Lie With Me
Dr. Creflo Dollar, pastor of World Changers Ministries in College Park Georgia, preached a message that aired on CBS last Sunday, February 11, 2012. In it he was telling all those that could hear him about how to maintain your path of righteousness. He used Joseph as an example that even when he was at his lowest, he was still blessed. His brothers might have sold him as a slave but the man that purchased him, Potiphar, trusted Joseph and allowed him to have lead over his entire household as if Joseph was the man of the house. The only thing he knew he had not that same allowance was the man's wife. There she was every day watching Joseph as her husband was away until it was too much for her to resist. He wasn't paying any attention to her. Joseph was being about the tasks that were assigned to him. To commit adultery was the farthest thing from Joseph's mind but Potiphar's wife, not having the same moral conviction saw Joseph as a means to satisfy her own lusts. (Genesis 39 KJV)
When Dr. Dollar preached this message, he said something that caused me to think and to write this entry. He described the scene with Joseph and Potiphar's wife. He said that she was after him day after day. She kept telling him the same thing, "lie with me." When Dr. Dollar made that statement a few times, he paused and said, "that sounds sort of spiritual, doesn't it?" I replied to the television screen, "uh-huh."
It is the reason why I put this post here with Christian Singles, so when the dating process is completed and the wedding has taken place, there are no thoughts that could be entertained of any extra-marital affairs or infidelity. The idea of which would be as appalling as robbing a bank or committing a murder - its just not thought of. You see when he said, it sounds spiritual, I could already hear it when the verse stated to lie with me. Why did she say it like that? Why didn't she say sleep here or come her Joseph or any number of things that could have been just as enticing without the double entendre. It was as if she had plotted in her mind all of that time looking at this young man and though she more then likely didn't mean for the double meaning to be there - God was watching and also using the situation to test his heart.
If Joseph had circum to the beckoning of Potiphar's wife, what would transpire afterward? Do we have enough information to make that call? Would Joseph made it to emperor? Would God have trusted him with such a title? Would he have had it worse in prison? Would he have had the favor that he did?
This is why this post would have also done well in the blog Kingdom Living for mature Christians. When asking, is this all there is and one wonders why it seems all of the blessings have come to a screeching halt, it isn't God that one should wonder about but the choices that have been made. Have all of the choices made were in the path of life or lack? When we made the decision to choose life all the way back in Deuteronomy, it just didn't stop there. Life goes on with more decisions to make. In those decisions as well, we must make the acknowledgments so that life is maintained. Sometimes we think what feels good or seems right is just that without asking. God has been here since the beginning of time. He is where you would like to go and sees you where you are. Wouldn't it be just the more intelligent thing... no just common sense, to ask Him if this is the way to the life path or will it be the cause for the lack that some might be experiencing now?
If Joseph had committed adultery with Potiphar's wife, he would have to bear false witness to her husband in order to maintain the life he had before he done anything with her. Unfortunately, what would have happened is he would have lost all of what he had and more then likely his life as well (James 2:10-11 KJV). With her saying it the way she said it, Joseph could hear God talking to him. Lie with me, wasn't as enticing as she may have thought it would be. All Joseph could hear was telling the lie that would cause him to lose it all. Would that all men hear this lesson. When the temptation is too great - run.
Which brings me to the quandary when I meditated on the subject matter. The Word tells us to resist the devil and he will flee (James 4:7 AMP). This woman was after Joseph on a daily basis as if her intentions was to ware him down. He more then likely was at the point of contemplating whether he could just make out for a little bit. The assumption comes from what transpires afterward. He explained to her why it would be wrong and how her husband trusted him. Wasn't that resistance enough? Why didn't she stop? Why didn't she flee? It is why I think Joseph was contemplating on the matter. He didn't avoid her. He didn't go to other places in the home or be around the other workers. It was getting to him, so when she grabbed that coat, he had a decision to make. Was the matter wearing on his mind? He did what he was supposed to do - right? It is written that when one looks at the opposite sex with desire, adultery was already committed in the heart (Matthew 5:28 AMP). Meaning, that the intent to do wrong was already there. He had to be dancing with the idea in his mind or how else could the accusation that Potiphar's wife have that he raped her have stuck. Wouldn't the fact that he never succumbed to her advances make him a free man? Wouldn't God have given him favor to get out of the mess that he was in? If his intentions were truly honorable, the accusations would have been proven false.
Yes, it was a spiritual decision and the outcome should make one think about his or her own life as we grow in Him as a single individual or as a couple when one decision will affect the entire household. Make sure that what it is you are about to do will lead you on the right path and maintains your steps where they should be (Proverbs 12:28 KJV).
When Dr. Dollar preached this message, he said something that caused me to think and to write this entry. He described the scene with Joseph and Potiphar's wife. He said that she was after him day after day. She kept telling him the same thing, "lie with me." When Dr. Dollar made that statement a few times, he paused and said, "that sounds sort of spiritual, doesn't it?" I replied to the television screen, "uh-huh."
It is the reason why I put this post here with Christian Singles, so when the dating process is completed and the wedding has taken place, there are no thoughts that could be entertained of any extra-marital affairs or infidelity. The idea of which would be as appalling as robbing a bank or committing a murder - its just not thought of. You see when he said, it sounds spiritual, I could already hear it when the verse stated to lie with me. Why did she say it like that? Why didn't she say sleep here or come her Joseph or any number of things that could have been just as enticing without the double entendre. It was as if she had plotted in her mind all of that time looking at this young man and though she more then likely didn't mean for the double meaning to be there - God was watching and also using the situation to test his heart.
If Joseph had circum to the beckoning of Potiphar's wife, what would transpire afterward? Do we have enough information to make that call? Would Joseph made it to emperor? Would God have trusted him with such a title? Would he have had it worse in prison? Would he have had the favor that he did?
This is why this post would have also done well in the blog Kingdom Living for mature Christians. When asking, is this all there is and one wonders why it seems all of the blessings have come to a screeching halt, it isn't God that one should wonder about but the choices that have been made. Have all of the choices made were in the path of life or lack? When we made the decision to choose life all the way back in Deuteronomy, it just didn't stop there. Life goes on with more decisions to make. In those decisions as well, we must make the acknowledgments so that life is maintained. Sometimes we think what feels good or seems right is just that without asking. God has been here since the beginning of time. He is where you would like to go and sees you where you are. Wouldn't it be just the more intelligent thing... no just common sense, to ask Him if this is the way to the life path or will it be the cause for the lack that some might be experiencing now?
If Joseph had committed adultery with Potiphar's wife, he would have to bear false witness to her husband in order to maintain the life he had before he done anything with her. Unfortunately, what would have happened is he would have lost all of what he had and more then likely his life as well (James 2:10-11 KJV). With her saying it the way she said it, Joseph could hear God talking to him. Lie with me, wasn't as enticing as she may have thought it would be. All Joseph could hear was telling the lie that would cause him to lose it all. Would that all men hear this lesson. When the temptation is too great - run.
Which brings me to the quandary when I meditated on the subject matter. The Word tells us to resist the devil and he will flee (James 4:7 AMP). This woman was after Joseph on a daily basis as if her intentions was to ware him down. He more then likely was at the point of contemplating whether he could just make out for a little bit. The assumption comes from what transpires afterward. He explained to her why it would be wrong and how her husband trusted him. Wasn't that resistance enough? Why didn't she stop? Why didn't she flee? It is why I think Joseph was contemplating on the matter. He didn't avoid her. He didn't go to other places in the home or be around the other workers. It was getting to him, so when she grabbed that coat, he had a decision to make. Was the matter wearing on his mind? He did what he was supposed to do - right? It is written that when one looks at the opposite sex with desire, adultery was already committed in the heart (Matthew 5:28 AMP). Meaning, that the intent to do wrong was already there. He had to be dancing with the idea in his mind or how else could the accusation that Potiphar's wife have that he raped her have stuck. Wouldn't the fact that he never succumbed to her advances make him a free man? Wouldn't God have given him favor to get out of the mess that he was in? If his intentions were truly honorable, the accusations would have been proven false.
Yes, it was a spiritual decision and the outcome should make one think about his or her own life as we grow in Him as a single individual or as a couple when one decision will affect the entire household. Make sure that what it is you are about to do will lead you on the right path and maintains your steps where they should be (Proverbs 12:28 KJV).
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