"JOSEPH/DREAMER" - Monday, September 4, 2017

REWIND… 


THE CONTINENTAL SINGERS OPENING NIGHT 
JUNE, 1984, THE FIRST SEASON
SPRING, 1994, THE 10 ANNIVERSARY TOUR

                        "JOSEPH/DREAMER"

Joseph was sold as a slave by his brothers.  He lost control of his life.  Joseph later told his brothers, “What you intended for harm, God intended for good”.

GOD WAS IN CONTROL OF HIS LIFE

You have read the story of Joseph and his coat of many colors recorded for us in Genesis, Chapters 37 to 48, (the “Technicolor Dream Coat”, said Andrew Lloyd Weber).  Joseph was sold by his jealous brothers to a caravan of Ishmaelites traveling down to Egypt.  Once there, this young teenager, with his life and goals still ahead of him, was sold to one of Pharaoh’s officials, an Egyptian, Potiphar, the Captain of the Guard.

There are four important attributes Joseph had that took him from being a slave to becoming Pharaoh’s right hand, 2nd in command, in charge of all Egypt.  These same  four characteristics will take you from this rehearsal camp to becoming the Continental that will take God’s message of forgiveness to the whole world.

JOSEPH HAD THE RIGHT ATTITUDE.  

Instead of complaining and pointing out how he had been mistreated by his family, he charged ahead. His new owner saw that the Lord was with him and was giving him success, so he put him in charge of his entire household.  

Tour life is glamorous for sure, but after a while many little things, and possibly what you will consider even some big things, may take your eyes off the ministry goal in front of you.  Attitude is everything.  It will help you to be a successful person in everything you do.

JOSEPH TRUSTED THE LORD WAS IN CHARGE OF HIS LIFE.  

With his success came some challenges.  Potiphar’s wife took notice and did her best to entice him for her sexual gratification.  He refused, she accused him anyway. Potiphar believed his wife and Joseph was thrown into a prison where the King’s prisoners were confined. While there, the Warden saw the Lord was with Joseph, so he put him in charge of all the other prisoners.  It was here that he interpreted dreams by Pharaoh’s cup bearer, and his baker, that eventually got him out of the prison.  

Not everything on this itinerary will happen without the possibility of some abrupt disruptions, maybe a cancellation and an empty night, maybe a long, long bus ride, maybe a breakdown, maybe you will even miss a concert, although I doubt your Director will allow that to happen!

Trust your Director to make the right decisions.  He or she is in charge of your tour.  Your leader is trusting the Lord to give them success.  The Lord is with them.  The Lord is with you, too.  Trust in that, and no matter what happens, you will see that God had good in mind all along.

JOSEPH STAYED FAITHFUL.  

Slavery and prison took away his youth.  Not one time did Joseph lose hope.  When God closed various doors in his life, He also opened windows of opportunity, and Joseph remained faithful throughout as the Lord remained faithful to him.  There will be times people on your tour may talk against your Director, or another tour member, or worse, begin to believe the Lord is not really in charge.  Stay faithful!  The Lord is in charge! Be supportive in every way, so that this becomes an experience of a lifetime for you.

JOSEPH WAS FORGIVING. 

He could easily have taken revenge on his brothers and made them languish in prison for awhile like he had to.  But, instead, he understood that God had always been in control so that he could be in a position to actually save his family during the long, seven year famine.  What a great life lesson for us, and for you, this summer.  It is your responsibility to love, enjoy, and forgive, as necessary, whatever wrongs you feel someone has done to you.  This is the Christian’s right attitude and The Continental’s right way, especially while on this long tour.

If you can grasp that God is really in control of everything that happens to you, like Joseph did, it is a lesson that will bring you success in everything you do for the rest of your life, just like it did for him.