Genesis | Pt. 45 It's Bad But... I'm Glad!

Genesis 41:53-54
7 years of abundance followed by 7 years of famine
This is a life principle
Life is full of different seasons
Sometimes life feels like spring and other times it feels like winter
Some seasons it seems like Devil is all over your life and family and others seasons it’s as if he has forgotten you
There are seasons full of battles and seasons full of blessings
If you are in a season of blessing then enjoy it because there will be another battle
If you are in a battle right now endure it because there will be a season of blessing ahead
There will be another season
Genesis 41:55
Joseph is the Prime Minister of Egypt and stewards the country well
We need some Joseph’s to rise up in our government
The Bible says when the wicked rule the people groan but when the righteous
When the righteous rule the people rejoice
The people of Egypt must have rejoiced that they had a righteous leader who knew God’s voice and by faith obeyed God’s voice
Genesis 41:56-57
Genesis 42:1-3
This is a severe drought
The Bible is full of droughts actually and there’s a reason for that
Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Elijah
Droughts in the natural often served as test in the spiritual
Faith must be tested; great faith must be greatly tested
James 1:2-4
God will use a test to reveal things to us
People often think droughts are outside God's will; that's wrong
The moment Abraham obeyed God and left everything for the Promised Land, the moment he got there he experienced a drought
What kind of Promised Land is this?
It was God’s idea to go there
God knew the drought would appear
Presence of a drought can indicate the very will of God
Did God cause or allow the drought?
ORU debates
I don't know - He uses the drought though
He’s not surprised by the droughts either
He gave Pharoah a dream that in 7 years there would be a drought
God is not surprised when you enter a season of drought
Now can I be super real with you for a moment?
Hearing me say God is not surprised sounds good but let’s be real… droughts they suck
Droughts are terrible and painful experiences
People say, “God will never give you more than you can handle…”
Well you obviously have had to handle what I’m handling
Ever been a drought spiritually where you can’t seem to hear from God?
Ever been in a drought relationally where you just feel no connection?
Your drought experience will bring you to a place of decision
You can say, “Well God has abandoned me so I don’t want anything to do with Him.”
You can say, “I don’t feel in love with her anymore so I’m going to go find someone else.”
Or… everyone say or
Or you can find a source that will goes deeper than you ever imagined
A source who is a well that never runs dry
Did you know that droughts in the natural cause trees to force there roots deeper in the ground
When the drought is over the tree is actually stronger because its roots are deeper
The drought was actually a blessing in disguise to the tree
In a drought? Dig deep in your relationship with God, the word, church and prayer
God is a source that never runs dry
In our desperation from the drought we often go find other sources who will give us what we think we want when we want it
When you go to anyone or anything other than God to meet your needs, you will end up with regret
5 minutes of instant gratification can lead to 5 years of regret
The droughts of life causes us to seek provision
And there is nothing wrong with seeking provision but you have to be careful who let become your provider
Sometimes God will allow something to dry up that has been supplying us to remind who that He not the thing is your source
When a source that God was using dries up that doesn’t mean God has forgotten you
The Bible says, "The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want."
Because the Lord is my Shepherd that’s why I shall not want
That means not only does God provide for me but He knows what I need
We think we know what we need, but sometimes it's a want and not a need
Not everything we want is good for us
I am so glad for the times I wanted something I did not need that God protected me from my desire
God knows what I need
God is my source today, He will be my source tomorrow
Life is process of learning that God is my source
God is your source
What source are you going to?
God not only is our provider - He is Jirah
But he is the Lord who sees ahead and provides
Jirah not only means provider but the Lord who sees ahead
God saw ahead that Abraham would need a ram so he sent a ram up the mountain
God saw ahead that a drought would hit the Middle East and that Jacob’s family would need food so you know what God did? He sent Joseph to Egypt
Joseph’s brothers thought they were selling him as a slave? Oh no they were advancing the purpose of God
Potiphar thought he was throwing Joseph in a prison. Oh no he was advancing the purpose of God