Genesis 38-40; Luke 12; Psalm 7

As a teenager, the story of Joseph refusing the advances of someone else’s wife was key to my own walk with Jesus. It was a story that was instrumental in my decision that  pornography was not going to be the path I would take as I grew up to be a young man. I needed the strength to make the kind of decision that Joseph could make if I was going to live my life completely for Christ.

But he refused and said to his master’s wife, “Behold, because of me my master has no concern about anything in the house, and he has put everything that he has in my charge.  He is not greater in this house than I am, nor has he kept back anything from me except you, because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?” – Genesis 39:8-9  ESV

Now as an adult, I realise that Joseph was not just sticking to principles, those principles were going to cost him. I can imagine that it came close to being his life, but it still resulted in quite a few years in prison. The principal I learned as an adult follower of Jesus was that if it cost my life then I would choose to gladly give it. In my day, there were many stories coming out of Russia and China at the time, of incredible persecution, and how those who stood true to their walk with Jesus, died. Those testimonies were crucial in my own walk with Jesus. In fact, this promise gave me the context to give my life completely to Jesus —

And he said to his disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on.  For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. – Luke 12:22-23  ESV

I find it liberating to trust Jesus to supply all of my needs.  I find it liberating that He guides and leads me to places of employment.  I find it completely liberating that I can trust Him to look after my wife and children. I find it liberating that I can trust Him completely.

O Lord my God, in you do I take refuge;
save me from all my pursuers and deliver me – Psalm 7:1  ESV

Father, I thank for the testimony of Joseph. I thank you that he gave you everything he was and You looked out for him. I thank You for Your promise to look out for me too. You have been so faithful that You set me free from any anxiety in my life. I thank you for David’s prayer to You. He trusted in You too and in his simplicity of faith, You answered his prayer and saved him. What a blessing to joy in You today. I enter today in Your rest and am thankful for it. 

Erwin (evanlaar1922)

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Psalm 136, 146; 1 Corinthians 3

Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God, the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them–the Lord, who remains faithful forever. ~ Psalm 146:5-6

 

The Lord who remains faithful forever…That’s the part I need to hold onto.  That’s the part I sometimes forget.  The Bible says we’re supposed to make our requests known to God, and as such, I was praying the other day for something my husband and I have been praying and believing for, for several months now.  In the midst of it all, God whispered to my desperate heart, “Why do you question me?”  My honest answer: Because I’ve had these same requests out there for a long time with no answer.  There, I said it.  I spoke my honest heart and lived to tell the tale.  I didn’t get struck down by lightning because I was honest…or even because I doubted.

 

This psalm was perfect for me, because it reminded me that He is faithful, always.  Forever is a really long time and I’m grateful for it.  The thing that amazes most about the conversation I had with God is that He didn’t scold me, nor did He play into my pity party.  Instead, like all good teachers, He redirected my thoughts.  He said, “I’ve answered you in other ways.  You must trust me.”

 

A good teacher redirects poor patterns, both in thought and action.  A good father gives hope and encouragement.  My Lord and Savior remains faithful forever.

 

He upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry. The Lord sets prisoners free, the Lord gives sight to the blind, the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down, the Lord loves the righteous. ~ Psalm 146:7-8

HeatherPotts5