Transcript of message from TV Broadcast 823 -- taken from Closed Captioning Text

-- Brother Thomas: Job said, "But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold."

( congregational amens ).

I asked Kathleen here several months ago, I said, where's that scripture at when God told Job when he tried him he'd come forth as gold? She looked it up for me. So I turned and read this scripture right here. I'm like old Uncle Buddy...what was his name?

-- Brother Jimmy Robbins: Robinson.

-- Brother Thomas: Robbins, yeah you would know his name.

-- Brother Jimmy Robbins: Robinson.

-- Brother Thomas: Oh, is it Robinson? Anyway. He said, it seems like sometime I'm want to turn all to skimmings.

( laughter ).

Somebody said the Lord's just getting this gold, this skimming off the top, purifying it. Had reference to us, of course. He said, seemed to me like I'm just all skimmings.

( laughter ).

And so whenever that happened, what God did, see...God had a time schedule for everything. And sometimes we want it to happen now. Invariably we do...not tomorrow, but now. But that's one thing you have to learn. Put it in God's hands and leave it there.

( congregational amens ).

And thank Him for it because He sees. He knows. He hears. He's fully aware of it.

( congregational amens ).

Hallelujah! He knows exactly where you're at. He knows exactly what He's doing. You don't. And if you're His, it's for your good. That's hard to believe, isn't it? But it's true. And in the end you're gonna come out better than you were when you went in.

( congregational amens ).

Hallelujah! So He would have...I imagine he would have extricated himself from that if he could have. But they got him out of those irons and all and made him the trustee there. And when he heard those two dreams by the butler and the baker, he told them what they were. And it happened exactly like that. And then God wanted him to get in charge of things there in Egypt.

So what did the Lord do? He gave Pharaoh a dream--gave two dreams. Pharaoh was...in his dream he saw seven kine. That's cows in case you don't know. And they were fat, well favored, looked good. Looked like you could get some good tenderloin off of 'em. And they come out. They were feeding in a meadow.

And after a while here comes seven other kine. They're emaciated, poor. Those things looked like they were just about to die. They come out and eat up the other--the seven fat flesh, nice looking kine. And then he saw seven ears of corn and they were nice ears. Looked like Iowa corn. Like that...we use to raise little nubbins down here. And then he saw seven more that were followed by those nice ears that were...well he said, blasted with the east wind and looked probably meal-eaten and all. There wasn't much to 'em.

But it disturbed him. Pharaoh didn't know what it was. He thought it meant something. They were...people were very superstitious in those days and they put much attention to things like dreams and visions. And so it just so happened he was telling them about that in the palace there and the butler heard it. And he said to Pharaoh, "...I do remember my faults this day:" And he said, well what is it? He said, while I was in prison down there, they had a Hebrew in there.

And there was two men--me and the baker. We had dreams. And we told it to this Hebrew and he told us exactly what was gonna happen to us. And it happened to both of us exactly like he said. That baker, he lost his head and I've come back here to give your cup into your hand. And he said, where is he at? He said he's in the prison. And so he...well send for him. All he had to do was speak the word and somebody was on their way.

They went down there and got the proper authorities--the jailer and said, let's have that Hebrew. I don't know what he had on but he probably cleaned up, took a bath. I don't know whether he shaved or not but he fixed up a little bit. He said the Pharaoh wants to see you--the king. He didn't know what it was all about. And so he went to see him. And Pharaoh told him exactly...just what dreams he had. Told him about the kine and about the ears of corn and how they were followed with real poor, emaciated kine and nubbins instead of good ears of corn.

He said, well, he says, here's the interpretation of your dream. He says, you're gonna have seven years of plenty. The land is gonna bring forth bountifully and then you're gonna have seven years of need, want, poverty. It's gonna be bad. And what you need to do is get somebody to look after this business and when your corn is coming in good and everything, store up everything you can. And prepare for those seven years of famine.

And so old Pharaoh liked that. He said, well who'd be better to take care of this than you? He appointed Joseph as the second in command in the whole land of Egypt. Everything in Egypt was put under his hand. Everything! And he went out and did what he did. 'Course Psalm 105 said he taught his senators wisdom. I don't know what he taught, but that's all it says. Anyhow, maybe we need to get somebody to teach our senators wisdom.

( laughter ).

( laughing ).

I doubt if they'd want to hear it from me, or you either.

( laughter ).

( laughing ).

Anyway, they put him in charge of it and they couldn't do anything. His chariot was right next to Pharaoh's. Wherever he went, he was second in command. Kind of reminds me of the Lord as a type.

( congregational amens ).

I saw that some years ago. But nevertheless he was quite a prominent man there in Egypt. And in the meantime, Joseph's father and his brothers...they were feeling the effects of the famine. And Jacob heard, you know, that they had plenty of corn in Egypt. And he sent 'em down there. And said, go down there and buy some corn. Now they went to buy corn.

And of course, what happened was they had to see Joseph. 'Course they didn't know him. You can't imagine how he was dressed. Probably dressed very elegantly and looked very prominent and important for the position he had. They didn't know him at all. But he recognized them. He recognized 'em and so they bought the corn. He questioned them a little bit, you know. And he played around with 'em a little while. Put the money back in their sack. When they opened their sack they saw the money and they thought...well, I think he was having a good time with 'em.

( laughter ).

( laughing ).

Anyway. "Now when Jacob saw that there was corn in Egypt, Jacob said unto his sons, Why do ye look one upon another? And he said, Behold, I have heard that there is corn in Egypt..." This is in Genesis 42, verse 2. "...Get you down thither, and buy for us from thence; that we may live, and not die. And Joseph's ten brethren went down to buy corn in Egypt. But Benjamin, Joseph's brother, Jacob sent not with his brethren..." Jacob didn't want to send him. He was the next youngest and he was the baby. He was special to his father.

"And the sons of Israel came to buy corn among those that came: for the famine was in the land of Canaan. And Joseph was the governor over the land, and he it was that sold to all the people of the land: and Joseph's brethren came, and bowed down themselves before him..." Can you imagine that? They were being very respectful, very courteous. They weren't very respectful when they put him in that pit.

( laughter ).

Huh? They wanted to kill him. But now they don't know him, see? It's amazing what people can put on under extenuating circumstances. They can "put on the dog" if they want to. They can play innocent if they want to. Hallelujah!

( laughing ).

Oh me. 'Course some of us have a suspicious gift and we see through that. "And Joseph saw his brethren, and he knew them, but made himself strange unto them, and spake roughly unto them; and he said unto them, Whence come ye? And they said, From the land of Canaan to buy food. And Joseph knew his brethren, but they knew not him. And Joseph remembered the dreams which he dreamed..." He remembered those dreams. Those dreams are beginning to be fulfilled.

( congregational amens ).

He had to wait all this period of time, all these years. Sometimes we think it's gonna be a long time but it'll be here one of these days.

( congregational amens ).

And it'll arrive just at the right time. Praise God! Now we'd hurry it up if we could. But you're better if you'll move in God's time and in God's way.

( congregational amens ).

Hallelujah! "And Joseph remembered the dreams which he dreamed of them, and said unto them, Ye are spies; to see the nakedness of the land ye are come. And they said unto him, Nay, my lord, but to buy food are thy servants come. We are all one man's sons; we are true men, thy servants are no spies. And he said unto them, Nay, but to see the nakedness of the land ye are come. And they said, Thy servants are twelve brethren, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and, behold, the youngest is this day with our father, and one is not." That was Joseph.

( laughter ).

"...And one is not. And Joseph said unto them, That is it that I spake unto you, saying, Ye are spies."

( laughter ).

"Hereby ye shall be proved: By the life of Pharaoh ye shall not go forth hence, except your youngest brother come hither." Boy they knew that was a hard saying. He said, "Send one of you, and let him fetch your brother, and ye shall be kept in prison, that your words may be proved, whether there be any truth in you: or else by the life of Pharaoh surely ye are spies. And he put them all together into ward three days." Now those fellas, three days in jail...they didn't know what they'd run up against.

( laughter ).

( laughing ).

"And Joseph said unto them the third day, This do, and live; for I fear God: If ye be true men, let one of your brethren be bound in the house of your prison: go ye carry corn for the famine of your houses: But bring your youngest brother unto me; so shall your words be verified, and ye shall not die. And they did so. And they said one to another, We are verily guilty concerning our brother..." Now that's coming back to haunt 'em.

( congregational amens ).

They think that's why this is all come on 'em. At least they had a conscience that could be dug up. That dug it up right quick.

( laughter ).

"...In that we saw the anguish of his soul..." They remembered that. Obviously, Joseph, when they were doing all those things to him, he was crying out and pleading with 'em. Crying, begging 'em--don't do this, brothers. But they went ahead and did it. And they would have killed him had God not intervened through those other brothers.

( congregational amens ).

But anyway, let's go back here now. "...When he besought us, and we would not hear..." They remembered that...he sought us, see? All of those things were brought out. "And they knew not that Joseph understood them; for he spake unto them by an interpreter." See Joseph wouldn't even let them know that he spoke Hebrew. He spoke to 'em in Egyptian. And then when they'd speak he'd have an interpreter tell him what they said. He understood exactly what they were saying.

( laughter ).

"Then Joseph commanded to fill their sacks with corn, and to restore every man's money into his sack, and to give them provision for the way: and thus did he unto them. And they laded their asses with the corn, and departed thence. And as one of them opened his sack to give his ass provender in the inn, he espied his money; for, behold, it was in his sack's mouth. And he said unto his brethren, My money is restored; and lo, it is even in my sack: and their heart failed them and they were afraid..." They thought, boy, we're in more trouble now.

( laughter ).

( laughing ).

"...Saying one to another, What is this that God hath done unto us? And they came unto Jacob their father unto the land of Canaan, and told him all that befell unto them; saying, The man, who is the lord of the land, spake roughly to us, and took us for spies of the country. And we said unto him, We are true men; we are no spies: We be twelve brethren, sons of our father; one is not, and the youngest is this day with our father in the land of Canaan.

"And the man, the lord of the country, said unto us, Hereby shall I know that ye are true men; leave one of your brethren here with me, and take food for the famine of your households, and be gone: And bring your youngest brother unto me: then shall I know that ye are no spies, but that ye are true men: so will I deliver you your brother, and ye shall traffick in the land. And it came to pass as they emptied their sacks, that, behold, every man's bundle of money was in his sack: and when both they and their father saw the bundles of money, there were afraid." They were really afraid then.

"And Jacob their father said unto them, Me have ye bereaved of my children: Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and ye will take Benjamin away: all these things are against me. And Reuben spake unto his father, saying, Slay my two sons, if I bring him not to thee: deliver him into my hand, and I will bring him to thee again. And he said, My son shall not go down with you; for his brother is dead, and he is left alone: if mischief befall him by the way in the which ye go, then shall ye bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave." That's Jacob. 'Course you can understand that. "And the famine was sore in the land. And it came to pass, when they had eaten up the corn which they had brought out of Egypt, their father said unto them, Go again, buy us a little food." God had 'em right where he wanted 'em.

( congregational amens ).

( laughing ).

They had to go back to see Joseph. They didn't want to do that at this time. Anyway they made another trip and I'll just briefly say that they did. It's amazing at the temptation that Joseph had. Now he kept...they kept...let's see what was it they hid from him. Verse 9 of 44th chapter, "With whomsoever of thy servants it be found, both let him die, and we also will be my lord's bondmen...And he searched, and began at the eldest, and left at the youngest: and the cup was found in Benjamin's sack." Now that was the cup that belonged, I suppose, to Joseph.

"And he searched, and began at the eldest...Then they rent their clothes, and laded every man his ass, and returned to the city. And Judah and his brethren came to Joseph's house; for he was yet there: and they fell before him on the ground. And Joseph said unto them, What deed is this that ye have done? Wot ye not that such a man as I can certainly divine? And Judah said, What shall we say unto my lord? What shall we speak? Or how shall we clear ourselves? God hath found out the iniquity of thy servants: behold, we are my lord's servants, both we, and he also with whom the cup is found.

"And he said, God forbid that I should do so: but the man in whose hand the cup is found, he shall be my servant; and as for you, get you up in peace unto your father. Then Judah came near unto him, and said, Oh my lord, let thy servant, I pray thee, speak a word in my lord's ears, and let not thine anger burn against thy servant: for thou art even as Pharaoh. My lord asked his servants, saying, Have ye a father, or a brother? And we said unto my lord, We have a father, an old man, and a child of his old age, a little one; and his brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother, and his father loveth him.

"And thou saidst unto thy servants, Bring him down unto me, that I may set mine eyes upon him. And we said unto my lord, The lad cannot leave his father: for if he should leave his father, his father would die. And thou saidst unto thy servant, Except your youngest brother come down with you, ye shall see my face no more." That's what old Joseph told 'em. They're in a pickle now and he's still playing with 'em.

( laughter ).

( laughing ).

Oh me. Now they're here before Joseph and Joseph has gone along with them quite several days you know and he's just played around with 'em. And we come down here in verse 1 of chapter 45. "Then Joseph could not refrain himself..." He'd carried this thing as far as he could carry it. His heart was breaking.

You know what he saw? I want you to see this. This is the difference in having something that you're programmed with and having a revelation. "Then Joseph could not refrain himself before all them that stood by him; and he cried, Cause every man to go out from me. And there stood no man with him, while Joseph made himself known unto his brethren. And he wept aloud..." Joseph was weeping now. It just comes like a torrent. He's so glad. He actually loved his brethren, in spite of all they'd done. He loved 'em. "And Joseph said unto his brethren, I am Joseph; doth my father yet live? And his brethren could not answer him: for they were troubled at his presence."

( laughter ).

( laughing ).

"And Joseph said unto his brethren, Come near to me, I pray you. And they came near, And he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt. Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves..."--Listen to this now--"...That ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life."

( congregational amens ).

That's revelation. Isn't that wonderful?

( congregational amens ).

God sent me before you. They sold him...would've killed him. God takes the evil and turns it into good concerning his children!

( congregational praise ).

Everyone one of us are Josephs! Hallelujah! We're special to our Father!

( congregational praise ).

Praise God! He's concerned about what affects us...what we go through! Hallelujah.

( congregational amens ).

"For these two years hath the famine been in the land: and yet there are five years, in the which there shall neither be earing nor harvest. And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance. So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God: and he hath made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt.

Haste ye, and go up to my father, and say unto him, Thus saith thy son Joseph, God hath made me lord of all Egypt: come down unto me, tarry not: And thou shalt dwell in the land of Goshen, and thou shalt be near unto me, thou, and thy children, and thy children's children, and thy flocks, and thy herds, and all that thou hast." Now this was a great time now. Revival is breaking out here now.

( congregational amens ).

Oh, Praise God! "And there will I nourish thee; for yet there are five years of famine; lest thou, and thy household, and all that thou hast, come to poverty. And, behold, your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin, that it is my mouth that speaketh unto you. And ye shall tell my father of all my glory in Egypt, and of all that ye have seen; and ye shall haste and bring down my father hither. And he fell upon his brother Benjamin's neck, and wept; and Benjamin wept upon his neck. Moreover he kissed all his brethren..."

( congregational praise ).

Can you imagine what it's gonna be like when we meet our loved ones?

( congregational amens ).

And I'm not talking about flesh and blood loved ones, necessarily. They'll all be! There won't be no difference!

( congregational praises ).

In fact our only brothers and sisters are those who are in Christ and we're gonna meet every one of 'em!

( congregational praises ).

I'm looking forward to meeting Joseph, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob!

( congregational praises ).

Hallelujah! And saints that I've known along the way, many of them who I've won to the Lord. I'm looking forward to that, aren't you?

( congregational amens ).

We will! It's coming, praise God!

( congregational praises ).

And they were having a weeping good time here. "And the fame thereof was heard in Pharaoh's house, saying Joseph's brethren are come: and it pleased Pharaoh well, and his servants. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Say unto thy brethren, This do ye; lade your beasts, and go, get you unto the land of Canaan; And take your father and your households, and come unto me: and I will give you the good of the land of Egypt, and ye shall eat the fat of the land.

Now thou art commanded, this do ye; take you wagons out of the land of Egypt for your little ones, and for your wives, and bring your father, and come. Also regard not your stuff; for the good of all the land of Egypt is yours. And the children of Israel did so: and Joseph gave them wagons, according to the commandment of Pharaoh, and gave them provision for the way. To all of them he gave each man changes of raiment; but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver, and five changes of raiment." God does make a difference every now and then, don't He?

( laughing )

( laughter ).

And we can't question him when he does either. Amen. "And to his father he sent after this manner; ten asses laden with the good things of Egypt, and ten she asses laden with corn and bread and meat for his father by the way. So he sent his brethren away, and they departed: and he said unto them, See that ye fall not out by the way. And they went up out of Egypt, and came into the land of Canaan unto Jacob their father, And told him, saying, Joseph is yet alive, and he is governor over all the land of Egypt. And Jacob's heart fainted, for he believed them not."

( laughing ).

( laughter ).

That was too much. Oh me. "And they told him all the words of Joseph, which he had said unto them: and when he saw the wagons which Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of Jacob their father revived: And Israel said, It is enough; Joseph my son is yet alive: I will go and see him before I die." Praise God!

( congregational praise ).

Are you being tried? That's our subject this morning. And according to the Word of God, I believe we're gonna see such a time as was not. However, I believe we have a hiding place.

( congregational amens ).

And I believe this. I believe the greatest mistake some of these kids are making is leaving the body of Christ.

( congregational amens ).

Getting out there, and listening and yoking up with unbelievers. They're just messing their life up. This is a place of refuge. This is a hiding place!

( congregational amens ).

This is a place of safety!

( congregational amens ).

That's fellowship with the body of Christ!

( congregational amens ).

Do you know where Christ is at? He's the same place we are. We're in our body! He's in his body!

( congregational praise ).

Praise God! Oh, if I could just convey this one thought to you, it would make a difference. And that's this. These young people who are leaving now because they want a mess of pottage...they're tempted. They should shun...I'll tell you the Bible says, "And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness but rather reprove them."

When they begin to fellowship the world, you're fixing to get into trouble. Girls, boys, young men, young ladies, when you have to have fellowship out there with people who don't know God and don't care, you're fixing to get hurt. There's nothing but ruin. This is your place of safety. This is your place of refuge.

( congregational amens ).

I believe God's here!

( congregational amens ).

I believe He's here to bless you! He's here to teach you!

( congregational amens ).

He's here to keep you! He's here to comfort you.

( congregational amens ).

God bless you now. That's enough for this morning.

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