Find your spine

I got to listen to Levi's second message in the series sorry not sorry last night! Once again it was great! I loved the scripture his message was based on. Genesis 44. It's the story of his 10 brothers hating him and selling Joseph into slavery. Joseph was the favorite son of Jacob and was meant to lead. His brothers were sick of this and turned against him. Joseph was put in jail in Egypt and instead of having self pity and negativity He praised God and said God you put me in this place what do I do now? He continued to serve God and be faithful to God and not give up. He did Gods work. God proved faithful and made him second in charge in Egypt. While everyone else was in starvation Joseph was being used by God and was storing up his reward. His brothers on the other hand were plagued by guilt and were constantly worried about being found out about and had a filthy conscience. They knew it. When we do something wrong and we don't admit to it we live in it. There is no other solution but to come clean! That is the ONLY option. It was not easy for Joseph to keep serving God. He was hurting, he missed his family, people were against him. But he took up his cross and put Jesus first. This is such an extraordinary story and the great news is, it's true! So often we get caught up thinking God just threw us into the world with no guide when really there are so many relevant stories in the bible that actually happened. Chances are we aren't being murdered or put in jail but it could happen for Jesus and is worth it for Jesus! 

Not only did Joseph live a life for Jesus, he got to see his brothers again and forgave them. He didn't hold it against them. 

They said to one another, “Surely we are being punished because of our brother. We saw how distressed he was when he pleaded with us for his life, but we would not listen; that’s why this distress has come on us.” Reuben replied, “Didn’t I tell you not to sin against the boy? But you wouldn’t listen! Now we must give an accounting for his blood.” They did not realize that Joseph could understand them, since he was using an interpreter. He turned away from them and began to weep, but then came back and spoke to them again. He had Simeon taken from them and bound before their eyes. Joseph gave orders to fill their bags with grain, to put each man’s silver back in his sack, and to give them provisions for their journey. After this was done for them, they loaded their grain on their donkeys and left. At the place where they stopped for the night one of them opened his sack to get feed for his donkey, and he saw his silver in the mouth of his sack. “My silver has been returned,” he said to his brothers. “Here it is in my sack.” Their hearts sank and they turned to each other trembling and said, “What is this that God has done to us?” (Genesis 42:21-28 NIV). 

Joseph knew God called him to forgive and act in a Godly way to lead his brothers to Christ and let God work. He had to be patient. He didn't yell at them and he didn't accuse them. He just loved them and forgave them. They tried to kill him and get rid of him and yet he accepted them back. Then once Jacob died the brothers thought they would surely be killed or let to of by Joseph. But Joseph did not do that. He loved them and blessed them through Christ. Judah also changed his ways from when he wanted to sell Joseph to when they saw Joseph again. He was renewed in God and was a new person. 

Here are the four main points from his message. 

1. If you did anything wrong you did it 100% wrong. 

Somebody else might have been involved but you did it 100% on your own. There is not justifying to sin. It's all sin. You don't have to take full responsibility for the right just for what you did. Yes I did cheat, yes I did steal, yes I did lie. You did it 100% not 70%. Nobody can force you to sin. You can be tempted by others but the sin is all on you. 

2. They didn't get hurt you hurt them. 

It isn't the other persons fault that they got hurt. It's your fault. Our actions lead to hurting other people and we have to take responsibility for that. We can't say why are you upset about this or well you did this to provoke me so I had no choice to sin so really is your fault not mine. They arent jealous you were unfaithfulNo we hurt other people when we sin. It doesn't stay contained. Sin hurts. 

3. Do everything you can to make it right. 

We need to have Godly sorrow and let God work to change things. No matter how we start off God can always change things and make for a better ending. It's not to say just live your life in guilt or trying to make up for your sin but just to change! You have to change and repent! You can't ask for forgiveness and then do the same thing. God will work on the relationship but we have to change and dedicate our hearts to Him! 

4. Walk in forgiveness don't wallow in it. 

Don't beat yourself up for something Jesus already took a beating for. He died for our sin so that we don't have to. We don't have to live in punishment. But the thing about this rule is we can't keep sinning. Ever! God forgives. He has a plan for us and He will make the perfectly come true even if we don't see it right now. He is able! 

These messages are so good! I have really enjoyed them and have changed my heart towards sin and forgiveness. I think about people I have held grudges against and even if they aren't sorry God calls me to forgive. 

Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. (Colossians 3:13 NIV).