In this sermon, the speaker focuses on the story of Joseph from the Bible to convey the message that God cares and is working in our lives, even in difficult circumstances. The speaker emphasizes that God allowed Joseph to go through trials for his own good, and even if God is judging us, it is ultimately for our benefit. The sermon highlights Joseph's faith, optimism, kindness, and humility as qualities that helped him navigate his challenging circumstances. Despite being forgotten by the chief butler, Joseph's faith in God remained steadfast, and the speaker encourages listeners to trust in God's plan for their lives.

Now, verse 20, It came to pass the third day, which was Pharaoh's birthday, that he made a feast unto all his servants, and he lifted up the head of the chief butler and of the chief baker among his servants. And he restored the butler unto his butlership again, and he gave the cup unto Pharaoh's hand, but he hanged the chief baker, as Joseph had interpreted to them. Yet did not the chief butler remember Joseph, but forgot him. Now, the poor boy is really in a predicament. Here he is, not only a slave, but one that's been falsely accused, but that doesn't mean that the bars on the prison are not just as hard as they are as if he were guilty, and the lock is just as difficult to get through. And the poor boy is here, and it was the purpose of Potiphar just to forget him. That's the way he covered up the scandal that was in his own home. In fact, his wife was unfaithful. And this is the way he covered up, and poor Joseph had to pay for it. His one glimmer of light was that the butler would remember him to Pharaoh, and this seemed to be such a marvelous way of getting the ear of Pharaoh and getting him out of prison. But that butler, the minute he got out, he's so elated with that, goes back to his job and forgets all about poor Joseph. Well, Joseph is not discouraged, but he did not know the details. But you see, God wants to leave him there, friends, for a purpose. Suppose that the butler had gone in to Pharaoh enthusiastically and said, "'Say, I tell you, there's a prisoner down there who ought not to be there. He's innocent. He's been falsely accused, and he interpreted my dream for me. I sure would appreciate it, Pharaoh, if you'd just let him out. Suppose Pharaoh let him out. Don't you see what would have happened, friends? He'd have been back in the home of his father Jacob by the time that Pharaoh needed him to interpret his dream. So God's just going to keep him around, and it's a good place to keep him. You'll know where to find him if you leave him there in that prison. That's what he does.'" And yet Joseph believed that God was moving in his life. Have you ever stopped even at this point to want to put down those things that are discouraging experiences, and yet there were certain fruits to the faith of this man Joseph? He had a real faith through it all. Well, let me give you a list here. First of all, Joseph was faithful in every relationship. Have you ever noticed that? In every relationship of life, he was faithful. We find that he was faithful to Potiphar. He was faithful to him. And we find out that when he's in prison, that he was faithful there to the keeper of the prison. We find that he was faithful to God. He always gave God the glory. And he's faithful to the keeper of the prison, which we've mentioned. Now, we're also going to see that he's faithful to Pharaoh a little later on. And he's also faithful to his own brethren. And it made him faithful. I believe that if you're genuinely a believer, you're going to be faithful. Now we're living in a day when I think one of the most tragic things is happening is the fact there's so few Christians you can depend on today. I have a friend, he's head of a large Christian organization. He and I had an occasion to be sitting together alone in a foreign city, just he and I. And he was telling me something of his problems that he had. And he has a tremendous organization. And he went on to say how few men he could really trust in his organization. And it's a Christian organization. How many men are in that position today? There's so few that are faithful. And there's so few Christians that are faithful today. And we thank God for those that are faithful. And I've always thanked the Lord that he at least put around me everywhere I've ever been a few faithful ones that I tell you they are the dear ones that are of great encouragement. Joseph was that kind of a man. And we find that his faith did something else. He was possessed with an optimistic outlook on life under all the trials and temptations. Down in the pit in Potiphar's house and now in prison. And then Joseph had a sympathetic and kindly attitude toward everyone. His faith did that. Notice how kind he was actually to the butler and to the baker. And later on we'll see to his brethren. And then another thing that his faith did for him made him a very humble man. He gave God the glory in all the relationships and situations of this life. What a wonderful person that he is. What did it? Well, he believed God just as his father Abraham had. And this is the fruit that worked out in his own life. So that now this man is in the back of the prison, down in the dungeon, and he's forgotten it would seem. But someone hadn't forgotten. God hadn't forgotten him. And God was working in his life. Now friends, that has a message for you and me. And let me just suggest it here in closing. And that is, I do not know what your circumstances are right now. But I do know, judging from the letters we get, there's some of you in a hard place. There's one man said to me, I'm between a rock and a hard place. And things look dark. You don't see the way out. And you really wonder whether God cares. Well, the reason God's given us this story of Joseph is he wants you to know that he cares and that he's moving in your life. And if you're his child, and he's not judging you for some particular sin you committed, he's permitting this to happen to you for your good. And even if he's judging you, it's going to be for your good. You can't miss how wonderful our God is.