2009 – Day 247.Sept 05 – Stay With The Truth

Passage of the Day: Job 21 … Linked for study …

My Journal for Today: Chuck Swindoll is right on target today, emphasizing what we can learn from Job’s response to the slander and innuendo from Zophar, who had used half-truths to accuse Job of some hidden wickedness in Job 20. And so, we can learn from Job’s response in Job 21.

And first we must know that Job avoided reactions based on feelings and came back to Zophar, responding with truth, truth, and more truth. You can sense the strength and calmness in Job’s discourse in Chapter 21 as our fallen hero calmly lays out an apologetic which is based in absolute truth.

This is a lesson in standing for truth which we, as Christians, must learn and use in a day which has become so hostile to believers. If you stand for Christ and the truth of the Gospel these days, you will ultimately be confronted with those who will spout untruth about Jesus or the Bible; and many of them will tell you that you have no right to speak about your faith in public, mocking what we believe as Christians.

And so, when this happens, how do you respond? Well, you do what Job did in today’s highlight chapter. You stick with the truth and calmly stand up for what is right. And I believe the best way to do this is by using testimony based in Scripture. Every Christian needs to be able to give his/her testimony. No one can argue with how the truth has affected you personally. They may assail you from their own personal beliefs, as Zophar did with Job; but Job just came back with a calm argument from his own experience and his knowledge of truth.

As Swindoll, rightly states: “Respond [to slander or false accusation] with true facts and accurate information, knowing the nature of your accuser. … Speak truth!” And there is no better source of truth when we stand for our faith than God’s word. And so, you will not be as vulnerable to the accusations from the world, the ploys of Satan, or from your own deceitful heart (i.e., the flesh) if you are well versed in the truth from God’s word. That’s why my mentor, years ago, took me slowly and deliberately through a season of Scripture memory. He knew that one day I was going to get into a battle for truth in my life; and he wanted my heart and mind to be so filled with the truth that I could use it as the sword of the Spirit, just as Paul teaches in Eph. 6: 17b, … just like Jesus Himself did when he was confronted by Satan in the wilderness (see either Mark 4 or Luke 4, the latter linked for your review).

If Job’s style of argumentation is good enough for Jesus, then I feel it’s good enough me, don’t you? Job used it effectively in today’s study. I pray that we’ll all be able to stand for truth as he did, using the method our Master used to combat the lies of Satan.

My Prayer for Today: Lord, help Your servants to be able to calmly and powerfully stand for truth using Your word whenever our enemies come against You with untruth. Amen