the land, and take one-fifth of the produce of the land of Egypt during the seven plentiful years. 00:07:09.300 --> 00:07:20.699 And let them gather all the food of these good years that are coming and store up grain under the authority of Pharaoh for food in the cities, and let them keep it. 00:07:21.199 --> 00:07:32.319 That food shall be a reserve for the land against the seven years of famine that are to occur in the land of Egypt, so that the land may not perish through the famine. 00:07:32.319 --> 00:07:36.620 This proposal pleased Pharaoh and all his servants. 00:07:36.980 --> 00:07:42.439 And Pharaoh said to his servants, Can we find a man like this in whom is the Spirit of God? 00:07:42.879 --> 00:07:50.779 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, Since God has shown you all this, there is none so discerning and wise as you are. 00:07:51.219 --> 00:07:56.539 You shall be over my house, and all my people shall order themselves as you command. 00:07:57.019 --> 00:08:00.039 Only as regards the throne will I be greater than you. 00:08:00.040 --> 00:08:05.100 And Pharaoh said to Joseph, See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt. 00:08:05.780 --> 00:08:14.920 Then Pharaoh took his signet ring from his hand and put it on Joseph's hand, and clothed him in garments of fine linen, and put gold chain around his neck. 00:08:15.960 --> 00:08:21.740 And he made him ride in his second chariot, and they called out before him, Bow the knee. 00:08:22.320 --> 00:08:25.120 Thus he set him over all the land of Egypt. 00:08:25.120 --> 00:08:34.519 Moreover, Pharaoh said to Joseph, I am Pharaoh, and without your consent, no one shall lift up hand or foot in all the land of Egypt. 00:08:34.960 --> 00:08:38.120 And Pharaoh called Joseph's name Zephanath-Paneah. 00:08:38.700 --> 00:08:44.019 And he gave him in marriage Azanath, the daughter of Potipharah, priest of On. 00:08:44.259 --> 00:08:47.899 So Joseph went out over the land of Egypt. 00:08:47.899 --> 00:08:52.639 Joseph was thirty years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh, king of Egypt. 00:08:53.059 --> 00:08:57.759 And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh and went through all the land of Egypt. 00:08:58.360 --> 00:09:08.679 During the seven plentiful years the earth produced abundantly, and he gathered up all the food of those seven years which occurred in the land of Egypt, and put the food in the cities. 00:09:09.039 --> 00:09:12.139 He put in every city the food from the fields around it. 00:09:12.139 --> 00:09:20.559 And Joseph stored up grain in great abundance, like the sand of the sea, until he ceased to measure it, for it could not be measured. 00:09:21.299 --> 00:09:24.960 Before the year of famine came, two sons were born to Joseph. 00:09:25.519 --> 00:09:29.600 Azanath, the daughter of Potipharah, priest of On, bore him to him. 00:09:30.019 --> 00:09:34.539 Joseph called the name of his firstborn, Manasseh, for he said, 00:09:34.860 --> 00:09:39.000 God has made me forget all my hardship and all my father's house. 00:09:39.000 --> 00:09:45.980 The name of the second he called Ephraim, for God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction. 00:09:46.639 --> 00:09:55.320 The seven years of plenty that occurred in the land of Egypt came to an end, and the seven years of famine began to come, as Joseph had said. 00:09:55.860 --> 00:10:00.399 There was famine in all the lands, but in all the land of Egypt there was bread. 00:10:00.960 --> 00:10:05.919 When all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread. 00:10:05.919 --> 00:10:11.439 Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians, Go to Joseph, what he says you do. 00:10:12.219 --> 00:10:22.740 So when the famine had spread over all the land, Joseph opened the storehouses and sold to the Egyptians, for the famine was severe in the land of Egypt. 00:10:23.259 --> 00:10:31.019 Moreover, all the earth came to Egypt, to Joseph, to buy grain, because the famine was severe over all the earth. 00:10:31.019 --> 00:10:35.460 The grass withers and the flowers fade, but the word of our Lord remains forever. 00:10:35.559 --> 00:10:36.000 Let us pray. 00:10:36.899 --> 00:10:39.299 Heavenly Father, we just thank you so much for your word. 00:10:39.600 --> 00:10:42.840 We thank you for the story of Joseph and the lessons that we can learn from it. 00:10:43.159 --> 00:10:52.539 Father God, I just pray that you would fill this place with your spirit, open our hearts, our minds, and our ears to hear from you as Trey comes to share with us what was just read from your word. 00:10:52.879 --> 00:10:54.659 We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen. 00:10:54.659 --> 00:10:54.759 Amen. 00:10:59.199 --> 00:11:00.279 Are you tired yet? 00:11:01.019 --> 00:11:07.100 Can you see why I asked for help? 00:11:08.740 --> 00:11:09.720 For Scott and Reed. 00:11:09.799 --> 00:11:10.379 Thank you, Scott. 00:11:11.059 --> 00:11:12.740 The powerful word of God. 00:11:15.799 --> 00:11:19.079 And you know, we might ask this question this morning. 00:11:19.279 --> 00:11:22.919 Why is it that Moses would include this story? 00:11:23.980 --> 00:11:26.519 Why would he share this with us? 00:11:26.519 --> 00:11:27.539 What's his purpose? 00:11:27.539 --> 00:11:33.139 Before we dig in and answer that question, I want to remind us of this. 00:11:33.259 --> 00:11:38.799 We have to always keep in mind the big picture of the book of Genesis. 00:11:38.799 --> 00:11:47.659 And it's out of that big picture that we can interpret and understand what's being said here by Moses to you and I. 00:11:47.659 --> 00:11:52.319 So I ask this question, what is the big picture of Genesis? 00:11:54.019 --> 00:12:02.259 What is the picture we need to be aware of, the overarching picture of what God is doing that what we've seen in the book of Genesis? 00:12:03.059 --> 00:12:04.600 How would you articulate it? 00:12:04.600 --> 00:12:11.920 Well, we would need to remember that God in seven days created the earth and all things that are in it. 00:12:11.980 --> 00:12:13.680 And you remember what he said when he was finished? 00:12:14.399 --> 00:12:15.180 It is good. 00:12:15.179 --> 00:12:25.239 And yet, sin entered the world and messed up what God had created. 00:12:26.539 --> 00:12:33.239 Sin entered through Adam and through Eve as they were tempted by the serpent. 00:12:33.240 --> 00:13:03.220 Sin entered through Adam and through Eve as they were tempted by the serpent. 00:13:03.220 --> 00:13:10.080 We all know as we've read through the scriptures, as we've heard the word of God preached, that sin separates. 00:13:10.960 --> 00:13:13.500 And because of our sin, we're separated from God. 00:13:13.660 --> 00:13:19.940 How is it that we, who are made in the image of God, how is it that we will be reconciled to God? 00:13:20.000 --> 00:13:20.340 You know what? 00:13:20.399 --> 00:13:21.100 God had a plan. 00:13:22.220 --> 00:13:23.320 We all know this plan. 00:13:24.040 --> 00:13:26.779 We've been studying the book of Genesis and we've seen this plan. 00:13:26.779 --> 00:13:28.100 That God did this. 00:13:28.179 --> 00:13:36.939 He reached down and he tapped Abraham on the shoulder and said, Abraham, I want you to leave this place, your homeland. 00:13:37.339 --> 00:13:39.839 I want you to go to the place I tell you. 00:13:41.039 --> 00:13:44.019 And I'm going to do something radical in your life. 00:13:46.100 --> 00:13:51.299 I'm going to make promises to you and I will covenant with you that I will bless you. 00:13:51.299 --> 00:13:54.379 And through you, all the earth will be blessed. 00:13:55.179 --> 00:13:58.659 Abraham, I have a plan and that plan starts with you. 00:13:58.779 --> 00:13:59.299 Not really. 00:13:59.759 --> 00:14:04.299 Started on day one before he even created the heavens and the earth. 00:14:04.419 --> 00:14:13.639 But we know that God chose Abraham to be the first of this group of people that he would call his people. 00:14:13.639 --> 00:14:17.840 So God had a plan to do what? 00:14:19.159 --> 00:14:28.179 He had a plan to establish a chosen people that would be called by his name and would be ruled by a righteous king. 00:14:28.319 --> 00:14:30.460 That is the plan of God. 00:14:30.860 --> 00:14:34.299 And we see it all through the book of Genesis as we've read this, 00:14:34.299 --> 00:14:44.719 that God is doing a work to establish a people that would be called by his name that will be able to receive the blessings that he desires to bestow on them. 00:14:45.799 --> 00:14:51.699 The grace of God for those who are sinners comes through this promise of God. 00:14:51.779 --> 00:14:52.559 He promises what? 00:14:52.659 --> 00:14:53.019 Land. 00:14:54.120 --> 00:14:55.659 He promises posterity. 00:14:56.659 --> 00:14:58.299 And he promises blessing. 00:14:59.199 --> 00:15:00.759 And you and I have already heard it before. 00:15:00.859 --> 00:15:02.179 What is all that pointing to? 00:15:02.179 --> 00:15:06.179 It's all pointing to a snake crusher. 00:15:07.299 --> 00:15:09.739 It's all pointing to a Messiah. 00:15:10.319 --> 00:15:12.559 It's all pointing to Jesus. 00:15:13.739 --> 00:15:16.099 Y'all notice we're in Genesis and we're singing about Jesus? 00:15:17.439 --> 00:15:18.599 Why is that? 00:15:19.239 --> 00:15:23.399 Because all of this is pointing to the fulfillment of the plan of God. 00:15:23.399 --> 00:15:34.819 And we will see this morning this plan of God in bold view as we look at chapters 40 and 41. 00:15:35.279 --> 00:15:42.679 For those of y'all who take notes, by the way, I'm not a note taker, but I've learned that other people are. 00:15:42.679 --> 00:15:52.799 And so I want to help us to see five ways that God accomplishes his plan. 00:15:52.899 --> 00:15:55.659 This morning we're going to look at chapters 40 and 41. 00:15:55.819 --> 00:15:59.859 We're going to see five ways that God accomplishes his plan. 00:16:00.079 --> 00:16:01.259 So what's the main point? 00:16:01.259 --> 00:16:03.860 Why is he sharing these chapters with us? 00:16:04.100 --> 00:16:06.120 Here's what the main point is this morning. 00:16:06.620 --> 00:16:13.299 God is in control of all circumstances and his divine plan will be accomplished. 00:16:13.980 --> 00:16:15.100 Let me say it again. 00:16:15.980 --> 00:16:23.659 God is in control of all circumstances and his divine plan will be accomplished. 00:16:23.659 --> 00:16:32.240 You know, as we listen to these two chapters, if we aren't careful, we'll think the main character is Joseph. 00:16:33.939 --> 00:16:36.579 But did y'all see that Joseph is not the main character? 00:16:37.639 --> 00:16:39.059 Pharaoh's not the main character. 00:16:39.519 --> 00:16:41.319 The cupbearer's not the main character. 00:16:41.799 --> 00:16:43.339 The baker's not the main character. 00:16:44.079 --> 00:16:46.299 The guy who's head over the jail is not the main character. 00:16:46.439 --> 00:16:47.439 Did you see the main character? 00:16:48.519 --> 00:16:49.220 It's God. 00:16:50.759 --> 00:16:52.539 It's the sovereign God. 00:16:52.539 --> 00:16:56.279 And we're going to see that he's in control of all these circumstances. 00:16:56.759 --> 00:16:58.419 And here's how we're going to see it in five ways. 00:16:59.699 --> 00:17:00.699 His divine favor. 00:17:01.860 --> 00:17:03.899 His divine, let me say it this way. 00:17:03.980 --> 00:17:04.799 Divine favor. 00:17:05.740 --> 00:17:06.839 Divine encounters. 00:17:08.000 --> 00:17:09.119 Divine perspective. 00:17:10.420 --> 00:17:11.379 Divine insight. 00:17:12.440 --> 00:17:13.579 And divine control. 00:17:14.859 --> 00:17:16.500 First, divine favor. 00:17:17.399 --> 00:17:19.759 How does God accomplish his plan? 00:17:19.759 --> 00:17:28.220 Isn't it amazing that God is powerful enough to affect the hearts of men and women? 00:17:29.859 --> 00:17:35.140 That God can put favor in the heart of a man who doesn't even bow the knee to God. 00:17:36.019 --> 00:17:36.599 A pagan. 00:17:38.740 --> 00:17:44.519 And so here we see in chapter 39, we have to look back a little bit at the favor of God and 00:17:44.519 --> 00:17:49.319 how God put favor in the heart of Potiphar for Joseph. 00:17:49.319 --> 00:17:59.839 So he takes this slave, this boy who is being sold by Turkish trade slater, slave traders. 00:18:00.139 --> 00:18:01.299 My dyslexia is kicking in. 00:18:02.319 --> 00:18:09.599 And he ends up purchasing the slave on the slave box and he sets him as head of his whole household. 00:18:10.399 --> 00:18:17.679 And he sees in 39 that the Lord calls all that he did to succeed by the hands of Joseph. 00:18:17.680 --> 00:18:19.060 And what did Potiphar do? 00:18:19.519 --> 00:18:22.840 He said, this guy is able to do all this. 00:18:23.279 --> 00:18:26.539 He gave him management of his whole household. 00:18:27.140 --> 00:18:33.380 And then we know the story from last week about Potiphar's wife and how she pointed the finger 00:18:33.380 --> 00:18:41.660 at him and how ultimately he ended up in jail, in prison, in the dungeon, held captive. 00:18:41.660 --> 00:18:47.240 And we can see that in starting in verse 20 of chapter 39. 00:18:47.960 --> 00:18:50.519 This is leading into 40 and 41. 00:18:50.840 --> 00:18:57.860 So listen to the favor of God and how God put favor for him in the heart of another man. 00:18:57.940 --> 00:18:58.200 Listen. 00:18:59.040 --> 00:19:01.880 And Joseph, this is after he was placed in prison. 00:19:01.880 --> 00:19:14.120 Let me stop for just a second. 00:19:14.220 --> 00:19:22.580 Do you realize that even in your crazy circumstances that you've been unjustly put in prison, that God is with you? 00:19:23.920 --> 00:19:24.880 That's powerful. 00:19:24.880 --> 00:19:34.760 But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him steadfast love and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison. 00:19:34.820 --> 00:19:35.420 Did you hear it? 00:19:36.540 --> 00:19:43.360 That God put favor in the heart of the keeper of the prison and he received favor. 00:19:43.560 --> 00:19:44.900 What kind of favor, you might ask? 00:19:44.960 --> 00:19:45.600 Well, let's keep reading. 00:19:46.180 --> 00:19:50.180 And the keeper of the prison put Joseph in charge of all the prisoners. 00:19:50.180 --> 00:19:50.620 Interesting. 00:19:53.060 --> 00:19:58.620 In the way they conducted prison in that day, Joseph was in charge of all the prisoners. 00:19:59.700 --> 00:20:07.220 Isn't it interesting you got this foreigner, this kid, who's been placed in charge of these criminals. 00:20:07.380 --> 00:20:11.539 We don't know how rough around the college they were, how tough these men were, 00:20:11.740 --> 00:20:15.580 but Joseph was placed as head of all of them in the prison. 00:20:15.579 --> 00:20:20.639 And then we see that whatever was done there, he was the one who did it. 00:20:20.919 --> 00:20:25.679 The keeper of the prison paid no attention to anything that was in Joseph's charge. 00:20:25.759 --> 00:20:27.039 Isn't that an amazing statement? 00:20:27.939 --> 00:20:33.759 That God would do that in a life of Joseph, a foreigner in a prison, that he would have favor 00:20:33.759 --> 00:20:38.659 and he would have this freedom and he would have leadership opportunity in this prison. 00:20:38.660 --> 00:20:42.060 Because the Lord was with him. 00:20:42.100 --> 00:20:42.940 You might ask why. 00:20:43.120 --> 00:20:43.500 Here's why. 00:20:43.720 --> 00:20:45.720 Because the Lord was with him. 00:20:46.880 --> 00:20:49.940 And whatever he did, the Lord made it succeed. 00:20:50.060 --> 00:20:51.220 Do you hear the favor of God? 00:20:52.700 --> 00:20:58.019 You know, sometimes when we are in these bad spots, we don't have these opportunities. 00:20:58.160 --> 00:21:03.580 We don't necessarily have the attitude to receive something that God might do. 00:21:03.579 --> 00:21:06.059 Let me ask this. 00:21:06.500 --> 00:21:13.359 How hard is it for you when you're placed in a rough spot that's not even fair to have an attitude that's good? 00:21:14.939 --> 00:21:20.079 To be in a place where you're even willing to be used and not be sour. 00:21:21.419 --> 00:21:24.639 Would we be sour if we were in prison when we shouldn't have even been there? 00:21:25.299 --> 00:21:26.299 Falsely accused? 00:21:26.299 --> 00:21:36.379 How natural is it to have this really bad attitude and this desire to lash out and this desire to do whatever it takes to change it? 00:21:39.480 --> 00:21:42.220 But we see something different in the life of Joseph. 00:21:42.220 --> 00:22:01.319 So as we look at chapter 40, these first four verses, I want you to especially hear a couple of verses here that reveal to us the attitude and the heart and the perspective of Joseph. 00:22:01.620 --> 00:22:08.259 And I would say this, that God in his divine favor put favor in the heart of the keeper of the prison for Joseph. 00:22:08.740 --> 00:22:10.240 Gave him opportunity to lead. 00:22:10.240 --> 00:22:16.579 Not only that, but the divine perspective that Joseph had is on display here. 00:22:17.160 --> 00:22:18.620 That he wasn't sour. 00:22:19.859 --> 00:22:21.180 What else do you see here? 00:22:22.420 --> 00:22:24.460 In verse 4, it says, the captain of the guard. 00:22:24.579 --> 00:22:26.980 This is, let me start with verse 1. 00:22:27.019 --> 00:22:27.900 I don't want to skip this. 00:22:28.140 --> 00:22:29.220 So what's happening? 00:22:29.380 --> 00:22:34.259 To tell the story, you have two high officials in the kingdom of Egypt. 00:22:34.259 --> 00:22:41.960 Two officials that daily attend to Pharaoh and have constant, his presence. 00:22:42.079 --> 00:22:43.519 They're constantly in his presence. 00:22:44.059 --> 00:22:46.480 And because of an event, we'll talk about that in just a second. 00:22:46.740 --> 00:22:49.099 Because of an event, they end up in prison. 00:22:49.200 --> 00:22:49.680 Which prison? 00:22:49.920 --> 00:22:51.759 Well, the very one where Joseph is. 00:22:52.279 --> 00:23:00.259 Not only are they there, you understand that these two high officials, when the keeper of the jail sees these two guys and he knows who they are. 00:23:00.259 --> 00:23:01.259 He's seen them with Pharaoh. 00:23:01.619 --> 00:23:02.420 What is he going to do? 00:23:02.480 --> 00:23:08.099 He's going to do everything he can to take care of these two guys and make their stay as easy as possible. 00:23:08.180 --> 00:23:08.299 Why? 00:23:08.480 --> 00:23:09.660 Because they might get out. 00:23:10.859 --> 00:23:18.319 And if he mistreats them and they get out, then he might endure the wrath of that high official. 00:23:18.980 --> 00:23:19.900 So what does he do? 00:23:19.960 --> 00:23:22.519 He goes to the guy in the prison that he can trust. 00:23:22.519 --> 00:23:25.299 And he says to Joseph, attend to them. 00:23:25.859 --> 00:23:26.779 Take care of them. 00:23:28.319 --> 00:23:30.220 Does Joseph say, no way, man. 00:23:30.480 --> 00:23:32.019 I don't want anything to do with junk. 00:23:32.539 --> 00:23:34.059 That's the reason I'm in this place. 00:23:34.500 --> 00:23:35.099 What do you do? 00:23:35.299 --> 00:23:44.680 No, we see God is doing a work in the heart of Joseph that causes him to be willing to attend to these guys. 00:23:45.220 --> 00:23:49.139 Moreover, we see this in verse 7. 00:23:49.140 --> 00:23:54.960 So he asked Pharaoh's officials who were with him in custody in his master's house, 00:23:55.400 --> 00:23:57.560 why are your faces downcast today? 00:23:58.600 --> 00:24:01.280 Do you all see the care that's in his heart? 00:24:02.120 --> 00:24:05.800 There's a genuine care he has for these two guys. 00:24:06.620 --> 00:24:07.520 He's going up to them. 00:24:07.600 --> 00:24:10.280 He notices there's a heaviness in their life. 00:24:10.440 --> 00:24:11.240 And what does he do? 00:24:11.380 --> 00:24:12.780 He ministers to them. 00:24:14.540 --> 00:24:16.840 He seeks to care for them. 00:24:16.839 --> 00:24:24.919 And if we continue to look through this chapter, and even into 41, we'll see in 41, 00:24:25.579 --> 00:24:31.599 that there's a perspective that Joseph has that comes out when he's interacting with Pharaoh. 00:24:31.720 --> 00:24:34.759 And Pharaoh calls him in, and he starts to, he says, 00:24:34.839 --> 00:24:37.779 I heard that you're able to do this thing to interpret dreams. 00:24:37.959 --> 00:24:39.299 He said, it is not me. 00:24:40.299 --> 00:24:42.500 Pharaoh, I can't do this. 00:24:43.099 --> 00:24:45.399 I don't have the ability to do this. 00:24:45.400 --> 00:24:46.759 But God does. 00:24:47.800 --> 00:24:49.900 Do you see the perspective of Joseph? 00:24:50.780 --> 00:24:52.259 That he's not sour? 00:24:53.340 --> 00:24:55.860 That there's a level of humility in his life? 00:24:55.920 --> 00:24:57.180 He's willing to serve? 00:24:57.759 --> 00:25:00.860 He's been given an opportunity in the prison? 00:25:02.300 --> 00:25:07.720 He's willing to step into a role where he cares for people? 00:25:07.720 --> 00:25:12.240 You know what we do if we glimpse ahead to chapter 45? 00:25:12.240 --> 00:25:20.519 We see an amazing summary of the perspective of Joseph and what God has done in his life. 00:25:20.579 --> 00:25:21.500 Let me just stop for a second. 00:25:23.360 --> 00:25:25.100 You remember the story of Joseph, right? 00:25:27.120 --> 00:25:31.420 You remember he's a little boy, and he's got all these brothers, and he's number 11 out of 12. 00:25:31.420 --> 00:25:35.220 And he stands up for them and says, hey, man, I had a dream. 00:25:35.680 --> 00:25:37.080 Let me tell you about my dream. 00:25:37.720 --> 00:25:42.800 I had this great dream where I'm up here, and all of y'all are bowing down to me. 00:25:42.820 --> 00:25:44.360 And boy, that ticked them all off. 00:25:44.380 --> 00:25:44.740 You remember? 00:25:45.460 --> 00:25:47.640 And they said, man, I'm sick of this dude. 00:25:48.039 --> 00:25:50.120 He gets a coat from daddy. 00:25:50.800 --> 00:25:52.840 Daddy doesn't even like us, but he loves this kid. 00:25:52.880 --> 00:25:55.539 He's his favorite, and he's driving us insane. 00:25:55.779 --> 00:25:57.400 We're going to make this go away. 00:25:57.800 --> 00:25:58.539 So what do they do? 00:25:58.539 --> 00:26:00.440 They put him in a hole. 00:26:00.740 --> 00:26:03.099 They say, well, let's just kill the guy. 00:26:03.200 --> 00:26:04.460 And one of them says, no, no, no, no, kill him. 00:26:04.500 --> 00:26:06.379 And lo and behold, here comes the slave trader. 00:26:07.259 --> 00:26:07.859 Here's what we do. 00:26:08.000 --> 00:26:08.639 Get rid of him. 00:26:08.700 --> 00:26:09.279 Just sell this. 00:26:09.399 --> 00:26:09.740 Sell him. 00:26:10.579 --> 00:26:12.639 And he takes him all the way to Egypt. 00:26:12.779 --> 00:26:16.519 It's like, put yourself in Joseph's shoes. 00:26:16.599 --> 00:26:17.740 What kind of attitude would you have? 00:26:20.259 --> 00:26:23.480 How powerful is it that he is not sour? 00:26:23.480 --> 00:26:32.700 How powerful is it that God is doing a work in his life that's changing his heart, that's changing his perspective? 00:26:33.160 --> 00:26:35.799 Do you know that God could give us a divine perspective? 00:26:36.799 --> 00:26:40.220 Do you realize that God wants to give every one of us a divine perspective? 00:26:40.220 --> 00:26:48.480 And it's my hope this morning that the truth here will move us to live life differently. 00:26:49.259 --> 00:27:01.539 To not let self and circumstances demand attention in our life to drive us to despair, but instead to see who this God is. 00:27:01.539 --> 00:27:07.440 And to understand that this God who loves us is doing a work in our life that sometimes includes trials. 00:27:08.259 --> 00:27:10.519 And sometimes includes difficulty. 00:27:10.720 --> 00:27:12.420 And sometimes includes prison. 00:27:14.779 --> 00:27:16.940 We wouldn't choose it like that, would we? 00:27:18.139 --> 00:27:21.839 But God's got a plan and he's working out a plan in Joseph's life. 00:27:22.019 --> 00:27:24.879 Not only does he have a plan for the whole world, he has a plan for Joseph. 00:27:26.099 --> 00:27:29.579 And look what Joseph said in chapter 45, starting in verse 5. 00:27:29.579 --> 00:27:30.920 I'll read about 4 or 5 verses. 00:27:30.920 --> 00:27:33.620 And now, do not be distressed. 00:27:33.700 --> 00:27:34.500 So what's the scenario? 00:27:35.220 --> 00:27:36.519 His brothers have come. 00:27:36.620 --> 00:27:37.680 We'll read that later. 00:27:38.340 --> 00:27:43.980 And all those brothers that had sold him into slavery, they're sitting in front of him. 00:27:45.460 --> 00:27:49.740 And he has not exposed himself yet, but he's getting ready to expose himself and say, 00:27:49.880 --> 00:27:52.860 Hey, you don't even realize this, but I'm your brother who you sold into slavery. 00:27:55.519 --> 00:27:59.500 Isn't it a powerful opportunity for him to get whatever revenge? 00:27:59.500 --> 00:28:03.740 Listen, he's the most powerful guy besides Pharaoh in the whole nation. 00:28:05.880 --> 00:28:08.259 And he has this opportunity to do whatever he wants to do. 00:28:08.319 --> 00:28:08.779 What does he do? 00:28:08.839 --> 00:28:09.480 He says this. 00:28:10.059 --> 00:28:14.599 He says, And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here. 00:28:16.019 --> 00:28:16.319 What? 00:28:16.319 --> 00:28:18.419 Say, what? 00:28:19.460 --> 00:28:22.599 For God sent me before you to preserve life. 00:28:23.299 --> 00:28:25.179 Is that not a divine perspective? 00:28:26.599 --> 00:28:32.039 I see in my circumstances, which have been incredibly difficult, the hand of God. 00:28:32.159 --> 00:28:32.720 Praise God. 00:28:32.720 --> 00:28:39.480 When are we able to stop and say, praise you, Jesus, for the hardness of the thing I'm going through right now? 00:28:41.259 --> 00:28:42.279 Praise be to your name. 00:28:42.360 --> 00:28:44.480 Now, I don't think he got there on day one. 00:28:46.220 --> 00:28:55.579 I think God left him in that prison for who knows how long while God did a work to change his heart and give him a divine perspective. 00:28:55.579 --> 00:29:00.720 Listen, God is about to use him in a way that you and I can't possibly fathom. 00:29:03.559 --> 00:29:05.359 You know, there's a guy, A.W. Tozer. 00:29:05.599 --> 00:29:06.639 Where did I write this down? 00:29:07.599 --> 00:29:09.199 I'm going to flip back in just a second. 00:29:09.919 --> 00:29:13.559 A.W. Tozer is a guy I deeply respect. 00:29:13.759 --> 00:29:16.419 He has insight into a life in Christ. 00:29:16.500 --> 00:29:17.399 And he says this. 00:29:17.400 --> 00:29:23.540 God never uses anyone greatly until he tests them deeply. 00:29:24.600 --> 00:29:29.540 God never uses anyone greatly until he tests them deeply. 00:29:30.160 --> 00:29:34.500 You know, I believe that we have a sin problem. 00:29:35.060 --> 00:29:36.720 And we have a self problem. 00:29:36.720 --> 00:29:48.299 And for God to place us in a position for his glory and his kingdom, oftentimes he takes us and he whittles away the edges, the rough edges in our life. 00:29:48.400 --> 00:29:55.160 And he takes sandpaper and sands the self out of us to the point at which we're willing to say, yes, Lord, praise be your name. 00:29:55.640 --> 00:29:57.339 I'm willing to go where you say go. 00:29:57.420 --> 00:29:59.440 I'm willing to do what you say do. 00:29:59.600 --> 00:30:01.880 And in my circumstance, I still worship and praise you. 00:30:02.740 --> 00:30:03.559 Are we there? 00:30:04.180 --> 00:30:05.500 You know, God's taken us all there. 00:30:05.500 --> 00:30:11.079 God wants us all there because it's an incredible place to have divine perspective. 00:30:12.019 --> 00:30:15.759 To finish the verse in 45, here we go. 00:30:16.700 --> 00:30:22.900 For the famine has been in the land these two years, and there are yet five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvest. 00:30:23.539 --> 00:30:29.200 And God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on the earth. 00:30:30.019 --> 00:30:33.599 That ought to send up a bell and a whistle there. 00:30:33.599 --> 00:30:37.919 And to keep alive for you many survivors. 00:30:38.279 --> 00:30:40.779 And it was not you who sent me here, but God. 00:30:41.159 --> 00:30:41.539 What? 00:30:43.599 --> 00:30:45.599 You're talking about a divine perspective. 00:30:47.179 --> 00:30:49.019 You think you did that. 00:30:50.079 --> 00:30:52.059 And yes, you had a part in it. 00:30:52.539 --> 00:30:54.819 And yes, it was very much sin involved. 00:30:54.819 --> 00:30:55.899 But you know what? 00:30:56.019 --> 00:30:59.139 Unless God would have allowed it and orchestrated it, you'd have never been able to do it. 00:31:00.379 --> 00:31:07.099 So now I see that God had a plan here that is much bigger than you and what you intended. 00:31:08.179 --> 00:31:12.539 God is doing a work that is something I would have never dreamed, he might say. 00:31:12.539 --> 00:31:17.839 And we look at it and we marvel at this situation. 00:31:17.960 --> 00:31:22.119 So we see divine favor that God puts favor on the hearts of men and women. 00:31:22.460 --> 00:31:25.759 We see divine perspective that God's working in all of us. 00:31:26.119 --> 00:31:33.639 The eyes to see the sovereignty and the love and the care and the ability of God to care for us. 00:31:33.640 --> 00:31:38.240 He wants us to enjoy that divine perspective. 00:31:38.860 --> 00:31:41.780 And third, I want you to see this, how he works out his plan. 00:31:42.300 --> 00:31:43.560 It's divine encounters. 00:31:45.240 --> 00:31:47.660 Now, it might not be with high officials, 00:31:49.000 --> 00:31:53.580 but have y'all ever noticed that God orchestrates the people you meet? 00:31:55.320 --> 00:31:58.660 That God is in a lot more control than you and I think. 00:31:58.660 --> 00:32:03.640 We have these divine encounters that take place in our life. 00:32:03.720 --> 00:32:06.500 I don't know that we see them as divine encounters in the moment. 00:32:07.220 --> 00:32:10.759 But sometimes a year or two or 10 or 20 later, we look back and say, 00:32:10.900 --> 00:32:13.120 wow, I can't believe God did that. 00:32:13.220 --> 00:32:19.380 Well, we get the whole long-term glimpse here in 40 and 41. 00:32:19.560 --> 00:32:21.259 And what is the divine encounter I'm talking about? 00:32:21.279 --> 00:32:21.940 Let me ask this question. 00:32:22.519 --> 00:32:26.800 You've got this young boy who's a foreigner who gets picked up by slave guys. 00:32:26.799 --> 00:32:28.859 He takes this slave to Egypt. 00:32:29.019 --> 00:32:30.559 He's standing on the slave box. 00:32:30.700 --> 00:32:32.480 And this guy purchases him and says, 00:32:32.579 --> 00:32:33.919 you're going to serve me in my house, buddy. 00:32:35.799 --> 00:32:39.180 What is the chance that he's going to ever meet a high official 00:32:39.180 --> 00:32:42.379 in the government of Egypt? 00:32:42.539 --> 00:32:47.440 And on top of that, he gets accused of doing something that is illegal 00:32:47.440 --> 00:32:48.940 and it deserves punishment. 00:32:49.099 --> 00:32:53.319 And he gets put in the bottom of the dungeon, in the prison. 00:32:54.079 --> 00:32:55.879 He doesn't even hardly see the light of day. 00:32:55.880 --> 00:32:57.840 I hope they have bars so he can see sunlight. 00:32:58.200 --> 00:33:02.540 But I mean, I'm telling you, he doesn't have a hope. 00:33:03.400 --> 00:33:06.180 There's no equation that allows him to get out of this place. 00:33:07.700 --> 00:33:08.360 He's there. 00:33:08.440 --> 00:33:09.000 He's accused. 00:33:09.420 --> 00:33:12.800 What is the chance that he's going to meet high officials, 00:33:12.960 --> 00:33:16.320 let alone Pharaoh, in his whole lifetime? 00:33:17.340 --> 00:33:20.560 There ain't a chance in the world that he could come up with. 00:33:20.559 --> 00:33:23.200 But God has a plan. 00:33:24.639 --> 00:33:28.139 And God's plan is much greater than we understand. 00:33:28.740 --> 00:33:31.819 And God chooses to use people in the midst of his plan. 00:33:32.679 --> 00:33:33.339 And guess what? 00:33:33.379 --> 00:33:35.819 He's using Joseph to accomplish his plan. 00:33:35.819 --> 00:33:42.200 And so he calls us that Joseph, one of many in the prison, 00:33:42.599 --> 00:33:45.059 would happen to be there when these two guys are accused. 00:33:45.179 --> 00:33:46.159 And what were they accused of? 00:33:46.480 --> 00:33:47.700 You know, the scripture doesn't say. 00:33:49.220 --> 00:33:51.399 But there is a possibility. 00:33:52.460 --> 00:33:54.679 Again, this is white page stuff. 00:33:54.740 --> 00:33:55.720 This is in between the letters. 00:33:55.720 --> 00:34:05.920 There's a possibility that somebody attempted to kill Pharaoh to poison him. 00:34:07.120 --> 00:34:09.679 And he said, I don't know who it was, but who had access? 00:34:09.800 --> 00:34:10.699 This guy, this guy, this guy. 00:34:12.079 --> 00:34:15.119 Possibly, these two guys were both accused of that. 00:34:15.220 --> 00:34:17.440 And until he could discover what went down, 00:34:17.840 --> 00:34:19.780 they had to sit in the prison for how long? 00:34:20.880 --> 00:34:22.300 Three days, roughly. 00:34:22.720 --> 00:34:23.780 Maybe a little few more than that. 00:34:23.780 --> 00:34:26.640 But at least from the time that the dream was interpreted 00:34:26.640 --> 00:34:28.840 to the time when they were taken out was three days. 00:34:28.920 --> 00:34:31.620 They might have been there a couple days longer than that on the front end. 00:34:31.680 --> 00:34:32.380 Maybe a few days. 00:34:32.400 --> 00:34:32.740 Who knows? 00:34:33.840 --> 00:34:36.300 But what is the chance those guys are going to meet a guy in a prison 00:34:36.300 --> 00:34:37.880 who's a foreigner from another place? 00:34:37.920 --> 00:34:41.220 And what's the chance that that guy is going to be given access to those guys 00:34:41.220 --> 00:34:43.980 to take care of them and have a conversation 00:34:43.980 --> 00:34:48.040 and be there to hear about these dreams 00:34:48.040 --> 00:34:50.260 that they would even be willing to even talk to this dude? 00:34:51.340 --> 00:34:52.840 Why would they even want to talk to him? 00:34:52.840 --> 00:34:54.220 You're too low for us. 00:34:54.480 --> 00:34:55.160 Get away from us. 00:34:55.380 --> 00:34:56.559 Just bring my water. 00:34:58.340 --> 00:35:02.559 And yet God divinely puts those two guys in prison, 00:35:02.820 --> 00:35:05.880 along in the same prison that Joseph was in, 00:35:06.019 --> 00:35:08.260 and he gives favor to the keeper of the prison. 00:35:08.320 --> 00:35:10.320 By the way, I don't know if y'all noticed this, did you? 00:35:13.440 --> 00:35:16.700 Notice who it is that gives him favor in the prison. 00:35:16.699 --> 00:35:20.739 Did y'all see it? 00:35:24.339 --> 00:35:29.619 It says the captain of the guard in prison where Joseph was confined, 00:35:29.719 --> 00:35:31.599 the captain of the guard appointed Joseph. 00:35:31.679 --> 00:35:32.799 Who's the captain of the guard? 00:35:33.739 --> 00:35:34.659 Look back to 39. 00:35:34.859 --> 00:35:35.659 You know what his name is? 00:35:36.039 --> 00:35:36.439 Potiphar. 00:35:36.440 --> 00:35:41.300 The same guy that had him in his household, 00:35:41.820 --> 00:35:45.619 the same guy that had to put him in prison because of the accusation of his wife, 00:35:45.740 --> 00:35:47.880 is the guy who's in charge of the whole thing. 00:35:48.400 --> 00:35:52.179 And he gives him favor, and he puts Joseph in control, 00:35:52.260 --> 00:35:53.139 because he knows Joseph. 00:35:53.240 --> 00:35:55.420 He probably thinks, my wife is off out of her mind. 00:35:55.460 --> 00:35:56.619 I don't think Joseph did this. 00:35:56.840 --> 00:35:57.340 But I can't. 00:35:57.360 --> 00:35:59.519 I've got to save face for my wife, so I've got to put him in prison. 00:35:59.980 --> 00:36:02.599 But God's doing this work in the hearts of people. 00:36:02.980 --> 00:36:03.679 Let me stop for a second. 00:36:03.679 --> 00:36:08.139 Do you think that God's doing a work in the hearts of the people you come in contact with? 00:36:09.319 --> 00:36:13.099 Do you think that God is able to do a work in the heart of your employer 00:36:13.099 --> 00:36:16.919 that could affect your workplace? 00:36:18.099 --> 00:36:22.500 Do you think God can do a work in the heart of people you come in contact with 00:36:22.500 --> 00:36:26.719 to cause conversation about the gospel to take place? 00:36:26.919 --> 00:36:28.639 Do you believe that God's involved with that? 00:36:29.359 --> 00:36:32.619 Let me just say, God's involved with a lot more than we think. 00:36:32.619 --> 00:36:35.719 When it comes to people coming into the kingdom, 00:36:35.880 --> 00:36:38.920 when it comes to the word of God being displayed, 00:36:39.799 --> 00:36:41.940 when it comes to taking care of his people, 00:36:42.099 --> 00:36:45.199 when it comes to accomplishing his plan, guess what he does? 00:36:45.779 --> 00:36:47.480 He puts favor in the hearts of people. 00:36:47.759 --> 00:36:51.679 He gives people that he uses perspective, divine perspective, 00:36:51.880 --> 00:36:56.299 and he causes them to divinely encounter these types of people. 00:36:56.839 --> 00:36:59.039 And what do we see here as he encounters them? 00:36:59.039 --> 00:37:02.199 We see these guys have a dream, and he says, man, why are you down? 00:37:02.300 --> 00:37:04.820 And they sense the care. 00:37:05.619 --> 00:37:09.320 And he said, well, man, I had a dream, and it really bothered me. 00:37:09.420 --> 00:37:11.659 I don't know what it means, but it was so vivid. 00:37:12.699 --> 00:37:15.259 And I'm dying to know what it means. 00:37:15.300 --> 00:37:17.000 He said, well, God can tell you what it means. 00:37:18.019 --> 00:37:18.460 I'm like, what? 00:37:19.639 --> 00:37:20.539 God can tell you? 00:37:20.759 --> 00:37:23.000 Well, okay, let's try it. 00:37:23.400 --> 00:37:24.239 What was your dream? 00:37:24.779 --> 00:37:25.799 So he shares a dream. 00:37:25.899 --> 00:37:26.739 What did he share? 00:37:26.799 --> 00:37:27.699 He shares this thing. 00:37:29.199 --> 00:37:31.719 And, of course, you've got a baker, and you've got a cupbearer. 00:37:31.759 --> 00:37:35.279 Well, you've got a cupbearer, and the dream is related to their roles. 00:37:36.879 --> 00:37:38.259 And what does he share? 00:37:38.339 --> 00:37:41.159 Ultimately, he shares the interpretation. 00:37:41.639 --> 00:37:42.500 Let me just say this. 00:37:43.059 --> 00:37:46.059 God can give divine insight as well. 00:37:46.059 --> 00:37:53.179 And what we see here is it wasn't his natural ability was able to interpret it, was it? 00:37:54.059 --> 00:37:56.079 He didn't do this out of his skill set. 00:37:56.900 --> 00:37:58.719 He wasn't born with this skill set. 00:37:59.960 --> 00:38:01.059 You know what he was born with? 00:38:01.099 --> 00:38:02.639 He was born with a touch of God. 00:38:03.539 --> 00:38:06.380 And God had already done something through dreams before. 00:38:06.460 --> 00:38:06.900 You remember? 00:38:08.500 --> 00:38:09.940 Hey, brothers, guess what? 00:38:10.179 --> 00:38:12.099 One of these days, you're going to bow down to me. 00:38:12.099 --> 00:38:14.619 He had a dream, and guess what? 00:38:14.699 --> 00:38:17.039 It's going to get fulfilled pretty soon as we keep going in Genesis. 00:38:17.219 --> 00:38:20.880 We're going to see the fulfillment of the dream next week. 00:38:21.239 --> 00:38:26.940 It is unbelievable to see how God gave him that dream and how that dream was fulfilled. 00:38:27.179 --> 00:38:28.659 And here he is. 00:38:28.699 --> 00:38:29.960 He's involved with more dreams. 00:38:30.019 --> 00:38:31.739 Who knows how many dreams he's been involved with? 00:38:31.980 --> 00:38:34.480 But in this case, these are in the scriptures, and they're displayed. 00:38:34.799 --> 00:38:35.719 And so they have this dream. 00:38:35.759 --> 00:38:36.299 And what does he say? 00:38:36.480 --> 00:38:38.319 He said, here's the truth. 00:38:38.320 --> 00:38:41.980 God is able to interpret, and here's what the interpretation is. 00:38:42.120 --> 00:38:45.300 And he gave him the interpretation and said, in three days, this will come to pass. 00:38:45.840 --> 00:38:46.960 Guess what happened in three days? 00:38:48.260 --> 00:38:49.200 Well, we read it. 00:38:50.280 --> 00:38:54.740 In three days, Pharaoh will lift up your head from you and hang you on a tree, 00:38:54.940 --> 00:38:56.680 and the birds will eat your flesh. 00:38:56.720 --> 00:38:57.940 That's what he said to one of them. 00:38:57.980 --> 00:39:00.340 The other one, he said, he's going to lift you up and give you your position back. 00:39:01.120 --> 00:39:02.140 Did it come to pass? 00:39:03.400 --> 00:39:04.039 Verse 20. 00:39:04.039 --> 00:39:09.039 On the third day, which was Pharaoh's birthday, he made a feast for all his servants 00:39:09.039 --> 00:39:13.659 and lifted up the head of the chief cupbearer and the head of the chief baker among his servants. 00:39:13.779 --> 00:39:15.039 He restored the chief cupbearer. 00:39:16.259 --> 00:39:17.380 Must not have poisoned him. 00:39:17.800 --> 00:39:20.079 Again, that's just me and certain something that's not here. 00:39:21.179 --> 00:39:21.579 Possibly. 00:39:22.420 --> 00:39:25.719 He restored the chief cupbearer, but he hanged the chief baker. 00:39:25.719 --> 00:39:33.839 So I want you to hear this, is that God gave the interpretation. 00:39:35.179 --> 00:39:40.299 And the three-day thing was proven to be true. 00:39:41.000 --> 00:39:43.539 The interpretation was proven to be true. 00:39:43.619 --> 00:39:44.719 How does a guy learn that? 00:39:45.819 --> 00:39:48.119 How is it possible that he knew the interpretation 00:39:48.119 --> 00:39:52.039 and that it actually absolutely came true exactly like he said? 00:39:52.039 --> 00:39:56.619 Because God gave him something that wasn't natural, it was supernatural. 00:39:57.000 --> 00:40:00.880 God gave him an understanding of what that dream meant. 00:40:01.340 --> 00:40:04.820 And not only this, if we flip forward to 41, 00:40:05.880 --> 00:40:09.159 we see these things again. 00:40:09.300 --> 00:40:12.320 We see this divine encounter. 00:40:12.320 --> 00:40:19.660 How is it possible that a slave boy who was a slave and now is in prison 00:40:19.660 --> 00:40:22.640 would ever be in front of Pharaoh at all? 00:40:23.120 --> 00:40:23.300 Ever. 00:40:23.480 --> 00:40:24.300 What is the chance? 00:40:24.680 --> 00:40:26.420 Pharaoh doesn't try these guys. 00:40:26.519 --> 00:40:29.080 If he was tried to death and he was sentenced to death, 00:40:29.140 --> 00:40:30.480 it wouldn't be Pharaoh doing that. 00:40:30.960 --> 00:40:33.280 Pharaoh is insulated way above that. 00:40:33.380 --> 00:40:35.440 That is a role for one of his underlings. 00:40:36.700 --> 00:40:40.180 But by the grace of God and the providence of God and the plan of God, 00:40:40.280 --> 00:40:40.920 guess what happened? 00:40:40.920 --> 00:40:43.680 He was placed in front of Pharaoh and Pharaoh says, 00:40:43.780 --> 00:40:44.559 hey, I have this dream. 00:40:44.639 --> 00:40:46.019 So where did the dream come from? 00:40:47.460 --> 00:40:52.360 Do you see how God can use a dream to cause his plan to come to pass? 00:40:54.280 --> 00:40:58.820 God gives Pharaoh this dream and this dream bothers him so much 00:40:58.820 --> 00:41:02.519 that he calls every smart guy in his whole kingdom and say, 00:41:02.639 --> 00:41:04.159 hey man, y'all need to help me out and tell me what this means. 00:41:04.500 --> 00:41:07.440 I pay you or I feed you and I give you a house 00:41:07.440 --> 00:41:09.460 so you're able to help me in these moments. 00:41:09.460 --> 00:41:11.440 I need you to tell me what this means. 00:41:11.840 --> 00:41:12.539 What do they say? 00:41:13.500 --> 00:41:14.139 I don't know. 00:41:14.820 --> 00:41:15.159 I don't know. 00:41:15.300 --> 00:41:16.059 Nobody can tell you that. 00:41:16.539 --> 00:41:19.740 You remember that same theme when we've studied about Nebuchadnezzar before? 00:41:21.920 --> 00:41:22.900 God gave a dream. 00:41:23.360 --> 00:41:24.220 Somebody interpret it. 00:41:24.220 --> 00:41:24.940 In that case, Daniel. 00:41:24.940 --> 00:41:33.480 Here we are earlier in, back in Genesis, we see the same thing is that he couldn't understand 00:41:33.480 --> 00:41:34.059 what it meant. 00:41:34.139 --> 00:41:40.300 And so what do we see as we look in verse 16 of chapter 41 all the way down through verse 00:41:40.300 --> 00:41:40.800 36? 00:41:40.800 --> 00:41:46.740 What goes down here is that he says, okay, I'll give it a shot. 00:41:46.840 --> 00:41:52.720 Hey, somebody go get him out of that prison and come and I want to see if he's capable 00:41:52.720 --> 00:41:54.039 of doing what you say he did. 00:41:54.220 --> 00:41:54.620 Well, he did. 00:41:54.680 --> 00:41:55.480 I'm telling you, he did. 00:41:56.080 --> 00:41:58.780 The cupbearer saying, listen, I'm telling you, here's what happened. 00:41:58.840 --> 00:42:00.800 And it came to pass exactly like he said. 00:42:00.840 --> 00:42:01.560 Okay, I'll give him a shot. 00:42:01.860 --> 00:42:03.160 Nobody else seems to be able to do this. 00:42:03.159 --> 00:42:10.599 So he comes in and he says, he says this, Pharaoh said to Joseph, I've had a dream and 00:42:10.599 --> 00:42:12.440 there's no one who can interpret it. 00:42:12.480 --> 00:42:16.420 I've heard it said of you that when you hear a dream, you can interpret it. 00:42:16.460 --> 00:42:18.159 Joseph said, no, I can't. 00:42:19.039 --> 00:42:20.559 I can't interpret a dream. 00:42:21.359 --> 00:42:22.179 It's not me. 00:42:22.519 --> 00:42:24.319 He says, it's not in me. 00:42:24.619 --> 00:42:25.960 I don't have that ability. 00:42:26.420 --> 00:42:29.699 But God, you see the divine perspective again? 00:42:29.699 --> 00:42:33.599 That he understands that God can interpret dreams. 00:42:33.699 --> 00:42:34.299 And what does he say? 00:42:34.500 --> 00:42:35.379 God can do it. 00:42:35.599 --> 00:42:38.599 And God will give you, Pharaoh, a favorable response. 00:42:38.679 --> 00:42:42.319 In other words, God will reveal to you what this dream means to you. 00:42:42.899 --> 00:42:43.679 He says, okay. 00:42:44.359 --> 00:42:45.579 He hadn't heard the dream yet. 00:42:46.500 --> 00:42:48.359 How did he know how hard or easy it was? 00:42:48.399 --> 00:42:48.799 He didn't. 00:42:50.219 --> 00:42:54.039 And yet, he said, Pharaoh, he'll tell you what it means. 00:42:54.379 --> 00:42:56.480 And so Pharaoh goes on to share this whole thing. 00:42:56.539 --> 00:42:57.279 And what does he say? 00:42:57.280 --> 00:43:03.780 He says, the dreams of Pharaoh are one. 00:43:04.280 --> 00:43:05.240 He had two dreams, right? 00:43:06.000 --> 00:43:06.740 We already read it. 00:43:06.780 --> 00:43:07.519 I don't want to read it again. 00:43:08.100 --> 00:43:11.920 Or one, God has revealed to Pharaoh what he is about to do. 00:43:12.200 --> 00:43:13.000 Think about that. 00:43:13.300 --> 00:43:16.300 What a bold statement in front of such a powerful man. 00:43:16.760 --> 00:43:19.300 Pharaoh, God has revealed to you what he's about to do. 00:43:19.600 --> 00:43:20.620 He's like, what are you talking about? 00:43:22.220 --> 00:43:26.240 So God has shown to Pharaoh what he is about to do in verse 28. 00:43:26.239 --> 00:43:29.599 There's going to be seven years of plenty and seven years of famine. 00:43:30.079 --> 00:43:31.519 How does he know this? 00:43:31.579 --> 00:43:34.599 Because God has given him insight. 00:43:35.759 --> 00:43:37.099 Divine insight. 00:43:37.219 --> 00:43:37.519 Why? 00:43:38.059 --> 00:43:41.219 That the purpose of God might be accomplished. 00:43:42.179 --> 00:43:46.459 Joseph is a tool in the hand of God for God's own purpose. 00:43:46.460 --> 00:43:54.619 Joseph is receiving a gift from God that will bless him and bless others widely. 00:43:54.619 --> 00:44:04.159 Through this dream, God has made known that there's seven years of richness coming. 00:44:04.799 --> 00:44:10.199 There's going to be abundant grain and the world is going to be produced exponentially. 00:44:11.000 --> 00:44:18.639 But after it, you're going to forget how good it was because it's going to be so bad, this famine, that no one's going to survive. 00:44:18.639 --> 00:44:23.539 I mean, it's going to eat up all those good years so nobody even remembers it. 00:44:23.619 --> 00:44:24.599 That's how bad it's going to be. 00:44:25.420 --> 00:44:32.699 And we do realize if we looked at 57, let's go a little further, all the earth came to Egypt to see Joseph. 00:44:33.099 --> 00:44:33.879 Isn't that amazing? 00:44:35.159 --> 00:44:38.019 Look how God chooses to use people. 00:44:38.019 --> 00:44:48.039 This slave boy, foreign kid who ends up in prison, who now is in front of Pharaoh and God gives insight and he shares this insight with him. 00:44:48.199 --> 00:44:52.579 And he ends up saying to Pharaoh, hey, this is what's getting ready to happen. 00:44:52.699 --> 00:44:58.960 And Pharaoh looked around and said, huh, why didn't all these other smart guys understand that? 00:45:01.239 --> 00:45:02.159 And what happened? 00:45:03.980 --> 00:45:07.519 God did something that blows our mind. 00:45:08.800 --> 00:45:09.739 What is it? 00:45:10.199 --> 00:45:11.400 Listen at what he did. 00:45:12.400 --> 00:45:18.820 And this is the favor of God in the heart of Pharaoh for a foreign boy. 00:45:20.340 --> 00:45:25.960 In verse 37, we see the divine control of God. 00:45:26.039 --> 00:45:27.739 And it's all over these passages. 00:45:27.880 --> 00:45:28.179 You see it? 00:45:28.579 --> 00:45:31.860 God is absolutely in control of it all. 00:45:32.320 --> 00:45:37.800 There is no, I don't know what the odds would be that this boy would end up being in the position he's about to be placed into. 00:45:38.719 --> 00:45:44.960 This foreign kid who doesn't even know the customs of Egypt, who doesn't know anything about the history of Egypt. 00:45:45.199 --> 00:45:49.119 He just finds himself over there because he's been sold into slavery. 00:45:49.320 --> 00:45:50.340 And this happens. 00:45:50.340 --> 00:46:01.480 He says, hey, by the way, after he interpreted a dream, he said, by the way, you might want to hire somebody, put somebody in a position that he has authority so he can prepare for what's coming. 00:46:01.820 --> 00:46:06.059 He needs to keep some grain in the barn and he needs to make sure that he's doing it now. 00:46:06.059 --> 00:46:08.000 Because if he doesn't do it now, it's going to be too late later. 00:46:08.320 --> 00:46:11.980 And Pharaoh says, huh, is there anybody else smart as this dude? 00:46:12.799 --> 00:46:15.059 Anybody else who has the spirit of God like this guy? 00:46:15.719 --> 00:46:18.019 Anybody else who's given us this interpretation? 00:46:18.420 --> 00:46:19.000 Not a soul. 00:46:19.079 --> 00:46:19.739 And so what does he do? 00:46:19.739 --> 00:46:27.219 He does the most unbelievable thing you can possibly imagine as far as kingdom, the kingdom of Egypt. 00:46:28.279 --> 00:46:31.239 He says, can we find a man like this in whom is the spirit of God? 00:46:31.439 --> 00:46:38.419 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, since God has shown you all of this, there is none so discerning and wise as you are. 00:46:38.819 --> 00:46:43.599 You shall be over my house and all my people shall order themselves as you command. 00:46:44.099 --> 00:46:46.739 Only in regards to the throne will I be greater than you. 00:46:46.739 --> 00:46:51.399 And Pharaoh said to Joseph, see, I've set you over the whole land of Egypt. 00:46:52.179 --> 00:47:00.859 Then Pharaoh took a signet ring and put it on his hand and he clothed them in fine garments so everybody would know his role, his authority. 00:47:01.179 --> 00:47:10.199 Put a gold chain about his neck that acknowledged to everybody that he had the position, the high position in the kingdom. 00:47:10.479 --> 00:47:13.039 And he made him ride on the second chariot. 00:47:13.119 --> 00:47:13.979 Everybody knew that chariot. 00:47:14.019 --> 00:47:14.739 They'd seen it before. 00:47:14.739 --> 00:47:17.779 And they called out before him, bowed the knee. 00:47:18.239 --> 00:47:25.679 Thus he set him, God set him, Pharaoh set him, but God set him over the whole land of Egypt. 00:47:26.879 --> 00:47:31.419 Is there a storyline where you could ever fathom that that would take place? 00:47:32.559 --> 00:47:36.000 Why would God do such a radical thing? 00:47:36.000 --> 00:47:46.920 The words of Joseph. 00:47:50.059 --> 00:47:57.400 As for you, he's speaking to his brothers, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good. 00:47:57.480 --> 00:47:57.780 Why? 00:47:58.300 --> 00:48:03.579 To bring it about that many people should be kept alive as they are today. 00:48:03.579 --> 00:48:03.659 Why? 00:48:06.000 --> 00:48:10.239 Why would God choose to preserve his chosen people through this method? 00:48:10.239 --> 00:48:18.159 Why would God ordain a famine that would cause these things to come to pass? 00:48:19.399 --> 00:48:21.179 Why would God put him in prison? 00:48:23.799 --> 00:48:24.939 Let me just say this. 00:48:25.699 --> 00:48:32.339 If you hadn't seen already, God is in absolute control of every circumstance in your life, bar none. 00:48:32.340 --> 00:48:40.039 And yet sometimes we live as if we're in control, or at least we try to be. 00:48:41.579 --> 00:48:43.680 So what should this do for us? 00:48:43.780 --> 00:48:45.440 How should we therefore live? 00:48:45.440 --> 00:48:56.599 For those of us who are called by his name, for those of us who've been born again, for those of us in whom the Holy Spirit dwells, 00:48:56.599 --> 00:49:01.960 will we take steps forward to say, God, I trust you. 00:49:02.400 --> 00:49:04.579 Forgive me for my lack of faith. 00:49:04.679 --> 00:49:06.440 Forgive me for my lack of trust. 00:49:06.699 --> 00:49:13.559 I see, God, in the pages of your word, you're able to do things far more abundant than I could ever even imagine. 00:49:13.559 --> 00:49:15.900 God, help me to believe. 00:49:16.320 --> 00:49:17.360 Help me to have faith. 00:49:17.719 --> 00:49:18.779 Help me to trust you. 00:49:19.199 --> 00:49:22.880 Help me to have a divine perspective that I don't get sour in life. 00:49:22.920 --> 00:49:25.699 And I say every day, God, I worship you. 00:49:26.119 --> 00:49:28.239 I rejoice in where you've got me now. 00:49:30.159 --> 00:49:34.119 God, I need your strength to be faithful in my humanness. 00:49:34.219 --> 00:49:34.759 I'm weak. 00:49:35.340 --> 00:49:36.739 God, would you do a work in my life? 00:49:37.779 --> 00:49:39.559 God, would you give me your perspective? 00:49:39.559 --> 00:49:43.539 All right, let me close with this. 00:49:43.559 --> 00:49:44.420 I want to ask you this question. 00:49:45.619 --> 00:49:46.739 Do you see Jesus in this? 00:49:50.980 --> 00:49:53.519 So we know the plan of God is leading to what? 00:49:54.279 --> 00:49:55.239 The snake crusher. 00:49:55.659 --> 00:49:56.579 Who's the snake crusher? 00:49:57.380 --> 00:49:57.779 Jesus. 00:49:58.380 --> 00:49:59.920 What is Jesus accomplishing? 00:50:00.299 --> 00:50:00.739 Salvation. 00:50:02.900 --> 00:50:08.699 There's coming a day when he's going to have a kingdom and his chosen will be with him in that kingdom. 00:50:08.699 --> 00:50:12.039 But do you see Jesus in the pages of 40 and 41? 00:50:12.739 --> 00:50:14.539 Let me just share a perspective. 00:50:15.279 --> 00:50:18.939 And I want you just to hear the picture of Jesus is so beautiful here. 00:50:20.159 --> 00:50:24.239 Did you see an innocent man who came into our prison and shared our condition? 00:50:26.299 --> 00:50:31.919 At least if we want to see Jesus in this picture of him in prison, here's what we see. 00:50:32.159 --> 00:50:36.919 An innocent man, Joseph, who ended up in prison and he shared the condition. 00:50:36.919 --> 00:50:38.219 You know Jesus did the same thing? 00:50:39.460 --> 00:50:46.859 God himself came into our condition and shared this condition with us and lived in this prison. 00:50:47.079 --> 00:50:49.419 If you want to call it that, we're slaves to sin, right? 00:50:49.480 --> 00:50:52.139 He lived in this condition that we're in. 00:50:52.839 --> 00:50:56.439 You see an innocent prisoner revealing God's message. 00:50:56.859 --> 00:50:58.179 You know Christ did the same thing? 00:50:59.359 --> 00:51:02.159 The one who was arrested and hung on a cross. 00:51:02.239 --> 00:51:03.119 What did he do while he was here? 00:51:03.159 --> 00:51:04.559 He revealed the message of God. 00:51:04.559 --> 00:51:07.579 An innocent prisoner proven true in three days. 00:51:07.659 --> 00:51:10.639 Do you think Christ was proven true in three days? 00:51:11.400 --> 00:51:13.019 He was resurrected on the third day. 00:51:13.119 --> 00:51:18.340 God says, I accept your sacrifice for my people. 00:51:18.340 --> 00:51:21.260 Look at this about Joseph. 00:51:21.640 --> 00:51:24.440 Just the things that Joseph endured in his life. 00:51:24.519 --> 00:51:26.500 And look how this looks a lot like Jesus. 00:51:26.500 --> 00:51:27.900 I was pointing to Jesus. 00:51:28.420 --> 00:51:29.660 He was hated by his brothers. 00:51:29.780 --> 00:51:30.220 Was Jesus? 00:51:30.219 --> 00:51:30.659 Yes. 00:51:32.079 --> 00:51:32.439 Yes. 00:51:32.879 --> 00:51:33.379 They ran. 00:51:33.939 --> 00:51:35.619 He was sold by his brothers. 00:51:37.119 --> 00:51:37.659 Was Jesus? 00:51:38.819 --> 00:51:40.339 Yeah, for 30 pieces of silver, right? 00:51:41.879 --> 00:51:43.579 He was falsely accused. 00:51:43.939 --> 00:51:44.500 Was Jesus? 00:51:44.500 --> 00:51:44.900 Yeah. 00:51:46.940 --> 00:51:50.099 They mocked trial to put him, to try to arrest him. 00:51:50.340 --> 00:51:52.480 They couldn't find anything wrong, but they still got a way to do it. 00:51:52.659 --> 00:51:53.719 He was put in a dungeon. 00:51:53.860 --> 00:51:54.280 Was Jesus? 00:51:54.900 --> 00:51:55.619 He was in the tomb. 00:51:57.059 --> 00:51:59.780 He was taken out and highly exalted Joseph was. 00:51:59.820 --> 00:52:00.420 How about Jesus? 00:52:01.480 --> 00:52:03.300 On the third day, he was taken out. 00:52:03.380 --> 00:52:04.360 How high was he exalted? 00:52:04.480 --> 00:52:05.340 The right hand of God. 00:52:06.739 --> 00:52:11.559 And we see that after he was exalted, he was a dispenser of bread to preserve life. 00:52:12.639 --> 00:52:13.980 You see Jesus doing the same thing? 00:52:15.159 --> 00:52:19.380 Isn't it beautiful that the word is our bread? 00:52:19.679 --> 00:52:24.280 It is our very life, and it's dispensed by Christ, that he gave us his word. 00:52:24.420 --> 00:52:26.980 He gave us the truth that we might be preserved. 00:52:27.119 --> 00:52:28.840 God, I thank you for your word. 00:52:30.659 --> 00:52:35.099 Lord, I thank you that we get a picture this morning that you're absolutely in control of 00:52:35.099 --> 00:52:36.320 all things in our life. 00:52:36.380 --> 00:52:39.119 God, there's not one thing that you're not in control of, God. 00:52:39.760 --> 00:52:42.559 You put favor in the heart of people for us. 00:52:42.559 --> 00:52:54.759 God, you give us a divine perspective if we will simply listen and receive. 00:52:54.760 --> 00:52:55.760 God, you give us insight. 00:52:55.760 --> 00:52:57.760 God, you give us a plan for us. 00:52:57.760 --> 00:52:58.920 God, you've got a plan for us. 00:52:59.360 --> 00:53:02.340 And that, Father, you're sovereignly in control of all things. 00:53:02.440 --> 00:53:08.240 Help us to understand that, Father, we're in your hand and no man can pluck us out. 00:53:08.239 --> 00:53:13.799 God, you give us encounters in our life that we don't even probably recognize. 00:53:15.099 --> 00:53:18.859 God, would you help us to be tools in your hand that you would use us in those divine 00:53:18.859 --> 00:53:21.419 encounters to speak truth in the lives of people. 00:53:22.459 --> 00:53:27.619 God, you give us insight at times into your word and in conversations how you cause your 00:53:27.619 --> 00:53:28.859 word to come up in our heart. 00:53:28.860 --> 00:53:33.300 And, Father, I pray that you would cause your word to come up and spill out of our mouth 00:53:33.300 --> 00:53:35.460 that others might receive the blessing of your word. 00:53:36.180 --> 00:53:38.780 And, God, we believe that you're in control of all things. 00:53:38.900 --> 00:53:44.800 And the hope we have of heaven is so sure that, Father, would it change our lives? 00:53:44.900 --> 00:53:48.579 Would it change the way we live that we know that we have this time coming? 00:53:48.960 --> 00:53:50.220 We will be with you in your kingdom. 00:53:50.340 --> 00:53:51.620 We'll see you face to face. 00:53:51.680 --> 00:53:55.300 And we will rejoice with the angels and sing in worship to you, God. 00:53:55.300 --> 00:54:01.840 And we will receive ongoing, moment by moment, grace in abundant supply. 00:54:02.160 --> 00:54:05.620 And you will glorify us that we would be like your son, Jesus. 00:54:05.700 --> 00:54:06.960 We praise you in Christ's name. 00:54:07.240 --> 00:54:07.519 Amen.