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Integrity

Integrity – being the

person, even when no one is looking.

Acting with integrity to do what is right may

us in the short-term, as Joseph’s life shows us.

When Joseph was taken to Egypt by the Ishmaelite traders, he was purchased by Potiphar, an Egyptian officer. Potiphar was captain of the guard for Pharaoh, the king of Egypt.—Genesis 39:1 (NLT)
The LORD was with Joseph, so he succeeded in everything he did as he served in the home of his Egyptian master.—Genesis 39:2 (NLT)

Joseph lived his life aware of God’s

presence with him, which is a challenge for many of us in daily living.

For the Christian, the real issue is not whether or not God is with me, but whether or not I am

and

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on his ongoing presence with me.

When we live in constant awareness that God is with us, we’re more attuned to listening and trusting the Lord, and we discover more

and

Reveal Answer

in our lives, and God is better able to use us to accomplish His will.

Change our prayers, not to ask God to be with us, but to pray that we are aware and open to God in

moment as He is with us!

²The LORD was with Joseph, so he succeeded in everything he did as he served in the home of his Egyptian master. ³Potiphar noticed this and realized that the LORD was with Joseph, giving him success in everything he did. ⁴This pleased Potiphar, so he soon made Joseph his personal attendant. He put him in charge of his entire household and everything he owned. ⁵From the day Joseph was put in charge of his master’s household and property, the LORD began to bless Potiphar’s household for Joseph’s sake. All his household affairs ran smoothly, and his crops and livestock flourished. ⁶So Potiphar gave Joseph complete administrative responsibility over everything he owned. With Joseph there, he didn’t worry about a thing—except what kind of food to eat!…—Genesis 39:2-6ab (NLT)

Joseph’s rise in stature before Potiphar:

• Joseph got to work “in the home of his Egyptian master.” (vs. 2)
• Joseph “pleased Potiphar,” and Potiphar made him “his personal attendant.” (vs. 4a)
• Joseph then being “put in charge of [Potiphar’s] entire household and everything he owned.” (vs. 4b)
• “Potiphar gave Joseph complete administrative responsibility over everything he owned.” (vs. 5)
  

… Joseph was a very handsome and well-built young man.—Genesis 39:6c
⁷and Potiphar’s wife soon began to look at him lustfully. “Come and sleep with me,” she demanded. ⁸But Joseph refused. “Look,” he told her, “my master trusts me with everything in his entire household. ⁹No one here has more authority than I do. He has held back nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How could I do such a wicked thing? It would be a great sin against God.” ¹⁰She kept putting pressure on Joseph day after day, but he refused to sleep with her, and he kept out of her way as much as possible.—Genesis 39:7-10 (NLT)

Three reasons why Joseph refuses to sleep with Potiphar’s wife:

• It is an
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  of the great trust Potiphar has put into Joseph (vs. 6);
• It is an
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  against Potiphar (vss. 8-9); and
• It is “a great
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  against God” (vs. 9), speaking specifically of adultery.
  

¹¹One day, however, no one else was around when he went in to do his work. ¹²She came and grabbed him by his cloak, demanding, “Come on, sleep with me!” Joseph tore himself away, but he left his cloak in her hand as he ran from the house. ¹³When she saw that she was holding his cloak and he had fled, ¹⁴she called out to her servants. Soon all the men came running. “Look!” she said. “My husband has brought this Hebrew slave here to make fools of us! He came into my room to rape me, but I screamed. ¹⁵When he heard me scream, he ran outside and got away, but he left his cloak behind with me.” ¹⁶She kept the cloak with her until her husband came home. ¹⁷Then she told him her story. “That Hebrew slave you’ve brought into our house tried to come in and fool around with me,” she said. ¹⁸“But when I screamed, he ran outside, leaving his cloak with me!”—Genesis 39:11-18 (NLT)

When her forceful demand is rejected by Joseph, rather than letting it go, perhaps because it hurt her ego, she decides to get Joseph in big

with her husband.

At this point, trying to do the

thing has gotten Joseph in big trouble.

¹⁹Potiphar was furious when he heard his wife’s story about how Joseph had treated her. ²⁰So he took Joseph and threw him into the prison where the king’s prisoners were held, and there he remained. ²¹But the LORD was with Joseph in the prison and showed him his faithful love. And the LORD made Joseph a favorite with the prison warden. ²²Before long, the warden put Joseph in charge of all the other prisoners and over everything that happened in the prison. ²³The warden had no more worries, because Joseph took care of everything. The LORD was with him and caused everything he did to succeed.—Genesis 39:19-23 (NLT)

The Bible shows us the

of living in integrity before God.

So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor.—1 Peter 5:6 (NLT)

In advancing Joseph before the prison “warden,” God has now

Joseph to be able to gain Pharaoh’s attention in a couple of years.

God used Joseph to save many lives as he led Egypt through a terrible drought, and he ultimately

his own brothers and father.

“You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.”—Genesis 50:20 (NIV11)

God will sometimes allow us to go through

to test us, to help us see the even greater value of faith, even if it takes time.

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.—Romans 8:28 (NLT)

Integrity matters, and God wants us to see that He works through our integrity, even when it seems like it

.

Because of my integrity you uphold me and set me in your presence forever.—Psalms 41:12 (NIV11)

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Next Week: Redeemed: Lessons from the Life of Joseph - Part 3