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Is Your Faith Recession Proof? Introduction: Business cycles and life in general
teaches us that there will be good times and bad times. In economics we talk
about growth and recessions. A recession is when the economy restricts or
shrinks for 6 or more months. The old saying is a recession is when your
neighbor is out of a job and a depression is when you are out of a job. Yet in
times of recessions and depressions some will flounder and some will prosper.
Some of the wealth today used earlier recessions to gain wealth. In connection with out subject of “God &
Economics” I want to take some lessons we learn from money and apply them to
our spiritual growth. Just as we will have recessions we will also have trials
and tribulations. But we can grow and become better or we can flounder and lose
our faith. I)
The Question a.
Is your faith recession proof
i.
Your faith is just that your
faith. Some times faith is spoken of as the body of doctrine in the Bible,
Romans 1.5
ii.
Sometimes faith is spoken of as
person conviction, personal belief. 1.
My
faith and your faith is to be grounded in God and His word 2.
We
cannot borrow our faith or loan our faith to another. 3.
It
does not matter if your parents or spouse has faith; what matters is if you have
faith. b.
We can do something about our
faith, 1 Thess. 1.8
i.
We are told to add to our faith, 2
Peter 1.5
ii.
We can let our faith diminish and
grow cold. II)
Joseph and Pharaoh’s
Dream, Genesis 41 a.
Pharaoh’s dream, vv. 2-4
i.
Seven fat cows consumed by 7 skinny
cows
ii.
Seven plump heads of grain devoured
by seven thin heads of grain. b.
No one could interpret the dream
but the butler remembered Joseph, vv. 8-13 c.
Pharaoh tells Joseph his dream, vv.
17-24 d.
Joseph interprets the dream, vv.
25-32, v. 16
i.
The two dreams are the same
ii.
Seven good years to be followed by
7 years of famine.
iii.
It will shortly come to pass, v
32 e.
Joseph
explains what should be done, vv.
33-36
i.
Select someone to oversee what
needs to be done
ii.
Collect one fifth of the crops
during the 7 good years to be stored up for the 7 bad years. f.
Joseph
is appointed to oversee the collection, vv. 38-41 III)
Lessons Learned From
Joseph a.
Joseph placed his trust in God
i.
Joseph’s trust in God was not a
onetime event. Sometimes we say we will trust in God but often we mean in only
certain areas.
ii.
He appeared before Pharaoh to
interpret the dream but what if nothing had happened? b.
We have to place our trust in God
i.
Not in material possession, Luke
12.15, Matthew 6.25
ii.
Not in people for they can
disappoint you
iii.
But in God’s word, Matthew 6.19-20 1.
Study
and learn His word 2.
Decide
if you really do believe it and why? c.
Joseph saw the good as an
opportunity to prepare for the bad
i.
Good times are to be appreciated
and used wisely (stewardship) not wasted.
ii.
Often economic problems occur
because people think the times will always be good. d.
We have to see our trials and
tribulations as opportunities for growth, James 1.2-6
i.
Trials put things into perspective
for us. We often don’t realize how good we have it until we lose it.
ii.
Time to strengthen your faith is
when times are good so you can endure the trials of life. e.
Joseph saw the need for change
i.
They were not storing up food
before this. Just living from season to season.
ii.
Recessions often means there is a
need for change. Inefficiency will be exposed and efficiency will be rewarded.
iii.
Those that do well is a recession are
willing to change, i.e. new job, move, go back to school, etc. f.
We
have to be willing to change, Matthew 4.17; Acts 17.30
i.
If we are not doing the will of God
we need to repent and change our life. Not a Christian we need to change and
obey God’s word. Not active in your service you need to get active.
ii.
May need to change your religion –
false doctrines need to be rejected and the truth accepted. Do we know what the
Bible says? What if you find out you are wrong? Will you be willing to change? g.
Joseph put the word of God into His
life
i.
He oversaw the task
ii.
He got busy and worked hard to
prepare himself and h.
We have to be willing to put the
word of God in our life
i.
Take the way of escape, 1 Corinthians 10.13
ii.
We have to be willing to “walk by
faith and not by sight” 2 Corinthians
5.7
iii.
Are you ready to die? I am not
asking if you want to but are you ready? If not then something is wrong.
iv.
Get busy and prepare yourself
because you will die and you will be judged by God’s word. |