Sundays Message: 1/25/2015 DEVELOP A GODLY PERSPECTIVE Genesis 45:5-7 “5 Now do not be grieved or angry with yourselves, because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life. 6 For the famine has been in the land these two years, and there are still five year. 7 God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant in the earth, and to keep you alive by a great deliverance.” Your perspective of God is crucial. If you have the right perspective, you will have right thinking which leads to right choices which produce right behavior. If you have a wrong perspective of God, you will have wrong thinking about life. What can we learn from Joseph’s godly perspective? Joseph’s Godly Perspective on Trials Joseph was betrayed by his brothers, sold as a slave, falsely accused, unjustly imprisoned and then forgotten. How did he survive all these trials? Joseph’s perspective was anchored on who God is. Soon after the trials, he was promoted Prime Minister. Joseph did not ignore what his brothers did to him (Genesis 45:5, 7). But his godly perspective made him see God’s greater plan and higher purpose far above the motive of his brothers and all the circumstances resulting from it. Trials and problems always impact us, either for good or bad. The difference lies on our perspective. If our perspective is anchored on who God is, His power and His intention, we realize that nothing happens by accident and that trials happen for a purpose. Joseph’s Godly Perspective on Success Joseph saw his success from God’s perspective as a form of stewardship. He knew God entrusted him power and position so that through him God will provide for his family during the famine (Genesis 45:8-11). God blessed us with things so we can be a blessing to others. They are not for our own consumption alone. On realizing that our position, possessions and power are all from God, we naturally become good stewards of His blessings. A generous heart comes from a right perspective: understanding the theology of giving and ownership. Having a godly perspective can change the way we respond to financial problems. We will not think of cheating or compromising because we recognize that God is above our difficult situation. We understand that He allows problems and delays because God is more concerned in our character development than in fulfilling our heart’s desires. Joseph’s Godly Perspective on Authority When Pharaoh heard that Joseph’s father and brothers were coming, he gave orders to bless them with the best piece of land in Egypt (Genesis 45: 16- 20; 47:11). Joseph submitted to the authorities all through his life. He respected his father when he was young. He submitted to Potiphar when he was a slave; to the jail warden when he was imprisoned; and to Pharaoh when he was Prime Minister. All existing authorities are established by God – parental (Ephesians 6:1-3), government (Romans 13:1), husband (Ephesians 5:22), employer (Colossians 3:22), spiritual leaders (Hebrews 13:17). They may not be good leaders and we may not like them, but our part is to obey. Submission to authorities may not be pleasant but God establishes them for our protection. The right perspective helps us see that God can overrule human authority. He is greater than all. Joseph’s Godly Perspective on Love After over 20 years, Joseph met his brothers again. The Scriptures show that he loved them despite what they did. He had the wisdom to imprison them for three days. There they remembered when they sold Joseph. They were guilty and repentant of the evil that they had done (Genesis 42:17, 21-22). Joseph also set them up a test for them to see how they will react (Genesis 44:12-16). His brothers’ response revealed their changed heart. From being selfish they now think about the welfare of their youngest brother Benjamin and their father Jacob. God has transformed Joseph’s brothers in time. To love is not to ignore the wrongdoing. Joseph had the wisdom to test his brothers to bring out their repentant heart and changed behavior. Develop Godly Perspective Paul prayed for believers to develop Godly perspective by focusing on who God is and His amazing power for His people (Ephesians 3:18-20). Peter also taught us to see God in our trials as they test our faith (1 Peter 1:6-7). The Psalmist guided us to wait on the Lord and to see that He is good (Psalm 27:13-14). God loves us and He has infinite power to surprise us with His great plans. To develop Godly perspective is to see God in all things. You must first know who God is because if you do not know God, and His promises, it is impossible to have a Godly perspective. You must know that He is sovereign, faithful, loving and just. Your perspective of God will impact your thinking, your choices and ultimately your behavior.
Posted on: Sun, 25 Jan 2015 14:24:50 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015