Title: Dreams come true (Genesis 42:1-10)
Contents
Do you remember the phrase “Dreams come true” in the 2002 World Cup slogan?
Today's text is the fulfillment of a dream that Joseph had before he was 17 years old. He spent 10 years at Potiphar's house, 3 years in prison, and then became prime minister of Egypt. After becoming prime minister, there were seven years of plenty, and then seven years of severe famine began. At 41:57, there was a severe famine in the whole world.
Then we can see that the dream God gave to Joseph as a child was fulfilled about 20 years later. Yes, God-given dreams come true. Therefore, I pray that all of our saints will become dreamers of God. Now, let's look at the characteristics of those who dream of God.
1. The dream is based on the word of promise.
Ambition and vision must be distinguished. God fulfills the dream he gave to Joseph, but he executes it precisely without any gaps. The brothers tried to kill him to destroy his dream and eventually sold him, but they could not stop God's mysterious providence.
In the end, the brothers are bowing down at Joseph's feet one day, 20 years later, and Joseph works to convince the brothers that the dream God has given them is coming true. It was not done out of arrogance, but to glorify God, who is in charge of all these things. In the end, all events and events will come to an end. Just as the God-given dream comes true after 20 years have passed, we must not judge God's will and plan carelessly in a situation without our thoughts and patience.
God is in charge of our lives as children. Therefore, the promises given to us will surely come true. Everyone, hold onto the Word, and dream through the Word. The dreams that the Lord has granted are always fulfilled in God's time and God's way.
2. The dream is in God's history of redemption.
It was a redemptive dream that saved and blessed countless lives. Today, when Joseph became prime minister, it was not just a dream to save Jacob's family, but it also became a task to feed all the land of Egypt and the people of many countries in the borders of Egypt.
To end the famine, the brothers eventually go to Joseph. That's right. Go to Joseph to eat food. That is, we must come to Jesus to live. What is the food of mankind today? It makes you realize that it is Jesus Christ. In 41:55, when Pharaoh asked for food because of a famine, go to Joseph. Doing what he tells you to do is the way to live. That is, we can meet Jesus Christ and find true food in him.
Thousands of people follow Jesus after the Five Byeong-Ear incident But they said it was because they ate the bread and were full. Too many Christians are following the Lord because they are full of the flesh. They are seeking the Lord because of physical healing, physical comfort, satisfaction, and lust, but there are not many who truly follow the Lord. When trouble comes, Lord, what do you want me to realize? What grace do you want to give me? Give me strength to win. don't pray. Rather, I hate suffering. Please just make me full. We are calling on the Lord to prevent this kind of suffering. Even if pain comes, even if tribulation and trials come, even if I am broken and broken, I must ask the Lord to give me the grace that you want to give me. Ladies and gentlemen, just as the brothers went before Joseph because of the famine, our famine must come before Jesus today. The Lord is the solution to everything. Let's go ahead, trusting and relying on Him and looking only at the Lord.
3. Dreams come true through time of true repentance.
When their brothers were imprisoned for three days as spies, they looked back on their lives. He saw and did not listen to his brother (Joseph), who had been begging for his life in the past, so now he has to pay the price of blood. This is how they start to realize their mistakes. Joseph hears the words of repentance.
Three days is a period of deep understanding of the content of the cross. Such a period should be in our lifetime. Repentance is when you change your mind and heart by hearing the word of God and answering Amen. Confession happens over a lifetime, and repentance happens once in a lifetime. When you were born, your life was going to hell, but if you hear and listen to God's word and realize that you are a sinner and accept the fact that the Lord has solved your sin on the cross, you will turn around at that moment. .
Do children take more care of their parents? Do parents prefer their children? A parent's heart is a deeper dimension. In other words, the Lord cares more. The Lord is looking at us with a different level of love.
In this way, Jesus came first, sold, died, and rose again so that we can eat the bread of eternal life for free. If you receive this true food every day today, your life problems will be solved, your worries and anxieties will disappear and you will live a blessed life.
What is true food for us, and why did we have famine? What can you really count on? For us today, famine has a meaning. Don't be discouraged or discouraged easily. We ask in the name of the Lord that we are in the Lord's history and that He is fulfilling those things and that the promises become all the channels through which God's dreams come true by holding on to the Word every day.