Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
Endurance in the last days is so difficult because iniquity abounds says Jesus. Mt. 24
Paul says these will be "perilous times" (II Tim. 3) and indeed they are.
One way to build ourselves up in this time is by visiting the godly men and women of the Bible.
Would you rather spend an evening with Abraham or watch a TV show?
Do you know any really godly women?
As things grow worse and worse both in the churches and in the world, try substituting the people who vex you for various individuals of the Bible.
This one statement by Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego is enough to give us joy and cause us to think of things above.
They said to the king: (Daniel 3)
"O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up."
Or try reading the chapters about Abraham starting at Genesis 12.
Some of my favorite pick-me-up stories are the actions of God in Exodus 1-14.
Lot chose to live in Sodom. God got him out before the destruction.
II Peter 2 ... 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; And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;) The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:
Allow God to deliver you nightly. Turn to these great stories in the Old Testament and refresh yourselves from those who vex you continually on this earth. Make these great men and women of the Bible your friends. That's what I do.