Genesis 39
Joseph’s brothers went on with their lives it seems without much thought of what happened to him. But God was with Joseph and had not forgotten him. Joseph was bought by Potiphar, one of Pharaoh’s officials. Potiphar quickly realized that he was blessed as long as Joseph was in his house. God blessed everything that Joseph did.
Did you ever think how God’s presence in your life could guide you to make wise decisions and prosper you?
What would it take for people to see God’s presence in you?
Joseph resisted much temptation. The Bible doesn’t really tell us how Joseph struggled with it, but when Potiphar’s wife tried to seduce him, he gave several reasons against her wishes.
- It is a sin against my master.
- It’s a sin against my conscience.
- It’s a sin against God.
Joseph could have started telling himself reasons that he could give into the temptations, but he didn’t do that.
We all have temptations in our lives. We deal with racism, evil, sexism, most phobias. We may act like sin is a pet and try to tame it so that we can have our cake and eat it too.
Because Joseph was with God, God is with him. He prospered because:
- God’s favor brings us favor. We can’t just ask to be in his favor. Relationships take time to build and that’s what Joseph had been doing.
When we trust God and maintain integrity, people will notice.
We don’t go out looking for temptation, but it finds us anyway. Satan will try all kinds of ways to tempt us.
Joseph could have rationalized and given in to temptation. But he realized that a relationship with God is more important than giving in to temptation.
Joseph realized that God is more than a scorekeeper. He wants us to have plans for success, but if we look at him as a taskmaster, we’ll never realize that he loves us!
Joseph realized that what his brothers meant for evil, God meant for good. Joseph’s life goes on to save the lives of many.
The worst days of our lives, the hurts that we endure, are not how it should be. Trust that God’s word is true.
God can redeem to bless even in a hard situation.
This was certainly true in Joseph’s situation. He was sold as a slave, but he ended up saving the lives of many when he interpreted Pharaoh’s dream and was put in charge of saving food in the years of plenty to prepare for the years of famine that were coming.
Choose integrity over compromise. God can use our faults for good if we take the time to lean into him.
I think the biggest thing I got out of this sermon is that no matter the situations I find myself in, God also has a way out. He has a plan for success for each of us.
Are you going to listen when God calls your name? People will see God in the things you do when you put him first.
In Faith,
Pam
Where God Leads 