Joseph was young, most likely still a teenager, when he fled from Potiphar’s wife. Why did he flee and resist sexual sin? Most people would think youth is a liability in this situation. The answer is that Joseph was protected be a combination of wisdom and emotion. Let’s look at Joseph’s encounter with Potiphar’s wife. She attempted to entrap him sexually. She appealed to the immediate situation—no one else was around and she was ready for him, even demanding sex with him. How many teenagers in the church today would have resisted that scenario? Yet there was such a powerful vision of God and his honor in Joseph’s heart that he was emotionally repulsed at her advances. Here is how […]
Wisdom
271 posts
Just after putting up the last post on courage, I realized that there is a specific application that fits perfectly with this definition and prayer that I failed to mention. To state the obvious, a number of our readers are military families and families of first responders. For those deployed or on duty at home you come face to face with situations that require courage many times each day or even each hour. Your families also need courage for each moment that you are away. I urge all of our readers to pray each day for those families that have loved ones in harm’s way protecting all of us. I specifically pray for comfort for these families. There is the […]
News headlines provide daily opportunities to tell your children about the King of the universe and how he runs his world. The announcement of the verdict in Sanford, Florida has made headlines. How do you interact with your children about this verdict? There is already anger, frustration, and calls for violence. Others are adamant that we must abide by the laws and by what appeared to be a fair trial; they say it’s time to move on. But, these two perspectives are not the only ones and perhaps not even the most important ones to consider. There is a cultural / historical component that is intertwined with the verdict. There is also the perspective of God’s faithfulness to honor his […]
Being self-aware is essential to living for the glory of God. The Scripture says that all things are to be done for God’s glory. The problem is we are easily self-deceived. This is where self-awareness comes in. How well do we understand ourselves? How can we help our children gain self-awareness? A young child may reason that a cookie will make her happy. The desire for the cookie overrides the command from mom not to have the cookie till after supper. On the surface this appears to be a simple matter of behavior. The desire for the cookie wins out over obedience. However, on the heart-level, complex patterns are at work. We are born with a nature that is at […]
Faithfulness is being dependable, so that others can trust what I say and do. The rainbow is the sign of God’s covenant with all living creatures that promises he will never again destroy all life with a flood (Genesis 9:12). Just as God is always faithful to his word, so you should be faithful in all you say and do. Prayer for faithfulness: Dear God, it is hard to be faithful all the time. I just can’t do it. Even when I’m trying, I fail a lot. Please help me to be more trustworthy and dependable. Thank you that Jesus was completely faithful for me. In Jesus Name, Amen Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your […]
We humans are social creatures. Actually, we are driven to be social. In a different day the front porch or the street corner were places to socialize. With the age of electronic communication the front porch became virtual. For a while email was the social choice. But email was specific, you wrote to a particular person of group of persons. Email turned out to be not very social. Then, one bright young man figured how to create a virtual front porch. He called it Facebook. Now, you can say whatever is on your mind to everyone or to no one in particular. You just hang out on the virtual front porch. People can stop and listen or keep going. The […]
Jesus directed his followers to pursue him through the narrow gate. The narrow gate opens to a narrow road that leads to life. The narrow gate is not as appealing as the wide gate. The wide gate is the gate that accommodates the crowd. It is the one that offers enticement and intrigue. The wide gate boldly flies it banner – “You only go around once!” There are many objects worthy of your worship. Enjoy as many as you can. The narrow gate leads to truth. Instead of a multitude of things to worship, there is only one Who is worthy. Not surprisingly, few desire such a restriction. Worshiping one God to the exclusion of all others is too […]
Satan has constructed a giant illusion. Even when caught in the awful web of sin, man will naturally choose to follow the deception rather than attempt to break free. In his world, pleasure promises freedom but leads to slavery, and hard work promises fulfillment but often leads only to hard times. This is not what people expect; it is not what the world promises. Yet these promises are part of the grand deception. To some, the world says that if you work hard you can have what you want in life. Satan delights when someone works hard to accomplish a goal, such as being a successful sports star, only to have it taken away by an […]
A toddler sulks because she can’t play when it is time for a nap. A nine-year-old feels deprived because he has to share the video game console with his little brother. A young teenager thinks he is an outcast because no one who is “cool” ever talks to him. All three of these children are candidates for sexual immorality and perversion. You might think, how did you make that connection? Good question. Here is the why behind this thinking. Sexual immorality is rooted in selfishness. The lusts of the flesh say that a person should be able have what they want or desire. There is cultural outrage that anyone, especially God, would set boundaries on sexual conduct. The core issue […]
Raising children is a battle with the immediate. If something is difficult it should not be. If there is a problem, someone else should fix it. If something is wanted, it must be possessed. This is the mindset that also dominates western culture. To test this statement look at television for an hour and notice in particular the commercials. Then notice the problems that you hear others talking about. Then, listen to the content of prayer requests. There are exceptions to this trend. But, sadly they are only exceptions. People must see biblical wisdom in action for the church to function as salt and light. The world is continually dissatisfied with its craving for immediate gratification. This leads to […]