If you missed Sunday's broadcast, please catch up by following the link below. (For the foreseeable future, we be running our Sunday morning services digitally. Please go to our website on Sundays at 10:30 to join in)
“And now let Pharaoh look for a discerning and wise man and put him in charge of the land of Egypt. Let Pharaoh appoint commissioners over the land to take a fifth of the harvest of Egypt during the seven years of abundance. They should collect all the food of these good years that are coming and store up the grain under the authority of Pharaoh, to be kept in the cities for food. This food should be held in reserve for the country, to be used during the seven years of famine that will come upon Egypt, so that the country may not be ruined by the famine.” The plan seemed good to Pharaoh and to all his officials. So Pharaoh asked them, “Can we find anyone like this man, one in whom is the Spirit of God” (Genesis 41:33-38)
We can only share what we store. This is true with things like money, time (stored through diary allocation), food, loo rolls… But it’s also true of encouragement from the bible, hope derived from knowing God, love for people because we’ve experienced God’s love etc.
On Sunday our message was entitled, ‘Dreamers store and share by the Spirit’. Joseph stored grain during the seven years of plenty that he was able to share during the seven years of famine. However, he also stored, as we read in our text, Discernment, wisdom and was Spirit–filled. God wants us to grow in each of these attributes, and today we’ll look at what it means to store wisdom.
WISDOM
Wisdom, in this context, is about the application of truth. Joseph applied the truth that He knew about God when he continued to serve Him, resisted temptation, interpreted dreams, forgave his brothers and fed the nation. Knowing without doing is sin. James writes,
‘If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.’ (James 4:17)
Let’s end today devotional by looking at Jesus’ Great Commission again,
"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20
On Monday we saw that we are to store ‘discernment’ - knowledge of the truth - by learning what Jesus taught. Today, I want us to notice that we learn so as to “obey everything Jesus has commanded us”. Knowing must lead to doing!
RESPONSE
In response, I urge us all to regularly ask ourselves the question, “What is the Father saying to me and what will I do in response?” Are you storing time with God in His word this week?
It’s very easy to point at where others are failing and what they should do without first seeking to deal with our own, often hidden, sin! Our outward show of goodness and ‘virtue signalling’ may score points with many, but Jesus is interested in our seeking Him authentically so as to love and obey!
Finally, let’s meditate on James’ firm but loving encouragement,
‘Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it – not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.’ (James 1:22-25)
COMMUNITY GROUP STUDY – DREAMERS STORE AND SHARE BY THE SPIRIT
Notices
It might be good to begin with notices. Please share from this week’s Church News
Suggested opener/Ice-breaker
What are you really good at and how did you come to realise this?
Introduction - please read in your group
Please read Genesis 41:33-38
On Sunday our message was entitled, ‘Dreamers store and share by the Spirit’. The main point was that we can only share what we store.
Joseph was a man who was 'discerning and wise' and Spirit-filled (Genesis 42: and if we are to be effective in living in the dreams (God's will) that the Father has given to us, we need to store these attributes.
'Discernment' is about knowledge. We store discernment through devotion to scripture.
'Wisdom' is about application of truth in life. We store 'wisdom' by putting truth into practice and paying attention to the lessons that God is teaching us in our lives.
Finally, it was said of Joseph, '“Can we find anyone like this man, one in whom is the Spirit of God” . We become Spirit-filled through investing in our relationship with God.
If we store in these areas, we will have something to share with others. We will be a real blessing.
Discuss/share/pray in smaller groups:
We were encouraged on Sunday, to take a lunch break each day in order to 'store' God's truth and invest in our relationship with God. How has this been going for you?
What is the Holy Spirit speaking to you about (maybe from Sunday's message)?
What will you do in response?
How can we pray for you?
Do you plan to invite anyone to our Alpha Course beginning Monday 15th June 7:30pm? Let's pray for our upcoming Alpha course and that we would make the invitation. For more details go to: https://www.communitychurchputney.com/alpha