Was Joseph A Good Dad?

Kenny Song at Harvest Revival Centre

http://harvestrevivalcentre.com/

How many here are fathers, may I see your hands? Grandfathers? My hands are also raised, both hands, because I have two grandsons. That's my daughter Pam with my two grandsons while on holiday. I learned a long time ago becoming a father is much easier than being one. I became a father at 24 so you can imagine the responsibilities that came with it when I was just getting my footing on my business and married life.

Fathers, tell me if these words sound familiar.

- This is going to hurt me more than it hurts you.

- How should I know? Go ask your mother.

- Just wait till you have kids of your own.

- Who’s paying the bills around here, anyway?

- When you make your own money, you buy what you want!

- Stop playing with your food.

- Quiet! Can’t you see I’m trying to think!

- Why? Because I said so!

- My pocket money was only 20 cents.

- Buy what toys? I make my own toys when growing up.

And my favourite:

- When I was your age…

Fathers…do these sound familiar? We fathers may be very different and comes from all walks of life but there are some things only fathers can relate to. Like I said, being a father is no easy task. We have to provide, protect, instruct and discipline our children on a practical level and love and guide them spiritually.

Today, I want to look at one particular father mentioned in the bible. He is responsible for the upbringing of the Son of God. Who's that?

I titled my message, "Was Joseph a good dad?"

We have don’t have much Biblical material to work with, but I believe that Joseph like us, struggled with being a “dad” as well. In many ways, I feel for Joseph. While Mary is lifted up as the one who sacrificed, Joseph is peripheral where even in the Biblical accounts, only a few passages tell his story. Joseph was the earthly father of Jesus, the man entrusted to raise the Son of God.

Matthew 1:19-20

Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.

Joseph was a righteous, merciful, discrete, obedient and intelligent man, who followed God’s direction in the midst of other options.

And we know that Jesus of Nazareth came directly from his Joseph’s lineage. Jesus spent thirty years with his family before his ministry. And I have to believe that Jesus picked up his personality traits not only from His heavenly Father to whom he gives much of the credit, but also from his earthly father, who was there at least in those beginning years.

Skilled as a carpenter in the small town of Nazareth, Joseph spent time teaching his son the trade as well as providing spiritual training. Jesus is very often described as working and being taught by Joseph in his carpenter’s shop. This was an inherited occupation Jesus performed before going into His ministry. We see this today as well, as businessmen hand the mantle over to their sons or daughters. What the father does, often influences the career choices of their children.

When Jesus spoke of God as being like a loving Father, he could draw from his youth the kind of love he had from Joseph. Joseph stands as a testimony to the value of integrity, obedience, faithfulness, and especially to honouring the entrusted role of "fatherhood.” 

So, this morning let's look at Joseph and see how he was a good father.

1. First and foremost, Joseph loved his wife

Ephesians 5:28 says, “So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself.”

There is no doubt that children watch their parents…

I strongly believe that to be a good father, you must first and foremost be a good husband (not just because my wife is here ya).

If they see disrespect, statistics show that it will carry into the children’s marriage. If they see verbal, mental, or physical abuse, children will think that to be normal. If there is little value given to wives and to the opposite spouse, children will use that model in their future homes, families, and marriages.

Words between husbands and wives, like please, sorry and thank you will be picked up by your children. During their formative years, they are like a sponge and pick up everything.

That is why when children swear, or behave rudely, it often reflects on their parents, carbon copies of the original.

Often, we use the term wreaked marriages that ends up in divorce. Have we considered the wreaked lives of their children because of the divorce? Their insecurities, their pain, and the helplessness of seeing their parents split apart.

But…

If they visibly see love and respect, it will be modelled in their marriage and family. If the father honours the mother (and vice versa), that is exactly what the children will look for in their marriage.

If the parents cherish one another, love each other, then that will carry into the children’s lives as they grow older.

That familiar Proverb rings true, “Train up a child in the way they should go: and when they are old, they will not depart from it.” (22:6)

The earthly Jesus treated women with respect. Probably more respect than any other religious leader of his day…

He loved his mom. Even to the point of making sure that she would be cared for as he died on the cross.

He valued each and every person. Whether the thief on the cross or the solider or the blind or the sick...he saw value in each person.

When Joseph had the decision before him to either leave Mary quietly or make a big fuss, even in the midst of his own pain, he wanted to do what was best for Mary, sacrificing himself, his reputation.

Jesus did the same as he gave himself up because of his love for the church. I believe he first saw that all-giving love in his father’s love for his mother. If we want to be good fathers, we need to love our wives, just as Joseph did.

2. Second, Joseph didn’t expect perfect children

I remember when my daughter came into this world, and I carried our baby for the first time, I just whispered to myself…perfect. We were very specific when we prayed for our daughter before she was born. We named her Pam after Pamela Ewing, that TV series playing at that time, because the actress was the kindest person in the TV series. Anyone knows what TV series is that?

We prayed that she would have dimples, my skin, my wife's chin, my nose, my wife's ears…and you know what? God answered every one of our heart's desire for her. She even has four dimples, though we never prayed specifically for that. Perfect. Babies are such angels. Then they grow up and how often we hear parents scream at those "little devils". We quickly learn they are not perfect.

The story in Luke of Jesus in the temple is one example. The parents take off expecting Jesus to be playing with his friends only to find out that they’ve lost their kid. (Anybody ever been there?). Have you ever suddenly lost your child for a moment, like maybe at the malls?

I remembered when I was an 8 year old, my mother took me shopping along Penang Road. We were from Alor Star. She was busy looking at clothes with my auntie, when a bald man suddenly grabbed me and ran towards Chowrasta Market. Other pedestrians shouted at him and he dropped me after about 50 meters. My mother ran and grabbed me and just held on to me crying. That feeling where you think you have lost your child. After she calmed down, I remember vividly what she told me next. "Don't tell your father". :)

Mary asked Jesus, “Why have you done this to us?” and Jesus’ response, “Did you not know that I must be about my father’s business?”

We know now what Jesus was talking about, and today we don’t fault him for this, because we understand that Jesus had a different agenda than mom or dad.

But I’d be willing to admit that Joseph had a long talk with his son on the way back home just as I would have done if that happened to my daughter.

But the point is that just as there are no perfect fathers, there was only one perfect child in Jesus Christ.

As fathers, we cannot expect children to meet all our expectations, to fulfill all our goals for them, to be what we want them to be. They are not perfect.

I was not perfect growing up. I was lazy, played a lot and exam results were never stellar. I was an average student. So when I got my results for Form 6, HSC, I failed. But I love to draw, so I told my father I want to join an Art College. Those days, Art was very different from Design Schools today. My relatives discouraged my father, saying I can never make good money and job options are few. They say artists only make money after they die.

But my dad sat me down and asked me this. Are you sure that's what you want to do? I said yes! And he took me out to Penang to register at an Art College and because of his encouragement and support, I have loved my work and I praise God I didn’t do too badly either. My dad didn’t ask for a perfect son, he just loved me, imperfect as I was.

Spilled milk, broken things here and there, a poorly written test, a dent in the family car… children make mistakes and they are far from perfect. Things can always be replaced but a broken heart is hard to mend.

But it’s the good father, like Joseph, who, even when he doesn’t understand his child, like that time in the temple, says “that’s okay, let’s go home.”

Fathers, our children may be clumsy or athletic, scatter-brained or organised, shy or cakap banyak, crude or sophisticated… love them for who they are, they are your children.

Colossians 3:21 says – “Fathers, don’t make your children resentful, or they will become discouraged.”

If we want to be good fathers, we need to understand that our children are far from perfect. Just love and encourage them.

3. For our last point this morning, Joseph did all that he could do for his child

If you turn in your Bibles to Matthew 2:13-23, we see the familiar story of Joseph taking his family to Egypt and then to Nazareth by direction of angels.

Can you imagine leaving house and home, job and career, family homestead and family ties, to pick up and move to a foreign land, just because an angel told you so?

I have to believe that Joseph was a man of prayer. And no one can contest the fact the Joseph wasn’t in direct communication with God.

For his child, for his family, and for himself, I am sure that Joseph was in prayer. Even when he and Mary couldn’t be with Jesus, they knew that where they couldn’t be, God could be.

As fathers, we need to pray for our children and our families and to God for our strength. Why? Because our Heavenly Father loves our children and our families as much as we do…even more…Amen?

I also believe that Joseph did all that he could do for his family, he prepared his children.

Joseph not only prepared his child to leave home, he prepared Jesus for a lifetime, and beyond.

Proverbs 23:24 says, “The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice, and he who begets a wise son will be glad in him.”

Preparing our children for that day when they finally leave our home is only part of the picture. Preparing them to live a productive lifetime in this world experiencing success and coping with failure, is another integral part, but it’s just that…a part.

As fathers, mothers, grandfathers, and grandmothers, we need to be preparing our children for eternity. God didn’t give us our children just to be doctors, teachers, engineers, lawyers, or preachers. He gave them to us to prepare them for everlasting life through Jesus Christ.

While we can’t choose for them, we CAN choose to show them the Way, the Truth, and the Life that leads to salvation, and their spiritual destiny. As parents, we need to be giving our children every opportunity to accept Christ for themselves.

We can’t choose for them, we can’t decide which path they are going to take, but we can set the example. I believe this is what Joseph did. Jesus knew about his spiritual heritage because of his parent’s devotion.

We, as parents, can have a Godly influence on our children. Let us never forget that their physical presence in this world is only a shadow of what eternity will be.

If we want to be good fathers, we need to do all that we can do for our families, just as Joseph did.

I do not have to tell you that Fatherhood is not doing well in our society…

Some sad and tragic incidents have happened right at our doorsteps. A group of young children riding their bicycles dangerously in the wee hours of the morning was mowed down. Where were their fathers?

Just this week a young 18 year old teenager, Nhaveen was physically and sexually attacked, because he was different and was declared brain dead before he succumbed to his injuries. Why? He knew those boys. Somebody wrote an article titled: Bullies are not born. They are raised. Where were their fathers in their upbringing?

It's not just here but it is happening everywhere. Children hardly see their fathers. I call them "Disappearing dads". Who do these children turn to for advice and guidance. Mr Google has replaced many fathers. It's sad. Google can give you information, but not Godly guidance.

My daughter Pam loves talking to my wife. They can spend hours talking. I also don't know WHAT they talk about? So much to say meh? She gives her emotional support, shares her hurts and joys, and tell each other what's happening in their lives.

Then when advice is needed, my wife will often tell her, go ask your father. Every time I get a call from her, it's for advice, opinions and decisions. That's what I'm there for. She runs to me in her time of need.

When she was just about 7 years old, she was crossing the road and the person watching her lost sight of her for 2 seconds and a motorcyclist rammed into her and she was flung meters away. I carried her in my arms and we rushed her to Gleneagles. Her waist area was turning blue black. Thank God it was only bruises because the doctor said she was so light she didn’t take the full impact.

But during that time at the hospital, she refused to let me go. Just wanting daddy to be beside. Fathers, we give our child assurance and security. It makes a world of a difference for them. A feeling only fathers can give.

Studies of young criminals have found that more than 70% of juveniles in state reform institutions come from fatherless homes. Children from broken families are nearly twice as likely as those in two-parent families to drop out of high school.

Now, more than ever, I believe that as fathers, we need to be positive role models. The most precious commodity we can give to our children are our prayers and our time. Not things.

Let us fathers learn from Joseph.

• We have to love our wives.
• We have to understand that our children are not perfect.
• We have to do all that we can do for our families.

Will you join me in prayer this morning for all fathers, grandfathers and spiritual fathers….

God, our Father, in your wisdom and love you made all things, including each and everyone of us. We give you thanks in that you are not absent, but present with us.

Bless our fathers, may they be strengthened by their faith, may they become an example of your love, and may they honour you always.

For those fathers, who have given us life and love, we show them our respect and love.

For those fathers who have lost a child through death, we pray that their faith will bring them hope and comfort.

For men, though without children, who have nurtured and cared for us as spiritual fathers, we give you thanks.

And for those fathers who are struggling, we pray for strength and wisdom that comes from you, our Abba Father.

Amen.

Wonderful worship. Love that song Good, Good Father.

Senior Pastor Rev Dr Benard Augustine

Sermon titled: "Was Joseph a Good Dad?"

The Assurance of Providence - the Battle of Wills

Bro Koay Kheng Hin

I'm born in the year of the rooster. I'm going to retire in the year of the rooster. I'm also saved in the year of the rooster, so the year of the rooster is very special to me.

I want to begin with a little bit about the Ang Pow. It's a Chinese New Year tradition. It was started in the Sung dynasty and it was meant to be about the red color of the packet. That was more important than what's in the packet. Today, the symbolism of the red of the packet is less important than what's in the packet. The red symbolises many good things.

For many of us Chinese when we look into the coming year there is that anticipation of prosperity. We have this feeling that it will be more prosperous than the previous year.

The Jews also on the Passover night had the blood of the lamb painted on the doorposts. I want to look at the colour red. The title I want to speak today is on the Assurance of Providence. I want to say we have this assurance not because we are smart or capable but because we are the children of the almighty God.

I have two friends who has GAD (general anxiety disorder). We live in stressful times and in times like these the stress can get to us. The main cause of anxiety is the word uncertainty. It's that uncertainty that bugs each and everyone of us.

What is anxiety? You go to the office and you hear of VSS and you wonder if you still have a job soon. Your children's grades come down suddenly and you wonder what's happening with them. Or you have a pain in your back and you went for a medical check-up but the doctors are still not sure what's wrong. All these are uncertainties that causes anxiety.

Psalms 31:14-15

14 But as for me, I trust in You, O Lord;

I say, “You are my God.”

15 My times are in Your hand;

Deliver me from the hand of my enemies,

And from those who persecute me.

This was at a time when David was being hunted. It speaks of a time when he was hunted by Saul and his friends all abandoned him. It was then he penned this Psalm. The word trust is always connected to trusting God. Verse 15 is where David mentions the Providence. God is in control of human affairs.

For example, I can give you every single incident of your daily lives. Today you are here because of Providence. It is the exact opposite of coincidence. Where it is the permissive will of God, even if the person is not here today, God is still with them. Good or bad, we fall under the sovereign will of God. God is in control but God also permits evil. God has that foreknowledge and control over it.

Today I stand here at the pulpit because he has permitted it or he had prescribed it. God is in total control.

The key is whether  the providence is good or bad for you. By the end at 12.15pm you will know.

In these two verses, King David was asking God to deliver him from his enemies. He was praying for the  providence of deliverance. The certainty come from the believe that God will deliver you from your adverse circumstances.

Matthew 6:30-33

30 Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

31 “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

Matthew struck a chord during those times. Many who listened to Jesus are people who are struggling to put food on the table. These are basic provisions. Matthew quotes the words of Jesus and he said don’t worry about food, clothing or shelter. That is the promise of provision.

As children of God most of us have more than enough. Amen? God's promise is that he will fulfill all our needs. That his children will not beg for bread. But God has not promised to satisfy our greed. Most of the times we are so anxious and we worry because of greed.

God bless us but we have to be wise and be good stewards and we will be alright. Two things come out very strongly.

You of little faith. Sometimes we have this uncertainty that things will not turn out well, it is an issue of faith.

When David said I trust in you, he also said you are my God. It's the same here, it says seek first his kingdom. Providence is working in our favour because we are the children of God. But to have that certainty need two things. To be able to believe that God is acting in your favour. But there is another by product of that faith. When you believe in God, it is that faith that draws you to him.

You will find the issue of faith is about where God is and who God is.

Luke 17:17-19

17 So Jesus answered and said, “Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine? 18 Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?” 19 And He said to him, “Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well.”

The compassion of Jesus  was on them and all 10 were cleansed. Only one came back to thank him. What is verse 18 teaching us? God is not an answering or vending machine. Someone you go to, to get whatever you need and then you go away and only coming back when you need him again. He wants to fellowship with you.

The nine who were cleansed but cabut (went away) broke the heart of our Lord. God wants to fellowship with us. The circumstances of life are points where you see his provisions but also points where he wants to meet with you.

When you want to have that assurance of providential favour in your life, the rest in your soul, you must have faith that God is working all the time that all things will work for good but he desires that you come to him not just for his blessings but for who he is.

I've a Christian friend who asked me if he can do Buddhist meditation or yoga to calm himself. The fact that he had to ask this shows he has not found rest in God. Outside the church there are so many who has not the peace of God and today as children of God we are in a position to tell them "let your heart not be troubled" because Jesus can give them a peace that surpasses all understanding.

You can only impart what you have. If you come to me for big bucks sorry I cannot help you. Not that I have no money, but if you're talking about money for business I cannot help you. But if you say you worry or cannot sleep, you can give me a call. Hopefully don't everyone call me.

The peace of God is our heritage. It is something we can only have if we have the experience of that assurance working in our life. I'm a science person so there's the theory and the experience.

Many times in our desperate situation we cry to God but when God deliver us the house become quiet. If you look at faith in Hebrews 12:2, Jesus  is the source of our faith.

Hebrews 12:2

looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

He is the perfecter of our faith. It is both an event and a process. The day we accept Jesus  is an event. We are changed from being an orphan to become the children of God. Someone who was helpless to becoming children of God.

That faith should keep on growing. Until the time when you meet with every problem your faith has surpassed it and you remain cool and calm, where the peace of God will rest in you. A peace that surpasses all understanding.

Every time we talk about prayer, there is a place for petitional prayer but have you practiced conversational prayer or have stopped contemplative prayer? That is what Jesus uses to perfect our faith. How do we experience this faith?

Hebrews 11:1

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.

The assurance of providence provides a certainty that will remove any anxiety.

This is only half the story. For non Christians they cannot understand providence. For those who do not believe in God providence does not gel but faith does. They do what they can and then it fails. They say what can be done. It's fate.

But for someone who believes in God, you talk to the person if things don't work out, they will say what to do, it's God's will.

But as a Christian when you talk about the will of God, we may think it's not the best. If the person cannot accept that the will of God is not the best for him, how do you tell the person to rest in the providence of God. I call it the battle of wills.

When a person becomes a child of God, he will have on one side, God's will and on the other side his will or dreams. When a person accepts Christ on Sunday morning don't expect him to be like Paul on Monday morning. He will start with a mix of God's will and his will. But as he grows, God's will grow while his will lessens. Maturity comes with how much God's will is actualized in your life.

Providence will finally overcome and shine above everything else.

Romans 12:2

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Paul says you are struggling but if you still think as the world thinks, you will battle with God's will. Then only you can says God's will is perfect.

Then you will not say "what to do? God's will" and instead say, praise the Lord, God's ways are better than my ways and his thoughts higher than my thoughts.

I want to tell you a little story.

When we talk about the life of faith, we say we have a problem and we pray. No answer. We then ask our cell leader to pray with us. Then another week goes by, we persevere. Then God answers. Your faith is now even more than your cell leader's faith.

When Daniel went into the lion's den you can tell Daniel was praising God. Who has more faith, the man in the lion's mouth or the man who has been delivered from the lion's mouth. Many of us our faith gets a booster when God answers our prayer but not when God has yet to answer. Don't Praise God for the suffering but praise God in our suffering because we believe God has his purposes beyond what we can comprehend.

What we talk about faith the Chinese calls heaven's will. The best illustration is from the Chinese novel, the romance of the three Kingdoms. One of the wisest in the novel at 80 years old, he cornered his enemies and burned the army. The general of the enemy was going to commit suicide and that wise man was smiling with victory in sight. That time was the driest of a 7 year drought and while he was basking in his victory, a heavy downpour came and the fire was snuffed out and the enemy escaped. He looked up to heaven and said heaven's will cannot be opposed. And in the movie he vomited blood, never recovered and he died.

Compare him to our great man Joseph of Genesis. Seventeen years old and was sold as a slave. Met Potiphar wife's and was thrown into prison. By the time he came out of prison he was 30 years old. It was a long long time. And at the end this was how he saw God's providence.

Genesis 50:19-20

19 But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? 20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.

Joseph was someone who had a strong grasp of the providence of God. What came out of Joseph all the time was God. It is the basis for Romans 8:28. God at times permit it but God did not stop there. He will use the circumstances to turn it around for his propose. The perfecter of your faith. From that incident came David and from David, Jesus.

I want to encourage you that no matter what happens in your life, his providence is not only for your good but because he has a greater purpose.

I'm a chess player and you must have a game plan. God has a game plan. His provisions always have a part in his kingdom. God has his jigsaw pieces all laid up. We cannot see it.

God is not a slave driver. He does not use us and not care about us. He is a king with Kingdom purposes and he cares about his citizens. But more than a king be is also our Father and he cares and his work in our lives is part of that jigsaw that has a far greater purpose than those who don't know God.

The passage about the battle of will is best represented in Matthew 26. Jesus is both a perfect God and a perfect man. The Bible says Jesus was hungry and thirsty. He was 100% man. His humanity at this time shows his suffering was real. He was on the cross as the perfect man. In that perfect humanity Jesus approached God the Father and prayed.

Matthew 26:39

Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”

But what is most beautiful is that he said not my will but your will. Your will be done. In KJV, thy will be done shows the graciousness of God's providence in our life. The will be done has brought us to where we are, saved, to be sanctified and glorified. God is always good. You may not understand it but if you can just cry, thy will be done and you will be most blessed.

SaveSave

God is Your Shepherd

Rev Ronald Ooi

Always a pleasure to step onto this island as it's the land of my ancestors. My parents and my children were born in Penang. Except for me. I grew up eating Penang food. My mom cooks good Penang food. All our children have left the nest so it's our second honeymoon, say amen Jasmine.

We've been in ministry 40 years and 35 years ago we stepped in to Penang for ministry. We went up to Penang hill and looked down a dark Penang except for the little lights twinkling in George Town. I remember how Jesus wept over Jerusalem up on the mountain. It was a similar experience for us and that evening the Holy Spirit overwhelmed our hearts and we just prayed and prayed and prayed and how he loves this island. Dark as it was but there are these twinkling lights. We are that twinkling lights. The whole church of Penang are also these twinkling lights.

We the church lives in the city and Jesus went into the cities and villages and towns to preach the kingdom of God. He brought the kingdom of God and he confronted the powers of the day. Setting people free and turned their lives right side up. He came because he loved us and he prayed at the garden knowing it's a difficult journey. It was not an easy assignment. I call it the inconvenient gospel.

Only when it's convenient we serve. Jesus came when it was inconvenient. When we do that we become strong. A weak church will not turn a world that is in trouble right side up. When we are strong and healthy we can help someone else.  When we are strong physically and mentally and emotionally we can help others.

That strength comes with a relationship with God. That walk with God is a walk that will experience the power of God.

Let's look at this passage. I call it the prayer of Israel.

There are several prayers in the Bible like the Lord's Prayer. How Jesus established the kingdom of God here on earth. We have Jehoshaphat's prayer. The battle is not yours but the Lord's.

So now I want to look at the Prayer of Israel.

Genesis 48:15-16

15 Then he blessed Joseph and said,

“May the God before whom my fathers

Abraham and Isaac walked faithfully,

the God who has been my shepherd

all my life to this day,

16 the Angel who has delivered me from all harm

—may he bless these boys.

May they be called by my name

and the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac,

and may they increase greatly

on the earth.”

Genesis 49:22-26

22 “Joseph is a fruitful vine,

a fruitful vine near a spring,

whose branches climb over a wall.

23 With bitterness archers attacked him;

they shot at him with hostility.

24 But his bow remained steady,

his strong arms stayed limber,

because of the hand of the Mighty One of Jacob,

because of the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel,

25 because of your father’s God, who helps you,

because of the Almighty, who blesses you

with blessings of the skies above,

blessings of the deep springs below,

blessings of the breast and womb.

26 Your father’s blessings are greater

than the blessings of the ancient mountains,

than the bounty of the age-old hills.

Let all these rest on the head of Joseph,

on the brow of the prince among his brothers.

Joseph received a double portion of the blessings.

Let me take you on a journey. These were the words of a dying man. There was once someone told me to preach as if you are a dying man. Preach like it's your last. And that's how I've been, never taking life for granted. That's how Israel wanted to bless his son. That Ephraim and Manasseh is blessed properly. He wants to make sure his grandchildren gets his blessings not by deception but by divine revelation.

Jacob now learns his lesson that blessings are not by deception but by prophetic revelation. For the first time in scripture Joseph was a bit upset because he favoured the younger one than the older one. And he said father, you should bless Manasseh, but the father said I know my sons and he blessed Ephraim more than Manasseh. He said I know.

Jacob understand that God has worked in the past, he is working in the present and he will work in the future. He understands the workings of God. He used the word walked when he said the God of my fathers. Abraham and Isaac walked with them. Life is not about what you get or don't get, but about a walk with God. We were made by God and made for God. Imperfect as we are he came to walk with us. He died for us so that we can come to him. When he said I AM, it means there is no other. He chooses to come so that we are re-connected so that we can walk with God and God walk with us.

It is not about what we want, to satisfy our appetite all the time. We come to God not because we want this and that. It is about us wanting to walk with him. Just like how he went into the garden to fellowship with Adam. He is not a shopping mall with all the goodies there. The reason is we are here to want to be with God. When we enjoy his presence first.

Our encounters with God happens again and again and again like how Abraham was unsure if he'll have a son, God appeared to him again. It's a journey. Growing deeper and deeper into knowing who God is. In Genesis 17, God appeared to Abraham again and said walk before me and be blameless and God affirmed him of his promise.

God is the promise keeper, the covenant keeper. You come to him. The shepherd walks with the sheep. Jacob was a shepherd. Joseph was a shepherd. David was a shepherd. Moses was a shepherd. They were all shepherds and they had to learn what is in the shepherd's heart. The rod and the staff. He protects with the rod against predators and the staff is to nudge the sheep. To keep them save.

The good shepherd lay down his life for his sheep. Jesus is the Good Shepherd. God walked and wrestled with Jacob. Because he was running away from cheating. Our walk includes wrestling with God. We have to do it God's way to bring the destiny of Jacob's life to pass. He was always trying his own way but at Genesis 22 he was alone, and cornered in a desperate situation. Trouble bring us to a point where man's extremity is also man's opportunity.

Finally he wrestled until daybreak. He wanted God to bless him and the amazing thing is that for once in his life he lost to God and he never walked the same again. He was a transformed man. It was a very practical transformation of his life.

This wrestling match gives us another revelation. God appeared as an angel. He was called a redeemer and it means in the literal sense someone who steps in and rescued him.

I grew up in a family with 5 boys 1 girl. When you have 5 boys it's never quiet. They call it sibling rivalry. I am the youngest and though we sometimes fight but when someone else outside touched me, my brothers will come to defend me.

Finally after the wrestling came the wonder of a nation formed. Genesis talked about the blessing.

Have you all seen a vineyard? When we were at Melbourne, we loved being at the vineyards. There are these clusters of grapes. My son will just ask me what I want. I used to wrestle with him and I always win but now, I cannot wrestle with him anymore. I wrestle instead with my grand daughter.

Walking with God is anytime. Not just good times. Good times and bad times walk with God. Wrestle so that we become more like him. He purifies his bride. He's coming soon. The whole world is in trouble. It's not a safe place anymore. He's preparing his bride. If we will just align ourselves with him and we too will be a fruitful vine.

I want to end with this thought.

Genesis 49:23-24

23 With bitterness archers attacked him;

they shot at him with hostility.

24 But his bow remained steady,

his strong arms stayed limber,

because of the hand of the Mighty One of Jacob,

because of the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel,

I like these verses because. There are so many because.

Genesis 49:24-25

24 But his bow remained steady,

his strong arms stayed limber,

because of the hand of the Mighty One of Jacob,

because of the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel,

25 because of your father’s God, who helps you,

because of the Almighty, who blesses you

with blessings of the skies above,

blessings of the deep springs below,

blessings of the breast and womb.

We will make it because our God is a blesser.

It's Okay to Cry

Rev Gideon Lee

Sometimes we can come to a place where we must be dignified because men don't cry. Psalms 6 must be read with Psalms 51 because they are Psalms of repentance. At this point of writing he was a very broken man. In his brokenness we will see how he placed his hope in God.

Psalms 6

1 Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger

or discipline me in your wrath.

2 Have mercy on me, Lord, for I am faint;

heal me, Lord, for my bones are in agony.

3 My soul is in deep anguish.

How long, Lord, how long?

4 Turn, Lord, and deliver me;

save me because of your unfailing love.

5 Among the dead no one proclaims your name.

Who praises you from the grave?

6 I am worn out from my groaning.

All night long I flood my bed with weeping

and drench my couch with tears.

7 My eyes grow weak with sorrow;

they fail because of all my foes.

8 Away from me, all you who do evil,

for the Lord has heard my weeping.

9 The Lord has heard my cry for mercy;

the Lord accepts my prayer.

10 All my enemies will be overwhelmed with shame and anguish;

they will turn back and suddenly be put to shame.

Note that David is not saying to God not to discipline him but not to discipline him in his anger.

David was in such anguish that even his bones were in agony. This was how intense it was for him.

Verse 7 onwards show the turning point of David's repentance. Earlier he was just pouring out his heart. He turned from the negative to the positive.

Your prayers are not in vain this morning. God accepts your prayer.

Our heavenly Father loves you. The Christian life is most of the time filled with abundant life. Sad that sometimes we walk along with a papaya face. Sad face. The Bible says rejoice in the Lord and I say to you again rejoice.

But our Christian life is also sometimes a life a tears. Solomon says there are times for tears. Tears are neutral. It can be tears of joy or sorrow.

A good cry before the Lord helps us to release that tension. Tears are also beneficial for our health, it lubricates your eyes and also remove irritants. When things get in your eyes you start to tear up. Tears are beneficial for our spiritual wellbeing. Some songs as we worship and connects with God we cry because God touch us.

At Bible school there is the altar and it's a place where we soak it with our tears. There are cushions at the altar where the students go up front to cry before the Lord. It was a sacred time. I remember seeing people cry at the altar.

Part of what I do is weddings and funerals. At weddings we shed tears of joy but at funerals we can sometimes be so numb that we fail to empathise with the family. It becomes routine to you. Like doctors who are so used to treating people that we can become very rough with our words. That's why doctors are now taught bedside manners. We can become so numb to sin.

That is why I felt I should share this message not just for you but also for me. That is to not take God for granted.

David wrote this Psalms because he purposely sent Uriah to the battle front to be killed because he wanted to marry Bathsheba. The prophet told Nathan that because of what he did the child will not survive. I can imagine David was at the bed grieving for his son who is dying because of what he did.

On our day we can become numb to the call of God in our life. We can hear God speaking clearly to us and we ignore him. Or his commandments, we become numb and take it lightly. Don't get me wrong. I believe in his grace and mercy but let's not forget that he chastises those he loves. He considers you his own. Like how we chastises our children. Let's not harden our heart and take him for granted.

We become numb to the call of God, sin and his conviction. We become so cold and so hard. David was different. He wrote Psalms 6 and 51. It was not a victory shout. He was in pain and was in anguish.

David at this point was on his way back to a right relationship with God. He is not there yet but was on his way to restoring his relationship with God. But there will be tears along the way.

The type of tears are the tears of sorrow as in verse 1. Sorrow is a feeling of deep distress. God confronts our sin just as in David's life and there will be tears of sorrow. Not just on what he did but who he did it to.

Not just the act but it is God whom he sinned against. That he sinned against God and fell short. The first step is not knowing you sinned but that you sinned against God.

Psalms 51:4

Against you, you only, have I sinned

and done what is evil in your sight;

so you are right in your verdict

and justified when you judge.

David understood that he was sorry for what he did to God. When will we realise that we have sinned against our heavenly father. Are you ready to return to God? Remember the story of the prodigal son? He asked for his inheritance, squandered his life but came to his senses when he had to fight with pigs for food. He wanted to go back to his father's house to be a servant. He was willing to trade his position as the son to be a servant. Just as he was coming and from still afar, the father did something a Jewish man is not supposed to do.

His father ran towards his son, a Jewish man will not do that. The story of the prodigal son is about the love of the father. He hugged him and gave him a kiss. He told the servants to bring clothing and put a ring on his finger. He couldn't care less what the people were thinking. He was in full view of the people. This was what God did for us.

David also cried tears of anguish in verse 2 to 7. He was in such deep pain that his bone hurt. It was through a period. Not just immediately but it was for a period.

How many of you have been in such a desperate situation that you just cried before the Lord and you wet your bed with tears. Sin affects us emotionally, spiritually and physically.  That was what David went through.

Don't you think sin affects you physically? When we are in stress we are affected physically. Our blood pressure go up, you can't sleep, your immunity goes down and you lose your appetite. If you sleep around, it will also have consequences to your sin. Physically.

Spiritually also it will make a divide between us and God. Our relationship with God won't be as good or sweet as it used to be. 

Psalms 51:17

My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit;

a broken and contrite heart

you, God, will not despise.

Contrite heart means crushed by the weight of sin. God's chastisement will come if we continue to sin. We can play church. I have to say this. If you continue to hurt God and sin, we will face his chastisement.

There were tears of repentance in David's heart. David came before the Lord offering a contrite heart and tears of repentance before the Lord. God will still restore David, that's why he's known as a man after God's heart.

There was this traveling evangelist and after his meeting he took a train to his next destination in the morning.

In the train sitting with him was a young man who was downcast. He looked worried and stressed.  He struck a conversation with this young man hoping to help him.

The young man opened up to him and told him his life story. He said he used to be a wild child and was a handful for his parents. He said it was so bad he punched his father. And on that day his father said as much as I love you, you can no longer stay in this house if you continue like that.

So he left the house but he said three weeks ago he got saved. So he wants to get right with his parents to see them and say sorry. He was not sure he would be accepted. So he called his father that he wants to come back. He said if you still want me back tie a white ribbon on the apple tree outside the house. If he sees it he will come down and if he do not see the ribbon, he would move on.

So he told the preacher if he could see on his behalf the white ribbon because he could not bear to see it. As the train approached he looked out and he said you don't have to worry. Not only was there a ribbon on the apple tree but ribbons were all over, every branch and fence and a big cloth with the words "Welcome home my son".

There is always a place for you to come back. God will not turn you away. If you come back to God like David there will always be reconciliation. My prayer for you is to never harden your hearts.