Lesson 2
Read Genesis 39 - https://www.bible.com/bible/59/gen.39.esv
- Faithfulness – deserving trust, keeping your promises or doing what you are supposed to do
- Self-control – the ability to control oneself, in particular one's emotions and desires or the expression of them in one's behavior, especially in difficult situations
- Discretion – the quality of having or showing discernment or good judgment
- Loyalty – faithfulness to commitments or obligations
- Respect – to consider worthy of high regard, esteem
- Temperance – moderation or self-restraint
- Virtue - behavior showing high moral standards

Potiphar, the manager of Pharaoh’s household in Egypt, had purchased Joseph from the traveling merchants. Joseph was living in Potiphar’s home, and God was with Joseph, causing things to go very well with him. Potiphar recognized God was working everything Joseph did for good. He appreciated Joseph’s diligence and dependability, and made Joseph his personal aide, putting him in charge of all his personal affairs. God began blessing Potiphar’s home because of Joseph; His blessings spreading over everything Potiphar owned – his home and his fields. Potiphar settled into a life of ease.

Joseph was very handsome, and Potiphar’s wife was attracted to him. One day, she invited Joseph to come to bed with her. Joseph refused, saying his respected master had put him in charge of everything except his wife, and he couldn’t violate Potiphar’s trust and sin against God.

Potiphar’s wife begged and teased him daily, but Joseph stood his ground, refusing to go to bed with her. He determined to remain faithful and loyal to God and to Potiphar, self-controlled, virtuous, and exhibiting temperance and discretion by not giving in to temptation.

One day Joseph came into the house to work when none of the servants were there. Potiphar’s wife boldly grabbed Joseph’s cloak and demanded, “Sleep with me!” Joseph left his coat in her hand and ran out of the house. Potiphar’s wife recognized her opportunity to get back at Joseph and ran outside with Joseph’s coat in her hand. She yelled to the servants who were outside, “This Hebrew slave tried to seduce me! He tried to get me to go to bed with him, but I screamed so loudly he left his coat and ran outside.”

Potiphar’s wife kept Joseph’s coat with her until her husband came home. She told him the same story she had told the servants. Potiphar was furious, and threw Joseph in jail.

God was still with Joseph and reached out to him even in jail, making sure he was on good terms with the head jailer. The head jailer put Joseph in charge of all the prisoners; he was soon managing the whole jail. The head jailer never even checked on Joseph, because he knew God was with him and God made sure whatever Joseph did worked out for the best.

Apply God’s Word to your life:
*How did God’s presence help Joseph in Egypt?
*How does His presence help you?
*Why didn’t Joseph feel sorry for himself?
*What did Joseph do when he was tempted?
*What will you do today when you are tempted?
*If you struggle in this area, consider studying the GMO “Sexual Purity” Bible lessons.