(Read Gen 46:28-47:6)
This morning we continue our series, “Grace that is Simply Amazing” by continuing with our mini-series entitled, “Grace Based Success (Prosperity)”, by continuing in the story of Joseph. After Joseph’s entire family arrived in Egypt he told them, “I must go and tell the king that you have arrived from Canaan. I will tell him that you are shepherds and that you have brought your sheep, goats, cattle, and everything else you own.” This is interesting because the king made it clear that they did not need to bring anything. It is obvious that they did not have total confidence in Pharaoh. Joseph went on to say, “The king will call you in and ask what you do for a living. When he does, be sure to say, “We are shepherds. Our families have always raised sheep.” If you tell him this, he will let you settle in the region of Goshen.” This is also interesting and somewhat sad. Joseph was devising a plan to get the king to give his family what he had ALREADY promised them. Joseph knew the Egyptians did not like to be around anyone who raised sheep so his logic was that if his family told Pharaoh that they were shepherds, then Pharaoh would send them off to Goshen. Although Goshen was the best land in the region, it was far from where Pharaoh lived. The problem I have with Joseph’s logic is that Pharaoh had already promised his family the land of Goshen. Not only did the king promise it, but Joseph also declared it, when he said to his brothers, “You will live near me in the region of Goshen” (45:10). Now it seems like Joseph was attempting to manipulate the king to give them what he had already promised.
Joseph took five of his brothers to the king and they said, “Our father and my brothers have come from Canaan. They have brought their sheep, goats, cattle, and everything else they own to the region of Goshen.” They wanted to king to know that their family was already prepositioned in Goshen. They did this to put pressure on Pharaoh to give them the land. The king asked, “What do you do for a living?” They said, “Sir, we are shepherds, our families have always raised sheep. But in our country all the pastures are dried up, and our sheep have no grass to eat. So we, your servants, have come here. Please let us live in the region of Goshen.” They were pleading for something the king already promised. Pharaoh was gracious about it and said to Joseph, “It’s good that your father and brothers have arrived. I will let them live anywhere they choose in the land of Egypt, but I suggest that they settle in Goshen, the best part of our land. I would also like for your finest shepherds to watch after my own sheep and goats.”
So what does this mean to you today? A few things:
1. Pharaoh offered the best land in his kingdom (Goshen) to Joseph’s family by grace. This was an act of the king’s will and Joseph’s family did not have to do anything to earn it or deserve it. That’s exactly how God makes His promises to us – by grace, unearned and unmerited.
2. Although Joseph was already a recipient of Pharaoh’s grace — when Pharaoh promoted him from prisoner to Prime Minister — Joseph was not convinced that Pharaoh would be true to His Word. So Joseph and his family devised a plan to attempt to manipulate the king into giving them what he already promised. Please don’t treat God this way. If God promised you something, then He will be true to His Word. Period.
3. In order to accept God’s grace and pursue His promises by faith, you must believe He is a God of His Word. If you question God’s Word, then your faith will fail. But there is no need to question God or His Word. Men might lie, but God cannot lie (Titus 1:2). Men might renege on their Word, but God never will. The Bible says, “God is not a man; he will not lie. God is not a human being; his decisions will not change. If he says he will do something, then he will do it. If he makes a promise, then he will do what he promised” (Num 23:19).
4. God will not take back what He promised to give you, nor what He promised to do in your life. Let’s look at something Paul said in his letter to the church in Rome and let’s look at it from three different translations:
(Romans 11:29 ERV) God never changes his mind about the people he calls. He never decides to take back the blessings he has given them.
(Romans 11:29 MSG) God’s gifts and God’s call are under full warranty—never canceled, never rescinded.
(Romans 11:29 NIV) For God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable.
5. You can’t have faith in a God you do not trust. It is obvious Joseph did not trust Pharaoh, which is why he attempted to manipulate the king. But you cannot be like Joseph when dealing with God. If you are going to exercise faith in a God you cannot see, then you must trust Him with your whole heart. Your unyielding trust is the foundation for your faith.
Closing Confession: Father, I thank You for teaching me about Your grace and my requirement to live by faith. You made plans for me before the world began and You made those plans by grace. You now require me to believe Your plans and to pursue the completion of them with my faith. For my faith to be strong I must get to the point where I trust You with my whole heart. I declare that I do! I trust You, even when I don’t know what You are doing. I trust You, not only with my life, but with the lives of my family members. I trust You, not only with my present, but also with my future. I trust that You have my best interest in mind. So when You promise me something, I have no reason to doubt You. When You give me Your Word, I have no reason to question it. I am a believer and not a doubter. I live by faith and not by fear. I trust You. I believe in You. I have faith in what You have promised me. I am confident that I will arrive at Your desired destination for my life, because my success is rooted and grounded in Your grace, and in Your commitment to me; not necessarily in my faith and in my performance towards You. If my success were dependent solely on my performance, then I would have reason to doubt. But my success is dependent on Your grace, so I have no reason to doubt. I am at peace. I know I will win in life. I know I will succeed. Not because I am so good, but because You are and because You are a God who can be trusted! I declare this by faith! In Jesus’ name. Amen.
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper.
