2009 - Day 3 - Temptations of Prosperity

January 3, 2009 … Swindoll’s Topic for Today: Temptations of Prosperity

Passage of the Day: Genesis 37: 36 ... 36 Now the Midianites had sold him in Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh and captain of the guard.
Genesis 39: 1 – 6 … 1 Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt. And Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had taken him down there. 2 The LORD was with Joseph, and he was a successful 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 he did to prosper in his hand. 4 So Joseph found favor in his sight, and served him. Then he made him overseer of his house, and all that he had he put under his authority. 5 So it was, from the time that he had made him overseer of his house and all that he had, that the LORD blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake; and the blessing of the LORD was on all that he had in the house and in the field. 6 Thus he left all that he had in Joseph’s hand, and he did not know what he had except for the bread which he ate.Now Joseph was handsome in form and appearance.

My Journal for Today: Chuck Swindoll, in his devotional entry for today, has hit a nail of truth right on the head; and it’s one I have to remain vigilant about continually. The truth is that the temptations of life seem to come much more readily and with more potency in times of success rather than in times of trial.

To make the point, Swindoll quotes F. B. Meyer, whom he believes writes insightfully, saying, “We may expect temptation in the days of prosperity and ease rather than those of privation and toil … not where men frown, but where they smile sweet smiles of flattery – it is there, that the temptress lies in wait! Beware!”

And to this wise man, I would say a hearty “AMEN!” However Swindoll’s January 3 devotional goes on and quotes the Scottish essayist, Thomas Carlyle, who, on this matter, wrote, “Adversity is sometimes hard upon a man; but for one man who can stand prosperity, there a hundred that will stand adversity.”

And I say another “AMEN!” Like me, I’d almost bet (if I were a betting man) that any who read here can think of many lessons of life which you have learned from testing and trial; but it’s hard to conjure up any jewels of wisdom which have been uncovered from times of success … other than how some of our worst times of temptation have come during those times when we were riding high with success and self confidence.

For the Christian, as for a believer like Joseph, when we are feeling as if God has smiled on us with success, we should learn to hoist and fly the red flag of danger; because I believe that it is in these times of success, especially prosperity as viewed by the world, that we become the most vulnerable to our own pride. And I would hope by now that my readers here have learned the truth of Prov. 3: 34, which was quoted in the NT writings of James 4: 6 and 1st Peter 5: 6-7. Those would be good truths to bury deeply in your heart as they proclaim that “God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

Think about that. I would assume that you, like me, desire to have as much of God’s enabling grace as you can glean from your relationship with the Lord. Well, if we go by the truth of Prov. 3: 34, and we know that worldly success breeds pride, we should be in full DANGER ALERT when the good times roll in our lives.

It’s not that we should court privation or to avoid success as the world sees prosperity. But what we should be courting is Godly success and prosperity; and that is being able to carry out the will of God for our lives, … not being judged by worldly standards of success. In fact my own personal definition of success is as follows: … SUCCESS IS THE PROGRESSIVE REALIZATION OF GOD’S WILL FOR MY LIFE. I’m learning – now in my gray-haired years – to become vigilant and guarded when the circumstances of life pour worldly success my way. I want to know what God’s direction is for my life (see Prov. 3: 5-6); and if I’m following my Lord (see Luke 9: 23), I KNOW that I’m a success in God’s eyes.

So, how does one do that? Well, I have to believe that Joseph was a man of God’s word; because I know and I’ve lived in the truth of Joshua 1: 8. You go look that one up and meditate on Gods’ truth from this passage. It gives God’s prescription for success in following God’s will; and that certainly is a good way to begin or to be recommitted toward in this New Year. And it is to that end, I will pursue God’s will, in His way, from His word.

My Prayer Today: Lord, … help me to be vigilant and wary of worldly tokens of success. Stay with me in Your word so that I may find and stay the course with Your will for my life. In doing that, I know I will be a success in Your eyes. Amen