Josephs Journey www'LettheJourneyBegin'org

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Josephs Journeywww.LettheJourneyBegin.org

• One of the greatest difficulties on the Christian
  journey is when we try to bridge the gap between
  the promises of God and the circumstances that we
  encounter along the way.

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Josephs Journey

• One of the most powerful truths that all
  Christians should celebrate is the fact that the
  Lord is "with us."

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Josephs Journey

• When the journey gets difficult, and reality
• seems to go against the promise, we are
• forced to reexamine the question of whether
• God really is "with us." And if he really is
• with us, why dont we see evidences of it or
• feel it?

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Josephs Journey

• The theology that is developed in our study
• of Joseph, after this terrible start on his
• journey, is that
• The Lord was with Joseph

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Josephs Journey

• The Lord was with Joseph, and he became a
• successful man, and he was in the house of his
• Egyptian master. His master saw that the Lord
• was with him and that the Lord caused all that
• he did to succeed in his hands.
• 
  (Gen. 392-3)

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Josephs Journey

• Now when they saw the boldness of
• Peter and John, and perceived that they
• were uneducated, common men, they
• were astonished. And they recognized
• that they had been with Jesus.
• 
  Acts 413

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Josephs Journey

• The Lord was with Joseph

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Josephs Journey

• What difference did it make for Joseph to have
  God with him along the way?
• It helped reveal Gods purposes despite the
  circumstances

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Josephs Journey

• And now do not be distressed or angry with
  yourselves
• because you sold me here, for God sent me before
  you
• to preserve life. For the famine has been in the
  land
• these two years, and there are yet five years in
  which
• there will be neither plowing nor harvest. And
  God
• sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant
  on
• earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors.
  So it
• was not you who sent me here, but God. He has
  made
• me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house
  and
• ruler over all the land of Egypt.
• 
  (Gen 455-8)

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Josephs Journey

• As for you, you meant evil against me,
• but God meant it for good, to bring it
• about that many people should be kept
• alive, as they are today.
• 
  (Gen 5020)

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Josephs Journey

• It gave him protection and accountability during
  times of temptation
• But he refused and said to his master's wife,
  Behold,
• because of me my master has no concern about
• anything in the house, and he has put everything
  that
• he has in my charge. He is not greater in this
  house
• than I am, nor has he kept back anything from me
• except yourself, because you are his wife. How
  then
• can I do this great wickedness and sin against
  God?
• 
  (Gen 398-9)

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Josephs Journey

• In Joshua 15 God told him,
• Just as I was with Moses, so I will be
• with you. Then in verse 9 he says it again,
• Be strong and courageous. Do not be
• frightened, and do not be dismayed, for
• the Lord your God is with you wherever
• you go.

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Josephs Journey

• Jesus said, "I am with you always, even to the
  end of the age"
• 
  (Matt 2820)

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Josephs Journey

• Jesus said,
• All authority in heaven and on earth has been
• given to me. Go therefore and make disciples
• of all nations, baptizing them in the name of
• the Father and of the Son and of the Holy
  Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I
• have commanded you. And behold, I am with
• you always, to the end of the age.
• 
  Matt. 2818-20

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Josephs Journey

• For he has said, I will never leave you
• nor forsake you. So we can confidently
• say, The Lord is my helper I will not
• fear what can man do to me?
• 
  
• 
  (Hebrews 135b)

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Josephs Journey

• Whatever we say in this series over the next few
  weeks remember this truthIf God is with us,
  everything will be OK.
• GOD IS WITH US!