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SUSTAINING FAITH IN GOD

March 14, 1999

Abraham believed God! Romans 4:1-5
Abraham (born 2161 BC) and Sarah, a wealthy couple from the city of Ur in Chaldea (Babylon), who became nomads in on unknown land, Genesis 12:1-7

Just like the conception of a child, Abraham and Sarah became the seed!
Isaac (born 2061 BC) was a "transition bridge." Genesis 26:1-5
Jacob (born 2001 BC) become "the embryo," 12 sons. Genesis 32:22-42

God had a plan. That plan was to grow a nation of Jacob's family. To do that God needed a "womb". That womb was the nation of Egypt.

God selected a man to bring the family of Jacob to Egypt. That man was Joseph (Born 1910 BC), the 11th son of Jacob. God began to prepare Joseph as a teenager for this calling, Genesis 37:1-11
God used the hate from his brothers to bring Joseph to Egypt. Verses 18-28
Joseph lived in a family that was rich, but deeply divided; they were nomads with no place to call home. Joseph did not know that God was in the process of building a nation. When he came to Egypt as a teenage boy, all he knew was that he was now a slave.
Joseph walked by faith - 2 Corinthians 5: 7; Hebrews 11: 22 From being a house slave Joseph became a prisoner - Gen.39: 1-6, 20-23

JOSEPH BELIEVED IN GOD, NOT UNDERSTANDING HIS SITUATION AND GOD GAVE HIM SUSTAINING FAITH!

Joseph lived a life without knowledge of the purpose of his life for 13 years when he was made Prime Minister of Egypt. Genesis 41:38-46

Seven years later Joseph understood a portion of his calling - Genesis 45:1-8 
But it was not until the time of his death, that he understood why God had brought them down to Egypt. Genesis 50:1-26

It took God 430 years to grow a nation of 3 million people. At this time God had prepared another man to lead the nation in its birth; his name was Moses (born around 1520 BC) Exodus 3:1-14

It took 10 plagues to break open the womb of Egypt and thrust out the child! This took place around 1440 BC Exodus 112:29-42

God used 721 earth years from the birth of Abraham to the birth of the nation of Israel. Then God used 1,440 earth years to prepare the nation for his son Jesus Christ. Now another 2000 years have passed.

As believers in Christ we are living stones, being fitted for the living temple of God. 1Peter 2:1-10

"SUSTAINING FAITH IN GOD", IS FOR EACH BELIEVER IN CHRIST TO SEEK THE WILL OF GOD. NOT TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WAYS TO SURVIVE IN THIS WORLD. GOD IS TAKING CARE OF MAN! Matthew 6:24-34