The Integrity of Moral Purity, Part 1

Today from Chuck Swindoll abstain from sexual liberality, youthful loss from sexual sin were never told a reason or try hard to resist were not even told her prefer extra strength regarding it were told to run from it away for all biblical characters didn't have access to the World Wide Web, let alone other forms of modern dictation today on Insight for living Chuck Swindoll reminds us about a timeless story in which a young red-blooded Israelite was seduced by his bosses wife. Remember his name was Joseph, the seductress was Potiphar's wife as we examine the biblical record over the next three programs. Chuck will bring practical application to live. Chuck titled his message the integrity of moral. The longer you realize that there is nothing quite like the word of God to sustain you will be in a place where you know no one else thousands of miles from home. You may have small copy of the New Testament. Your little Bible you carry with you you open it and wherever you turn, you find truth to live by. I remember being 8000 miles from home.

Going through all the withdrawals of being away from my wife and family for 16 months. My sister sent me a book I ended was so meaningful for me. I devoured it within a matter of really a matter of days, but I remember she inscribed in the front of it.

These words that we Lord would be sold first to satisfy exhaust from this spring waters free all of the streams are dry reminded me that though I am far away from those I knew and loved. He is right there speaking to me words to guide me.

At that time. Today we encounter a section of Scripture that is instrument. It is raw but it is real. You will not have trouble identifying with much of it because it one way or another.

You've been there and whether you realize it or not you will be there again, the story of a man who sustained his moral purity when no one else was looking and no one else would know except the one tempting him will read of it in Genesis chapter 39 is one of those chapters that grip you when you realize the Bible does speak to us in today's terms, I'll be reading Genesis 39, 1 to 12 and then 16 to 20 from the new living translation were not in a hurry take our time when Joseph was taken to Egypt by the Ishmaelite traders. He was purchased by Potter for an Egyptian officer part of her was captain of the guard for Pharaoh king of Egypt, the Lord was with Joseph. So he succeeded in everything he did as he served in the home of his Egyptian master Potter for notice this and realize that the Lord was with Joseph giving him success in everything he did this pleased Potter for so he soon made Joseph his personal attendant.

He put him in charge of his entire household and everything he owned from the day Joseph was put in charge of his masters, household and property. The Lord began to bless part of hers household for Joseph C all his household affairs ran smoothly, and his crops and livestock flourished. So part of her game. Joseph complete administrative responsibility over everything he owned with Joseph there.

He didn't worry about a thing except of the kind of food you eat.

Joseph was a very handsome and well-built young man and Potiphar's wife Sue began to look at him lustfully, come and sleep with me. She demanded, but Joseph refused look he told her my master trust me with everything in his entire household. No one here has more authority than I do.

He is held back nothing from me except you because you are his wife how could I do such a wicked thing. It would be a great sin against God. She kept putting pressure on Joseph day after day. But he refused to sleep with her and he kept out of her way is much as possible.

One day however no one else was around when he went in to do his work.

She came and grabbed him by his cloak demanding. Come on, sleep with me. Joseph tore himself away, but he left the cloak in her hand as he ran from the house were 60. She kept the cloak with her until her husband came home. Then she told her immersed story that Hebrew slave you brought into our house tried to come in fool around with me. She said when I screamed.

He ran outside, leaving his cloak with me part of her was furious when he heard his wife story about how Joseph had treated her so he took Joseph and threw them into the prison for the king's prisoners were held and there he remained to search the Scriptures with Chuck Swindoll. Be sure to download his searching the Scriptures. Studies by going to Insight world.or/studies Chuck titled his message the integrity of moral purity on April 9, 1945. Dietrich Bonhoeffer was hanged by the Nazis. It was only 38 years old, beloved man, certainly by his fellow prisoners he had endeared himself already has a pastoring counselor and certainly has an author's native country Germany loved him.

He distinguished himself in the writing of a number of books, some of which could be called classics such as the cost of discipleship life together.

Ethics and papers from prison, but there is one word that he release that I rarely hear about the leaders among my favorite Obama offers works is so small it would almost remind you of a booklet one word title temptation. The man offers a description that is as good as I've ever read outside of James 113 to 15 and other portions of the Scriptures listen to his very clear, vivid description of temptation in our members. There is a slumbering inclination towards desire, which is both sudden and fierce with irresistible power desire sees his mastery over the flesh: once a secret smoldering fire is kindled, the flesh burns as and is in flames. It makes no difference whether it is sexual desire or ambition or vanity or desire for revenge or love of fame and power or greed for money joy in God is extinguished in us and we seek all our joy in the creature. At this moment God is quite unreal to us and only desire for the creature is real. Satan does not here fill us with hatred of God, but with forgetfulness of God how insightful the statement we don't hate God, we just forget it. The lust thus aroused envelops the mind and will in deepest darkness, the power of clear discrimination and decision is taken from us. It is here that everything within me rises up against the word of God is not a person sitting here today or hearing me now or has ever cast a shadow on this earth who is not experienced this slumbering inclination towards desire and there is not a person except Christ who is not yielded a few times, perhaps often to its cry for fulfillment of all the different categories of temptation. The most aggressive, then the most scandalous is sexual temptation.

It is not an exaggeration to say that it is in a category by itself.

You question that you need to read first Corinthians 618 to 20. Freud states all other sin is outside the body, but sexual sins are against the body. You can work through the passage on your own, but it puts it in the category that reveals how it impacts a person you are not quite the same after yielding to sexual sins due to its aggressiveness. Some of the strongest commands in the Bible are used for standing against it. Words like abstain from sexual immorality flee youthful lusts run from sexual sin were never told to argue with or reason with or try hard to resist it were not even told her, pray for extra strength regarding it were told to run from it get away get out so amazing how that works. You cannot run and lost at the same time it works. The God who made us knows what he is talking about when he says run from it and all that brings us to one of these finest examples. Personal integrity in the realm of moral purity in the entire Bible is name is Joseph. His admirable story of victory over temptation is found in the 39th of Genesis. If you ever get turned please turn with me to the chapter Joseph is by now a young adult single twentysomething. He has been through the fire of adversity that fire has been blazing in recent years growing up.

He was hated by his brothers, all of them abandoned by them. In fact, sold into slavery to a group of strangers in a caravan on their way to Egypt.

The brothers knew none of those men. They sold him to for 20 pieces of silver. Joseph wound up on the sleep block in Egypt as an abject sleep. He was seen by a man named Potiphar who was the captain of Pharaoh's guard. Quite likely, Potiphar was a wealthy man had a nice home and needed help in his household.

If you saw this young slave is the answer to his need. Joseph story is another rags to riches story of success, but his success had nothing to do with luck, would you please if you've not already take what out of your vocabulary. There is no such thing. God is the secret of Joseph's success and punctuated through the chapter and leader you read again and again God was with him God's hand was on him, God was there, he saw him, he protected him at the same time Joseph worked diligently in the success he experienced. He earned the hard way. He worked for it. As with many promotions privileges come alongside and with privileges more and more secrecy, less and less oversight and you're able to enjoy privacy. Joseph certainly did. By now we would use through our colloquial statement he had made. And don't miss the concluding comment before we get to the temptation we read Joseph was a very handsome and well built young man.

Nothing wrong with that just isn't fair, but there it is, chiseled features young Jewish man muscular is only set of three others in the Scriptures. King Saul, David Davidson, Absalom, this is a rare trait is characteristic of physical attraction. What seems subtle and surprising in detail, is in fact an eloquent turning point in the narrative, for it is that which attracts the eye of Potiphar's lustful wife whose name is never given and she began to make her moves toward him in no uncertain terms, she sees him attractive, handsome quite a catch she sister him come live with me she is not the subtle type. She's about is forwarders a Mack truck. She comes after him.

Fully loaded with lust. She has one interest and that's his body.

She couldn't care less about his soul or about the outcome.

She wanted him in that bed with her so she drops the bait. No one is there to hear her except Joseph is interesting. Thomas Carlisle, the Scottish essayist is spot on when he wrote adversity is sometimes hard on a man, but for one man who can stand prosperity. There are 100 who will stand adversity, you see when you are prosperous.

Temptation is around the corner read nothing in his days of adversity being tipped but now that he hasn't made he becomes the object of Mrs. Potiphar's attention, but Joseph refused. Would you remember the three words but Joseph refused. He said no and imagine if you question that read on verses eight and nine. What a powerful powerful message Joseph refused Percy.

Look, he said I like the opening look almost as if using Lovelady Alyssa not Mrs. Potter for my master trust me with everything in his entire household.

No one here has more authority than I do.

He is held back nothing from me except you because you're his wife how could I do such a wicked thing.

It would be a great sin against God. No.

Here's why my master your husband trusts me whether he's around our miles away. He trusts me. I hold the keys to every room around here. The gate outside.

I'm the one that oversees the crops in the cattle. I have a responsible position. Furthermore, I serve a God who is all seeing and he sees everything I do. Please notice what he calls the act, not an affair, not our little secret, but this wicked thing out of date. Though it may be that is exactly what sex is outside of marriage. It is a wicked thing. Nothing wrong with sex itself, it just needs the proper context to be preserved for the marriage of a man with a woman, Joseph Madden. He wasn't playing games with her. He was saying no and no uncertain terms covers Edward McCartney for years.

The pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Pittsburgh has written a number of books. One of them is the greatest man in the Bible any list. Joseph is one and then that particular chapter he writes this. This was no ordinary temptation.

Joseph was not a stone of money but a red-blooded young man in his late 20 and it was not one temptation on one day, but repeated temptation is an old story that tells how Joseph began to talk about his God to the temptress she flung her skirt over the bronze bus of her God that sent on a pedestal in the chamber and then said now. Now God will not see. Joseph answered my God seen.

Truly, Joseph learned to exercise integrity, even when tempted you're listening to Insight for living Chuck Swindoll titled today's message the integrity of moral purity and learn more about this ministry. Just visit Insight world.org. There's still much to learn from the story that's recorded for us in Genesis 39, and as a complement to today's message. We like to point you to a helpful resource Chuck autobiography on today's hero. It's titled Joseph a man of integrity and forgiveness.

Joseph rose from the pit of prison to the pinnacle of power and along the way. Joseph walked with God and held onto his integrity. With each step. In many ways Joseph's life is proof that living with integrity is possible so that God show you through Joseph how to trust him during the challenges of this year. Again, Chuck's biography on Joseph is titled Joseph a man of integrity and forgiveness to purchase a copy. Collis if you're listening in the United States dial 1-800-772-8888 or go to Insight.org/offer you often hear me say that Insight for living is made possible not through the purchase of books and other resources, but through the voluntary donations of friends like you and your gifts truly make a difference. For instance, one of your fellow listeners recently left a message for Chuck said, I'm so very thankful and blessed to be able to listen to Insight for living in a season of grief.

My husband passed away September 2021. I grieve my loss, but in thankful going without a doubt. Thank you Chuck preaching about seasons of life, those who give to Insight for living the sacred connections possible grateful to those who support this give a donation today, listening in the United States dial 1-800-772-8888 four. Give online Insight.org/join us.

When Chuck Swindoll describes integrity of surety Wednesday on Insight for living. The preceding message the integrity of moral. It was copyrighted in 2021 and 2022 and the sound recording was copyrighted in 2022 by Charles R.

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