Where do I find Him?

When life gets busy and the pressure is mounting, and your to do list is looking like it could take the next month to finish not the next day it can be hard to see God or know His presence. When some national disaster strikes people will often say "where was God?" as if He missed the whole thing. When some personal tragedy happens we can find it very hard to see God at work in it. But be assured God is in it.

When these types of issues or difficulties arrive our common anchor is that "God has a plan and a purpose in this." But there has to be more than that. Don't get me wrong, it's a good anchor. It's true, solid, dependable. But God gives us more than an sovereign insurance policy.

God is not only working behind the scenes, weaving His amazing tapestry of life. He also longs to be centre stage with us in the midst of the storm. As we cry out "where are you God in this storm", he replies "I'm in it".

Psalm 46 has some great comfort in these times.

The Psalmist says that "God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble." Some versions say "a very present help". Maybe God is most available and present when we need Him most. We on the other hand are often most conscious of His presence when we need Him least.

I like how The Message puts part of this Psalm "God lives here, the streets are safe". We can often forget God lives where you live. His presence is here.

But often our cry is "I can't feel him" but the Psalm doesn't call us to feel His presence but to know. However our ability to even know is hampered by our rushing.

“Be still, and know that I am God!" the Psalmist says. God says "know that I'm in it and you will know my peace and feel my presence."

I learnt a really simple technique to help with this. When my mind is rushing and I'm struggling to see God at work or know His presence I say the following:

Be still and know that I am God.

Be still and know that I am.

Be still and know.

Be still.

Be.

I say this a few times and as I do I try to slow down each time. As I do, I often find I know where God is.

He is here.

On YouVersion

Before you preach

Let's face it, the bar is set pretty high for preachers. We can often have too high an expectation. When we realise they have faults and struggles like the rest of us it can be a shocking revelation. Just because you preach doesn't mean your perfect or have it all sorted. Paul spoke of his 'thorn in the flesh' and his struggle to do the very things he wanted to do. Nonetheless nobody wants to be taught by a novice. If you wanted to get better at a sport you would go to an experienced coach. If you wanted to learn to cook better you may look for someone who has actually catered before, or been a chef in a restaurant.

The same is true with the pulpit. The congregation expects to hear from someone with experience. In fact God expects the preacher to not just 'talk the talk' but to also 'walk the walk'.

This is something Ezra understood. Ezra 7:10 records 'For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the Lord, and to do it and to teach his statutes and rules in Israel.'

This simple single verse sets a template for preachers. - study it - do it - teach it

I get to preach on a reasonably frequent basis. This verse alone has served as a timely wake up call. It's easy to draw from the latest thing you believe God has revealed to you. A recent teaching you've heard. Or a passage of scripture you've never noticed before. But many times when that happens it's primarily an intellectual exercise. 'here is what I've read now you can read it too'. There's a place for that sort of preach but when you draw from life experience something entirely different occurs.

You're humbled. By actually doing what you've studied before you preach it you see how challenging or tough something is. Or you realise how gracious our God is. Your overwhelmed by his mercy and favour. It's stops you getting puffed up and thinking 'its simple, God says it, I believe it, you just do it.'

Keeps you stable. You can get a revelation in an instant. Living it takes time. The Bible speaks of not being 'blown around by every wind of doctrine'. Living it before you preach it helps prevent this.

Puts things in context. A single verse in the Bible stands in context with the whole council of God. If we just read 'I will bless the Lord at all times' without also reading there is a time for weeping we may get unbalanced. Putting what we study into action into our lives places it in context with everything else God is doing in our lives.

It's credible. When you speak from experience people see it. They can tell you've been there first and are living to tell the tale. You're not asking them to trust God in a way you haven't already. You can truly say 'guys this works'.

So I read this verse 6 months ago. I've been putting this principle into practice in my life. And now I'm teaching it!

On YouVersion

Encouragement from the sidelines

Hebrews 12:1 speaks of "a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith" and running with endurance. I love the scene of people running in a marathon with crowds lined along the side screaming "come on!", and "keep going!". Far too often this isn't picture of christian community. As people run a long and tough race there is often opposition and others looking to criticize and "correct in love". It's not the way God intended it to be. He intended for us to encourage one another. Hebrews intimates that even those gone before us, the great heros of faith, are our crowd of witnesses encouraging us to keep going.

I used to blog regularly. I posted my daily blog on youversion, blogger and facebook. If you're reading this entry, you're probably on one of those sites now. i don't do this so often now. Not because I don't want to. But I've found I need to focus more on my private blog, my journal. Just between God and I. But I've also found that there are some really good bloggers out there. Far more accomplished than me. And I'm not talking about the pro's. Those who do this for a living. They may be great but what blows me away is the insight of the amateurs and the young. My 14yr old daughter has started blogging and she's really good. I know a father would say that but really, she is good.

So in line with the verses in Hebrews I join a great crowd of witnesses to those of you blogging and commenting on youversion about the word of God and shout "come on!" and "keep going!".

When you blog or comment about scripture you rarely get positive feedback. People seem to take more effort to correct your theology. But for my part I want to say what a blessing so many of these entries are. Praise God for the big names. But in fact there are thousands of unknown people, engaging with scripture on a daily basis and blessing the socks of people like me.

Church Taboo's

On my facebook page I recently asked the question:

What 'taboo' subjects are not spoken about at church but should be?

The responses from people were fascinating. Personally I didn't find anything (other than a refernce to quiche at church lunches) that was off limits from the pulpit. However I did have to recognise that maybe we don't provide enough teaching on some areas. Probably because they are tough to speak about, and tricky to make sure you are provide meaningful answers that are both full of grace and totally biblical.

As a leader in my church I have to evaluate whether we have left some gaps in our preaching that have left people with unanswered questions. I should hope overtime we could redress that.

But I am so encouraged that while our church (small 'c') may need to pick up on a few areas we are part of The Church (big 'c'), the body of Christ. Across this church there are some great preachers and teachers who have the kindness to make their resources available to others.

So in order to address some of the "taboo's" raised I have attempted to find some really good resources to answer peoples questions. I would commend each of these sources and indeed taking the opportunity to listen to other preaches from these sources.

Some of the responses from people were as follows:

Sex - Homosexuality, Sex before marriage, Pornography, Masturbation, Contraception, Teenage pregnancy, Sex for pleasure and not just for reproduction!!

The best teaching I have heard is from Gateway Church, Austin, Texas. They did a five week series on Sex that covers most of the issues raised. I would highly recommend the teaching on "Same Sex" as the most sensitive I have ever heard. You can listen to them individually but they really work best as a series.

• God Sex
• Married Sex
• Single Sex
• Unfaithful Sex
• Same Sex

An alternative source would be from Willow Creek. Go to their media player and look for "What intimacy requires" under the Summer at the Creek 2010 series.

For specific teaching on Porn visit the teaching from lifechurch.tv with their Porn Sunday message.

Debt

The best practical and spiritual teaching on money and debt is from Dave Ramsey as guest speaker at Lifechurch.tv. Listen or watch their series on Life, Money, Hope.

Violent films

There was a series from lifechurch.tv called Toxic. This covered many subjects but the week on Toxic Influences specifically dealt with this subject.

Hell

The classic question "How can a loving God send people to Hell" is answered in a sermon by my brother from Hope Church, Orpington.

Others I am still looking for are as follows:

• Leadership vs empire building (I am sure I have heard some good teaching on this but need to find it!)
• Politics
• Child protection
• Suffering, Sickness, Healing, Disability (I am sure I have heard some good teaching on this but need to find it!)
• Calvinism (Plenty of sources for this just looking for the best one)
• Consequences of sin as Christian.
• Christian divorce
• Swearing

If you listen or watch any of the above then I would really like to hear if you found them useful or not. Comment here or on Facebook. If you want to recommend any good teaching for the above topics then let me know also.

Left to soak

Romans 2:4 "Don't you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can't you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin?"

In our house we have a few consistent meals that we will cook on a regular basis. One of those that is a favourite with everyone in the family is Chicken Breast cooked with Sage & Onion Stuffing. Without turning this into a recipe blog you cook fillets of chicken breast covered over by a thick layer of stuffing in the oven for about 2hrs until everything is cooked and the stuffing forms a nice crisp surface with a soft texture underneath. While this tastes wonderful the major draw back is cleaning the dish this was cooked in afterwards. Due to the way it's cooked you get a rim of stuffing almost welded to the dish afterwards.

You have two choices. You either scrub away at this for about an hour afterwards, wasting all your effort, scoring (and probably ruining) the dish and deciding never to cook this again, or fill up the dish with warm soapy water and leave overnight to soak. In the morning the dry burnt on stuffing is saturated with the water it simply falls off and can be thrown away and cleaned with ease.

I have seen people who are exploring Jesus start to come to church. They come under the sound of the gospel. They become part of the social life of the church. They form friendships with people in the church. Maybe they join a home group or start to socialize with people in the church. In fact they are watching, listening, waiting to be convinced. If you dearly love this person its a frustrating wait. You look for minor sign of change, or a "damascus road moment".

In fact, God has them in soak. He's just working on them in His own way and His own time. His kindness leads them to repentance. Be patient. He doesn't want to attach them with the spiritual scrubbing brush and ruin the wonderful person he placed inside of them to be. He wants to prepare them. Lavish his love and get them to the point where a mild soaking causes the pain and ugliness to melt away under His grace.

On YouVersion

Dangerous Prayers

If God answers prayer (which He does by the way) then I've been looking through the Bible for the most dangerous prayers to pray.

As I find them I shall add them here:

#1: "SEARCH ME, O God, and know my heart, TEST ME and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and LEAD ME in the way everlasting." Psalm 139:23-24

#2: Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. SEND ME!” Isaiah 6:8

#3: "yet NOT MY WILL BE DONE but yours." Luke 22:42

#4: 'GIVE ME AN EAGERNESS FOR YOUR LAWS rather than a love for money!' Psalm 119:36

#5: 'TEACH ME TO DO YOUR WILL, for you are my God. May your gracious Spirit lead me forward on a firm footing.' Psalm 143:10

On YouVersion

Eat the cookie?

Galatians 5:13

For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.


Just had a lesson of greatest frustration. Went to get a pile of biscuits (cookies to those in the USA) and a drink of milk (a too frequent indulgence). Started eating one of the four biscuits and felt the Holy Spirit say "so you want to thank me for healing your tooth ache and then carry on eating the very thing that caused it?"

After 30 seconds of arguing with God (you know you're going to lose that one) I gave up and put the uneaten 3 back.

God's grace is that He puts things right even if they were caused by our mistakes. But grace is not a license to carry on doing wrong while in the back of the brain saying "God, get ready to mop after this one!"

Boy, I hate being wrong. Galatians 5:13 says "Do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh".

I know Joyce Meyer says "Eat the cookie" (http://www.joycemeyer.org/cookie) but she wasn't in the kitchen with me!

On YouVersion

What's in a name?

This was originally posted on the Christian Vision for Men blog by Alex Willmott - Post

She can say “peas” which doubles up as the word please, “chocolate” a word which will become imperative vocab as she becomes a woman and the customary “mum” and “dad”.

Fi is just 17-months-old and I have had the honour of being her friend since she was just seven months. I knew we’d be friends when I discovered one of her hobbies was waving her hands at the dinner table and impersonating a wild banshee…an art I have been mastering since I was her age.

Her parents feed me every Wednesday evening which involves me sitting at the table with Fi and her four older siblings. (As you can imagine it’s a peaceful affair). I sat next to Fi and helped her conquer the pasta challenge which saw her decorate my suit with her unwanted mouthfuls once again.

She was humming a little tune as the older folk chatted about Jesus. I too hummed her little tune which she found most interesting. In fact, she lit up at the thought that I could repeat the composition she had created. The family grew quiet as they watched a 25-year-old Welsh man mimic a child. I would have been slightly embarrassed but a 17-month-old gives men the licence to be childish once again. She scanned the table to see all eyes on her. She smiled before saying something which I will remember for the rest of my life.

In the silence, after she had met the gaze of all her family and her Welsh journalist friend, she said: “Alex.”

The whole table took a breath. As a man who cries at certain films, big sporting events, and anytime the Welsh National Anthem is played, I had to work seriously hard not to blub. My name is now one of the few words little Fi can say.

Gents, with this in mind I want to remind you of something which is true. The creator of everything in the known and unknown universe knows your name. He says it when you wake up groggy from your late night. The moment you address him in thought or word he says it. The second you are reminded of his forgiveness, his sacrifice, his unconditional love and grace, he says it. He is the most personal being that has ever been.

He is the most emotional, most alive and most welcoming creator we could ever hope to have authority over this world. The Lord Jesus, the Father, the Holy Spirit who carries out the will of God, knows your name. We do not worship an estranged dictator or a flippant politician who cares for numbers and obedience only. The Lord is not sitting pretty at a distance wondering what your needs in this world are. He does not wait anxiously for you to slip up to impose guilt in a world which preys on the weak. No. He knows your name. He loves your name. (Yes, even yours Clive).

The Lord who spoke to Moses speaks to us. Be encouraged gents. During the Exodus (Chapter 33:17 to 20) “The Lord said to Moses: I will also do this thing that you have spoken; for you have found grace in My sight, and I know you by name. And the Lord said: “Here is a place by Me, and you shall stand on the rock. So it shall be, while My glory passes by, that I will put you in the cleft of the rock, and will cover you with My hand while I pass by.”

Peace.

Does God get more glory if people have free will?

This was originally posted on the DesiringGod.com blog by John Piper - Post

A friend thinks allowing men free will, and yet still achieving his purposes, shows a greater view of God's sovereignty. What are your thoughts on this?

Let me define the term first, and then I'll respond. I'm going to assume that by "free will" he means something really controversial, not something obvious. What I'm going to assume the term means is "real, ultimate self-determination," because that's the only kind of free will that is controversial.

I think most lay people, when they talk about free will, just mean, "I really choose," and of course you do. So fine, you have free will. We all do. But those who are theologically thinking and writing about this, what they mean is that I, John Piper, am able, ultimately and decisively, to determine my own will, and God cannot and does not when I chose that he won't. So I have that kind of autonomy in the universe.

I don't think that exists anywhere. There's not one verse in the Bible that says we have such a thing. And the people start grasping for verses: "Whosoever will, let him come!" Well of course whosoever will let him come! But why does one will and not another? That's the question.

So, is God more glorious to somehow ordain that human beings have autonomy (self-determination, ultimately), so that he cannot, once he has made that decree, guide what they do without intruding upon their moral capacities and turning them into robots?

They say that God doing that and still pulling off his ultimate purposes is more glorious. And I would say that they've just created a universe in their head that doesn't exist, and they're pronouncing on it.

I don't create universes that don't exist. I don't find it helpful to imagine a universe that doesn't exist and then say that it's a more glorious one than this one, because I'm given a universe. And then I'm given the Creator's interpretation of the universe, right here in the Bible. And this book says that universe doesn't exist. You could speculate about it all you want, but it doesn't.

Now I'm going to go further than that and say that a universe in which God gives all people that kind of autonomy and self-determination, that universe isn't superior, because God would have made it if it were superior.

If you say, "You're going in a circle here, aren't you?"—saying it doesn't exist and therefore I don't believe it, and then saying that if it were better it would exist—I say "No, because I'm just basing my understanding of this universe on this book." This book says we don't have that kind of autonomy.

Romans 9:16-17: "It is not of man who wills or runs, but of God who has mercy." Our willing and our running are not decisive. "Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for God is the one who is at work in you both to will and to work for his good pleasure." Verse after verse in the Bible teaches that my willing—which is real, responsible, accountable—is not decisively and ultimately my own creation. It is God's decisive governing.

My willing is real. My willing is responsible. And this is what's glorious, if you ask me what's the most glorious universe: the most glorious universe is the universe in which we really will things, and we are really responsible for what we will, and we will be held accountable for the choices we make. And God is still absolutely sovereign over those willings.

That's the great paradox. That's the great mystery and the great glory. Not the universe that somebody creates out of their own heads where everybody is endowed with the autonomy that only God has.

---

© Desiring God

Where's the blog?

First I found it hard to find the time to keep the blog up to date.

Then I found it hard to write.

While I go through a bit of dry patch I shall use this blog to highlight some of the great contributions from others.

Normal service will resume....

Work – Part 2 – power and ambition

Introduction

Recap on last week

· 2 weeks on work – using the life of Joseph

· Can approach work in 2 ways

o Aligned to world values – Proverbs 14:12 There is a path before each person that seems right, but it ends in death.

o Aligned to kingdom values – Colossians 3:17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

· God is more concerned about how we do our work than what we do

· Looked at Success (Cultivate our relationship with Him first)

· And Integrity (God is the boss – we work for Him and we work smart)

The power struggle

Struggling with a powerful boss

· Genesis 41:8-10 8 The next morning Pharaoh was very disturbed by the dreams. So he called for all the magicians and wise men of Egypt. When Pharaoh told them his dreams, not one of them could tell him what they meant. 9 Finally, the king’s chief cup-bearer spoke up. “Today I have been reminded of my failure,” he told Pharaoh. 10 “Some time ago, you were angry with the chief baker and me, and you imprisoned us in the palace of the captain of the guard.

· Pharaoh never earned his right to be ruler – the right to power

· There are always difficult bosses

o Pharaoh’s anger had people imprisoned

o The stresses of work - Difficult bosses

· Daniel 2:5 penalty was brutal death – Management by threat

The king replied to the astrologers, "This is what I have firmly decided: If you do not tell me what my dream was and interpret it, I will have you cut into pieces and your houses turned into piles of rubble.

· Power belongs to God - Psalm 62:11 God has spoken plainly, and I have heard it many times: Power, O God, belongs to you;

· Recognize that even princes and kings are subject to God

o Psalm 47:9 For all the kings of the earth belong to God.

Struggling with your position of power

· Genesis 41:15-16

15 Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I had a dream, and no one can interpret it. But I have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it."

16 "I cannot do it," Joseph replied to Pharaoh, "but God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires."

· “No-one ever listens around here”

o Wherever you are, build a good reputation (v15)

· The lies of work - Value is your position

o Lead wherever you are

· Be prepared to acknowledge what you cannot do (v16)

· The stresses of work - What if I lose my job, Don't get fired

· Maintain your walk with God in low and high times

Struggling to not abuse power

· Genesis 41:33-40

“Therefore, Pharaoh should find an intelligent and wise man and put him in charge of the entire land of Egypt. 34 Then Pharaoh should appoint supervisors over the land and let them collect one-fifth of all the crops during the seven good years. 35 Have them gather all the food produced in the good years that are just ahead and bring it to Pharaoh’s storehouses. Store it away, and guard it so there will be food in the cities. 36 That way there will be enough to eat when the seven years of famine come to the land of Egypt. Otherwise this famine will destroy the land.”

37 Joseph’s suggestions were well received by Pharaoh and his officials. 38 So Pharaoh asked his officials, “Can we find anyone else like this man so obviously filled with the spirit of God?” 39 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has revealed the meaning of the dreams to you, clearly no one else is as intelligent or wise as you are. 40 You will be in charge of my court, and all my people will take orders from you. Only I, sitting on my throne, will have a rank higher than yours.”

· You’re best noticed when you’re not trying to be noticed (v39)

o Don’t be driven by personal interest (v33)

· Why do you want power? - May 28, 1991 President Václav Havel of Czechoslovakia acceptance speech

Why is it that people long for political power, and why, when they have achieved it, are they so reluctant to give it up?

In the first place, people are driven into politics by ideas about a better way to organize society, by faith in certain values or ideals and the irresistible desire to fight for those ideas and turn them into reality.

In the second place, the’re probably motivated by the natural longing every human being has for self-affirmation. It gives tremendous opportunity to leave your mark on your surroundings, to shape the world around you, to enjoy the respect that every political office almost automatically bestows upon the one who holds it.

In the third place, many people long for political power and are so reluctant to part with it because of the wide range of perks that are a necessary part of political life -- even under the most democratic of conditions.

These three categories are always intertwined in complicated ways, and at times it is almost impossible to determine which of them predominates. I have never met a politician who could admit to the world, or even to himself, that he was running for office only because he wanted to affirm his own importance, or because he wanted to enjoy the perks that come with political power. On the contrary, we all repeat over and over that we care not about power as such but about certain general values. We say it is only our sense of responsibility to the community that compels us to take upon ourselves the burden of public office. At times, only God Himself knows whether that is true, or simply a more palatable way of justifying to the world and ourselves our longing for power, and our need to affirm, through our power and its reach, that we exist in a truly valid and respectable way.

· The lies of work - It's all about the next step

· The lies of work - I = Me / You

o Be prepared to wash feet – (I make the tea!)

Struggling to use power for good

· Genesis 50:16-21

16 So they sent this message to Joseph: “Before your father died, he instructed us 17 to say to you: ‘Please forgive your brothers for the great wrong they did to you—for their sin in treating you so cruelly.’ So we, the servants of the God of your father, beg you to forgive our sin.” When Joseph received the message, he broke down and wept. 18 Then his brothers came and threw themselves down before Joseph. “Look, we are your slaves!” they said.

19 But Joseph replied, “Don’t be afraid of me. Am I God, that I can punish you? 20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people. 21 No, don’t be afraid. I will continue to take care of you and your children.” So he reassured them by speaking kindly to them.

· Those at work who have it in for you (brother’s past)

o See God at work in it all – “God intended it for good”

· Resist revenge - Behave with integrity

o Live at peace – Rom 12:17-19 17 Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. 18 Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone. 19 Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, “I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the Lord.

· See the opportunities of work - to demonstrate Christ's character

o Like Josephs kindness to his family and others

What is your ambition?

Our dreams are rose tinted

· Genesis 37:5-8 One night Joseph had a dream, and when he told his brothers about it, they hated him more than ever. “Listen to this dream,” he said. “We were out in the field, tying up bundles of grain. Suddenly my bundle stood up, and your bundles all gathered around and bowed low before mine!” His brothers responded, “So you think you will be our king, do you? Do you actually think you will reign over us?” And they hated him all the more because of his dreams and the way he talked about them.

· His beginnings were privileged - attitude was arrogance/triumphant

o Do we dream like this “I’ll show them” (e.g. The Apprentice).

· Our defeats knock us into shape

o Genesis 37 – Brothers sell him into slavery

o Genesis 40 – Falsely imprisoned

· His 'defeats' humbled him and formed his character

o God will train the called – not call the trained

The end isn’t the way we planned it

· Genesis 42:21-24 Speaking among themselves, they said, “Clearly we are being punished because of what we did to Joseph long ago. We saw his anguish when he pleaded for his life, but we wouldn’t listen. That’s why we’re in this trouble.” “Didn’t I tell you not to sin against the boy?” Reuben asked. “But you wouldn’t listen. And now we have to answer for his blood!” Of course, they didn’t know that Joseph understood them, for he had been speaking to them through an interpreter. Now he turned away from them and began to weep. When he regained his composure, he spoke to them again. He chose Simeon from among them and had him tied up right before their eyes.

· The fulfillment was not triumphant but emotional

· If I just ……. Then I will be happy - Promotion – To the top

o Eccl 3:22 there is nothing better than that a man should rejoice in his work

· Never satisfied with the ending (More overtime – promotion)

o 1 Tim 6:6-10 6 Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth. 7 After all, we brought nothing with us when we came into the world, and we can’t take anything with us when we leave it. 8 So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content. 9 But people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.

· We don’t love money? We just don’t have enough

o Eccl 5:10 Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income

The final analysis

· Genesis 50:24-26 22 So Joseph and his brothers and their families continued to live in Egypt. Joseph lived to the age of 110. 23 He lived to see three generations of descendants of his son Ephraim, and he lived to see the birth of the children of Manasseh’s son Makir, whom he claimed as his own. 24 “Soon I will die,” Joseph told his brothers, “but God will surely come to help you and lead you out of this land of Egypt. He will bring you back to the land he solemnly promised to give to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.” 25 Then Joseph made the sons of Israel swear an oath, and he said, “When God comes to help you and lead you back, you must take my bones with you.” 26 So Joseph died at the age of 110. The Egyptians embalmed him, and his body was placed in a coffin in Egypt.

· Joseph died - he saw his great grandchildren

· No-one on their death bed wishes they spent more time at work

· What do you want your final words to be?

o More time at work? More time with family? Live for a purpose

· 1 Tim 4;6-8 As for me, my life has already been poured out as an offering to God. The time of my death is near. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful. And now the prize awaits me—the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his appearing.

Work – Part 1 – Success and Integrity

Introduction

Current context

· Within this church our work lives are becoming an issue

· Many are out of paid employment

· Those in employment are finding it tough

o Longer hours / More for less / Applying for your own job

o Uncertainty in job security / Greater fear of job losses / Tougher

· In my workplace I am causing some of this - I have my own issues!

· Overheard 'I am very stressed out by work at the moment but I have to focus on work because it enables me to do everything else'

How does work apply to everyone

· You are in work and there are lessons for you

· You don’t realize your in work and there are lessons for you

· You are looking for work and need a Biblical perspective

· You are retired from work and can support the next generation

What do I mean by work?

· Student? Your studies are your work

· Mother at home? Raising children & managing the home are your work

· Voluntary? That is your work

· Child? Your chores and schoolwork are your work.

o Eccl 9:10 Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might….

· My main approach is based upon “the workplace” – paid or unpaid

The bibles view of work?

· The Bible has a lot to say about work

o We don’t often preach about it

o Can seem like were in competition with work

· Ecclesiastes 3:22 there is nothing better than that a man should rejoice in his work

· 2 Thessalonians 3:10 "If a man will not work, he shall not eat."

· 1 Thessalonians 4:11 Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands

· A biblical ambition is not to win the lottery and sit on a beach! (Benefits)

2 ways to 'survive' the world of work

· Aligned to world values – it seems right – there are so many doing this

o Proverbs 14:12 There is a path before each person that seems right, but it ends in death.

· Aligned to kingdom values – recognize that Jesus invades every part

o Colossians 3:17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

· God is more concerned about how we do our work than what we do

Looking at joseph

· Story is rich with reflections on work

o A great comfort and direction to me over years

· Take his whole life story and draw out lessons from relevant parts

o Week 1 – Success and Integrity

o Week 2 – Power and Ambition

How to be successful

Success comes from god

· Genesis 39:2-6 (Potiphar)

· Success is God given (v2) 2 The Lord was with Joseph, so he succeeded in everything he did as he served in the home of his Egyptian master

· Promotion may be given by man but it is in God's hand (v3-4) 3 Potiphar noticed this and realized that the Lord was with Joseph, giving him success in everything he did. 4 This pleased Potiphar, so he soon made Joseph his personal attendant. He put him in charge of his entire household and everything he owned.

· Responsibility is ours to demonstrate (v6) 5 From the day Joseph was put in charge of his master’s household and property, the Lord began to bless Potiphar’s household for Joseph’s sake. All his household affairs ran smoothly, and his crops and livestock flourished. 6 So Potiphar gave Joseph complete administrative responsibility over everything he owned.

God’s success comes in any place

· Genesis 39:21-23 (In prison)

· God's presence brings recognition (v21) 21 But the Lord was with Joseph in the prison and showed him his faithful love. And the Lord made Joseph a favorite with the prison warden.

· Responsibility follows the responsible (v22) 22 Before long, the warden put Joseph in charge of all the other prisoners and over everything that happened in the prison. 23 The warden had no more worries, because Joseph took care of everything. The Lord was with him and caused everything he did to succeed.

o Do you keep being given things to do?

The heart of success (good book!)

· Matthew 6:31-33 “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.

· Start with God – Cultivate your relationship with Him

Maintaining Integrity at work

Managing the perks of the job

· Genesis 39:6b-10 – Joseph and Potiphar’s wife

· Every job has its 'perks' (v6-7) Now Joseph was well-built and handsome, 7 and after a while his master's wife took notice of Joseph and said, "Come to bed with me!"

o The lies of work “Outwit the boss”

· 'With great power comes…' – To God (v8-9) 8 But he refused. "With me in charge," he told her, "my master does not concern himself with anything in the house; everything he owns he has entrusted to my care. 9 No one is greater in this house than I am. My master has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?"

· God is the boss!

o Col 3:23 (Msg) Do your best. Work from the heart for your real Master, for God, confident that you'll get paid in full when you come into your inheritance. Keep in mind always that the ultimate Master you're serving is Christ

· Daily he refused to conform (v10) 10 And though she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her or even be with her.

o Going against the world may be costly – the world won’t like it

o If God is boss do we trust him?

look for opportunities to shine

· Genesis 40:13-14 Within three days Pharaoh will lift you up and restore you to your position as his chief cup-bearer. And please remember me and do me a favor when things go well for you. Mention me to Pharaoh, so he might let me out of this place.

· It’s not wrong to raise your profile

o Don’t brag - Don't moan “It’s not fair” if it doesn't happen

Act wisely in God's hands

· Genesis 46:31-47:6 Joseph said “I will go to Pharaoh and tell him, ‘My brothers and my father’s entire family have come to me from the land of Canaan. These men are shepherds, and they raise livestock…When Pharaoh calls for you and asks you about your occupation, you must tell him, ‘We, your servants, have raised livestock all our lives, as our ancestors have always done.’ When you tell him this, he will let you live here in the region of Goshen, for the Egyptians despise shepherds.”

Joseph took five of his brothers with him and presented them to Pharaoh. And Pharaoh asked the brothers, “What is your occupation?” They replied, “We, your servants, are shepherds, just like our ancestors.

Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Now that your father and brothers have joined you here, choose any place in the entire land of Egypt for them to live. Give them the best land of Egypt. Let them live in the region of Goshen. And if any of them have special skills, put them in charge of my livestock, too.”

· Know “the rules” and be shrewd - Not wrong to “work the system”

o But act with integrity

· Matthew 10:16 (Msg) Be as cunning as a snake, as inoffensive as a dove.