Joseph remained faithful

He suffered no man to do them wrong: yea, he reproved kings for their sakes; Saying, Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm. Moreover he called for a famine upon the land: he brake the whole staff of bread.

He sent a man before them, even Joseph, who was sold for a servant:

Whose feet they hurt with fetters: he was laid in iron: Until the time that his word came: the word of the Lord tried him. 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: To bind his princes at his pleasure; and teach his senators wisdom. Israel also came into Egypt; and Jacob sojourned in the land of Ham. And he increased his people greatly; and made them stronger than their enemies.

Psalm 105:14-24

God had Joseph right where he needed to be in order to let those come to him that had done him wrong. It seems like he was all but forgotten and it was all very unfair, BUT GOD. He had a plan all along. Joseph was chosen and we are chosen from the very beginning. As sons and daughters, He has made it possible for us to remain faithful because He is faithful. Jesus was the perfect example of counting it all joy because He knew what was coming in the end. It’s all about the ending, that’s why our journey’s matter. We must trust that the greater is coming and God isn’t finished yet. He gets the final say.

So Joseph remained faithful

All throughout history, we see those who have been wrongly accused, abused and misused. But all throughout history, we also see God made a way and used these things for generations to come. We often to see the stronger feeding off of the weaker and the innocent get taken advantage of. Yet we know that Jesus was hated without cause. The cause was, His accusers hated the good in Him because of the evil in them. They despised His goodness. It bothered them so much that they wanted to kill Him. They wanted Him gone. They didn’t want to see Him nor did they want the reminder of His goodness and good works. Evil is still present and prevalent in this world, and always will be until the end. But, through His work, we are over-comers.

Look at the life of Joseph. He had a dream, (remember MLK? He did too) and he shared it prematurely with his brothers and from their jealousy came rage. Their anger birthed sin. He might just rule over them, and they couldn’t stand the thought of that, he was the younger brother! Joseph’s very own brothers sold him into slavery, took his coat that was made for him (remember them casting Jesus’ coat for lots/mockery?) and they lied about his death. People in the same regard will hate and despise you for your goodness and love for Christ. Sometimes even those you love dearly. They will hate the reflection of what they see in them as it mirrors and challenges their faith or lack of. A person of love will only give love but one filled with rage, anger, bitterness, sin and jealousy will only seek to find a way to fill it more. The same ones (type of spirit) that persecuted Him, persecutes us. Jesus said not to be surprised by it, He said if they persecuted Him, they would also persecute us. The enemy in them hates the God in us.

MLK, though not a perfect man, as we are all human, had a specific dream to see slaves freed. His dream was to see brothers and sisters of all races living in equality and unity. His dream, desire and courage to stand up, spurred on others to do just that; come together. It happened although some still misrepresent that which he wanted and thwart what He was truly going for. It be like killing others in the name of Christ. Wrong! So do others still do the same with that which Christ came to do; to set us free. MLK was killed because of his stance. Still today, men, women and children of all backgrounds and color remain and remember his legacy and what he stood for. Jesus was crucified for being Who He was, the Son of God. We are criticized and attacked for standing with Him. Some will criticize what you stand for because they are jealous and stoop beneath because they don’t want to rise above. The evil one had deceived many. They’ll try to figure out a way to silence or take you out of the scene figuratively and sometimes even physically.

Jesus was perfect and without sin. He died but then He rose again. It was part of the plan all along as it was with Joseph. Jesus wasn’t defeated and He now sits on the right hand of God. He also made a way in that, so that we too might overcome. That doesn’t mean things will happen automatically or when we think they should but if we are believers and love, trust and walk according to God’s purposes for our lives, then He promised to work all these things out for our good and His glory. We must believe that so that we can remain faithful. Truth is, if we don’t stand firm in our faith, and what we truly say we believe, then we don’t stand at all.

I mean just really look into the life of Joseph. He endured some pretty crazy stuff. He was treated very unfairly and harsh. Read about it for yourself. YET HE REMAINED FAITHFUL TILL THE END. This was the whole moral of the story. Beginning to end. His dream also came to pass. He recognized what they were trying to do to him but their plan did not prosper. It backfired miserably, although he was imprisoned for years, he came out. In the end it was for the saving of their own lives and many more. Just as Jesus’ plan was for all of humanity. He suffered so that we might be free.

Had Joseph not remained faithful, I don’t know how the story would have ended. God will hold up to His end of the promise but it is for those who comply and hold up to their end to obey, follow and remain faithful through it all. He never promised that it would be easy. He said we would have troubles in this life but that we could be of good cheer, because He overcome the world (all the evil in it). We aren’t of this world, just in it, so that is why we face troubles. It’s often those who trust in Him the most who are also the very ones that seem to be tested and under attack the most. Being a Christian isn’t an easy life, it’s the narrow but good life. Look at all the examples of God’s faithful followers in the Bible whose faith was tried because they believed. We are often tried with what feels like fire just as the 3 men in the fire were. Like Daniel, when we feel like we’ve been thrown into a den or out to the lions. Or like Joseph, when for YEARS, day after day it seems like he was forgotten. Yet God came through in each and every single situation. He told us we’d have troubles but He also promised that He’d never leave us or forsake us because of these troubles.

Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the LORD delivers him out of them all. Psalm 34:19

God sees us right where we are and He delivers us when we trust in Him like these men did. They all refused to bow down to evil of succumb into giving up. Even if they were to perish, they would have remained faithful still. It’s through these difficult times that we are able to see His mighty hand. It’s easy to say we trust in good times but gold is purified and tested by fire, and iron is forged in it. True trust is needed when we have no control over what we want something to be or no insight over what’s going to happen. Trust is just that and faith is believing for what we do not see but believe for it to be. Think about it, if I need surgery, I must trust the surgeon to do his job while I’m asleep and have no control. Otherwise, I resist.

If i’m away and need someone to watch over my goods, I find someone I can trust to be honest and to do their job. Remember the 3 men with the talents? The one with just one talent wasn’t faithful and couldn’t be entrusted with what He had so it was taken. We can trust God. Humans fail us and we fail others, but He will never fail us. It’s just Who He is. But, even when we mess us, He wants us to come to Him confessing, seeking forgiveness and having a repentant heart; to remain faithful. He is forgiving and He is a loving God. He isn’t looking for perfect, He’s looking for willing. Are you? Am I? Aren’t we all looking for trust and loyalty?

For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect (loyal) toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars. 2 Chronicles 16:9

We must trust God but He also must be able to trust us. He’s not looking for perfect people but a perfect heart, one who trust Him! We are none perfect but our hearts can be. The behavior will follow the heart and catch up to it. Is your heart set on Him and to please Him?

The Bible was full of imperfect people who God used and today, this world is still full of imperfect people that He’s willing to use. He is the very same God today as He was then. He alone is perfect, we must be willing to be vessels for His use.

God kept showing Joseph favor all along the way of his sold out journey. He was imprisoned, he was called out to be the kings right hand man. Then just to be sent back to prison. He was lied about, and yet he KEPT doing the right thing faithfully and diligently. He KEPT his integrity EVEN when lied about! That’s why he came out faithful in the end. It takes endurance to run this race, we can’t just quit. There is a prize to be won.

Isn’t that when we find all of this to be most true, when we need it the most? Joseph could have given up, revolted or became better, but yet he remained. He remained in the right mindset with the right attitude and guess what? FINALLY, in the end, God did what He said He’d do! He put him over the whole food supply and his brothers were in need. It was in Joseph’s hand to do them good or to withhold. We know how the story ended. He preserved a whole nation because of his faithfulness to remain till the end. Through all the ups and downs he didn’t quit. We too must remain. God will see us through and through it all He is with us.

Could it be that your trial is proof that He is going to move? The absent of pain is good but we never know healing until we’ve known otherwise. It’s not His absence. It’s proof. Hold on. He remembered His promises to them, He will remember His to you descendant. You are His.  

Keep doing right when everyone else does wrong. Keep going straight when they veer. Go right when they go left. Stay in your own lane. Trust God. Do good. We overcome evil with good. Stand firm. Stand fast. Remain faithful. Wait and see! SEE TO IT that no one takes your crown and the ONLY way to do that, is to remain faithful to God Who created you. Keep doing His work. Pay no attention to the enemy. Know his tactics, lest you get sidetracked then derailed. Know it is all just to distract so you won’t run your race, wear your crown or win your prize. Keep pressing. Seek to do what’s right. What does He require? Do that. Remain firm till the end, till you see the victory.

Just maybe you were chosen for such a time as this like Joseph and like Esther to help and save the very people that need you, and even those who are against you. It’s the whole reason Jesus came. It was for such a time as this. And your life is no different than theirs and God makes no mistakes. He chose and used Mary for a carrier of His Son. He chose and used Esther, a little jewish girl to become a Queen and save her people. He chose and used David, a shepherd boy for a king. He chose and wants to use you.

He sees what is happening. He knows what has been done to you. No matter how much you think He’s forgotten, know He hasn’t. No matter how much you want to quit, persist. He’s coming for you. He hasn’t forgotten you. Nothing could be further from truth. The teacher is most silent during a test. This is only a test. Even when we don’t see it, He’s working. Even when we don’t feel it, He’s still working. He never stops working. He’s behind the scenes, bringing the darkness into the light. Every deed exposed, every hidden agenda seen. Evil will not prevail, God has. The battle is already won and He goes before us. He stand behind us. He is with-in us. So, even when we’re going through hard times , it’s not that He’s left but that He’s going to use it and turn it around for a testimony. Our story and His glory.

Do not deliver me to the will of my adversaries; For false witnesses have risen against me, And such as breathe out violence. I would have lost heart, unless I had believed That I would see the goodness of the LORD In the land of the living. Psalm 27:12-13

Still I am certain..... I remain confident and firm... I believe.....

Wait on the LORD; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the LORD! Psalm 27:14