Your Storehouse of Faith (Part One)

Time is running out....

"Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the LORD, till he come and rain righteousness upon you." - Hosea 10:12.

One of the most beloved stories in the Bible is that of Joseph. His story spans from Genesis chapter 37 to the last chapter of Genesis, chapter 50. It compasses his life from age 17 till he dies at age 110.

There are many lessons that can be gleaned from Joseph's story - the fact that his life was a picture of Jesus - how he left his father's presence....was hated by his own brothers....was sold into slavery....thought to be dead....only to return and save his people from certain destruction.

What about the great life lesson of God's sovereignty? - Joseph was given a promise in his youth....the promise then appears to be "put to death"....his brothers, acting on what they believed was their own pretenses, give him over to the gentiles....only to discover God had been working through them the whole time to bring His promise to pass.

But the focus of this message will be on the main purpose God had for Joseph's life....which Joseph himself declares in Genesis chapters 45 and 50.

"And Joseph said unto his brethren, Come near to me, I pray you. And they came near. And he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt. Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life. For these two years hath the famine been in the land: and yet there are five years, in the which there shall neither be earing nor harvest. And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance." - Genesis 45:4-7.

"And his brethren also went and fell down before his face; and they said, Behold, we be thy servants. And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God? But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive. Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them." - Genesis 50:18-21.

Although there were several goals God had in mind to accomplish through the life of Joseph, the main one was so that God could preserve the line and lineage of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob - thus assuring the covenant made with Abraham would continue to be fulfilled.

Joseph, under the divine control of God, was made second in command to the most powerful person in the world at that time - the Pharaoh of Egypt. In the time appointed, Joseph was placed in that position to save countless lives, including that of his father, his brothers, and their families, from extinction.....and it all started with a dream.

"And it came to pass at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh dreamed: and, behold, he stood by the river. And, behold, there came up out of the river seven well favoured kine and fatfleshed; and they fed in a meadow. And, behold, seven other kine came up after them out of the river, ill favoured and leanfleshed; and stood by the other kine upon the brink of the river. And the ill favoured and leanfleshed kine did eat up the seven well favoured and fat kine. So Pharaoh awoke. And he slept and dreamed the second time: and, behold, seven ears of corn came up upon one stalk, rank and good. And, behold, seven thin ears and blasted with the east wind sprung up after them. And the seven thin ears devoured the seven rank and full ears. And Pharaoh awoke, and, behold, it was a dream.....Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him hastily out of the dungeon: and he shaved himself, and changed his raiment, and came in unto Pharaoh. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I have dreamed a dream, and there is none that can interpret it: and I have heard say of thee, that thou canst understand a dream to interpret it. And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, It is not in me: God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace.....And Joseph said unto Pharaoh, The dream of Pharaoh is one: God hath shewed Pharaoh what he is about to do. The seven good kine are seven years; and the seven good ears are seven years: the dream is one. And the seven thin and ill favoured kine that came up after them are seven years; and the seven empty ears blasted with the east wind shall be seven years of famine. This is the thing which I have spoken unto Pharaoh: What God is about to do he sheweth unto Pharaoh. Behold, there come seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt: And there shall arise after them seven years of famine; and all the plenty shall be forgotten in the land of Egypt; and the famine shall consume the land; And the plenty shall not be known in the land by reason of that famine following; for it shall be very grievous. And for that the dream was doubled unto Pharaoh twice; it is because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass." - Genesis 41:1-7, 14-16, 25-32.

In the previous message entitled, "The Prodigal Gospel", it was explained and established through the scriptures that God used famines many times in the history of mankind to reveal and bring His purposes to pass. The story of Joseph is just one example of this fact. God warned Pharaoh in a dream of a coming famine that would cause the prosperous years to be forgotten for its severity.

God would use this famine to glorify His name among the Egyptians (Egypt has always been used in scripture as a reference to the world) and to preserve and perfect His people. God also gave Joseph, His prophet and spokesman for the time, the means in which to avoid catastrophe and save the nations from being destroyed by the famine.

"Now therefore let Pharaoh look out a man discreet and wise, and set him over the land of Egypt. Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint officers over the land, and take up the fifth part of the land of Egypt in the seven plenteous years. And let them gather all the food of those good years that come, and lay up corn under the hand of Pharaoh, and let them keep food in the cities. And that food shall be for store to the land against the seven years of famine, which shall be in the land of Egypt; that the land perish not through the famine.....And Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh, and went throughout all the land of Egypt. And in the seven plenteous years the earth brought forth by handfuls. 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. And Joseph gathered corn as the sand of the sea, very much, until he left numbering; for it was without number.....And the seven years of plenteousness, that was in the land of Egypt, were ended. 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. 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. 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. And all countries came into Egypt to Joseph for to buy corn; because that the famine was so sore in all lands." - Genesis 41:33-36, 46-49, 53-57.

Watchmen of the Wall Ministries has also warned of a coming famine, both physical and spiritual, that would cause the prosperous time of both the world and the church to be all but forgotten. And just as He did in the story of Joseph, God will use this famine to glorify His name among the nations of this world and to supernaturally preserve and perfect His people.

God instructed Joseph to build storehouses in which to lay up provisions against the famine. God is also instructing His children today, those who have ears to hear, to build spiritual storehouses. And just as Joseph was able to sustain others as well as himself through the famine; those who hearken unto the Holy Spirit and build these "storehouses of faith" will be able to use them in the days to come to sustain themselves and others.

And how does one build such a "storehouse of faith"? First, we must understand the principle of sowing and reaping.

"Even as I have seen, they that plow iniquity, and sow wickedness, reap the same." - Job 4:8.

"They that sow in tears shall reap in joy." - Psalm 126:5.

"He that soweth iniquity shall reap vanity: and the rod of his anger shall fail." - Proverbs 22:8.

"Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again." - Luke 6:38.

"And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together." - John 4:36.

"But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully." - 2 Corinthians 9:6.

"Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting." - Galatians 6:7 & 8.

These are just some of the scriptures that explain God's principle for sowing and reaping. However, they are enough to establish the fact that whatever someone plants/sows/gives, that is what can be expected to return, both physically and spiritually.

Because the principle of sowing and reaping is an established law of God, it works just like the principle of gravity. God does not have to carefully watch over the earth for fear that gravity will stop working and things will begin to float off into outer space. God established both the principles/laws of gravity and sowing/reaping at the beginning of all things. These principles work as God designed them without His conscious attention.

Joseph used the principle of sowing and reaping during the years of plenty to build and store provisions in order to preserve many lives. His heeding of God's warning and wisdom brought about the kind of salvation the people of God needed most....at that time.

"And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth. And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God." - Luke 12:15-21.

Here in lies the problem....

Many ministers have used these scriptures and the principle of sowing and reaping to promote physical and monetary gain. Instead of the church using the years of plenty to build up spiritual storehouses.....the Body of Christ has been spending its efforts building a physical kingdom - one of bricks and mortar, of large bank accounts and big-time ministries - when the need for spiritual storehouses is the greater one.

Beloved, what is more important? the condition of your body? or the condition of your soul? What do you fear most about the future? your loss of resources and physical comfort? or the preservation of a strong relationship with your Lord and Savior?

"But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts. These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit. But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life." - Jude 1:17-21.

Now, the years of plenty are almost over.....time is running out....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQVmR0jV52A