Premature Obituaries? The Return of the Living Dead?
Premature Obituaries? The Return of the Living Dead? Isn’t it amazing how some in life will count one out in a heartbeat? There always seems to be someone who is carrying a tally card of who’s going to make it in life. There are scores of people all over this world that have found themselves counted out in this literal boxing match called life. Has the enemy and the ills of this world made many of us unable to answer the bell? Have we gone down for much longer than a standing eight count? Has our name shown up in our community’s obituary page without our knowledge? Will we ever get past the mourners that are forever lamenting over our state? Should we call the funeral home right away?
There is a passage of scripture in the book of Genesis that I feel like highlights this post in a magnificent way. Joseph’s brothers after throwing him in a pit with no water in it sending their brother to exact rock bottom, and after they sold their brother into slavery got quite a surprise in Genesis Chapter 45. Joseph revealed himself to his brothers after a trying them in many ways. In Genesis Chapter 45 the following words are recorded in verse (3.) And Joseph said unto his brethren, I am Joseph; doth my father yet live? And his brethren could not answer because they were troubled at his presence.
Joseph brothers were dismayed that the younger brother that they mistreated so greatly was now in a position of dominion and rule. I am sure that they all thought that you can’t be Joseph because we left you for dead, we sold you into slavery, and there is no way in the world that you should be in a position of power that you are in now. Imagine their shock when the brothers that they treated as a literal throw away, found his way back to the top. My brother and sister in Christ, I am fully aware that many of us have either been left for dead, or many of us have been counted out by others.
Isn’t it great that our God doesn’t count as others count? God has brought some of us from such a mighty long way that it has baffled many of us that said we were dead and gone. Since God uses the foolish things of this world to confound the wise, couldn’t he use many of our life stories and many of our tracks records that aren’t exactly pristine? Joseph’s brothers I’m sure thought that this can’t be happening because he’s dead and gone. Here is the one that they threw to the wolves, that is now a ruler throughout the land of Egypt, and a father to Pharaoh. Never ever count out anyone that God has his hands on. God is in the rebuilding and retooling business.
God’s construction projects will often leave the naysayers of this world in amazement. So call the funeral home and tell them that you aren’t coming. No matter how many have counted you out, declare to them that I shall not die, but live and declare the works of the Lord. God is not letting the graves that others put the living in stop him from moving in the midst of his people. God can help you overcome any stigma, and curse, and any ill tidings that have severely limited your life.
Tear up the obituaries that others had already designed for your life. Tell them that since our God is the Resurrection and the Life, then he can bring me back from the pangs of a death that others had already designed for me. Your ministry can comeback, your marriage can comeback, your career can comeback, and even your life itself can comeback. Don’t march to the obituaries that others have either spoken or designed for your life, because God tears them into shreds on a daily basis. Live! Live! Live! You Can Make it! You Can Take It!
God has carefully orchestrated your comeback! You are still here, and since you are God has something mighty in store for you! A weaker person would have read the obituaries and funeral dires of others and given up. Return of the Living Dead? No I am not trying to steal the thunder of George Romero, but there are scores of us that have returned from the many low places where others counted us as dead. Well I am not suggesting that there are scores of zombies in The Body of Christ, but there are scores of us that decided we would not lay in the graves that others had already dug for us!
Relentless in My Pursuit of Him,
Pastor Stephen F. Smith
There is a passage of scripture in the book of Genesis that I feel like highlights this post in a magnificent way. Joseph’s brothers after throwing him in a pit with no water in it sending their brother to exact rock bottom, and after they sold their brother into slavery got quite a surprise in Genesis Chapter 45. Joseph revealed himself to his brothers after a trying them in many ways. In Genesis Chapter 45 the following words are recorded in verse (3.) And Joseph said unto his brethren, I am Joseph; doth my father yet live? And his brethren could not answer because they were troubled at his presence.
Joseph brothers were dismayed that the younger brother that they mistreated so greatly was now in a position of dominion and rule. I am sure that they all thought that you can’t be Joseph because we left you for dead, we sold you into slavery, and there is no way in the world that you should be in a position of power that you are in now. Imagine their shock when the brothers that they treated as a literal throw away, found his way back to the top. My brother and sister in Christ, I am fully aware that many of us have either been left for dead, or many of us have been counted out by others.
Isn’t it great that our God doesn’t count as others count? God has brought some of us from such a mighty long way that it has baffled many of us that said we were dead and gone. Since God uses the foolish things of this world to confound the wise, couldn’t he use many of our life stories and many of our tracks records that aren’t exactly pristine? Joseph’s brothers I’m sure thought that this can’t be happening because he’s dead and gone. Here is the one that they threw to the wolves, that is now a ruler throughout the land of Egypt, and a father to Pharaoh. Never ever count out anyone that God has his hands on. God is in the rebuilding and retooling business.
God’s construction projects will often leave the naysayers of this world in amazement. So call the funeral home and tell them that you aren’t coming. No matter how many have counted you out, declare to them that I shall not die, but live and declare the works of the Lord. God is not letting the graves that others put the living in stop him from moving in the midst of his people. God can help you overcome any stigma, and curse, and any ill tidings that have severely limited your life.
Tear up the obituaries that others had already designed for your life. Tell them that since our God is the Resurrection and the Life, then he can bring me back from the pangs of a death that others had already designed for me. Your ministry can comeback, your marriage can comeback, your career can comeback, and even your life itself can comeback. Don’t march to the obituaries that others have either spoken or designed for your life, because God tears them into shreds on a daily basis. Live! Live! Live! You Can Make it! You Can Take It!
God has carefully orchestrated your comeback! You are still here, and since you are God has something mighty in store for you! A weaker person would have read the obituaries and funeral dires of others and given up. Return of the Living Dead? No I am not trying to steal the thunder of George Romero, but there are scores of us that have returned from the many low places where others counted us as dead. Well I am not suggesting that there are scores of zombies in The Body of Christ, but there are scores of us that decided we would not lay in the graves that others had already dug for us!
Relentless in My Pursuit of Him,
Pastor Stephen F. Smith
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