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Today is Saturday, June 19, 2010 and we are reading through the Bible in a year. Today's message comes from the reading of the Book of Job, chapters 17-20. 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-19

Today's Message: Words That Hurt Help

As Christians we should never under estimate the power of the voice, we are God's voice, the world hears what we say and takes it literally as God Himself, they do not agree, but do listen and will wait for the perfect time to make God out to be a liar. There have been so many religious leaders over the centuries lying to people that even devout Christians have turned away from God because of their lies. “For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind: But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.” - James 1:7,8. There is an old saying that came to my mind as I read the chapters for today, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” Sadly, can hurt, they can be like poison and destroy a person. You get around someone who is constantly negative toward you and eventually you will feel the effects of it and become negative of yourself, sometimes even believing what they claim. Imagine how Jesus must have felt about all the lies told about Him and the negativity He was around? We can not always change the situation we are in at present, but we can change how we handle the situation. As we put our faith and trust in God and His Word, He will give us peace and comfort, even around the most trying people.

Job was in a situation he could not control, he was in pain, still mourning the loss of his children, his wife did not recognize him, he lost everything he had of value, and on top of that he had four friends that just would not leave who were taking turns telling him that he was a hypocritical, wicked liar, deceiving himself, in fact, the more he defended himself the worse the words got about him. Bildad's words the second time around were even more cruel and critical than the first time he spoke, he assumed that Job's sufferings exposed him as a sinful hypocrite who was hopelessly condemned, “He shall be driven from light into darkness, and chased out of the world. He shall neither have son nor nephew among his people, nor any remaining in his dwellings. They that come after him shall be astonied at his day, as they that went before were affrighted. Surely such are the dwellings of the wicked, and this is the place of him that knoweth not God.” - Job 18:18-21. Here is Job, the most godliest man of his time being accused of not knowing God at all and being told that he is just a nobody pretending to be someone. I imagine he was getting tired of trying to defend himself and felt a little heartbroken at all the accusations. I do not know how many times I have had, what I call internet stalkers or people I no longer associate with give me a hard time. They called me every name of the book, some even try to quote Bible verses, claiming me to be a hypocrite and a liar and they do not stop until I myself just ignore them and stop trying to defend myself. The truth is I know who I am and God knows who I am, He will correct me if I am wrong. I know that I am living by God's Word and what I have written is the truth because it lines up with the Word of God and on top of that it lines up with what other honest, living by the New Testament, preachers and evangelists preach on. I do not have to justify myself because I am justified by Christ. We can be called hypocrites and liars, but nothing can change the fact that we are children of God through our faith in Jesus Christ and no one can take that away from us. Praise God!

What Job's friends did not realize was that every time they tried to condemn him the stronger his faith in God got. Job could bear the unjust reproach of his friends for he was living in the expectation of the glorious appearance of his coming King. “How long will ye vex my soul, and break me in pieces with words? These ten times have ye reproached me: ye are not ashamed that ye make yourselves strange to me. And be it indeed that I have erred, mine error remaineth with myself. If indeed ye will magnify yourselves against me, and plead against me my reproach: Know now that God hath overthrown me, and hath compassed me with his net. Behold, I cry out of wrong, but I am not heard: I cry aloud, but there is no judgment....Why do ye persecute me as God, and are not satisfied with my flesh?...For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.” - Job 19:2-7,22,25-27. Job was literally saying, though you torment my soul with your words and I am suffering without judgment. I have a redeemer that will save me and I will go where God goes regardless of what you say or what happens to my flesh. According to the Law, a redeemer was the next of kin who was responsible for redeeming (buying back) an enslaved kinsman or his lost inheritance (Leviticus 25:25). The kinsman-redeemer foreshadowed the coming of Jesus Christ, our Savior-Redeemer, who bought our inheritance into the Kingdom of God. Those who accept Christ are now heirs with Him and a child of God.

As long as we are living by the Word of God all accusations are just words, God knows the truth therefore, we have nothing to worry about. Sometimes we just can not do anything to change a persons perception of us, that is when we need to hand everything over to God. As Christians we are to, “See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men. Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. Quench not the Spirit. Despise not prophesyings. Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. Abstain from all appearance of evil. And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” - I Thessalonians 5:15-23. God will take care of everything all we need to do is keep our eyes on Him, stay in His Word, and thank Him for the situation we are in. Sometimes words do hurt, but as long as we have God on our side, they can help us. Everything we are going through strengthens us, if it were not for me receiving the criticism I have gotten, and have yet to get, I would not be as strong in the Lord as I am. Satan goes after those who are living righteously to make them feel like they are nobodies, but we are somebody, we are children of the living God saved by our Redeemer, Jesus Christ. Praise God! No amount of words can change that fact. So, we can change that saying to, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never take me from my God.”

Enjoy the rest of your day/night and weekend.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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