Centennial Park Baptist Church

Centennial Park Baptist Church – 10:30 a.m.

GIVING YOURSELF FIRST TO THE LORD

Genesis 39: 13-23

13 When she saw that he had left his garment in her hand and had fled outside, 14 she called to the men of her household and said to them, "See, he has brought in a Hebrew to us to make sport of us; he came in to me to lie with me, and I screamed. 15 "When he heard that I raised my voice and screamed, he left his garment beside me and fled and went outside." 16 So she left his garment beside her until his master came home. 17 Then she spoke to him with these words, "The Hebrew slave, whom you brought to us, came in to me to make sport of me; 18 and as I raised my voice and screamed, he left his garment beside me and fled outside."

19 Now when his master heard the words of his wife, which she spoke to him, saying, "This is what your slave did to me," his anger burned. 20 So Joseph's master took him and put him into the jail, the place where the king's prisoners were confined; and he was there in the jail. 21 But the LORD was with Joseph and extended kindness to him, and gave him favor in the sight of the chief jailer. 22 The chief jailer committed to Joseph's charge all the prisoners who were in the jail; so that whatever was done there, he was responsible for it. 23 The chief jailer did not supervise anything under Joseph's charge because the LORD was with him; and whatever he did, the LORD made to prosper.

Twice in a matter of 3 verses it says of Joseph that “the Lord was with him.” ( 39: 21-23) Even in prison, the Lord God remained first in Joseph’s life. Foremost in his life was his vital and consistent relationship with his Lord. Because of that, everything else was committed to God’s sovereign plan: his relationships, his resources, his responses to adversity, his remaining faithful in prosperity. All of life, time, treasure, talent - the totality of life - was surrendered to God. The result? God released enormous blessing!

I Timothy 6: 6-10

6 But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment. 7 For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either. 8 If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content. 9 But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

- We first give OURSELVES to God

- Then everything falls into place

- God wants your HEART, your priorities

- Sometimes the last thing we let go of as Christians is our MONEY

What will happen when we give ourselves first to God?

1. We have an inner peace and sufficiency in spite of outward circumstances

Wealth does not bring CONTENTMENT - vs. 6

2. We will always respond by willingly giving to Him of our substance.

Wealth is not LASTING - vs. 7

3. We recognize our personal ACCOUNTABILITY to God – vs. 7

4. We can easily release back to GOD that which we know is His anyways.

Our basic NEEDS are easily met – vs. 8

5. We regularly give of our SUBSTANCE

6. We receive His promise / guarantee of supply, which is far better than the desire

for wealth, which can lead to SIN - vs. 9,10

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