“But while Joseph was there in the prison, the LORD was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden” (Gen. 39:20-21).
Faithful!
The idea of faithfulness has suffered in our generation. We more often hear stories of betrayal or unfaithfulness than stories about those who are faithful, especially when it comes to marital faithfulness.
According to a Gallup Poll, 73 percent of Americans under the age of 45 believe life spent with the same partner is both unusual and unnecessary.
In another Gallup Poll, 89 percent currently going through divorce cited a family history of divorce as a contributing factor to the demise of their own marriages. From this, we can deduce that when we model unfaithfulness, others are affected by our actions.
The opposite is also true. When we model faithfulness, we influence others to be faithful! When we observe someone who is faithful, whether in marriage or in their walk with God, we are encouraged to be faithful too.
We have some wonderful biblical examples of persons who were faithful. God has given us these accounts to challenge and spur us to follow in their footsteps. Today, we’ll look at the life of one of the best examples—Joseph, the son of Jacob. Two weeks ago in a sermon I used three men from the Bible as case studies. Jacob was the first I talked about. If you remember he tricked his own brother out of the birthright blessing. He was a loser in every sense of the word, but God pursued him and turned his life around. Jacob was blessed with many sons and Joseph was one of them. We are going to look at his life today to learn about faithfulness. 
1. Faithfulness Is a Choice
You and I make choices every day. And every choice we make means not choosing something else. If I’m going to get up and go to work, I must choose to not sleep in. If you choose to study and do homework, you must choose to not watch TV, shoot basketball, play video games, or talk on the phone or computer.
Sometimes we face obstacles to the choices we make. If we want to complete a college education, it’ll cost something in time and money. If we want to be successful in our business, we’ll have to beat the competition. It’s not always easy to follow through on our choices.
It’s the same with being faithful. Faithfulness is a choice, and it’s one we have to stick with if we are to please God. Think about Joseph. He was Jacob’s favored son. For this reason, his brothers envied him. Of course, Joseph also told his brothers about dreams he’d had where they bowed down to him. This infuriated them, and when they had the opportunity, they decided to get rid of him. First, they planned to kill him, but instead they sold him into slavery.
Joseph’s buyers took him to Egypt and sold him to Potiphar, the captain of the guard. Potiphar soon realized Joseph was successful in whatever he did. The Scriptures say the reason for this was because the Lord was with Joseph. As Potiphar benefited from Joseph’s work and God’s blessing, he gave the Hebrew slave more and more responsibility.
But into every life some rain must fall, and Joseph seemed to suffer from periodic downpours. Potiphar’s wife noticed Joseph was successful at everything he did, and was a handsome young man, so she made advances toward him. Joseph’s response is critical for us to hear today. He said, “How could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?” His words are reflected in David’s psalm of repentance to God, “Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight” (Ps. 51:4).
When we’re unfaithful to others, we’re unfaithful to God. Who knows how tempted Joseph was to give in to the advances of Potiphar’s wife? What we do know is Joseph made the choice to remain faithful to his boss, Potiphar, and, more importantly, to his God.
Joseph made the choice to be faithful. And he stuck with it.
Gladys Aylward was a missionary to China more than 60 years ago. She was forced to flee when the Japanese invaded Yangcheng, but she wouldn’t leave her work behind. With only one assistant, she led more than one hundred orphans over the mountains to freedom.
During her harrowing journey out of war-torn Yangcheng, Gladys grappled with despair as never before. After a sleepless night, she faced the morning with no hope of reaching safety. A thirteen-year-old girl in the group reminded her of the much-loved story of Moses and the Israelites crossing the Red Sea.
“But I am not Moses,” Gladys cried in desperation.
“Of course you aren’t,” the girl said, “but Jehovah is still God!”
Regardless of the pressures or temptations we face, God is still God.
What temptation are you facing right now? Maybe you’re struggling to be faithful in your marriage. You’re facing a difficult time, and it isn’t easy. But faithfulness means sticking with the promises you’ve made and trusting God. Maybe you’re struggling financially. You’ve made a commitment to tithe your income, but there are challenges. Remember, times may be tough, but God is still God.
God will not abandon us in any situation—ever. He is always there to help us make the best choices, if we will ask Him for help. Of course, it’s up to us to obey—and as seen in the life of Joseph—obedience is critical to living the life of faith. Is obedience a habit of your life? Do you seek to do the things God wants you to? Do you strive to be faithful in your service to God as you serve Him and others? 
2. Faithfulness Produces Lasting Returns
Let’s get back to the story of Joseph. Do you realize even though Joseph made the right choice to be faithful to God, he still suffered from injustice? Potiphar’s wife falsely accused him, and her husband put Joseph into prison. Later, while in jail, he would interpret the dreams of Pharaoh’s servants, but would be forgotten when one of them returned to the house of his master. When you consider how Joseph—the favored son of Jacob—was mistreated and seemingly forgotten, you might expect him to throw up his hands in frustration and say following God wasn’t worth the effort. But that’s not the way the story reads. Joseph continued to be faithful to his God even though his circumstances were bleak. He used his skills to benefit the jailer and the other prisoners as he had in Potiphar’s house. Joseph was faithful in honoring the Lord and the Lord showed him favor.
Later, when Joseph’s brothers realized their long lost brother was still alive and that he might take revenge on them, Joseph stated that though his brothers meant him ill, God used his negative experiences to bless others. He saw the big picture and God’s hand even in the unpleasant experiences of his life.
Sometimes, it’s difficult for us to see the “big picture.” We focus on the immediate difficulty of our situation or the temptations we face or our own selfish desires. But God wants us to see things from His perspective—and that takes some determination and faith.
The natural inclination of every one of us is to cling to the things we have—to try to keep them for our own benefit. This isn’t unlike the two-year-olds in our nursery. They don’t understand the concept of sharing. Their favorite word is “mine!” We talked about that in the first sermon of this series.
A few years ago the headline of a major supermarket tabloid proclaimed, "And they said it wouldn’t last!" The paper was celebrating the first wedding anniversary of a very well-known couple whose marriage many had predicted wouldn’t last. The tabloid was gleefully proclaiming that the predictions were all wrong, & that the marriage was healthy & strong.
Who were they talking about? Who was this famous couple? It was Michael Jackson & Lisa Marie Presley, whose marriage ended soon afterwards.
Now not only was the tabloid absolutely wrong about the state of their marriage, but it also revealed the weakness of modern society in suggesting that if a marriage lasts one year, it has really lasted.
Hallmark has a card that fits the mood of our time by saying, "I can’t promise you forever, but I can promise you today." That’s about as deep a commitment as some are willing to make.
One of the hot box office attractions several years ago was a movie called "Bridges Over Madison County." It was advertised as "the world’s greatest love story." I didn’t see it, but I did read the reviews. It starred Clint Eastwood as a traveling photographer & Merryl Streep as a housewife. They meet, & begin having an affair. Then, after 4 days, they end it & go their separate ways. And Hollywood called it "the world’s greatest love story."
You see, this world really doesn’t understand faithfulness. If you are taking your moral cues from the culture you are in real trouble. If you sit around watching the garbage that is on TV and in movies and read trashy books you will take in a whole lot more than you think. What we immerse our minds in is what shapes our thinking. Faithfulness comes about because we know the standard of living that this book demands and expects.
Why would someone want to live a life of inconsistency and weakness with no ability to control their actions? No one would but it takes a resolve to commit to God everything, all the time. Being a Christ follower is not a part time job. It’s not weekend work. It is always and forever.
There are going to be things that happen that don’t make sense and call for every ounce of strength and faith that we have but who else are you going to turn to?
Like Joseph sitting in prison, we may be unable to see the end of the story. But God is faithful. If we are faithful in serving Him, He will be faithful in rewarding us.
George Muller began praying for 5 of his friends. He prayed 5 years before the first one was converted; for the next one he prayed 10 years; for the third one 25 years; for the fourth nearly 50 years. The last one was converted after 52 years, at George Muller’s funeral. George Muller was faithful, even unto death. 
3. God Gives Us Gifts and Talents to Bless Others
What are you good at? What are the things you do well, perhaps better than others do? What are your gifts and talents? Now here’s a second question. Why are you good at the things you’re good at? Why has God given you abilities to sing or teach or make money or lead or create? I’ll tell you why: God has given you these gifts for a reason, and that reason is to bless others. Joseph was blessed with gifts and talents that allowed him to be a blessing to the people of Egypt and to the entire Middle East. He continued to prove himself trustworthy and God showed him favor, even in prison.
We have the false notion that others possess greater or better gifts and talents than ours. The reality is God knows each of us and gives each one the gifts we can most effectively use in His service. Whether it’s cleaning the restrooms or preaching the sermon, we each have a responsibility to use our gifts, graces, and talents Almighty God has entrusted to us.
After a classroom discussion on spiritual gifts, a young man asked the professor “Is my gift prophecy or exhortation?” Knowing him very well, the teacher was careful as he responded, “I don’t think either one is your gift. But if I have ever known someone who has the gift of helps, it’s you. You’re sensitive to the needs of other people and always ready to help.”A look of disappointment came over the young man’s face. “I knew it!” he responded.
Struggling with a low self-image, he was pursuing what he wrongly perceived to be a greater gift. You will never be fulfilled trying to become someone you are not.
God hasn’t distributed gifts and talents equally, and for this reason alone we can be assured our sense of self-worth shouldn’t be based on what we do. Our self-acceptance should derive from our identity in Christ and our growth in Christian character. Show me someone who understands who he is as a child of God and whose character exemplifies the fruit of the Spirit, and I will show you someone with a healthy self-image.
God has given you gifts and talents, and they are not for your use alone. They are to be used to bless others. The greatest mistake you can make is to conclude your gifts are somehow better than those of another. In God’s eyes, all gifts are equal because they equally serve the Body—His Church.
When God called Moses to lead the Hebrew people out of slavery, He asked Moses, “What is that in your hand?” He was ready to use Moses and the things Moses had. God asks each of us this same question today. What is in your hand? Do you know what your spiritual gifts are? Have you identified your talents? Are you willing to offer them in faithful service to God? Will you do it?
How do I remain faithful?
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Conclusion
As a way of committing yourself to faithful service in the Kingdom, will you offer your time, talent, treasure, and touch to God? Will you be like Joseph and be faithful to God wherever you are? Will you be faithful regardless of your status? Will you be faithful even when you don’t feel like it? Will you gladly give God yourself and your gifts in faithful devotion and service? George Washington Truett was a preacher in Dallas for 47 years. He once visited a wealthy West Texas rancher for dinner at his huge ranch home. After dinner, the rancher took Dr. Truett to a veranda on top of his house, and lit a big cigar. The sun was setting, and if you’ve ever been to West Texas, you know you can see a long way out there. The man pointed to the south toward some oil rigs and said, “I own everything in that direction as far as you can see.” He pointed east toward some cotton fields and said, “And I own everything in that direction, too.” He pointed north toward a huge herd of cattle and bragged, “And preacher, I own everything as far as you can see in that direction.” He turned to the west, and said, “And I own everything you can see in that direction, except the sun, of course.”
Dr. Truett turned to the man and pointed straight up the sky and said, "And how much do you own in that direction?” The benefits of your faithfulness may come to you in this life, or you may not receive them here. You will have great reward in heaven when you hear God say, “Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into your Master’s rest.” But, you’ll only hear those words and receive lasting rewards if you’ve been faithful to keep God first in your life.
How much do you own in that direction?
The outline and parts of this sermon were provided by Stan Toler (www.stantoler.com)