Lesson 37<\/p>\n
The Heart of a Godly Man<\/p>\n
Genesis 39<\/p>\n
I have always admired individuals who even though they have found themselves in difficult situations have been men who do not let their circumstances overcome them.\u00a0 Anthony Berger who played for Bill Gaither, burned his hands very badly as a child and yet became a very good pianist.\u00a0 He gave his talent to the Lord and served him until his death.\u00a0 The list could go on, but I think you see my point.\u00a0 Sadly, I have not always had that attitude.\u00a0 Sometimes the fact that things did not go my way led me to having a bad attitude.\u00a0 The Lord has really had to work with me in this area.\u00a0 I have learned and am still learning that the doors He closes are for my own good.\u00a0 The things that I believe I can do are sometimes beyond the gifts and abilities He has given me.\u00a0 I am thankful at this point in my life to have been given the opportunities to accomplish some things that are in line with how I have been wired.\u00a0 My prayer is that I can become more like Joseph who continued to serve God in very difficult situations.<\/p>\n
Over the past few years God has allowed us to go through some very trying times.\u00a0 At times there were those who questioned if we could make it as a church.\u00a0 We had at least two choices. One decision would have been to believe it was not worth the struggle, give up and close the doors of the church.\u00a0 The other decision was to use the time of testing as a time of refining and growing into a church who truly believed that God was not finished with us.\u00a0 We chose the latter.\u00a0 Now because we did not give up, there is new life and vitality in the church today.\u00a0 God does not want His people to give up and run, but to face adversity head on knowing that as is said in James, \u201cKnowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance, and let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete lacking knowing.\u201d\u00a0 (James 1:3-4) Maturity is only realized from faithful endurance.<\/p>\n
Joseph was to find himself in a completely different world.\u00a0 It certainly was not what he expected from life.\u00a0 He would not have chosen to be in a land among people who were completely foreign to him.\u00a0 Having been given the dreams by God he might have wondered if God had forgotten him. One thing for sure he was not the ruler in Egypt but at the very bottom of the social rung, and soon, things were going to get even worse.<\/p>\n
\u00a0Genesis 39:1<\/p>\n
Upon arriving in Egypt Joseph was sold to Potiphar.\u00a0 God continued to direct the circumstances of his life.\u00a0 It was important, as God worked behind the scenes of the human events taking place that Joseph was sold to Potiphar.\u00a0\u00a0 First, His new master was one of Pharaoh\u2019s officials. Secondly, his position would provide the access to the king that would play a part in Joseph\u2019s future.\u00a0 He also was the man in charge of the jail or guardhouse where those who had fallen out of favor with Pharaoh would be jailed.\u00a0 Today they would be considered political prisoners. Lastly, and the most important factor was that God was depending on Joseph to be a man of faith, character and perseverance who would not succumb to the new world and the many challenges and temptations he would now face.\u00a0 If Joseph were to fail then God\u2019s plan for the nation Israel would also fail.\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Genesis 39:2-6<\/p>\n
All during Joseph\u2019s time in Egypt the Lord was with him.\u00a0 Although the time period is not given that he was a slave to Potiphar, he began to become a successful man.\u00a0 The evidence of this is that even his master began to recognize that Joseph was prospering in all that he attempted to do.\u00a0 As would be expected when things went well because of Joseph, Potiphar began to have an admiration for him.\u00a0 He made him his personal servant.\u00a0 Potiphar even went beyond placing him in that position.\u00a0 He promoted him to a leadership role. Joseph was put in charge of all that Potiphar owned.\u00a0 From the point he became overseer God began to bless the household of his master.\u00a0 It is mentioned again that Joseph was in charge of everything that belonged to Potiphar with the exception of his wife of course and the food that he ate.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Genesis 39:6-9<\/p>\n
Along with all of his other qualities, Moses wrote that Joseph was handsome and had a good physique.\u00a0 This fact was to cause trouble in paradise. Potiphar\u2019s wife began to take a fancy to him and wanted to get involved romantically.\u00a0 Being far from home Joseph could have easily succumbed to her. \u00a0What difference would it have made?\u00a0 He, however, being a man of high principles would have no part in her plans.\u00a0 He very clearly laid out for her his position. He believed:<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Genesis 39:10-12<\/p>\n
The woman was relentless in her pursuit of Joseph. He did two things.\u00a0 One was to stop listening to her or to refuse to do as she asked.\u00a0 The other was to make sure that he was never alone with her.\u00a0<\/p>\n
There came the day that would be another turning point in his life.\u00a0 For some reason he had to do some work in the house that did not require others to be with him.\u00a0 Once again the woman tried to not only entice him but forcefully tried to get him to lie with her. She grabbed hold of his garment but he slipped out of it and fled from her.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Genesis 39:13-15<\/p>\n
Because Joseph had refused to get involved with her, she decided to take revenge on him.\u00a0 Seeing that he had left his garment she called to the other men in the household and made up false charges against him.\u00a0 She said that he tried to force himself on her and only when she screamed did he leave.\u00a0 Of course there is no record of her screaming. It was part of her fabricated story and had nothing to do with the actions of Joseph. \u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Genesis 39:16-18<\/p>\n
To make her plan complete she held onto the garment until her husband came home.\u00a0 She then repeated the fabrication to him. Notice she then referred to Joseph as the Hebrew slave. Since he was a slave he had no right to reject her bidding.<\/p>\n
Genesis 39:19-20<\/p>\n
The response of Potiphar to his wife\u2019s story was a natural one.\u00a0 In order to show he was a good husband, Joseph must pay for such a deed.\u00a0 It almost seems as if Potiphar could not believe that Joseph was capable of attempting to rape his wife.\u00a0 It would have meant that he had totally misread Joseph\u2019s character which would have reflected on his own ability to evaluate people.\u00a0 Because he had to take some action he had him put in jail. If he had truly believed that Joseph had tried to lie with his wife, he probably would had him executed, but he did not.\u00a0 As mentioned he was put in the jail where the political prisoners were kept.<\/p>\n
Joseph had reached the low point in his life.\u00a0 He had gone from favorite son to being a slave.\u00a0 Now he found himself in jail as the lowest of all people, a prisoner falsely accused.<\/p>\n
Genesis 39:21-23<\/p>\n
As hard as it might appear, given Joseph\u2019s circumstances, God was still with him. Once again Joseph\u2019s godly character was on display.\u00a0 Instead of being sullen and bitter his pleasant demeanor he soon caught the attention of the chief jailer.\u00a0 It was not long before Joseph was running the jail.\u00a0 Joseph once again prospered in all he did.\u00a0 Like his stay in Potiphar\u2019s house the time in jail was a time of preparation for what God had in store for him in the future.\u00a0 In both places God was training him for the leadership role ahead of him.<\/p>\n
Up to that point Joseph had done nothing to disappoint God.\u00a0 He had remained pure and upright in all of his dealings with the people in his new world.\u00a0 Although Spiritual gifts would not be given out until the Holy Spirit came, it is obvious that Joseph possessed leadership, administrative skills, wisdom and discernment.\u00a0 All of those would be needed as he moved on in life.<\/p>\n
More importantly, the impact that his godly character had on those around him is unknown.\u00a0 Because of Joseph each of them may have found God in their own lives.\u00a0 What would you have felt at this point if like Joseph you had been falsely accused and convicted of something you had not done?<\/p>\n
Joseph has set an example for each of us as we face difficult challenges in life.\u00a0 Let us look at few that may be a guide to the way you live out your life as a follower of Christ.<\/p>\n
Throughout its history the church has faced very difficult times. During some of those periods there has been great persecution.\u00a0 There have been others when great apathy has been prevalent.\u00a0 The time in which we live has some of both.\u00a0 In some parts of the world to be a follower of Christ is to have a death sentence hanging over one\u2019s head.\u00a0 As we look around our nation we see the signs of a church that is complacent and apathetic. There is great concern among Church leaders that the church is waning and drifting away from the gospel.\u00a0 Those who are concerned are finally waking up to the situation all of us have created.\u00a0 Books concerning the ways to reinvigorate the church to follow the gospel in our lives are flooding the shelves of our bookstores.\u00a0 The apathy of the church is more dangerous to its future than persecution.<\/p>\n
As we have seen in the life of Joseph, he continued to be faithful to God and grow during his struggles in Egypt.\u00a0 Through the years of slavery and imprisonment God was honing those gifts and skills he would need to lead Egypt during the years of famine but also provide a safe haven for his family where they could be protected and thrive.\u00a0<\/p>\n
God is calling us to be the Josephs of this time and place.\u00a0 The only way we are going to impact the world is to be a people who truly believes the gospel and is willing to put it into practice.\u00a0 As Joseph provided the salvation for his family, let us understand that the church is the only safe haven for those who desperately need the new life in Christ.\u00a0 We are the only place that has the good news of salvation the world needs to hear.\u00a0 Let us truly safeguard our responsibility and not stumble in these difficult days.<\/p>\n
Additional Notes:<\/p>\n
C-Joseph the favorite child of his father became the slave of Potiphar. (Gen. 39:1)<\/p>\n
UE-Potiphar entrusted all he had in the hand of Joseph, a stranger and foreigner.\u00a0 It was because of the blessings being poured out on Joseph that he saw that he willing take the risk of raising a Hebrew to such a position. (Gen. 39:1-6)<\/p>\n
RT-Smothered by his father; hated by his brothers it took being sold as a slave in Egypt for Joseph\u2019s true abilities to begin to emerge. (Gen. 39:2-6)<\/p>\n
M-\u201cThe Lord was with Joseph, so he became a successful man.\u201d This should be the clarion cry of the hope that is available to every man.\u00a0 Here was a young man who in the face of difficult times in his own life did not give up.\u00a0 Because of his attitude and the performance of his duties he was made the personal servant of his master and the overseer of his master\u2019s household.\u00a0 In fact Potiphar went so far as to put everything he had, except his wife, in Joseph\u2019s charge.\u00a0 This was done in spite of the fact that he was a foreigner.\u00a0 Upon arriving in Egypt Joseph had no hope that this kind of thing would happen when his brothers sold him.\u00a0 It was his faith in God and His guidance that caused Potiphar to see something in Joseph that was lacking in all of the others in his household. (Gen. 39:2-4)<\/p>\n
BL- In Genesis 39, we return to the story of Joseph, who has been sold to Potiphar, Pharoah’s captain of the guard.\u00a0 Humanly speaking, Joseph may have seemed down on his luck, but God is always faithful!\u00a0 Verses 2, 3, and 5 reassure us that He was with Joseph even in this foreign land and culture and blessed him in everything he did.\u00a0 As a result of God’s favor and his own positive attitude, Joseph becomes Potiphar’s most trusted servant.\u00a0 However, his good looks and kind demeanor now draw the attention of Mrs. Potiphar, and Joseph is forced to dodge her advances at every turn. Respectfully, he stands up to her, telling her in vv. 8-9 that he will not violate his master’s trust or sin against God by sleeping with her–but she will not leave him alone.\u00a0 Finally, in vv. 11-18, she grabs his cloak and uses it as “evidence” that Joseph has tried to take advantage of her.\u00a0 Potiphar, in order to save face, has Joseph thrown into the king’s prison.\u00a0 Poor Joseph!\u00a0 Just how bad can things get?\u00a0 Yet even in prison, v. 21 tells us that the Lord “was with him, he showed him kindness, and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden.”\u00a0 Soon the resilient Joseph is in charge of the prison, and the Lord gives him success in whatever he does.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0The moral–or morals–here?\u00a0 First, God is faithful!\u00a0 Even in the bleakest of circumstances, He cares for His own.\u00a0 Secondly, while things may have looked TERRIBLE from a human point of view, God was very much at work in Joseph’s life–and in His<\/span> timing, Joseph would become someone far more influential than he had ever dreamed! As Paul tells us in Romans 8:28, “Now we know that all things work together for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose.”\u00a0 And in Jeremiah 29:11 it says, “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'”\u00a0 Is your life looking a little bleak right now?\u00a0 Remember–God is on your side!\u00a0 Trust in Him and keep on fighting the good fight.\u00a0 Only He knows the wonderful blessings He has in store for you!\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n BL- We looked more closely at chapter 39, which deals with Joseph’s slavery and imprisonment.\u00a0 Buddy told us that these were times in Joseph’s life when God was molding and shaping him for a higher purpose–that of becoming Pharoah’s right-hand man and the instrument of His mercy to the Israelites.\u00a0 From his position as Pharoah’s administrator, Joseph would be able to help his people in a way that he never could have had he remained in Canaan.\u00a0 First, however, he would need to acquire\u00a0the skills necessary for this demanding job, and God placed him in situations in which Joseph could develop them.\u00a0 In Potiphar’s household, for example, Joseph was soon directing all the day-to-day activities of his fellow servants so that Potiphar “did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate.” \u00a0 In prison, Joseph was placed in charge\u00a0of the other prisoners, whom we can assume were not always the most cooperative of people!\u00a0 However,\u00a0Scripture tells us that he did his best in every situation, continually demonstrating faith in God, a\u00a0cheerful attitude, and a willingness to shoulder responsibility.\u00a0 Buddy pointed out that while Joseph may have been enslaved and then imprisoned, he was NEVER in a “prison of the heart.”\u00a0 He knew that God was with him and believed that God had a plan for his life, even though he had no idea what that plan might be.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0 Buddy then asked us if we could chart similar periods of growth in our own lives.\u00a0 Can we identify\u00a0times in which God has allowed things to happen to us\u00a0that we might not choose, but which we realize are designed for our spiritual maturation?\u00a0 These are often times of brokenness and metamorphosis, from which we emerge stronger in spirit and closer to that unique purpose for which God has designed us.\u00a0However, we must recognize these\u00a0events for what they are and ask God what He would have us learn from them–otherwise, the experiences and the suffering are wasted.\u00a0 \u00a0Buddy also urged us to include these events in our testimonies, because while salvation is a one-time experience, discipleship should be\u00a0a lifelong one.\u00a0We\u00a0are to be conformed to the image of Christ–but it should be a constant process!\u00a0\u00a0 What has God been doing in your life and mine–and what have we learned from it?\u00a0<\/p>\n GC- Because of Joseph\u2019s faith and uprightness God was able to use him in His service.\u00a0 Throughout his life God turned circumstances meant for evil into something good for the benefit of His people and the purpose He had for them. (Gen. 39:2)<\/p>\n C-Because the Lord was with him, Joseph did not remain just one of Potiphar\u2019s slaves, became his personal servant. (Gen: 39:4-6)<\/p>\n C-Joseph then became overseer over all that Potiphar owned.\u00a0 While he was in charge of his household the Lord blessed the household of Potiphar. (Gen. 39:4-6)<\/p>\n M-Blessing came to Potiphar because of Joseph\u2019s faithfulness.\u00a0 God would not be honored the work of Joseph if he had been disobedient to Him and untrusting in his dealings with man. (Gen. 39:5-6)<\/p>\n M-With success comes the temptations to be caught up in what the world has to offer.\u00a0 To keep control over one\u2019s life is what is expected of us by God.\u00a0 Joseph understood the temptations very well.\u00a0 His reply to the advances of Potiphar\u2019s wife was, \u201cHow then could I do this great evil, and sin against God?\u201d (Gen. 39:7-9)<\/p>\n GC-What a contrast we see between Joseph and his brother Judah.\u00a0 The one kept himself pure, trustworthy, and honest while the other succumbed so easily to human desires.\u00a0 How did Joseph know what his brother evidently did not, since at this point in time the law had been given that would have condemned adultery?\u00a0\u00a0 (Gen. 39:8; Prov. 11:13: 21:8)<\/p>\n GC-Joseph is an example for us of one who kept himself morally pure in the face of strong and relentless temptation. (Gen. 39:7-8)<\/p>\n DM-Joseph understood that with position came responsibility and accountability. He knew that do anything to compromise the position God had allowed him to have would have been a \u201cgreat evil and a sin against God.\u201d\u00a0 Joseph learned to flee sin.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0(Gen. 39:9, 18)<\/p>\n GC-Joseph rightly saw that any wrong doing is against God.\u00a0 Faithfulness over the long term was infinitely more important that the momentary pleasure that brings with it terrible consequences and eventually eternal separation from God. (Gen. 39:9)<\/p>\n M-Man must realize that Satan is relentless in his attack. Joseph was faithful even when falsely accused. (Gen. 39:10-18)<\/p>\n UE-It seems such an injustice for a person of Joseph\u2019s high moral character to be put into prison.\u00a0 As strange as it may seem, this too was all in God\u2019s plan for Joseph and His chosen people.\u00a0 Notice the jail where he was put was where the king\u2019s prisoners were kept. (Gen. 39:19-20)<\/p>\n C-Because of the false accusations by Potiphar\u2019s wife, Joseph the overseer became Joseph the prisoner. (Gen. 39:19-20)<\/p>\n WM-Men who live by their emotions are often swayed by the stories of others.\u00a0 Potiphar reacted without hearing Joseph\u2019s side of the story.\u00a0 They do not necessarily rely on facts, but hearsay, rumors and innuendos. (Gen. 39:19-20)<\/p>\n \u00a0M-What happened to Joseph would have destroyed most people.\u00a0 Here was a man righteous and blameless, who after the disgrace of being sold by his brothers as a slave had gained the admiration and trust of his master now finds himself imprisoned falsely accused.\u00a0 What a dilemma because he must accept this punishment or otherwise accuse his master\u2019s wife of infidelity.<\/p>\n Even in jail the Bible tells us that the \u201cLord was with Joseph and extended His kindness to him and gave him favor in the sight of the chief jailer.\u201d\u00a0 Joseph was still faithful.\u00a0 Joseph had not given up or lashed out but continued to do what pleased God even in the most difficult circumstances.\u00a0 Most people today would cry out \u201cwhy me,\u201d \u201cI can\u2019t\u201d or \u201cThings are not working out the way I planned them.\u201d\u00a0 If not these responses then he will become defensive with statements like, \u201cIf you don\u2019t do things my way, I\u2019ll quit or I\u2019ll only work to the contract.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Another to deal with these types of situations over which you have no control is to do less than your best.\u00a0 We might also do just enough to keep from losing your job etc.\u00a0 This was not Joseph\u2019s attitude.\u00a0 He would have said, \u201cLife has dealt me some major setbacks, but I must move on.\u00a0 I will turn what has happened in to behavior that will glorify God.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 (Gen. 39:19-23)<\/p>\n C-Even in jail, the Lord was with him and the jailer put Joseph in charge of all the prisoners. (Gen. 39:21-22)<\/p>\n UE-Would you put a prisoner in charge of his fellow prisoners, especially since he was a Hebrew and a young man?\u00a0 Even so that is what happened.\u00a0 Here was the jailed in a way being given keys to the vault or the thief the money bag to keep.\u00a0 Eventually, in having been given that position he came in contact with the Pharaoh\u2019s cupbearer and baker.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 (Gen. 39:21-23; 40:1-4)<\/p>\n GC-Joseph understood that as he remained faithful and try to live within God\u2019s purpose for him that He would be with him at all times especially when facing great adversity.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 (Gen. 39:21, 23: Is. 26:2)<\/p>\n C-Once again the Lord turned defeat into victory.\u00a0 Joseph transformed the jail because the Lord caused Joseph to prosper. (Gen. 39:22-23)<\/p>\n GC-Joseph succeeded even in jail.\u00a0 He was strong enough in his trust of God that he never gave up hope even in the worse possible situations. (Gen. 39:23)<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Lesson 37 The Heart of a Godly Man Genesis 39 I have always admired individuals who even though they have found themselves in difficult situations have been men who do not let their circumstances overcome them.\u00a0 Anthony Berger who played for Bill Gaither, burned his hands very badly as a child and yet became a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-160","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/biblicalmastery.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/160","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/biblicalmastery.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/biblicalmastery.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/biblicalmastery.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/biblicalmastery.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=160"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/biblicalmastery.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/160\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":161,"href":"https:\/\/biblicalmastery.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/160\/revisions\/161"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/biblicalmastery.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=160"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/biblicalmastery.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=160"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/biblicalmastery.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=160"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}