February 8 Bible Reading Plan

How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?

-Joseph

Have you ever heard of a rags-to-riches story? This is when a poor person finds success and fame. Hollywood has made billions off of such stories. The story of Joseph in the Bible wouldn't fall into this category. Instead, Joseph would be a from-riches-to-rags-to-riches-to-rags-to-riches story.

Joseph grew up with a silver spoon in his mouth. He was the center of his father's universe and, honestly, a bit spoiled. However, amidst all this, beat the heart of a man who loved and served God.

After his jealous brothers changed their plans from killing him to selling him as a slave, Joseph found himself in a very different place. He was now a dirty slave forced into servitude. But God had a plan for Joseph because He saw a tender heart inside him.

Joseph was an intelligent, talented man, but more importantly, he had the anointing of God on him. Because of this, he became the head slave of the second most powerful man in Egypt, Potiphar. The Bible says everything Joseph touched prospered, and Joseph was living pretty well, albeit as a slave.

One other fact about Joseph was that, in addition to being smart, capable, talented, spirit-led, and anointed, the dude was a stud—the Brad Pitt of Potiphar's house. This didn't go unnoticed by Potiphar's wife.

Mrs. Potiphar, not one for being subtle, made sexual pass after sexual pass. Each time, Joseph refused.

Can you imagine how hard this was for Joseph as he refused her daily advances? He was a young man. He was a virgin. He was far away from his family and friends. He was lonely. He felt rejected. His older brothers had just sold him. He had sexual desires. He could have very easily found comfort in the arms of this more-than-willing woman.

But instead, Joseph rejected her advances each time.

How did he find the strength to do it? Because he loved Someone more than he loved his own sexual gratification. Look at his words.

"How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?" (Genesis 39:9, ESV)

Joseph refused to sin against his God.

Joseph knew something that Mrs. Potiphar didn't know...his life was an open book before God, and he could not commit such blatant sin against his God.

He was an ordinary young man with the same desires we all face, but Joseph's God was more real to him than anything or anyone else on earth.

Instead, He chose to walk away.

Men, we need to have the same attitude when it comes to sexual temptation. We need to see it as a sin against God.

Having sex with anyone who is not your married partner is a sin against God. I can't put it any more bluntly.

Whether it is pre-marital sex or an affair, it is a sin. It goes against God's perfect design of sex being only between a husband and wife. This is God's order for family life.

God disapproves of us having sex in the wrong place and at the wrong time. Sex in the wrong place is also known as pornography.

How is porn sex in the wrong place? Watching porn isn't really having sex, is it? Well, let's look at what Jesus says.

Matthew 5:27-28 says, "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall not commit adultery.' But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart." (ESV)

In God's eyes, porn is the same as having sex; it says so right there. Sex is meant for the marriage bed, not a dark room in front of a computer screen. The wrong place is alone in a room with a computer screen.

Many men see this as an impossible standard. They feel they have a right to look at a pretty girl and fantasize about her. However, Jesus makes it clear. You don't. If we look at a woman lustfully, if we fantasize about a woman, it is a sin against God.

There is no way around it.

Sex in the wrong time is sex with anyone who isn't your wife, whether you are single or married.

Sex was created to be between a husband and a wife. Having an affair in marriage will damage your relationships. It causes life-changing damage to the spouse and children involved. It hurts co-workers, friends, and churches. It is not just a private act. It kills many relationships and destroys reputations.

If you're single, having sex before marriage will damage your future marriage relationship. God does not condone sex before marriage. He understands all the baggage this will cause to your future relationship, so we single guys need to abstain from sex and save it for our wedding night.

To have pre-marital sex or an affair is to be anti-family and anti-God. An affair is cheating on the wife you took a sacred vow with on your wedding day. Single guys, sex before marriage is not God’s design for sex. Sex is for marriage. Period. As men, we have a responsibility to stay sexually pure.

The good news is that we have examples in life that show us that sexual purity can be done. Like Joseph, we can refuse to sin against God and give in to sexual sin.

An unbreakable man refuses to sin sexually against God. He realizes it will cause separation between him and God, so he stands firm and stays pure like Joseph.