Second in Command - Josephs Greatest Temptation

Second In Command - Joseph's Greatest Temptation

Tween - Teen

Joseph was taught from youth to love God with all his heart.  He knew the pain of losing a parent to death.  He knew what it felt like to be hated.  He knew hurt that some people will never know but Joseph stayed faithful to God.  He still looked to God.

The bible does not tell us what Joseph went through while on the dusty trail to slavery.  It doesn't tell us if he felt fearful or if he spent nights in silent tears.  He doesn't tell us how painful it was to have to say goodbye in his heart to his dearly loved dad and brother but we know he did suffer because he was human.

His only true friend was God.  He manned up! so to speak (even though the Bible refers to him as a child.)  He put his confidence in God and He did things God's way.  He held on to every truth he ever knew.  He held tight to what he was taught.  Good thing he knew the word of God, or he would have never made it.  God was his best friend and that's the way it needs to be for you and me too.  Did Joseph have hurt in his heart?  Yes, he did, but yet He would become a (great) very important

man of God and is a picture ( an example ) of our Saviour. 
  
After a journey of hardship, he entered into a new awareness.  He entered into the halls of riches.  The riches of Egypt and also God's will for his life.  His dreams were becoming a reality.  He became the servant of a very rich man.  He would live and work in a royal existence.   God made everything he did to prosper.  He became a
slave to an officer of the Pharaoh.  His name was Potiphar.  Joseph served God and did his work as unto the Lord God.  He was favored and He was trusted.  He served Potipher with respect and honor.  He became so trusted that He was given charge over Potiphar's entire household.  The only thing Potiphar had to do was decide what he was having for dinner.  Potipher became richer and richer.  God blessed Potiphar's home for Joseph's sake.  Everything Joseph did was blessed and prospered.
He was the second in command.

Then came a day of trouble, a day of temptation.  Something difficult to deal with.
Something he did not expect.  Something that would change everything for him.
Potiphar's wife looked upon Joseph and became attracted to him.  She came on to him in a way unbecoming.  Joseph's life was suddenly in peril.  He immediately reacted with unbelief and searched for the next exit.  He ran for his life, being a slave his life
was in danger.  He escaped but his garment was left in her hand which she later used to
accuse him falsely. 


( Still Working Here)



 Psalms 119:11 
Thy word have I hid in mine heart, 
that I might not sin against thee.

Psalms 31:23
O love the LORD, all ye his saints: 
for the LORD preserveth the faithful, and
 plentifully rewardeth the proud doer.


Genisis 39 1-23

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.
 And the LORD was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man, and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian.
 And his master saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD made all that he did to prosper in his hand.
 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.
 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.
 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.
 And it came to pass after these things, that his master's wife cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said, Lie with me.
 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;
 There is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back anything from me but thee, because of thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?
 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.
 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.
 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.
 And it came to pass, when she saw that he had left his garment in her hand, and was fled forth,
 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: 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.
 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:
 And it came to pass, as I lifted up my voice and cried, that he left his garment with me, and fled out.
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.
 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.
 But the LORD was with Joseph, and shewed him mercy, and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison. 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.
 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.

Poetry And Other Materials On This Site Can Be Freely Used For Christian Bible Centered Non-Profit Ministries And must Remain Unchanged In Any Way. All Other Purposes Are With Permission Only. You May Make Requests At treasurebox18@yahoo.com - All my poems with stories are both real and fictional designed to illustrate a biblical truth. All Rights Reserved. Please Include Site Name And Proper Credit Back To This Blog. Thank-You.

Richard - Story of a Young Teen

Richard

Story Of A Young Teen

Richard was just like any other little boy.  He could run and jump and play. Richard was raised mostly by a single mother who loved him and took care of him. When Richard was in his early teens something changed his whole life.  He didn't know it would happen to him. He wasn't expecting it to happen to him. 

Richard's friend's church had a youth activity planned for the evening and I'm sure Richard was looking forward to spending some time with his friend. When they did get together, I'm sure like most teens they were laughing and having a great time kidding and joking around like teenagers normally do. His friend's sister was with them and his friend's dad was driving.

What Richard and his friends didn't know was that there was a young suicidal mother of four children driving on the wrong side of the road and coming at them at an alarming speed. The mother had drugged all four of her children and went on a suicidal mission. 

She struck the van by surprise when the tragedy took place. That very sad day all four children died that were in the car and everyone died that were riding in the van except one, Richard. The young mother lived and Richard lived. 

Richard was covered by his best friends blood and he was aware that his friend was dead and had been thrown through the back of the vehicle and the van landed on top of him. He said he could smell death all around him.

 Richard recalled a young red-headed man who came to his aid to comfort him while trapped inside the vehicle. The young man managed to get his hand into the van and laid his hand upon him and prayed.  Richard said He became concerned for the man because he was shaking very hard. He prayed for the man even though his own life was in jeopardy and he had lost his dear friends.  

Rescue workers told Richard's mother that there was no possible way anyone could have been able to get their hand into Richard. Witnesses said that they saw no one with red hair near the vehicle at any time.  Richards mother on more than one occasion had made a request that the man come forward during television interviews.  She wanted to thank him but no one responded.  To this day Richard and his mother wonder if God had sent Richard an angel.

He was rescued but was told by doctors that he would never walk again. Richard's body was terribly mangled and twisted. His arm hung by tenants and had to be reinforced by metal stakes. He spent around six months at a children's hospital and was a roommate to a burn victim.  My husband collects pop tabs along with people from his work for burned children. Richard said he thinks about that boy every time he opens a pop can. 

Now I know God doesn't always work this way, but after a time God had allowed a new bone to grow in Richards' leg.  Richards left femur was shattered but out of one of the broken pieces another bone grew and wrapped around the other broken pieces and became a complete bone. The doctor said it was miraculous. God put all the broken pieces together and it became a complete bone. He walks slightly different still to this day.  He kind of reminds me of my dad who also walked differently because of having polio in his early childhood, only Richard's limp is not as noticeable.  Anyway, for some reason, God had provided Richard with a new bone. Maybe we will never really know why, but for some reason, God wanted to do it that way.

Doctors have been able to provide artificial limbs for many people who would not be able to walk otherwise. God sometimes provides his miracles through doctors who have devoted their lives to provide a way for a disabled person to live a heather happier life. No matter how it is provided God has his hand in the details of each of our lives and has been merciful in allowing us to find a way for people with a disability to survive independently. 

Richard had to grieve the loss of his precious friends. He probably wondered why he was the only survivor from the van. It took him a long time to get through the knowledge that the mother of the four children lived when she caused the death of her own children and his friends.

I will be back soon to give you an update on forgiveness.

If you have any information concerning this story please send it to susannikitenko@gmail.com as soon as possible. Thanks.   If you have anything to ask Richard yourself, please send your questions as well.

True Story: Susan Nikitenko

Poetry And Other Materials On This Site Can Be Freely Used For Christian Bible Centered Non-Profit Ministries And must Remain Unchanged In Any Way. All Other Purposes Are With Permission Only. You May Make Requests At treasurebox18@yahoo.com - All my poems with stories are both real and fictional designed to illustrate a biblical truth. All Rights Reserved. Please Include Site Name And Proper Credit Back To This Blog. Thank-You.

Lesson: The Hurt Heart

Follow Here: Love God: Forgiveness Apple

Prayer:

Song: 

Scripture Verse:

 Matthew 18:32-33

Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him,

 O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because

thou desiredst me: Shouldest not thou also have had compassion

 on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee?

The Hurt Heart

    Let us start our class today by saying the pledge to the bible.  When we say the pledge we are making a promise to make (God's Word) what guides us in life through not only the best times of our lives but also the  darkest times in our lives.

    In life we have many hurts.  It could be a hurt that is temporary or a hurt that lasts a lifetime.  The hurts that last a lifetime are the ones that get to the heart.  In the pledge we promise to hide God's Word in our heart.  We do this by memorizing and understanding scripture.  The reason we hide God's Word in our heart is because it is through the heart our choices are made.  Our choices are made by either how we feel, our circumstances or what we want.   If we are right with God,  they will be made by prayer and what we  are taught in scripture first.  God knows that the devil wants our heart. 

     The devil will tempt us at the times we our most vulnerable, the times our heart has been hurt, at one of the very darkest points of grief or discouragement.  In these times we must follow what we know is true.  in a time of confusion, we can decipher  the truth from the fiction of what we are feeling and also from other people around us.

    

A couple weeks ago I surprised our church family by entering the room wearing a sheriff's badge.  They all called me Sheriff Susan.   They were all curious about it, but nobody asked.  Then we dismissed to Sunday School.  I told them  a story I heard a long time ago.  I heard about a police officer that was shot at while he was on duty.  Something kept him from being killed, something unusual.  The bullet hit his badge.  The badge kept the bullet from hitting his heart.  So I told the kids the true story of how the officer was saved by his badge.  The bible tells us to wear a shield, it is not a police badge, but is the shield of faith. 

     We are saved by faith, by taking God at His word.  Being saved by faith is our protection from belonging to the devil. While living by faith and hiding God's Word in our hearts is our shield against the fiery darts of the devil.

Now Today:

     I mentioned to them about the police officers that were killed checking out a 911 hang-up call.  They were shot and killed suddenly.  My husband knew one of them.  They grew up together, played football together and he attended our very small wedding 31 years ago.

    We heard of another shooting which Pastor prayed over this morning.  A deadly school shooting in Florida where many died.  I think about the coach that blocked the bullets from killing some of the students.  I'm sure He was a really big guy - most coaches are.  These violent killings happened because of hate, because of anger, because someones heart was being managed by the devil himself.  The young men who killed these valiant men and many other innocent people - had something messed up in their hearts.  When it's young people doing the shooting, we must talk about it.

    In sunday school,  I held my bible up over my heart and said..."Kids, the devil wants your heart and he wants it wounded. I'm not talking about your physical heart. I'm talking about your soul the very being of who you are.   He wants you to be bitter.  He wants you to stay angry. People will disappoint us, people could turn there backs on us, people you thought would always be there. but Jesus will never leave you nor forsake you.  There may not be anyone to cry to, no one to listen, but Jesus is your comforter, your shield your help in times of trouble.  The only defense we have as people against the fiery darts of satan is a Really Big shield.  I held the bible up over my heart and I pounded my hand on the Bible that covered my heart.  The Word Of God in our hearts mingled in faith blocks the fiery darts of the devil.  It won't allow Him to get to your heart.

Make Jesus the Biggest Valentine in your heart.  Love the Lord your God with all your heart.

     The devil wants us miserable , unhappy and defeated as Christians, but Jesus tells us we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us.  Jesus is in every heart that has accepted Him by faith.
God promises to be there for us through our troubles, through our tears.

One of the biggest temptations in time of hurt is to become vengeful, unforgiving and bitter.  It is through these troubled dark times we must not allow these things to destroy  our faith.  It is through these things we must apply the scripture to our heartbreak and let it heal us by faith.

God teaches us that we have no choice but to forgive because we ourselves have never once deserved forgiveness.  Now there are some things that just cannot go without circumstances, but God does not want your heart remaining angry, or bitter.  His desire is that you overcome, by faith, trusting Him through what could be your hardest moments of life.

Jesus gives us a parable in scripture to teach us why we must forgive:

Read The Memory Verse Again  - Underline the Parts They Need To Memorize

Matthew 18: 21-35

Talk about it as you read it.  

Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?  Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven. 

Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants.  And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents.  But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.  The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.  Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt. 

But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest. {pence: the Roman penny is the eighth part of an ounce, which after five shillings the ounce is seven pence halfpenny; about fourteen cents}  

 And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.  And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt.  So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done.   

Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me;  Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee?  And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him. 

 So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from the heart forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.

Father God,  I ask in the name of your Son, Christ Jesus that you heal  our broken hearts this morning, that we may renew our strength  and continue in faith, which we need to protect our hearts from the fiery darts of Satan.  If there are any here rebellious, unbelieving, wounded or doubting-  work the work of faith in their hearts today  and renew a right spirit within us.  That we may continue to obey you in faith ... heal the hurting.  Praise your name for what you will do in our hearts as we trust you. If there is anyone here that has not trusted Christ as there personal Saviour.  Jesus will not refuse anyone who genuinely wants Him to be the Lord of their lives. Christ Jesus died for your sins and arose victorious that you may be forgiven and become his child.  

Quiz:  Question And Answer Time About The Parable, About Forgiveness


Poetry And Other Materials On This Site Can Be Freely Used For Christian Bible Centered Non-Profit Ministries And must Remain Unchanged In Any Way. All Other Purposes Are With Permission Only. You May Make Requests At treasurebox18@yahoo.com - All my poems with stories are both real and fictional designed to illustrate a biblical truth. All Rights Reserved. Please Include Site Name And Proper Credit Back To This Blog. Thank-You.