James 1:2-4

    My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; [3] Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. [4] But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

James 5:10-11

    Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience. [11] Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.

Here, James gives Job as an example of patience.  He is a good example.  Shows how little control we have.  We can lose everything in 24 hours due to natural disaster.

I’d like to bring another example of patience , i.e, Joseph who had things taken away from him by those closest to him.

Let’s do a quick review before we get into the text.

Webster’s definition of  patience = 1  bearing of suffering, provocation, delay, tediousness, etc., with calmness and self-control (bearing or enduring pain, trouble, etc., without complaining or losing self-control).  2  refusing to be provoked or angered, as by an insult; forebearing; tolerant.  3  calmly tolerating delay, confusion, inefficiency, etc.  4  able to wait calmly for something desired.  6  steady; diligent; persevering.

Spiritual definition of  patience = 1  a quality of character that does not allow one to surrender to circumstances or succumb under trial.  2  the quality of a person who is able to avenge himself yet refrains from doing so.

There are nine requisites for contented living:

HEALTH enough to make work a pleasure;

WEALTH enough to support your needs;

STRENGTH enough to battle with difficulties and forsake them;

GRACE enough to confess your sins and overcome them;

PATIENCE enough to toil until some good is accomplished;

CHARITY enough to see some good in your neighbor;

LOVE enough to move you to be useful and helpful to others; FAITH enough to make real the things of God;

HOPE enough to remove all anxious fears concerning the future.

“Life is all about timing... the unreachable becomes reachable, the unavailable become available, the unattainable... attainable. Have the patience, wait it out It's all about timing.”

“You will conquer by patience.”

“Patience is waiting. Not passively waiting. That is laziness. But to keep going when the going is hard and slow - that is patience.”

“God's way of answering the Christian's prayer for more patience, experience, hope and love often is to put him into the furnace of affliction”

Genesis 40:1-23

    And it came to pass after these things, that the butler of the king of Egypt and his baker had offended their lord the king of Egypt.

[2] And Pharaoh was wroth against two of his officers, against the chief of the butlers, and against the chief of the bakers.

[3] And he put them in ward in the house of the captain of the guard, into the prison, the place where Joseph was bound.

[4] And the captain of the guard charged Joseph with them, and he served them: and they continued a season in ward.

[5] And they dreamed a dream both of them, each man his dream in one night, each man according to the interpretation of his dream, the butler and the baker of the king of Egypt, which were bound in the prison.

[6] And Joseph came in unto them in the morning, and looked upon them, and, behold, they were sad.

[7] And he asked Pharaoh's officers that were with him in the ward of his lord's house, saying, Wherefore look ye so sadly to day?

[8] And they said unto him, We have dreamed a dream, and there is no interpreter of it. And Joseph said unto them, Do not interpretations belong to God? tell me them, I pray you.

[9] And the chief butler told his dream to Joseph, and said to him, In my dream, behold, a vine was before me;

[10] And in the vine were three branches: and it was as though it budded, and her blossoms shot forth; and the clusters thereof brought forth ripe grapes:

[11] And Pharaoh's cup was in my hand: and I took the grapes, and pressed them into Pharaoh's cup, and I gave the cup into Pharaoh's hand.

[12] And Joseph said unto him, This is the interpretation of it: The three branches are three days:

[13] Yet within three days shall Pharaoh lift up thine head, and restore thee unto thy place: and thou shalt deliver Pharaoh's cup into his hand, after the former manner when thou wast his butler.

[14] But think on me when it shall be well with thee, and shew kindness, I pray thee, unto me, and make mention of me unto Pharaoh, and bring me out of this house:

[15] For indeed I was stolen away out of the land of the Hebrews: and here also have I done nothing that they should put me into the dungeon.

[16] When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was good, he said unto Joseph, I also was in my dream, and, behold, I had three white baskets on my head:

[17] And in the uppermost basket there was of all manner of bakemeats for Pharaoh; and the birds did eat them out of the basket upon my head.

[18] And Joseph answered and said, This is the interpretation thereof: The three baskets are three days:

[19] Yet within three days shall Pharaoh lift up thy head from off thee, and shall hang thee on a tree; and the birds shall eat thy flesh from off thee.

[20] And it came to pass the third day, which was Pharaoh's birthday, that he made a feast unto all his servants: and he lifted up the head of the chief butler and of the chief baker among his servants.

[21] And he restored the chief butler unto his butlership again; and he gave the cup into Pharaoh's hand:

[22] But he hanged the chief baker: as Joseph had interpreted to them.

[23] Yet did not the chief butler remember Joseph, but forgat him.

Genesis 41:9

    Then spake the chief butler unto Pharaoh, saying, I do remember my faults this day:

Genesis 41:33-44

    Now therefore let Pharaoh look out a man discreet and wise, and set him over the land of Egypt.

[34] Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint officers over the land, and take up the fifth part of the land of Egypt in the seven plenteous years.

[35] And let them gather all the food of those good years that come, and lay up corn under the hand of Pharaoh, and let them keep food in the cities.

[36] And that food shall be for store to the land against the seven years of famine, which shall be in the land of Egypt; that the land perish not through the famine.

[37] And the thing was good in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of all his servants.

[38] And Pharaoh said unto his servants, Can we find such a one as this is, a man in whom the Spirit of God is?

[39] And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Forasmuch as God hath shewed thee all this, there is none so discreet and wise as thou art:

[40] Thou shalt be over my house, and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled: only in the throne will I be greater than thou.

[41] And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, See, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt.

How was Joseph ready for such a huge promotion?  He had a passion to serve in lowly places and patience to serve in lofty places.

[42] And Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand, and put it upon Joseph's hand, and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck;

[43] And he made him to ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried before him, Bow the knee: and he made him ruler over all the land of Egypt.

[44] And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I am Pharaoh, and without thee shall no man lift up his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.

Just hold on!  It ain’t always going to be like this!

You may be in a dungeon!

You may be losing your husband!

You may be losing your wife!

You may be losing your house!

People may have forgotten all about you!

It may seem like nobody cares!

You may feel all alone!

You may feel like you can’t go on!

You may feel like you want to quit!

HOLD ON!!!  It ain’t always going to be like this!