All right, church. Well, thank you for being here and worship with us this morning.
We are continuing on in our series, Meant for Good, Principles from the Life of Joseph.
So if you would take the Word of God with me and go to Genesis chapter 40. While you're
turning to Genesis 40, I want to give you a couple reminders. Our series text is found
10 chapters later in verse 20, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good to save
many people. And let me tell you, that has been God's modus operandi, his MO, his standard operating
procedure throughout all of his dealings with mankind. His Satan and evil and the powers of
darkness meant it for evil, but God's will, God's sovereignty, God's power triumphs and wins the
day. And he always uses it to save many people. So we see that played out in the life of Joseph.
So a couple of weeks ago, we looked at Joseph back in Genesis 37, favored but fallen, favored
but fallen. And our takeaway was that pride and envy are early warning signs in the, in the story of
Joseph. But the start of his story that we see revealed to us in the book of Genesis points us
to Jesus. Joseph is a type of Christ, an Old Testament figure that is not Jesus. He is not God,
but certain things about him and the way he lives out his life in his faith point us forward to the
coming of Jesus himself. So all throughout the Old Testament, we see these and Joseph is a prime
example of it. Last Sunday, we talked about Joseph tempted and tried back in chapter 39.
Joseph tempted and tried with Potiphar's wife and we see him thrown into prison then, unjustly accused.
And the trials that God allows us to endure are always designed to draw us into closer relationship
with him. God doesn't allow us to go through storms and difficulty on this earth just because he's mean,
just because you've got it coming. God has a design for every problem, every trial he allows you to
experience in your life. And it is always to draw us into a closer relationship with him. And we see
that played out in the life of Joseph. So now this week, we're going to look at Joseph faithful,
but forgotten. Faithful, but forgotten. Let's look at Genesis chapter 40 and verse 1. Genesis chapter 40
and verse 1. I'm reading from the Christian Standard Bible. After this, the king of Egypt's cupbearer and
baker offended their master, the king of Egypt. So the scene shifts. We've been following Joseph
from his early days as the favorite son of his mom and dad. Certainly didn't have a great relationship
with his brothers. All these trials start to, he has to endure. He's sold into slavery, lands in the house
of the chief of the guard, of Pharaoh's guard. And of course, he's tried to be seduced by his boss's wife,
resists temptation, and then is unjustly accused, thrown into prison. So we've been following Joseph's
trajectory. And now the scene shifts to Pharaoh's court. Pharaoh's trusted cupbearer and baker.
The cupbearer was like his personal butler, the one who would taste of his cup before Pharaoh
would drink from it to make sure it wasn't poisoned. So it had to be a very trusted official
who would be allowed this position of absolute trust.
And something happened with the cupbearer and the baker. Of course, the baker had to be an incredibly
trusted position. He was in charge of baking Pharaoh's bread, literally the food he would eat.
So these two guys, trusted members of Pharaoh's court, had offended their master. And Pharaoh was angry
with his two officers, the chief cupbearer and the chief baker. And he put them in the custody
in the house of the captain of the guards. We don't know what happened here. We don't know why they
offended Pharaoh. What happened? Was there politics involved? We don't know the backstory. But somehow,
these guys crossed the line and Pharaoh threw them into prison. But it wasn't just in any prison.
Who did it say it was? The prison in the house of the captain of the guards. Do we remember who the
captain of the guards was? Anybody? A little louder? Yes, I knew it. I saw a couple of you mouthing it.
Potiphar. Boy, God is always working behind the scenes, isn't he? He's always got a plan going here. So he
throws these two guys, key important members of his court, into the same prison that Joseph is in.
And what did Potiphar do with Pharaoh's two VIP prisoners here? What does it say? Verse 4,
the captain of the guards assigned them to Joseph as their personal attendant. And they were in custody
for some time. So isn't that interesting? That even though Potiphar was questioning if Joseph had
betrayed him with his own wife, and yet we have enough reason to believe that maybe he doubted
his wife's report of what had happened in that house. And he doubted them enough and had enough faith
in how well Joseph had served him to say, listen, warden, I want you to put these two VIP prisoners
coming from Pharaoh into the care of Joseph, one of your prisoners. Because I believe that they will be
untouched in Joseph's care. I believe they will get through this time in prison just fine while Pharaoh
figures out what to do with them. So verse 5, the king of Egypt's cupbearer and baker who were confined
in the prison, each had a dream. Both had a dream on the same night. And each dream had its own meaning.
Verse 6, when Joseph came to them in the morning, he saw that they looked distraught. These guys were upset.
They had not slept well. They'd had these restless, fitful dreams that came from God himself.
So he asked, Joseph asked Pharaoh's officers who were in custody with him in his master's house,
why do you look so sad today? Well, maybe because they didn't sleep well. Maybe because they were in
prison. I don't know. Can't imagine there was a lot of joy in these guys' lives at this season
while they're behind bars. But they tell him, verse 8, we had dreams, they said to him,
but there's no one to interpret them. Then Joseph said to them, watch this,
don't interpretations belong to God? Tell me your dreams. Wow. Prison changed Joseph.
Do you remember some other dreams in the story of Joseph that we have covered already?
What happened? Did Joseph dream his own dreams? And then he went and told them to his family?
But there's no record of him having any kind of interpretation from God for those dreams back
then. His father even made some kind of attempt at discerning the meaning of Joseph's dreams.
Of course, couldn't understand what they were about. So Joseph went from this 17-year-old boy,
the favorite of his father's house, who's dreaming these dreams from God and doesn't know how to
interpret them, to now being, just a few years later seemingly, in prison with two key members of
Pharaoh's court telling him their dreams. And immediately his response is, let's go to God for this.
I believe that God has the interpretation of these dreams. Tell me your dreams and I'll take them to God for you.
Prison had changed Joseph. These experiences, captivity had changed Joseph. These
really difficult struggles that Joseph had had to endure had matured him and his faith in God,
his relationship with God, to the point where now he was certain that God would bless him with what was
needed for that moment. So he was in tune with the Holy Spirit of God. He was locked in.
And God must have impressed on his heart in that moment, Joseph,
I will interpret these dreams. Ask for the dreams. So what happened?
Chapter 37, he couldn't interpret his own dreams. But now God has grown his faith through suffering and
is using him to interpret the dreams of others. And what do we see from him? Joseph wasn't using that
to draw attention to himself. He wasn't saying, hey guys, God has given me this special gift.
Watch this. Watch this magic trick here. Watch this parlor trick. You tell me your dreams,
I'll tell you what they mean. That was a big, big deal back in Egyptian culture. They even wrote a
textbook on it eventually, on how to interpret dreams. Of course, all the methods that they used
were sketchy at best trying to use what little they knew of math and science and probability and
cause and effect to try to interpret dreams. But in reality, they had no clue, right? Because no one can
actually interpret dreams except for God. So, Joseph pointed them to God. He pointed the heathen
to God. This isn't the only time in scriptures we see this specific thing happening. Would you look
over at Daniel chapter 2 and verse 26? And actually, I've got it on the screen here, but because Daniel
also pointed the heathen to God. The king said to Daniel, so jump several books up and we see this
tale unfold where King Nebuchadnezzar is speaking to Daniel. He's troubled by this dream and Daniel is one
of his advisors. And he says, are you able to tell me the dream I had in its interpretation? Because
Daniel had talked to all of his other wise men. All these other men who maybe had read that old
Egyptian textbook on how to how to interpret dreams and it had left them no better equipped than they
were before and they couldn't help the king at all. And so, he says to God's servant Daniel, are you able
to tell me the dream? And Daniel says to the king, no wise man, no medium, no magician, no diviner is able
to make known to the king the mystery he asked about. I'm sorry, king, no one can tell you your dream.
But it doesn't stop there. Verse 28, but there is a God in heaven.
There is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries and he has let King Nebuchadnezzar know what will
happen in the last days. And he goes on to give him the interpretation from God about the dream.
This is not the only time in the story of Joseph here that we see God's servant point the heathen
back to him. And y'all, can I just draw your attention to that phrase here?
Whatever you're going through, whatever struggle comes up in your life that you can't seem to figure
out a path forward, you can't seem to find a way to get over it or around it or under it or through it,
may I remind you that there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries.
If you walk closely with him,
if you strengthen your relationship with him,
then he will often reveal the secrets to you as well.
He'll help you get through
those dark nights. He'll help you get through those scary storms.
He'll help you get through
those moments when you feel like you are a little bit like Joseph
sitting on the inside of a prison cell,
forgotten by your family, forgotten by your friends,
forgotten by your employers, your co-workers.
Everyone in your life has forgotten you,
but there is a God in heaven.
And you know what Joseph did?
He didn't use that fact just for his own comfort.
He used that fact to point others back to God.
He pointed the heathen to God.
So I'm asking you, church,
are you pointing the heathen to God?
Anyone in your life, you say,
man, all my friends are church people.
All my friends already love Jesus.
Well, maybe it's time
to start to introduce yourself
to some of those people you don't go to church with.
Some of those people in your circle
that you're not sure if
they have a personal relationship with Jesus.
By the way, just because somebody goes to church
doesn't mean they have a personal relationship with Jesus, right?
That's certainly true.
Whether it's a collection of people at Walmart
or Cowboy Stadium or the church house,
it doesn't mean that everybody in there is Christians.
There's going to be a hodgepodge of hypocrites
and judgmental sinners,
and that's who we are regardless of where we go,
and only by the grace of God
can any of us be any different than that.
So, there is a God of heaven,
and we have the responsibility and the privilege
of pointing the heathen to him.
So, what did he do?
Back in Genesis 40,
let's pick it up in verse 9.
Verse 9.
So, the chief cupbearer told his dream to Joseph.
In my dream,
there was a vine in front of me.
On the vine were three branches.
As soon as it budded,
its blossoms came out,
and its clusters ripened into grapes.
Pharaoh's cup was in my hand,
and I took the grapes,
squeezed them into Pharaoh's cup,
and placed the cup in Pharaoh's hand.
Weird dream.
Can't say I've ever had anything like it.
How about y'all?
Nobody?
So, Joseph immediately gets the interpretation from God.
Wow, God came through in just the right moment.
He always does.
Sometimes we feel like it may not be the right moment.
Sometimes we don't get an answer quite as quickly as Joseph did.
But in that moment,
God knew Joseph needed that answer right then,
and he gives it to him.
This is its interpretation.
Joseph said to him,
the three branches are three days.
In just three days,
Pharaoh will lift up your head,
otherwise known as letting him out of prison.
Restore you to your position.
You will put Pharaoh's cup in his hand
the way you used to when you were his cupbearer.
But when all goes well for you,
remember that I was with you.
Please show kindness to me
by mentioning me to Pharaoh
and get me out of this prison.
For I was kidnapped from the land of the Hebrews,
and even here I've done nothing
that they should have put me in this dungeon.
So Joseph, by faith,
receives this interpretation from God.
Gives glory to God
by being able to reveal the secret of this dream
to this Egyptian officer.
And then he can't help but throw that last part in.
By the way, when this happens,
because he had enough faith to believe
that what God said was going to happen
would happen.
Any of us ever been there?
Have enough faith to believe
that what God said will happen
will come to pass?
Sometimes it's hard, right?
The Bible talks about
if you ask in faith,
believing,
and Joseph believed it would come to pass.
And so he said,
when this happens for you,
remember me too,
because I didn't really do anything wrong,
and I'm stuck here in this prison,
don't forget about me.
Back in verse 16 of chapter 40,
when the baker,
the chief baker,
saw that the interpretation,
the butler,
the cupbearer's interpretation
was positive,
he said to Joseph,
well, hey man,
I also had a dream.
Three baskets of white bread
were on my head.
In the top basket
were all sorts of baked goods
for Pharaoh.
But the birds were eating them
out of the basket on my head.
Joseph replies,
this is its interpretation,
the three baskets are three days,
just like the other guy.
In just three days,
Pharaoh will lift up your head
from off of you.
Did you catch that?
Lift up your head from off of you
and hang you on a tree.
Then the birds will eat the flesh
from your body.
A little different interpretation there.
A little, right?
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, baker,
but he doesn't like your bread.
On the third day,
well, before we get there,
of course it happened,
just like Joseph said.
Now,
what we see from Joseph,
without dwelling on these two dreams
and what they could have meant
and see if there's anything
more significant about these two dreams
with these two men,
what I think the real takeaway here
is seeing how Joseph's faith grew.
Joseph exhibited consistent growth
in his walk with God.
He started off believing in God.
He was a descendant of Abraham.
We talked about the Abrahamic covenant last week,
that promise that God made to Abraham
and the generations
that would follow after him
to preserve them,
to bless them,
to make them succeed.
And we see so much drama,
so much turmoil
in the family of Abraham
despite this Abrahamic covenant,
this promise from God.
Joseph was not exempt.
He was going through so much trouble.
And yet,
all throughout the trouble,
as each new tragedy,
each new disaster
would play out in his life,
man,
I don't think the biggest temptation
that Joseph ever faced
was from his boss's wife.
I think the biggest temptation
was depression
when he was let down
time and time again by people.
His dad let him down
by showing all this favoritism
to him as a child
that set him up for a fall.
His brothers obviously let him down
when they wanted to kill him
and then settled for selling him
to slave traders.
And even in Egypt,
when he thought,
finally I'm working for an unbiased
third party
and at least this heathen,
Potiphar,
sees the value in me
and has promoted me.
And now he let him down too
when his boss's wife compromised
her marriage,
tried to seduce him.
Time and time again,
he's let down by others.
But we never see him
go into a funk.
We never see him lose
his faith.
We see him continually grow.
And that's another type of Christ.
Because you know who else did that?
In a much greater way?
A much more perfect way?
An absolutely perfect way?
Jesus himself.
Luke 2.52,
Jesus grew in wisdom
and in stature
and in favor
with God
and all the people.
And that's the challenge
for you and for me.
How much have we grown?
We've got people
sitting in this room right now
who have been followers of Jesus
for just a very short time.
And then we've got people
who were saved
and put their faith in Jesus
decades ago.
We've got the whole spectrum
here in this room.
But my question for all of you
and for myself
is how much did you grow
with your walk with Jesus
this year?
How much have you changed
this year?
Or somewhere along the way
did we slow down?
Did we stop growing?
Did we just settle for
well this is who I am?
You see Joseph
learned how to work hard.
Joseph learned
how to administrate well.
Joseph learned
how to resist temptation.
He learned how to point others to God.
He learned how to powerfully pray
and receive wisdom from God.
So are you still growing consistently
or have you just made peace
with the cracks
in your own foundation?
Y'all we've all got cracks
at our foundation.
But God's will
is that we would cease
to rely on our foundation
and build our lives
on the rock
the solid rock
which is Jesus Christ.
And when we do that
then he starts to seal up
the cracks
in those foundation.
He wants to be
your foundation.
and then he wants
to help you seal those cracks
and keep out the enemy
whose only goal
is to seek
and to kill
and to destroy
what God is building
in your life.
So,
when did we stop growing
in Christ?
even in the hardest
of times
in the most difficult
of circumstances
Joseph
kept growing.
But when did we become
okay
with our weaknesses
and then force
everybody around us
just to be okay
with our weaknesses too?
That is just who I am.
God loves you
with no strings attached.
But God loves you so much
he doesn't want you
to stay where you are.
He wants to grow you.
So if you're not growing
maybe it's because
you've drifted apart
a little bit.
You've got to get back
to pursuing the person
of Jesus
becoming more
like him.
Let's get back
to our text
and we'll be done.
Genesis 40
and verse 20.
On the third day
which was Pharaoh's birthday
he gave a feast
for all his servants.
See, God knew
that the third day
the three days from then
would be Pharaoh's birthday
and he would give a feast.
And he let both those
political prisoners
the ones in captivity
the chief cupbearer
and the chief baker
he led him out of prison
for the feast.
But what happened?
He elevated the chief cupbearer
and the chief baker
among his servants
and everything went great
with the cupbearer.
He restored him
to his position
as cupbearer
and he placed the cup
in Pharaoh's hand
just like he used to.
But it didn't go well
with the chief baker.
Pharaoh hanged
the chief baker
just as Joseph
had explained to them
yet the chief cupbearer
did not remember Joseph.
He forgot him.
We're going to get to that part
in just a moment
but before we get there
let me ask you this.
Who can you count on?
Amen.
For all you English people
whom can you count on?
On whom can you count?
But I just thought
that sounded a lot better
so we'll roll with it.
Who can you count on?
Well he couldn't count
on the cupbearer
could he?
Even though he came
through for the guy.
Verse 14
back in verse 14
you remember what he said?
When all goes well for you
remember that I was with you.
Show kindness to me
by mentioning me to Pharaoh
and get me out of this prison.
And then back in verse 23
the chief cupbearer
did not remember Joseph.
Forgot him.
Who can you count on
except God?
Psalm 118
reminds us of that
in the New Living Translation
it says
it's better to take refuge
in the Lord
than to trust in people.
Anybody say amen to that?
It's better
to take refuge
in the Lord
than to trust in people.
Isn't that right?
It is better
to run to our hiding place
which is Jesus Christ
than it is
to put your trust
in mankind.
Sometimes
people will come
through for you.
Usually
it's because of love.
Usually
it's because of
people that maybe
are walking closely
with Jesus
and he helps them
come through.
But
often times
even those
of us
who call ourselves
followers of Jesus
will let each other down.
We will.
And so we must
always
run to Jesus
as our hiding place.
As our ultimate
place of trust.
The truth
I want you to remember
that we can learn
from Genesis 40.
God
will never
forget
me.
God
will never
forget
me.
If you can
instill that
into your brain
God
will never
forget
me.
There's two sides
to that.
One is pure
comfort.
God
thank you so much
that no matter
how bleak
things look
on this earth
no matter
how bad
it gets
I know
you haven't
forgotten me
I know
you're still
with me
I know
you still
care for me
I know
you'll provide
for me
I know
you'll make
a way
through the
storm
I know
you'll make
a way
through the
wilderness
I know
that you
will come
through
time and
time again
and the
other side
of the
coin
is this
God
never
forgets
about you
so quit
running
from him
sometimes
we like
to think
that we've
strayed
so far
away
from God
that he's
forgotten
about us
man
you don't
know what
I've done
yeah I used
to go to
church
how many times
I've heard
this from
people
yeah I used
to I heard
all that
when I was
a kid
but then I
got into
some stuff
and my
faith just
isn't what
it used
to be
yeah but
God is
still who
he used
to be
and he
still loves
you
he still
cares
he never
changed
he never
moved
and he's
always
right there
he has
not
forgotten
about you
whether you
grow your
faith like
Joseph
and God
uses you
powerfully
every step
of the way
even through
the dark
times or
whether you
fail
and you
fall
and you
crumble
God
still
loves
God
doesn't
forget
and he's
ready to
pick you
back up
and put
you back
on the
Joseph
path
says let's
go
come on
I got a
great job
for you
if you've
read ahead
in the story
you know
that God
had an
amazing
plan
for Joseph
but he
had to
get him
there
first
so while
it seemed
like everyone
had forgotten
God
will never
forget
us
we talked
about this
last week
God's
delays
are not
God's
denials
Joseph
had to
be delayed
yet again
but it
wasn't
God
saying
no
it
wasn't
God
saying
Joseph
remember
those
dreams
I
gave
you
give
up
on
them
they're
not
going
to
come
true
life
got
too
rough
too
many
people
turned
against
you
things
fell
apart
that's
never
what
God's
message
is
God's
message
is
always
no
I
am
greater
I
am
stronger
than
anyone
who
could
rise
up
against
you
no
one
can
pluck
you
out
of
my
hand
so
God's
delays
are
not
God's
denials
and the
truth is
in the
background
while we're
waiting
God
is
working
while
I'm
waiting
God
is
always
working
God
never
stops
working
you see
you and
I
might
be
in a
time
of
delay
we
might
be
in a
time
of
waiting
we
might
be
in
between
time
of
life
and
sometimes
it
might
look
really
bad
like
Joseph
sitting
in
a
prison
or
sometimes
it
just
might
mean
you're
in
a
dead
end
job
and
you
can't
figure
out
how
to
get
out
of
it
might
look
like
you
never
saw
the
career
that
you
envisioned
for
yourself
or
maybe
the
relationships
you
envisioned
for
yourself
and
things
just
aren't
going
exactly
how
you
pictured
but
just
know
that
while
you're
waiting
God
is
working
behind
the
scenes
Joseph
was
favored
by
his
father
why
man
it
goes
all
the
way
back
without
taking
all
the
time
to
get
into
it
goes
back
to
when
his
father
Jacob
fell
in
love
with
a
girl
named
Rachel
and
wanted
to
marry
her
and
the
future
father
in
law
pulled
a
switcheroo
at
the
last
second
and
she
had
a
little
drama
plays out
and
it's
Joseph
and
so
we
kind
of
get
the
idea
of
why
he
was
Jacob's
favorite
and
probably
his
mama's
favorite
too
right
but
God
had
planned
all
this
because
the
pieces
had
to
fall
into
place
and
then
he
allowed
Joseph
to
be
betrayed
by
his
brothers
because
if
the
brothers
had
never
betrayed
Joseph
then
he
wouldn't
have
been
sold
to
the
slave
traders
and
made
his
way
to
Egypt
where
he
got
promoted
by
Potiphar
from
the
slave
and
how
unlikely
was
that
in
his
probably
his
first
year
of
service
as
a
slave
and
he
gets
promoted
to
the
head
of
household
and
everything
is
going
great
and
then
boom
the
roller
coaster
goes
back
down
again
and
he
is
wrongly
accused
by
the
wife
and
it's
like
man
I
can't
catch
a
break
around
here
when
it
rains
it
pours
right
all
the
things
that
we
say
Joseph
lived
lands
in
prison
but
he's
not
killed
because
God
had
a
plan
Joseph
could
go
to
prison
but
not
die
and
then
he
earns
the
favor
of
the
warden
and
then
he
gets
free
range
in
the
prison
free
range
chicken
is
the
best
right
this
was
free
range
prisoner
I
don't
know
what
that
means
but
I
what
if
he
hadn't
worried
about
it
but
God
was
working
behind
the
scenes
while
Joseph
was
waiting
and
then
he
had
to
have
the
interpretation
of
the
dreams
right
then
right
then
and
what
happened
was
soon
as
Pharaoh
needed
something
the
butler
remembered
Joseph
right
no
yet
again
another
delay
another
delay
and
if
you
want
to
know
what
happens
next
you
got
to
come
back
next
week
but
Joseph's
faith
made
him
faithful
Joseph's
faith
made
him
faithful
guys
there's
no
secret
I wish
I could
tell
you
some
sort
of
secret
ingredient
for how
to stay
faithful
through the
storms
of this
life
but
it's
daily
pursuing
the
person
of
Jesus
strengthening
our
faith
in
him
that's
what
allowed
Joseph
to
sustain
to
not
lose
his
faith
to
stay
faithful
to
God
in
the
middle
of
all
of
this
and
then
Joseph's
trials
made
him
grow
he
didn't
just
stay
faithful
to
God
he
didn't
just
lose
his
faith
he
got
better
he
grew
he
improved
he
was
a
better
Christian
after
he
came
through
these
storms
than
before
God
was
using
him
more
powerfully
than
ever
before
can
we
say
the
same
thing
let's
look
at
James
chapter
one
real
quick
we
read
it
last
week
consider
it
a
great
joy
when
you
go
through
these
trials
because
you
know
that
when
your
faith
is
tested
it
produces
endurance
so let
endurance
have
its
full
effect
so you
can
become
mature
and
complete
lacking
nothing
a few
chapters
over
James
says
brothers
and sisters
be patient
until the
Lord's
coming
see how
the farmer
waits for
the precious
fruit of
the earth
we just
got some
precious
fruit of
the earth
last night
didn't we
thank God
for it
we got
the rain
and he
is patient
with it
until he
receives
the early
and late
rains
you must
also be
patient
strengthen
your hearts
because the
Lord's
coming
is near
so my
message
to you
folks
is
strengthen
your
hearts
during
this
in
the
time
season
during
this
waiting
period
strengthen
your
hearts
and then
in verse
nine
my
brothers
and sisters
don't
complain
about
one
another
so you
won't
be
judged
look
the judge
stands
at the
door
God
is
always
there
he's
always
watching
he's
always
working
so don't
be
turning
on one
another
that's
what we
do
sometimes
when life
gets
rough
when we're
in those
waiting
periods
we turn
on each
other
we start
sniping
at each
other
we start
taking shots
at one
another
we start
trying to
tear each
other
down
and James
knows
it's
going to
happen
so he
says
don't
complain
about
each
other
verse
10
instead
brothers
and sisters
take
the
prophets
who
spoke
in the
Lord's
name
as an
example
of
suffering
and
patience
see
we
count
as
blessed
those
who
have
endured
well
we
know
Joseph's
going
to be
blessed
so we
count
him as
this
struggle
so our
takeaway
for today
is let
this season
of divine
delay
make a
discernible
difference
in how
you live
your faith
a difference
that we can
discern
a difference
that people
can notice
a difference
where your
husband or
wife says
you seem
happier
even though
nothing really
changed in
our circumstances
you're
changing
what's
going on
with you
well
just trying
to learn
what Joseph
learned
and let
this season
of delay
that seems
to be coming
from God
make a
difference
in how
I live
my faith
not just
how I
say I
have faith
but how
I live
it out
maybe
God can
use you
to point
the heathen
to him
maybe God
can use
you to
help
somebody
else
maybe God
is setting
you up
for your
greatest
days yet
as part
of his
plan for
you
I don't
know what
God has
for you
but I
know this
he's got
something
or we'd
all be
home with
him right
now
but the
reason he's
delaying it
the reason
for this
waiting period
God has
something
great
for us
so let's
grow our
faith together
Lord Jesus
we ask it
right now
in the name
of Jesus
we come to
you
we approach
your throne
and we say
God
make us
like Joseph
that when
our faith
is tested
we would
not only
pass the
test
but our
faith would
be grown
where those
around us
can see
you're
becoming
more like
Jesus
whatever
those changes
need to look
like in our
lives
God
reveal them
by your
Holy Spirit
to us
and then
give us
the courage
to say
yes to
you
every time
it's in
Jesus name
we pray
amen
church
would you
erreichen
unless
you
do
�
our
hope