On Being

1
On Being
The question is, What do we need in order to
build a character that learns to wait upon God?
One of the greatest tests of our faith is not
when something happens but when nothing does.
Lesson 1
Learning the patience of

• Forgotten

Ministering in Obscurity
2
Ministering in Obscurity

• (Genesis 401-8) Some time later, the cupbearer
  and the baker of the king of Egypt offended their
  master, the king of Egypt

(Genesis 401-8) Pharaoh was angry with his two
officials, the chief cupbearer and the chief
baker, and put them in custody in the house of
the captain of the guard, in the same prison
where Joseph was confined
(Genesis 401-8) The captain of the guard
assigned them to Joseph, and he attended them
(Genesis 401-8) After they had been in custody
for some time, each of the two men had a dream
the same night, and each dream had a meaning of
its own
(Genesis 401-8) When Joseph came to them the
next morning, he saw that they were dejected
(Genesis 401-8) So he asked Pharaoh's
officials who were in custody with him in his
master's house, "Why are your faces so sad
today?"
(Genesis 401-8) "We both had dreams," they
answered, "but there is no one to interpret them"
(Genesis 401-8) Then Joseph said to them, "Do
not interpretations belong to God? Tell me your
dreams."
Lesson 2
attended
attended Hebrew sharath
The Faith that Waits upon God is a faith that
learns to honour God even in the shadow of
Obscurity.
Joseph served when he could be served
Ministering in Obscurity
(Genesis 3920-22) 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.
(Genesis 3920-22) While Joseph was there in the
prison, the LORD was with him
(Genesis 3920-22) He showed him kindness and
granted him favor in the eyes of the prison
warden
served as one lesser to a greater
served
The observable characteristic of the person that
endures in the Wait of Faith is the person that
learns how to minister in obscurity
Though no one even bothers to look, I will serve
the Lord with all my heart.
3
Asking Without Blame
Ministering in Obscurity

• (Genesis 409-15) So the chief cupbearer told
  Joseph his dream. He said to him, "In my dream I
  saw a vine in front of me, and on the vine were
  three branches

(Genesis 409-15) As soon as it budded, it
blossomed, and its clusters ripened into grapes
(Genesis 409-15) Pharaoh's cup was in my hand,
and I took the grapes, squeezed them into
Pharaoh's cup and put the cup in his hand"
(Genesis 409-15) "This is what it means,"
Joseph said to him
(Genesis 409-15) "The three branches are three
days. Within three days Pharaoh will lift up
your head and restore you to your position
(Genesis 409-15) and you will put Pharaoh's
cup in his hand, just as you used to do when you
were his cupbearer
(Genesis 409-15) But when all goes well with
you, remember me and show me kindness
(Genesis 409-15) mention me to Pharaoh and get
me out of this prison...
(Genesis 409-15) For I was forcibly carried
off from the land of the Hebrews
(Genesis 409-15) and even here I have done
nothing to deserve being put in a dungeon."
(Isaiah 589) Then you will call, and the LORD
will answer you will cry for help, and He will
say Here am I
(Isaiah 589) If you do away with the yoke of
oppression, with the pointing finger and
malicious talk.
(Galatians 515-16) If you keep on biting and
devouring each other, watch out or you will be
destroyed by each other
(Galatians 515-16) So I say, live by the
Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of
the sinful nature.
Faith that Waits upon God focuses on what God can
do rather than on what everyone has done.
Lesson 2
Cultivating the peace of
Asking Without Blame
Noticeable in the character of one who waits in
faith is the peace of a blame-free life.
Its not about the betrayal of my brothers or
the greedy slave traders
Its not even about the lies of the shameless
wife of Potipher
4
Waiting in Faithfulness
Asking Without Blame

• (Genesis 4016-23) When the chief baker saw that
  Joseph had given a favorable interpretation, he
  said to Joseph, "I too had a dream

(Genesis 4016-23) On my head were three
baskets of bread. In the top basket were all
kinds of baked goods for Pharaoh
(Genesis 4016-23) In the top basket were all
kinds of baked goods for Pharaoh
(Genesis 4016-23) but the birds were eating
them out of the basket on my head"
(Genesis 4016-23) "This is what it means,"
Joseph said
(Genesis 4016-23) "The three baskets are three
days...
(Genesis 4016-23) Within three days Pharaoh
will lift off your head and hang you on a tree.
And the birds will eat away your flesh"...
(Genesis 4016-23) Now the third day was
Pharaoh's birthday, and he gave a feast for all
his officials
(Genesis 4016-23) He lifted up the heads of
the chief cupbearer and the chief baker in the
presence of his officials
(Genesis 4016-23) He restored the chief
cupbearer to his position, so that he once again
put the cup into Pharaoh's hand
(Genesis 4016-23) but he hanged the chief
baker, just as Joseph had said to them in his
interpretation
(Genesis 4016-23) The chief cupbearer,
however, did not remember Joseph he forgot him.
(Hebrews 135-6) Keep your lives free from the
love of money and be content with what you have,
because God has said, "Never will I leave you
never will I forsake you"
(Hebrews 135-6) So we say with confidence,
"The Lord is my Helper I will not be afraid.
What can man do to me?"
(Psalms 3728) For the LORD loves the just and
will not forsake His faithful ones. They will be
protected forever.
(Psalms 2710) Though my father and mother
forsake me, the LORD will take me up.
Hows your faith when you have to wait?
What do we do when people dont come through on
what they promise?
One of the most difficult characteristics to
cultivate in the one who Waits on God is the
unwavering belief that God will come through
even if no one else does.
Lesson 3
The quiet perseverance of
Waiting in Faithfulness
Comfort says, Everythings going to alright.
Vengeance says, If you forget me, Ill forget
you.
Self sufficiency says, If you forget me, Ill
take care of myself.
Faith says, Everythings in Gods hands.
Faith says, Though everyone forgets, God will
hold me fast.
Faith says, Though the world forgets me, the
Lord will take me up.