Sermon #S048 - It Doesn't
Matter What You Meant (Part 1)
00:00:09.94\00:00:19.61
I want you to take your Bibles
00:00:19.65\00:00:20.65
and we're going to do a
00:00:21.02\00:00:21.95
little bit of
reading here on the front end
00:00:21.95\00:00:25.42
just to provide a little
context for those who may not be
00:00:25.82\00:00:28.62
as familiar
with our story today.
00:00:28.62\00:00:31.23
And I want you to begin
with me in Genesis Chapter 42,
00:00:31.69\00:00:34.23
and we'll skip over the Genesis
45 and then we'll conclude
00:00:34.83\00:00:38.30
in Genesis 50.
00:00:38.30\00:00:39.60
Again, we'll be
reading a little bit,
00:00:39.60\00:00:41.17
but it'll actually help
us expedite things further
00:00:41.17\00:00:44.71
and later in the
service, Genesis Chapter 42,
00:00:44.97\00:00:48.11
and we're going to begin
together, verse number one.
00:00:48.61\00:00:50.68
Now, many of us are familiar
with the story of Joseph.
00:00:50.71\00:00:53.72
Joseph had 11 brothers, and
he told them about his dreams.
00:00:54.22\00:00:58.62
His dreams were of
such rulership that one day
00:00:59.09\00:01:01.86
his brothers and his
parents would be in a position
00:01:02.12\00:01:05.36
of submission to him.
00:01:05.36\00:01:06.96
And the brothers were so
angry about the dream that they
00:01:06.96\00:01:10.20
intended to kill him.
00:01:10.40\00:01:12.13
But God spared him, had him
sold into slavery, into Egypt,
00:01:12.13\00:01:16.81
and God brought him to
power in Egypt, despite
00:01:17.21\00:01:20.14
their inequities against
him, so much so that he became
00:01:20.64\00:01:23.95
governor over the
entire land of Egypt.
00:01:23.95\00:01:26.55
And this is where we
pick it up in Genesis 42,
00:01:26.98\00:01:29.05
Genesis 42, in verse one,
when you get there, let me
00:01:29.08\00:01:30.75
hear you say amen.
00:01:30.75\00:01:31.55
The Bible says,
00:01:32.85\00:01:34.46
when Jacob saw that
there was green in Egypt,
00:01:34.46\00:01:37.29
Jacob said to his sons,
Why do you look at one another?
00:01:37.86\00:01:41.26
And he said,
Indeed, I have heard
00:01:41.83\00:01:43.43
that there is green in Egypt.
00:01:43.43\00:01:45.50
Go down to that place
00:01:45.50\00:01:46.84
and buy for us there
that we may live and not die.
00:01:46.84\00:01:50.64
So Joseph's twins brothers
went down to buy grain in Egypt.
00:01:51.31\00:01:54.71
But Jacob did not send
Joseph's brother, Benjamin,
00:01:55.11\00:01:58.35
with the brothers, for he said,
lest some calamity befall him
00:01:58.35\00:02:02.52
and the Sons of
Israel went to buy grain.
00:02:03.12\00:02:05.65
Among those
00:02:05.65\00:02:06.59
who journeyed for the famine
was in the land of Canaan.
00:02:06.82\00:02:10.29
Now, Joseph
00:02:11.16\00:02:11.79
was governor over
the land and it was he
00:02:12.09\00:02:13.76
who sold to all
the people of the land.
00:02:13.76\00:02:16.26
And Joseph's
brothers came and bowed down
00:02:16.26\00:02:19.37
before him with
their faces to the earth.
00:02:19.37\00:02:21.94
And Joseph saw his
brothers and recognize them.
00:02:22.70\00:02:26.84
But he acted as a stranger to
them and spoke roughly to them.
00:02:27.34\00:02:31.75
Then he said to them,
Where do you come from?
00:02:32.31\00:02:34.78
And they said, from the
land of Canaan to buy food.
00:02:35.28\00:02:37.92
So Joseph recognized his
brothers were watching this.
00:02:38.62\00:02:42.06
But they did not recognize him.
00:02:42.59\00:02:46.19
Then Joseph
remembered the dreams
00:02:47.46\00:02:49.43
which he dreamed about them
and said to them, You are spies.
00:02:49.43\00:02:53.00
You have come to see
the nakedness of the land.
00:02:53.27\00:02:56.40
Verse 19 He proposes a scenario.
00:02:56.44\00:02:59.01
He says,
00:02:59.47\00:02:59.84
If you are honest men,
let one of your brothers
00:03:00.54\00:03:01.71
be confined to
your prison house.
00:03:01.71\00:03:04.05
But you go and carry grain
00:03:04.05\00:03:06.51
for the famine of your
houses and bring your youngest
00:03:06.51\00:03:09.72
brother to me.
00:03:09.72\00:03:11.05
So the words will be
verified that you shall not die.
00:03:11.05\00:03:13.86
And they did so.
00:03:14.46\00:03:15.79
And they said to one another,
00:03:15.79\00:03:17.69
We are truly
guilty concerning our WHO.
00:03:17.69\00:03:21.43
In other words, when
this thing hits them,
00:03:22.16\00:03:23.90
it comes full
circle. They like, Oh, snap.
00:03:23.90\00:03:26.20
This is because of
what we did to Joseph.
00:03:26.23\00:03:28.54
For we saw the
anguish of his soul
00:03:29.47\00:03:31.81
when he pleaded with us.
00:03:31.81\00:03:33.34
And he would not hear
and we would not hear.
00:03:33.34\00:03:35.51
Therefore, this
distress has come where upon us?
00:03:35.78\00:03:40.08
And Reuben answered them,
saying, Did I not speak to you?
00:03:40.48\00:03:43.42
Did you say, do
not sin against the boy
00:03:43.75\00:03:45.99
and you would not listen?
00:03:46.22\00:03:47.79
Therefore, behold, his
blood is now required of us.
00:03:47.79\00:03:52.46
But they did not know that
Joseph understood them, for
00:03:53.13\00:03:56.30
he spoke to them
through an interpreter.
00:03:56.30\00:03:58.57
And the Bible says,
00:03:58.57\00:03:59.37
and he, talking about Joseph,
turned himself away from them.
00:03:59.80\00:04:02.77
And what?
00:04:02.77\00:04:03.34
And wept.
00:04:04.31\00:04:05.31
And he returned to them
again and talked with them.
00:04:05.44\00:04:07.94
And he took Simeon from them
and bound him before their eyes.
00:04:08.24\00:04:12.55
Chapter 45, Genesis chapter 45.
00:04:12.61\00:04:16.18
And verse one they
go and then they return.
00:04:16.18\00:04:19.45
We see what happens.
00:04:19.49\00:04:20.92
Then the Bible says Joseph
could not restrain himself
00:04:20.92\00:04:26.16
before, before all
those who stood by,
00:04:27.03\00:04:29.33
and he cried out, Make
everyone go out from me.
00:04:29.66\00:04:32.97
So no one stood with him
while Joseph made himself
00:04:33.54\00:04:37.01
known to his brothers.
00:04:37.01\00:04:38.87
And the Bible says.
00:04:38.87\00:04:39.87
And he did what?
00:04:39.87\00:04:41.68
What did he do?
00:04:41.68\00:04:42.94
What did he do?
00:04:43.08\00:04:44.41
The Bible says,
and he wept. How?
00:04:44.51\00:04:47.48
Bible says that he wept aloud.
00:04:48.75\00:04:50.89
And the Egyptian and the
house of Pharaoh heard it.
00:04:51.22\00:04:53.62
Then Joseph said to
his brothers, I am Joseph.
00:04:54.19\00:04:56.62
Does my father still live?
00:04:57.03\00:04:58.86
But his brothers
00:04:58.86\00:04:59.66
could not answer him, for they
were dismayed in his presence
00:05:00.16\00:05:03.80
about being sure they were done.
00:05:05.00\00:05:07.97
And Joseph said to his brothers,
Please come near to me.
00:05:07.97\00:05:10.64
So they came near.
00:05:11.11\00:05:12.51
Then he said, I am
Joseph, your brother,
00:05:12.51\00:05:14.64
whom you sold into
Egypt, but now do not therefore
00:05:14.64\00:05:18.85
be grieved or
angry with yourselves.
00:05:18.85\00:05:21.35
Because you sold me here
00:05:21.92\00:05:24.55
for God, sent me before you
00:05:24.55\00:05:26.89
to preserve life
00:05:27.66\00:05:30.19
for these two years the
famine has been in the land
00:05:30.19\00:05:33.19
and there are still five years
00:05:33.19\00:05:35.20
in which there will be
neither plowing nor harvesting.
00:05:35.36\00:05:38.23
And God sent me
before you to preserve
00:05:38.43\00:05:41.24
a posterity for you in the Earth
00:05:41.24\00:05:44.34
and to save your lives
by a great deliverance.
00:05:45.14\00:05:48.01
So now it was not
you who sent me, but who.
00:05:48.38\00:05:52.25
And he has made me a
father to Pharaoh and the Lord
00:05:53.21\00:05:56.65
of all of his house and a ruler
throughout the land of Egypt.
00:05:56.65\00:06:00.36
Quickly. Genesis, chapter 50.
00:06:00.36\00:06:02.79
And we're going to
conclude here and verse 15.
00:06:02.79\00:06:05.76
So Joseph's
father, his brothers come,
00:06:05.76\00:06:08.13
they settle in
the land of Egypt.
00:06:08.13\00:06:09.96
But eventually
Joseph's father, Jacob, dies.
00:06:09.96\00:06:12.90
And look at the fear
that comes back upon them.
00:06:12.93\00:06:15.47
And when Joseph's brothers
saw that the father was dead,
00:06:16.14\00:06:18.51
they said perhaps
Joseph will hate us and may
00:06:19.17\00:06:22.94
actually repay us for
the evil which we did to him.
00:06:22.94\00:06:26.38
I don't know if
you'll catch this.
00:06:26.41\00:06:27.45
They still in prison
to their own conscious.
00:06:27.45\00:06:30.65
So they sent messengers to
00:06:32.15\00:06:33.39
Joseph saying Before
Father die, he commanded us.
00:06:33.39\00:06:36.52
Say thus
00:06:36.52\00:06:37.59
you shall say to Joseph,
I beg you, please forgive
00:06:37.59\00:06:40.13
the trespass of your brothers
and the sin for the evil
00:06:40.13\00:06:43.33
they did to you.
00:06:43.33\00:06:44.33
Now, please forgive the trespass
of your servants of God,
00:06:44.50\00:06:47.90
your father.
00:06:47.90\00:06:48.97
And the Bible says.
00:06:48.97\00:06:49.97
And Joseph did what?
00:06:49.97\00:06:51.74
Again, he waits.
00:06:51.74\00:06:52.94
When he spoke to them.
00:06:52.94\00:06:54.61
Then his brothers also went
and fell down before his face.
00:06:54.61\00:06:58.18
And they said,
Behold, we are your servants.
00:06:58.38\00:07:00.92
And Joseph said to
them, Do not be afraid,
00:07:01.55\00:07:04.25
for am I in the place of God?
00:07:04.92\00:07:07.46
And this is the
whole message right here.
00:07:07.46\00:07:09.09
But as for you,
00:07:09.09\00:07:11.29
you meant evil against me.
00:07:11.29\00:07:15.13
But God meant it for good.
00:07:18.27\00:07:21.37
In order to bring,
as it is, this day,
00:07:22.40\00:07:25.14
to say, many
people alive today, saints
00:07:25.64\00:07:28.91
for just a little
while with God's help.
00:07:28.91\00:07:31.08
I want to talk to
you under the subject.
00:07:31.08\00:07:33.75
It doesn't
matter how you meant it.
00:07:33.75\00:07:36.15
It doesn't
matter how you meant it.
00:07:37.29\00:07:39.52
Let's pray to God the father
00:07:39.52\00:07:41.92
once again in this little while.
00:07:42.82\00:07:44.59
Would you please say much?
00:07:44.59\00:07:47.23
Lord, would you please
take full access of me?
00:07:47.23\00:07:50.40
The vessel.
00:07:50.40\00:07:51.70
So that your
people are not shorted
00:07:51.70\00:07:54.14
or denied in any way?
00:07:54.50\00:07:56.77
Lord, I'm praying
that hope would erupt.
00:07:57.51\00:08:00.24
I'm praying that
faith would be multiplied.
00:08:00.84\00:08:03.45
And, Lord,
00:08:03.78\00:08:04.18
I pray that healing would
commence in today's service.
00:08:04.95\00:08:07.38
Lord, would you hide me
in the shadows of the cross?
00:08:07.85\00:08:09.98
That Jesus alone might
be seen, that Christ alone
00:08:10.55\00:08:13.32
would be heard?
00:08:13.32\00:08:14.19
And at the end of our time
00:08:14.19\00:08:15.19
together, may
Jesus alone be praised.
00:08:15.19\00:08:17.29
We ask this in the name of
him, who is altogether lovely.
00:08:17.66\00:08:20.46
It is in the name
of Jesus that we pray.
00:08:20.76\00:08:22.80
Let those who
believe shout together.
00:08:23.10\00:08:25.17
Amen.
00:08:25.17\00:08:26.33
And a man who may be
seated in the house of the Lord.
00:08:26.50\00:08:28.77
Again, talking on the subject.
00:08:29.77\00:08:31.07
It doesn't matter how
00:08:31.07\00:08:34.18
you meant it.
00:08:34.18\00:08:36.44
Quickly
00:08:40.82\00:08:41.22
want to have you come on
in and sit and be settled.
00:08:41.92\00:08:43.89
Again, it doesn't
matter what you meant.
00:08:44.35\00:08:47.19
Today, friends, I
want to spend a little time
00:08:48.99\00:08:52.83
talking about
how we hold on to God
00:08:54.30\00:08:57.17
in the midst of trauma and pain.
00:08:57.17\00:08:59.70
But in order to
do that, there first
00:09:01.50\00:09:03.64
has to be a theological
error that has to be corrected.
00:09:03.64\00:09:07.54
You see, friends,
00:09:08.38\00:09:09.11
the story of Joseph
can be somewhat deceiving.
00:09:09.41\00:09:12.55
We see a person like
him who endures trauma,
00:09:13.18\00:09:16.38
and yet they prosper
under the care and hand of God.
00:09:16.65\00:09:21.02
And sometimes we can
make the assumption that
00:09:21.62\00:09:24.79
because God
created a happy ending,
00:09:24.79\00:09:28.36
we believe that God
ordained the painful beginning.
00:09:28.53\00:09:32.53
Sometimes we think
that because Joseph's story
00:09:33.47\00:09:36.60
ends well, that that is
how God scripted it to go.
00:09:36.60\00:09:40.41
And as a result, we
essentially make God
00:09:40.61\00:09:43.58
an accomplice
in Joseph's trauma.
00:09:43.58\00:09:46.11
But the book of James teaches
us that God cannot be tempted
00:09:46.88\00:09:50.75
by evil.
00:09:50.75\00:09:51.85
Neither does he
tempt any man with evil.
00:09:51.85\00:09:54.96
In other words, I
don't believe that
00:09:55.16\00:09:57.23
the spirit of God enflamed the
jealousy of Joseph's brothers.
00:09:57.23\00:10:02.03
I don't believe that God
00:10:02.30\00:10:03.90
put murderous intent
inside of their heart.
00:10:03.90\00:10:07.44
I don't think God anointed
them to throw him down in a pit.
00:10:07.70\00:10:11.71
I don't think
00:10:11.97\00:10:12.61
God inspired the slavery
that took place in Egypt.
00:10:13.07\00:10:16.34
And I know God didn't
put the lie in the mouth
00:10:16.54\00:10:19.55
of Potter for his wife
so that he might go to jail.
00:10:19.55\00:10:22.88
And see, just because
God willed a positive end,
00:10:23.28\00:10:27.52
it doesn't mean that God
ordained the toxic process.
00:10:27.72\00:10:31.79
You see, the truth is
that God had a thousand ways
00:10:32.23\00:10:36.10
to get Joseph to power that
we don't know anything about.
00:10:36.10\00:10:41.17
But there are times where
God adds His providence to
00:10:41.44\00:10:45.34
our trauma in such spectacular
fashion that our in results
00:10:45.34\00:10:50.68
scenes as if God
scripted it that very way.
00:10:50.68\00:10:54.38
And I need somebody to know
00:10:54.75\00:10:56.72
that God is not the
author of your pain.
00:10:56.72\00:11:00.09
God is the
recycler of your pain.
00:11:00.26\00:11:02.86
Let me say it again.
00:11:02.89\00:11:04.23
That that God is not
the author of your hurt.
00:11:04.23\00:11:07.10
God is simply the one
that reframes your hurt.
00:11:07.23\00:11:10.33
In other words, I need somebody
to know that it was not God
00:11:10.63\00:11:14.34
that took away
your loved one in death.
00:11:14.37\00:11:17.17
In fact, the Bible says that
00:11:17.37\00:11:19.31
the last enemy to
be destroyed is death.
00:11:19.31\00:11:22.64
I need you to know
that God didn't send someone
00:11:23.08\00:11:26.08
into your bedroom to disrupt
your childhood in a sense
00:11:26.08\00:11:30.19
that God is not punishing some
woman with domestic violence.
00:11:30.49\00:11:34.99
It was not God that sent enemies
to assault or assail you.
00:11:35.26\00:11:39.43
I don't believe it was God
that sent the wildfires in Maui.
00:11:39.66\00:11:44.03
And it wasn't God that
sent COVID across the globe.
00:11:44.20\00:11:48.14
And it's interesting.
00:11:48.44\00:11:49.70
There's this this inversion
of credit in our time in it
00:11:49.70\00:11:53.88
crazy how we give God
credit for the works of Satan
00:11:53.88\00:11:58.18
and we take credit
for the works of God.
00:11:58.38\00:12:00.95
Let me say it again
00:12:00.98\00:12:02.32
that we give God credit
for the works of the enemy
00:12:02.32\00:12:05.99
and we give ourselves
credit for the works of God.
00:12:06.12\00:12:09.52
And there are some of us that
are frustrated in this place
00:12:09.72\00:12:12.79
because we're blaming
God for what Satan has done.
00:12:12.99\00:12:16.36
And we credit
ourselves for what God has done.
00:12:16.50\00:12:19.73
And the reason we have to
force praise in the church
00:12:19.93\00:12:23.44
is because we are creating
00:12:23.61\00:12:25.17
marketing ourselves for
the works that God has done.
00:12:25.17\00:12:29.01
In other words, saints,
00:12:29.24\00:12:30.28
I need you to get that God
is not the cause of your trauma.
00:12:30.45\00:12:33.98
God is just the one
that reshapes your trauma.
00:12:34.18\00:12:37.32
How do I know Jeremiah?
00:12:37.59\00:12:39.35
He said, I know the
plans I have for you.
00:12:39.35\00:12:42.62
My plans are to prosper
you and not to harm you,
00:12:42.89\00:12:46.76
to give you a future and a hope.
00:12:46.96\00:12:49.13
Jesus says it was the
thief that comes to steal,
00:12:49.40\00:12:53.30
kill and destroy.
00:12:53.30\00:12:54.90
But I've come that
00:12:54.90\00:12:56.10
they might have life
and have it more abundantly.
00:12:56.10\00:12:59.81
And God is so good
00:13:00.14\00:13:01.81
that He says even the
pain that is permitted.
00:13:01.81\00:13:04.65
I'll take what your
enemy meant for bad.
00:13:04.85\00:13:07.98
I'll reshape it
and reorganize it
00:13:08.22\00:13:10.92
so that it ultimately
works out for your good.
00:13:11.09\00:13:15.36
Hmm. Let me say it this way.
00:13:16.39\00:13:19.39
I remember growing up,
00:13:19.56\00:13:21.00
I spent a lot of time
at my grandma's house, and.
00:13:21.00\00:13:23.50
And Grandma was in the
kitchen cooking one day, and.
00:13:23.70\00:13:26.20
And I told her I
was like, Grandma,
00:13:26.33\00:13:27.94
I want to make some
bread or some kind of cake.
00:13:27.94\00:13:30.37
And and she gave me a big bowl,
00:13:30.37\00:13:32.14
and she let me play
00:13:32.14\00:13:33.07
with the flour and the
water and mix it all together.
00:13:33.27\00:13:36.75
And like little, small
kids, I got bored with it
00:13:36.75\00:13:39.11
after about 5 minutes.
00:13:39.11\00:13:40.78
Man, my batter
was hard and what?
00:13:40.78\00:13:42.62
Nothing good coming out of it.
00:13:42.62\00:13:44.39
And so I had the bowl in
my hand getting ready to go
00:13:44.39\00:13:47.92
and throw that bowl of
flour and stuff in the trash.
00:13:47.92\00:13:51.03
And Grandma said, Hold
up before you throw it away.
00:13:51.26\00:13:54.50
And it's amazing.
00:13:54.93\00:13:55.80
She took this broken batter.
00:13:55.80\00:13:57.90
And I don't remember
everything that she did,
00:13:57.90\00:14:00.40
but grandma took
that flour and that milk
00:14:00.57\00:14:03.61
and she added some
cinnamon and some water
00:14:03.77\00:14:06.98
and some southern folk
know about some buttermilk.
00:14:07.11\00:14:09.58
And before I knew it,
00:14:09.78\00:14:11.41
it smelt
00:14:11.41\00:14:11.98
like the International
House of Pancakes in that place.
00:14:12.58\00:14:15.35
And I need you to know, friends,
00:14:15.75\00:14:17.59
that she took what I was about.
00:14:17.59\00:14:19.59
I meant to throw it away.
00:14:19.59\00:14:21.56
And she turned around and
reworked it so that she made
00:14:21.56\00:14:25.29
the best pancake I
ever eight in my life.
00:14:25.29\00:14:28.23
And the crazy thing is that
if you came in from the outside,
00:14:28.66\00:14:32.53
the pancakes were so good,
you would think that that's
00:14:32.70\00:14:35.67
what she meant
from the beginning.
00:14:35.67\00:14:37.74
But my grandma was able to
take what I meant for trash,
00:14:37.74\00:14:41.21
turn it around and
feed everybody in the house.
00:14:41.54\00:14:44.81
And how many of us know
that God is a great baker,
00:14:45.11\00:14:48.38
that he can take what
was meant to destroy you.
00:14:48.72\00:14:51.82
He can take what
was meant to cancel you.
00:14:52.15\00:14:54.62
He can take what
was meant to bind you,
00:14:54.92\00:14:57.49
and he can
rework it and reshape it
00:14:57.69\00:15:00.50
that he ultimately blesses you.
00:15:00.70\00:15:03.33
He can take what
was meant for bad
00:15:03.63\00:15:06.40
and turn it around
and use it for your good.
00:15:07.80\00:15:10.01
Y'all hear me today, friends?
00:15:10.11\00:15:12.51
And so as we get
heavy into the world
00:15:12.51\00:15:14.58
today, I promise
not to take your time.
00:15:14.58\00:15:16.91
Too much time.
00:15:16.91\00:15:17.95
If you give me your
undivided attention.
00:15:17.95\00:15:20.12
You see, I need
you to get friends.
00:15:20.35\00:15:21.82
That Joseph's life teaches us
some critical lessons of faith.
00:15:21.82\00:15:25.99
But the first thing
that Joseph teaches us
00:15:26.29\00:15:28.76
is that your
environment can shape you,
00:15:28.96\00:15:32.09
but it doesn't determine you.
00:15:32.33\00:15:35.90
Let me shout out to
those in the balcony
00:15:35.90\00:15:38.27
that your
environment can shape you,
00:15:38.27\00:15:40.44
but it should not determine you.
00:15:41.10\00:15:43.30
Not out of all the
characters in Scripture,
00:15:44.04\00:15:46.68
nobody personifies
this more than Joseph.
00:15:46.98\00:15:50.61
In fact, when
you look at Joseph's
00:15:51.28\00:15:53.85
life, he is the antithesis
00:15:53.85\00:15:56.35
of everything he
saw in his upbringing.
00:15:56.35\00:15:59.55
You remember who
Joseph's daddy is?
00:16:00.52\00:16:05.29
Remember, Joseph's
daddy is a man named Jacob
00:16:05.29\00:16:09.33
who is so crooked
that his very name
00:16:09.63\00:16:12.80
means supplant or deceiver.
00:16:12.80\00:16:15.74
In other words, Jacob is that
cat that smiles in your face
00:16:16.24\00:16:20.91
while he is turning
the knife in your chest.
00:16:21.04\00:16:23.91
You are hearing me today,
00:16:24.05\00:16:25.48
in other words, of the
great man that Jacob was,
00:16:25.48\00:16:28.62
the one that deceived his father
while stealing the birthright
00:16:28.62\00:16:33.86
and later on out
hustling his father, Laban.
00:16:33.99\00:16:37.89
But Joseph is so
straight laced that both Pharaoh
00:16:38.13\00:16:42.33
and Potter for our trust him
with everything in their house
00:16:42.33\00:16:46.77
except the very food
that they eat in the back.
00:16:46.97\00:16:50.51
If I don't know this to be true,
but I believe that Daddy Jacob
00:16:50.64\00:16:54.64
would have smashed
Potter for his wife
00:16:54.74\00:16:56.85
and figure out a
way to cover it up.
00:16:57.01\00:16:59.48
But Jacob has such
integrity that he won't
00:16:59.68\00:17:03.55
even be alone with her and
commit this sin against God.
00:17:03.55\00:17:08.29
Y'all remember that
00:17:08.56\00:17:09.52
Jacob had several kids by
a bunch of different women,
00:17:09.62\00:17:13.60
but Joseph came
back to God's ideal
00:17:13.83\00:17:16.67
and had posterity
through one wife judge.
00:17:16.80\00:17:20.07
So Joseph is so
different than his brothers
00:17:20.07\00:17:22.50
that even though they exacted
cruelty and harm toward him,
00:17:22.67\00:17:27.08
even when he had a
chance to split their rig,
00:17:27.28\00:17:32.51
he did not respond in time.
00:17:32.51\00:17:35.48
And what Joseph teaches
you is that your environment
00:17:35.68\00:17:39.19
can shape you, but
it ought not define you
00:17:39.19\00:17:42.72
as he friends of mine.
00:17:44.03\00:17:44.93
This is powerful
00:17:44.93\00:17:46.09
because one of the things
that happens when we experience
00:17:46.09\00:17:49.00
trauma is that sometimes
we get and what mental health
00:17:49.00\00:17:52.93
professionals call
the cycle of trauma.
00:17:52.93\00:17:56.14
And it amazing how sometimes
that that that brother that sees
00:17:57.11\00:18:01.74
his mother being abused
by his father turns around
00:18:01.74\00:18:05.88
and becomes the same perpetrator
of domestic violence.
00:18:05.88\00:18:09.18
And it crazy how
sometimes the girl that sees
00:18:09.82\00:18:12.85
her mom being beaten
somehow without instruction
00:18:12.85\00:18:16.89
grows up and finds
that same kind of guy.
00:18:16.89\00:18:20.00
It's interesting
00:18:20.73\00:18:21.40
how those who are victims
of sexual predatory behavior
00:18:21.86\00:18:24.73
then become the inflicting
issues of predatory behavior.
00:18:24.93\00:18:28.37
You know, sometimes you will see
00:18:28.54\00:18:30.21
that those who
come from a broken home
00:18:30.21\00:18:32.64
will then turn around and become
the overseers of broken homes.
00:18:32.84\00:18:36.61
I need you to know the
cycle of trauma is so great
00:18:36.81\00:18:39.55
that one time I went to
jail to see one brother.
00:18:39.75\00:18:43.28
And there were three generations
of men in the same family.
00:18:43.45\00:18:47.19
In the same jail.
00:18:47.19\00:18:49.36
That great uncle.
00:18:49.36\00:18:50.53
Nephew and son were
in the same penitentiary.
00:18:50.53\00:18:54.56
And it's crazy
because there are times
00:18:55.20\00:18:57.17
where we will use a term
and say a family is under
00:18:57.17\00:19:00.87
a generational curse.
Have you heard that before?
00:19:00.87\00:19:03.27
And I need you to know that
there is an element of truth,
00:19:03.84\00:19:06.17
but it's not so much
just a generational curse.
00:19:06.34\00:19:09.21
Some of us are trapped
in a generational cycle.
00:19:09.38\00:19:12.25
And so the reason I
don't just believe in a curse
00:19:13.52\00:19:16.05
is because it suggests
that there is a witch or a demon
00:19:16.28\00:19:20.62
that's able to
stand on the outside
00:19:20.82\00:19:23.56
and just wield a
weapon that destroys
00:19:23.73\00:19:27.56
everybody in its path
and fixes everybody's fate.
00:19:27.56\00:19:31.57
But the reason I
don't believe in curses
00:19:31.80\00:19:34.20
is because the Angel of the
Lord and camp, both about those
00:19:34.37\00:19:38.61
that fear him and build
the weapons, might be formed.
00:19:38.61\00:19:43.14
I know that they will
not be permitted to prosper,
00:19:43.38\00:19:47.45
so I don't believe
that it's necessarily
00:19:49.15\00:19:51.32
just a curse that fixes my fate.
00:19:51.32\00:19:54.02
But the reason
things get passed down
00:19:54.16\00:19:56.76
is that we read from the
scripts our parents give us,
00:19:56.96\00:20:00.73
and I need you to know that
you've got to get to a place.
00:20:01.83\00:20:04.37
I need somebody
to hear me on this.
00:20:04.47\00:20:06.47
I need you to know that
just because Grandma did it
00:20:06.47\00:20:09.34
and just because Daddy
did it does not mean that
00:20:09.57\00:20:13.38
you have to do it.
00:20:13.38\00:20:14.94
I need somebody to know
00:20:14.94\00:20:16.95
that your decision is
more powerful than your DNA.
00:20:16.95\00:20:20.92
Oh, let me say it again.
00:20:20.95\00:20:22.55
That your decisions are
more powerful than your DNA.
00:20:22.55\00:20:26.76
You are hearing me today.
00:20:26.89\00:20:29.12
See, the thing I
like about Joseph
00:20:29.12\00:20:30.83
is that he is not formed
in the image of his pain.
00:20:30.83\00:20:34.46
He is formed in
the image of his God.
00:20:35.60\00:20:37.73
Are you all with
the past in a today?
00:20:37.73\00:20:39.53
In other words,
00:20:39.53\00:20:40.10
he is not shaped in bitterness
by what his brother's done.
00:20:40.74\00:20:44.37
He is not shaped by the racial
inequity and slavery in Egypt.
00:20:44.64\00:20:49.28
He doesn't even allow his
jail time to reshape his image.
00:20:49.51\00:20:53.45
Our perspective.
00:20:53.45\00:20:54.75
And Joseph's life is both
an encouragement and a rebuke.
00:20:54.75\00:20:58.82
Because if anybody had a
right to throw in the towel,
00:20:58.99\00:21:02.26
become jaded and
cynical, it was Joseph.
00:21:02.46\00:21:05.56
But what Joseph?
00:21:05.59\00:21:06.53
VI shouts out to us
00:21:06.53\00:21:08.20
is that you don't have
to be what you came from,
00:21:08.20\00:21:11.40
that you don't have to live
out what you saw growing up.
00:21:11.63\00:21:14.87
You don't have to
let your container
00:21:15.04\00:21:17.54
determine your contact
00:21:18.37\00:21:21.14
with God.
00:21:21.14\00:21:21.68
In other words,
your container art
00:21:22.94\00:21:25.68
not change our transformed
the content of your character.
00:21:25.68\00:21:29.38
Real Talk.
00:21:29.88\00:21:30.39
This summer I was in Seattle
doing an evangelistic revival,
00:21:31.09\00:21:34.36
and I went to this
particular restaurant, Louis,
00:21:34.56\00:21:36.79
where they made something
called spaghetti cupcakes.
00:21:36.93\00:21:40.80
And what the
spaghetti cupcakes was,
00:21:41.53\00:21:43.43
it was essentially spaghetti.
00:21:43.43\00:21:45.13
But instead of baking it
in a big pan, they put it
00:21:45.13\00:21:48.50
in the little cupcake holders
and they baked it that way.
00:21:48.50\00:21:52.51
And even though they were
baked and cupcake holders,
00:21:52.71\00:21:55.68
you didn't order
these from the dessert menu.
00:21:55.91\00:21:58.78
Okay.
00:22:00.78\00:22:01.62
It was baked in a
cupcake container,
00:22:01.88\00:22:04.32
but you can order it
from the dessert menu.
00:22:04.85\00:22:07.82
You was going to pay
the full price of an entree
00:22:07.82\00:22:10.86
because even though it was made
in that container, guess what?
00:22:11.29\00:22:15.53
Its content was
still. And on trade.
00:22:15.53\00:22:18.00
So you paid the price
00:22:18.30\00:22:19.70
of an entree, it had
the value of an entree.
00:22:19.70\00:22:23.24
You were going to
order it like an entree.
00:22:23.44\00:22:25.64
And what I'm saying to somebody
00:22:25.81\00:22:27.28
today is that you may have
grown up in a ghetto container,
00:22:27.28\00:22:31.35
you may have grown
up in a hood container,
00:22:32.28\00:22:35.08
you may have grown up in the
00:22:35.48\00:22:36.85
container of poverty or
the container of divorce.
00:22:36.85\00:22:40.62
But you still
got entree potential.
00:22:40.86\00:22:43.53
You still got entree character.
00:22:43.89\00:22:46.19
So guess what?
00:22:46.56\00:22:47.46
Don't discount the price.
00:22:47.46\00:22:49.30
Don't give nobody no coupons
00:22:49.30\00:22:51.47
because your container
doesn't determine your contents.
00:22:51.70\00:22:55.47
You hear me today?
00:22:56.37\00:22:58.11
Because I need you to get this.
00:22:58.77\00:23:00.68
That you got to make a
decision to remain molded
00:23:00.68\00:23:03.68
in the image of God.
00:23:03.68\00:23:05.68
You cannot allow the root of
bitterness to get down so deep
00:23:05.68\00:23:10.05
that it literally contaminates
every aspect of your soul.
00:23:10.25\00:23:13.89
And see, this is what
I need. Somebody to know.
00:23:14.19\00:23:16.39
Because even as I stand before
this robust audience here today,
00:23:16.56\00:23:20.66
I know that there are
some of us that know exactly
00:23:21.00\00:23:24.27
what I am talking about,
even though you may be clad in
00:23:24.43\00:23:28.50
church attire, decorated
with decrees and accomplishment.
00:23:28.50\00:23:32.87
I know everybody didn't
grow up with a silver spoon
00:23:33.04\00:23:36.18
in their mouth.
00:23:36.18\00:23:37.35
There are some, like Langston
Hughes mother, that can testify
00:23:37.45\00:23:41.02
that life for me
ain't been no crystal stair.
00:23:41.02\00:23:44.52
But there have been
some splinters and planks
00:23:44.79\00:23:47.32
somewhere along the floor
00:23:47.52\00:23:49.29
and places where there
was no carpet in the ground.
00:23:49.29\00:23:52.36
And you are in this place
today, not because you had
00:23:52.56\00:23:56.30
every advantage in
life, but because somehow
00:23:56.30\00:24:00.07
God got in the
midst of your pain,
00:24:00.27\00:24:03.00
turned it upside
down, ordered your steps.
00:24:03.27\00:24:06.84
And how are you
are hearing me today?
00:24:06.84\00:24:08.81
I see there are
00:24:10.21\00:24:10.71
some of us that
learn from a good example,
00:24:11.15\00:24:12.95
but sometimes you got to
learn from a bad example.
00:24:13.98\00:24:16.12
In other words, I
need you to understand
00:24:16.99\00:24:19.02
that sometimes we learn through,
through, through comparison.
00:24:19.15\00:24:22.39
But sometimes some
of us grow up in a space
00:24:22.56\00:24:24.39
where you got to
learn through contrast.
00:24:24.39\00:24:26.76
In other words, from some
you learn from your parents
00:24:26.76\00:24:28.90
what to do, but some of us
00:24:28.90\00:24:32.47
learn from our
parents what not to do.
00:24:32.47\00:24:35.47
Am I preaching anybody?
00:24:35.47\00:24:37.27
In other words,
00:24:38.31\00:24:39.47
you just got a different
00:24:39.47\00:24:40.54
type of instruction
that God is able to use.
00:24:40.54\00:24:43.24
In other words,
when you see that
00:24:43.35\00:24:44.85
all of your cousins in
them have wound up in jail,
00:24:44.85\00:24:47.82
that's simply aiming you in
the direction of your purpose.
00:24:47.95\00:24:51.75
When when you saw how
certain men treated your mom,
00:24:51.75\00:24:54.79
it ought to aim
you in the direction
00:24:54.96\00:24:56.73
of the most gentle and
praying man on this campus.
00:24:56.73\00:24:59.96
I need you to get for Chris
00:25:00.43\00:25:02.10
that in order to
break the family cycle,
00:25:02.10\00:25:05.23
you've got to adopt
some different talents
00:25:05.37\00:25:09.00
and other words.
00:25:09.74\00:25:10.44
I can't copy the pattern
00:25:10.44\00:25:13.11
and get a different result.
00:25:13.58\00:25:16.95
May I share this story?
00:25:17.18\00:25:18.61
I remember one time, my wife and
I, we were going out of town.
00:25:18.61\00:25:21.35
We come here for camping.
00:25:21.35\00:25:22.38
We're living in
Kentucky at the time,
00:25:22.38\00:25:23.95
and we were here for the
whole ten days of camp meeting
00:25:23.95\00:25:25.95
and before we left,
00:25:26.15\00:25:26.96
we made the
mistake of living up,
00:25:26.96\00:25:28.72
leaving a big bowl of fruit
00:25:28.72\00:25:30.06
right there on
the kitchen table.
00:25:30.06\00:25:32.19
And when we came home after
about two and a half weeks,
00:25:32.19\00:25:34.56
I knew, you know,
00:25:34.73\00:25:35.40
we had one of the greatest
infestation of fruit flies
00:25:35.86\00:25:38.50
you're going to
ever see in your life.
00:25:38.50\00:25:40.74
And it's crazy because,
00:25:40.74\00:25:41.60
man, the fruit
flies, they don't bite,
00:25:41.60\00:25:43.34
they don't sting, but they'll
drive you out of your mind.
00:25:43.34\00:25:45.41
And I preaching anybody that
00:25:45.41\00:25:47.24
and it's crazy
because back then my wife
00:25:47.24\00:25:48.94
had this little concoction
where she would feel a cup
00:25:48.94\00:25:51.68
half way with vinegar.
00:25:51.95\00:25:53.48
Then she would put some
dishwashing liquid on it,
00:25:53.48\00:25:56.38
then fill the rest
of the way with bubbles.
00:25:56.58\00:25:59.05
And when it bubbled
up, what would happen
00:25:59.19\00:26:01.56
is when the flies
came in to get the vinegar,
00:26:01.56\00:26:04.29
they would get trapped
in the bubbles and die.
00:26:04.89\00:26:07.30
And so we have these
traps all over the house
00:26:07.66\00:26:10.23
for about two weeks.
00:26:10.40\00:26:11.67
And guess what?
It begins to work.
00:26:11.67\00:26:13.44
They go in in
search of the visitor
00:26:13.44\00:26:15.54
vinegar and get
stuck in the bubbles.
00:26:15.67\00:26:17.77
But how many of us know
that sometimes the hardest fly
00:26:17.77\00:26:20.88
the catch is the last one?
00:26:20.88\00:26:25.11
And it's crazy
because, man, there's this one
00:26:25.11\00:26:27.18
man that I can't
catch with my hands.
00:26:27.35\00:26:29.48
I mean, he's got a radar and
eyes in the back of his head.
00:26:29.48\00:26:32.15
And so, man, I'm watching, man,
little Jermaine from a distance
00:26:32.32\00:26:36.36
as one day Jermaine gets
there on the edge of the cup
00:26:36.62\00:26:40.50
and I'm ready to
see Jermaine get down.
00:26:40.93\00:26:43.37
But it's crazy.
00:26:43.50\00:26:44.37
It's like Jermaine
looked down and the cop
00:26:44.43\00:26:46.87
and Jermaine got in the cup.
00:26:48.17\00:26:49.90
He saw Pookie and listened.
00:26:49.90\00:26:53.44
And cake and Tyrone.
00:26:53.44\00:26:56.91
Come on now.
00:26:57.11\00:26:57.75
And Tyisha, answer me.
00:26:57.75\00:27:00.58
Come on, now.
00:27:00.92\00:27:01.95
He saw them look
then saw their fate.
00:27:01.95\00:27:05.52
And guess what?
00:27:05.75\00:27:06.59
He just kept on
going to another place.
00:27:06.59\00:27:09.12
And do I have any
Jermaine's in the church
00:27:09.82\00:27:13.23
that knows
where that road leads?
00:27:15.03\00:27:17.63
You know how this story
ends, and you decide to choose
00:27:17.83\00:27:21.94
a different path.
00:27:21.94\00:27:23.71
Thank you so much for joining
us for The Breath of Life
00:27:23.71\00:27:27.34
Television Ministry broadcast
with Pastor Debleaire Snell .
00:27:27.34\00:27:32.41
We hope and pray
that you have been blessed
00:27:32.41\00:27:35.15
by his powerful message.
00:27:35.48\00:27:37.52
Join us next week for
part two of the message.
00:27:37.52\00:27:41.02
It doesn't
matter what you meant.
00:27:41.52\00:27:44.09
You don't want to miss it
00:27:44.09\00:28:27.87
END
00:28:27.90\00:28:42.92