Dare to Dream

Aug 27, 2023 • Hayden

Will you be ready when your number is called?

Life Change

Life on Mission

Genesis 41:1 (NLT)

Two full years later, Pharaoh dreamed that he was standing on the bank of the Nile River.

Genesis 41:2 (NLT)

In his dream he saw seven fat, healthy cows come up out of the river and begin grazing in the marsh grass.

Genesis 41:3 (NLT)

Then he saw seven more cows come up behind them from the Nile, but these were scrawny and thin. These cows stood beside the fat cows on the riverbank.

Genesis 41:4 (NLT)

Then the scrawny, thin cows ate the seven healthy, fat cows! At this point in the dream, Pharaoh woke up.

Genesis 41:5 (NLT)

But he fell asleep again and had a second dream. This time he saw seven heads of grain, plump and beautiful, growing on a single stalk.

Genesis 41:6 (NLT)

Then seven more heads of grain appeared, but these were shriveled and withered by the east wind.

Genesis 41:7 (NLT)

And these thin heads swallowed up the seven plump, well-formed heads! Then Pharaoh woke up again and realized it was a dream

Genesis 41:8 (NLT)

The next morning Pharaoh was very disturbed by the dreams. So he called for all the magicians and wise men of Egypt. When Pharaoh told them his dreams, not one of them could tell him what they meant.

Genesis 41:9 (NLT)

Finally, the king’s chief cup-bearer spoke up. “Today I have been reminded of my failure,” he told Pharaoh.

Genesis 41:10 (NLT)

“Some time ago, you were angry with the chief baker and me, and you imprisoned us in the palace of the captain of the guard.

Genesis 41:11 (NLT)

One night the chief baker and I each had a dream, and each dream had its own meaning.

Genesis 41:12 (NLT)

There was a young Hebrew man with us in the prison who was a slave of the captain of the guard. We told him our dreams, and he told us what each of our dreams meant.

Genesis 41:13 (NLT)

And everything happened just as he had predicted. I was restored to my position as cup-bearer, and the chief baker was executed and impaled on a pole.”

Genesis 41:14 (NLT)

Pharaoh sent for Joseph at once, and he was quickly brought from the prison. After he shaved and changed his clothes, he went in and stood before Pharaoh.

Genesis 41:15 (NLT)

Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I had a dream last night, and no one here can tell me what it means. But I have heard that when you hear about a dream you can interpret it.”

Genesis 41:16 (NLT)

“It is beyond my power to do this,” Joseph replied. “But God can tell you what it means and set you at ease.”

Genesis 41:17 (NLT)

So Pharaoh told Joseph his dream…

Genesis 41:25 (NLT)

Joseph responded, “Both of Pharaoh’s dreams mean the same thing. God is telling Pharaoh in advance what he is about to do.

Genesis 41:26 (NLT)

The seven healthy cows and the seven healthy heads of grain both represent seven years of prosperity.

Genesis 41:27 (NLT)

The seven thin, scrawny cows that came up later and the seven thin heads of grain, withered by the east wind, represent seven years of famine.

Genesis 41:29-30 (NLT)

The next seven years will be a period of great prosperity throughout the land of Egypt. But afterward there will be seven years of famine so great that all the prosperity will be forgotten in Egypt. Famine will destroy the land.

Genesis 41:31 (NLT)

This famine will be so severe that even the memory of the good years will be erased.

Genesis 41:32 (NLT)

As for having two similar dreams, it means that these events have been decreed by God, and he will soon make them happen.

Genesis 41:33 (NLT)

Therefore, Pharaoh should find an intelligent and wise man and put him in charge of the entire land of Egypt.

Genesis 41:34 (NLT)

Then Pharaoh should appoint supervisors over the land and let them collect one-fifth of all the crops during the seven good years.

Genesis 41:35 (NLT)

Have them gather all the food produced in the good years that are just ahead and bring it to Pharaoh’s storehouses. Store it away, and guard it so there will be food in the cities.

Genesis 41:36 (NLT)

That way there will be enough to eat when the seven years of famine come to the land of Egypt. Otherwise this famine will destroy the land.”

Genesis 41:37-38 (NLT)

Joseph’s suggestions were well received by Pharaoh and his officials. So Pharaoh asked his officials, “Can we find anyone else like this man so obviously filled with the spirit of God?”

Genesis 41:39 (NLT)

Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has revealed the meaning of the dreams to you, clearly no one else is as intelligent or wise as you are.

Genesis 41:40 (NLT)

You will be in charge of my court, and all my people will take orders from you. Only I, sitting on my throne, will have a rank higher than yours.”

Genesis 41:41-42 (NLT)

Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I hereby put you in charge of the entire land of Egypt.”Then Pharaoh removed his signet ring from his hand and placed it on Joseph’s finger. He dressed him in fine linen clothing and hung a gold chain around his neck.

Genesis 41:43 (NLT)

Then he had Joseph ride in the chariot reserved for his second-in-command. And wherever Joseph went, the command was shouted, “Kneel down!” So Pharaoh put Joseph in charge of all Egypt.

Genesis 41:44 (NLT)

And Pharaoh said to him, “I am Pharaoh, but no one will lift a hand or foot in the entire land of Egypt without your approval.”

Genesis 41:45-46 (NLT)

So Joseph took charge of the entire land of Egypt. He was thirty years old when he began serving in the court of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. And when Joseph left Pharaoh’s presence, he inspected the entire land of Egypt.

Genesis 41:47-48 (NLT)

As predicted, for seven years the land produced bumper crops. During those years, Joseph gathered all the crops grown in Egypt and stored the grain from the surrounding fields in the cities.

Genesis 41:49 (NLT)

He piled up huge amounts of grain like sand on the seashore. Finally, he stopped keeping records because there was too much to measure.

Genesis 41:50-52 (NLT)

During this time Joseph had 2 sons -

Manasseh - God has made me forget all my troubles and everyone in my father’s family

Ephraim - God has made me fruitful in this land of my grief

Genesis 41:53 (NLT)

At last the seven years of bumper crops throughout the land of Egypt came to an end.

Genesis 41:54 (NLT)

Then the seven years of famine began, just as Joseph had predicted. The famine also struck all the surrounding countries, but throughout Egypt there was plenty of food.

Joseph:

was prepared to serve

Joseph:

was prepared to serve

pointed to God

Joseph:

was prepared to serve

pointed to God

presented a plan

Joseph:

was prepared to serve

pointed to God