“…creative people have credited dreams for their discoveries. French chemist Auguste Kekule saw snakes biting their tales in a dream before he stumbled onto the mystery of the correct ring structure for the benzene molecule. Inventor Elias Howe attributed the discovery of the sewing machine to a nightmare of being captured by cannibals. Howe noticed the holes at the tip of the natives’ spears and designed the sewing machine accordingly. Vladimir Horowitz and other well-known pianists have described playing piano pieces or discovering a new fingering in their dreams that turned out to work perfectly. Robert Louis Stevenson said that his book “The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” came to him in a dream.” www.britannica.com/magazine/dreams

One of the clearest evidences that God reveals His purposes through people is found in the story of Joseph, Jacob’s son, when God revealed His plan for Joseph through two dreams. Unlike the dreams revealing insights to people that effected modern history I just read about, Joseph received two dreams that were offensive to his family, yet they were absolutely true. The problem was not only that his family was offended by the dreams, but that the purpose of them was not understood. Joseph’s father had faith in God and knew that these seemingly bazaar dreams could really be from God, so he did not totally dismiss the dreams but “…kept the matter in mind.” Let’s read this account in Genesis 37: 1 – 11.

God revealed something to Joseph that he knew was true, but, how a 17 year old shepherd boy would be transformed into the man he needed to be for God to fulfill these revelations, I am sure was a mystery. Having said that, Joseph still believed they were true.

When God speaks to us in ways that reveal His purpose for our lives, our responsibility is to be faithful to God’s plan and let Him prepare us for what He wants to do with us.

As Christians God’s desire is not that we only have a close walk with Him, but that God will shape us into the person He wants us to be for His purpose for His Kingdom work. To be involved in God’s Kingdom work, we must do what Joseph did, that is, believe in God’s will for you, and follow the path God set’s for you. Look at what happened to Joseph next in Genesis 37:12 – 20.

So Joseph set out to do what his father told him to do. Take note that Joseph did not set his focus on the dreams God revealed to him, he left that promise in God’s hands. He didn’t pursue it.

It was God’s responsibility to carry out his plan for Joseph. It was Joseph’s responsibility to do what was set before him to do.

That’s why the Apostle Paul makes the following declaration in Philippians 3: 14–15:

The same thing that the Apostle Paul encourages us to do, he was committed to do. We, also, should be committed to this principle, if we desire to follow Christ and discover His purpose for our lives. Joseph did the same thing. He did what he knew he was supposed to do and trusted God to do the rest. We have to trust God to prepare us for His purpose.

Whenever we set out to follow in the steps God calls us to follow, we can be sure there will be things that come against us, a warfare that threatens us, but God always has the upper hand. The key to our successfully following God and staying on the path He has for us is in how we respond to the good or bad things that come our way.

If the core of our heart is to truly please God by yielding our lives to Him, we will discover our lives being in the center of His will.

Adversity comes in ways and times we don’t expect. Joseph certainly did not expect that his brothers wanted to kill him by throwing him into a pit and left to die! In the unseen world of darkness, Satan seeks to devour those who follow the will of God. Turn to I Peter 5:8.

Satan was setting up his plan to destroy Joseph. Satan can work easily through jealousy and hatred, like Joseph’s brothers had towards him. Now don’t misunderstand, Joseph wasn’t this young innocent boy, he was spoiled and favored by his father, immature and good looking. A recipe for arrogance. But he was hard working and intelligent enough to shepherd his father’s sheep. God had work to do in Joseph’s life, to prepare him for God’s purpose. Consider these next principles as we continue in I Peter 5: 9 – 11.

God was allowing the upcoming adversity in Joseph’s life to start the transformation work.

God will allow sufferings to perfect, establish, strengthen and settle us, too. Our focus should be that all is for His glory.

As you go through whatever adversity God allows into your life, occasionally remind yourself that the trial has been allowed for at least these two reasons:
1. To prepare us for His work.

2. To transform us into the image of His Son.

In Joseph’s dreams, God gave him a promise that he would reign with great authority over people. We, too, have been given the same promise. Turn to Ephesians 2:4 – 6.

Joseph was just under the authority of Pharaoh. We will be just under the authority of Christ!

If we endure the challenge of adversity in our lives and rely on God, then He will prepare us to reign and sit on thrones of authority with Christ our Lord!

Invitation and Lord’s Supper Service
(Matthew 26: 26 – 29)
The Bread:
26 And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.”
The Cup:
27 Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you.
28 For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
29 But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.”