Fleeing Sin: the value of living with integrity
Joseph fled from sin. He turned an he ran. Oh that our sons and daughters would do the same!
Today’s scripture is a longer portion because we need to understand the context of Joseph’s situation in order to grasp the integrity, the love and fear of God that Joseph held, and to see the sovereignty of God in his life.
Genesis 39: 6-23 “So Potiphar left everything he had in Joseph’s care; with Joseph in charge, he did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate. Now Joseph was well-built and handsome, and after a while his master’s wife took notice of Joseph and said, “Come to bed with me!” But he refused. “With me in charge,” he told her, “my master does not concern himself with anything in the house; everything he owns he has entrusted to my care. No one is greater in this house than I am. My master has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?” And though she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her or even be with her. One day he went into the house to attend to his duties, and none of the household servants was inside. She caught him by his cloak and said, “Come to bed with me!” But he left his cloak in her hand and ran out of the house. When she saw that he had left his cloak in her hand and had run out of the house, she called her household servants. “Look,” she said to them, “this Hebrew has been brought to us to make sport of us! He came in here to sleep with me, but I screamed. When he heard me scream for help, he left his cloak beside me and ran out of the house.” She kept his cloak beside her until his master came home. Then she told him this story: “That Hebrew slave you brought us came to me to make sport of me. But as soon as I screamed for help, he left his cloak beside me and ran out of the house.” When his master heard the story his wife told him, saying, “This is how your slave treated me,” he burned with anger. Joseph’s master took him and put him in prison, the place where the king’s prisoners were confined.
But while Joseph was there in the prison, the Lord was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden. So the warden put Joseph in charge of all those held in the prison, and he was made responsible for all that was done there. The warden paid no attention to anything under Joseph’s care, because the Lord was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did. “
Joseph was a slave in Egypt, sold by his brothers, but ultimately he was there because God intended for him to save, not only his family, but the nation of Israel. God placed him in Egypt and guided him into opportunities that would eventually position him to have power, authority and ability to rescue the nation of Israel.
Joseph had three specific areas in which he gave God the Supremacy in his life.
1. Place/Location: Joseph was a slave IN Egypt, but not a slave TO Egypt. He obeyed the authority God put over him, but he still submitted himself, ultimately, to God. He didn’t use his location as an excuse for sin. He still operated with deep integrity. His actions and responses were based on what God expected and allowed, not what the culture expected and allowed. He didn’t allow his location to be an excuse for sin. We need to pray that our sons and daughters don’t allow their location to impact their integrity and walk with the Lord.
1 Peter 2:11 “Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul.”
When our sons and daughters are in hard places, let’s not just rush to pray for ‘rescue’ asking God to move them, but let’s be steady to uphold them in prayer for strength to stay the course and remain where God places them in order to accomplish what He has for them to do. Pray that they have perspective and can see God’s hand in their place and His purpose in their being there.
2. Possessions: Joseph didn’t value things over the right thing. He wasn’t willing to compromise or wait around to ‘save’ something of temporal value and risk his character, integrity, and testimony. When Potiphar’s wife grabbed his cloak, he didn’t think twice. He turned and ran. He ran!! He didn’t hesitate. He didn’t back away. He didn’t wrestle to keep his cloak. He turned and ran. The cloak was a symbol of identity and protection in Biblical times. Joseph was willing to let go of his ‘identity’ for the sake of his godly testimony and he gave up his physical ‘protection’ in exchange for Godly protection of his character and testimony.
We need to pray that when our sons and daughters are confronted with temptation that they turn and run with all their might, their will, their mind and intention. That split-second moment they make the rock-solid decision that NOTHING (no thing) is more valuable than obedience to God.
3. Position of heart vs. Position of title: Others in Egypt recognized Joseph’s integrity. Both Potiphar and the jailer gave Joseph much responsibility. They trusted him because he was trustworthy. And because he lived with integrity, it opened the doors to opportunity, position, and power. But Joseph wasn’t willing to compromise to maintain those positions. He trusted that God had a better plan and God rewarded that obedience and trust.
I Peter 2:12 “Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.”
When Joseph chose to do the right thing, he lost his position in Potiphar’s house. He could have grieved that, but instead, he trusted that God protected him from something dangerous and believed that God had purpose in his ‘demotion’. Indeed, He did! God needed Joseph in prison so that Pharaoh could see his ability and integrity. Think about that!
Joseph valued his heart being right with God vs. a title and position achieved through earthly values and choices. Had Joseph compromised and given into lust and sin, he may have kept his position in Potiphar’s house, but he would have forfeited the greater role of being second in command of all of Egypt and part of God’s greater plan for Israel. Greater still, he would have damaged the testimony of the Living God to those around him. His story may have ended as a cautionary tale rather than a record of God’s triumph.
Sometimes God removes the titles and achievements to make way for more impactful opportunities. Sometimes He takes us to harder places but it’s never without intention, never by mistake, and always part of His greater plan. As we pray for our sons and daughters, let’s be careful not to quickly grieve when things take a turn toward what we might see as a loss or demotion, a setting back or giving up of something valuable. Instead, let’s pray for Godly insight and protection from short-sightedness. Let’s pray that God shows our sons and daughters that He’s working, protecting, and leading them to accomplish what He intends.
Temptation is real. It is frequent, and it is everywhere. We can easily succumb to the lures and we can quickly make excuses, because it surrounds us and can easily consume us. We are immersed in a culture of sin, compromise, and self-satisfaction. Achievement is celebrated. But God calls us to live lives in this world that reflect we are citizens of another place with a standard of living that reflects our submission and commitment to an eternal King in whose Kingdom we are not only citizens, but daughters and sons of the Most High. We love Him. And if we do, our lives, our choices, and what we hold dear will determine how we respond and will give a testimony to the world around us. “Our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all!” 2 Corinthians 4:17
Joseph didn’t compromise. He didn’t make excuses. He didn’t bemoan his ‘misfortune’. He trusted God. He knew God had a better plan and, though it may not have been obvious at the time. Joseph responded to his brothers in Genesis 50:20 - the same brothers that sold him into slavery and essentially brought Joseph to a life of bondage…but servitude to God, in Egypt. He said, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people.” Joseph rested in the knowledge that God loved him and would guide his steps. He needed only obey and act with integrity. Sin wouldn’t prosper him, but following God with his whole heart, mind and strength, well, that would provide protection all his days.
“Heavenly Father, Protector, Provider and Guide, I pray for (name) today. Keep them from sin. Lord, when they encounter temptation, give them strength of conviction and presence of mind to flee, to leave behind anything this culture may deem ‘valuable’ in exchange for what is of eternal value. Father, I pray (name) would hear your voice, not the voices of those around them calling them to compromise. I pray that (name) would have confidence and conviction that their position in Christ is of greater value than any title or position this world can offer. Lord, help them to hold things here loosely so that they hold onto the cross and to Jesus with all their strength. Lord, I pray that (name) would “Be still in the presence of the LORD, and wait patiently for Him to act. Don’t worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes, …for the strength of the wicked will be shattered, but the LORD takes care of the godly. Day by day the LORD takes care of the innocent and they will receive an inheritance that lasts forever….The LORD directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the LORD holds them by the hand. ” Psalm 37:7, 17-18, 23-24 Lord, use this scripture in (name)’s life this week and throughout their life. Keep them from sin. Strengthen them to follow You without turning. Convict them to live with integrity and to never swap their eternal inheritance for temporary things of this world. Help them to flee from sin. In Jesus’ name, amen.”
Despising a Vile Man
Psalm 15:1-4
Lord, who may dwell in your sacred tent? Who may live on your holy mountain?
The one whose walk is blameless, who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from their heart;
and has no slander on his tongue, who does his neighbor no wrong and casts no slur on his fellowman,
who despises a vile man but honors those who fear the Lord, who keeps his oath even when it hurts,
We live in a world of opposites, don’t we? What is right is often ridiculed as being wrong, antiquated or intolerant and what is actually wrong and sinful is celebrated and exalted as the standard to follow. Scripture tells us we should despise a vile man, yet this world will tell us that word is strong and should have no place in our lives. “Tolerance” is the word of the day.
So what exactly IS a vile man? A vile man is one who rejects or spurns the Lord. It is the opposite of one who accepts Jesus (1)
And what does it mean to despise? Strong’s defines this as holding in contempt, to disdain, not honor or admire (2) Consider a court of law. When someone speaks out against the judge or dishonors the trial process, they are held in contempt of court. “Contempt of court, also referred to simply as “contempt”, is the disobedience of an order of a court. It is also conduct tending to obstruct or interfere with the orderly administration of justice” (3). Someone who is in contempt is not honored or celebrated, they’re reprimanded. Yet, this world celebrates those in contempt of Christ- those who go against His rules of justice and righteousness.
But God tells us this:
We should hate sin and hate anything that is contrary to God, “To fear the LORD is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech.” Proverbs 8:13
We are called to stand for the Lord, “Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.” Ephesians 6:13
We are called to defend our faith, “But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,” 1 Peter3:15
We are strangers here and should be seen as in this world, but not of it, “I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it.” John 17:14-16.
We need to live as we are called, and not embrace the sin around us, but be separate, “ Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.” 1 John 2:15-17)
We can’t be followers of Christ and approving of, celebrating, excusing or tolerating things that go against God and His word. That’s being double-minded and will lead to instability in our faith (James 4:8).
And if we’re followers of Christ, we must stand by our commitment to Him, not waffle or wither when opposition comes (and it will) we must stand by our oath and be faithful to our commitment to God. (I Peter 1:6-7)
Finally, we need to honor those who fear the Lord. But we must be watchful and careful because there are many who claim to fear God, yet they use His word and His name to do ungodly things. Discretion must be at play here and we need to be cautious we’re not lifting up those who are doing sinful things and hiding behind their ego, their knowledge of Scripture and their ability to manipulate others. Friends, those would be considered vile men because they are not serving God, but themselves. Just because they are popular doesn’t mean they are Godly.
There is so much to ponder in Psalm 15:4. Today, let’s pray that our sons and daughters despise anything that rejects or stands in opposition to God and His word. We’re not called to be tolerant of sin. We’re called to stand for Truth. Then, pray that our sons and daughters have discretion to know and discern who truly is a follower of Jesus and that they do not misplace honor that should not be given. Finally, pray that they would stand firm in their faith, not turning back on their commitment to God but keeping their conviction, even in the face of opposition, persecution and trial.
“Father God, Sovereign of the Universe, You chose us according to your foreknowledge for sanctification through the Holy Spirit for obedience to Jesus. Give (name) strength and conviction today to hold to that commitment to follow Christ. I pray that You would help (name) to be uncomfortable with sin. When something is wrong- contrary to Your word, I pray that (name) would turn away, not defend it and not celebrate it. Give them integrity to stand for Truth even in the face of opposition. Give (name) the ability to love others as Jesus loves, but disdain the sin and the rebellion that is present. I pray You would also give (name) discretion to know the difference between someone who simply spouts scripture versus someone who lives it out. Lord, help them to follow You, not people or preachers or teachers. Lord, we know this world will continue to worsen and sin will continue to corrupt. Satan’s time is short and he’s doing all he can to destroy. Lord, protect (name) from the enemy. Keep them from being influenced by sin and evil. Guard them in Your love and strength so they will stand in the day of salvation (1 Peter 1:3-9). I pray this all in Jesus’ name, amen.”
Pray without ceasing, friends.
H3988 - mā'as - Strong's Hebrew Lexicon (niv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h3988/niv/wlc/0-1/
H959 - bāzâ - Strong's Hebrew Lexicon (niv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h959/niv/wlc/0-1/
Legal Information Institute. (n.d.). Contempt of court. Legal Information Institute. Retrieved June 12, 2022, from https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/contempt_of_court
Psalm 15:3 Slanderous Words
Psalm 15:1-3
“Lord, who may dwell in your sacred tent? Who may live on your holy mountain?”
“The one whose walk is blameless, who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from their heart;
and has no slander on his tongue, who does his neighbor no wrong and casts no slur on his fellowman,”
As we work through Psalm 15, praying each verse, we’re learning what God says about those He welcomes to live in His presence, and isn’t that what we desire for our sons and daughters? We know that God desires those whose walk is blameless, who do what is righteous and who speak truth (the opposite of slander) from their heart. They need to know God’s word and live by it. Psalm 15:3 continues by adding that those who are welcome to live in God’s presence should have no slander on their tongue- they set a guard on their mouth.
Slander is a wicked thing. We see it in the world around us, and most recently in a trial between celebrities. Untruths spread to damage another, to get ahead, to inflict hurt in return for hurt. That’s not how we’re called to live. Yet, that’s the example set by the world today. Our sons and daughters need to rise above it.
Have you heard of toothpaste words? Just like toothpaste squeezed out of the tube cannot be put back in…words spoken out cannot be retracted. Oh, you can try, but once said, those words are out there and will continue to make their way around, despite your best efforts to recall them.
Untruths willingly and eagerly shared to intentionally damage another's reputation are toothpaste words; they’re slander and it’s just wrong. When our kids were little, we monitored what words they used and corrected them when they said something unkind or rude. But, now that they’re adults, we just can’t control what they say. That’s true, but we can set an example and we can gently speak to them, adult to adult, about their words.
Friends, we live in an information-saturated world where everyone ‘speaks their truth’ and fights for the right to be heard. Yet, “when words are many, sin is not absent” Proverbs 10:19. We are called to a higher standard as believers.
What sets a believer apart? Their life, their actions and their words. Words carry weight and we need to be cautious how we use them. Yet, if we choose to slander, we’re sending conflicting messages to the world around us. On one hand, we speak the truth of Scripture and on the other, we share untruths that damage others. We need to love our neighbor, not use words as a weapon against them.
James 3:9-12 “With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.”
We might think that only happens ‘in the world’ but friends, it’s in the church, it’s in the small group, it’s in the friend group. It’s in Christian media and comes from Christian leaders. We need to hold ourselves accountable and to God’s word. We need to not be a party to the conversation. We need to step back and encourage others to speak truth that encourages others.
Unfortunately, many believers fall into the habit of sharing ‘hearsay’, sometimes thinly disguised as a ‘prayer request’ or shared out of ‘concern’ for a brother or sister.. But there’s a fine line between prayer requests and toothpaste words. And when we fall into that habit,, we run the risk of being known as a gossip, as someone who betrays another with information that is damaging and we become someone who is untrustworthy.
Ultimately, someone who slanders another is not respecting that other as one made in the image of God. Would we dare slander the Lord? Heavens, no! Then why would we be comfortable sharing untruths about one of His image-bearers?
Let’s pray Ephesians 4:29 becomes a guidepost in our lives and in those of our sons and daughters. “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”
“Father, I ask that You would be glorified in my words today. Put a guard on my mouth and stop me from speaking things I should not. I pray for (name) today that they would set boundaries on what they choose to invest in when it comes to conversations and words. Lord, give them discretion in what they believe about others. Help them to cling to the Truth of Your Word and rise above the harsh words, deception and ill-intent of others. Lord, let them always treat others as fellow image-bearers, even if that other has words and actions that are ungodly. I pray that (name) would be a light and would live and speak with integrity so that they are trustworthy and honest, representing Jesus well in a world that needs Him so desperately. In Jesus name I pray, amen.”
Pray without ceasing.
Psalm 15:2 Walking Blamelessly
Psalm 15:1-2
Lord, who may dwell in your sacred tent? Who may live on your holy mountain?
The one whose walk is blameless, who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from their heart;
We’re continuing to pray through Psalm 15 and this week, we’re focusing on verse two. Last week we discussed and prayed through what it means to live and dwell with the Lord. But not everyone will have that privilege. No, it’s reserved for those who follow God’s commands outlined through the remainder of Psalm 15.
Notice that verse two speaks about how the one who dwells with the Lord will have a life, actions and words that all reflect God’s Presence and power in their lives. Let’s dig into verse two.
What does it mean to be blameless? We might think it’s being free from guilt. But it’s more than that. If one is blameless, they are complete, unimpaired, ‘whole’ (1). Someone who is blameless understands and knows they are not missing anything- there is no longer a hole in their heart or an emptiness in their life. God has redeemed and restored them. They received the grace of God to cover their sin and they’ve been restored to fellowship with God that fills the emptiness that once lingered. Don’t we desire that wholeness for our sons and daughters? Of course we do!
One who is right with God has a deep desire- a spiritual conviction- to do what is right and just and to support that in every way. They can’t overlook or turn a blind eye to injustice and they can’t tolerate wrong. It goes against their new nature, indwelled by the Holy Spirit and called to follow Christ and His Word.
Finally, someone who is made whole and who pursues righteousness and justice will speak truth from his heart. In John 17:17, Jesus prayed “Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.”
A blameless person is one whose very life reflects the mighty change that God worked in them through their lifestyle, their actions and their words. There is no contradiction of saying one thing and doing another. They pursue God with their whole being and they cling to His Word because it is life.
When our children were little, they were around us daily and heard us speak and watched our actions. Oftentimes we would see or hear them imitate us. They were learning and putting into action what we modeled. When we abide in God’s Presence, we learn His words and we understand how we should live our lives and if we’re committed to the Lord, we’ll want to share that truth with others. Why wouldn’t we want to let others know about the peace and wholeness that comes from following Christ? Ephesians 5:1-2 “Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”
We long for our sons and daughters to live in God’s Presence each day. But not just ‘dwell’ as a tenant would, but as a member of the family, enjoying all that relationship has to offer. We want them to have a longing to live their lives in such a way that would show others that they live for a different Purpose than the world around them does.
This week, pray Psalm 15:2 over your sons and daughters. Ask that their walk would be blameless, that they would do what is righteous and that they would know God’s Word well so they are able to speak truth from their heart.
“Father, I pray today that (name)’s walk would be blameless. Lord, help them to be more concerned with what You think of them than what the world thinks of them. I pray that they would live with conviction to follow Your Word, and Your truth and they would speak with boldness so that others can hear the Truth of Jesus and see it lived out in their life. Holy Spirit, give (name) a conviction to live without compromise and do what is righteous..not self-righteous, but to live with Godly righteousness determining their steps, their words and their actions. Lord, protect them and use them for Your honor and glory, in Jesus’ name, Amen.”
H8549 - tāmîm - Strong's Hebrew Lexicon (kjv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h8549/kjv/wlc/0-1/
Pray without ceasing.
Avoiding the Traps
Psalm 141:9-10 Keep me safe from the traps set by evildoers, from the snares they have laid for me. Let the wicked fall into their own nets, while I pass by in safety.
Remember playing the board game Mouse Trap with your kids? You had to get your little mouse through all of the hazards without getting caught. And there were so many!! But, not only did you have to avoid the hazards, you also had to be wary of other players who might trap you as well. Traps and people who would use them against you… It was a harrowing game, for sure!
Our world today has so many deceptions. There are things that appear innocent and harmless, but they silently wrap tentacles of bondage around hearts and minds. These things that, at first appear okay, end up enslaving people and stealing their joy, their relationships, their health and hope. That’s the deception of a snare…it looks like it’s not even there. It’s only when you step into it and are caught that you realize your mistake, but then, it’s too late.
Oh, there are the obvious things like drugs and pornography, but then there are the seemingly harmless, even helpful things like technology and ambition...that when given too much leverage, become a wicked master. Anything that pulls our eyes from Jesus and takes His place of supremacy in our lives is a danger and a threat. Anything that causes us to push Him aside for ‘later’ is a snare.
And not only do we have to worry about those traps and snares, but we have to be wary of the people with evil intent, bent on bringing others down with them. They speak smooth words and assure us that what they offer is good and well-deserved. But in the end, it leads to death. Avoiding them requires a heart that is sensitive to the Holy Spirit, a spirit willing to obey and a mind that is ready for action to avoid sin and deception.
Friends, let’s pray that our sons and daughters are protected from and wary of the dangers and traps that surround them each day. Pray for the protection of their faith and their integrity. Pray that Christ holds supremacy in their lives.
“Heavenly Father, I pray today that You would protect (name) from any trap, any enticement, any compromise that would pull them away from You. There are so many things in this world that appear harmless but lead into addictions and damage hearts, minds and relationships. Lord, guard (name) today against these traps. Let them be mindful as they step, both literally and in other ways, to avoid those traps and pitfalls. Help them not to compromise or let their guard down. Lord, God, I pray that You would protect and preserve their faith. Let them pass by these dangers in safety and let those who try and ensnare others be caught in their own traps. This is a hostile world and my heart’s desire is that (name) be spiritually protected from anything that would cause them to stumble or fall away. Guard them carefully today, Lord, in Jesus’ name, amen.”
Pray without ceasing.