Perseverance

Joseph was a dreamer. At 17 years of age he was going about his business feeding the flock. Now Joseph was special in the eyes of his father Jacob, because he was born when Jacob was no longer in his prime. As a matter of fact Joseph was Jacobs’s favorite child. He loved him more than his other children. In fact, he loved him so much he made him a coat of many colors. Now how would that make you feel if you were one of Joseph’s brothers?

You’d probably be jealous and maybe a little envious, and Joseph’s brothers, well they hated him plain and simple. As a matter of fact they couldn’t even carry on a peaceable conversation with him. So Joseph, happy go lucky in his colorful coat has a dream and shares it with his brothers. He tells them we were binding sheaves, or bundles of wheat in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright; and, behold, your sheaves stood round about, and made obeisance, or bowed down to my sheaf, they responded to Joseph saying are you going to rein or rule over us and have dominion over us, so they hate him even more.

Then Joseph has another dream and shares it with his brothers and his father. He tells them how in his dream the sun, the moon and eleven stars made obeisance or bowed down to him. This time his fathered rebuked him saying are your mother and I along with your brothers going to bow down to you on earth?

His brothers grew angrier, but his father thought about the dream.

What had Joseph done to cause his brothers to be so angry? Absolutely nothing. He didn’t cause his own birth. He didn’t make his father love him, nor did he make his father make his coat of many colors. He wasn’t even responsible for his own dreams. All he did was share his dreams.

Did you cause your own birth? Are you responsible for the dreams or visions God has given you?

I will issue a word of caution here. Not everyone will understand, encourage or support you in your vision, goals, ideas, or Gods plan for your life. Be careful with whom you share your dreams.

Your only responsibility is to have that childlike faith, believing and trusting in God as you forgive those that trespass or conspire against you, or try to deter you from God’s plan for your life, and persevere, or persist in anything you have undertaken. Maintaining your purpose in spite of difficulty, obstacles or discouragement, continuing steadfastly, that’s the definition of perseverance.  Believing God for whatever He has placed in your heart whether it’s healing, a job, a relationship, a spouse, the birth of a long awaited child, a business venture, deliverance, or salvation for those you love.

You must be resolved, or stand steadfastly in your faith as you persevere.

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Are You Following God’s Plan or Your Plan?

We read in Genesis chapter 12 the account of God providing Abram with the following instructions:

1.    Get thee out of thy country

2.    And from thy kindred

3.    And from thy fathers house

4.    Go unto a land that I will shew thee

Abram was instructed to follow Gods plan for his life to reap the benefits He desired for him. Abram would be made a great nation, God would bless him, make his name great; and enable him to be a blessing. He would bless those that blessed Abram and cursed those that cursed him and through Abram would all the families of the earth be blessed.

Why did God give Abram specific instructions? Why was it important for Abram to leave his place of residence, leave all of his family, leave his father’s house and go to a place he’d never been before?

Sometimes in order for God to bless us with the magnitude of the things he has in store for us He has to take us away from everything we know and everyone that knows us. When we are in a familiar setting, have all the resources we need why do we need faith? We may believe we can achieve our desires because we ‘know what we are doing’. How often have you said you can do something with your eyes closed because you have done it so many times?

What happens when suddenly you are moved from your comfort zone or are required to do something you have never done before? You are no longer able to depend on your own abilities. You have to seek assistance. God wants to be the assistance that you seek.

Abrams father worshiped idols. Maybe you hail from a Christian family and maybe you do not. Either way just as with Abram, God wants you to look to Him for guidance. He didn’t want Abram following in the path of his father. Have you ever had family members try to convince you to do something their way, or the way it’s always been done? God’s ways are higher than our ways and His thoughts are higher than our thoughts. He wants you to do things His way.

Who have you taken with you that you should have left behind? Abram was told to leave his kindred yet he took Lot with him on his journey. As we read further into the book of Genesis we read of strife between the herdmen of Abram’s cattle and Lot’s cattle which caused Abram and Lot to separate. We also read of Lot and his family being taken captive and Abram rescuing them.

Many times we want company on our journey. We are afraid of being by ourselves, we think we are unqualified to do what God has called us to do so we hang on to someone from out past, a security blanket, or we may take someone with us because we are trying to help them out. God is blessing us so we want them to be a part of the blessing.

First, let me say whatever God has called you do He has also equipped you to do and anything you cannot do He will bring people into your life to assist you.

Secondly, if God sends you out and tells you to leave others behind there is a reason. He knows our future just as He knows the future of all those around us. A friend of mine was told of a new job by a friend of his. My friend being the go getter that he is applied for the job, did what was required and was hired by the company. His friend however did not do what was required. My friend constantly pushed his friend, even providing him with money for a class which was needed for employment.

Finally my friend realized as much as he wanted his friend to be hired by this company it was his friend’s decision to do what was required of him. He also realized his association with his friend was impeding his success on the job.

God has blessed each of us with gifts and He will use His gifts as He sees fit. It’s important for us to remember just as God has gifted us He has gifted others. Our gifts differ just as the use of our gifts differ. You and someone close to you may both be gifted musicians. Your gift may be to travel the world and your friend’s gift may be to teach music in a small town. Both gifts are from God and one is not any greater than the other, nor will the reward for one be any greater than the other.

Follow Gods plan for your life. You cannot be someone else and someone else cannot be you. Leave your comfort zone. Become comfortable with the uncomfortable. Allow God to take you to that land that He will show you, where He will bless you, your name will be great, and you will be a blessing.