Fri.’s Devo - Wisdom and Understanding

Read: Job 28:1-30:31; 2 Corinthians 2:12-17; Psalm 42:1-11; Proverbs 22:7 Job observes that man can find gold and silver but cannot find wisdom or understanding. He knows that wisdom and understanding are so much more valuable than gold or silver or any gem that can be found in the earth. Wisdom and understanding can only be found in God. The fear of the Lord is true wisdom and to forsake evil is real understanding. Job reminisced about his past, when he walked in God’s favor and safety. God was his friend and his presence could be felt in his home. His children were in his life and he was blessed with not only material wealth, but honor and respect. Now, his children were gone and he was mocked by those he once helped. He believes that God is to blame and is persecuting him. We know that it was Satan that did all of this to Job, but he didn’t have privy to that information. I feel like there are many in the world, Christians and the unsaved, who think all that is going on the world is the work of God and his judgment, but it is not. It is Satan who is bringing all of this and God is turning it for our good. God is always the one that gets blamed for Satan’s dirty work so let’s just praise God more and make the devil really mad. Paul when to Troas to preach the Good News but didn’t feel right about staying because he hadn’t heard from Titus about how the church was doing in Corinth, so he left to go find Titus in Macedonia. Paul describes our lives as Christians as a sweet perfume rising up to God. That is how precious we are to God. But our fragrance of perfume to God is not that to unbelievers. It is a dreadful smell of death and doom. We remind them of their end if they don’t repent and they don’t like that. They want to keep doing their evil and living their lives for themselves. There is a difference between those who preach for profit, and those who preach with a sincere heart and with Christ’s authority and the fear of the Lord. Paul was the latter. Lord, help us to live our lives and share the good news to others with a sincere heart and with no personal motives. May we walk in Your wisdom and understanding.