Let us pray. The captain of the guard charged Joseph with them, and he served them, and they continued a season in warred. God, as I reflect on Genesis 40, I ask that you give me the ability to give divine solutions and walk in divine understanding. I will not allow circumstances in my life to determine whether or not I use my gifts to help the lives of others. Even when I feel overlooked and imprisoned like Joseph, I will hold fast to my calling, and I will continue to be faithful in the midst of my prison. I declare that I will not lose hope, for I know that once you make a promise, God, nothing on earth can stop it. Today, I choose to be a resource to fuel the dreams of others. My power flows in abundance when my back is against the ropes. I decree and declare that in all seasons, you can use me, God. And because I'm willing to be used, I know my deliverance is just around the corner. In Jesus' name, Amen. Thanks for making prayer a priority in your life. To hear the Bible come to life, stay tuned for the Bible in a Year.

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Faithful in the Prison. Before this story, we learned of Joseph's success as a slave. Everything Joseph put his hand to succeeded and thrived, so much so that he became the overseer of Potiphar's household. Yet Potiphar's wife's lust towards Joseph would not cease, and eventually she lured him in to sleep with her. Joseph ran from her, but she still claimed Joseph attacked her. Joseph was thrown into prison, but God blessed him, and he became the overseer of all prisoners. Now we learn about Joseph's interpretation of dreams and how he ascended from prison to the palace of Pharaoh, inspired by the Book of Genesis.

Hello, I'm Jack Graham with today's episode of the Bible in a Year podcast. When we last saw Joseph, he was standing firm in his convictions and resisting the advances of Potiphar's wife. It was the God-honoring thing to do, the only thing to do, but there was a price to pay. He found himself once again in chains, this time in the palace prison. He again became a trusted man and was placed in charge of the other captives. He had a most excellent spirit about him. God remained faithful to Joseph, of course, and likewise, Joseph was faithful to God. In today's reading, we'll hear as Joseph has an opportunity to interpret dreams again. Only this time, it's not his own dreams, but those of two other inmates. The dreams tell us the fate of the men who are in prison with Joseph. Rather than using his gift of decoding dreams to exalt himself as he did when he was a young boy, Joseph will use the gift that God had given him to help and serve others. But listen very carefully to the primary message of this passage, that Joseph credits God for what he does. Joseph has integrity, and that integrity actually got him put in prison, but it will be ultimately his way out.

Here's today's reading and the story of Joseph.

Joseph had become a great blessing to the prison. Out of darkness and despair, God blessed Joseph in everything he did. He worked with care and diligence, becoming loved and respected by the prisoners and guards. During this time, Pharaoh's cup bearer and baker had committed an offense against him, so he sent them to prison to rot until death. The captain of the God appointed Joseph to be with them and attend to them. One night, tossing and turning could be heard in the darkness of the prison cells. Groans and a few screams echoed in the middle of the night, for the cup bearer and baker were bothered all night with confusing dreams. That morning, they were discussing what their dreams what they might mean, and Joseph came to them when he saw they were troubled. Why are you two so downcast this morning? Joseph asked with compassion in his voice. We have had dreams and have no one to say what they might mean, they said, tired from the night before. Joseph grinned, remembering the dreams he once had as a boy. He looked at the two of them with a shepherd's heart. Do not dreams belong to God?

Joseph said. Tell them to me. The cup bearer He never told his dream first. He spoke with a mixture of joy, confusion, and anxiety. In my dream, there was a beautiful vine before me with three branches. As soon as the branches budded, blossoms shot forth and ripened into grapes. The cup bearer looked at Joseph intently as he continued. I took the grapes and pressed them into Pharaoh's cup and handed it to him. Then I awoke. Joseph grinned, eyes never leaving the cup bearers. He said to him, The three branches represent three days. In three days, Pharaoh will restore you to his side and you will be his cup bearer once again. The cup bearer gleaned with joy. Joseph grabbed his shoulder and spoke intently, Please remember me when you are back with Pharaoh. Tell him about me, my gifts, and my story. The cup bearer nodded and agreed. The baker was pleased to hear such a positive interpretation. Excited, he Joseph's attention to tell him his dream. In my dream, there were three cake baskets balancing on my head. On the top basket was food for Pharaoh, but the birds flocked around me and ate the food in the basket.

What does this mean? Joseph's eyes did not meet the baker's. You do not need to know, Joseph said. The baker, now worried, was intent on hearing. Joseph sighed and spoke somberly, saying, The three baskets also represent three days. In three days, Pharaoh will take you as well, but he will have you hung on a tree, and the birds will eat your flesh. Angry and scared, the baker left. Three days had passed, and it was Pharaoh's birthday. A great festival had taken place throughout the land, and a great feast was prepared for all his servants. In need of his services, Pharaoh sent for his cup bearer and restored him to his position. Yet the baker was not as fortunate. He was hung that day. Just as Joseph had predicted. Caught up in the festivities, the cup bearer forgot the kindness Joseph had shown him. Forgotten, Joseph remained in prison, wondering if his father and brothers had forgotten about him, too. Joseph's heart grew heavy, but his hope in God did not wane. He pressed on, praying to see the Son once again.

What an incredible story. Joseph is imprisoned, and it was because he did the right thing, not the wrong thing, but he was falsely accused by his master's wife. But rather than sink into bitterness and sulk in misery or resign himself to a lost cause, helpless, hopeless, confinement, Joseph continued to work hard, and he demonstrated his integrity every single day. This has earned him a high position as head over all the other prisoners. In the providence of God, he is a prisoner in Pharaoh's palace. Things could have been worse, but God used this situation in his life. This detail will prove very important soon enough as one day two new prisoners are placed in the cell with Joseph, two servants of Pharaoh himself, a cup bearer and a baker. One night in their cell, each man has a dream, and the following morning, Joseph notices their sad faces. And so he comes to their assistance. He seeking to comfort them and extend kindness. In those days, dreams had incredible importance. So Joseph offers to interpret their dreams. After all, Joseph had been understanding dreams since he was a young man. Only now he's matured and he's walking in step with God, seeking to honor him in all things.

He's not the arrogant teen who used his gift to make his brothers jealous. His response to these men is very important. Listen to what he says in Genesis 40:8. Then they said to him, 'We have had a dream, and there is no one to interpret it. ' Then Joseph said to them, 'Do not interpretations belong to God. Tell it to me, please. ' Now, you see it? It's hard to miss. He doesn't say, Here's what I can do for you. I'm Joseph, a gifted interpreter of dreams, a dreamer and a dream interpreter. No, he acknowledges that God is the one who helps him in enables him to understand the dreams. It's not his own power, but the power of God. God gives us great gifts. In fact, the Bible says every good and perfect gift comes from God. But we must always be willing to give God the credit and the glory for the gifts that he has given to us. Joseph hears the dreams and then gives the answer. For the cup bearer, the news is, well, it's joyous, it's happy news. He will soon be released. Joseph asked that the cup bearer speak up for him and help him attain his freedom when he's out.

And the grateful happy man agrees. The baker also wants to know the meaning of his dream. But for him, the news isn't good. He will soon leave the prison, too. But not to be free, he will be hanged. And just as Joseph told each man, in three days, they met their foretold fates. Sadly, the cup bearer forgot all about his promise to Joseph to help him get out of prison. So it was not a happy ending for Joseph, but his trust was not in man, it was always in Almighty God. Now, there's a great lesson here. When we trust in men, they Can fail us, disappoint us, even betray us? True freedom is not found in what others can do for us, but in trusting God fully, just like Joseph did. When we trust in God, not men, even when others fail us or disappoint between us, we can persevere. We know that not all hope is lost because God has it, and God has each one of us. The same God who is faithful to Joseph is faithful to us as well. Joseph would not yet taste freedom, but the cup bearer was right where God put him, back in Pharaoh's household, next to the most powerful man in the known world.

Soon enough, Pharaoh will have a troubling dream. Will the cup bearer then remember the Hebrew man who helped him understand the vision? This is what we're going to find out the next time. Dear Lord, thank you for teaching us your word today. Your word allows us to understand who you are and how we can know you and the gifts that you so graciously give to each one of us. Thank you for the reminder that even when people forget us and fail us, you continue to be faithful, just as you were to Joseph. Help us always to trust in you and to wait on your perfect plan. Amen. Thank you for listening to today's Bible in a Year podcast. I'm Pastor Jack Graham from Dallas, Texas. Download the pray. Com app and make prayer a priority in your life. If you enjoyed this podcast, share it with someone you know. By sharing this podcast, you can make a difference in their lives. If you want more resources as to how to discover God's perfect plan and power for your life, be sure to visit jackgram. Org.