Last week we continue our series called: What dreams are made of and we looked at the story of Joseph and what we took away was that No matter our situation give glory to God.

Genesis 40:9-19 So the chief cupbearer told his dream to Joseph and said to him, “In my dream there was a vine before me, and on the vine there were three branches. As soon as it budded, its blossoms shot forth, and the clusters ripened into grapes. Pharaoh's cup was in my hand, and I took the grapes and pressed them into Pharaoh's cup and placed the cup in Pharaoh's hand.” Then Joseph said to him, “This is its interpretation: the three branches are three days. In three days Pharaoh will lift up your head and restore you to your office, and you shall place Pharaoh's cup in his hand as formerly, when you were his cupbearer. Only remember me, when it is well with you, and please do me the kindness to mention me to Pharaoh, and so get me out of this house. For I was indeed stolen out of the land of the Hebrews, and here also I have done nothing that they should put me into the pit.”

When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was favorable, he said to Joseph, “I also had a dream: there were three cake baskets on my head, and in the uppermost basket there were all sorts of baked food for Pharaoh, but the birds were eating it out of the basket on my head.” And Joseph answered and said, “This is its interpretation: the three baskets are three days. In three days Pharaoh will lift up your head—from you!—and hang you on a tree. And the birds will eat the flesh from you.”

Have you ever been put in the situation where doing the right thing is really hard?

David Cottrell Quote: "Doing the right thin isn’t always easy- in fact. Sometimes it’s real hard - but just remember that doing the right thing is always right."

Imagine being Joseph and the first person says come and interpret my dream and you go ok and Great news your getting out.

It’s easy to follow God when the outcome is a blessing

When you just got that new promotion

When you received a huge financial gift

When your relationship with your wife and kids are going well

When you just got a new house, car, fishing pole, piece of jewelry, or what ever possession seems amazing

Joseph at this point has to feel like man telling the dreams of this person was a ok.

Why God did you put me in the situation to be the barer of bad news?

As I read this story you can imagine how the baker feels and how Joseph must feel while delivering the bad news.

Sometimes the recipient that has to hear it is bad, sometimes honestly the deliverer of bad news has it just as bad.

Receiving bad news is bad delivering bad news can feel just as bad

It feels bad when a doctor has to give bad news

It feels bad when a judge has to deliver a sentence

It feels bad when a parent has to say no

It feels bad when as a boss you have to let someone go

It feels bad when you have to tell a friend that you don’t agree with some of their choices

It feels bad and the list can go on

Following through the on doing the hard thing requires integrity

1 Peter 3:16-17 Having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God's will, then for doing evil.

When following God’s dreams your integrity matters

Genesis 40:20-41:1On the third day, which was Pharaoh's birthday, he made a feast for all his servants and lifted up the head of the chief cupbearer and the head of the chief baker among his servants. He restored the chief cupbearer to his position, and he placed the cup in Pharaoh's hand. But he hanged the chief baker, as Joseph had interpreted to them. Yet the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph, but forgot him.

After two whole years, Pharaoh dreamed that he was standing by the Nile

Could you imagine the frustration of being forgotten?

The world tells you to get what you can right now

--It took 13 years for Joseph to become 2nd in command after his initial dream

Romans 8:25-26 But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.

Patience is never easy and requires help from the Spirit

It will take patience to follow God’s dreams

Genesis 41:25-40 Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, “The dreams of Pharaoh are one; God has revealed to Pharaoh what he is about to do. The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven good ears are seven years; the dreams are one. The seven lean and ugly cows that came up after them are seven years, and the seven empty ears blighted by the east wind are also seven years of famine. It is as I told Pharaoh; God has shown to Pharaoh what he is about to do.There will come seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt, but after them there will arise seven years of famine, and all the plenty will be forgotten in the land of Egypt. The famine will consume the land, and the plenty will be unknown in the land by reason of the famine that will follow, for it will be very severe. And the doubling of Pharaoh's dream means that the thing is fixed by God, and God will shortly bring it about. Now therefore let Pharaoh select a discerning and wise man, and set him over the land of Egypt. Let Pharaoh proceed to appoint overseers over the land and take one-fifth of the produce of the land of Egypt during the seven plentiful years. And let them gather all the food of these good years that are coming and store up grain under the authority of Pharaoh for food in the cities, and let them keep it. That food shall be a reserve for the land against the seven years of famine that are to occur in the land of Egypt, so that the land may not perish through the famine.” This proposal pleased Pharaoh and all his servants. And Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find a man like this, in whom is the Spirit of God?” Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has shown you all this, there is none so discerning and wise as you are. You shall be over my house, and all my people shall order themselves as you command. Only as regards the throne will I be greater than you.

Can you imagine going before a king that you know saved a cup bearer but killed a baker?

To follow God’s dreams you will have to step out in courage

What dream has God in store for you?

Romans 8:37-39 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

God’s dreams are sometimes complex and sometimes simple but in the end His purpose is for us to be surrounded by His love