In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of laying down one's own vision and allowing God to work it out in His own way and time. He urges the audience to focus on the job that God is after, which is preparing a holy bride for His son. The preacher shares the story of Joseph and how God used him to interpret dreams and ultimately save Egypt and surrounding nations from famine. He highlights the need for individuals to seek God's vision and not try to fulfill their own plans, as God's ways are higher and His timing is perfect.

What's the first one? To dwell. Oh yes, to dwell in the house of the Lord, wherever. They're all, they're not three different things really. What's the purpose of dwelling in God's house? To see all of the beauty of the Lord. And to inquire. And then, what's the purpose of looking under the Lord Jesus? To inquire. You know, we're telling God so much what he's supposed to do. And David said that one thing was to dwell in God's house, to behold his beauty, and inquire. But we put that to one side. I've got this vision, I'm going to fulfill it. You know, as soon as you and I go about fulfilling the vision he's given us, we're going to spoil it. That's why God doesn't tell us too much about our future, or ministry, or what's ahead. He doesn't tell us too much. Because if he laid it out clearly, oh, we'd work on it. Picture of Gina in here. Huh? I got a letter from, where was it? Anyway. I think it was Nigeria. But he had this vision, and he told me his vision, that God gave him. How he's to raise up a church, and how the people are going to, he's going to be the shepherd over there. He's going to do great things. He says, I think my vision is to start there in Canada, and perhaps with you. And I'd just like you to write me and tell me how you feel about this. I don't like throwing cold water on people. I knew I had to tell him. Let God fulfill the vision. You try and fulfill the vision, you're going to make all kinds of mistakes. Let God do it. Keep it before your mind, but inquire, I don't think I quoted that scripture, but be open before God. Because God's ways are so different. We might see the right vision, but God's way is so different. Here's young Joseph, very beloved young lad. And a favorite of Jacob. You might say the favorite son. But he's a dreamer. He says, oh, I had a dream last night. And you tell his older brother his dream. It didn't sit well with him. Because it seemed that he was putting down his brother. Oh, I saw a dream, and I saw the sun and the moon and the stars. It hung down to my star, was it? Oh, so you're going to be a big shot. So you're going to rule over us, eh? So that was their interpretation of it. But Joseph was just telling his dream, and the Bible says if you have a dream, tell it. But don't try to make it happen. And Joseph didn't because how could he? Be a ruler? Be in a place of prominence where his own brother and brother are going to come and bow before him? He didn't try, and God wouldn't let him try if he wanted to. He just gave him a vision of what was going to happen. And from that day on, everything went against the fulfillment of the vision. Nothing was working towards the fulfillment of the vision. Nobody liked to see that. At least, you know, a little progress towards that ministry word I have or that calling that God put in their life. Just a little by little. And things were getting worse and worse. Very innocently, his father said to Joseph, Oh, go down and see how your brethren are doing. They're herding the flocks around and take them some goodies, you know. So away goes Joseph to find his brethren. He didn't know where they were. He inquired about someone there and asked them where they were. Oh, they'd gone down to Tillson, was it? So anyway, he found them, and when they saw him coming, Oh, here comes this dreamer. Let's do away with him right here. That'll put the end to his dreams. And all the time, God was fulfilling the vision according to his own plan and purpose. You know, don't help God to fulfill your vision. But the fire in his temple, you know. You know the story, but you know. It's good to refresh your minds in these things. They were going to kill him, and old Reuben was opposed to that. So he came back, and Joseph was missing. Oh, he was afraid they'd done something with him. Nah, they'd put him down in a pit. But Reuben was going to deliver him from the brethren, take him back to his dad. But somehow he was overwhelmed with the other brethren. There was a caravan of Ishmaelites going by on their way to Egypt, and they said, well, why kill them? Let's make a little money on this. So they sold them to the Ishmaelites, and they took them into Egypt, and they sold them to the captain of the Pharaoh's Guard. And I mean, he was just going downhill, right and left. Everything he did, he was getting farther and farther and farther away from the vision. So he thought, I think the story of Joseph to me has been the most touching in the Bible. And I'm not going to spend much time on it, but read it. In prison, falsely accused by the officer's wife, and thrown down into a dungeon, getting worse and worse. Well, that sounds encouraging, eh? Not really, except when things did get worse and worse. Hopefully we'll remember these things. God was planning the whole thing. And then when his prophetic gift was always valid, he prophesied to the baker that was in prison with him, and to the cupbearer, both in prison. I don't know where he was. Both had a dream, they were troubled, and Joseph just said, God knows how to interpret dreams. So he interpreted their dreams, and it came true. And now he said to the butler, he was going back to serve as king once again, as the cupbearer, in fulfillment of their dream and vision. He said, now don't forget, I'm down here for no good reason, he says. I was persecuted, I was betrayed. Tell Pharaoh about me. And he forgot all about Joseph. For two years! And then one day, Pharaoh sent down a message. Joseph, clean up, shave, here's clothes for you. You've got an interview with Pharaoh. Because God stepped in and gave Pharaoh some dreams that were so out of this world, that he knew he didn't make them up. And he knew there had to be some meaning to it. Oh, the butler thought, I'm sorry, there's a man down there in your prison, he can tell you what it means. Oh, go get him. About five skinny cows eating five fat ones. Seven. But they were just as skinny as ever. And that's weird, isn't it? And then there was a stock of corn come up, and seven stocks that were almost ready to topple over. It was just lifeless. And they devoured the good stocks of corn. But it didn't change them, they were still striding. Only God, you see, could give a dream like that, and only God could interpret it. So, he stood before Pharaoh boldly and declared what he had seen, and the interpretation of it. And now Joseph said, you better seek out a wise man, and send him over your kingdom so that he can preserve the food that Egypt's going to bring forth plentifully for seven years. And build storehouses and preserve it for the day of famine. Pharaoh, he says, you're the man. So that morning he was down in the dungeon wondering what it was all about. That afternoon he was the chief justice of the whole realm of Egypt. And God put it all together. For the benefit of Egypt, for the benefit of surrounding nations, for the benefit of Jacob and his sons. Amen. So when they were out of bread, you better go down to Egypt, here's your corn in Egypt. So they go down and had a rough time with the chief justice. He gives them a rough time. They're your spies, you know. I used to feel a little bit disappointed with Joseph when he talked that way to his brothers, instead of running, oh, you're my brothers, I'm Joseph, you know. And it's okay, I'm your brother. Give me a big hug. Nothing to do with him. He was moving in the spirit. Those boys had to be dealt with. God was dealing with them. He gave them food, but he wanted them to come back. So he kept Simeon as a captive, hostage. So they went back without Simeon. And Jacob, of course, was glad to see them back home safely, but where's Simeon? Well, the man said that I've got to take my younger brother back next time we come for food. Well, why did you tell him you had another brother? Well, he asked us, he pumped questions at us, and we had to tell him everything. Here are Jacob's words. Joseph is not, Simeon is not, now you're going to take Benjamin away. All these things are against me. And actually, Joseph was alive and well. Simeon was a person who had been treated very well because Joseph was in charge of the whole thing. And yeah, he had to take Benjamin, but that would turn out to the glory of God and to the benefit of the whole family. Oh, there's so much to that, but the thought is, let's not try and make it happen. Let's not try to make it happen. Just follow God's leading day by day, do His will day by day. So I had to write this man, I think he was Nigerian. My advice to you is to lay it down, lay your vision down, because it will only come to pass as you lay it down and let God work it out. You try and work it out, you're not going to make it happen. If it's of God, He'll make it happen, but in His own way and in His own time. And it might not seem that it's going to happen. Something like that. I think I heard it, but I never heard it back. But you know, there's too much of this thing. We've got to get the job done, because there's not too much time left. We've got to get this job done. And the job that God is after is the Holy Bride for His Son. And He's preparing that Holy Bride. That's the job that God wants to do. Everything else will fit in place if we have God's vision. Everything will fit in place. Do His will. So that's my advice to people, young or old. You know, just be so committed to the Lord that you know His voice. You can hear what He's saying and then just do what He says. There's nothing beyond that. Just obey the Lord. And in so doing, God is preparing a people in whom He will come and make His habitation there. He did ask my commandments and do as Jesus says. Not Moses' laws, but the commandments of Jesus. He did ask my commandments and do as them. He did His love with me. Oh, that encouraged me one time tremendously. I'm not one that feels the love of God pouring through me very often. You know? I like to feel it more. One time I read that. Oh, wait a minute. He did ask my commandments and do as them. He is the love of me. And He is the love of me should be love to my Father. Oh! And we will come unto Him and make our habitation, our dwelling place in Him. I can't conceive of any higher reward from God in this life or in the next. God wants us to begin in this life. To come and make His habitation in us. We are just a house in which God dwells. Oh, glorious mystery of all mysteries that God Most High came down from high heaven and took upon Himself the form of man and humbled Himself and became not only a servant, but a bond-slave. And Paul says, For this reason God has highly exalted Him and given Him a name which is above every name. Not because He preached for three and a half years. Not because He healed the sick and raised the dead and cast out devils. Which He did all of that. But the reason He was exalted to high heaven was because He became a bond-slave. Meaning that as a bond-slave He would only hear one voice and that's the voice of His Master. And that's all Jesus did on earth was to hear the voice of His Master and obey. For this reason, God has exalted Him to the highest throne in the universe. Help us, Lord, to understand Your ways, Lord. We love You, Lord, and we do desire that You would show us Your ways. Show us Your ways, Lord, that we might walk with You and commune with You and become a part of You, Lord. For that's what this body of Christ is all about. That we all might be so joined together by Your Spirit that we would walk in the earth as the society of the Lord Jesus. As the temple of the Holy Spirit. Living, moving, walking, obeying our Lord Jesus in all things. Bring us to that, Lord. Because we've tried to do it. Men all over, prophets and apostles, have tried to bring about this unity in the Spirit, Lord. And built great organizations in their attempt to do it. And Lord, You said it's by abiding in You, in You alone. Fulfill Your desire in each one of our lives here tonight, I pray, Lord. Oh, we know many of them, perhaps most of them, have gone through very severe trials, Lord. Cause them to know, Lord Jesus, that that was part of Your plan. That You might bring forth a vessel unto honor. Sanctified and prepared unto every good work. Continue that work, Lord, in our lives, all of us. And encourage Your people, Lord, that are going through great times of trial and testing. Sometimes unbearable. Give them a fresh glimpse, Lord, of Yourself as You hang there on the cross. Doing it for us. Not only to redeem us, but to be a pattern for us as we take up our cross and follow You. Come, Lord, in the might and the glory of Your holy presence. Come to Your people, Lord. For we realize we're not going to do very much, Lord, until You come and dwell in Your holy presence in Your temple. We pray in Jesus' name. Amen.