The Examination of Elevation

Listener Guide provided by Pastor Ed

The Examination of Elevation

• When we rise up,  will we forget where we came from?
• Don't let your platform influence you, but instead use your platform to influence others.

1. Genesis 41
2. Proverbs 27:21
1. The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold, and a man is tested by his praise.
2. Reminder:  Waiting Warns, Silence Shapes, Pain Prunes, but Prosperity has the ability to Poison.
3. The Tale of Three Coats:
1. Son: Father's Coat.
2. Servant­­­: Potiphar's Coat. Genesis 39
3. Savior: Pharaoh's Coat.
1. He's no longer defined by status.
3. Sermon Principles:  The "Examination of Elevation" will occur when you receive a...
1. Praised Ability:  Genesis 41:15-"I have heard it said of you"
1. Response:  "without God this is not possible" (16)
2. Reveals: "doubling of Pharaoh's dream means the thing is fixed by God, and God will shortly bring it about" (32)
3. Releases:  "select a discerning and wise man and set him over the land of Egypt. (33)
1. Pride will make you hold on to and pay for things that you really don’t need in your life.
1. Pastor finds a track jacket at a thrift store. His daughters told him he looked good in it so he decided to buy it. The zipper broke so he decided to buy the jacket  go home, and cut it off. He had too much pride to ask the customer service for help but someone noticed that he was stuck.
4. Provided Authority: Genesis 41:41-43-"thus he (Pharaoh) set him over the land of Egypt."
1. Ring: Resources
2. Robe:  Ruler
3. Necklace:  Rank
4. You get your platform to make a name for God.
1. Pastor showed up for a funeral and it was cold outside.  Pastor Ed "finds" coat on coat rack in greenroom. He puts it on thinking it's a gift from God. He realized at the end of the day that the coat belonged to an elderly funeral worker. He approached the man and admitted his wrong but the old man said, "Today you needed it a whole lot more than I did."
5. Posses Autonomy: Genesis 41:44 - "without your consent no one shall lift up a hand or foot in all of the land of Egypt."
1. You have freedom to do whatever you want to do.  How do you respond?
1. This freedom means that you can be trusted.
6. Core Values of a Leader that Excel within Elevation: Genesis 41:46-49
1. Honor:  Give value to all people.
2. Humble:  Steward of Gifts not an owner.
1. Flight attendant asks Muhammed Ali to fasten his seatbelt. Superman don't need no seatbelt. Superman don't need no plane either.
2. If we don't humble ourselves, God will humble us.
1. Matthew 23:12
1. But those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.
3. Hustle:  Takes Initiative, makes things better.
1. Hustle beats talent when talent doesn't hustle.
4. Hungry: Passionate to Succeed
5. Hospitality:  Servitude

• Final Thought: How do we know whether Joseph passed the "Examination of Elevation”?
• Genesis 41:51:  "God has made me forget all my hardship and my father's house"
• Note: Joseph's Children's names are in Hebrew, which is a bold statement to the Pharaoh of the land. 
• Manasseh: To Forget
• Ephraim:  Doubly fruitful
• He did not give his children Egyptians names because he never forgot where he came from.
• I'm not the victim, I'm the victor.
• At times people will fail you,  but Jesus never will.
• Pastor Ed signed up for a marathon. He saw 2 college students and he was determined to win. What he didn't know was those college students weren't even running in the marathon. He thought he was first, but he was last. The young man he was following was not chasing the same goal as he was. In following the wrong person, he got off track
• Sometimes we look to the wrong people for example.

Praise & Worship

This Is Amazing Grace" by Josh Farro, Jeremy Riddle, & Phil Wickham

"O The Deep Deep Love Of Jesus" by Samuel Trevor Francis And Thomas J. Williams

"Flawless" by Barry Graul, Bart Millard, Ben Glover, David Garcia, Mike Scheuchzer, Nathan Cochran, Robby Shaffer

"Love Came Down" by Jeremy Edwardson, Brian Johnson, Ian McIntosh, and Jeremy Riddle

Overcoming Weariness

Joel Osteen @ Lakewood Church

Become Weary: To lose your sense of pleasure.

1. Sometimes because the battle is taking so long we get discouraged.
1. Become Weary
1. To lose your sense of pleasure.
2. Feeling or showing tiredness, especially as a result of excessive exertion or lack of sleep.
3. Reluctant to see or experience any more of; tired of.
4. Calling for a great amount of energy or endurance; tiring and tedious.
2. If the enemy can't take you out all at once he’ll try to wear you down.
1. Battle fatigue.
1. Combat stress reaction, a military term for an acute reaction to the stress of battle commonly involving fatigue, slowed reaction time, indecision, and other symptoms.
2. Galatians 6:9-10 NKJV
1. And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.
1. You're doing the right thing but right things aren't happening.
2. Isaiah 27:5
1. Or let him take hold of My strength, That he may make peace with Me; And he shall make peace with Me."
3. David
1. kept taking care of his father's sheep with a good attitude even though he was anointed to be king.
2. Saul tried to kill him.
3. Samuel 30:6-7
1. David and his men burst out in loud wails—wept and wept until they were exhausted with weeping. David's two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail widow of Nabal of Carmel, had been taken prisoner along with the rest. And suddenly David was in even worse trouble. There was talk among the men, bitter over the loss of their families, of stoning him. David strengthened himself with trust in his God . He ordered Abiathar the priest, son of Ahimelech, "Bring me the Ephod so I can consult God." Abiathar brought it to David.
1. When you give in to weariness you lose your strength.
2. Weariness will always come but don't give into it.
2. You can talk yourself into strength or you can talk yourself into weakness. You may feel tired but don't say it outloud.
4. Your strength is renewed when you're living with expectancy. Nothing that's happened to me has interrupted God's plan.
1. Isaiah 40:31 NLT
1. But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.
5. What God promises, he will bring to pass.
6. God wants to make you an example for others.
1. Brain Cancer
1. Had Surgery and Changed his diet, but the doctors still gave him only 6 months to live.
1. it has been 3 years.
2. The doctor asked him to go to support group to encourage others.
2. Things may look permanent but it's not.
7. Take Care of Your Temple
1. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
1. Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.
8. Sometimes when we're weary it's not a spiritual problem, it's a physical problem.
1. 1 Kings 18-19: Elijah called fire down from heaven, had seen people resurrected, and got threatened by one person ran away into the desert then wished to die.
2. An angel appeared AFTER he had taken a nap and told him to eat something!
3. We are spiritual, physical, and emotional and we need to take care of each part. Living balanced is the key.
1. Don't have your life cut short because you didn't take care of yourself.
1. Sabbath required. There was a COMMANDMENT to rest.
1. Exodus 20:8
1. ”Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.
2. Psalm 23:2-3
1. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name's sake.
9. Proverbs 3:6
1. In everything you do, put God first, and he will direct you and crown your efforts with success.

In everything you do, put God first, and he will direct you and crown your efforts with success.
Proverbs 3:6

Sticks and Stones

Nick @ Lakewood Church

"Do not judge others, and you will not be judged.  For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged. "And why worry about a speck in your friend's eye when you have a log in your own?  How can you think of saying to your friend, 'Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,' when you can't see past the log in your own eye?  Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend's eye.

Matthew 7:1-5 NLT

1. Giving People the Benefit of the Doubt
1. Nick was meeting the family of his now-wife. Though he had never met Summer’s family, he observed her dad and JUDGED that he was a “serious no-nonsense type of guy. Consequently, he made sure to head there 30 minutes early to meet Summer's parents and was pulled over by cops: His insurance and Driver's License EXPIRED. He was nervous thinking that Summer’s family would see him as irresponsible and unworthy of their daughter. However, his now father-in-law came to his defense giving Nick the benefit of the doubt. Nick’s car had to be towed but he learned that Summer’s dad was gracious and fun.
2. Take Aways
1. His judgement was wrong.
2. He received grace that he wasn’t willing to give.
2. God is constantly rewriting stories.
1. John 8:1-11
1. Jesus went across to Mount Olives, but he was soon back in the Temple again. Swarms of people came to him. He sat down and taught them.3-6 The religion scholars and Pharisees led in a woman who had been caught in an act of adultery. They stood her in plain sight of everyone and said, “Teacher, this woman was caught red-handed in the act of adultery. Moses, in the Law, gives orders to stone such persons. What do you say?” They were trying to trap him into saying something incriminating so they could bring charges against him.6-8 Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger in the dirt. They kept at him, badgering him. He straightened up and said, “The sinless one among you, go first: Throw the stone.” Bending down again, he wrote some more in the dirt.9-10 Hearing that, they walked away, one after another, beginning with the oldest. The woman was left alone. Jesus stood up and spoke to her. “Woman, where are they? Does no one condemn you?”11 “No one, Master.”“Neither do I,” said Jesus. “Go on your way. From now on, don’t sin.”
2. Let's not judge a person's story based off of one chapter.
1. We're all on a journey. We’re all in process.
2. One of the biggest temptations is to apply the truth of God to others before we apply it to ourselves.
3. Don’t wait to give grace.
1. Matthew 7:3-4: “And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eyewhen you have a log in your own? 4 How can you think of saying to your friend,[b] ‘Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye?
1. You will naturally be limited in your scope of someone else's life so approach people with an immense amount of grace.
1. Don’t wait to give grace
1. Flying with kids.
1. Nick used to be very frustrated on airplanes with kids. He’d complain and judge the person, thinking “How hard can it be to control a 2-year-old on an airplane for 5 hours.
2. Nick Had Kids
1. Now he sees unforeseen struggles that arise
2. He applauds struggling parents on flights
4. Jesus is always working behind the scenes.
1. Proverbs 25:7-8
1. It’s better to wait for an invitation to the head table than to be sent away in public disgrace. Just because you've seen something, don't be in a hurry to go to court. For what will you do in the end if your neighbor deals you a shameful defeat?
5. God Blesses people who cover
1. Genesis 9:18-29
1. The sons of Noah who came out of the boat with their father were Shem, Ham, and Japheth. (Ham is the father of Canaan.) From these three sons of Noah came all the people who now populate the earth. After the flood, Noah began to cultivate the ground, and he planted a vineyard. One day he drank some wine he had made, and he became drunk and lay naked inside his tent. Ham, the father of Canaan, saw that his father was naked and went outside and told his brothers. Then Shem and Japheth took a robe, held it over their shoulders, and backed into the tent to cover their father. As they did this, they looked the other way so they would not see him naked. When Noah woke up from his stupor, he learned what Ham, his youngest son, had done. Then he cursed Canaan, the son of Ham: "May Canaan be cursed! May he be the lowest of servants to his relatives." Then Noah said, "May the Lord , the God of Shem, be blessed, and may Canaan be his servant! May God expand the territory of Japheth! May Japheth share the prosperity of Shem, and may Canaan be his servant." Noah lived another 350 years after the great flood. He lived 950 years, and then he died.
1. We all have weak moments.
2. Fight the trend and blaze a trail.
3. Your kids can feel your act of honor and grace for years to come. You can set a new trend in your family and your culture.
2. Whataburger
1. Homeless guy walks in and is immediately judged until someone decided to buy him food and pray for him.
1. It's easy to spot a problem be a solution.
3. Pastor Tony
1. Prostitutes in Diner
1. A pastor decided to throw a prostitute a birthday party and she said that was the first birthday party she’d ever had.
1. Bury judgement and throw birthday parties.
4. Care more about the sin than the sinner.
1. John 8:1-11: Jesus went across to Mount Olives, but he was soon back in the Temple again. Swarms of people came to him. He sat down and taught them. The religion scholars and Pharisees led in a woman who had been caught in an act of adultery. They stood her in plain sight of everyone and said, "Teacher, this woman was caught red-handed in the act of adultery. Moses, in the Law, gives orders to stone such persons. What do you say?" They were trying to trap him into saying something incriminating so they could bring charges against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger in the dirt. They kept at him, badgering him. He straightened up and said, "The sinless one among you, go first: Throw the stone." Bending down again, he wrote some more in the dirt. Hearing that, they walked away, one after another, beginning with the oldest. The woman was left alone. Jesus stood up and spoke to her. "Woman, where are they? Does no one condemn you?" "No one, Master." "Neither do I," said Jesus. "Go on your way. From now on, don't sin."
1. Pharisees cared more about the sin than the sinner. Jesus always cares about people first. Your future is not dictated by the past.
6. John 8:9-11: Hearing that, they walked away, one after another, beginning with the oldest. The woman was left alone. Jesus stood up and spoke to her. “Woman, where are they? Does no one condemn you?”11 “No one, Master.”“Neither do I,” said Jesus. “Go on your way. From now on, don’t sin.”
1. Grace defends publicly so truth can correct privately.

1. You build credibility and relationship through grace.
2. Truth corrects privately
3. Throwing stones has never changed anyone's heart.
4. Blocking stones will revolutionize a heart.
7. It's easy to miss someone's story when you're focused on one blemish.
1. God is doing so much more in someone's life.
2. You don't know how the blemish got there.
8. ***Cindy's Pruning Story (will add later)
9. ***Dr. Paul's Mission Report (may add later)