Be Faithful in the Land (season) of your Affliction—it is Temporary, You are a Citizen of Heaven!
And Ahab called Obadiah, which
was the governor of his house. (Now Obadiah feared the Lord greatly: 4 For it was so,
when Jezebel cut off the prophets of the Lord,
that Obadiah took an hundred prophets, and hid them by fifty in a cave, and fed
them with bread and water.) 1 Kings 18:3-4 (KJV)
If the world hate you, ye know
that it hated me before it hated you. 19 If ye were of the world,
the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have
chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. 20 Remember
the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If
they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my
saying, they will keep yours also. 21 But all these things will
they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me. 22 If
I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no
cloke for their sin. 23 He that hateth me hateth my Father also. 24 If
I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had
sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father. 25 But
this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in
their law, They hated me without a cause. John 15:18-25 (KJV)
The words of Nehemiah the son
of Hachaliah. And it came to pass in the month Chisleu, in the twentieth year,
as I was in Shushan the palace, 2 That Hanani, one of my brethren, came,
he and certain men of Judah; and I asked them concerning the Jews that
had escaped, which were left of the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem. 3 And
they said unto me, The remnant that are left of the captivity there in the
province are in great affliction and reproach: the wall of Jerusalem
also is broken down, and the gates thereof are burned with fire. 4 And
it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and
mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven Neh
1:1-4 (KJV)
But Daniel purposed in his heart
that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor with
the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs
that he might not defile himself. 9 Now God had brought Daniel into favour
and tender love with the prince of the eunuchs. 10 And the prince of the
eunuchs said unto Daniel, I fear my lord the king, who hath appointed your meat
and your drink: for why should he see your faces worse liking than the children
which are of your sort? then shall ye make me endanger my head to
the king. 11 Then
said Daniel to Melzar, whom the prince of the eunuchs had set over Daniel,
Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, 12 Prove thy servants, I beseech thee,
ten days; and let them give us pulse to eat, and water to drink. 13 Then
let our countenances be looked upon before thee, and the countenance of the
children that eat of the portion of the king's meat: and as thou seest, deal
with thy servants. 14 So he consented to them in this matter, and proved
them ten days. 15 And at the end of ten days their countenances
appeared fairer and fatter in flesh than all the children which did eat the
portion of the king's meat. 16 Thus Melzar took away the portion of
their meat, and the wine that they should drink; and gave them pulse. 17 As
for these four children, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and
wisdom: and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams. 18 Now
at the end of the days that the king had said he should bring them in, then the
prince of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar. 19 And
the king communed with them; and among them all was found none like Daniel,
Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: therefore stood they before the king. 20 And
in all matters of wisdom and understanding, that the king enquired of
them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and
astrologers that were in all his realm. 21 And Daniel continued even
unto the first year of king Cyrus. Dan 1:8-21 (KJV)
For if God spared not the angels
that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into
chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment; 5 And spared not the
old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of
righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly; 6 And
turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with
an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live
ungodly;
7 And
delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: 8 (For
that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his
righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;) 9 The
Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the
unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished: 10 But chiefly them that walk
after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government.
Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of
dignities. 11 Whereas
angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation
against them before the Lord. 12 But these, as natural brute beasts,
made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand
not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption; 13 And
shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it
pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting
themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you; 14 Having
eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable
souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children: 15 Which
have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the
son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; 16 But
was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man's voice forbad the
madness of the prophet. 17 These are wells without water, clouds
that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for
ever. 18 For
when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the
lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean
escaped from them who live in error. 19 While they promise them
liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is
overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage. 20 For if after they have
escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and
Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the
latter end is worse with them than the beginning. 21 For it had been
better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they
have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. 22 But
it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is
turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in
the mire. 2 Peter 2:4-22 (KJV)
And Joseph was brought down to
Egypt; and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian,
bought him of the hands of the Ishmeelites, which had brought him down thither.
2 And
the Lord was with Joseph, and he
was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian. 3 And
his master saw that the Lord was
with him, and that the Lord made
all that he did to prosper in his hand. 4 And Joseph found grace in
his sight, and he served him: and he made him overseer over his house, and all that
he had he put into his hand. 5 And it came to pass from the time that
he had made him overseer in his house, and over all that he had, that the Lord blessed the Egyptian's house for
Joseph's sake; and the blessing of the Lord
was upon all that he had in the house, and in the field. 6 And
he left all that he had in Joseph's hand; and he knew not ought he had, save
the bread which he did eat. And Joseph was a goodly person, and
well favoured.
He resists the temptation of his master’s wife
7 And
it came to pass after these things, that his master's wife cast her eyes upon
Joseph; and she said, Lie with me. 8 But he refused, and said
unto his master's wife, Behold, my master wotteth not what is with me in
the house, and he hath committed all that he hath to my hand; 9 There
is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back any thing
from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this
great wickedness, and sin against God? 10 And it came to pass, as she
spake to Joseph day by day, that he hearkened not unto her, to lie by her, or
to be with her. 11 And it came to pass about this time, that Joseph
went into the house to do his business; and there was none of the men of
the house there within. 12 And she caught him by his garment,
saying, Lie with me: and he left his garment in her hand, and fled, and got him
out.
He was falsely accused
13 And
it came to pass, when she saw that he had left his garment in her hand, and was
fled forth, 14 That
she called unto the men of her house, and spake unto them, saying, See, he hath
brought in an Hebrew unto us to mock us; he came in unto me to lie with me, and
I cried with a loud voice: 15 And it came to pass, when he heard
that I lifted up my voice and cried, that he left his garment with me, and
fled, and got him out. 16 And she laid up his garment by her, until his lord
came home. 17 And
she spake unto him according to these words, saying, The Hebrew servant, which
thou hast brought unto us, came in unto me to mock me: 18 And
it came to pass, as I lifted up my voice and cried, that he left his garment
with me, and fled out.
Joseph in prison
19 And
it came to pass, when his master heard the words of his wife, which she spake
unto him, saying, After this manner did thy servant to me; that his wrath was
kindled. 20 And
Joseph's master took him, and put him into the prison, a place where the king's
prisoners were bound: and he was there in the prison. 21 But
the Lord was with Joseph, and
shewed him mercy, and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison.
22 And
the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph's hand all the prisoners that were
in the prison; and whatsoever they did there, he was the doer of it. 23 The
keeper of the prison looked not to any thing that was under his hand;
because the Lord was with him, and
that which he did, the Lord
made it to prosper. Gen 39:1-23 (KJV)
False
prophets abound in these last days before our Lord’s return (1 Timothy 4,
Matthew 24, 2 Timothy 3) and many follow them. But each day the return of our
Lord and Savior draws closer! Stay alert like the 5 wise virgins in Matthew 25
(for more on this, listen to A Tale of Two Believers by Vincent Newfield
at http://www.sermon.net/reallifeanswers/sermonid/1199876724
).
Keep your righteousness in the hard times.
Righteousness means two things in Scripture either right living (holiness) or
right relationship, right position with the Lord through Jesus Christ. Do not
try to march on in your own strength, but depend on the Spirit and grace
(Christ’s righteousness). Yet take personal responsibility for your conduct and
choices (right living).
