But, before anyone can become one of the rare ones that has their name entered, what they do has to be documented.
Other books that have fascinating stories to tell us about some amazing people are History books.
But again, before any event can go into these history books, it must be documented. For example...
Illus: Here is a story that is not a myth. Did you know that Lady Godiva really rode down the streets of Coventry completely unclothed?
It happened during the 11th century, in England, when her husband was a strict tax collector. She felt sorry for the many poor people, and she pleaded with him to lighten their tax burdens.
Knowing his wife to be a very modest lady, the husband responded to a group of citizens, that the chances of his lowering the poor people's taxes were about as likely as Lady Godiva riding through the streets unclothed in broad daylight.
Presumably, he didn't think there was any chance of that ever happening. However, she was determined to help the poor people of Coventry, and she told them what she must do in order to get their taxes lowered, and so she requested that every one of them stay inside and not peek while she did what she had to do to help them. She actually rode down the streets of Coventry, completely unclothed.
Her husband was shocked to hear what she had done, so knowing that it meant that much to her to have their taxes lowered, he lowered them.
Now, someone is perhaps asking, “IF EVERYONE HAD THEIR EYES COVERED, HOW COULD WE DOCUMENT THIS AND KNOW THIS ACTUALLY HAPPENED?”
We know it actually happened, because there was one man who did not close his eyes. He saw her ride down the street completely unclothed. His name was Tom. And to this day, because of what he did, we refer to people who peek on others as "Peeping Toms."
Not only do…
• THE GUINNESS WORLD BOOK OF RECORDS and
• THE HISTORY BOOKS tell us of some phenomenal things that people have done-
SO DOES THE BIBLE!
For example, consider Joseph in the Old Testament! He was remarkable as a TEEN, and he was remarkable as a MAN.
The one thing that made him the great man of God he was, WAS HIS FAITH IN THE LIVING GOD.
We live in a world today that wherever we look we see men and women being disgracefully defeated by Satan. It has become a way of life for many INDIVIDUALS and CHURCHES. God never intended things to be that way.
Joseph recognized that, and he found a secret to overcoming the temptations that Satan puts before us. Let’s look at three things that Joseph shows us. First, Joseph shows us something he did (that we can do) to be victorious over temptation.
I. HE REMEMBERED
That is, HE REMEMBERED SOME THINGS we need to remember when we face temptations.
He had been employed by Potiphar as overseer of his house. Did you know that one of the places where many people face temptations are on their jobs?
Illus: Today, many women are no longer staying home to be housewives, but daily they have to leave their homes to work beside men on their jobs.
WHAT TAKES PLACE MANY TIMES WHEN THIS HAPPENS?
• They often have to work with a man, and out of politeness, the two soon begin to strike up a conversation.
• As the days and weeks go by, they have to find something to talk about, so they start telling each other about their problems.
• They soon get to know each other so well that they start talking about their marital problems.
• They soon develop an intimacy, and no longer are they just coming to work, they are coming to see each other.
• And soon another marriage is broken up.
Joseph had not been on the job long when he faced a problem with Potiphar’s wife.
WHAT KIND OF MAN WAS JOSEPH?
The Bible tells us. Look at Genesis 39:1-6, we read, "And Joseph was brought down to Egypt; and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him of the hands of the Ishmeelites, which had brought him down thither. And the LORD was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian. And his master saw that the LORD was with him, and that the LORD made all that he did to prosper in his hand. And Joseph found grace in his sight, and he served him: and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he had he put into his hand. And it came to pass from the time that he had made him overseer in his house, and over all that he had, that the LORD blessed the Egyptian's house for Joseph's sake; and the blessing of the LORD was upon all that he had in the house, and in the field. And he left all that he had in Joseph's hand; and he knew not ought he had, save the bread which he did eat. And Joseph was a goodly person, and well favoured."
The Bible says that Joseph was a "...goodly person." But, the same could NOT be said for Potiphar’s wife. She was everything but a “goodly person.” She saw Joseph as someone with sex appeal, and she decided she was going to get him.
When we think of sexual sins, we generally think of men as the aggressive ones, who find innocent women and chase them the way a hound dog chases a rabbit.
That is not always the case. Many have fallen into sexual sin because a woman set her eyes on some man, and she did not let up until she got him to yield to her seductions.
There are as many ungodly women out there as there are men. But every godly man or woman needs to learn how to guard themselves against these temptations.
HOW DO WE DO THAT?
It is obvious that God made men and women differently. And we need to be able to recognize those differences.
God had a very special purpose in this. For example-
• A WOMAN IS STIRRED BY TOUCH
Listen Christian ladies, There are a lot of men who know this. This is why they are always wanting to put their hands on you.
Now listen, that does not mean that every time a man touches a woman through a handshake or a hug at church, they are up to no good.
I would not want to go to a church where affection to our brothers and sisters could not be expressed.
But saying that, I need to say this, there are evil men who are always wanting to put their hands on women because they know that women are STIRRED BY TOUCH!
Paul recognized that women were vulnerable in this area.
Look what Paul said in 1 Cor. 7:1-2, we read, “Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman. Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.”
We live in a society where many think petting is acceptable. But it is not scriptural, it leads to sexual arousal. Now this is important that a woman knows this if she is going to be victorious in this area of her life.
Illus: A military dad wrote this letter to a young man who wanted to date his daughter.
Dear young man,
I want to congratulate you on your taste of women. I understand that you asked my daughter for a date.
Before I will allow you to date her I need to talk to you about a few things.
As I talk to you about these things you might be wondering if I am also going to talk to my daughter about these same things. I can tell you up front I will not----there is no need. You see, her mother and I raised her up to be a lady. This is the only life she knows. The things I am going to talk to you about, I have talked to her about all her life.
Because she is a lady, I will expect you to treat her like a lady by being a gentleman.
When you are getting ready to date her, I expect you to wear clean clothes and be properly groomed.
When you pick her up at her home, I will expect you to get out of your car and come to the front door of her home, and ring the door bell to greet her. (To sit in the car and honk the horn for her to come is not acceptable.)
Because she knows that we love and cherish her, she will want you to come into our home and greet us so we can get a good look at you and so that we won’t worry about her being with you.
When you get ready to leave our home, I will expect you to open the door for her and also when she is getting in your car.
When my daughter leaves our home with you, you won’t be able to see this, but she will have “No Trespassing” signs written all over her body. If you are wise you will take heed.
Her body is not for you to claw on like some wild animal. One day she will get married to a man, if you are fortunate enough, you could be that man. But whoever that man is, he will know he has married a lady. He will know that he is not getting second hand merchandise that has been pawed over.
If you try to put your hands on her she will stop you. And if you have a difficult time understanding the word “No”, remember when she brought you into our home to meet us, I will know what you look like.
I would suggest that if you continue trying to put your hands on my daughter that you sit down and count your teeth, because you will have a lot less when I get my hands on you.
I am allowing my daughter to go out with you because I am trusting that your parents have raised a gentleman, like we have raised a lady.
Young man, like my daughter, you probably will be doing a lot of dating in the years to come. But I can tell you now, you will not date any girl that has any higher morals than she.
The man who can win her heart will be most fortunate.
Her Loving Dad
Petting is not scriptural, and many young ladies have made some serious mistakes in their lives because they are vulnerable to the touch, more so than men.
Why? Because God made women to be stirred by the "touch." But God made men differently -
• A MAN IS STIRRED BY SIGHT
Back in the 50's there was a song, "I’m a girl watcher." Nothing is truer for the men than that song.
• Now if you hear a man say, “I do not enjoy looking at pretty women,” you better check his pulse.
• And you better not believe a thing he says, because if he will lie about that, he probably will tell you that he also enjoys taking cold showers during the winter time with no heat on.
Some men have wrecked their cars because they were looking at a pretty lady jogging on the sidewalk, instead of looking where they should be going.
Listen, you godly men, most women know that men are stirred by sight, and some women dress the way they do purposely, not because it is stylish, but because they have set their eyes on some man, and they are determined to "turn him on" if it is the last thing they do.
Joseph teaches those who love the Lord, that we need to "remember" that we are all vulnerable to the opposite sex, and we must constantly be on guard.
The reason Joseph never fell for the temptation of Potiphar's wife was:
• Because HE REMEMBERED he was vulnerable to the opposite sex.
• Because HE REMEMBERED she was Potiphar's wife, and God had not placed him in that position to take advantage of Potiphar who had entrusted him.
Look at this evil woman in operation. Look at verses 7-9 we read, "And it came to pass after these things, that his master's wife cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said, Lie with me. But he refused, and said unto his master's wife, Behold, my master wotteth not what is with me in the house, and he hath committed all that he hath to my hand; There is none greater in this house than I; NEITHER HATH HE KEPT BACK ANY THING FROM ME BUT THEE, BECAUSE THOU ART HIS WIFE: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?"
As saints of God, we have to always REMEMBER there are some things WE CAN HAVE, and there are some things WE CANNOT HAVE as Christians.
Joseph told Potiphar's wife, "There is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back any thing from me BUT THEE..."
The devil sends out the message, "You can have it all!" But as Christians, we have to REMEMBER, there are some things we CAN HAVE, and also there are some things we CAN NOT HAVE!
Another reason Joseph goes down in the pages of the Word of God as one of God's great ones, is because HE REMEMBERED the things his master told him, and because...
II. HE RECOGNIZED
That is, HE RECOGNIZED SOME THINGS.
When he was tempted he said, "...how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?"
He overcame sin because he recognized that if he did what she wanted him to do, he would have to defy the God Whom he truly loved!
Illus: During the 60's, the young boys wore long hair like women wear their hair. That was a time of rebellion and many did this in defiance to their parents. That is, they knew their parents did not like to have their sons look like daughters. So this was their symbolic way of saying, "I do not have to listen to you, and I do not care if you like it or not. I will do what I want to do."
Did you know that many folks live defiant lives before God the Father? They give in to the temptations to sin because they see it as a way to DEFY GOD. For example:
• This is why some do not tithe. (It is an act of defiance!)
• This is why some do not attend Church like they should. (It is an act of defiance!)
Any time we give in to the temptation to sin, we BLATANTLY DEFY GOD! ALL SIN IS DEFIANCE TOWARD GOD!
Joseph RECOGNIZED this. Look at what he said to Potiphar's wife, "...how then can I do this GREAT WICKEDNESS, and sin against God?"
• He RECOGNIZED that he COULD NOT DO everything the lost world did.
• He RECOGNIZED that if he committed this sin, he would be sinning against God
Joseph RECOGNIZED that ALL SIN is DEFIANCE toward God! Notice, he considered sin to be "GREAT WICKEDNESS" in the sight of God.
Oh, that the Lord would help us to see sin as "great wickedness," instead of as being fashionable, or the thing we do because everyone else is doing it!
To overcome the temptation of sin in his life:
• HE REMEMBERED
• HE RECOGNIZED
But also, to overcome sin in his life...
III. HE RAN!
That is, he ran from something. In verses 10-13, we read, "And it came to pass, as she spake to Joseph day by day, that he hearkened not unto her, to lie by her, or to be with her. And it came to pass about this time, that Joseph went into the house to do his business; and there was none of the men of the house there within. And she caught him by his garment, saying, Lie with me: and he left his garment in her hand, and fled, and got him out. And it came to pass, when she saw that he had left his garment in her hand, and was fled forth."
Illus: Someone said, "Temptation often comes through a door that has been deliberately left open."
Someone else very wisely said, "Temptations are like tramps, treat them kindly and they will return bringing others with them."
Listen, when you are dieting, the worst thing you can do is hang around a restaurant that serves good food, or be where food is convenient..
Illus: Have you noticed what happens when the family gathers around the table for dinner and they continue to sit there and talk after the meal? All the food is still before them, and even though they have eaten more than enough to keep them for three days, they begin to eat more as they talk and see that food.
To keep from giving in, you must RUN AWAY FROM THE TEMPTATION!
Illus: One of the reasons today that people have a weight problem is that they build their dens where they watch television next to the kitchen. They sit there watching television, and some company advertises a certain product and they head for the kitchen.
If you build a new home, whatever you do, design it in such a way that you CAN NOT SEE THE KITCHEN , nor SMELL THE AROMA from it.
Joseph FLED because he was a man, and he knew if he stayed and gave in to sin he would have broken God's heart.
The Bible says, "And she caught him by his garment, saying, Lie with me: and he left his garment in her hand, and fled, and got him out. And it came to pass, when she saw that he had left his garment in her hand, and was fled forth..."
Joseph is in the history book of God's Word because God saw what a great man he was.
God could document the deeds of this great man of God and say, "Yes, here is a man who overcame temptation."
Conclusion:
Would you like to be a great servant of God? Would you like to live above sin?
Don't let Satan convince you that you have to live in DEFEAT. You can be victorious. Face temptation and do what Joseph did! How did he overcome sin?
I. HE REMEMBERED
II. HE RECOGNIZED
III. HE RAN!
