Article Library

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By Pastor Chuck Swindoll

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Trust is a Reward of Faithfulness

“That, men and women, is trust. That’s what you earn over the years as a pastor. That is what you earn over the years as a faculty member of some school you may serve. That is the reward of our great God on the lives of those who are faithful, who do good work, who don’t compromise, who tell the truth, who keep their word, who keep short accounts, who don’t take advantage of people and don’t exploit, who don’t manipulate. Joseph was a trustworthy man, and Potiphar finally found himself completely comfortable leaving everything in Joseph’s charge. Before I go one step further, I have to pause and say that that in itself puts you in a very vulnerable position, because you still have your thought life. You still have a world that goes on in your brain and in your old nature that is vile. It is obscene which, if the Spirit of God does not control it, waits for the moment to lurch into action.”

Guard Your Thoughts

“You will be, perhaps by the grace of God, in a place that will ultimately be enviable. You will have the trust of your congregation. You will have the respect of your elders. You will have the reputation over the years. You will have your degrees, and you will be unquestioned, quite likely, in a setting that becomes a very, very dangerous place. You are in a dangerous place when all speak well of you, because then it’s you and God and hopefully a circle of individuals with whom you have made yourself accountable, so that your private world doesn’t become a scandal and a shame.”

God Sees All

Reminds me of what the psalmist writes in 139:3: ‘You scrutinize my path and my lying down, and you are intimately acquainted with all my ways.’ He knows every minute you spend on the internet. He sees everything you look at. He sees every stolen moment. He sees it all.

Joseph’s Remarkable Relationship with God

“As she spoke to Joseph, day after day, he did not listen to her to lie beside her or to be with her (Genesis 39:10). Day after day after day after day. Remarkable relationship with God. I almost said remarkable man, but he’s just a man like you or me. The difference is he had cultivated the kind of relationship with his God that would not permit this—just would not permit it.”

Four “Must Nots”

“You must not be weakened by your situation. You must not be deceived in the persuasion. You must not be gentle with your emotions. By the way, if necessary, be rude. Just be rude. That has a way of turning the other person off. Number four, you must not be confused with the immediate results. Day after day, he was tempted. Advances become more forceful, not less. False accusations followed his obedience. He was later then demoted, misunderstood, and dumped in jail. I would add also, you must never forget the ramifications.”

Additional Resources

First, sign up for our Chuck’s Insights on Ministry email where we bring you his best thoughts on preaching, leadership, and ministry each week. By signing up, you’ll instantly receive a one-page checklist with 20 preaching insights from Chuck. See this page’s sidebar.

Second, check out our new Preach The Word articles and video series on YouTube where we’re teaching Chuck’s best insights on this important calling.

Third, listen to Chuck’s messages to those in ministry through our Seminary Chapels page. For decades, he offered students at Dallas Theological Seminary his best thoughts on church leadership and ministry. Now, we have put them at your fingertips. Also, you can find them through this YouTube playlist we created for you.

Fourth, if you don’t own a copy of Chuck’s book on preaching, Saying It Well, we highly recommend you add it to your library. It’s his preaching memoir that is also like a practical preaching manual. You won’t be able to put it down.

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