21 the LORD was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden. 22 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. 23 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. Genesis 39: 21-23
We like to believe that everything we get we consider good is a blessing. When we have material gain for example, we like to believe it is of God and we protect it at all costs. As Christians we have to be careful. Nothing is worth compromising our walk with God.
In the 39th chapter of Genesis, Joseph is prospering even while in captivity. He is head of Potiphar’s household and has the trust of Potiphar to run the house as if it were his own. This unprecedented freedom must have seemed to Joseph as if he were rich and powerful. When Potiphar’s wife begins to pursue Joseph, he attempts to reason with her and avoid her until finally she corners him and aggressively propositions him. She grabs his clothes and Joseph runs away to flee the temptation. Potiphar’s wife claims Joseph tried to rape her and he again loses everything and is thrown into prison. Where God promptly begins to bless him.
Even if we think there is no good way out of a situation, there is never a situation where it is okay to relax your Christian values. Our greatest temptations in this life will come when we are trying to hold on to the things of the world and to the things of God at the same time. God has made a stand; He will not accept our service of God and the things of this world. The world has made a stand; opportunity only knocks once. If the blessing is from God, it can come again and again and again.
Trust in God who can bless you in any situation.
Deacon Larry Woodard
We like to believe that everything we get we consider good is a blessing. When we have material gain for example, we like to believe it is of God and we protect it at all costs. As Christians we have to be careful. Nothing is worth compromising our walk with God.
In the 39th chapter of Genesis, Joseph is prospering even while in captivity. He is head of Potiphar’s household and has the trust of Potiphar to run the house as if it were his own. This unprecedented freedom must have seemed to Joseph as if he were rich and powerful. When Potiphar’s wife begins to pursue Joseph, he attempts to reason with her and avoid her until finally she corners him and aggressively propositions him. She grabs his clothes and Joseph runs away to flee the temptation. Potiphar’s wife claims Joseph tried to rape her and he again loses everything and is thrown into prison. Where God promptly begins to bless him.
Even if we think there is no good way out of a situation, there is never a situation where it is okay to relax your Christian values. Our greatest temptations in this life will come when we are trying to hold on to the things of the world and to the things of God at the same time. God has made a stand; He will not accept our service of God and the things of this world. The world has made a stand; opportunity only knocks once. If the blessing is from God, it can come again and again and again.
Trust in God who can bless you in any situation.
Deacon Larry Woodard
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