Christianity Oasis Forum

[cimi]

FRIDAY MARCH 18


WHEN TO WALK AWAY

READ:
1 CORINTHIANS
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God is faithful; He
will not let you be
tempted beyond
what you can bear.
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When my father became a Christian in his old age, he fascinated me with his plan for overcoming temptation. Sometimes he just walked away! For example, whenever a disagreement between him and a neighbor began to degenerate into a quarrel, my father just walked away for a time rather than be tempted to advance the quarrel.

One day he met with some friends who ordered pito ( a locally brewed alcoholic beer). My father had formerly struggled with alcohol and had decided he was better off without it. So he simply stood up, said hs goodbyes, and left the gathering of old friends for another day.

In Genesis, we read how Potiphar’s wife tempted Joseph. He immediately recognized that giving in would cause him to “sin against God,” so he fled (GEN. 39:9-12).

Temptation knocks often at our door. Sometimes it comes from our own desires, other times through the situations and people we encounter. As Paul told the Corinthians, “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind.” But he also wrote, “God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can endure it” (1 COR. 10:13).

The “way out” may include removing the objects of temptation or fleeing from them. Our best course of action may be to simply walk away. ___Lawrence Darmani

** Lord, please give me the wisdom and strength to know when to walk
away from situations and people that tempt me to do wrong
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Every temptation is an opportunity to flee to God.

*********************Today’s Bible Reading __ Genesis 39:1-12**************************
1 Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt. Potiphar, an
Egyptian who was one of Pharaoh’s officials, the captain
of the guard, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had
taken him there.

2 The LORD was with Joseph so that he prospered, and he lived
in the house of his Egyptian master. 3 When his master saw that
the LORD was with him and that the LORD gave him success in
everything he did, 4 Joseph found favor in his eyes and became
his attendant. Potiphar put him in charge of his household,
and he entrusted to his care everything he owned. 5 From the
time he put him in charge of his household and of all that he
owned, the LORD blessed the household of the Egyptian beause
of Joseph. The blesssing of the LORD was on everything Potiphar
had, both in the house and in the field. 6 So Potiphar left
everything he had in Joeseph’s care; with Joseph in charge, he
did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate.

Now Joseph was well-built and handsome, 7 and after a
while his master’s wife took notice of Joseph and said, “Come
to bed with me!”

6 But he refused. “With me in charge, “he told her, “my
master does not concern himself with anything in the house;
everything he owns he has entrusted to my care. 9 No one
is greater in this house than I am. My master has withheld
nothing from me except you, because you are his wife.
How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against
God?” 10 And though she spoke to Joseph day after day, he
refused to go to bed with her or even be with her.

11 One day he wnet into the house to attend to his duties, and
none of the household servants was inside. 12 She caught him
by his cloak and said, “Come to bed with me!” but he left his
cloak in her hand an d ran out of the house.