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All right, Genesis 45 verse 5. Miles reads, Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves that you sold me hither, for God did send me before you to preserve life. These are the words of Joseph here and you notice that he's telling his brothers in this verse that it's God that sent him to Egypt. You know this whole time we thought it was his brothers that sold him into Egypt, right? I mean of course his brothers did but what you see here with Joseph is that he's able to acknowledge God. He's able to say actually it was God's purpose overall. You know he was the one that allowed me to come here. He's the one that had a purpose for me in Egypt and so he's able to acknowledge God and that's a title for the sermon this morning Acknowledge God. Genesis 45 Acknowledge God. We'll see many times Joseph acknowledging God throughout this chapter. Let's start off with verse number 1. Genesis 45 verse 1. Then Joseph could not refrain himself now let's uh before we actually keep reading remember his brothers had returned. His brothers had returned back to Egypt and they brought Benjamin with him, right? They brought Benjamin back and so we pick up the story here and Joseph could not refrain himself before all them that stood by him and he cried. This is when he cries this is something he says out loud. He says cause every man to go out from me and there stood no man with him while Joseph made himself known unto his brethren. So Joseph commands the steward of his house. He commands the servants of his house whoever it is that's in the house besides his brother to leave. He tells them to go and then he wants his purposes to make known himself to his brothers. Now he's going to finally reveal that the second in command of Egypt is their brother is Joseph himself. So he sends out the servants. Verse number 2. And he wept aloud and the Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh heard. So even though he tries to send these people out he weeps so loud they still hear what's going on. They still hear it, right? And he's weeping cause he's finally his burden his pressures coming off him is going to reveal the truth and it says here and the house of Pharaoh heard. So the news travels they hear of Joseph weeping they hear what Joseph is about to reveal and this news gets sent to Pharaoh. So even the house of Pharaoh hears what's going on. Verse number 3. And Joseph said unto his brethren I am Joseph, doth my father yet live? And his brethren could not answer him for they were troubled at his presence. So I think obviously it says here that the brothers are troubled to see this revelation of Joseph. They're troubled obviously they're shocked by this revelation. They're shocked. You know they're not expecting this to be Joseph that Joseph would rise to such power so such prominence in the land of Egypt and of course we know that happened because of the Lord and perhaps they're a little bit troubled for their own welfare as well. You know they have done evil toward Joseph they could be wondering hey what's going to happen to us? What's it going to do to us? This is a man of power man of authority and so they're troubled and the other thing you'll notice by this troubled it didn't fully process in their mind that this is Joseph their brother right now. All right he says look I am Joseph right doth my father yet live? Look at verse number 4. And Joseph said unto his brethren come near to me I pray you and they came near and he said I am Joseph your brother right? I'm not some other Joseph just in case they didn't process in their mind. He goes I'm Joseph your brother whom you sold into Egypt not just your brother the one that you sold that's me is what he's saying right? He's realizing these guys just aren't processing the information and so he gives them that further revelation I'm your brother not just some other Joseph I'm the one that you sold into Egypt. Verse number 5 now therefore be not grieved nor angry with yourselves that you sold me hither for God did send me before you to preserve life. Wow you know we see the the forgiving heart of Joseph there right? He says look don't be upset don't be angry don't grieve you know don't go back to the remembrance that you've sold me into Egypt you already saw in the previous chapters they had remorse they already saw in the previous chapters that they were they felt guilty about what they had done and they felt that the evil that was being done upon them was a result of the wickedness that they did to their brother Joseph and Joseph said look I don't want you to go back and remember those things anymore don't let it grieve you God had a purpose for me what an amazing thing right? What an amazing thing to be sold by your family to be betrayed by your brothers to be taken away from your father's house and is able to turn around and just forgive his brethren you know forgive his brethren and my immediate thought when I think about this forgiveness in Joseph's part is the forgiveness of Christ when he was being crucified on the cross in Luke 23 you don't need to turn there Luke 23 33 it says and when they were come to the place which is called Calvary there they crucified him and the malefactors one on the right hand and the other on the left then said Jesus father forgive them for they know not what they do and they parted his garments and cast lots you see Joseph was able to see the evil that was being done upon him and he was able to just forgive those that did it right he was able to acknowledge this was God's plan all along and we see that with Christ when Christ is being crucified yes he was by the wicked hand of the Jews yes he was by the ignorance of the Romans you know denying him a fair trial yes they intended wickedness on Christ but Christ was able to forgive those that were doing it brethren they'd forgive them because it was God's purpose all along it was God's purpose that Christ would die on the cross hey it was God's purpose that Joseph would go into Egypt what was the purpose at the end of verse number five God did send me before you to preserve life he says look you sowed me here you meant harm but God meant it for good God meant it for good and again the you know Romans 8 28 which I spoke about last chapter and we know that all things work together for good to them that love God to them which are called according to his purpose Joseph could see the good Joseph could see the hand of God but brethren sometimes it takes time it takes time to see the hand of God you could be going through those hardships but brethren just stay true to the Lord just remind yourself whatever difficulty you're going through God is allowing you to go through that trial God is allowing you to go through that for good purposes for your profit okay remind yourself these things and it might take several years later you know for Joseph this is like 20 years later almost right that he's come to realize God meant this for good God and he's able to receive he's able to receive it and forgive others you know one reason that we struggle to forgive other people is we don't focus on the good that's come out of the hardship we went through we don't focus on what they you know we focus on what they've done against us rather than thinking about what did God mean for me to go through this situation for me to go through this trouble and you know we see this great similarity there between Joseph and Jesus Christ look at verse number six for these two years have the famine been in the land and yet there are five years in the which there shall neither be erring nor harvest erring is basically just like plowing the ground sowing seeds he goes look there's another five years to go you know that this is that this is the second year of the time of famine we know the first year they had to go and get food then they run out of food they had to go again I guess the second year they've gone out again just saying look it's just going to keep happening for another five years all right verse number seven and God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance what is that when he says that before you to preserve you a posterity what is that what's a posterity that's basically your descendants you know your children future generations Joseph says the reason I've been sent here to Egypt is to preserve future generations okay now this is important because what is the great promise that we see in the book of Genesis what is the great promise that God gives to Eve remember that she would have a seed that would bruise the head of the serpent what about the promise that God gave to Abraham that he would be a father of you know that he would be a father of many nations right that all nations will be blessed because of him and his seed hey that same promise was passed down to his son Isaac and then it was passed down to to Jacob who became Israel all right and so what we see even through the life of Joseph is that God is still faithful to his promise you know that through these descendants these physical descendants we will receive that seed that seed will be born that seed of course being Jesus Christ who would save not just a physical seed here but of course Christ being the seed would save a spiritual seed right all of us can see salvation even to the point here of God sending Joseph to preserve these future generations to preserve this seed listen if God did not allow Joseph to go to Egypt this life this generation would have died out and God would not fulfill that promise of Jesus Christ and so we know that God has a plan a big plan you know a big plan to bring Christ and brethren God has a plan for you God has a plan God has a vision for your life that you would serve him all the days of your life and when you're going through those difficulties just remind yourself God has a plan for me God has a will for me to serve him and just keep serving the Lord no matter what difficulties come you know just make sure you acknowledge God that's what Joseph is able to do acknowledge God verse number eight so now it was not you that sent me hither it wasn't you but God and he have made me a father to Pharaoh it's like father I guess you know a position of high authority or maybe a father you know because he was also a counselor as it were to Pharaoh maybe that's what it's referring to authority or a council and lord over all his house and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt so again time will bring you to understand the past you know why did I suffer in the past why am I suffering today it's going to take time it took Joseph to the point where he had to be second in command over all the house of Pharaoh over the house of Israel to sorry of Egypt to finally realize God's come through God had a plan just keep that at the forefront of your mind acknowledge God acknowledge God whatever difficulties you're going through even if you're going through no difficulties and if you're having a great life if you're not going through problems guess what acknowledge God you know just give God the honor just tell yourself that it's God that's allowed me here's the one that's given me life here's the one that's given me purpose here's the one that's given me new life Baptist Church here's the one that's given me my husband or my wife or my children here's the one that's given me what I have acknowledge God you know and you know beautiful characteristic we see here in Joseph verse number nine haste you and go up to my father and say unto him thus saith thy son Joseph God have made me Lord of all Egypt come down unto me tarry not what's flowing out of the mouth of Joseph reverend God God God right he acknowledges God verse number five he said God did send me verse number seven he says and God sent me verse number eight and now it was not you that sent me hither but God and verse number nine God have made me Lord of all Egypt is Joseph boasting of himself is he full of pride you know what he's a great accomplishment his great position is it from his efforts he says no it's all of God it's all of God I can only thank God and if you can please turn to please turn to Deuteronomy chapter 32 please Deuteronomy chapter 32 please turn there while you keep your finger in Genesis 45 and I'll just read a few verses to you in a very famous one Proverbs 3 5 trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not unto thine own understanding in all thy ways acknowledge him and he shall direct thy paths does God want you to acknowledge him? he does and if you get into the practice of acknowledging God no matter what you're going through he shall direct thy paths right trust in the Lord with all thine heart but it's easier said than done okay because I know you know we have flesh and blood I know we have doubts I know we struggle when we go through hardships and we don't think that God is looking after us but God is seeing us through God is allowing us to go through whatever hardship whatever trials so he can profit us he can direct our paths the the thing you need to develop in your lives brethren is just acknowledge God just just give him acknowledgement whatever situation you find yourself in you know just find yourself able to do that acknowledge him from your mouth 1 Corinthians 14 37 says if any man think himself to be a prophet or spiritual let him acknowledge that the things that are right unto you are the commandments of the Lord hey not only are you to acknowledge God but you're to acknowledge this book you're to acknowledge the words of God that these are the words of God these are the commandments of the Lord not just the writings of men you know God wants you to acknowledge this book this is not some other book on your shelf okay this is not a work of fiction you know this is this is a work of truth this is what God has revealed unto us this book is a miracle there's no way you can get 40 different authors writing about religion writing about faith writing about eternity writing about salvation about sin and yet be as consistent as this word is this is an impossible work of God we are to acknowledge the Bible as well now when you can appreciate your Bible you can't help but pick it up you can't help but read those verses when you set aside the Bible when you stop reading your Bible you've stopped acknowledging the commandments of God in your life God wants you to acknowledge him God wants you to acknowledge his commandments found in the word of God and one more verse before we go to do it on me Luke 12 8 these are the words of Jesus also I say unto you whosoever shall call upon you whosoever shall confess me before men him shall the son of man also confess before the angels of God and if you acknowledge God in public you acknowledge God to other people that's preaching the gospel amen but just thanking God in public he's going to acknowledge you he's going to confess you before the angels of God what a privilege you know for God to name you know brother Tim you know he says you know father this is Tim who acknowledged me you know every time he got an opportunity to preach the gospel he acknowledged my name you know every hardship every trial he went through he acknowledged God he acknowledged me as his savior as his help in a hard time now what an honor to be presented before God the father and his angels by name by Jesus Christ and all you need to do is acknowledge him that's all you need to do acknowledge him in this life now look at Deuteronomy chapter 32 please we're just going to read a portion of the song of Moses and this is a song that Moses sings shortly before he dies and I want you to see Moses because Moses was a very successful man as well wasn't he he was a man of authority he was a man who you know God used to defeat Egypt so the the Israelites would leave that land but what does Moses do verse number one he says give ear O ye heavens and I will speak and hear O earth the words of my mouth what's going to come out of his mouth man I had such great victory I was such a great leader is that what's going to come out of his mouth he says my doctrine shall drop as the rain my speech shall distill as the dew as the small rain upon the tender herb and as the showers upon the grass because I will publish the name of the Lord ascribe ye greatness unto our God hey who does Moses acknowledge God right he publishes he proclaims the name of the Lord the great victory that Israel has had at the hand of Egypt Moses does not proclaim his own name he proclaims the name of the Lord he acknowledges God for the greatness that he's done verse number four he is the rock his work is perfect hey not the work of Moses the work of Moses is not perfect you'll never be perfect brethren you'll never be a hundred percent righteous you're going to keep mistake making mistakes for the rest of your life so don't don't rejoice in your your work right he says his work the work of God here's my rock his work is perfect and uh for all his ways of judgment a God of truth and without iniquity just and right is he a God without iniquity you've got iniquity God is just you're not always just and right is he you're not always right but God is always right God is always just God is always about iniquity God is always truth what a great proclamation from the mouth of Moses and so we need to acknowledge good uh God and listen brethren again when you're going through those trials when you're going through those problems just say to yourself he is just what did Moses say and right is he it is right for God to allow me to go through this trial it is just I'm going to trust that God knows what he's doing he's allowing me to go through this it is right for me to go through this can you say that brethren that's what you need to get to in life and you get through your trials your difficulties your tribulations your hardships whatever you struggle with your pain it is right for God to allow me to go through this that's hard for me to say I know it's hard for you to say but this is where we need to be this is where we need to grow in maturity in our spiritual life grow and acknowledge God magnify the name of the Lord please go to Psalm 34 Psalm 34 verse 1 a psalm of David David another great man another great leader another great man that God used to accomplish great things what does it say in verse number 1 Psalm 34 verse 1 I will bless the Lord at all times all times his praise shall continually be in my mouth is that us brethren do we bless the Lord at all times is his praise continually in your mouth now brethren you know sometimes we have a bit of a chuckle right we brother you know brother I brought up my brother Michael many times right but he how many times does he acknowledge the Lord then look I'm sure he doesn't want me to acknowledge him for this right but it's true right no matter how hot he gets in this building he's thanking God that it's not as hot as hell but praise God right no matter how unreceptive the sunshine coast can be he's thanking God that it's not as unreceptive as the Czech Republic thank Jesus right what a blessing hey that's praising God continually with your mouth that's what David was doing he was blessing the Lord right continually praising him are you going to be continually in good spirits no there's going to be times when you're in bad spirits there's going to be times when you're not doing well in life but does that mean you stop praising God hey this is why you come to church hey there might come a time in your life and you say well I'm just you know I don't like the situation I'm in I'm not happy with my life I'm not happy with what the Lord's allowed in my life and that might stop you to come to church but that's wrong listen when you're going through difficulties where you need to be is church what you need to be doing is praising God and singing the hymns singing the songs of praise unto the Lord praising him continually you know with your mouth verse number two Psalm 34 verse two my soul shall make her boast in the Lord now we know we shouldn't boast all right because we're nothing but he does boast he boasts in the Lord the humble shall he thereof and be glad oh magnify the Lord with me and let us exalt his name together okay this is why church is important so we can magnify the Lord together exalt his name together and brethren this church has to be a church that boasts of the Lord that magnifies the name of the Lord not the name of Pastor Kevin Sepulveda not the name of some other preacher the reason this church exists brethren is because of God all right why is this church on the Sunshine Coast? oh because Pastor Kevin worked hard to move up here and prepared himself to start a church no because of God okay God is the one that's allowed this church to exist and he's allowed me to be a vehicle to help this church exist he's allowed you to be a vehicle to help this church exist because we're all part of the same one body it is because of the Lord that we can exalt his name together in this church not only brother Michael that obviously often praising the Lord out of his mouth but let me just tell you about Pastor Patrick Boyle at the conference and just a quick story at the conference at Paperwood Baptist Church Pastor Boyle and I we were going to team up to go soul I was actually looking forward to going soul when we passed the boil all right and it was the day of the Indian reservation so we needed it was like an hour's drive so we were under the impression that we're going to get picked up or we're going to be taking lifts with another brother okay and this other brother was often on the phone because he was kind of at the conference but he was working at the same time so every now and again he had to step out and he was on a call and sometimes he'd be on a call for like half an hour or more okay anyway both he and I Pastor Boyle and I were under the impression that this brother was going to give us a lift and we were both excited I had the tracks we knew where we were going to go right we had a map we were going to knock doors and then our brother that was meant to give us a lift disappeared and we couldn't find him and I just said oh and we both kind of knew this we both said oh yeah he's probably taking a call like for work right so we're just hanging around we're just waiting for him to come back to you know let us know he's ready to go and then it's like 10 minutes later he's not showing up 20 minutes later he's not showing up I'm like I better go check if he's still out there you know has he forgotten to keep right and I go I can't find him about half an hour into this we're like he's gone he's like and we found it later he left he forgot to get oh I don't know if he forgot or there was a miscommunication and I was kind of like bummed out a bit I was like man I really want to go to the Indian reservation I really wanted to go soul winning with Pastor Boyle and the words that came out of his mouth surprised me because look this is something that we know God wants us to do we know he wants us to go soul winning I was pumped up for it right to do a work for God but then we couldn't do it it was too late it was an hour away by the time we'll come back we're gonna you know mess up the the conference schedule things like that but what he said to me was well God just wanted to give us a rest it wasn't God's plan for us to go soul winning today amen right I was bummed out it's like oh man he's like no God wanted us to have a rest God wanted us just you know take time out you know that's right that's acknowledging God that's turning what I thought was a negative into a positive right that's me from being stopping from being frustrated to saying well no let's acknowledge God and I'm thankful went to the hotel got freshed up got a shower ironed my clothes for the next service hey it was time that I needed we needed a bit of a break and God gave us that break you know God can step in and even the things that you know you intend for good God may stop you from being able to do that instead of getting frustrated just acknowledge God hey God's made me to stop you know and I just think that's a great characteristic to have something that I need to work toward right and you know it's not a shame to say even as a pastor where I see qualities of good godly man that I need to work toward and maybe I have certain qualities that you say well I need to work toward that well I look at you guys and I see you guys as a good example many times and I need to work toward that you know and so we all have a place that we all need to work toward something brethren we all need to keep growing in the Lord we need to keep maturing in the Lord none of us can truly say we made it because we'll never make it until we have those new resurrected bodies right another passage if you can turn please to is go to John chapter 3 go to John chapter 3 and while you're turning to John chapter 3 I'm going to read to you from Job chapter 2 you go to John 3 and I'll read to you from Job 2 because we all know the story of Job we all know this is a man who suffered great loss he lost his 10 kids I mean I got 10 kids if I lost my 10 kids I don't know what would happen like at once freak accident right or not even an accident it was intentional right I mean if you lost your whole family how would you feel? you know he lost amazing things uh Job and I'm just going to read to you from Job 2 verse 7 it says so when Satan so sorry so went Satan forth from the presence of the Lord and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown so not only does he lose his family he loses his great possessions his his herbs and his uh certain buildings and things and now he has this great sickness this these boils on his flesh from the sole of his foot to his crown he's full of these boils verse number eight and he took him a potshed to scrape himself with all and he sat down among the ashes I mean he's just scraping these boils right I mean it's itchy and he's probably bleeding all this pus coming off his body right I mean he just looks disgusting verse number nine but then said his wife unto him dost thou still retain thine integrity curse God and die and what a harsh what harsh words this is what he says in verse number 10 and he said unto her thou speakest as one of the foolish women's women speaketh what shall we shall we receive good at the hand of God and shall we not receive evil in all this did not Job sin with his lips man Job is able to acknowledge God he says man God has given us so many good things for so long we receive that can't we receive a little bit of evil that God has allowed us to go through he's able to acknowledge God and say well God's allowed me to go through this evil God's allowing us to go through this hardship don't be like a silly woman you know what I'm saying get back on the program get back and serve God get back and acknowledge could you say that if you lost your 10 kids Job was able to do that what a man of integrity what a man who's faithful and yet he's able to acknowledge so many good examples in the bible of men who suffered more than we'll probably ever suffer more than we'll probably have suffered and they will ever stop and just acknowledge God be thankful to God for the good and he's thankful to God for the evil amazing amazing look at John chapter 3 verse 26 you know even in your personal ambitions your personal goals in life there will come a time in your life brethren as you mature and you grow in the Lord where those things that you once craved the goals that you had once set before you you know your personal desires they're going to diminish and it and it helps diminish those it'll help you diminish those things by acknowledging God and we see here with John the Baptist in John chapter 3 verse 26 John chapter 3 verse 26 and they came unto John and said unto him Rabbi he that was with thee beyond Jordan to whom thou bearest witness behold the same baptizer and all men come to him so what's it who who did John bear witness of that's Jesus Christ you know these these are these people are coming up to John saying look everybody that was following you is now following Christ okay he's saying look your ministry was huge you had thousands coming to you but now they've all flocked to someone else you know your ministry is on a downhill spiral is what they're thinking right how does John respond verse number 27 John answered and said a man can receive nothing except to be given him from heaven so look he acknowledges his ministry the success came from God hey the fact that now these people have come to Christ he's saying look this is all coming from heaven verse 28 ye yourselves bear me witness that I said I am not the Christ but that I am sent before him he that half the bride is the bridegroom but the friend of the bridegroom which standeth and heareth him rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice this my joy therefore is fulfilled he must increase increase but I must decrease this is what you need to set for your life reverend he must increase Christ must increase but I must decrease listen when you're a carnal Christian all right you've got things planned for your life you've got things you're aiming for you things you want to achieve you're going to find as you mature in the Lord those things are just going to seem like nonsense after a while you're just going to be you know as you acknowledge God you're going to be able to see the greater truth you're going to be able to acknowledge eternity rather than the temporary things in this life the more you acknowledge God the more you want him to increase and as he increases in your life as his will becomes your will you're going to be able to be like John the Baptist what do you say he says I rejoice greatly because of the bridegroom's voice you know what's going to give you the most joy in your life is not when you accomplish your goals you know you're going to have great joy in your life when you accomplish the goals that God has for you the goals of Christ when you can set Christ you know as the priority in your life and you know since becoming a pastor of a church this has become easier for me you know I set the Lord because I have to like there are things you know I've got to prepare sermons right I'm constantly thinking about this church I'm constantly thinking about blessed old Baptist church right I'm constantly thinking about the brethren constantly praying for their needs sort of because I'm kind of forced to do it more as a pastor and I remember you know just as a regular church-going person you know I had my ambitions and I had the things of God as well you know but you know as a window when I was just a babe in Christ you know I had my goals first and you know I'll see where God fits in but then slowly those priorities will change slowly the priorities of God will become my priorities and of course there is great joy when you can accomplish that but it takes you your acknowledgement to God and for John the Baptist he was able to acknowledge Christ and the great work that Christ was able to do let's go to back to let's go back to Genesis 45 please Genesis 45 verse 10 acknowledge God brethren all the days of your life acknowledge him continually with your mouth continually give him praises verse number 10 Genesis 45 verse 10 and thou shalt dwell in the land of Goshen so these are the words of Joseph to his brethren right and thou shalt be near me thou and thy children and thy children's children and thy flocks and thy herds and all that thou hast and there will I nourish thee for yet there are five years of famine lest thou and thy household and all that thou hast come to poverty and behold your eyes see and the eyes of my brother Benjamin that it is my mouth that speaketh unto you and you shall tell my father of all my glory in Egypt and of all that you have seen and you have haste so and you shall haste and bring down my father hither now brethren I want you to think about this story here you know it's a land of it's a time of famine right they're struggling with getting the food they need it's only two years in the seven year period that they've gone through Joseph says look come to the land come to Egypt and you can live or you can dwell in the land of Goshen right he says look it's a place that's fruitful it's a place that's productive you can come with your children you can come with all your herds all the animals you have and he says look that he will provide the needs he's going to be able to give them food continually for them okay during this time of famine and if you can go to Psalm 37 now Psalm 37 again keep your finger there in Genesis 45 but Psalm 37 and parents I guess I want you to focus in on this passage here in Psalm 37 verse 23 obviously Jacob was concerned for his family for his household his children he was concerned for his children's children he was concerned for his cattle you know were they going to starve to death were they going to die but look at verse number 23 Psalm 37 23 the Bible says the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord and he delighteth in his way you know if you want your steps to be ordered by the Lord you've got to be a good man you've got to be a good woman you've got to be a good child serving the Lord look at verse number 24 though he fall and we will fall okay we're not perfect he shall not be utterly cast down for the Lord uphold of him with his hand now were the children of Israel was Jacob falling as it were yeah to some extent right they were they were without food right but were they actually cast down were they going to die from hunger no the Lord will uphold him look at verse 25 I have been young and now am old yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken nor his seed begging bread he is ever merciful and lender and his seed is blessed brethren a great promise of God if we're saved if we seek to live righteously for God it says that your seed will not be begging for bread that you will not be forsaken and brethren I know as parents one of our greatest concerns one of the greatest things that's on your mind is can I provide for the family are we going to have enough is this job going to provide our needs are my children going to suffer are my children going to go hungry we have a promise here of God that your children will never go hungry you know if you're saved you're serving the Lord righteously he's going to provide bread for your seed you're never going to have to beg for bread you're never going to have that hunger you know and be concerned for your children you know I'm also teaching through the end times and the end times is going to be tribulation there's going to be a shortage of food right but what's the promise here your seed will never beg for bread God's going to provide our needs all we need to do is live righteously for God and look did it seem difficult for Jacob absolutely they didn't have food on their land in the land of Canaan they had to go to Egypt but God had set things in motion that they would not starve all right God had set things in motion that they would have the food that they would be taken care of look at verse number 26 in Psalm 37 it says here speaking of the righteous speaking of the saint he is ever merciful and lendeth and his seed is blessed man if there's a shortage of food don't I mean your natural thought would be I need to keep this for myself what does the righteous do he is ever merciful and lender he gives of himself and this is why we don't need to be afraid to lend we don't have to be afraid to give to others because God's going to make sure that our seed is blessed he's going to make sure that we're provided for you say well then I can just quit job I can just quit my job and God's going to provide for me that's not being righteous you quit your job and think oh well God's going to take care of it that's not being righteous God wants you to go to work that's part of his commandments to you to provide for those that are under you okay to be a hard worker to provide for your family if you do what God's asked you to do you get a job you work hard he's going to make sure he provides your needs you're going to make sure he provides for your family for your children and for your children's children right he's going to do that for you but you need to do the righteous thing you need to go out there get a job provide for yourself go back to Genesis 45 verse 14 Genesis 45 verse 14 and he fell upon his brother Benjamin's neck and wept and Benjamin wept upon his neck moreover he kissed all his brethren and wept upon them and after that his brethren talked with him and the fame thereof was heard in Pharaoh's house saying Joseph's brethren are come and it pleased Pharaoh well and his servants and Pharaoh said unto Joseph say unto thy brethren this do ye laid your beasts and go get you unto the land of Canaan and take your father and your households and come unto me and I will give you the good of the land of Egypt and ye shall eat of the fat of the land now thou art commanded this do ye take you wagons out of the land of Egypt for your little ones and for your wives and bring your father and come also regard not your stuff for the good of all the land of Egypt is yours so Pharaoh he's so happy with Joseph right he says look just bring your family look just take these wagons right verse number 19 out of the land of Egypt for your little ones if you don't have the necessary resources you don't have the modes of transport take the wagons take the take the cars right take the van take whatever you need right so so the little ones the children so the women don't have to uh you know labor hard in their journey to Egypt let them ride in comfort is what he's saying right and so he's very generous to to Joseph and his family oh I like this Pharaoh all right I like this Pharaoh he's good to to God's people here and it's interesting what he says in verse number 20 also he says also regard not your stuff he says look if you can't take all your things all your stuff don't worry about it don't don't regard it just just let it go if you can't take everything with you he says for the good of all the land of Egypt is yours it's going to be better for you over here whatever whatever you you can't take with you you're going to have more of it in the land of Egypt okay and uh I'll just read a portion of scripture to you here in 2 Corinthians 4 17 it reminds me of this it says for our light affliction which is but for a moment work it for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory Brethren you know what the bible says here your hardship your affliction is a light affliction no no it's very heavy no it's light in comparison to the glory the eternal weight of glory in heaven that's awaiting you all right this is like what Pharaoh says regard not your stuff don't worry about your afflictions it's it's it's so small in comparison to the glory you're going to get in eternity now what a truth to live by it's hard it is hard and then it says in verse number 18 while we look not at the things which are seen but the things which are not seen for the thing for uh for the things which are seen a a temporal but the things which are not seen are eternal what does God want us to think about what what does God want us to see set our sights on the eternal the glories of heaven don't regard your stuff on this earth brethren you know don't be someone that's laying up your treasures on this earth you know do what God asked you to do yeah work hard the Lord will bless you on this earth God will give you many things as Australians you probably heard my sermon at Pay for Word we're rich we're like the richest people in this world all right per adults you know God's given us amazing riches on this earth already but God does not want us to regard our stuff here on this earth the temple things okay they're here to get us through life but they're here to help us serve God and be focused on eternity you know use your riches use your possessions to serve God not to serve yourself use to serve God have your sights set on eternal matters Genesis 45 verse 21 Genesis 45 verse 21 and the children of Israel did so and Joseph gave them wagons according to the commandment of Pharaoh and gave them provision for the way to all of them he gave each man changes of raiment but to Benjamin he gave 300 pieces of silver and five changes of raiments so Joseph is given his brothers all this stuff the wagons right the transportation he gives them a change of clothes he gives them especially Benjamin 500 pieces of silver all right he's given them money clothing and transportation all right and here's what you need to understand Brevin to get to heaven all right we live on this earth we're traveling through you know we're sojourners on this land our destination is the new heavens and the new earth you know the new Jerusalem God's going to give you every provision you need to get there in life okay now of course that first provision is Jesus Christ okay I am the way the truth and the life no man cometh unto the father but by me but then we're living on this earth as well okay we're going through the hardships of life we're going through the struggles of life we're going through the struggles of sin we're going through the struggles maybe financially maybe the struggles with relationships whatever it is maybe you're lacking faith in the Lord but God promises to give you everything you need to make that journey smooth to make it easy what did Jesus says this is my burden is light take my yoke upon you right he says and learn of me you know Jesus does not ask a lot from you he gives you the power of God this is why we have to walk in the spirit you know if we're not in the spirit if we're not relying upon the strength of God yes life is difficult but when you're in the spirit when you have the power of God at your disposal God makes it light God makes it easy in fact it's his power that's getting you through in life brethren you know if life is difficult for you today you're not using the spirit of God you're not using the power of God you know we need to tap into that power he gives us the change of raiment he gives us the finances he gives us the mode of transportation so we can be focused on the travel to heaven and look at verse number 23 and to his father he sent after this manner 10 asses laden with the good things of Egypt and 10 she-asses laden with corn and bread and meat for his father by the way so food as well he's given him and so he sent his brethren away so they're going back to the land of Canaan right and they departed and he said unto them see that you fall not out by the way he says don't give up you know make sure you go all the way and you come all the way back you know you accomplish the goal you accomplish the mission is what Joseph says don't be afraid just do what I've asked you've got everything at your disposal don't stop don't fall out of the way and brethren Galatians 6 9 says and let us not be weary in well-doing for in due season we shall reap if we faint not and if you want to reap the blessings of God don't faint keep going even when you're tempted to faint even when you're tempted to give up serving the Lord don't faint don't get weary in well-doing just complete the journey be faithful to the journey that God has asked us to do verse 25 and they went up out of Egypt and came into the land of Canaan unto Jacob their father and told him saying Joseph is yet alive and he is governor over all the land of Egypt and Jacob's heart fainted for he believed them not so they're telling their father brothers get back and tell look Joseph's alive he says here the father believed them not he doesn't believe why because he believed he died all right he believed as far as Jacob is concerned or Israel is concerned Joseph is dead he's mourned the death he's accepted the death of Joseph right and he's hearing about him being alive he says he believed them not all right now as we finish this chapter I want you to think about someone else that died and was alive he's yet alive right that's of course our Lord Jesus Christ okay brethren and I just want to finish up on solving in here because we're going right we're going to people we're telling them about the Savior who died Jesus Christ but what I need you to focus on when you give the gospel is not just focus on the death but also focus on his resurrection focus that Jesus Christ is alive now obviously when we give the gospel what is the gospel? It's a death it is a burial it is a resurrection it is a fact that Jesus Christ has been risen from the dead and the bible says and if Christ be not raised your faith is vain ye are yet in your sins it's important for you to acknowledge the resurrection of Christ that he is alive and if they're not convinced at his resurrection that he's alive then he's going to be like Jacob believe not they're not going to believe that you know the gospel message all right now sometimes you know obviously I'm giving the gospel to people maybe you've all experienced this those that go thoughts or soul when you and I say to them you know once we finish the gospel presentation I summarize it you know so would you admit you're a sinner? yes according to the bible where the sinners go without Christ or to hell all right but does God want us to go to hell? no and then I'll get to this question so what did God do so we didn't have to go to hell? oh he died on the cross or he sent Jesus something like that right he died on the cross for our sins and that's usually I mean I would say the vast majority of time that's without end he died on the cross for our sins and then I'm like and? how long was he dead for? oh yeah three days and then oh yeah he rose again from the dead amen that's the gospel now you're getting it right you've got to acknowledge the resurrection that's so important okay without the resurrection your faith is in vain now how do they convince him though when you look at Jacob he doesn't believe they told him no he's alive he doesn't believe what convinces him let's keep going verse number 27 and they told him all the words of Joseph which he said unto them and when he that's when Jacob saw the wagons which Joseph had sent to carry him the spirit of Jacob their father revived and Israel said it is enough Joseph my son is yet alive I will go and see him before I die so what convinced Israel that Joseph was alive it's basically the evidence of his that he's alive right all the things that Joseph had given them right all that evidence the wagons the food the money the clothing look Joseph is alive look what he's given us and he looks at the evidence yep it is enough he believes now that Jesus Christ is alive Brethren what is the evidence that we need to give of Jesus Christ did you witness the resurrection of Christ can you go and knock on someone's door and say listen I'm telling you I saw Christ resurrected 2000 years ago I mean you can't say that now that is one witness that Jesus Christ used that is one sure evidence that Christ used in the first century right these people that saw the resurrected Christ but for us brethren you know 2 Peter 1 19 we have also a more sure word of prophecy what's the sure word of prophecy this book once again this is the evidence of Christ's resurrection of his sacrifice of coming back to life Romans 10 17 so then faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God brethren as soul winners use this book as much as you can this is the evidence of Christ's resurrection this is what's going to cause people to believe that Christ not only died but that he rose again from the dead that he is alive brethren you know as you know if you're someone that's not used to soul winning maybe you're going out for the first time stop relying on you convincing people just from your own words go to the word of God use the word of God memorize the scriptures all right memorize the gospel presentation as far as the scriptures go that's what's going to cause people to believe okay and if you're finding that you're struggling to see people believe on Christ you probably need more scripture okay you probably need to rely less on what you you know can uh argue and more on the word of God this is the evidence of the resurrected Christ and so those are some of the parallels there that we see in Genesis 45 but what I want to end with just once again brethren acknowledge God and get into the habit every day of your life ask yourself a question tomorrow before you go to bed have I acknowledged God today? say man I'm not really then you need to work on it right and say well I didn't really do very well on Monday so Tuesday I'm going to acknowledge God Wednesday I'm going to acknowledge God it's not just church on Sundays it's not just church on Wednesday evenings you need to learn to acknowledge God all the days of your life let's pray