May it please almighty God to
bless us together this evening as we meditate in his holy word. Let's turn to the Acts of the
Apostles, chapter 7, and we'll read verse 9. The Acts of the
Apostles, chapter 7, and reading verse 9. And the patriarchs moved with
envy, sold Joseph into Egypt, but God was with him. What a great difference the last
five words mean in this ninth verse. You can read and recognise
that this was true in a very sad situation, that his brothers
were moved to sell him into Egypt. But the great blessing was that
God was with him. And of course they didn't realise
what they were really doing. What they were doing they were
fulfilling. God's will and purpose on behalf of Joseph. What we recognize in such words
is God moves in mysterious ways. He did in the case before us. He does in so many cases recorded
in the word of God. And no doubt, still in our lives
today, if we have spiritual eyes to observe what God is doing,
to realise in our lives, He moves in mysterious ways. Now then, the great truth was
that God was with him. Again, we have this little word,
but the patriots move with envy. sold Joseph in Egypt, but God
was with him. We won't go through in detail
the life of Joseph, we will mention a few points. How it was amazing,
how God was with him, and how God wonderfully blessed him. Prior to that he'd been a shepherd,
as far as we know, without anything particularly outstanding. We
know he'd had those two dreams, which were the reason why his
brethren, the patriarchs, were jealous, because they didn't
want to think that those dreams were in any way true with respect
to themselves. But the great truth was that,
first of all, those dreams emanated from God. God's plan was clear
for Joseph. And yet, you see, Joseph had
to endure much hardship, many difficulties along the way. It wasn't plain sailing. And
we might think in our lives, well, if God's with us, there's
not going to be any problem. Everything's going to go very
smoothly. Well, the reality is it's often
the opposite. The great encouragement is to
know that God is with us, just like he was with Joseph, but
God was with him. And to realize the way that we
take cannot be wrong if Jesus be but there. And that means
if the Lord is with us to encourage us and to direct us and to speak
to us and to show us that we're not out of the secret. We're
not out of the way. But the Lord is dealing with
us as sons and daughters of the most high God. And that's a very
humbling and a very wonderful realization. And so we see that
Joseph was sold. Sold to Potiphar. Potiphar bought him as a slave. But you see, God was with him. God was with him in Potiphar's
house. And God blessed him and strengthened
him. And again, we might think naturally
or surely that God couldn't have been with him to allow that situation
which developed. When Potiphar's wife tried to
entice Joseph and he refused to be enticed, and then Potiphar's
wife told her husband that he'd tried to seduce her. Completely
wrong. And because of that, he was put
in prison. It's interesting, isn't it, to
think that there was a righteous act and for that he was put in
prison. We shouldn't therefore judge
a situation. We shouldn't be surprised in
our lives when perhaps things work in an opposite way, a contrary
way. And we may be very, very surprised
at the situation which has developed. We may not always realise the
reason for it. But the great fact was that God
was with Joseph. And then, as we know, he was
in prison. But when he was in prison, God
didn't leave him. God indeed was with him in that
prison. And we're told in the Book of
Psalms about the wonderful fact that how God was indeed with
him. And in the 115th Psalm, We can read about that. We're told in Psalm 105 rather. Moreover, he called for a family
upon the land. This is God. He break the whole
staff of bread. He sent a man before them, even
Joseph, who was sold for a servant. And this is what we're told about
him, whose feet they hurt with fetters. He was laid in iron. He hadn't done anything wrong.
And yet there he was, in prison, in fetters, in iron. And we're
told, until the time that his word came, the word of the Lord
tried him. And that's still true today.
God's word is tested. It's tried. if God speaks to
us we can believe that that word will be tested as to whether
it emanated from God but you see what we know is in this case
there was a set time a set time from all eternity when it would
be revealed to Joseph the reason for this situation, because we're
told, the king, none less, the king sent and loosed him, even
the ruler of the people, and let him go free. He made him
lord of his house and ruler of all his substance. So we see how in that very singular
way this word was fulfilled. But God was with him. And of course God was with him,
not only then when he was delivered, but God was with him in the position
that he was placed by Pharaoh. God greatly blessed him. And
so as he was able then to look back in his life, he would have
seen how God was with him. He hadn't observed it because
he was tried and tested about no doubt his dream. Was it from
God? Was it true? Why was he then
in this situation? Was it false? Had he misinterpreted
it? Well, God had a time, a perfect
time. You see, lots of things had to
occur before the fulfillment of God's promise to him came
to pass. And it was still some time before,
in actual fact, that actually occurred when his brothers and
Father came and bowed down to him, but it did come to pass. And we should be thankful to
know and to believe that God is with his people. And what
he said does come to pass, comes to pass perhaps in a very different
way to what we would expect. You know, we can look, can't
we, at the great and glorious time of the birth of the Saviour. No one expected it to occur in
the way it did. They expected the Saviour to
come as a great and glorious natural King. But no, He came
with a very humble birth. A very humble birth. He could
not have been more humble. We see how God's work appears. But we know that with the blessed
Saviour, His Father was with Him and helped Him and strengthened
Him in the difficult time that He had when He lived upon this
earth. But we read and we're thankful
for it, the Lord Jesus did His Father's will. That's a great
blessing, isn't it? If you and I receive grace to
do God's will, it may appear to be a strange path. It may appear to be the opposite
way to what we expected. You see, we can sometimes be
directed by God and we can put our interpretation on the outcome. And that interpretation can sometimes
be very wrong. Because remember this, God's
way is to bring honour and glory to himself. God brought honour
and glory in the life of Joseph. Joseph could never have imagined
when he was in his father's household and had those dreams, that the
plan of God was such that he would be next to the king of
Pharaoh in charge of so many things. You see, God had his
plan. And it's good therefore to be
able to come and commit our way unto the Lord, believing that
he will guide us and that he is guiding us. You know, the
great truth is that God guides all of his children. All of us,
we don't walk in a path which is the wrong path. We're told
very clearly, aren't we? Like the Israelites were. The word tells us, he led them
forth by the right way. that they might go to a city
of habitation. And that's true in your life
and my life today, if we are the people of God. He leads us
forth. He, Almighty God, leads us. And that should be a very humbling
consideration, to think that the ruler, creator of the universe,
the Almighty God, planned in eternity past a path, a direction,
for you and me, so that you and I will be able to say, by the
grace of God, he led me forth by the right way. And also to
be able to come and say, I am what I am, not because of my
ability, but because God has been gracious to me, because
God has blessed me. And we should always be concerned
to acknowledge God's mercy toward us, and God's favour toward us
and God's direction toward us. We should never think that what
we plan is of our own doing, of our own ability. It's what
God does for us. Well, we've of course seen Joseph's
case. He was there and in Egypt, placed
in that eminent position and in due time, It was several years,
as we know. There were seven years of plenty. First of all, he was placed there.
We don't know what time elapsed. And then it was seven years of
plenty. And then there were a couple
of years of famine before Joseph's brethren came to see him. So there'd be many years, hadn't
there? There'd already been 17 years when he'd been in Egypt. Now there's extra years. So we
should not be unduly concerned. In our lives, if things don't
appear to be working out, if our timescale seems to not be
very true. We should realise that God has
a higher way. God has an amazingly right way. And what a favour it was that
Joseph was placed in this position, you see, and he was very aware
that it was God that gave him the wisdom to be able to explain
the dreams that Pharaoh had. He didn't claim any virtue himself. He gave honour to Almighty God. And it's good, my friends, when
we're able to do just that. To give honour and glory to Almighty
God. Well, we know then there was
the case of Joseph. But there's other cases in the
Word of God. And it's good sometimes to just
meditate on these truths and be encouraged in our little lives
that God was with him. To have the gracious encouragement
to believe that God is with us. God is with us. You remember,
no doubt, the accounts in Daniel. two really very outstanding accounts. First of all, when there were
those three men who refused to bow down to the king, Shadrach,
Meshach and Abednego. Yes, they were told to bow down
to the idol, but they refused. When the music sounded, they
wouldn't bow down. And the king told them, they
knew what the result was. What was the result? to be thrown
into the burning fiery furnace but they were still steadfast
in their belief and my friends it's a great strength it should
be to us to read accounts like that we don't know what the future
holds but it would be a blessing to realise that in their case
God was with them in a really amazing way and a really wonderful
deliverance because when we think they refused to bow down to the
king and the result was they were thrown into the burning
fiery furnace and it was heated seven times hotter than normal
so hot it consumed those that threw them into the furnace but
you see we read farther on that the king got up and He couldn't
believe it. He said, did we not cast three
people into the furnace? And behold, I see four. And the
fourth is like unto the Son of Man. You see, what a wonderful
blessing that was. God was with them in that wonderfully
personal way. What a gracious God we have. And we're told that when they
came out of the furnace, there wasn't even the smell of fire
upon them. No doubt we know that fire is
very powerful and the smell is very strong. but there wasn't
even the smell of fire upon them God was with them what a wonderful
testimony what a wonderful encouragement surely for us and then we have
Daniel himself who again refused to refuse to obey the king they
were told not to pray not to pray to God well we see really
similar situations today don't we where every effort is made
to stop people even praying in their mind. Yes, the devil's
still at work. He hates prayer. He hates people
praying in whatever way, in whatever situation, and he's endeavouring
to stop it well we have that case that the enemies of God
thought they would stop Daniel once and for all they told the
king hey look this man's not obeying what you're saying you
know what the law is according to the laws the Medes and Persians
and it can't be changed that's right isn't it and the king agreed
the king couldn't go back on his word so he had to allow these
people to throw Daniel into the lion's den. It's very interesting
to read about the king. He couldn't sleep that night.
He couldn't sleep. He got up early in the morning
and ran to the cave and cried out, is thy God able to deliver
thee from the lions.' Daniel responded, My God has shut the
lion's mouth. And therefore he was brought
up alive. They hadn't touched him and then
those that had thrown him into that lion's den were then thrown
in and they were all crushed and killed by the lions even
before they came to the bottom of the pit you see how God was
with Daniel and so perhaps we might be fearful of figuratively
not actually being thrown to the lions God is able to deliver but God
was with him what a mercy then in our lives today to realize
that God is with us what a blessing it is to understand that God
does not leave his people we have so many wonderful examples
in the history of our nation go back to the days of the Reformation
and Many people were martyred for their faith. They would not
give up their faith. And the result was they were
often burnt at the stake. But the reality was that God
was with them. Even in that terrible trial,
terrible difficulty, God did not fail them. And what a mercy
then for us today in our lives to realise that God is with us. And what a blessing it is that
if that evidence is shown to us in such a way that Lord leads
us and directs us so that we are blessed with a greater union
with the Lord Jesus Christ. And we're blessed. with fellowship
with himself. This is a wonderful blessing
and a wonderful privilege. And it's something that naturally,
perhaps, we turn away from. But what a blessing it is to
realize that God was with him, Joseph. What a blessing it is
to know today that God is with us. And what a mercy therefore
if we are able to stand strong and firm for the truth of God. And God comes alongside us and
shows us the reason for the pathway that is leading us in. Come back
to the words we already quoted. He led them forth by the right
way. And the right way is to bring
us closer to the Saviour. Yes, the Apostle Paul, as we
often remind you in the third chapter of the Philippians, he
knew what it was, how blessed it was. And he wanted to know
more and more of Christ and Him crucified. Yes, that I might
know Him was his great desire. Is that our great desire? Now the apostle Paul, like all
the apostles, they didn't have an easy life, but God was with
him. God was with him. God was with
Peter. Peter was put in prison. God
was with him. God delivered him in an amazing
way. Yes, the chains fell off him. The doors opened and he was let
out of the prison. God was with him. He'd been faithful
in those things which he'd said. And then, of course, we have
the case of Paul and Silas. They were imprisoned. They had
difficulty, didn't they? They'd been preaching the gospel. The devil hates the gospel being
preached. he does all he can to shut it
down well they were faithful they preached the gospel and
they were imprisoned but God was with them and I often think
it's very amazing truth to think that they were there put in the
stocks wouldn't have been very comfortable wouldn't have had
a comfortable mattress to lie upon they would have been in
the stocks on the hard floor and not only that they'd been
beaten with lashes upon their backs very great sores and what
did they do? did they moan? did they groan? they sang praises unto God yes they rejoiced in
that they were worthy to suffer for His sake. It really brings
us, doesn't it, to the true heart of true religion. To be willing
to suffer for His sake. All those people that we've just
run through quickly, they all had to suffer. But God was with
them. God was gracious to them. Of
course, in the case of Paul and Silas, there was indeed a wonderful
outcome, a wonderful deliverance. And through that, there was that
blessing to the Philippian jailer. We don't know how God will work,
what God will do. But the great concern should
be in our little lives, is to be faithful to our God and to
desire to be blessed with fellowship, union, communion with the Lord
Jesus Christ. The reality is, if we don't enter
into these times of opposition and difficulties, we won't understand,
we won't appreciate what the glorious Saviour suffered on
our behalf. And so you know it's a mercy
if when the Lord leads us into these things we recognise as
we consider these things that it is God's gracious goodness
toward us in blessing us and granting us that union and communion
with the Lord Jesus Christ. The truth is such favours are
really the greatest blessings that you and I can have on this
earth. You know we can possess the whole
earth and it won't really satisfy and it won't really do us any
true good. What a wonderful favour to have
the evidence of God's love and God's mercy toward us as he allows
us to enter into that fellowship with his sufferings. What a favour. But God was with him. And to know then, in those situations,
that God is with us. It puts everything right. And
it enables us to recognise that God is dealing with us for our
soul's eternal good. He's dealing with us as his sons
and his daughters of the Most High. He's not leaving us just
to wander on aimlessly through this poor old sinful world and
then drop into hell. He's leading us in a right way
where he instructs us. where he shows us the need of
salvation. He shows us the evil of our heart. He shows us the sinfulness of
our fallen nature. And what does he do? He brings
us to Calvary. There we see the glory of the
gospel fulfilled in the death of the Saviour, dying, giving
his life so that you and I may possess the wonderful gift of
eternal life. This is the great and glorious
plan of the Gospel. So, in this situation, no doubt
we will not have to suffer like those did in those days of the
martyrs, but nonetheless, sometimes God brings these things into
our minds it's the inner man we don't really perhaps others
don't recognize it don't see it externally but the soul knows
its own bitterness yes the soul knows how God is dealing with
them and it's a great encouragement to realize that we're not being
left to wander on aimlessly in this poor old sinful world. Joseph had to suffer all those
years, all those years, and we're told he was tried. It wasn't
just, he wasn't content and said, well, this is all right, I'm
happy with this. The question was, no doubt to
him, very often, was that dream of God? Was it false? was it of the flesh? sometimes
we may come into a similar situation and question
perhaps the word of the Lord question what is spoken to us
well the Lord deals with us in a direct and yet a peculiar way
because we're told he will be inquired of and we are to seek
under him why perhaps we're having to walk this path and it would
be a wonderful blessing if the Lord speaks to us and tells us
to make us conformable unto his image that's not of the flesh
you and I would never choose that way but God brings us into
that way none of these people that we've spoken of this evening
would choose the path that they were brought into before or after
but they knew afterwards it was a blessing and they were given
grace to submit to the will and power of Almighty God ever willing
to suffer for His sake that's the secret isn't it made willing
in the day of His power to suffer for His sake without that power
of God we would not be given that strength but God gives us
strength to stand in the evil day now remember the devil never
gives up the devil never gives up he's always trying to turn
us away from fellowship with the Saviour. But it's good if
you and I can examine God's dealings with us and be able to trace
out His mercy toward us. You see, if you look through
the history of the Church of God, you can go right back and
you can read of David's case, can't you? You see how he knew
he would be king and yet he was chased around by Saul and yet
you see he'd been a favourite with Saul and yet you see he
had to endure. He had to endure opposition and
he had to endure opposition even from his own son Absalom who
tried to usurp him and also his second son who tried to claim
the crown opposition but God was with him we're thankful we
therefore there are these testimonies in the word of God we're thankful
for a word like this here was Stephen himself on this occasion
God was with him without any doubt and God enabled him to
give this great and glorious testimony he'd spoken before
to the learned people and the high priest asked him, are these
things so? He could have ducked out of it
but now he was faithful faithful in all the things that he said,
and especially as he came right down to the end when he told
them very clearly, ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and
ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost as your fathers did,
so do ye. He put it very clearly on the
line, didn't he? He didn't duck out of the issue. and told them, which of the prophets
have not your fathers persecuted? And they have slain them, which
showed before of the coming of the just one, of whom ye have
been now the betrayers and murderers, who have received the law by
the disposition of angels and have not kept it. Then you see
they were cut to their heart, all those that opposed him. And
the result, of course, was that he was stoned. But we realize,
as he was able to say in this verse, but God was with him and
God was with Stephen on this occasion, because we're told
and what he actually said, he said, Behold, I see the heaven
open. and the Son of Man standing on
the right hand of God. They couldn't stand it, could
they? No, they stopped their ears and ran upon him and cast
him out of the city and stoned him. And they stoned Stephen,
calling upon God and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. And he kneeled down and cried
with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. The effect? of the grace of God. And when he had said this, he
fell asleep. Well, but God was with him. Well, may all of us in our little
lives prove the wonderful blessing of God being with us. Amen.