PLANNING (GEN. 41)
1) In a speech Martin Luther King said,
2) “I say to you, my friends, that in spite of the difficulties and frustrations of the moment, I still have a dream and it’s a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.”
3) Mr. King had a vision. He had a mental picture of what he wanted to accomplish.
4) We read about a similar thing in Gen. 41.
a)
The ruler of
b)
He saw seven fat cows come up out of the
c) Then he saw seven skinny cows come out of the same river and eat the fat cows (verse 4).
d) This unusual dream caused Pharaoh to wake up.
e)
In
f) This animal would have been especially significant to this ruler.
g) Pharaoh went back to sleep (41:5) and had a second dream.
h) He saw seven heads of grain on one stalk.
i) Some refer to this grain as corn but a more precise description would be a form of wheat.
j) As Pharaoh viewed the grain seven more heads appeared on the stalk but these heads were scrawny.
k) They had been shriveled by an east wind.
l) The skinny heads of grain at the plump and full heads.
m) This ruler was having some strange dreams and his spirit was troubled (verse 8).
5) When it is said that the lean cows ate the fat cows an interesting word is used.
6) The skinny cows “chewed” on the fat cows till they were gone.
7) The consumption of the grain is described by a different word.
8) The healthy and plump grain was swallowed or engulfed by the sickly grain.
9) The words in the Hebrew text show that these dreams were bizarre.
10) As the story continues Joseph was brought before Pharaoh.
11) The ruler wanted to know what his dreams meant and Joseph was willing to help.
12) Joseph attributed the interpretation of the dreams to God and here is what he said.
13) 41:29-32.
14) Joseph knew what the dreams meant.
15) After Joseph spoke Pharaoh also understood what the dreams meant.
16) Before Joseph stopped speaking he added some additional information.
17) He actually made a recommendation to Egypt’s highest ruler.
18) 41:33-36.
19) JOSEPH WAS A MAN WITH VISION. HE HAD A PLAN. HE HAD A MENTAL PICTURE OF WHAT NEEDED TO BE ACCOMPLISHED.
a) According to verses 39-40 Joseph was put in charge of stockpiling food.
b) What Joseph did is recorded in verses 47-49.
c) Joseph had a plan and he put it into action.
d) Joseph was not the only one who had a plan.
e) A little later in Biblical history we read about David.
f) David was a great man who wanted to build the temple, 1 Chron. 22 (and I am turning there).
g) David said (1 Chron. 22:5b) the temple must be “exceeding magnificent.”
h) The fame and glory of the temple needed to be known “throughout all countries.”
i) David said that he would make preparations for and build such a temple (5d).
j) God said no. David would not be allowed to build the temple. Verse 8.
k) David would not get to do this job, but did he plan ahead to help his son do the job?
l) 1 Chron. 22:14-16.
m) David, a great man of God, was a planner.
n) In the New Testament we find that several others had a plan.
o) In Acts 1:4 Jesus told his apostles to stay in Jerusalem. Why? He had a plan.
p) When the apostles “received power” (1:8) they were to go to several places.
q) They were to start in Jerusalem, proceed into Judea, then Samaria, and then everywhere else.
r) The Lord had a plan.
s) He told them where to go and on another occasion He told them what to preach (Mk. 16:15).
t) He made preparations for the message, the messengers, and who should hear the preaching.
u) The apostle Paul was not part of the group found in Acts 1.
v) However, after he became a Christian we find that he also had a plan.
w) This plan is reflected in Rom. 1.
x) Paul planned to visit Rome (Rom. 1:13) but he had been unsuccessful.
y) Nevertheless, he still planned to one day reach and preach in Rome (1:15).
z) Planning is such an important matter that it is even found among the insects.
aa) Listen to Prov. 30:25. Ants plan ahead.
bb) These creatures make preparations before winter strikes because they are planners.
20) IF INSECTS PLAN AHEAD PEOPLE CERTAINLY SHOULD DO THE SAME.
a) In too many cases people do not plan ahead.
b) How many of us know someone who makes a decent wage but does not have a spending plan?
c) The paycheck comes in on Friday but it is all gone by the weekend or the following Tuesday.
d) There is no plan to save any money.
e) There is no plan to make the money last for the entire week.
f) If an unexpected expense arises there is no plan to deal with the added expenditure .
g) We find people who make a decent wage frequently begging for funds.
h) We have a world full of people who do not plan.
21) When we look at some of the greatest characters in the Bible we find people who planned.
a) We have an example of economic planning in Gen. 41.
b) Joseph knew that hard times would eventually come to Egypt.
c) He said to Egypt’s most powerful ruler, “We need to have a plan.”
d) Our knowledge of the future is certainly not this exact.
e) We cannot say exactly when a recession, a depression, or a downward trend will come.
f) However, we should have the sense to know that bad times will come.
g) A nation’s prosperity cannot last forever.
h) Hard times do come, and this seems to be a lesson that some have not learned.
i) For the last several years times the economic situation in our country has been very good.
j) There is a generation that has not seen hard times.
k) For many the thinking is, “The prosperity will continue.”
l) Gen. 41 shows that this type of thinking is wishful, unrealistic, and dangerous.
m) Some were not prepared for the problems faced in Joseph’s day.
n) The Bible describes what happened to these unprepared people in Gen. 42:2.
o) Life became difficult; the severe conditions caused Jacob to use the word “death.”
p) People who do not plan are unprepared.
q) God’s people should not be caught unprepared when problems arise.
r) While Christians are not to be consumed by the future, we are to plan for the future.
s) One of the areas that requires attention is finances.
t) Money and planning go together.
u) Some on a limited budget take a vacation but make no plans about money.
v) Some vacationers come back with a pile of bills and too little income to pay them.
w) Charges are racked up on credit cards but there is no plan to deal with the bills.
x) There are members of the church who make no plans concerning their giving.
y) Hundreds of examples show that many do not combine money with planning.
22) A lack of planning is found in other areas of life as well.
a) If we have children there should be some planning that relates to them.
b) As parents what is our plan to instill within our offspring the ways and will of God?
c) What is our plan to help our children reach heaven?
d) In some cases it appears that parents do not have a plan.
e) Perhaps it is thought that if children to worship all will turn out okay.
f) That’s not a plan.
g) This is like living paycheck to paycheck.
h) When God discussed grounding people in the faith He had a plan.
i) In Mt. 28:18-20 Jesus said, “teach” and then “teach them some more.”
j) Heaven has a plan for converting and maturing people.
k) Do we follow God’s example in our family?
l) Planning should a regular part of our life, and especially our spiritual life.
m) David wanted to build a temple for God.
n) He had as his goal a magnificent structure that would glorify God.
o) What are our plans as a Christian?
p) Someone says, I plan to go to heaven. That should be our ultimate plan.
q) What about goals and plans that relate to this life?
r) What are our plans as a Christian right now?
i) I once read that those who want to get married spend more time planning ceremony than marriage.
ii) This is often true.
iii) A similar thing can happen in Christianity.
iv) A non-Christian makes plans about the time of their conversion.
v) I will be baptized on Wednesday after everyone has gone home.
vi) I will do it at the _________ congregation and ask for ______to immerse me.
vii) I will take along a change of clothes and a blow-dryer. I’ll leave my watch at home.
viii) All of these details are great but what happens after the ceremony?
ix) What plans do we have as a Christian?
x) Coming to worship and Bible study is right and good, but these are hardly a plan.
23) When we think of Christians and planning are we thinking of things like,
a) How can I learn more about God and His word? What is my plan to accomplish this goal?
b) What can I do to better the place where I worship? What is my plan to help this congregation?
c) How can I help the congregation I am associated with grow? What’s my plan?
d) We need to ask these questions, formulate a plan, and then execute it.
e) This is what Joseph, Jesus, Paul, David, and others did.
24) There are at least a few Christians who plan for retirement, sometimes years in advance.
a) Planning for retirement is good.
b) However, do we plan for retirement and keep God in the picture?
c) We have watched some retire with the attitude, “Life is all about fun now that I have retired.”
d) A Christian who retires from secular employment is still employed by God.
e) What is our plan, as a Christian, to serve God in retirement?
f) Will we take the extra time we have and go on campaigns for Christ?
g) Will we use the new opportunities to become involved with Bible correspondence courses?
h) Will we use our new opportunities to engage in other good works?
25) The great characters did not drift aimlessly through life.
26) They had plans, especially plans that related to their spiritual life.
27) Someone said “when plans are laid in advance it is surprising how well circumstances fit in with them.”
28) This is a principle which is generally true.
29) For the Christian, our plans have more than circumstances going for them.
30) There is a God who is on our side and is ready and willing to help us.
31) If we lay plans especially in relation to His will and cause, He will help.
32) Are we a Christian who understands and makes use of planning?