The Daily Fountain Devotional of the Church Of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) 28 August 2024 — Holding Fast Your Integrity
TOPIC: Holding Fast Your Integrity
READ: Genesis 39:7-20 (NKJV)
- And it came to pass after these things that his master’s wife cast longing eyes on Joseph, and she said, “Lie with me.”
- But he refused and said to his master’s wife, “Look, my master does not know what [is] with me in the house, and he has committed all that he has to my hand.
- “[There is] no one greater in this house than I, nor has he kept back anything from me but you, because you [are] his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?”
- So it was, as she spoke to Joseph day by day, that he did not heed her, to lie with her [or] to be with her.
- But it happened about this time, when Joseph went into the house to do his work, and none of the men of the house [was] inside,
- that she caught him by his garment, saying, “Lie with me.” But he left his garment in her hand, and fled and ran outside.
- And so it was, when she saw that he had left his garment in her hand and fled outside,
- that she called to the men of her house and spoke to them, saying, “See, he has brought in to us a Hebrew to mock us. He came in to me to lie with me, and I cried out with a loud voice.
- “And it happened, when he heard that I lifted my voice and cried out, that he left his garment with me, and fled and went outside.”
- So she kept his garment with her until his master came home.
- Then she spoke to him with words like these, saying, “The Hebrew servant whom you brought to us came in to me to mock me;
- “so it happened, as I lifted my voice and cried out, that he left his garment with me and fled outside.”
- So it was, when his master heard the words which his wife spoke to him, saying, “Your servant did to me after this manner,” that his anger was aroused.
- Then Joseph’s master took him and put him into the prison, a place where the king’s prisoners [were] confined. And he was there in the prison.
THE MESSAGE:
“And it came to pass after these things…” (verse 7). We can say it differently just to reveal what is implied in this verse. “It came to pass after Joseph experienced prosperity and promotions that he was properly tempted.” It was a temptation that lasted for several days (verse 10), yet for Joseph, no prosperity or an exalted position was big enough to make him lose the consciousness of God’s presence. For his master’s wife, it was easy to lie with a man other than her husband but for Joseph, it was a great wickedness, and sin against God (verses 7-9). We have heard of Christians who came to the “After these things” in their lives, lost God’s consciousness, and fell into sin.
A man of integrity is steadfast. He would rather lose everything and keep his integrity. Joseph left his ‘overseer’s garment’ with his master’s wife as she grabbed it. “I would ensure that you lose your overseer’s job”, she may possibly have threatened. Joseph would rather run away with his not only stripped of all his positions, he was imprisoned for holding fast to his integrity.
PRAYER: Lord, help me to cling to the old rugged cross and exchange it some day for a crown.
PRAYER POINTS ON TODAY’S DAILY FOUNTAIN DEVOTIONAL
DATE: WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28, 2024
TOPIC: HOLDING FAST YOUR INTEGRITY
- Father in the name of Jesus, thank You for the grace to see this day in good health and sound mind.
- Father, thank You for the special gift of life, many wished to see this day, but they couldn’t.
- Thank You Jesus for being there for us, Your children.
- Thank You Lord for Your plans for me this month and this year. They are plans of good, not of evil, to give me a successful and good end.
- Father, please forgive me all my known and unknown sins, and give me power to overcome sin and its lustful desires, in Jesus’ name
- Father Lord, let me experience prosperity and promotion this year, in Jesus’ name.
- Holy Spirit, help me not to lose the consciousness of God’s presence at every growing stage of my life, in Jesus’ name
- I receive grace to be steadfast, in Jesus’ name
- I receive grace to keep my integrity not minding the consequence, in Jesus’ name.
- Lord, help me to cling to the old rugged cross and exchange it some day for a crown, in Jesus’ name.
- LORD, help us to get it right in Nigeria, and let Your perfect will be enforced on us in Jesus’ name.
- Heavenly Father, let Your peace reign in this country,
- Whether the devil likes it or not, I will make heaven and receive my eternal rewards in Jesus’ Name.
- This is the day the Lord hath made, let us rejoice and be glad in it.
- Personal and family prayer requests.
- Confession: God bless the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), God bless the Universal Church, and bless our country Nigeria -1 Chronicles 17:27.
- Thank You Lord for answered prayers, in Jesus’ Mighty Name we pray. Amen.
