August 28th readings

~ Click on this link for today's readings ~
Job 28:1-30:31 ~ 2 Corinthians 2:12-17
Psalm 42:1-11 ~ Proverbs 22:7

Old Testament - Job chapter 28 is incredible!  Could be my favorite chapter of Job so far this year.  I kind of forgot about this chapter from my previous readings of this book.  It seems to me to a large degree this chapter builds up and gets at one of the most important points in the Old Testament Wisdom / Poetry Books (Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon) in the closing verse 28 of this chapter - "And this is what God says to all humanity: `The fear of the Lord is true wisdom; to forsake evil is real understanding.'"  Beautiful!  We do hear this theme over and over again in the other Wisdom / Poetry books of the Old Testament.  It is a powerful and true point.  I love the way Job builds up to this point early on in this chapter 28.  Verses 12 through 14 I found to be particularly great - ""But do people know where to find wisdom? Where can they find understanding? No one knows where to find it, for it is not found among the living. `It is not here,' says the ocean. `Nor is it here,' says the sea."  So, how about for you?  Where do you find wisdom?  Where do you find understanding?  What does it mean to you that the fear of the Lord is true wisdom?  Do you believe this is true?  Do you believe that forsaking evil is real understanding?

In Job chapter 29 today we read about his former blessings, including these in verses 7 through 10 - "Those were the days when I went to the city gate and took my place among the honored leaders. The young stepped aside when they saw me, and even the aged rose in respect at my coming. The princes stood in silence and put their hands over their mouths. The highest officials of the city stood quietly, holding their tongues in respect."

New Testament - I absolutely love and appreciate Paul's words today in Second Corinthians chapter 2 verses 14 through 16 - "But thanks be to God, who made us his captives and leads us along in Christ's triumphal procession. Now wherever we go he uses us to tell others about the Lord and to spread the Good News like a sweet perfume. Our lives are a fragrance presented by Christ to God. But this fragrance is perceived differently by those being saved and by those perishing. To those who are perishing we are a fearful smell of death and doom. But to those who are being saved we are a life-giving perfume."  What great imagery!  Our lives are a fragrance presented by Christ to God!  I love it.  It does get sad - but true - in verse 16 when Paul says that to those who are perishing we are a fearful smell of death and doom.  Why do you suppose this is?  I think it because when someone is living their life completely enslaved to sin and they encounter the light - the fragrance - of the Gospel, they either will embrace it or push it away.  Unfortunately I am afraid some folks - perhaps even us in our past - are so enslaved to sin that the sin literally makes us fear / flee from the light and fragrance of the Gospel.  Unfortunately sin can ensnare someone such that the Gospel is the fragrance of death and gloom because that is where the sin is leading someone who is enslaved to it - to death and gloom.   Sad... and this reminds us of how urgent it is for us to pray for others who are enslaved to sin.  Let us pray the fragrance of the Gospel and the grace of God will turn them back toward the Savior of the World who can free them forever - Jesus Christ.  Jesus - is there a name more fragrant?

Bible.org's commentary on today's readings in Second Corinthians titled "The Sufficiency of God Through his Spirit" is at this link.

Psalms - Today we read Psalm 42 verse 1, which is one of my favorite verses in the Bible! "As the deer pants for streams of water, so I long for you, O God."  That is so right on.  Lately these days I have been longing for God more than ever - and I love that.  I am thankful for that.  There have been seasons in my life - which can certainly be called "dry" seasons - where I have not longed for God.  Where I have not longed for the true Living Water.  I just love the picture this Psalm verse paints in my mind - a deer in the wilderness is fleeing from hunters.  It is literally dying of thirst as it runs.  It is tired.  It is weary.  It is running from death.  And it needs water.  It pants for streams of water.  Like this deer, I pray that I long for God in the same way.  As I flee from sin.  As I am tired.  As I am weary.  As I run from death.  I need God.  I long for God.   How about you?  Do you long for God these days as a deer longs for water?  Are you consistently drinking from the true Living Water?

Proverbs - Great wisdom in Proverbs 22 verse 7 today - "Just as the rich rule the poor, so the borrower is servant to the lender." This Proverb reminds me of some of the "Get Out of Debt" seminars and books that are out there.  I haven't read any of the books, but I did run sound for a half day seminar a while back, and I found it to be really good.  It is true that we are so caught up in a cycle of debt here in the U.S. - and I imagine in other countries too.  The thing I remember from the half day seminar is that we will never get out of debt if we cannot control our "appetites."  If we cannot stop buying and spending and consuming beyond what we really need, we'll continue to be in debt.  And once we are in debt, we are indeed slaves to the lender.  Slaves to our credit card companies.  Pretty scary when you think about it.  I pray that if you are struggling with debt, you do check out a seminar or book - don't buy the book if you can help it!  :)  Get it from the library.  We need to stop our impulses to "BUY NOW" or "DON"T MISS OUT" on x, y or z.  Let's get out of debt and get out of slavery to our lenders.  Literally cut up that credit card if that's what you need to do to control your out-of-control spending...

Comments from you - What verses or insights stand out to you in today's readings?  Please post up by clicking on the "Comments" link below!

Grace,
Mike

Comments

[John]

2Cor2:12-17

Vs. 14
"But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him." NIV

"Here, Paul takes an image from the Roman world, seeing Jesus as the victorious, conquering general in a triumph parade. A Roman triumph parade was given to successful generals when returning from their conquests...“The idea is borrowed from an ancient Roman triumph, which to the eyes of the world of that day was the most glorious spectacle which the imagination could conceive.” (Meyer)

vs.15
"For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing." NIV

"Fragrance, in the form of incense, was common at the Roman triumph parade. In Paul’s mind, this fragrance is like the knowledge of God, which people can smell when the triumph parade winds by." - David Guzik

“To the victors the perfume from the censers would be the perfume of joy and triumph and life; but to the wretched captives who walked so short a distance ahead it was the perfume of death, standing for a past defeat and their coming execution.” (Barclay)

"In the same way, the message of the gospel is a message of life to some and a message of condemnation to those who reject it (John 3:17-21). “The same happens to the present day to those who receive and to those who reject the Gospel: it is the means of salvation to the former, it is the means of destruction to the latter; for they are not only not saved because they do not believe the Gospel, but they are condemned because they reject it.” (Clarke)

"..we do not peddle the word of God for profit."

"The word peddling has the idea of “adulterating” or “watering down” for gain, and was especially used of a wine seller who would water down the wine for more profit. Paul was not like the others who might water down the gospel for gain!" David Guzik

"...in Christ we speak before God with sincerity.."

"Sincerity is the Greek word eilikrineia, which means “pure” or “transparent.” Barclay says, “It may describe something which can bear the test of being held up to the light of the sun and looked at with the sun shining through it.” Paul’s message and ministry did not have hidden motives or agendas." - David Guzik

[John]

Job
Job 26:4
"Who has helped you utter these words? And whose spirit spoke from your mouth?"

Goes back to idea of: exactly who is inspiring the friends' speech?

Job 26:7b
"he suspends the earth over nothing."

Interesting when you compare the beliefs of this time about the earth to what Job states.

After more lament, Job gives final response.

In chapter 28. Job speaks on wisdom. Precious metals and all kinds of things can be gotten out of the earth and seas. But where do you find wisdom? Nowhere on earth.

Job28:28 'The fear of the Lord—that is wisdom, and to shun evil is understanding.'

Job goes into a compare and contrast. In ch. 29 Job wishes for the good old days, and seems to come dangerously close to an issue of "pride". Than falls back into a lament in Ch. 30.
======================================================
Thoughts:

People talk about the patience of Job. God seems to also have exhibited patience. We know God does respond, and since the conversation repeats itself ad nauseum - God could have spoken earlier?????

Going back to the opening - Satan did not pick Job. God Brought up Job. I get the feeling Satan walked into a set-up. God knew what He was doing. He had a reason for suggesting Job. Satan, despite His rebellion, as always - ends up advancing God's plan.

[Vance Brown]

JOB 28 (NKJV) - Job’s Discourse on Wisdom
26
When He made a law for the rain, and a path for the thunderbolt,
27
Then He saw wisdom and declared it; He prepared it, indeed, He searched it out.
28
And to man He said, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom,
And to depart from evil is understanding.’ ”

NOTE:
The Hebrew word for “fear” is “yir'ah {yir-aw'}”, and it means: “fear (of God), respect, reverence, piety”.

Basically, it is to honor and revere God above myself—He is God, I am not. Then, this practice and attitude of waiting on God to honor Him leads to depart from evil.

I like this challenge I read this morning:

“The only way to live a successful Christian life is to come under the authority of God – to be in obedience to Him."

"So I ask you. Are you living in obedience to God? Have you accepted God’s authority to the extent that you are willing to give up our way and take God’s way, to give up your will and take God’s will?"

"Even Jesus had to say, 'Not my will, but Thine be done.' (Luke 22:42). The Bible tells us: 'Though He [Jesus] was a son, yet He LEARNED obedience by the things which He suffered.' (Hebrews 5:8)"

"Can we understand that Jesus, the Man, had to learn obedience to God exactly as you and I do? The writer of Hebrews spoke of His learning obedience—I mean, having to LEARN it like I have to learn it, like you have to learn it.”

“Eventually, Jesus had to face the thing that God wanted Him to do. He didn’t want to go to the cross. He didn’t want nails driven into His hands. Can you imagine how that would hurt? Imagine having the flesh and bones of your hands crunched by nails being driven through them and then having nails driven through your feet.”

“That’s the law of God. That’s the law of nature. So Jesus had to give. He had to obey God. The human part of Him didn’t want to do it any more than we do. But Jesus is our example in giving up our own way and taking God’s [way]. We, too, can say, 'Not my will, but God’s be done'. And how glorious it is when we go through it, endure the pain of it, and come out with a resurrection, with a seed multiplied, with the joy of the Lord flowing in our hearts. . .”

2 Corinthians 2 (NKJV)
14
Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place.
15
For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.
16
To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life. And who is sufficient for these things?
17 For we are not . . .

NOTE:
We are certainly not sufficient in our humanity to carry or dispense the aroma of Christ to others. We must receive this from the Lord by grace before we can give it.

The sacrifices to the LORD God carried with them a sweet aroma of worship (as in Genesis 8:20 and 21).

May I truly be the living sacrifice to God by the Lord Jesus as I depend on the Spirit so others can sense the true “sweetness” of the Life of Christ. “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”
~~~

Psalm 42 (NKJV)
1
As the deer pants for the water brooks, so pants my soul for You, O God.
2
My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God? [OR, I see the face of God.]
6
O my God, my soul is cast down within me; therefore I will remember You from the land of the Jordan,
And from the heights of Hermon, from the Hill Mizar.
7
Deep calls unto deep at the noise of Your waterfalls; all Your waves and billows have gone over me.
8
The LORD will command His lovingkindness in the daytime, and in the night His song shall be with me— a prayer to the God of my life.

NOTE:
This is the key to the fear of the Lord and to wisdom, which issues out of the fear of the Lord—to always keep our souls and spirits thirsting after God and receiving Life from the Lord Jesus.

I like these comments from the “Treasury of David” by Charles Spurgeon on these verses:

“All thy waves and thy billows are gone over me.

David thought that every trouble in the world had met in him, but he exaggerated, for all the breaking waves of Jehovah have passed over none but the Lord Jesus; there are griefs to which he makes his children strangers for his love's sake.

Sorrow naturally states its case forcibly; the mercy is that the Lord after all hath not dealt with us according to our fears. Yet what a plight to be in!”

“Yet the Lord will command his lovingkindness in the daytime.

Come what may there shall be ‘a certain secret something’ to sweeten all. Lovingkindness is a noble life belt [i.e., life jacket] in a rough sea. The day may darken into a strange and untimely midnight, but the love of God ordained of old to be the portion of the elect, shall be by sovereign decree meted out to them. No day shall ever dawn on an heir of grace and find him altogether forsaken of his Lord: the Lord reigneth, and as a sovereign he will with authority command mercy to be reserved for his chosen.

And in the night.
Both divisions of the day shall be illuminated with special love, and no stress of trial shall prevent it.”

Vance

[Micah Girl]

Re: Getting out of debt--I highly recommend Dave Ramsey--
http://daveramsey.com/ He's got a radio show and a terrific book Total Money Makeover (which I borrowed from the library.) He's no nonsense and very practical. Also entertaining.

Getting out of debt is something my husband & I have been working on steadily over the past several years and are still pushing through. It's a total change in mindset. If we don't have cash, we don't buy it. Seems obvious but it's so countercultural.

Micah Girl

[Laura Jones]

Re: Debt
I can certainly see why it is said that money is the root of all evil. Once you acquire wealth or goods purchased with it, there is a never ending thirst for more. You will never have your fill of earthly desires. Those who choose God over money will one day acquire heavenly wealth beyond measure. As it says in Matthew 6:19-21 Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven. vs 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. How easy it is to be obsessed and allow ourselves to lust after earthly possessions. In the long run these possessons leave us cold and empty.

Storing up treasure in heaven is not limited to tithing but is accomplished by all acts of obedience to God. There is a sense in which giving money to God's work is like investing in heaven. But our intention should be to seek the fulfillment of God's purposes in all we do, not merely what we do with our money.

Psalms 37:21 The wicked borrow and do not repay, but the righteous give generously. Another important biblical truth. Psalms 119: 36 says "Turn my heart toward your statutes and not toward selfish gain. In Proverbs 19:1 it says "Better a poor man whose walk is blameless than a fool whose lips are perverse.

What Proverbs 19:1 is saying as follows: A blameless life is far more valuable than wealth, but most people don't act as if they believe this. Afraid of not getting everything they want, they will pay any price to increase their wealth (to obtain more goods) cheating on their taxes, stealing from stores or employers,withholding tithes,refusing to give. But when we know and love God, we realize that a lower standard of living or even poverty is a small price to pay for personal integrity. Do your actions show that you sacrifice your integrity to increase your wealth? What changes do you need to make in order to get your priorites straight and to perhaps get out of debt. This advice is for myself, since I too fall short in this area. Thank you God for your word and wisdom.

Government leaders, businesses, families even churches get trapped into thinking money is the answer to every problem. We throw money at our problems. But just as the thrill of wine is only temporary, the soothing effect of the last purchase soon wears off and we have to buy more. Do we see ourselves here? Scripture recognizes that money is necessary for survival, but it warns against the love of money (Matthew 6:24, 1 Tim 6:10; Heb 13:5) Money is dangerous because it deceives us into thinking that wealth is the easiest way to get everything we want. The love of money is sinful because we trust money rather than God to solve our problems. Those who pursue its empty promises will one day discover that they have nothing because they are spiritually bankrupt.

[Ramona]

>>I can certainly see why it is said that money is the root of all evil.>>

The actual quote is:

1Ti 6:10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

You don't need to have money for it to be a root of ALL evil in one's life. Money is neutral it takes on the character of the one who possesses it. There are many people who use the money they have acquired to do good. Even Jesus had a treasurer, Judas, and you don’t have a treasurer unless you have a surplus.