"The Cream of God's Crop Will Rise to the Top"

Scripture: "Joseph's master took him and put him in prison, the place where the king's prisoners were confined." -Genesis 39:20, NIV

"Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one so discerning and wise as you. You shall be in charge of my palace, and all my people are to submit to your orders. Only with respect to the throne will I be greater than you." -Genesis 41:39-40, NIV

We are now in the mists of one of the wildest and yet spectacular spectacles in sports: the NCAA Men's Tournament. 65 teams with one goal: to win six or seven games and become National Champions. These young men had to go through a grueling regular season and some had to attach a post-season tournament on there as well in order to receive their conference's automatic bid or to receive an at-large bid by the Selection Committee. At the end of this tournament, 61 teams will be disappointed because they did not make to Indianapolis, Lucas Oil Stadium and the Final Four, and three more teams will be disappointed because they made to Indy and yet did not bring home the National Championship. There will be one team that can use the old cliché that says, "The cream of the crop rose to the top". If truth were told on today, you, my brother, and you, my sister, are the cream of God's crop. There are times where we may not feel like it, but when you have endured the regular seasons of pain, blues, agony, disappointment, financial failures, family betrayals, and other things, you have made it and God has allowed you to rise above those things! Today's text will reveal another example of a man who was the cream of God's crop and how he rose to the top.

Our devotionals for the week begins at the beginning of the Bible, Genesis. This fifty chapter book, written by Moses, allows the reader to understand creation from the Earth being created to man being created with Adam and Eve, and their lineage from Cain and Abel to today's main character, Joseph. In addition, we learn from Genesis how sin came on the scene and how He is a promise keeper in fulfilling His promise to Abraham. Joseph was the eleventh son of Israel or Jacob. Jacob found favor within this particular son because he had him in his old age. As a young man, God allowed Joseph to dream dreams; however, he had to deal with "haters" that includes his brothers and other family members. Due to this hatred and wanting to shut down the dreams Joseph had, the brothers were ready to kill Joseph, but his oldest brother, Reuben, had mercy on him, placed him in a pit, and eventually sold Joseph into slavery. Because of Reuben's sparing his little brother, biblical history on Joseph continued; thus, giving us today's message stating the cream of God's crop will rise to the top!

The next part of Joseph's journey brought him to Potiphar's home. Within Potiphar's home, Joseph's excellence and favor from God reigned supreme and Potiphar placed him in charge of his home and everything he owned. Do you realize that favor has a way of making room for you even when you think you are not qualified or ready? Do you realize that favor will open the eyes of your bosses and peers and give you opportunities to shine within your organization or school or church? As Joseph was working hard, Potiphar's wife had a "thing" for Joseph because Joseph, according to Genesis 39 was "well built and handsome". Due to the wisdom and "eyes" God gave Joseph, he did not feed into Potiphar's wife's advances. Since he did not feed into it, Potiphar's wife told her husband that Joseph tried to "get with her" and because of that, Potiphar had Joseph sent to jail.

When you are the cream of God's crop, you will rise to the top! Joseph shows us this in Genesis 39 and 40 with Joseph being in prison. Though he could have been destroyed by his prison mates, God allowed the favor and excellence over Joseph's life to shine where he was in charge in the prison! Then, while Joseph was in prison, he interpreted the dreams of a baker and the chief cupbearer in Egypt. However, the cupbearer forgot Joseph in Chapter 40, but remembered him in Chapter 41. God has a way of allowing people and situations to come into your life where your gifts will make room for you and place you in front of great men (Proverbs 18:16), but He will provide you with a set of blessings you did not have room enough to receive! The cupbearer remembered Joseph because of the dreams the Pharaoh was having during that time. When Joseph received his opportunity, God gave him illumination, clarity, and understanding in order to interpret the Pharaoh's dream and because of that, the cream of God's crop rose to the top of Egypt and served as second in command behind the Pharaoh! Isn't it a blessing to know that all it takes is one break and you have went from the poor house to the penthouse? Isn't it a blessing to serve a God who knows your potential and is ready to take you higher if you just follow His will for your life? Isn't it a blessing to know of an example who received God's favor and was able to make good on it, not only for him, but for his family? When you are a child of the King, you are the cream of God's crop! When you are the cream of God's crop, you will eventually, rise to the top!

In closing, the 2010 Men's National Champion in basketball will endure some pains, hardships, setbacks, and injuries, but as the old cliché says, "the cream of the crop rises to the top". Just as the champion will rise to the top, Joseph rose to the top and he serves as encouragement for me and for you. Pray that God has you in a place or places you in a spot where you can rise, bless your church, family, and friends, and be able to make God proud of you!