Harvest Fellowship Online Sermons

20250810 - Intended for Good: The Life of Joseph (Part 10)

JD Bowman | Foreshadows of Saving Grace
1. LEAN ON JESUS’ ACHIEVEMENTS. (1-6)
Like Joseph’s family, we benefit from Jesus using his achievements and reputation for the salvation of those who trust in Him as Savior.
? Knowing Christ, do I believe that God sees me through Christ’s righteousness?
? Not knowing Christ, do I think that God accepts me as I am?
2. ENJOY WHAT JESUS PROVIDES. (11-12)
Like Joseph’s family, we’re provided with an overabundance of grace as God works everything to conform us to the image of Jesus.
Am I seeking an identity from anything other than who I am in Christ?
3. EMBRACE YOUR PRIVILEGED POSITION. (27)
Like Joseph’s family, we are in a much different position than the world around us who owe a debt to God that they could never pay.
? Am I living from a “debtor’s ethic” or a “repayment mentality” trying to repay God for the grace that I’ve received?
? Do I believe that I’m in jeopardy of losing my privileged position?
 

20250803 - Intended for Good: The Life of Joseph (Part 9)

JD Bowman | Face the Facts
FACE IT. LIFE IS ABOUT GLORIFYING GOD IN GOD’S WAY. (1-7)
Jacob glorifies God with sacrifice and in obedience by following His instructions even though they seem like a setback.
?- How might I lack total obedience to God because of my ideas about how my life should go?
?- Which of these assurances from God enable me to trust Him more? (John 14:3, Rom 8:28-29, Eph 1:13, 1 John 3:2)
FACE IT. GOD’S PLAN IS BIGGER THAN GOD’S PEOPLE. (26-27)
Jacob’s family (the family of Israel) is set to become God’s nation and usher in the Messiah.
?- Do I recognize the significance of playing the smallest part in the redemption story of the greatest hero that never existed?
?- Am I willing to let my desires and plans die so that Christ might be glorified in the lives of others?
FACE IT. GOD’S PLAN WORKS BY GOD’S TIMING. (28-34)
Joseph and Jacob’s reunion takes place in God’s perfect timing for His people to be in the perfect environment to grow into a great nation.
?- Am I OK with my story being about God’s bigger plan for His glory?
?- If not, why not?
 

20250727 - Intended for Good: The Life of Joseph (Part 8)

Josh Carpenter | A Gracious Reunion
 

20250720 - Intended for Good: The Life of Joseph (Part 7)

JD Bowman | The Winding Road of Reconciliation
Be Generous with Grace. (Eph 4:32)
?- In my relationships that need reconciliation, am I being generous with grace?
?- Am I keeping my heart free from anger, bitterness, or malice?
?- How do I think or talk about the person with whom I need reconciliation?
Change from Loving Self to Loving Others. (Eph 4:20–24 Phil 2:3–4)
• Change from Self-centeredness to Solidarity.
• Change from Self-concern to Sympathy.
• Change from Self-Protection to Substitution.
?- Where am I in the process of changing from loving myself to loving others?
?- Are there specific ways that God is convicting me at this time?
?- How do I need to change from self-centeredness to solidarity – sharing in the needs of others?
?- How do I need to change from self-concern to sympathy – bearing with one another in love?
?- How do I need to change from self-protective to a substitutionary mindset?

20250706 - Intended for Good: The Life of Joseph (Part 6)

JD Bowman | The Road to Reconciliation
Trust God’s Sovereign Road Work
?- Can I look at bad experiences that I’ve had with others and trust that God was involved or intentionally allowed them to take place?
?- Do I trust God with my unfortunate past as well as with my future?
Avoid the Painful Roadblock of Estrangement
Jacob suffered in his fear & self-pity
Jacob’s sons suffered in the shame of their lies
?- How am I responding in relationships that need reconciliation?
Withdrawing in fear and self-pity?
Experiencing the inner-turmoil of your shameful lies?
Other?
?- How might God be pushing me toward something I dread because He knows that it will be best for me in the end?
Choose the Fast Lane of Forgiveness.
?- Have I embraced the gospel – the justice and grace of God’s sacrifice of His Son?
?- If I’ve been forgiven through Christ, what keeps me from being willing to forgive others?
 

20250615 - Intended for Good: The Life of Joseph (Part 5)

Josh Carpenter | God’s Good Plan in a Troubled World
 

20250608 - Intended for Good: The Life of Joseph (Part 4)

JD Bowman | While Waiting
WHILE YOU WAIT, LOVE GOD & LOVE OTHERS. (7-8)
?- What are my “eyes” looking to for my purpose right now?
?- Do I look for how I can bring God glory in other’s minds/lives?
?- Am I looking to the needs of others and how I might meet those needs?
WHILE YOU WAIT, TRUST GOD’S TIMING. (14-15, 23)
?- Can I trust God to have perfect timing with what He brings into my life?
?- Do I trust Him?
?- What is my attitude like when I’m stuck waiting in an uncomfortable situation?
WHILE YOU WAIT, BE ENCOURAGED BY GOD’S LONG-TERM PLAN. (1 Corinthians 2:9, Ephesians 2:4–7)
?- Where am I going to spend eternity?
?- Do I think about how this physical life will be a small blur in comparison to the millions of years I have after death?
?- If I’m treating my physical life as a time of preparation for eternity, what should change in my life?
 

20250601 - Intended for Good: The Life of Joseph (Part 3)

JD Bowman | The Secret of Success
Keep Straight about What God Deserves. (6)
• God deserves to define wickedness.
• God deserves to be honored/worshiped when we’re tempted.
?- Am I listening to the justification for sin that’s so common in our world, or am I defining sin as God does in His Word?
?- Do I know what it means to lose a closeness with God when I choose to sin?
?- Do I ever make the choice to not sin so that I can maintain my fellowship with God.
Keep Your Character Even if You Have to Lose Your Shirt. (11-12)
?- What kind of embarrassment or ridicule am I willing to experience in order to obey God?
?- What kind of financial gain have I missed because I obeyed God?
?- What steps do I take to help me obey God?
a. Memorize scripture to help me keep the truth in mind
b. Contact a friend so they can pray for me and hold me accountable
c. Seek discipleship/counseling to understand my heart.
Keep Faithful Despite Your Circumstances. (13-23)
?- When I don’t like my circumstances, do I tend to think that God has left me?
?- Do I tend to think that God is going to put me in my preferred circumstance if I obey Him?
 

20250525 - Intended for Good: The Life of Joseph (Part 2)

JD Bowman | God’s Purposeful Presence in the Pit
1. EXPECT SIN TO BRING SORROW INTO YOUR LIFE.
?- Like Jacob, are there patterns of sin in my life or my family that is bringing sorrow to me or those around me?
?- Like Reuben, is there something that I’m trying to make-up-for rather than repenting from it?
2. EXPECT CHRIST TO BE THE ANSWER TO THE PIT YOU’RE IN.
The OT theme of “the Pit”
• A Cistern (Jer 2:13)
• A Dungeon (Genesis 40:15, Exodus 12:29)
• The Grave (Psalm 30:3, Isaiah 14:15, Ezekiel 32:18)
• God’s Discipline (Psalm 88:4–7, Zechariah 9:11)
• Emotional or Physical Trials (Psalm 40:2)
?- How should the fact that Christ descended into the “pit” and defeating death affect the pits I’m in when…
• I‘m emotionally or physically distressed?
• I’m under God’s discipline for sin?
• I’m concerned about death?
3. EXPECT GOD TO BE IN SOVEREIGN CONTROL OF HIS PLAN.
?- Is it a comfort to me that God is in sovereign control of His plan, or is it frustrating for me to recognize this?
?- What situations might it be easy for me to think that God’s not in control/accomplishing His plan?
 

20250518 - Intended for Good: The Life of Joseph (Part 1)

JD Bowman | God Calls His Shot
1. Trust that God is at Work… (Gen 42:6, 8–9a)
?- How is it significant for you that God described this moment from the beginning of Joseph’s story?
?- What are some moments when it’s difficult to trust God’s at Work?
2. To Fulfill His Good Plan… (Gen 45:4–5, 50:18-20)
?- Knowing the result of God’s plan, how does it change your thoughts about Joseph’s family relationships?
?- How does Romans 8:28-29 apply Joseph’s experiences and to your experiences?
?- What difficulty are you in the middle of through which God is working out His good plan?
3. To Keep His Covenant Promises. (Gen 12:1–3, 15:5–6, 15:13–14)
?- How is it reassuring for you to see God keeping His promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob?
?- Knowing Christ as your Savior, what are God’s covenant promises to you? (Matt 26:27-29, Heb 9:13-15)