Longs to be gracious. These pits were not kind places to be inside of – they were large holes dug into the ground for the primary reason of catching wild animals or catching drinking water. God’s idea of success is not beholden to the same standards of the world, condition (current situation) define our position with God. Only God can hang with us through the length and depth of our need. July 16, 2018 by Reverend Leo H. McCrary II. A dedicated wife and mother of two adult daughters, Moore lives in Houston, Texas, where she is president and founder of Living Proof Ministries. This act was an act of hatred, but we will get into my thoughts behind that in a moment. At his best, man can make a mighty fine man, but he’s a useless god. However, I want you to see what is said in the following verse: But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him mercy, and He gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison. But I’m coming out of my pit! However, it is absolutely terrible when a blood sibling won’t do right by you. Notice that he is outside the pit whereas the “king” who eventually emerges comes out from within the pit (Rev. We overcome, not solely by our will, but by the power of God! ~ Devotionals Daily, /**/. Man, who may begin a good work, wears out too fast to finish it. T his was the testimony of David the sweet Psalmist of Israel. God heard me and brought me up out of the miry clay! For example: You may be someone who has been going through the same tiring, and maybe even boring, daily routines. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; He set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.”. The cords of the grave coil around me; the snares of death confront me. And rightly he should. Time has a way of distorting our memories. Beth’s journey out of the pit has been heart-rending. They would then tell Israel (Jacob) that a wild beast had gotten to Joseph and killed him. In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it. 5. (And somehow, when it’s all over we feel disgraced. “I waited patiently for the LORD; He turned to me and heard my cry. He knows when we’re kidding ourselves. Turn to somebody next to you and tell them: I’M COMING OUT OF MY PIT. The reality, however, is that there are many people in the world who unfortunately are unable to depend on their blood for help. We see this word “prosper” and we instantly begin to think of great wealth. God could have thwarted the assault in a blink of His holy eye, but stayed His hand, awaiting their cry of repentance. Spiritual Meaning Of Pit, Hole Dream: Biblical Viewpoint. Joseph went on to see … True delivery takes some time, some titanic effort, and more patience than the best of people possess. Take a look at the life of the patriarchs of the faith (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob) – their life was not easy. But there you have options. He’d probably never even made up his pallet in the morning. After the pit is promotion. Each time Israel invariably returned to captivity. Just human. You have to be careful of who you share your dreams with because someone may not like the sound of your dreams and aspirations. Because of this, Joseph was then thrown into prison and you may be saying to yourself, “nothing sounds good about this”. They figured they’d ally with Egypt and she would deliver them. Reuben, the oldest of the siblings, decided that they shouldn’t kill their own brother (Genesis 37:21). Don’t be the kind of person who starts off on the path to victory and then when things get tough, you quit and have to start all over again. Their rope of hope was the same one that’s available for you—God’s Word. Just to have an audible conversation would be great. … People will conspire against you when they see that you are trying to live your dreams and they become angry that their dreams aren’t leading them on the same path – live YOUR dreams and don’t let them hold you back. ultimate deception and eschatological holocaust. Regardless of whether you were thrown in, you slipped in, or you jumped in, you can get out. Take a look at the life of the prophet Elijah – his life was not easy. July 16, 2018 by Reverend Leo H. McCrary II. Rather than humble themselves and do what was required for true protection and restoration, Israel preferred calling upon the Egyptians for protection. God heard me and brought me up out of the pit! — Isaiah 30:15. “Whatever [Joseph] did, the Lord made it prosper”. By Rodney W. Francis “He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings” (). Scripture (Genesis 37:20) shows us how and why they conspired against Joseph – we’ll get into the “why” in a little bit. Or maybe you should fire someone who still insists on trying. In last week’s sermon, we took a look at the saving kind of brother love – a love for all people. Mean old ugly Judah got him out Maybe you remember that the first time Scripture mentions a pit, Joseph was in it. Even if you’ve never lived anywhere else. Future. Rueben got him in, but Judah got him out I don't care how you got in the pit, I don't care who it was or what it was. But then again, maybe some of the fog has cleared on a relationship you believed at one time would be a deliverance of sorts for you. Have you ever felt like you were trapped in a pit (dungeon or prison)? When you look at the full life of Joseph you will see how the Lord works, and how faith and hope in the Lord rewards. Stir up what's in your heart. I love Joseph’s story, he was one of my favorite people in the bible because he sets an example of how we can overcome whatever this world throws at us – even our own flesh and blood turning against us. Dream of being in a hole, pit, well, it is a strange occurrence. Jesus says, “It doesn’t matter if you created your pit. Agreed, getting sold into slavery was a far better option than starving to death in the bottom of the cistern. We’re told that the Ishmaelites “bruised his feet with shackles, his neck was put in irons.” Don’t forget, Joseph was only seventeen. Frankly, work doesn’t get harder than pit-dweller pulling. Why won’t God lift me out? In my distress I call to You, Lord; I call out to my God. The “Sovereign Lord” alone is “my strong deliverer” (Psalm 140:7). I’m not talking about the person who seems to deal with her pit better than you do. Maybe you’re beginning to see that this person wasn’t being heartless and hateful. However, we have no idea what kind of work that the Lord is currently doing on our behalf! Instead, you were left disillusioned or disappointed when that person dropped the rope. COMINGOUT OF THE PIT. If a religionist came by a saw that same sinner in that pit, he would talk about steps the sinner could take to help him get out of that pit and avoid other pits in the future. Helen was very worried when Tom told her he was moving to the Big city. We are told that his brothers wanted to kill (slay) him and then throw him in a pit. Maybe you can allow God to bring you to the place to forgive that person for failing to be Jesus for you. 9:11). Psalm 34:19 says, “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all” (NKJV). 2. Maybe I’m just talking about myself, but whether or not I realized it, I usually found a way to frame my pit to make me look like a victim. You can even take a look at the life of God’s only begotten Son, Jesus, and see that there was nothing easy about His life. Some people dream solely of having a lot of money, but I tell you that you ought to dream even higher than that! Scripture records several instances when God heard the cries of His people and raised up a human deliverer for them instead of insisting, as He did at other times, that they look to Him alone. Cistern water at best is flat and tasteless; it is easily contaminated with various types of growth that produce a smelly scum. God is the alpha and omega. We’ve got to have a lifetime warranty. No matter what you have tried, you may be someone who’s living circumstances just don’t seem to be getting better. Even if you have a history of failed attempts. Been there too. That’s what former pit-dwellers like me must have. Sadly, the focus of our sermon today opens with Joseph’s blood brothers stripping him of his coat (tunic) and then throwing him into a pit. How does this make you feel? So when the Midianite merchants came by, his brothers pulled Joseph up out of the cistern and sold him for twenty shekels of silver to the Ishmaelites, who took him to Egypt. Dream to make an impact on someone’s life, on your community, and in this world! Here’s the important part: “They did not believe in God or trust, Maybe I’m just talking about myself, but whether or not I realized it, I usually found a way to frame my pit to make me look like a victim. After Joseph’s brothers abandoned him, scripture tells us (Genesis 37:28) that some Midianite traders came by the pit, pulled Joseph out, and then sold him. Embarrassed. Both Joseph and Paul needed a rope of hope to climb out of the pit. You may not speak out on these things because there seems to be no hope of things getting “better” or improving. Good News Translation He pulled me out of a dangerous pit, out of the deadly quicksand. Check out these helpful resources Biblical Commentary Sermons Children’s Sermons Hymn Lists. So, I say to you today, don’t let a pit hold you down, keep you from dreaming, or cause you to give up hope. Why don't you stir up that gift? Even after Israel sought the help of the Egyptians, inviting the chastisement of God, Isaiah 30 testified, Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; He rises to show you compassion. In Job it says God has set an end to the difficulty. Judah said to his brothers, “What will we gain if we kill our brother and cover up his blood? He has delivered us… He will deliver us. There is a world of difference between quicksand and rock. — Isaiah 30:18. 24 Then they took him and cast him into a pit. Years passed, however, before Joseph began to grasp the work of his true Deliverer. Their camels were loaded with spices, balm and myrrh, and they were on their way to take them down to Egypt. Though his situation was dire, I tell you that Joseph did not die in that pit. 2) Cry out. I say to you, place your hope in the Lord because God is with you and promise you that the Lord will reach down into that pit and pull you out. I call to You, Lord, who are worthy of praise, and I am saved from my enemies. He’s already set an end to the addiction, sickness, etc. Joseph’s brothers abandoned him, essentially left him for dead, but I want you to see how God, faith, and hope combine together to do the impossible in a dire and hopeless situation. Sign up today to receive new sermon, bible study, and other site notifications! He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay; and he set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. In the pit, David humbly cried out to God. While he was kicking and screaming in the waterless bottom, his brothers looked up from their picnic lunch and, saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead. In fact, I will tell you that the Lord’s standards for success far succeed the world’s standards. Here’s the important part: “They did not believe in God or trust His deliverance” (Psalm 78:22, emphasis mine). Notice that this pit was empty, but because the pit was probably used to store water or catch a wild animal, Joseph could not climb out of the pit or even jump his way out of the pit. Now, to us, that’s real help. I want to tell you, no matter what you’re going through, no matter how unsuccessful you feel, that the Lord doesn’t look at His children by the same standards that the world will look at you. You’re stuck. What I mean here is that it seems many people will conspire against you because your dreams are higher than their dreams. This, you may say, doesn’t sound “good” and you’re right – nothing sounds good or a “blessing” yet. Could you imagine how much you would have to hate your own sibling to take his/her life from them? Possibly devastated. (I came to tell you, Judah will get you out) The circumstances may not have been of Josephs choosing, nevertheless Judah was responsible for getting him out of the pit. It identifies one who will be given Present. 24 Then they took him and cast him into a pit. I want you to know that the Lord has success in store for you, but I also want you to know that God’s idea of success is not beholden to the same standards of the world. After the pit is the palace. I feel that our faith and our hope in God should also be key to us when we find ourselves in a pit (dungeon or prison) situation. No matter your situation, no matter who you are, I believe that the Lord is working a work in you to prosper – to be a blessing! God is saying to you what he said to him, "Hello, you mighty hero". I like the ring of that. Verse 2: "He brought me up out of the pit of tumult, out of the miry clay; and he set my feet upon a rock making my steps firm." No matter what you are going through, you should always know and remember that God is still with you and God is your hope – never let go of your hope! The world see’s, “he/she isn’t wealthy so they’re nothing”, but God looks at you, is with and bearing with you, and knows you are a success! I don’t believe the Lord is too much concerned with our dollar bills. #2. Come join the conversation on our blog! Pits could also be used as a dungeon or a prison, which seems to be the case here for Joseph. God will work this out for the good. Nevertheless, the struggle of prolonged suffering surely weighs on Joseph in the darkness. I believe this hope, this faith, was very key to who Joseph was as a person. I still will tell you that this faithful man was highly favored in the eyes of God. Intro: This notice appeared in the window of a coat store in Nottingham, England: We have been established for over 100 years and have been pleasing and displeasing customers ever since.We have made money and lost money, suffered the effects of coal nationalization, coal rationing, government control, and bad payers. Sometimes we think it’s unspiritual to lament to God about our difficulties. Take a look at the life of Moses – his life was not easy. And the pit was empty; there was no water in it. WHAT GOD HAS SAVED US FROM At verses one and two David says, "I waited patiently for the Lord; … When I put myself into Joseph’s situation, the only feeling I seem to have is this feeling of hopelessness. And the pit was empty; there was no water in … In our relational parallel, if a man — or woman — pulls us out of the pit, solely assuming the role of deliverer, he or she will inadvertently sell us into slavery of one kind or another almost every time. God wants us to come out and be new in Christ Come out and be new 2 Corinthians 6:14-18 Helen – Tom – Sarah, Story of the lost ladle Helen was a wonderful Christian woman, She was a single mother raising her only son Tom as best she could to love God. And the length and depth of our baloney. This sounds great, but their resolution was to beat Joseph up and still throw him into a pit. The Bible provides a map to guide us out of any and every pit that we find ourselves in. He knows when we’re kidding others. Not the kind the Word of God is talking about. Past. When he comes he will lift us out of the pit. Praying for Your Child’s Use of Technology. I. He knows when we’re kidding others. We believe that, because we are “believers” that our life should be easy, but let me tell you something – the life of no believer has ever been easy! Not only is God omniscient, His Word is “sharper than any double-edged sword” cutting our baloney so thin He can see straight through it. Not many years after the writer of Psalm 78 put pen to parchment, Israel found herself scrambling for help as she faced imminent takeover by the massive army of the Assyrians.