January 5, 2009 … Swindoll’s Topic for Today: The Personal Ramifications
Passage of the Day: Genesis 39: 19 – 23 19 So it was, when his master heard the words which his wife spoke to him, saying, “Your servant did to me after this manner,” that his anger was aroused. 20 Then Joseph’s master took him and put him into the prison, a place where the king’s prisoners were confined. And he was there in the prison. 21 But the LORD was with Joseph and showed him mercy, and He gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison. 22 And the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph’s hand all the prisoners who were in the prison; whatever they did there, it was his doing. 23 The keeper of the prison did not look into anything that was under Joseph’s authority, because the LORD was with him; and whatever he did, the LORD made it prosper.
What must Joseph have been thinking when, after doing the right thing, he was incarcerated by his master, who believed the lies of his scheming and unfaithful wife. Yet, even then Joseph sensed and believed that God was in the midst of his circumstances; and he let God work out the details and did all he could to remain steadfast and be a good servant of his Lord.
Swindoll points out that ultimately the personal ramifications for impurity or infidelity are too high for any Christian to yield to temptation, especially like that Joseph had encountered, … the very personal temptation which sexual lures present in our lives. Swindoll writes, mostly to married Christian men, “The greatest gift you can give to your marriage partner is your purity, … your fidelity. The greatest character trait you can provide your spouse and your family is moral and ethical self control.” And to this, especially having been delivered by God from years of habitual sexual sin to lead BattlePlan Ministries, I would proclaim a very loud “AMEN!!!”
Even if one’s resistance of temptation is misperceived by the world, as it was in Joseph’s case. Even when one is unjustly punished by the world, as it was for Joseph; God will never abandon – and will actually honor – the steadfast believer who runs from temptation to glorify God. And we see that is what transpired for Joseph. God, in His timing, took a bad set of circumstances, i.e., Joseph’s conviction and incarceration, and raised up Joseph to serve the Lord in prison. And later, reading ahead to Gen. 41, we’ll see that these circumstances seasoned and grew Joseph to serve Pharaoh and to glorify God even more with a life of purity, self-control, and forgiveness.
Again Swindoll’s wise words from his devotional entry for this day: “Whatever your situation, no matter how alluring or pleasurable or momentarily delightful the bait looks, don’t linger. Claim the supernatural strength that comes from knowing Jesus Christ and, operating under the control of His power, stand strong in His might. … Determine to be a Joseph. Make up your mind to join God’s ranks - … resist. … Otherwise, you will yield. It’s only a matter of time.”
And these are very wise words. Having been there … and done that … on both sides of that fence, I know!
My Prayer Today: Steel me to resist the lures of my enemies, Lord. Let my life be a witness of self control in Your Name. Amen
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