I had to post this...

Just heard a message from a series Alistair Begg did called Providence. It's one of the messages from Volume II of the series. I was blown away. It was so encouraging to be reminded of where I once was when I didn't know the Lord Jesus Christ, and also amazed to be able to look at the big picture and see God's providence working itself out for His purposes.

So I took the following notes:

Conversion is when a person says, "I'm absolutely flat-out guilty, and I deserve death for my crimes. And unless someone comes to pay a price which I deserve to pay, then I'm going to spend eternity trying to pay it off. There is no way I can pay it!" Isn't it interesting that the one (for the brothers), who they had offended, was the very one who held their lives in his hands. Does that make you think of anybody?

The One against whom I have offended, is the One who holds my life in His hands. You review the story, and it is very clear that they had no interest in Joseph. For 20 years they'd ignored him, they hated him before that, they didn't recognize Joseph, and they (the brothers), did not know that he (Joseph) could understand them.

This is what is true of all of us by nature concerning Christ. We have no interest in Him, we do not recognize Him, and we do not know that He understands us. And then we get to the magnificent scene in Genesis 45 where Joseph discloses hisself before his brothers. Wow. Oh that God might bring us where He brought these brothers--to an awareness of their great need, and then in turn, to the discovery of great provision. What would they have cared if they had all the fun and all the food they wanted in Canaan? They would never have cared to come to Egypt!

What an amazing picture of God's providence being worked out through unseeming circumstances! Do you think Jesus cries tears of Joy when one is added to the to the kingdom? The Scriptures say "there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over 99 just persons who think they need no repentance." I know that there is no sorrow and that not a tear is shed in heaven. The thought just came to mind, and I want to weep tears of sorrow until I am able to weep tears of joy if and when the Lord chooses to save those in my family, and those of my friends who don't know Him.

It is only when God shows to us that the cupboard of our own ingenuity is bare, that we will then go humbly to He who is the Bread of Life. AMEN!!!