Finding Growth and Favor Amid Life's Challenges
Summary
The sermon titled "Look for the Cracks" draws inspiration from the biblical story of Joseph, who was sold into slavery in Egypt but found favor with God and succeeded in everything he did. The pastor uses Joseph's life to illustrate the concept that amidst the extremes of life, there are opportunities to find God's presence and blessings. The pastor emphasizes that as believers, we belong to God, who knows every detail about us and loves us despite our flaws. He encourages the congregation to surrender their lives to God and seek His guidance in all situations.
The pastor further emphasizes that the pressures of life should not hinder the work of the Holy Spirit within believers. Drawing from Joseph's story, he highlights that despite facing numerous challenges, Joseph did not allow his pain to stop him from growing and maturing in faith. The pastor encourages the congregation to seek the Lord at all times, to continue praying and praising, and to look for the cracks in their situations where God can work.
The pastor also reflects on Joseph's remarkable attitude and work ethic, despite facing numerous challenges and setbacks. He emphasizes that Joseph saw his work as a part of God's plan and felt honored to serve. As a result, God blessed Joseph with favor, which the pastor explains is not just a blessing of abundance or material possessions, but an assignment and responsibility that pleases God. The pastor encourages the congregation to consider how they approach their own work and strive to work in a way that pleases God.
The pastor uses the analogy of a plant growing through concrete to illustrate the power of inner growth and resilience in the face of challenges and trials. He explains that just as water permeates through the cell wall of a plant, causing it to expand and grow, there is something within each individual that continues to expand and develop despite the pressures of life. The pastor encourages the congregation to press on, pray, praise, and worship in the name of God, believing that they will push through the cracks in their situations and experience growth and development.
The sermon concludes with the pastor reflecting on the life of Joseph and the challenges he faced. Despite having a large family and being deeply loved by his father, Joseph also had prophetic dreams where he saw himself as the greatest and his brothers bowing down to him. This caused his brothers to loathe him and even plot his murder. However, Joseph's life was filled with both extreme favor and extreme hardship, teaching us that we can grow and bloom in remarkable ways, even in the midst of challenging circumstances.
Key Takeaways:
- God's favor is not just a blessing of abundance or material possessions, but an assignment and responsibility that pleases God. Joseph's life illustrates this as he found favor with God and succeeded in everything he did, despite being sold into slavery ([49:33]).
- The pressures of life should not hinder the work of the Holy Spirit within believers. Despite facing numerous challenges, Joseph did not allow his pain to stop him from growing and maturing in faith ([52:45]).
- There is something within each individual that continues to expand and develop despite the pressures of life. Just as water permeates through the cell wall of a plant, causing it to expand and grow, believers can push through the cracks in their situations and experience growth and development ([56:12]).
- Joseph's life teaches us that there is no ideal time to grow and develop, and we don't have to wait for the perfect conditions to pursue our purpose. Despite facing betrayal, injustice, and difficult circumstances, Joseph connected with God, grew spiritually, and prepared for the blessings that God had in store ([59:30]).
- The story of Joseph shows that individuals can grow and bloom in remarkable ways, even in the midst of challenging circumstances. Despite having a large family and being deeply loved by his father, Joseph also had prophetic dreams where he saw himself as the greatest and his brothers bowing down to him. This caused his brothers to loathe him and even plot his murder. However, Joseph's life was filled with both extreme favor and extreme hardship ([1:03:15]).
Study Guide
Bible Reading:
1. Genesis 39:1-3: "Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt. Potipar, an Egyptian who was one of Pharaoh’s officials, the captain of the guard, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had taken him there. The Lord was with Joseph so that he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master. When his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord gave him success in everything he did."
2. Genesis 39:19-23: "When his master heard the story his wife told him, saying, 'This is how your slave treated me,' he burned with anger. Joseph’s master took him and put him in prison, the place where the king’s prisoners were confined. But while Joseph was there in the prison, the Lord was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden. So the warden put Joseph in charge of all those held in the prison, and he was made responsible for all that was done there. The warden paid no attention to anything under Joseph’s care, because the Lord was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did."
Observation Questions:
1. What are the different situations Joseph found himself in, and how did he respond to each of them?
2. How did the Lord's presence manifest in Joseph's life, particularly in his work and responsibilities?
Interpretation Questions:
1. How does Joseph's story illustrate the concept of God's favor being more than just material blessings?
2. What can we learn from Joseph's attitude and response to the challenges he faced?
Application Questions:
1. Can you recall a situation where you felt like you were in a 'prison' like Joseph? How did you respond and what could you have done differently?
2. What is one area in your work or responsibilities where you can strive to serve in a way that pleases God, like Joseph did?
3. Can you identify a 'crack' in your current situation where you can invite God to work? What is one step you can take this week to do so?
4. Think of a recent challenge or hardship you faced. How can you, like Joseph, continue to grow and mature in your faith despite this challenge?
5. What is one way you can demonstrate resilience and inner growth in the face of a current trial or challenge?
Devotional
Day 1: Embracing God's Favor as a Divine Assignment
God's favor is not merely a blessing of abundance or material possessions, but a divine assignment and responsibility that pleases Him. Just like Joseph, who found favor with God and succeeded in everything he did despite being sold into slavery, we too can experience God's favor in our lives. This favor, however, comes with a responsibility to serve God and fulfill His purpose for our lives. [49:33]
1 Corinthians 15:58 - "Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain."
Reflection: Reflect on the areas of your life where you have experienced God's favor. How can you use these areas to serve God and fulfill His purpose?
Day 2: Unhindered Spiritual Growth Amidst Life's Pressures
Life's pressures should not hinder the work of the Holy Spirit within us. Like Joseph, who faced numerous challenges but did not allow his pain to stop him from growing and maturing in faith, we too should strive to grow spiritually despite our circumstances. [52:45]
James 1:2-4 - "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."
Reflection: What pressures are you currently facing? How can you allow the Holy Spirit to work in you and help you grow spiritually amidst these pressures?
Day 3: Inner Growth and Resilience Amidst Life's Challenges
There is something within each of us that continues to expand and develop despite the pressures of life. Just as water permeates through the cell wall of a plant, causing it to expand and grow, we too can push through the cracks in our situations and experience growth and development. [56:12]
Romans 5:3-4 - "Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope."
Reflection: Reflect on a recent challenge you faced. How did you see growth and development in yourself through this situation?
Day 4: Growing and Developing in God's Timing
There is no ideal time to grow and develop, and we don't have to wait for the perfect conditions to pursue our purpose. Like Joseph, who faced betrayal, injustice, and difficult circumstances, we too can connect with God, grow spiritually, and prepare for the blessings that God has in store. [59:30]
Ecclesiastes 3:1 - "There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens."
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you have been waiting for the "perfect conditions" to pursue your purpose? How can you start taking steps towards this purpose today?
Day 5: Blooming Amidst Challenging Circumstances
The story of Joseph shows that individuals can grow and bloom in remarkable ways, even in the midst of challenging circumstances. Despite having a large family and being deeply loved by his father, Joseph also had prophetic dreams where he saw himself as the greatest and his brothers bowing down to him. This caused his brothers to loathe him and even plot his murder. However, Joseph's life was filled with both extreme favor and extreme hardship. [1:03:15]
1 Peter 1:6-7 - "In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed."
Reflection: Reflect on a challenging circumstance you are currently facing. How can you see this situation as an opportunity to grow and bloom in your faith?
Quotes
"Look for the cracks because they are there... there are cracks in every situation that we go through, and those cracks are just enough for God to get through, it's just enough for us to grow." [01:10:09]
"What we see when we look at the story of Joseph is God's ability to grow us and mature us in the worst of times." [58:34]
"Even in the midst of boredom, in the midst of routine, in the midst of trials and tribulations, you can grow. God says, 'I can work in any season, I can work in any time, I can work in any situation.'" [01:00:19]
"Joseph teaches us one that it is possible that in the most painful situations you can develop and mature and you can work and continue to move on in such a way that people look at you and recognize that there's something different that the pressures of Life do not have to stop what's happening on the inside the growth that God is trying to bring about within you the transformation that God is trying to bring about within you the pressures of this world do not have to take it away." #!!01:13:11!!#
"I want to encourage you today to look for the cracks because God can use the cracks and mighty and miraculous ways today I want to remind you family to grow in spite of your situation to press on in the midst of pain to press on in the midst of confusion that God has a plan for you that God is able to bless and keep you even when you're under concrete as a plant can continue to grow you too can grow God has miraculous and wonderful plans for you don't miss it because of the temptation to wallow continue to work to grow to develop even when it doesn't make sense." #!!01:15:46!!#
"Joseph's life was a life of extremes... it seemed like everything either went extremely good for him or extremely bad for him." #!!47:11!!#
"Joseph worked in such a way that he flourished he grew and he developed in slavery he matured from a boy to a man with trauma his relationship with God deepened while he was abandoned and left alone in a foreign country... my respect for Joseph grew." #!!56:22!!#
"What we see from Dand Lions popping up through concrete is that the pressure of Life cannot stop what's happening on the inside of you when challenges and trials of Life are pressing you down there is something within you that continues to expand continues to grow." #!!01:06:24!!#
"Joseph's story teaches us that there is no ideal time, that we don't have to wait for an ideal time. But the second lesson that we see from Joseph's life is that the pressure of Life did not stop his growth." #!!01:03:30!!#
"Favor is not oh I got a new car, favor is not oh you know I got a promotion at work, favor is an assignment, it's a responsibility that when done in a way that pleases God he does Bless but He blesses because of the work, the weight of the task that has been given." (#!!54:10!!#)
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