JOSEPH FORGOT

Sunday Morning - September 6, 1998

Text: Genesis 41:46-49, 53-57 "...And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh, and went throughout all the land of Egypt. 47. And in the seven plenteous years the earth brought forth by handfuls. 48. And he gathered up all the food of the seven years, which were in the land of Egypt, and laid up the food in the cities: the food of the field, which was round about every city, laid he up in the same. 49. And Joseph gathered corn as the sand of the sea, very much, until he left numbering; for it was without number...

53. And the seven years of plenteousness, that was in the land of Egypt, were ended. 54. And the seven years of dearth began to come, according as Joseph had said: and the dearth was in all lands; but in all the land of Egypt there was bread. 55. And when all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread: and Pharaoh said unto all the Egyptians, Go unto Joseph; what he saith to you, do. 56. And the famine was over all the face of the earth: And Joseph opened all the storehouses, and sold unto the Egyptians; and the famine waxed sore in the land of Egypt. 57. And all countries came into Egypt to Joseph for to buy corn; because that the famine was so sore in all lands."

JOSEPH STILL A SERVANT

Genesis 41:49 "And Joseph gathered corn as the sand of the sea, very much, until he left numbering; for it was without number."

MANASSEH AND EPHRAIM

Genesis 41:50-52 "And unto Joseph were born two sons before the years of famine came, which Asenath [the gift of the sun-god] the daughter of Potipherah priest of On [a city which was a center of sun worship seven miles north of Cairo and also known as Heliopolis] bare unto him. 51. And Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh [Hebrew name, forgot]: For God, said he, hath made me forget all my toil, and all my father's house. 52. And the name of the second called he Ephraim [Hebrew name, fruitful]: For God hath caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction."

Philippians 3:13 "Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,

THE PRIZE

Philippians 3:14 "I press toward the mark [standard] for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."

BE THUS MINDED

Philippians 3:15 "Let us therefore, as many as be perfect [complete], be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.

KEEP ON GOING

Philippians 3:16 "Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing.

BE AN EXAMPLE

Philippians 3:17 "Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample."