Preparation and Wise Stewardship

We Must Project - Fortify in Seasons of Abundance

Matthew 7:24-27 (AMP) The Two Foundations
24 "So everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, will be like a wise man [a far-sighted, practical, and sensible man] who built his house on the rock. 25 And the rain fell, and the floods and torrents came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. 26 And everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not do them, will be like a foolish (stupid) man who built his house on the sand. 27 And the rain fell, and the floods and torrents came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell—and great and complete was its fall."

Proverbs 21:5 (AMP) 5 The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance and advantage, But everyone who acts in haste comes surely to poverty.

NEW MATERIAL

I don't know whether you know this or not, but the wealthy get wealthier in down seasons, pastor tell me why. Story of some players in the off season selling their things at a discount to make it to the next season.

WE MUST PROJECT- FORTIFY IN SEASONS OF ABUNDANCE

Genesis 41:37-57 (AMP) 33 So now let Pharaoh [prepare ahead and] look for a man discerning and clear-headed and wise, and set him [in charge] over the land of Egypt [as governor under Pharaoh]. 34 Let Pharaoh take action to appoint overseers and officials over the land, and set aside one-fifth [of the produce] of the [entire] land of Egypt in the seven years of abundance.

1. Joseph saving plan

35 Let them gather [as a tax] all [of the fifth of] the food of these good years that are coming, and store up grain under the direction and authority of Pharaoh, and let them guard the food [in fortified granaries] in the cities. 36 That food shall be put [in storage] as a reserve for the land against the seven years of famine and hunger which will occur in the land of Egypt, so that the land (people) will not be ravaged during the famine."
37 Now the plan seemed good to Pharaoh and to all of his servants.

GOD HAS A PLAN

Jeremiah 29:11 (AMP) 11 For I know the plans and thoughts that I have for you,' says the Lord, 'plans for peace and well-being and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.

WE MUST WRITE OUT THE PLAN

HABAKKUK 2:2 (AMP) 2 Then the Lord answered me and said,"Write the vision And engrave it plainly on [clay] tablets So that the one who reads it will run.

WE MUST EXECUTE THE PLAN

PROVERBS 16:3 (AMP) 3 Commit your works to the Lord [submit and trust them to Him], And your plans will succeed [if you respond to His will and guidance].

Joseph Is Made a Ruler of Egypt

38 So Pharaoh said to his servants, "Can we find a man like this [a man equal to Joseph], in whom is the divine spirit [of God]?" 39 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Since [your] God has shown you all this, there is no one as discerning and clear-headed and wise as you are. 40 You shall have charge over my house, and all my people shall be governed according to your word and pay respect [to you with reverence, submission, and obedience]; only in [matters of] the throne will I be greater than you [in Egypt]." 41 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, "See, I have set you [in charge] over all the land of Egypt." 42 Then Pharaoh took off his signet ring from his hand and put it on Joseph's hand, and dressed him in [official] vestments of fine linen and put a gold chain around his neck. 43 He had him ride in his second chariot; and runners proclaimed before him, "[Attention,] bow the knee!" And he set him over all the land of Egypt. 44 Moreover, Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Though I am Pharaoh, yet without your permission shall no man raise his hand [to do anything] or set his foot [to go anywhere] in all the land of Egypt [all classes of people shall submit to your authority]." 45 Then Pharaoh named Joseph Zaphenath-paneah; and he gave him Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera, priest of On (Heliopolis in Egypt), as his wife. And Joseph went out over all the land of Egypt [to inspect and govern it].

GENESIS 41:46 (AMP) Now Joseph [had been in Egypt thirteen years and] was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh, king of Egypt. Joseph departed from the presence of Pharaoh and went through all the land of Egypt [performing his duties].

A. We often struggle with waiting on God's timing

B. While you wait, prepare

C. Remember preparation is never wasted time

D. God gave him the dream in his teens but it didn't manifest until he was in his thirties

E. Him people threaten with death by his brothers

F. Him being sold into slavery

G. Him being falsely accused

H. Him doing time for a crime he didn't commit

I. Being forgotten by the baker and butler

Romans 8:28 (AMP) 28 And we know [with great confidence] that God [who is deeply concerned about us] causes all things to work together [as a plan] for good for those who love God, to those who are called according to His plan and purpose.

47 In the seven abundant years the earth produced handfuls [for each seed planted]. 48 And Joseph gathered all the [surplus] food of the seven [good] years in the land of Egypt and stored [enormous quantities of] the food in the cities. He stored away in every city the food [collected] from its own surrounding fields. 49 Thus Joseph gathered and stored up grain in great abundance like the sand of the sea, until he stopped counting it, for it could not be measured.

56 When the famine was spread over all the land, Joseph opened all the storehouses, and sold [surplus grain] to the Egyptians; and the famine grew [extremely] severe in the land of Egypt. 57 And [the people of] all countries came to Egypt to Joseph to buy grain, because the famine was severe over all the [known] earth.

Result of the Famine

Genesis 47:13-26 (AMP) 13 Now [in the course of time] there was no food in all the land, for the famine was distressingly severe, so that the land of Egypt and all the land of Canaan languished [in destitution and starvation] because of the famine. 14 Joseph gathered all the money that was found in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan [in payment] for the grain which they bought, and Joseph brought the money into Pharaoh's house. 15 And when the money was exhausted in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan, all the Egyptians came to Joseph and said, "Give us food! Why should we die before your very eyes? For our money is gone."

A. They gave up all their money for food

16 Joseph said, "Give up your livestock, and I will give you food in exchange for your livestock, since the money is gone." 17 So they brought their livestock to Joseph, and he gave them food in exchange for the horses and the flocks and the herds and the donkeys; and he supplied them with food in exchange for all their livestock that year.

A. They gave up their livestock

18 When that year was ended, they came to him the next year and said to him, "We will not hide from my lord [the fact] that our money is spent; my lord also has our herds of livestock; there is nothing left in the sight of my lord but our bodies and our lands. 19 Why should we die before your eyes, both we and our land? Buy us and our land in exchange for food, and we and our land will be servants to Pharaoh. And give us seed [to plant], that we may live and not die, and that the land may not be desolate."

A. They sold themselves into slavery

B. Selling of your body is nothing new

Result of the Famine

20 So Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh; for every Egyptian sold his field because the famine was severe upon them. So the land became Pharaoh's. 21 And as for the people, he relocated them [temporarily] to cities from one end of Egypt's border to the other. 22 Only the land of the priests he did not buy, for the priests had an allotment from Pharaoh, and they lived on the amount which Pharaoh gave them, so they did not sell their land. 23 Then Joseph said to the people, "Look, today I have bought you and your land for Pharaoh; now, here is seed for you, and you shall plant the land. 24 At harvest time [when you reap the increase] you shall give one-fifth of it to Pharaoh, and four-fifths will be your own to use for seed for the field and as food for you and those of your households and for your little ones." 25 And they said, "You have saved our lives! Let us find favor in the sight of my lord, and we will be Pharaoh's servants." 26 And Joseph made it a law over the land of Egypt—valid to this [e]day—that Pharaoh should have the fifth part [of the crops]; only the land of the priests did not become Pharaoh's.

FINANCIAL PRINCIPLES THAT ARE BIBLICAL

1. GOD IS SOURCE

PHILIPPIANS 4:19 (AMP) 19 And my God will liberally supply (fill until full) your every need according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

Proverbs 8:20-21(AMP) 20 "I, [Wisdom, continuously] walk in the way of righteousness, In the midst of the paths of justice, 21 That I may cause those who love me to inherit wealth and true riches, And that I may fill their treasuries.

2. GIVING ESSENTIAL

LUKE 6:38 (AMP) 38 Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure—pressed down, shaken together, and running over [with no space left for more]. For with the standard of measurement you use [when you do good to others], it will be measured to you in return."

3. LIVE ON MARGIN

Living on a margin simply means allowing room for things to happen.

There are really only three ways a person can arrive anyplace. He can arrive early, on time or late. I used to aim at arriving right on time, and I consistently arrived five minutes late. That's because I allowed no margin.

Those precious minutes add up. Think of the cumulative effort, on health alone, of continually spending 15 minutes hurrying to be five minutes late. I swim three times a week at the YMCA to stay in shape, and I try to eat right and keep my weight down, since I want to serve the Lord and therefore don't want to die of a heart attack. But 15 minutes of hurrying three times each day for 15 years adds up to nearly six months of 24-hour days when I'm under unnecessary tension, just hurrying to be late. And tension is a leading cause of heart attacks. How ridiculous! But the Lord led me to operate on a time margin-planning to arrive early rather than hurrying to be late.

4. BIBLE BACKS SAVING

PROVERBS 21:20 (AMP) 20 There is precious treasure and oil in the house of the wise [who prepare for the future], But a short-sighted and foolish man swallows it up and wastes it.

PROVERBS 22:3 (AMP) 3 A prudent and far-sighted person sees the evil [of sin] and hides himself [from it], But the naive continue on and are punished [by suffering the consequences of sin].

5. KEEP OUT OF DEBT

PROVERBS 22:7 (AMP) 7 The rich rules over the poor, And the borrower is servant to the lender.

Discussion Questions

1. Joseph had to wait 13 years from the pit to the palace. How does his story encourage us when God's promises seem delayed? What should we be doing while we wait?
2. The message states "preparation is never wasted time." Can you share a time when preparation you made during a good season helped you survive a difficult season?
3. Why do you think the wealthy get wealthier during down seasons? What financial wisdom can we learn from this principle?
4. Joseph's plan involved saving 20% (one-fifth) during the abundant years. How does this biblical principle of saving apply to our personal finances today?
5. The three steps mentioned are: God Has a Plan, Write Out the Plan, Execute the Plan. Which of these three steps is most challenging for you and why?
6. During the famine, people gave up their money, then their livestock, then finally themselves. What does this progression teach us about the consequences of poor financial planning?
7. How does recognizing that "God is Source" (Philippians 4:19) change the way we approach financial challenges and opportunities?
8. What does it mean practically to "live on margin" in today's fast-paced culture? How can this principle apply to both our finances and our time?
9. Proverbs 22:7 says "the borrower is servant to the lender." How have you seen this principle play out in your life or the lives of others? What steps can we take to avoid or escape this servitude?
10. Romans 8:28 reminds us that God works all things together for good. Looking at Joseph's journey through betrayal, slavery, false accusation, and prison, how does this truth sustain us when we face our own trials and setbacks

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