Run from Temptation's Trap

Temptation can be a subtle thought that lasts only for a moment or a fierce fire that will not be extinguished. Potiphar's wife was so attracted to Joseph, her passion became an out-of-control fire. Every day she enticed him with sexually provocative allurements that could not be misinterpreted. Still he resolved to remain faithful to God and his values.

On one occasion when they were alone in the house, she grabbed Joseph, determined to seduce him. With tenacious strength of character and will, he ran from the house to escape her grasp. To survive the snare of lust, he chose to run rather than face a lifetime of regret.

Joseph’s overriding priority was to keep his conscience clear and his integrity clean. When he could no longer avoid temptation’s trap, he removed himself from its presence. Temptation can be brutal in its persistent, enticing power, but it can never override God's promise to provide a way to escape. “Greater is He that is in you than he who is in the world.”  

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I am the Lord your God. I am holding your hand, so don’t be afraid. I am here to help you.

~Isaiah 41:13 Contemporary English Version

Surviving a Personal Crisis with God's Help - Part 2

If survival only involved food, clothing, and shelter, the majority of us would be OK. Most people in our country believe they should enjoy the abundance of our society and what the government provides. I'm sure you know individuals who believe they're beyond failure and that their survival is assured. This cavalier attitude can blind a person to an inevitable crisis.

In the eighteenth century the British Empire was so confident in its naval and military supremacy, its leaders believed they were undefeatable. Yet a rag-tag army led by General George Washington was eventually victorious over the mighty British military. Sin, though seemingly insignificant, can bring disastrous consequence to the most ardent believer.

God brings his people back from the edge of disaster when they're willing to make significant life changes. Listen to 1 John 1:8. "If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and there is no truth in us. But if we confess our sins, he forgives and purifies us from all unrighteousness." This is a choice God makes available to everyone.