The Integrity of Moral Purity, Part 3

In times when our senses are bombarded with alluring opportunities. How does a man or woman hold the line. What's the secret to avoiding moral compromise. Those are honest questions that deserve credible answers. So today on Insight for living. Chuck Swindoll concludes a three-day study on this topic is practical help comes from an ancient real life story recorded in Genesis chapter 39 the young leader Joseph was on a trajectory toward fame and fortune. That is until his bosses wife sabotaged his character in the process we learn timeless lesson about the integrity of moral. God is the secret of Joseph success and punctuated through the chapter and leader your read again and again God was with him God's hand was on 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. We read Joseph was a very handsome and well built young man for it is that which attracts the part of hers lustful wife and she began to make her moves toward him in no uncertain terms, she sees him attractive, handsome quite a catch. She says to him, come live with me. Joseph refused verse eight he said 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.

Joseph stared her down, with admirable discipline and in no uncertain terms. He communicated his healthy and awesome fear of God and the word no verse 10. She kept putting pressure on Joseph J after day.

But he refused to sleep with her day and night. He stays at it she stays at it and Joseph continues to refuse. Finally, the setting is such that she sees is the perfect moment begins with a rather innocuous one day verse 11.

One day, no one else was around when he went in to do his work. He has work on his mind. She doesn't she's there. She came and grabbed him. Now there's a there's a change in the scene. She's not desperate for she's determined she demands, triggered me a menu man would have been flattered she's older no doubt gorgeous. She's available for sure she saw it as their little secret he saw. It is this wicked act, but Valley argues with her no more we read that Joseph tore himself away from her and left his cloak in her hand as he ran from the house you're talking exactly what God says to do the balance of the story is shocking when she saw that she was holding his cloak in her hand.

He had fled.

She called out to her servants. Soon all the men came running and she said my husband has brought this Hebrew slave here. There's there's anti-Semitism in those words. This Hebrew slave is brought this Hebrew slave here to make fools of us. He came into my room and try to write me. I screamed when he heard me screaming ran got away, but…" Behind with me.

She kept the cloak with her until her husband came home and then she told him her story says it again. That Hebrew slave you brought into our house try to fool around with me. She said your I have the cloak he was furious. Pause for a moment, no reacted quickly. God isn't like a man. He is our Almighty holy magnificent heavenly father who always has the long view in mind in our lives. He has great plans for Joseph, some of which will only be learned through unfair treatment, although he has other hurdles to clear in the days ahead humoring them only in this prison, forgotten by fellow prison inmates who get out even though they promised to remember leaving God does not forget him. His ways are not our ways.

Neither are his plans, like our plans as the heavens are high above the earth, so was God or God's ways higher than our ways and his thoughts greater than our thoughts or the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and the knowledge of God, how unsearchable are his judgments.

How unfathomable is ways. What would've rewarded Joseph instantly how to build his own house, not God. This is application I'll get to in a moment. I find it for must knots when I apply this story to our lives today.

All four tie-in with our world. In this 21st century.

First, we must not be weakened by our situation.

We must not be weakened by our situation as you remember, Joseph had made. You may also be making more money than you've ever made in your life which means you probably have more privacy than you've ever had before. Which means you have more privileges than you've ever known before. In that upper level position you been promoted to be entrusted will be weakened by your situation happen herself, as though you have not been promoted as though you are being watched, for you are the one who made you never take his eyes off you that he doesn't even have eyes, he being God sees everything here's the second, we must not wait, we must not be deceived by others. Persuasion all you will you you will hear it. I made a quick list. You will hear this said to you the privacy of the car of liver.

Find out our secret between us, but trust me on this. Any sin you commit with another will be found out.

Or how about this one looked will be married soon. Why wait I'm in a marriage is three months away, but I'm so lonely. Surely God understands. After all, and listen to this one. He is a God of grace is only don't cheapen grace by making him responsible for wicked act.

How about this one.

No one else can ever meet my deepest needs.

Like you, or men like this one, but this you can prove how much you love me. We must not be deceived by others. Persuasion. Here's 1/3, we must not be gentle with our emotions, your inner desire will plead for satisfaction's come home on Joseph said no not interested. You married to someone else. He trust me, if necessary, be rude, especially when your flesh is screaming for satisfaction and when is it not Joseph repeatedly said the right thing.

She never backed off.

The great thing about Joseph is he was not gentle with himself now suggest a very simple discipline. Make a list of the consequences knew it this afternoon. Under the lights of your kitchen table sit there and write about. Randy Alcorn did that several years ago it came out in leadership magazine. I made a copy and I review it rather regularly to good reminder keeps me from being gentle with my emotions. Listen to the consequences that Alcorn listed. He says whenever I feel particularly vulnerable to sexual temptation. I find it helpful to review what effects my actions would have been the listed grieving the Lord who redeemed me, dragging his sacred name through the mud following in the footsteps of those people whose immorality forfeited their ministries and cause me to shudder at the time, inflicting untold hurt on Nancy my best friend and loyal wife losing Nancy's respect and trust hurting my beloved daughters Carino and Angie. I like it that he named them names are helpful in a list like this.

Name your children name, your grandchildren named your life's partner. He goes on destroying my example and credibility with my children and nullifying present and future efforts to teach them to obey God losing self-respect, creating guilt that's awfully hard to shake wasting years of ministry training for a long time. Maybe forever undermining the faithful example in hard work of other Christians bringing great pleasure to Satan, the enemy of God. Possibly bearing the physical consequences of such diseases as gonorrhea, syphilis, chlamydia and AIDS, perhaps infecting Nancy or in the case of AIDS, even causing her death, possibly causing a pregnancy with personal and financial implications including a lifelong reminder of my sin, bringing shame and hurt to fellow pastors, fellow elders, congregational members and those I have led to Christ, invoking shame and lifelong embarrassment upon myself. Surely they acted that moment is not worth all that, surely not all agree.

Sitting here together.

The only place in our whole week for were in the majority.

Under bright lights for the word of God is open on your lap and on my desk for allowing it to speak. Listen to it keep it.

Remember it when you're alone or with that one other person who is never heard such things, and once your body get tough on your emotions. Practice no.

Here's the fourth and final.

We must not be confused by immediate results with Joseph. There wasn't reward. There was a false accusation rate. There was a lie. He did this when he didn't, there was an imprisonment which wasn't deserved. The predator in your life is your boss and you turn him or her down. You can be fired as a price to pay for sustaining your virginity.

You may be committed to a life of moral purity in Europe you're a member of a of a military organization you're living in the barracks were no one else's committed to such a life newly ridiculed your team. You're the only team member is not having sex on the side you're the cheerleader, the only cheerleader is not playing around your price you pay will be made to look foolish. Don't please don't be confused by that is the way the world operates. Furthermore, your commitment only increases their guilt and they can't stand that and you because following their fall there is regret and they hated that you do not know such things as treatment mockery. Whatever may I remind you a great conclusion of this marvelous story. Verse 21. Look at it with me.

The warden that's in the prison of this verse 23 skews me. Verse 21, but the Lord was with Joseph in the prison and showed him his faithful love the Lord my Joseph a favorite with the prison warden, even derogating success. God offers it.

When you stand for him. God is so pleased when your life measures up and you walk with him through it. I close for a mention something I mentioned earlier, you may not have done this as you hear this it it it may be hard to listen to because it doesn't describe the way you've lived your life. The marble marvelous story of Christianity and the Lord Jesus Christ is this magnificent willingness to forgive us, he forgives us over and over and over again. In fact, if you've never come to the cross for salvation you what you come to him all your sins are washed away washed away taken as far as East is from West so far has he removed our transgressions from us. This is a great moment for you to determine your life from here on, I repeat the old statement I've said before, it's never too late to start doing what is right.

Start today start today is no shame in that. Is everything great about it. Shame is behind you know the joy in the hope was in front of you.

You take this before the Lord lay before him your life and lifestyle telecommuters are to live like Joseph if he could do it twentysomething, handsome, single man, you can do it there's power in the word no, I urge you to use it often. We would bow together. Please rather than moving about your sister sit there and think the only one in this room are the only one listening to me right now who has no hope in this victory is the one without Christ. Just believe me before you try real hard, you're not going to be able to resist on your own. You need divine power you need strength from above unity Christ life at work within you. You need him to speak through your mouth and to dictate to your heart.

Your response to temptation. Without Christ at work in your life you're sunk. It's only a matter of time before you fall again as you trust in the Lord Jesus Christ there's a power that is immediately available that never leaves you and is he goes to work in your life. It's remarkable the changes he can bring. So I urge you to turn to him now if you've never before trusted in Christ like taking a gift with the gift coming all the benefits rejecting the gift leaves you exactly where you been all your life without hope. How wonderful to be able to say following this meeting blessed assurance, Jesus is mine. Oh what a foretaste of glory divine blessed assurance. Thank you Lord God for hope that you give us for the forgiveness of grace for the joy of living above the drag of our old nature for a clear conscience, knowing that can today can be the beginning of the rest of our lives in a whole new walk in moral purity because people of integrity, beginning today. Those without Christ bring them to yourself, dear father of the power of your spirit in Jesus name we pray. Everyone said listening to Insight for living in a message from Chuck Swindoll titled the integrity of moral purity. It's the third message in a brand-new teaching series called walking with integrity in times of adversity and to learn more about this ministry. Just visit Insight world.org and today's program is become quite evident that forces of evil are presenting all kinds of insidious temptations. Those who truly want to become people of integrity need to take heed. Along those lines, let me recommend a book. Chuck is written is called Joseph a man of integrity and forgiveness.

Chuck believes that if we fail to execute a plan, the great saboteur. The devil will undermine our integrity for this book will equip you with tools to maintain a life of integrity again. The title is Joseph a man of integrity and forgiveness, and it's available for purchase by going to Insight.org/offer or call us if you listening in the United States dial 1-800-772-8888 it's possible you've been following checks teaching for several decades in the early days.

Perhaps you have little financial margin because of the demands of wearing a young family during that season. It was the generous giving of other possible for you to hear checks today, you're likely in a stronger position. Let me encourage you to step forward and become one of our monthly companion right now is the perfect time to start a new discipline of generosity by giving a monthly donation amount of your choice.

You can do for someone else with others did for you in the early days becoming a monthly companion means you have a ministry, all your own touching lives through your monthly. Here's the number because listening in the United States dial 1-800-772-8880 also sign up online Insight.org/monthly. Those who support Insight for living with the monthly give truly have a ministry all their own God's amazing grace is our overarching every day one Insight for living. In fact, it's quite possible that God is used in our daily program to extend his grace to you and I know is your Bible teacher, I have been the greatest recipient as well. Our monthly companions are first recipients of God's grace.

But when you begin to give monthly God is deploying you as a courier of his grace. Today we're inviting you to join the team. Please jot down the contact information follow the Lord. When you do that comment okay the sweet fragrance of God's grace here at home all around do for some unsuspecting person when someone wants it for you become a monthly companion glistening in the United States. Call 1-800-772-8888 or go online.

Insight.org/month companion. I'm Dave Speicher join us. When Chuck Swindoll describes the integrity of a wise wife Friday Insight for living. The preceding message the integrity of moral purity was copyrighted in 2021 and 2022 and the sound recording was copyrighted in 2022 by Charles R. Swindoll.

All rights are reserved worldwide. Duplication of copyrighted material for commercial use is strictly prohibited