As the Summit Who is Used by God (Genesis 45:1-8)
The Field of Answers of the 1st 2nd 3rd RUTC: 4/18/2021
As the Summit Who is Used by God (Genesis 45:1-8)
God has surely called us as those who will save the church, the world, and the posterity (future). For that reason, God needs to bless us as the true victors and true summits (John 14:12). We must first change our standards to enjoy this. The problem of this world is that false victors and false summits are moving this world. They pursue success with incorrect standards. Success to them is fulfilling their greed, and standards are physical standards and ones to be accepted by the world (school, job, position). Things do not work out because even the saved children of God are trying to enjoy God’s blessings and answers with those standards. Even if they may have achieved something, that is not the success that God desires. A success that does not concern God will only bring emptiness. It may crumble like the Tower of Babel. This is where the depression, addiction, and suicide of successful people come from. What is God’s standard? What does God desire? You must be able to think about how you could be used by God. It is God who has granted my life on earth, who has saved me through His Son’s life, who has made me a Child of God, and it is God who can lower and exalt me. It is also God who will call me away. In a word, this is “God’s absolute sovereignty” (1 Kings 29:11-12). Through the life of Joseph from the passage, may you discover the true success and the way of the true summit that I, our children, and all of us must go to?
- It matters to whom I am to be used. The rightful answer is to be used by God.
Do you feel as though that if you are used by God you will be at loss, fail, and never be successful?
1) Look at the individuals who were used by God in the Bible. All of them were people who were blessed to where they healed and saved the age.
It was to the point where unbelievers acknowledged them. There was Abraham who was acknowledged by the King of Sodom (Genesis 14:17-24), Isaac who was acknowledged by the Philistine King (Genesis 26:16-29). Joseph from the passage was a person that Pharaoh recognized and was one who gave the king no choice but to entrust the entire country (Genesis 41:38-40).
2) Even look at history. Some people were used by God in the same matter when America was being blessed and used importantly.
One of the representative figures is Abraham Lincoln. It was to where he said, “My concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God’s side, for God is always right,”
during the civil war. Many political leaders were used by God as well such as Rockefeller and John Wanamaker. They were individuals who received God’s grace and enjoyed God’s blessings. It was the same spiritually as well. There were pastors, evangelists, and theologians in America who saved the world as they were used by God.
- It matters how important I am to be used.
1) God will have to use us importantly. It is the absolute reason He has saved us through His Son’s life.
He delivered us from sin and curses (original sin, household, destiny, hell) eternally through His death (eternal Priest). He crushed Satan’s head and raised us as ones who will certainly have spiritual victory through His resurrection (eternal King). He became the way to take responsibility for our eternal future by being with us through the Holy Spirit (eternal Prophet).
2) What is God’s absolute conclusion for His people who are saved?
He desires to use us as disciples who will save all nations (Matthew 28:18-20). This is why He is with us with all the authority of heaven and earth. He will use us to where we will have no choice but to go to the ends of the earth and stand as His witness (Acts 1:8). This is why we are called ambassadors of Christ. He desires to use us as ones who will heal those afflicted by spiritual problems (Mark 16:17-20). This is why He will use us as spiritual doctors.
3) What kind of great works I do in my high position is not what is important.
① What is important is being used in the work, in the time, and in the place that God desires (1 Timothy 2:20-21 prepared vessels).
Whether it is a gold vessel, silver vessel, big or small is not important. It is about the vessel that is prepared anytime for God to use.
② There is no big or small work before God (key to the parables of talents). It is being deceived by a comparison and competition complex.
If you hold onto God’s will and labor even in the small things you do, that work will fulfill God’s will and change the world.
- Now, how does God desire to form us? It is God’s absolute method.
1) God desires for us to experience how God lifts us in the lowest place.
① Trying to exalt me and only striving to go to the highest places is arrogance. This is the devil’s method (Genesis 3,6,11).
Oppositely, the Lord lowered Himself and fulfilled our salvation and lets us stand in the place of true glory (Philippians 2:1-11). That is why God chose the most lacking and weak people and used them (1 Corinthians 2:26-29).
② Also, the more a person is used importantly, the more God will have the person go through a low place (wilderness).
This was why Joseph was a slave and imprisoned. Like Joseph’s confession in the passage, it was God’s work (verse 5,8).
③ Are you in a low and insignificant place? Look upon God the Highest.
Through the love and power of God that you experience in that lowest place, you will be able to forgive and save all people.
2) God lets us enjoy the deep things of God in our most painful and lonely times.
① We look to God because there is nothing to depend on and look to. Deep spirituality is formed there.
Everything being comfortable and a wealthy environment could lead me and my children to perish. They do not know what is precious and thankful.
② Where was Joseph’s deep spirituality made?
It was in the place of loneliness when he was an outsider in his family, then as a slave, and later in prison from being falsely accused. He experienced only God being with him (Genesis 39:3,5,23). Only, uniqueness and recreation came from that.
3) Joseph finally goes to the highest place within God’s time schedule. God’s will was fulfilled in that high place.
A time like this will come if we do not give excuses and are not deceived regardless of our environment and reality and look upon God as we hold onto the covenant. Do the works of saving people which God desires the most at that time. Joseph said, “God sent me to save your lives.”
① He saved his parents and even his brothers who had sold him as a slave. Ge saved his family and household.
② Joseph saved the King who entrusted everything to him and the nation. With whatever is entrusted to you, devote yourself to the point of saving them. We cannot do everything with our power. Thus, we need even deeper prayer and the power of the Holy Spirit all the more when being in an important place.
③ He saved the future by saving the posterity. “God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth” (verse 7).
This is where the twelve tribes of Israel who would conquer Canaan were made. Christ comes through their descendants.
Conclusion – It is a life that is chosen and saved by God, and one that will be blessed by God. The pain, problems, and crisis we face is all God’s method to prepare us to use us. May you be used in the work, the time, and place that God desires.