This is a chance to unbury themselves out of there and find
the seats. Good to have brother Eric Ramos
with us. He's an evangelist from Fair
Haven Baptist Church. And if you recognize that name,
there's a reason. It's because that's where I grew
up and Brian grew up there too, along with me, I guess.
But I know we grew up there together and, and I mean, he's,
I've known him since, since I was born basically.
And so, yeah, we, we go back a long way and he's been been at
it for a long time and just faithfully serving the Lord and
doesn't get this way too, too often.
But when he told me he was coming through SMA, I want to, I
want him to come and preach for us tonight.
So he does a lot of high school chapels and things like that,
different schools and, and goes around and preaches and
represents the college there as well.
And so we got to spend a little bit of time before the service,
but he's got to head out of here and go all the way to with field
tonight after we finish up for like a 9:00 Chapel in the
morning. So it could be a very short
message. We'll see.
But depends on how bad he wants to get out of here.
But it's good to have him. Brother Ramis, you can preach
for us. Ning, are you awake tonight now?
You think it's cold here? My wife texted me right before
the service said it's snowing back in Indiana.
So I'm glad I'm here and not there.
Praise the Lord for that. Take your Bibles if you wouldn't
turn to Psalm 27. Psalm 27.
Good to see the swongums really is a blessing.
This good to be seen Pastor and misses boots.
I was trying to think I was at the first service of Mount
Victory Baptist Church. My dad was with me and I think
one or two of my kids was with me.
So, and then we were here when you guys were gutting this
building, I was like making up for detention that I got away
with back in the day. And so it's like I stopped and
like, hey, here's a hammer. I was like, and So what a
blessing. And then we sat and shared some
things about what the Lord is doing here.
So I want to commend you. I want to encourage you to keep
it up. Keep it.
It's hard to believe in June I'll have been at Fair Haven for
50 years at our church, and it's all because somebody knocked on
a door and just listening to what you have going on
Saturdays, there's people door knocking and writing letters and
giving out Bibles. You'll never.
Know. What that'll do?
But it affected this family. My parents are both saved.
My dad is 80 years old now and he's faithful to church.
My mom worked in a Sunday school class for 40 some years.
She stepped aside as a teacher, but she's like, I can't leave
the class. So she's still helping in the
class and that's just a blessing.
My dad's cuts the grass at the church and I can go on and on
and on. And so it's been a blessing to
just see, I say these guys grow up.
The problem, the reason Sarah and Brian and Sarah have issues
because I was their junior high youth pastor and that's why I
have no hair. And but what a blessing to serve
the Lord and I'm just glad to be here tonight.
So if you don't like the sermon, I invited myself, so don't hold
it against pastor. I'm like, hey, I'm coming
through. Can I preach is like, well, let
me pray about it. And so, but I'm just glad to be
with you guys tonight and how many you have never heard me
preach before. You've been blessed.
You're going to be laughter tonight.
Like thank the Lord, go learn and preach.
I think that my role is when I come and preach in churches is
they're like, wow, we're thankful for our pastor so that
if there's anything that I can help a pastors, like let them
know they don't have to hear me all the time.
You'll be thankful for your pastor, but praise the Lord.
Well, let's have a word of prayer and hopefully we can be a
blessing to you this evening as we look at God's Word.
Lord, we love you and thank you for faithful people that gather
on a Wednesday night. I get around to a lot of places
and Wednesday nights a lot of times are empty.
You brought a good group of people here tonight and I'm
thankful for that. And I, I really don't want to
hinder their growth in any way. So I pray that even as your word
is open that it would be helpful.
I have some things I, I think can be of encouragement and even
a caution in the mixed midst of this message.
So I just pray that you'd help me say what I should not, say
what I shouldn't. And Lord, that we would just
leave here tonight, knowing that when your word was opened, it
was it was helpful. And we know it's profitable as
the writer of Hebrews says so. So use this.
I ask, ask these things in Christ's name, Amen.
You'll have to excuse me. I.
I like to preach to. Kids.
And so I won't wander around a little bit.
I was talking to brother Craig. I'm like, is it OK if I wander?
He's like, how far are you going?
To as I have no. Idea how far I'm going to go,
but maybe out the door. We'll see.
But Psalm 27, we'll get there kind of as a.
Springboard for where we're going to go tonight, and I'm
going to, I'm going to. Talk about the life.
Of Joseph and just listening to you all do trivia, I think
probably the majority of you know the story of Joseph is that
fair Can you say I kind of know what's going on in the life of
Joseph so I'm not going to belabor the entire.
Story, but there's going. To be some things that we'll.
Look at tonight I would say I got serious about.
Serving the Lord. When I was. 16 years old.
Up to that point I was pretty self.
Centered, I still have. That problem sometimes, but at
that point I really wasn't concerned about people.
I was concerned about myself. But then the Lord stepped in,
and that's a wonderful thing. When God steps in and he kind of
just started doing a work in my heart, in my life, I surrendered
to the Lord. I didn't know what that meant.
It almost sounded like a wussified term to surrender
because guys don't do that. But I've learned to understand
men of God understand humility and surrender, and God's
teaching me that. But but.
So about 16 years old. I jumped on a bus route.
I began to start seeing the needs.
So I've been at this almost 34 years.
Hard to believe, and I will say this probably the most
discouraging. Thing in the.
Ministry is when people quit. Let me.
I'm going to ramble a little bit about I'm going to be timely
because he said I have till about 7:15 and we're already
over that so but. You as a.
Church have no. Idea how you can?
Encourage preachers that come in I I know we as evangelists or
guest speakers will come in and we're supposed to bring
encouragement in our suitcases and revival in our backpacks,
but for me, as I've. Traveled. 1520 years I go into.
Churches, and it's a blessing. To still see the same people
just faithfully serving don't underestimate faithfulness, but
it but it does something to people when you quit because
it's. Pretty easy to sing.
I have decided to follow. Jesus, but to.
Live it is a different. Story.
And I don't think most people intend to quit.
May 25, 1999 I stood at an altar at Capital City Baptist Church,
Austin, TX and I made some promises to my wife and she made
some promises to me. And we didn't say all right to
having to hold for two years. No, we, we had the intent to
stay at it. And I think most people, even in
the Hollywood world, even on their fourth marriage, when they
get married again, they stop and think, all right, this time it's
going to work. So don't, don't under don't
misunderstand the fact good intentions are good.
But there's going to be things that creep up into our lives
that are going to try to get it to cause us to quit.
When college students quit, this is discouragement.
I work with bus kids. I love the bus ministry.
I've got about 34 kids we're discipling right now in our bus
ministry on Saturdays. And then they come in and
they're fired up and we've got new books we're working on
giving them out and doing someone on one discipleship.
And then when you say, where's so and so?
How they quit coming out. That hurts.
I start losing weight. Sometimes I need to lose weight
and I get on a mission and then guess what happens?
Cheesecake shows up. Quitting.
We're in football season right now, but years ago I lived near
Chicago, and so the Bears were kind of the thing back in the
day. Walter Payton, one of my
favorite guys to watch. You might not know who it is,
but his nickname was Sweetness. Didn't rub off on me but.
He was. Playing a Monday Night Football
game. The Bears were playing the
Giants. And one of the announcers?
Made a comment, he said. Walter Payton has accumulated
over 9 miles in career rushing yardage and the other announcer
said this yes and that's what somebody knocking him down
every. 4.6 yards. You stop and think like, wow,
it's amazing what he did. I don't think he's the record
holder, maybe. Second or third now?
But all the yards that he ran all along, he was getting
knocked down by some big boys. And I guess what I want to
encourage you, church tonight is, as you say, I want to get on
the path of serving the Lord Jesus.
That's noble. That's a wonderful thing.
But along the way, you're going to get knocked down, and some of
those things that knock you and I down are called.
Circumstances, and I think sometimes they get a little
overwhelming. Look at Psalm 27.
It says this in verse. 10. David is writing this and he
says when my. Father and my mother.
Forsake me and don't we live in a world like that?
I've got about 12 or 13 teenage boys I was teaching on how to
have a relationship with their Heavenly Father and I'm in the
middle of. This and I was just.
Waxing eloquent and they're looking at me with this blank
look. And it was as if the Holy Spirit
says you need to ask them if. They have a relationship with
their earthly father. So I stopped.
I kind of rained it in and said. How many guys have a
relationship with your earthly father?
And only one, the other twelve said we really don't even know
who our dad is. I hate.
To say it, but that's kind of the world we.
Live in today. And so the psalmist says this,
When my father and mother forsake me, I love this, then
the Lord will. Take me up.
Amen, Verse 11. Teach me Thy way, O Lord, and
lead me in a plain path, because here it is mine enemies.
Verse 12. Deliver me not over unto the
will of mine enemies for false witnesses.
And I want you to hold that thought because we're going to
talk about that in just a little bit.
For false witnesses are risen up against me and such as breathe
out cruelty. Here's verse 13.
I had fainted. I think we understand.
I'd have given up. I I'd I'd have quit quit unless
I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord.
In the land of the living. Wait on the Lord, be of good
courage, and he shall strengthen.
Thine heart. Wait, I say.
On the Lord you don't need to turn there, but Hebrews chapter
12 says this. What?
Talks about the Lord Jesus. Christ consider him that endured
such contradiction of sinners against himself.
Here it is, lest ye be wearied. And faint in your minds.
I I don't know over the 10 years how many people have started
coming to mount. Victory Baptist Church, I think
you mentioned you had some. 80 visitors this.
Year, maybe more. I don't. 160 I'm the evangelist.
I'm supposed to say 3000. And, and, and some people come
and go for good reason, But truth of the matter is people
come and say, oh man, look at all the young people.
Look at the music program. They got a kids ministry.
They have all these things like, wow.
And then when you get into and you realize, oh, there's tithing
and giving and there's some expectations for service and
there's this. And they're not whoa, whoa,
whoa. We just wanted to show up on
Sunday morning, waltz in, waltz up.
This is a cult. They want us to come to Sunday
school Sunday morning. Sunday night, maybe.
What's wrong with those people? I get it.
You're cold. But I'm involved.
In one too, but people come and they go and you stop and say,
why is it that it's so difficult for people to just stay at it?
I'm so thankful to tell you tonight that the Bible does not
require us to be successful. But it.
Does require us, brother Johnny? To be faithful and the beauty.
Is from the youngest to the. Oldest we can all do that, so
I'm going to give. You 2 words this.
Wednesday night you're tired, not going to give you.
I have an outline. Forget the outline, but remember
2 words. But we're going.
To look at the life of Joseph, just quickly so turn to Genesis
chapter 50. Genesis.
Chapter 50. What type of stories inspire you
now? Back in the day, I would.
Get the Reader's Digest. And there were some.
Pages of jokes. All in a day's work, humor in
uniform. I, I forget and, and I would
find myself drifting to those because I'm a goofball
sometimes. But but generally I would find
myself first thing I would grab was the story drama in real
life. And I'd go there and I'd read
these dramatic, traumatic stories and be drawn in and they
inspired. Me, I like sports.
I grew up in the. Sport of wrestling and to this
day, if there's a match going on, I'm all in.
I'm engaged, I want to see what's going on.
I start yelling I don't even know the people and I start.
Coaching and yelling, it's just in me.
And so there's wrestling going on all over the country.
I like the college world Division One.
And I've. Watched it but there's one.
Story in particular that intrigues me, and it's about a
guy named Anthony Robles. He was a national champion for
Arizona State and he had one leg and you.
Stop and say wow he here it is. He overcame circumstances to get
to that level. There's people that I just
listened to a book called Endurance about Ernest.
Shackleton crossing the Antarctic and you know, I, I,
I've read books on mountain. Climbing etcetera, etcetera.
But when you read about the the man that was hike climbing a
mountain and got his arm lodged in the boulder and he's like, if
I don't do something, I'm going to die.
And he takes a pocket knife, saws off his arm, lives and
still climbs today. Like, OK, I mean, I like hiking
things and climbing things, but that's not going to take me to
the levels. Like, let's just hack off the
arm and let's go. I'm not into that.
But it's inspiring. And I guess all I say all of
that because it's nice to have the kid that grows up and
everything's nice and special all the way up.
But there's something inspiring when you read about somebody or
follow the story of someone that overcomes circumstances.
So can we look at Genesis? 50 and we look.
At the life of Joseph, we're not going to go all the way back.
We'll, we'll just allude. To a few things.
But look at verse #15 and when Joseph's brethren.
How many did he have? Bible trivia.
How many? All right, we've got it all.
Right, so he had eleven brothers.
All right. When he saw that their father
was dead, they said Joseph will peradventure hate us and will
certainly requite us all the evil.
Which we did unto him. And they sent a messenger unto
Joseph, saying, Thy father did. Command before he died.
Saying it's amazing when the. Dad's gone.
They get really concerned about obeying him.
Just a thought there. And when their life potentially.
Is on the line verse 17. So shall.
He say unto Joseph. Forgive, I pray thee now the
trespass of thy brethren. And their sin for.
They did unto thee evil. And now we pray thee, forgive
the trespass of the servants. Of the God of thy.
Father and Joseph wept. When they spake unto him.
And his brethren also went and fell down before his face, and
they said. Behold, we be thy servants.
Verse 19. And Joseph said unto them.
Fear not, for am I in the place of God now this.
Is our text verse 20. But As for you?
I can just see him. Pointing his fingers.
His finger. At his brothers.
As for you, you thought evil. Against me.
But this is where the whole dynamic changes.
But God meant it unto good. To bring to pass.
As it is this day to save much people alive.
So 2 words tonight, in the midst of circumstances, in the midst
of difficulties. In the midst of trials, you
might say, Brother Ramis, I'm going through a family
situation, if some. Of you might be here going
through a physical. Situation.
Some may be dealing with financial stress.
I don't know. It's not my business, but in the
midst of circumstances. But God, we'll look at a couple
things about that tonight. I would say probably the first
ten years. Of Joseph's lives, life was
pretty. Normal, I would say when he hit
the junior high age till about what we'll say 12 till about
3015, eighteen years I would say would be would have been pretty
rough. And let me say this, that's
generally where we go. When we stop and think about
Joseph. Probably from the time he was 30
till the time that he was 110 were good years.
That's a long time. So you got 80 years of
awesomeness. You've got. 10-15 years of
normalness and you've got about 15 years where all of us zone in
and say and what it. Is is bad circumstances?
But that's just kind of the general way that we think if we
can find something negative. We will.
It's amazing how negative we can get about something.
It's cold outside and. Guess what's going to happen in
a few months? It's hot outside.
That's just the way it. Is I've got 4 kids getting some
people say. What's your problem?
Well, my 2 oldest. Boys are named Gideon Titus.
All right, So sounds like a disease.
It's like, what's your problem? I have Gideon Titus.
But but, but sometimes I find myself, as it's easy to quote
the verse, children are a heritage from the Lord.
That's a nice verse. But you know, sometimes I find
myself in the midst of that. Complaining about the gifts that
God gave to me. Well, they're bad, yeah.
So was their dad, and they're never thankful enough and
they're never kind enough. And the list goes on.
And here I am talking about the blessings of God in a negative
way. Church, can I caution you?
I know you. I know you've been hoodwinked.
Your pastor and missus pastor probably are not perfect.
Close, but understand they have difficulties and they have
trials and they have circumstances and there's
probably been times I'm not going to ask him publicly, but
he's probably thought these people don't listen.
Well, apparently that's the case.
And I've been frustrated, Brother Trey, when I get up and
I preach to young people like and and you're preaching your
guts out and you're sweating and spitting and they're like.
What did you get out of that message?
A great nap. Somebody thought it was funny
circumstances. Let me give you #1 When it comes
to the life of Joseph, sometimes we forget this Joseph was from a
dysfunctional family. You ever heard that term before?
It's a family that doesn't. Function well.
I'm. I listened to about 10 chapters
of Genesis on the way down here today, and I was listening to
Joseph's life and I'm stopping to think about.
Let's stop and think about Joseph's dad.
For a second. His name, Jacob, is it brother
Paul? When when you think of Jacob, do
you think thumbs up or thumbs down?
He thinks, thumbs up. OK, I don't think that way.
I'm just. That's fine.
That's fine, so. Levi.
Thumbs up or thumbs down, he says.
Thumbs up, all right, We're not going a good direction right
now. I'm losing the battle.
All right, there you go. I got Doctor Swang to the
rescue. Thank you.
OK. At least the beginning of his
life, we're going to say he was known for being a cheater, A
trickster. The Bible word is supplanter.
He was not a good guy. He connived and he cheated to
get his way. So you stop and think about his
dad and then you got this Rachel Leah situation that gets ugly
and and Rachel's upset because Leah's having kids.
I can't figure all this out. And then they're like, well,
here's my concubine, which I used to think was.
Porcupine back in the day. And so you got Zilpud and you
got all the and there's all these kids and then and then
Dinah and his sister, she's a mess.
And I'm sitting there thinking, holy cow, Joseph didn't have the
perfect home. And praise the Lord, if you got
a good home, kids, you better thank the Lord for it, because I
walk into, you probably know this, those houses and Gary's
sometimes. Yeah.
You walk in and there's marijuana floating through the
house and vodka all over, and some of the houses don't have
furniture in it because they're absolutely train wrecks.
There's a young. Man that, Lord willing, will.
Graduate from our Christian School this year.
His name is Lavelle. Remember Lavelle?
Lavelle Wilson, I call him love, too.
He's got a tough home, but he's made some decisions.
Say I want to live for Jesus. But that's not parents say,
let's go. Let's read your Bible.
And pray every day and you'll grow, grow, grow.
Let's get up on Sunday morning, Go to church.
No, no, they get up on their own because they want to.
And so I would say many of the homes we waltz into on a
Saturday with our nice shirts and ties on and acting like
we're we're God's gift to the world.
Those kids just want somebody to love them because their moms and
dads don't and they're dysfunctional in their homes.
Listen to what Winston Churchill.
Said he said. We shall fight on the beaches,
we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the
fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills.
Somebody said it. Sounds like our family vacation.
Then you got the favorite child thing.
That didn't work out so well, did it?
Did it? And so.
So the list goes on. You study the life of Joseph and
you stop and think, man, his brothers got so far as they
wanted to. They didn't just dislike him.
Now let's stop and think. Emma, how old are you?
12? All right, so let's picture
Joseph at 12. Let's just be real here, I could
just picture them. Like I am the favorite.
Just so you know, I got a favorite coat.
I got a special coat. And then maybe there was a time.
He said. I had a dream.
I don't know. He was probably annoying junior
high and I'm not saying you are, but most are so so we we have to
be real about the life. Of Joseph but his home was
dysfunctional and his brother said we want to kill you.
So that's I would say. Heavy circumstances.
I know young people that have taken their life at 1516 and 17
years old because of the dysfunctions of their home.
That's why it's good to pray for the kids in this church.
Mountain Victory Baptist Church is on my prayer list.
I've met somebody tonight, some of the other kids I have.
I pray for this church because the devil has a target on the
young people of this church. Pray, pray and they're in good
homes. Here's the problem.
I see a lot of kids in good homes chucking the things of the
Lord, let alone those are in dysfunctional homes that have no
hope. We must pray.
Number one. I see a dysfunctional family,
dysfunctional home #2 this one I'd like to caution Mount
Victory Baptist Church on. I call this distorted facts you
remember. When Joseph was working.
His normal everyday business in Potiphar's house and a lady
shows up. We don't.
Know her name? We'll call.
Her missus? Potiphar and she got interested
in that young man. And he did what?
Was right. Mind you.
Paul writes to Timothy flee fornication and Joseph had
opportunity to participate in fornication and before Paul
wrote to Timothy Joseph already. Knew I'm going to flee
fornication. Amen.
And so he does. And did it turn out real well?
For him? Oh, not for a couple years.
But what happened is. He was accused.
I want to help you because. I've been at this a long time
and I've seen a lot. Of churches go through things
like this. There's a title.
For the Devil, the title. Is the accuser.
Can I, can I warn your church that's what I'm going to do
tonight? And then I can get on the road
and you'll forget about me. That's OK.
We are very good. I'll say this.
We're exceptional accusers. We always know what people are
thinking. The Bible says in Jesus day many
turned and went back John chapter 6.
And in our minds, we're like, yeah, I know why?
The Bible doesn't tell us why, but we're pretty good at coming
to assumptions and saying, well, they left the church because and
then we feel like because we know the answer.
I'm going to share it with my man right here.
He just has to know why Brother Johnny didn't shine his shoes
today. Are you with me?
And what happens is we've become really good at accusing one of
now this, this is husband wife issues.
This is kids to parents issues. And then what?
Happens is it filters into the church.
Let me remind you, when Potiphar said negative things about
Joseph, it cost. Him two years of his life in
prison. I just want to caution us to be
careful how we accuse one another.
And you say, well, I don't really do it verbally.
I. Do it on social media.
I've come to understand social. Media is not real social.
It's pretty unsocial. We should call it on social
media. And if you haven't, I don't, I
don't have it. I don't really mess.
With all that stuff, I got enough to worry about.
But all I'm saying is just be careful what you.
Type. Be careful what you text.
Be careful what you say because. A little bit of truth is good,
but sometimes we like to. Add a little bit to it and this
is not just a lady thing. Sorry.
I used to think the ladies were always the ones, you know, they
were the gossipers back and I think man, we.
Can get it. Pretty wrong too, so I want to
help your church if. There is an issue with.
Brother Brian and there may be lots, just just come and say,
hey, I just want to clear this up.
Don't accuse. Don't think, just come and
probably will be resolved quickly.
But Joseph had to overcome circumstances.
I've been called a lot of things in my day.
Some I cannot even say publicly and maybe some for good reason.
But there's that little slogan. Sticks and stones may break my
bones, but words will never hurt me.
That's that's a lie. That's a lie.
People were will remember what you say.
I had somebody come to my office and say, brother Amos, I've been
bitter at you for three years. I'm like and you know.
The problem was resolved quickly.
Because there was a misunderstanding.
I said what she said. I said like, yeah, but we got it
right. But three years it took.
I didn't know. She sure did, and probably every
time she saw me. All I'm saying is Joseph had to
deal with that. I shudder to think.
What people would say about the man of God and his wife, because
that's dangerous grounds. Don't, don't do it.
But churches can be destroyed by gossip.
That's a hard word. Distorted facts.
Joseph had to deal with that. But God, are you with me?
All right, so I'm going to keep moving #3 quickly.
Disappointing, forgetful fellows.
Sorry, I'm just sticking with the DS and the FS.
That's my grades now. Watch me, Joseph.
While he was in prison. Helped two men.
Specifically, the Butler. And the Baker, we know the
story. They had dreams, they were
worried, they were nervous, Joseph says.
Something's wrong. He helps them.
And what does he say to the Butler when he heads out the
door? On his way to freedom.
Don't forget me. And guess what happened?
He forgot. Like love you too.
And sometimes I come to understand the very people that
you help and you pour into their lives are the very ones that
will forget about you. So if if you're serving the Lord
for people. You're going to.
Quit. But if you're serving the Lord
because you just love Him? You're going to keep on going.
Dealt with a lot of bus kids over the years and I love.
Them to death. And sometimes you go up at the
house, you remember those days, you're working with a family,
you show up at the house, it's completely empty, never a word
to be heard from again. And you just wonder what?
Happened to that family, but this is when it gets a little
better. I call this and I can't spell
it. Correctly dreaming Pharaoh,
we'll. Just spell it with an F so it
fits the outline. This is when God steps in, and
this is when we have to stop and think all.
Joseph's in this forest, if you will.
He's in the midst of all the trees and he doesn't know what's
going on, but all of a sudden the Pharaoh is.
Sleeping. And he has.
A dream and God uses the dream to stir the Butler to
remembrance. Oh, I remember that guy.
He helped me in prison and all of a sudden the tide starts to
change. Turn to Ephesians chapter 2 real
fast. Ephesians chapter 2.
This phrase is all throughout the Bible and I love this
because again, this idea. These two words, but God it.
Changes the whole dynamic of the scene.
Ephesians Chapter. Two verse #1 says.
This but you an end, You hath he quickened, who were dead in
trespasses and sins. Where in time passed, you walked
according to the course of this world, according to the Prince
of the power of the air, the spirit that thou worketh.
In the children of disobedience, among whom also we all.
Had our conversation in time past in the lust of our.
Flesh. Fulfilling the desires of the
flesh and of the mind, and we're by.
Nature, the children of wrath. Even as others next two words
verse #4 So here it is. You're on this path of walking
in the flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh, and
somewhere along the line, God steps in.
Amen. For that I was a 12.
Year old boy when? God stepped in and changed my
life four years later. I wouldn't say I was on a really
good path, but I was doing my thing, quite selfish.
I was searching for the Lord and God stepped in and changed the
course of my life. It's also Romans chapter 5.
Don't turn. Don't turn there.
Scarcely for a righteous. Man, will one die yet?
Peradventure for a good man, some would even.
Dare to die but God? I'm trying to.
Encourage you tonight. This is when God.
Steps in and normally he does it when we're going through tough
times. Circumstances is the big word
dreaming Pharaoh, and it takes us to what I call a delightful
freedom. Imagine that you are a world
class concert piano player at the peak of your career.
Someone who has spent years. Studying and practicing.
Developing the art your fingers respond instantly to your
mental. Commands going along the.
Keyboard with grace. And speed.
I'm hoping my girls come to that point.
Then one day you feel a stiffness in your hands that
wasn't there before. You go to a.
Doctor tests, they're done and. The diagnosis comes back
arthritis, your fingers are destined to become wooden and.
Crippled from the heights of. Success and acclaim you will.
Plunge to oblivion. It happened to a man by the name
of Byron Janis Janis. Within a short time, this man
saw arthritis quickly spread to all his fingers and the joints
of nine of them had to be fused. Some people would have never
recovered from such a blow. But he decided to fight back.
He kept his ailment a secret. From all but his wife and two
close friends. He worked long hours to.
Change his technique. He learned how to use what?
Strength he had instead. Of concentrating on his
weaknesses. He also used the regimen.
Of medications, acupuncture. Ultrasound etcetera to deal.
With his pain, his wife. Learned how to give him
therapeutic massages to loosen his stiff joints.
Through hard work and sheer determination, he was able to
continue. His career he maintained a full
concert scheduled for 12 years without anyone suspecting.
I want you to listen. To this he told the world.
At a White House concert. These this this story.
He said this and this is what grabbed my attention, he says.
I have arthritis, but arthritis does not have me and what
happens is these circumstances. Are real.
I'm not trying to. Downplay circumstances and
issues that. You may be dealing with.
Now or have in the past. But don't let them own you.
My wife has been a dorm mom for 17 years.
Hard to believe girls will come to her and share her, share with
her things that she has had they have dealt with in the past.
And sometimes my mind is blown by what they've had to deal
with. Some have been ill used and the
stories go on. My daughter-in-law was one of
those girls gone through pretty tough stuff, and if you focus on
the circumstances, I promise you'll quit.
But As for you, but As for him? But As for, they meant it for
evil. But God.
We. Love to focus on those bad 15
years. But there was. 80 pretty good
years, all because Joseph said God's in the picture.
I'm not going to quit. I'm not going to fall apart
because He's the one that I'm living for and it's all under
His control. But God help us, Lord tonight.
I trust that this could be a blessing and encouragement to
those that have gathered tonight.
I do not stand before these folks as an example of
steadfastness and faithfulness. I there have been times I have
been in my pastor's office ready to throw in the towel.
But I'm so thankful that you're gracious and merciful and full
of compassion and willing to just keep us at it in spite of
the times that I'm ready to throw in the towel.
Maybe there's someone here tonight that was encouraged by
this, or maybe there's someone that's ready to quit.
I don't know. It's not my business.
For some reason, you urged me, encouraged me to speak along
these lines tonight. So I pray that you might use it
how you see fit. Bless these folks.
Thank you for their attention. I have these things in Christ
name, Pastor, Amen. Let's stand with our heads bowed
and eyes closed. I'm going to give you an
opportunity to respond to the message.
I don't know exactly what you're going through, but God does.
And I do know some of the circumstances that some of you
are going through, and I know it's a helpful message.
Whether you're in the middle of something right now or not,
you're probably going to go through something and you've
probably been through something. And we all need that.
We all need to be reminded about the fact that we have somewhere
where we can go and somebody we can go too.
And that's God. And what a great reminder from
the life of Joseph. Sure didn't have a very good
start. It seemed like everything was
against him. But God came and changed
everything for him. And it's only after Joseph threw
everything on him. Joseph made decisions that got
him to that spot. So as the piano plays, if the
invitations open, you come, if God's worked you hard.