Pray the Word with David Platt is a resource from radical.net.

Job chapter 20, verses 4 and 5.

Do you not know this from of old, since man was placed on earth,

that the exalting of the wicked is short,

and the joy of the godless, but for a moment.

So this is another one of those examples in the book of Job,

where one of Job's friends, in this case, Zofar,

is saying something that's true,

but he is applying it to Job,

implying that this is Job's lot, that he's suffering because of his wickedness,

when the reality is, Job is actually suffering because of his righteousness.

Yet, what Zofar says is true, is where we have to be so careful in the way we use biblical truth, not to apply it inappropriately

or unhelpfully. At the same time, I do want us to think about this biblical truth and pray according to it,

because it's true, the exulting of the wicked is short and the joy of the godless but for a moment.

I think about a conversation I had with someone this week

who is struggling with sin and they are believing the lies of the adversary that

indulging in this sin will bring satisfaction, that indulging in this sin will bring satisfaction, that indulging in this sin will bring joy.

And it's good for us all to remember, even though it's inappropriately applied here in Job chapter 20,

that the exulting of the wicked is indeed short.

And the joy of the godless only lasts for a moment.

Sin never delivers on what it promises.

And I just say that again and remind us all in a fresh way today that sin never delivers, ultimately on what it promises.

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