WEBVTT 00:00:01.000 --> 00:00:04.259 Genesis chapter 39, you know, life is full of ups and downs, 00:00:05.100 --> 00:00:10.500 curveballs, and life experiences that jump out at you and 00:00:10.500 --> 00:00:13.640 scare you, and if you don't feel like that's the case for you, 00:00:13.740 --> 00:00:16.300 you just hold on a few days, it'll come. 00:00:18.160 --> 00:00:19.600 We all feel like that. 00:00:21.059 --> 00:00:24.699 And I feel sure that Joseph felt like that as well. 00:00:24.699 --> 00:00:30.660 Well, God gives us an account at the end of Genesis of Joseph's 00:00:30.660 --> 00:00:34.560 life to help us through the twists and the turns of our life. 00:00:36.000 --> 00:00:39.960 Remember that Joseph's jealous brothers were going to leave him 00:00:39.960 --> 00:00:48.980 for dead, but instead to sell him into slavery and cover his 00:00:48.980 --> 00:00:54.219 beautiful coat with animal blood and try to allude to their father 00:00:54.219 --> 00:00:58.719 that he was attacked and killed when in reality they sold him 00:00:58.719 --> 00:00:59.640 into slavery. 00:01:01.579 --> 00:01:07.400 Those that bought him from his brothers then sold him to a man 00:01:07.400 --> 00:01:08.099 named Potiphar. 00:01:09.700 --> 00:01:12.400 Potiphar was the captain of the Egyptian guard. 00:01:12.560 --> 00:01:15.500 A modern-day equivalent to that would be the head of Homeland 00:01:15.500 --> 00:01:19.840 Security and the Department of Corrections. 00:01:19.840 --> 00:01:25.100 Potiphar had seen a lot and no doubt worked with top-shelf guys 00:01:25.100 --> 00:01:27.079 that could manage well. 00:01:27.200 --> 00:01:31.600 However, he thought so much of Joseph that he entrusted this 00:01:31.600 --> 00:01:35.340 foreign slave to be in charge of his whole household. 00:01:36.240 --> 00:01:41.060 Scripture says that all he was concerned about was what he had to 00:01:41.060 --> 00:01:41.280 eat. 00:01:41.280 --> 00:01:47.320 We looked at this a couple of weeks ago, so I'll be brief, but what 00:01:47.320 --> 00:01:51.099 Peter also saw was the Lord's hand upon Joseph. 00:01:51.659 --> 00:01:54.599 He saw him blessing Joseph. 00:01:54.780 --> 00:01:57.260 Now, why would a pagan notice such as that? 00:01:58.180 --> 00:02:00.500 Because that's how God works. 00:02:01.960 --> 00:02:05.719 Never doubt the power of your steady walk with God. 00:02:05.719 --> 00:02:09.120 Never doubt the power of a solid testimony. 00:02:09.800 --> 00:02:12.560 God uses such as that. 00:02:12.780 --> 00:02:16.840 And Potiphar had so much confidence in him that he only concerned 00:02:16.840 --> 00:02:18.800 himself, it says, with the food that he ate. 00:02:20.039 --> 00:02:23.219 However, I want you to understand this morning that every time God 00:02:23.219 --> 00:02:27.199 is doing a good work, the devil likes to throw a snare into it. 00:02:28.300 --> 00:02:30.340 And I want you to notice what happens next. 00:02:30.419 --> 00:02:34.500 It's in Genesis chapter 39, beginning verse 6. 00:02:34.500 --> 00:02:41.919 It says, now Joseph was handsome in form and appearance. 00:02:43.460 --> 00:02:48.439 And it's interesting, the archaeologists believe that they 00:02:48.439 --> 00:02:50.240 found images of Joseph. 00:02:51.280 --> 00:02:53.539 And I want you to look at these very carefully. 00:02:58.539 --> 00:03:00.340 Just making sure you're all paying attention. 00:03:00.340 --> 00:03:06.800 I think I'll hear about that at lunch. 00:03:08.800 --> 00:03:16.340 And after a time, his master's wife cast her eyes on Joseph and said, 00:03:16.420 --> 00:03:17.140 lie with me. 00:03:18.920 --> 00:03:23.460 Because he refused and said to his master's wife, behold, because of 00:03:23.460 --> 00:03:27.439 me, my master has no concern about anything in the house. 00:03:27.439 --> 00:03:29.859 And he's put everything that he has in my charge. 00:03:32.060 --> 00:03:34.560 He's not greater in this house than I am. 00:03:35.400 --> 00:03:40.960 Nor has he kept back anything from me except you because you are his wife. 00:03:41.120 --> 00:03:45.800 How then could I do this great wickedness and sin against God? 00:03:45.800 --> 00:04:03.220 And as she spoke to Joseph day after day, he would not listen to her, to lie beside her or to be with her. 00:04:03.219 --> 00:04:11.560 But one day when he went into the house to do his work and none of the men of the house was there in the house, 00:04:12.560 --> 00:04:15.939 she caught him by his garment and said, lie with me. 00:04:15.939 --> 00:04:22.579 But he left his garment in her hand and fled and got out of the house. 00:04:22.699 --> 00:04:30.459 And as soon as she saw that he had left his garment in her hand and had fled out of the house, 00:04:31.560 --> 00:04:38.819 she called to the men of her household and said to them, see, he has brought among us a Hebrew to laugh at us. 00:04:38.819 --> 00:04:44.579 He came to me to lie with me and I cried out with a loud voice. 00:04:45.579 --> 00:04:54.180 And as soon as he heard that I lifted up my voice and cried out, he left his garment beside me and fled and got out of the house. 00:04:54.879 --> 00:04:59.579 And then she laid up his garment by her until her master came home. 00:05:01.060 --> 00:05:07.779 And she told him the same story saying, the Hebrew servant whom you brought among us came in to laugh at me. 00:05:07.779 --> 00:05:16.099 But as soon as I lifted up my voice and cried, he left his garment beside me and fled out of the house. 00:05:18.139 --> 00:05:25.559 One of the devil's key forces in spiritual warfare, if not the top one, is sexual temptation. 00:05:27.239 --> 00:05:32.659 Sexual sin is a big deal and it can cause absolute devastation. 00:05:32.659 --> 00:05:37.179 And that's the reason why Satan uses it so very often. 00:05:37.779 --> 00:05:40.419 I want you to notice what the Apostle Paul says about it. 00:05:40.479 --> 00:05:48.339 In 1 Corinthians 6 verse 13, he said, the body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord and the Lord for the body. 00:05:48.479 --> 00:05:54.019 He goes on in that in verse 18 to say, flee from sexual immorality. 00:05:54.199 --> 00:05:57.539 Every other sin a person commits is outside his body. 00:05:57.540 --> 00:06:03.439 But the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. 00:06:03.720 --> 00:06:08.800 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? 00:06:09.220 --> 00:06:10.480 You are not your own. 00:06:10.879 --> 00:06:12.360 You were bought with a price. 00:06:12.760 --> 00:06:15.560 So glorify God in your body. 00:06:16.600 --> 00:06:17.840 It's a big deal, folks. 00:06:18.100 --> 00:06:20.500 And the devil loves to downplay it. 00:06:20.500 --> 00:06:26.779 It's kind of like quicksand or at least the quicksand that I used to see when I watched TV growing up. 00:06:28.360 --> 00:06:38.600 I would have thought that quicksand would play a large, a much larger part of danger in my life based on the television programs that I watched growing up. 00:06:38.600 --> 00:06:41.519 Because inevitably, if they went in the woods, they ran into quicksand. 00:06:41.519 --> 00:06:47.680 But I have never known a soul that's ever told me they actually ran into quicksand and couldn't get out. 00:06:48.399 --> 00:06:57.319 But based on my evidence from watching sorry TV shows when I was growing up, it seems like that it would have been a major deal. 00:06:57.500 --> 00:06:58.399 That and tarantulas. 00:06:59.339 --> 00:07:00.379 Those two were a big deal. 00:07:01.879 --> 00:07:07.379 But based upon those television programs, in quicksand, the further you wander in, the harder it is to get out. 00:07:07.379 --> 00:07:10.219 The more you strive to get out, the harder it is. 00:07:11.519 --> 00:07:13.019 So it is with sexual sin. 00:07:13.120 --> 00:07:15.899 The best route out of sexual sin is found in Genesis 39. 00:07:16.859 --> 00:07:19.120 Just do what Joseph did and get out. 00:07:21.000 --> 00:07:22.199 Wherever it is, get out. 00:07:22.299 --> 00:07:23.079 Get out of the car. 00:07:23.599 --> 00:07:24.459 Get out of the room. 00:07:25.180 --> 00:07:26.180 Get out of the relationship. 00:07:26.959 --> 00:07:28.019 Get out of the situation. 00:07:28.419 --> 00:07:29.680 Just get out. 00:07:30.299 --> 00:07:31.199 Turn the channel. 00:07:31.759 --> 00:07:32.839 Put the phone down. 00:07:33.259 --> 00:07:34.299 Delete the app. 00:07:34.759 --> 00:07:35.419 Get out. 00:07:35.419 --> 00:07:38.379 As the apostle says, flee. 00:07:39.579 --> 00:07:40.019 Tuck. 00:07:40.680 --> 00:07:41.120 Tail. 00:07:41.519 --> 00:07:42.439 And run. 00:07:42.859 --> 00:07:44.039 It's not worth it. 00:07:44.359 --> 00:07:45.180 It's addictive. 00:07:45.759 --> 00:07:46.699 Don't do it. 00:07:47.120 --> 00:07:51.639 Sexual temptation, any temptation, is not as it appears to be. 00:07:51.740 --> 00:07:52.859 And it's not worth it. 00:07:53.199 --> 00:07:54.659 It's bigger than it appears. 00:07:55.939 --> 00:08:00.459 Because when we're tempted, it's really just, we really just see the tip of the iceberg. 00:08:00.620 --> 00:08:03.719 I want you to look at our situation in this passage. 00:08:03.719 --> 00:08:07.859 A good-looking married woman walks up to a young man. 00:08:07.860 --> 00:08:14.259 Now, remember, Joseph is estimated to be between the ages of 17 to 20 in this situation. 00:08:14.259 --> 00:08:19.759 She compliments him. 00:08:19.759 --> 00:08:21.500 She toys with him. 00:08:21.500 --> 00:08:25.599 And then passionately invites him to have his way with her. 00:08:25.600 --> 00:08:27.720 I got news for you. 00:08:27.760 --> 00:08:30.720 There's a lot more going on than just that. 00:08:31.480 --> 00:08:32.519 Now, that's a bunch. 00:08:32.720 --> 00:08:33.580 That's quite a lot. 00:08:33.680 --> 00:08:35.899 But there's a lot more going on. 00:08:35.899 --> 00:08:45.579 And the same wicked one that led those brothers to displace his brother is the same wicked one that is attempting to thwart the success that had come upon Joseph. 00:08:45.740 --> 00:08:49.039 It's an evil scheme that's taking place. 00:08:49.039 --> 00:08:57.879 And she is just playing a small part in what the devil's trying to destroy in Joseph's life. 00:09:00.879 --> 00:09:16.819 A few hundred years ago, on the island of Cape Hatteras, off the shores of North Carolina, there were men who made it their business to make ships run aground on the shoals just off the island. 00:09:16.820 --> 00:09:19.920 These men were called wreckers. 00:09:21.000 --> 00:09:30.020 And they would lead a ship astray and then make their living off gathering the parts and the cargo of that ship that washed ashore. 00:09:30.120 --> 00:09:31.520 Now, how would they do that? 00:09:31.820 --> 00:09:38.879 They would take an old nag, a horse, and they would fasten a lighted lantern to its head. 00:09:38.879 --> 00:09:45.240 And they would walk that horse back and forth up and down that shore. 00:09:46.059 --> 00:09:58.879 And from the ships that were out at sea that saw that light bobbing on that horse's head, it looked like a stern light of a ship that had found safe passage through. 00:09:58.879 --> 00:10:18.000 And that would lead the ships that were out to sea to follow the path of the bobbing light, which would lead them to run aground due to a light on a nag's head, which is where the North Carolina village got its name. 00:10:18.000 --> 00:10:30.059 And the morning after the wreckers would, if necessary, kill the remaining crew, collect the wood, collect the utensils, and the money that washed ashore, and make a big business of it. 00:10:30.059 --> 00:10:49.019 Even today, if you tour that area, they can show you on cottage row houses that were built by the material that was collected by 2,300 ships that ran aground on the shores, either by accident or by deception. 00:10:49.019 --> 00:11:09.340 When temptation of any kind, but especially that of a sexual nature, is flaunted before you, it is nothing more than an old nag himself enticing you to run aground and to be sabotaged. 00:11:10.699 --> 00:11:13.480 And we have to watch out for wreckers as well. 00:11:13.480 --> 00:11:19.279 I want to give you three wreckers to watch out for this morning. 00:11:21.039 --> 00:11:25.360 The first one is found in 1 John 2, verse 15, when it says, 00:11:25.639 --> 00:11:27.740 Do not love the world or the things in the world. 00:11:27.820 --> 00:11:30.920 If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 00:11:31.940 --> 00:11:34.740 The first wrecker we have to watch out for is the world. 00:11:37.360 --> 00:11:40.980 Now, please understand what it means when it speaks of world here. 00:11:40.980 --> 00:11:49.539 What it speaks of is the mentalities and the atmosphere, the spiritual patterns in which we live that we have to watch out for. 00:11:49.820 --> 00:11:57.039 But that word world, cosmos in the Greek, is used several times in the New Testament, and it's used in various ways. 00:11:57.420 --> 00:12:00.120 It can describe the earth itself. 00:12:00.600 --> 00:12:03.139 It can describe the people of the earth. 00:12:03.139 --> 00:12:10.259 Or it can describe, as the Apostle Paul put it, the powers and principalities of the air. 00:12:11.199 --> 00:12:12.819 The atmosphere of the world. 00:12:12.939 --> 00:12:15.340 The spiritual battle in which we are in. 00:12:16.759 --> 00:12:21.220 And people have abused the fact that that word can use three different things. 00:12:21.220 --> 00:12:44.580 Megan Basham wrote a book called Shepherds for Sale, where she talked about leftist environmental groups with names like George Soros pumping millions into evangelical Christians to get them to support leftist causes in the name of, quote, creation care. 00:12:44.580 --> 00:12:50.240 And in such an effort as that, John 3, 16 is read like this. 00:12:50.300 --> 00:12:52.639 For God so loved the world that he gave his only son. 00:12:54.320 --> 00:12:59.580 And they believe that means that he loved the world, he loved the earth so much. 00:13:00.060 --> 00:13:01.040 And creation. 00:13:01.920 --> 00:13:04.620 And the trees and the whales and the owl. 00:13:06.040 --> 00:13:07.460 That he gave his only son. 00:13:08.660 --> 00:13:10.460 That that's the world that Jesus died for. 00:13:10.460 --> 00:13:13.120 I want to be clear today. 00:13:13.240 --> 00:13:18.600 He didn't die for the humpback whale or the rare red spotted frog deep in the woods. 00:13:19.860 --> 00:13:21.820 He died for the sins of the world. 00:13:22.900 --> 00:13:24.980 He died for the people of the world. 00:13:25.920 --> 00:13:31.019 But world in scripture may speak to the cosmos, the earth as God created. 00:13:32.000 --> 00:13:33.320 Or that we live in. 00:13:33.639 --> 00:13:35.019 Or it may speak to the people. 00:13:35.019 --> 00:13:41.639 But here it speaks of the mentalities and the atmospheres, the patterns in which we live. 00:13:43.079 --> 00:13:45.840 We are in a spiritual war. 00:13:47.659 --> 00:13:52.000 And there are sinful patterns of our culture that run counter to the ways of God. 00:13:52.100 --> 00:13:55.919 And we need to not let that direct our course. 00:13:56.000 --> 00:14:00.059 And if we're not careful, we'll be like a frog in a kettle. 00:14:00.059 --> 00:14:05.119 You put a frog in hot water and a kettle on a stove and it will jump out immediately. 00:14:05.279 --> 00:14:13.899 But if you put it in cool water and raise the temperature slowly, that frog will boil to death and never have the sense to jump out and save its own life. 00:14:14.419 --> 00:14:17.659 And we can become the same way when we get enticed by the world. 00:14:18.219 --> 00:14:20.919 The world can be a wrecker. 00:14:21.979 --> 00:14:23.759 I'll tell you another wrecker and that's the flesh. 00:14:24.699 --> 00:14:27.079 He goes on to say in 1 John 2 verse 16, 00:14:27.080 --> 00:14:45.040 Listen folks, if nobody else was messing with us, and they are, but if nobody else was messing with us, we have enough within us to cause enough problems. 00:14:45.480 --> 00:14:45.840 Why? 00:14:46.940 --> 00:14:49.639 Because what's in the world is too often within us. 00:14:49.639 --> 00:15:00.480 What drives us to get off track is defined as three different facets of the same problem in 1 John 2 verse 16. 00:15:00.860 --> 00:15:02.240 One is our yearnings. 00:15:02.899 --> 00:15:04.799 That's the desires of the flesh. 00:15:05.259 --> 00:15:07.939 Some cravings don't need to be fulfilled. 00:15:09.500 --> 00:15:11.259 God gave us appetites. 00:15:12.059 --> 00:15:16.319 And then the devil manipulated and led us to take those things off focus. 00:15:16.480 --> 00:15:18.439 And we become driven by our yearnings. 00:15:18.440 --> 00:15:23.660 And Satan wants us to answer our every yearning because it leads to destruction. 00:15:25.800 --> 00:15:28.220 Not only is our yearnings, but it's also our wants. 00:15:28.940 --> 00:15:30.320 The I got the habits. 00:15:31.700 --> 00:15:34.160 The desire of the eyes is what scripture calls it. 00:15:34.320 --> 00:15:37.220 And that's that deep desire to always want more. 00:15:37.540 --> 00:15:40.420 We get something new and the luster runs off of it. 00:15:40.460 --> 00:15:42.240 And so it's time to get something else. 00:15:42.720 --> 00:15:44.120 We got to have something more. 00:15:44.120 --> 00:15:47.039 We like what we see that somebody else has got. 00:15:47.139 --> 00:15:50.600 And not only do we want what they got, but let's get a little bit better than they got. 00:15:52.659 --> 00:15:55.179 It's called the desire of the eyes. 00:15:55.179 --> 00:15:59.620 And then it speaks of the pride of life or our pride. 00:16:01.399 --> 00:16:03.000 We got to look better than everybody else. 00:16:03.000 --> 00:16:09.899 He wants you to think that you are what is most important about your life. 00:16:10.460 --> 00:16:13.899 And when pride leads, we have to be a little bit better than everybody else. 00:16:14.139 --> 00:16:17.419 And if we don't feel like we're better than everybody else, we got to hate them a little bit. 00:16:17.899 --> 00:16:19.759 Because we ain't quite matched up yet. 00:16:19.759 --> 00:16:27.059 Folks that are better and richer and prettier than us, can't stand them. 00:16:27.720 --> 00:16:29.100 That's the pride of life, folks. 00:16:30.279 --> 00:16:31.159 And it will wreck you. 00:16:32.779 --> 00:16:34.399 Somebody's always going to be stronger than you. 00:16:34.480 --> 00:16:35.860 Somebody's always going to be richer than you. 00:16:36.080 --> 00:16:37.460 Somebody's always going to be prettier than you. 00:16:37.559 --> 00:16:38.279 It's just the way it is. 00:16:38.639 --> 00:16:41.200 And so it just always will wreck you. 00:16:41.319 --> 00:16:42.439 It will stir your world. 00:16:43.319 --> 00:16:48.360 And if we're not careful, it will steer us the wrong way. 00:16:48.360 --> 00:16:54.700 And the key wrecker and the third wrecker is the one behind the other two. 00:16:54.779 --> 00:16:56.039 And that's the evil one himself. 00:16:57.740 --> 00:16:59.580 The devil don't want to give you a headache. 00:16:59.720 --> 00:17:01.500 He wants to destroy you. 00:17:01.879 --> 00:17:06.559 John 10.10 says the thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy. 00:17:06.920 --> 00:17:07.839 And that's his mission. 00:17:08.380 --> 00:17:11.079 1 Peter 5.8 says, 00:17:11.180 --> 00:17:12.559 Be sober-minded, be watchful. 00:17:12.819 --> 00:17:17.700 Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour. 00:17:17.700 --> 00:17:18.640 He's a prowler. 00:17:18.779 --> 00:17:19.620 He's a lurker. 00:17:19.840 --> 00:17:21.420 He's looking for an opportunity. 00:17:21.700 --> 00:17:25.660 And that's just the third wrecker, the wicked one and his army. 00:17:26.460 --> 00:17:31.900 If you add that back to the pattern of this world that we so easily conform to, 00:17:32.000 --> 00:17:36.299 and then you put in that the problems that we have within ourself, which is the flesh, 00:17:36.680 --> 00:17:39.900 we're a messed up people and we're in the midst of a battle. 00:17:40.080 --> 00:17:41.380 So what do we do? 00:17:41.380 --> 00:17:44.980 I am so thankful. 00:17:45.680 --> 00:17:50.140 And the reason why I spend so much time talking about people whose lives, 00:17:50.560 --> 00:17:52.840 14 chapters are invested in Joseph's life. 00:17:53.020 --> 00:17:54.420 It's worth our time. 00:17:54.760 --> 00:17:58.500 And the reason why is God gives us these examples for us to learn from them. 00:17:59.060 --> 00:18:00.740 So how do we respond to this? 00:18:01.160 --> 00:18:02.700 One, we state the truth. 00:18:02.700 --> 00:18:07.400 In the midst of the situation, we state the truth. 00:18:09.420 --> 00:18:12.180 Jesus was put, excuse me, Joseph, not Jesus. 00:18:12.440 --> 00:18:17.420 Joseph was put in a compromising position, but he refused to compromise. 00:18:17.580 --> 00:18:19.840 Jesus did the same, by the way, but I wasn't talking about him. 00:18:20.039 --> 00:18:26.059 But Joseph was put in a compromising position, but he refused to compromise. 00:18:26.059 --> 00:18:30.200 And he stated why he wouldn't compromise. 00:18:31.339 --> 00:18:36.139 In verses 8 and 9, he states, I'm not going to betray somebody who's entrusted so much to me. 00:18:37.159 --> 00:18:38.419 I'm not going to compromise. 00:18:39.200 --> 00:18:41.419 And then he states his commitment to God. 00:18:41.960 --> 00:18:46.359 He says, how then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God? 00:18:48.220 --> 00:18:52.779 Sometimes you need to tell somebody, my commitment to God is greater than my yearnings. 00:18:52.779 --> 00:19:01.440 And no matter what your situation or your pattern in the past, friend, it is not too late to change your stand on a matter. 00:19:01.720 --> 00:19:08.059 The devil loves to convince us that we've messed up before, so now it's too late to fix it. 00:19:08.119 --> 00:19:09.899 There's a Greek word for that, malarkey. 00:19:10.720 --> 00:19:16.740 You can change today the pattern of your life, the way you were going, 00:19:16.740 --> 00:19:22.139 and change it to go in a way that honors God with your life. 00:19:22.779 --> 00:19:26.859 And what Joseph said about his owner and his Lord can relate to all of us. 00:19:27.000 --> 00:19:29.420 If you're single today, state it. 00:19:29.680 --> 00:19:31.279 I'm not going to ruin my testimony. 00:19:31.759 --> 00:19:34.879 I'm not going to compromise my relationship with the Lord. 00:19:35.220 --> 00:19:37.139 If you've never married, state it. 00:19:37.319 --> 00:19:42.299 I'm not sacrificing my future marital fulfillment for today, and I'm not betraying the Lord. 00:19:42.440 --> 00:19:44.000 And if you're married, say it. 00:19:44.000 --> 00:19:48.680 I have a spouse that I'm committed to, and I will not be a part of this. 00:19:48.680 --> 00:19:53.259 It dishonors God, the Lord that I've committed my life to. 00:19:54.320 --> 00:19:55.140 State that. 00:19:55.220 --> 00:19:57.560 And you know who needs to hear it more than anybody else sometimes? 00:19:57.960 --> 00:19:58.480 Ourselves. 00:19:58.799 --> 00:20:00.420 You might need to say it to yourself. 00:20:00.759 --> 00:20:03.900 If you've got addictions, state this to the Lord. 00:20:04.039 --> 00:20:05.299 I'm not going to do this. 00:20:05.660 --> 00:20:07.660 Lord, pull me out of this situation. 00:20:09.100 --> 00:20:10.060 Lord, guide me. 00:20:10.059 --> 00:20:15.019 You need to state the truth. 00:20:16.599 --> 00:20:19.579 But the second thing you need to do is flee the situation. 00:20:21.240 --> 00:20:28.039 Joseph left his coat in her hand, and the apostle Paul tells us to flee. 00:20:28.240 --> 00:20:30.940 It means tuck, tail, and run. 00:20:33.359 --> 00:20:34.619 I stated at the beginning. 00:20:34.740 --> 00:20:35.419 I'll state it now. 00:20:35.519 --> 00:20:37.519 There's no justification for sexual sin. 00:20:37.519 --> 00:20:41.680 It does not matter what has been done to you or what's expected of you. 00:20:42.000 --> 00:20:44.779 It is never justified. 00:20:45.720 --> 00:20:47.700 1 Corinthians 10, verse 13 says, 00:20:47.879 --> 00:20:52.720 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. 00:20:52.839 --> 00:20:54.299 We all deal with the same thing. 00:20:54.440 --> 00:20:58.039 God's faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability. 00:20:58.339 --> 00:21:03.359 But with the temptation, he will also provide the way of escape that you may be able to endure it. 00:21:03.400 --> 00:21:04.759 It's never justified. 00:21:05.180 --> 00:21:06.660 There's never an excuse. 00:21:06.660 --> 00:21:07.500 You flee! 00:21:11.259 --> 00:21:12.620 And third, honor the Lord. 00:21:15.460 --> 00:21:20.019 Let me tell you the rest of this story, at least for now for Joseph. 00:21:22.160 --> 00:21:22.800 Scripture says, 00:21:22.940 --> 00:21:25.460 As soon as his master heard the words that his wife spoke to him, 00:21:25.560 --> 00:21:27.040 This is the way your servant treated me. 00:21:27.100 --> 00:21:28.600 His anger was kindled. 00:21:28.860 --> 00:21:32.100 And Joseph's master took him and put him into prison, 00:21:32.180 --> 00:21:34.220 the place where the king's prisoners were combined. 00:21:34.220 --> 00:21:36.420 And he was there in prison. 00:21:37.360 --> 00:21:44.180 But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him steadfast love and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison. 00:21:44.680 --> 00:21:49.140 And the keeper of the prison put Joseph in charge of all the prisoners who were in the prison. 00:21:49.860 --> 00:21:52.720 Whatever was done there, he was the one who did it. 00:21:52.720 --> 00:22:00.880 The keeper of the prison, see if this sounds familiar, paid no attention to anything that was in Joseph's charge because the Lord was with him. 00:22:01.000 --> 00:22:04.620 And whatever he did, the Lord made it succeed. 00:22:04.619 --> 00:22:07.759 Joseph was treated unfairly. 00:22:08.079 --> 00:22:10.239 He was locked up for crimes he didn't commit. 00:22:10.979 --> 00:22:14.739 What do you do if you're in a situation where you have been treated unfairly? 00:22:16.799 --> 00:22:20.539 Sexual sin devastates too many people around a situation. 00:22:20.539 --> 00:22:24.899 So you may be a victim. 00:22:27.779 --> 00:22:31.859 And because you're a victim, you feel like whatever your action that you do is justified. 00:22:32.960 --> 00:22:34.879 What do you do when you've been treated unfairly? 00:22:35.700 --> 00:22:36.599 I'll tell you what you do. 00:22:36.659 --> 00:22:37.399 You honor the Lord. 00:22:38.859 --> 00:22:39.599 You honor the Lord. 00:22:41.220 --> 00:22:43.700 The Lord was with Joseph even in the rough times. 00:22:45.099 --> 00:22:47.539 The Lord blessed him even when he was treated unfairly. 00:22:48.500 --> 00:22:49.519 He was still being blessed. 00:22:49.519 --> 00:22:53.099 The Lord showed favor to him in the eyes of others. 00:22:54.059 --> 00:22:56.859 The Lord allowed him to bloom in the midst of his tragedy. 00:22:58.500 --> 00:23:01.460 The Lord caused him to be trusted and to succeed. 00:23:03.079 --> 00:23:04.259 The Lord was with him. 00:23:05.440 --> 00:23:06.680 And he was with the Lord. 00:23:08.379 --> 00:23:10.059 And God blessed him beyond measure. 00:23:11.900 --> 00:23:14.099 I don't know what your circumstances are this morning. 00:23:15.900 --> 00:23:18.220 But I want to encourage you this morning to honor the Lord. 00:23:19.519 --> 00:23:21.799 No matter what your circumstances are, you honor the Lord. 00:23:21.879 --> 00:23:23.139 And you honor him when you're tempted. 00:23:25.180 --> 00:23:28.359 You follow the pattern of success that he's laid before you. 00:23:29.660 --> 00:23:31.680 Honor him when you're mistreated. 00:23:31.680 --> 00:23:35.759 God knows your circumstances. 00:23:35.759 --> 00:23:37.200 He sees your circumstances. 00:23:37.460 --> 00:23:39.700 He's intimately involved in your circumstances. 00:23:39.700 --> 00:23:42.580 And so you honor the Lord and stop doing what you're doing. 00:23:42.799 --> 00:23:44.259 And stop going where you're going. 00:23:44.380 --> 00:23:45.799 And stop thinking what you're thinking. 00:23:46.279 --> 00:23:47.160 Honor the Lord. 00:23:49.799 --> 00:23:53.279 The Lord will walk with you all the way. 00:23:53.279 --> 00:24:02.399 But when I read a story about Joseph's life and see something like this so laid out in Scripture so clearly, 00:24:03.099 --> 00:24:05.359 it's a wake-up call, folks. 00:24:07.940 --> 00:24:09.220 It's a wake-up call. 00:24:09.220 --> 00:24:17.940 We need to state the truth to the Lord, to ourselves, and to others. 00:24:18.100 --> 00:24:18.920 State the truth. 00:24:21.600 --> 00:24:22.779 Flee from temptation. 00:24:24.960 --> 00:24:26.180 And honor the Lord. 00:24:30.120 --> 00:24:34.720 The blessings of the Lord follows those who honor the Lord. 00:24:34.720 --> 00:24:40.960 And when you can't see his hand in your life, you just trust him. 00:24:41.779 --> 00:24:42.680 You trust him. 00:24:44.279 --> 00:24:46.000 Life can get foggy sometimes. 00:24:48.839 --> 00:24:50.559 Hard to ascertain which way to go. 00:24:52.380 --> 00:24:54.579 But he's laid it all out there for us to follow. 00:24:55.980 --> 00:24:57.279 We just have to trust him. 00:24:59.200 --> 00:25:01.240 Honor the Lord. 00:25:01.240 --> 00:25:05.720 With every head bowed and every eye closed, I want to ask you this morning. 00:25:07.200 --> 00:25:12.279 Is there a possibility that there's someone here who's never committed your life to Christ? 00:25:14.279 --> 00:25:18.640 The Word of God says that we're slave to those sin patterns. 00:25:18.640 --> 00:25:21.180 That we can't find our way out of it. 00:25:22.120 --> 00:25:23.180 Outside of God. 00:25:25.440 --> 00:25:29.079 But with the Holy Spirit of God that indwells us upon our salvation, 00:25:29.640 --> 00:25:30.640 we are empowered. 00:25:31.920 --> 00:25:33.539 And we have to rely upon that. 00:25:33.620 --> 00:25:34.620 We have to fall back on it. 00:25:34.660 --> 00:25:35.460 We have to trust it. 00:25:36.539 --> 00:25:37.740 We have to honor him. 00:25:41.539 --> 00:25:44.680 But we get an ability that we wouldn't otherwise have. 00:25:46.240 --> 00:25:48.859 Not only do we get that in salvation, but we get forgiveness. 00:25:50.819 --> 00:25:54.660 He washes our sins away and he removes them. 00:25:54.660 --> 00:25:57.920 As far as the east is from the west, thank God, they're gone. 00:25:57.920 --> 00:25:58.019 Amen. 00:25:58.019 --> 00:26:03.619 So today, if you've never given your heart and life to the Lord Jesus Christ, 00:26:03.740 --> 00:26:08.180 say, Lord, I'm a sinner and I want you to forgive me of my sins. 00:26:09.319 --> 00:26:11.559 Come into my life and to change me. 00:26:13.200 --> 00:26:16.220 Save me and empower me and bring victory in my life. 00:26:16.220 --> 00:26:22.259 If you've never done that, I encourage you to come when we stand to sing. 00:26:22.980 --> 00:26:26.100 We'd love to guide you in what it means to give your heart and love to the Lord. 00:26:27.700 --> 00:26:32.000 Maybe you're here this morning and you have done that, but you've never publicly acknowledged that. 00:26:32.059 --> 00:26:33.420 It's been a private thing for you. 00:26:34.059 --> 00:26:36.279 You've never publicly acknowledged that. 00:26:36.279 --> 00:26:43.720 Christ, by his example and by his commission, tells us to publicly acknowledge that through baptism. 00:26:43.859 --> 00:26:48.359 If you've never been baptized as a believer, I encourage you to come and we'll set that up. 00:26:49.779 --> 00:26:53.299 Maybe you're here and God's leading you to be a part of Pickens First Baptist Church. 00:26:53.480 --> 00:26:58.660 You've visited with us and you've felt like this is home for you and you feel like God's calling you here. 00:26:58.740 --> 00:26:59.680 I encourage you to come. 00:27:00.579 --> 00:27:02.819 I'll be happy to guide you through that. 00:27:02.819 --> 00:27:07.619 Or maybe you're just here and you need to take care of some stuff with the Lord. 00:27:07.799 --> 00:27:09.399 You need to make some commitments to the Lord. 00:27:10.720 --> 00:27:12.539 And you can do that where you stand. 00:27:13.139 --> 00:27:14.399 You can do that while you're sitting. 00:27:15.500 --> 00:27:16.859 You can do that at this altar. 00:27:16.980 --> 00:27:18.159 I'll be happy to pray for you. 00:27:19.419 --> 00:27:21.419 I have no idea what God's told you. 00:27:21.480 --> 00:27:22.480 I just know what he told me. 00:27:24.039 --> 00:27:27.659 And I encourage you to be obedient and follow him as he leads you today. 00:27:27.660 --> 00:27:35.900 Lord Jesus, I love you and thank you that your Holy Spirit not only guided us to this place, but will guide us right now. 00:27:35.980 --> 00:27:39.740 I just pray that you'll help us to be obedient and follow your lead in all that we do. 00:27:40.580 --> 00:27:43.580 In Jesus' precious name, amen. 00:27:43.580 --> 00:27:43.700 Amen.