In the book of Job,we read the story about a man whose Godl character is mentioned in the first chapter and first verse. He was a man that was perfect and upright, and one who feared God, and shunned evil.
We read not only about his character but his biography as well. He had a wife, seven sons and three daughters. He was a very wealthy man that had 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, 500 female donkeys, and many servants working for him. He was considered to be the wealthiest man around.He was a man of prayer. He was constantly offering burnt offerings for his children "in case they may have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.
As the years went by, both God and Satan were watching Job. One day, Satan came before the LORD, and the LORD said, "Where did you come from"? He said, "From going back and forth in the earth, and from walking up and down in it".1st Peter 5:8 tells us to be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.And the LORD said unto Satan,"Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man one that feareth God and shunneth evil"?
What God was doing here was simply bragging on Job because he knew Satan was watching him.Satan said, "Does Job fear you for nothing? Haven't you put a hedge about him, his household,and everything he owns? You have blessed the work of his hands. Everything he owns has multiplied, however put forth your hand now and touch all that he has, and he will curse thee to your face".And the LORD said unto Satan, Ok, I give you permission to do what you want, but you cannot touch him personally. So Satan went on his way. Then he began to attack everything that job had! The donkeys, camels and oxen were stolen. His sheep were killed by lightning, and all of the servants were killed, except the ones that escaped to tell him the bad news. On top of all this, there came a tornado which destroyed his oldest son's house and killed all of his children!And Job's response to all of this was that he arose, shaved his head, tore his clothes, and fell down on the ground and worshipped. Job said, "Naked I came out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return, the LORD has given, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD". In all of this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.
In the second book of Job,Satan approaches God again. God asked him, "Where didyou come from"? Satan replies, "From going back and forth in the earth, and walking up and down in it".One more time God asked him, "Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God,
and shuns evil?
Now this is the same question that God asked in chapter 1, but this time he put a little dif-ferent twist to it. He said to Satan, "Job still holds fast his integrity, although you are move-ing me against him, to destroy him without cause".
Now, notice that God was the one who pointed out Job's integrity. I believe that God was smilling and Satan was steaming.
So he said to God, "Skin for skin yea, all that he has will he give for his life. But put forth your hand right now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse you to thy face".So now God is getting really scared - right? WRONG !!! God knew what Job would do, but in order to prove to Satan once and for all, that Job was a man of integrity, He gave him per-mission to touch his body. Do whatever you want to him, except kill him.So Satan went away from the presence of the LORD, and began attaching Job's body. He began to be covered with boils from the top of his head to the bottom of his feet.And it was so bad that he took a piece of broken pottery and began scratching himself to relieve the terrible itching he felt, and sat down in ashes.
Then said his wife unto him,Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die.? Nowhere in the two meetings does it say that Mrs. Job was present. Matter of fact she didn't even know anything about the meetings. But yet she utters the same words that were spoken between God and Satan. Was this a coincidence, or was Mrs. Job influenced by Satan? I believe that the latter took place.Satan tried, oh how he tried to get Job to curse God and lose his integrity. He attacked all of Job's wealth; he attacked and killed all of his sons and daughters, and he was allowed by God to bring painful boils all over his body.
And what did Job do? He said unto Mrs. Job, "Shut your mouth, you speak as a foolish woman"! What? shall we recieve good at the hand of God, and not evil also? In all of this Job sinned not with his lips.
Our integrity is what Satan wantsto steal ! And just exactly what is integrity? Websters dictionary describes integrity as the state of being entire or complete; entireness; a genuine or unimpaired state; honesty; uprightness; in mutual dealings; high principles.
Have you, as a christian ever told a dirty joke? I admit I have. One day somebody told one, and everyone started laughing and hee-hawing around, but as soon as I told mine, they all stoped laughing, and in bewilderment one of them said, I thought you was a church going christian! You are just the same as we are. We don't want to hear about your so called christianity!
Ouch!!! As soon as I told that joke, I lost the strenght of being an effective witness, that God wanted me to be.
So the next time your friends are doing something that you know is offensive to christianity, ask yourself, do I really want to participate in this, because once you lose your integrity, it's very, very hard to get it back!
　
　
　
　
　
The integrity of Job.
In the book of Job, we read the
story about a man whose Godly
character is mentioned in the
first chapter and first verse. He
was a man that was perfect and
upright, and one who feared God,
and shunned evil.
We read not only about his
character but his biography as
well. He had a wife, seven sons
and three daughters. He was a
very wealthy man that had 7,000
sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke
of oxen, 500 female donkeys, and
many servants working for him.
He was considered to be the
wealthiest man around.
He was a man of prayer. He was
constantly offering burnt offerings
for his children "in case they may
have sinned and cursed God in
their hearts.
As the years went by, both God
and Satan were watching Job.
One day, Satan came before the
LORD, and the LORD said,
"Where did you come from"? He
said, "From going back and forth
in the earth, and from walking up
and down in it".
1st Peter 5:8 tells us to be sober, be
vigilant; because your adversary the
devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about,
seeking whom he may devour.
And the LORD said unto Satan,"Hast
thou considered my servant Job, that
there is none like him in the earth, a
perfect and an upright manone that
feareth God and shunneth evil"?
What God was doing here was simply bragging on Job because he knew
Satan was watching him.
Satan said, "Does Job fear you
for nothing? Haven't you put a
hedge about him, his household,
and everything he owns? You
have blessed the work of his
hands. Everything he ownes
has multiplied, however put forth
your hand now and touch all that
he has, and he will curse thee to
your face".
And the LORD said unto Satan,
Ok, I give you permission to do
what you want, but you cannot
touch him personally. So Satan
went on his way. Then he began
to attack everything that job had!
The donkeys, camels and oxen
were stolen. His sheep were killed
by lightning, and all of the servants
were killed, except the ones that
escaped to tell him the bad news.
On top of all this, there came a
tornado which destroyed his oldest
son's house and killed all of his
children!
And Job's response to all of this
was that he arose, shaved his
head, tore his clothes, and fell
down on the ground and wor-
shipped. Job said, "Naked I came
out of my mother's womb, and
naked shall I return, the LORD
has given, and the LORD has
taken away; blessed be the name
of the LORD".
In all of this Job sinned not, nor
charged God foolishly.
In the second book of Job,
Satan approaches God again.
God asked him, "Where did
you come from"? Satan replies,
"From going back and
forth in the earth, and walking
up and down in it".
One more time God asked him,
"Have you considered my servant
Job, that there is none like him in the
earth, a perfect and an upright man,
one that feareth God, and shuns evil?
Now this is the same question
that God asked in chapter 1
but this time he put a little dif-
ferent twist to it. He said to
Satan, "Job still holds fast his
integrity, although you are move-
ing me against him, to destroy
him without cause".
Now, notice that God was the one
who pointed out Job's integrity.
I believe that God was smilling and
Satan was steaming.
So he said to God, "Skin for skin
yea, all that he has will he give for
his life. But put forth your hand
right now, and touch his bone and
his flesh, and he will curse you to thy
face".
So now God is getting really scared
- right? WRONG !!! God knew what
Job would do, but in order to prove to
Satan once and for all, that Job was a
man of integrity, He gave him per-
mission to touch his body. Do whatever
you want to him, except kill him.
So Satan went away from the presence
of the LORD, and began attaching Job's
body. He began to be covered with boils from the top of his head to the bottom of
his feet.
And it was so bad that he took a piece of broken pottery and began scratching him-
self to relieve the terrible itching he felt,
and sat down in ashes.
Then said his wife unto him,
Dost thou still retain thine integrity
curse God, and die.? Nowhere in the
two meetings does it say that Mrs.
Job was present. Matter of fact she
didn't even know anything about
the meetings. But yet she utters the
same words that were spoken be-
tween God and Satan. Was
this a coincidence, or was Mrs.
Job influenced by Satan? I
believe that the latter took place.
Satan tried, oh how he tried
to get Job to curse God and
lose his integrity. He attacked
all of Job's wealth; he attacked
and killed all of his sons and
daughters, and he was allowed
by God to bring painful boils
all over his body.
And what did Job do? He said
unto Mrs. Job, "Shut your mouth,
you speak as a foolish woman"!
What? shall we recieve good at the
hand of God, and not evil also? In
all of this Job sinned not with his lips.
Our integrity is what Satan wants
to steal ! And just exactly what is
integrity? Websters dictionary
describes integrity as the state of
being entire or complete; entireness;
a genuine or unimpaired state; honesty; uprightness; in mutual dealings; high principles.
Have you, as a christian ever told a dirty
joke? I admit I have. One day somebody
told one, and everyone started laughing
and hee-hawing around, but as soon as I told mine, they all stoped laughing, and in bewilderment one of them said, I thought you was a church going christian! You are just the same as we are. We don't want to hear about your so called christianity!
Ouch!!! As soon as I told that joke, I lost
the strenght of being an effective witness, that God wanted me to be.
So the next time your friends are doing
something that you know is offensive to christianity, ask yourself, do I really want to participate in this, because once you lose your integrity, it's very, very hard to get it back!