Tag: prison

Sin Always Has Consequences

On By vickleaIn Scripture2 Comments

www.bible.com/reading-plans/26293/day/5

In our topsy-turvy world where excuses are the name of the game and not repentance or owning up to your sins, the Bible presents God’s view of sin. It always, always has consequences! You may excuse your way out of repenting, but the sin will follow you around and be an albatross around your neck. Joseph knew this truth and fled from the temptation that Potiphar’s wife put before him. He didn’t stick around to be captured by her wiles; instead, he ran. Some like to say that only cowards run away, but when sin is involved, it is the bold and righteous who flee. Joseph set a good example for us to follow. Sometimes we stumble into temptation and sometimes temptation walks up to us, slaps us in the face and demands we give in. That’s when we flee, whether we stumble our way in or temptation seems to attack us.

I don’t know why things happened the way they did in Joseph’s life, but I do know that God used the events, even his time in prison, to make him into the person God wanted him to be. Even when we flee temptation and do the right thing, the powers that be may “punish” us severely. We may never understand why things happen on this side of heaven, but we have to trust that God is in control of ALL of our circumstances and knows what He is doing, even if the picture is a little fuzzy for us. God sees things clearly and is working things out, just as He did for Joseph. We have to wait, sometimes in what seems like a prison, but we have to wait for God to act on our behalf. Trying to get ahead of God is never a good idea.

Joseph Teaches Us to Wait

On By vickleaIn Scripture, YouVersion App2 Comments

www.bible.com/reading-plans/26293/day/1

If you’re like me, when I saw the title of this devotional plan, I was repelled and then drawn to it. I was repelled because honestly, I don’t know that I want to learn how to wait like Joseph. After all, he spent years in prison while he waited for God to free and use him. But aren’t we all in a prison of some kind, mostly of our own making, while we wait for God to act? We need to be willing to find out how to make the best of our current circumstances while we wait for them to change. And we need to realize that the circumstances may never change…we will change instead. So, I am now pumped up and ready to study more about Joseph. What are you waiting for?

Don’t Be Afraid

On By vickleaIn Scripture6 Comments

Did you know that the Bible has verses about fear for each day of the year? Yes, 365 times, the Holy Bible tells us not to be afraid and what to do if we are.

Looking around at all that is happening in today’s world, it’s hard not to be anxious. In our study of Revelation at church and then again in my devotional today, I have decided to cling to this verse. I may never be persecuted or thrown into prison or face the death of a martyr. But, if it happens, God has already given me the answer. DON’T BE AFRAID. I don’t know how to interpret the entire verse, whether the ten days is literal or not or whether the church as a whole will suffer great persecution. But what I do know is that God says not to be afraid and that we will receive from Him the crown of life. What is that? It’s the eternal rest with Him that awaits us after our sojourn on earth has ended. However we die, whenever we die, I think that everyone has an element of fear because death is an unknown. But God tells us not to be afraid. Jesus went before us and conquered the last enemy, death, so that we should not be afraid of death but we know that on the other side, the Lord waits for us to give us eternity with Him.

So, this verse seems to be almost a paradox. God tells us not to be afraid but David says in the Psalms when I am afraid. He doesn’t use the word “if” that has the connotation that it may or may not happen. He uses the conjunction “when” denoting that is will happen. And when it does, David has already determined that he will put his trust in God. I think that is good advice for all of us. We need to determine in advance that when we are fearful, we will put our trust in God. God is our stable anchor in a storm-tossed sea and He is the One who places us on solid ground. That is a verse to hold on to…facing death as a martyr? I don’t have that train ticket yet because God hasn’t given it to me, but if I need it, He will provide it and I am confident that He will be with me through whatever the future holds. Like David, I will trust in God.