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Today is Monday June 21, 2010 and we are reading through the Bible in a year. Today's message comes from the reading of the Book of Job, chapters 25-29. If you would like to read the chapters along with us here online you can Click Here to read them or copy & paste this link onto your browser: http://www.readytofollow.com/bible-june-21

Today's Message: Holding On To Integrity

The word integrity is defined as having a steadfast (wholehearted) adherence (devotion) to a strict moral or ethical (righteous) code. Those who choose to follow Christ hold on to their integrity, in other words, they are wholeheartedly devoted to Christ and the Word of God. As Christians we are going to face people who will try to get us to lose our integrity, even other Christians can unknowingly get a person to lose their integrity. Take the biggest struggle that you contend with and think about just how often you are reminded of it through people's actions, reactions, and even the things around you. It can get to the point that you are more focused on what you are struggling with than anything else and if we do not have our eyes on God when that happens our integrity gets tested, not only by God, but Satan as well. There is a constant battle between God and Satan over our integrity and if Satan gets a hold of it we are in big trouble. Do you think he cares about your struggles? Of course not! He wants you obsessed about them so you do anything to overcome them while losing your integrity to do it. No matter what people think, say, or do to get us to lose our integrity we must not take our eyes off God and our trust in Him. “Judge me, O LORD; for I have walked in mine integrity: I have trusted also in the LORD; therefore I shall not slide. Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; try my reins and my heart. For thy lovingkindness is before mine eyes: and I have walked in thy truth.” - Psalm 26:1-3. God knows our hearts and only He can help us hold on to our integrity while overcoming our biggest struggles.

I do not know how long Job's friends sat with him, but I imagine it seemed like a lifetime to Job as one after another constantly criticized him, trying to get him to admit guilt to something he had not done. Bildad continues, this time not talking to him directly, but as if he were not even there. “How then can man be justified with God? or how can he be clean that is born of a woman? Behold even to the moon, and it shineth not; yea, the stars are not pure in his sight. How much less man, that is a worm? and the son of man, which is a worm?” - Job 25:4-6. Bildad had insinuated that Job was an unclean worm who could not be justified with God, but God had already revealed Job's true nature when he proved his integrity by saying he was perfect and upright. You can be sure that there are going to be people out there waiting to be the first to say, “I knew you were not as good as you say you are” or, my favorite, “I know who you really are”. Thankfully God truly knows who we really are and as long as we know that no accusations can change His mind nor offend us.

Despite the many accusations of his friends, Job never once lost his integrity replying, “As God liveth, who hath taken away my judgment; and the Almighty, who hath vexed my soul; All the while my breath is in me, and the spirit of God is in my nostrils; My lips shall not speak wickedness, nor my tongue utter deceit. God forbid that I should justify you: till I die I will not remove mine integrity from me. My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go: my heart shall not reproach me so long as I live.” - Job 27:2-6. Although Job felt like God had taken away his judgment (understanding) of what was going on and that his soul was being Vexed (tormented) he knew that the Spirit of God was within him and he was not about to let any of these men cause him to lose his integrity. Sometimes we just can not understand why we are going through such a struggle and it can torment us, this is when we need to realize that we have the Holy Spirit within us. He is our guide, our comfort, and the one who keeps a hold of our integrity. Jesus Said, “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”- John 14:26,27. We do not need to be afraid or troubled over our struggles, the Holy Spirit is with us and will show us how to overcome them as long as we keep holding on to our trust in God.