A Dedicated Life - A Dream Fulfilled (notes)

A Dedicated Life - A Dream Fulfilled

God Desires development of character in His people. It takes friction for character to grow into Christ likeness.

Lets Look at Visions and Dreams

• Why are they so important to us?
• Because this is one of the greatest mediums God uses to communicate with His children about the future!

Joseph

• Teaches us principles about dreams and character.
• To see a dream fulfilled it is important for us to have integrity.

Joseph

• A successful slave and a model inmate.
• Could interpret dreams.
• Was obedient to God’s voice.

Joseph

• Teaches us that where there is no vision--there is no hope.
• Teaches us that vision gives us purpose.

Joseph

• Went through the fire and came out shining like gold.

I Peter 1:6-7 “pure gold put in the fire comes out of it proved pure…” (Message Bible)

Joseph

• Was put in the crucible of affliction & mistreatment where his faith was proven genuine.

Romans 5

1. Because we know that suffering produces endurance.
2. Endurance produces character.
3. Character produces hope.
4. Hope does not disappoint us.
5. Through whom we have access by faith.

Have You Suffered Like Joseph?

God is preparing you for something greater than what you have ever experienced.

Genesis 41:39

“Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one so discerning and wise as you. You shall be in charge of my palace, and all my people are to submit to your orders. Only in respect to the throne will I be greater than you.” (Quote from Pharaoh)

Hebrews 11:1

• Talks about faith being the substance of things hoped for.
• How faith works in our life.
• Shows what God used to create everything.
• Let God develop your character and you will see His mighty hand on your life.

When The Lord

• Is with someone…

1. That person will prosper.
2. Others will see God’s hand upon us.
3. We sill succeed.
4. We will have favor.
5. We will be given authority.
6. God will bless those we work for.
7. We will be entrusted by others with great power.

So Pharaoh

• Put him in charge of the whole land of Egypt. Then Pharaoh took his signet ring from his finger and put it on Joseph’s finger. He dressed him in robes of fine linen and put a gold chain around his neck. He had him ride in a chariot as his second-in-command.
• Pharaoh gave Joseph a wife.
• He was 30 years old when the fulfillment of his dream started.
• During the seven years of blessing Joseph stored much grain in storage--they even stopped keeping records because of the abundance of grain.
• Before the years of famine came God gave Joseph two sons--Manasseh and Ephraim.
• God has made me forget my trouble.
• God has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering.

Even When The Years of famine arrived, Pharaoh told all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph and do what he tells you.” Joseph had earned the trust of Pharaoh because of how he handled the time of blessing!

God Will fulfill the dreams His gives His children.
Be faithful in times of trouble and you will see the fulfillment of the God given dreams you have been given.

A Dedicated Life - A Dream Fulfilled

A Dedicated Life - A Dream Fulfilled this message was given on 3-22-09

A Dedicated Life - Delays Vs Character (notes)

A Dedicated Life - Delays Vs Character

What Happens when there is a delay? We have obeyed God, walked in integrity, prayed and yet things don’t change or they get worst?

We Trust God’s sovereignty and God’s Justice.

Joseph Experienced

• This while in Egypt as a slave!
• Things went from bad to worst, from a slave to an inmate.

Genesis 40 How Joseph handled the situation.

1. The Lord was with him.
2. God showed him kindness.
3. God granted him favor.
4. The warden put him in-charge of all the other inmates.

Everything Joseph touched was touched by God, even in some very difficult situations.

Two Inmates

• The cupbearer and the baker were put in prison by Pharaoh.
• They both had a dream and it depressed them both.

Dream #1

• The cupbearer: A vine, three budding branches with grapes. Pharaoh’s cup was in his hand.
• Interpretation: Three branches are three days, within three days you will be restored to your position.

Dream #2

• The baker: On his head were three baskets of bread. Birds were eating the bread.
• Interpretation: In three days Pharaoh will hang you on a tree.

The Dreams are fulfilled but the cupbearer forgot about Joseph.

Second Set of Dreams:

1. Pharaoh was standing by the Nile. Seven fat cows came up and seven gaunt cows eat the fat cows.
2. Seven healthy heads of grain growing and seven thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven healthy ones.

No One In Egypt

• Could interpret the dreams of Pharaoh.
• The cupbearer tells Pharaoh what happened while he was in jail.

Joseph is brought before Pharaoh and interprets his dreams.

Principles

1. When bad things happen, we tend to forget about the good things in the past.
2. Everything must be established in the mouth of two or three witnesses.
3. Visionaries impact the world.
4. God gets the job done through obedient servants.

God’s Glory is always displayed through people who have character, through people who rejoice in the midst of suffering, through those who don’t give up when things get worst.

Start today to trust in God in the midst of hard times and God will honor your faith in his time and fulfill his purpose in and through you!

Conclusion we can live a Dedicated Life by asking God for help in being more disciplined to His Word, to thinking about Him and to obeying Him.

A Dedicated Life - Delays Vs Character

A Dedicated Life - Delays Vs Character this message was given on 3-15-09

A Dedicated Life - Character Counts (notes)

A Dedicated Life - Character Counts

God Desires development of character in His people. It takes friction for character to grow into Christ likeness.

History teaches us principles about people who failed:

1. They failed.
2. They didn’t stay down.
3. They got back up.
4. They succeeded.

Joseph teaches us principles about character.

Joseph A Successful Slave

1. The Lord was with him.
2. He prospered.
3. His boss saw the Lord in him.
4. His boss saw his success.
5. He found favor in Potiphar’s eyes.
6. He was put in charge of the house.
7. God blessed Potiphar and all he owned.

Joseph

• Teaches us what character does in a person’s life.
• He was tempted with Potiphar’s wife.
• He refused to fall for her seduction.
• He is falsely accused.
• He is wrongfully sentenced.
• Ends up in the right prison.
• The king’s prisoners were confined.
• Where the butler and the baker would be put later.
• Was put in the crucible of affliction & mistreatment where his character was forged.

Romans 5

1. Because we know that suffering produces endurance.
2. Endurance produces character.
3. Character produces hope.
4. Hope does not disappoint us.
5. Through whom we have access by faith.

Have You Suffered Like Joseph?

God is preparing you for something greater than what you have ever experienced.

Principles

• Rejoice in the midst of suffering.
• Learn the process of suffering.
• Endurance under pressure is where character is developed.
• Once our character is where God desires it to be hope comes.

Hebrews 11:1

• Talks about faith being the substance of things hoped for.
• How faith works in our life.
• Shows what God used to create everything.
• Let God develop your character and you will see His mighty hand on your life.

When The Lord Is with someone…

1. That person will prosper.
2. Others will see God’s hand upon us.
3. We sill succeed.
4. We will have favor.
5. We will be given authority.
6. God will bless those we work for.
7. We will be entrusted by others.

A Dedicated Life - Character Counts

A Dedicated Life - Character Counts this message was given on 3-8-09

A Dedicated Life - Character Development (notes)

A Dedicated Life - Character Development

God Desires development of character in His people. It takes friction for character to grow into Christ likeness.

Romans 5

• Principles:
1. We have been justified by faith.
2. We have peace with God through our Lord.
3. Through whom we gained access by faith into this grace.
4. We will be clothed with God’s Glory.
5. We rejoice in our sufferings through faith.
6. Because we know that suffering produces endurance.
7. Endurance produces character.
8. Character produces hope.
9. Hope does not disappoints us.
10. Through whom we have access by faith.

God’s Glory

Is transforming. 2 Cor. 3:18

Is absolute light and empowering.

Exodus 19

Before God showed the people His Glory they had to dedicate themselves.

Truths Found in Exodus

1. We are a kingdom of priests.
2. The power of sanctification.
3. When God manifests His glory we can hear His voice.
4. God uses leadership to reveal His vision.
5. The Glory of God is manifested.
6. The law and blue prints for the Tabernacle are given to Moses.

Example Of A Life Of Character:

• Joseph developed in character under some very difficult circumstances.
• Joseph was given dreams by God.
• Joseph shared his dreams with his family.
• Joseph is hated by his brothers.
• Joseph is sold into slavery by his brothers.

When The Lord Is With Someone…

1. That person will prosper.
2. Others will see God’s hand upon us.
3. We sill succeed.
4. We will have favor.
5. We will be given authority.
6. God will bless those we work for.
7. We will be entrusted by others.

A Dedicated Life - Character Development

A Dedicated Life - Character Development this message was given on 3-1-09