Fri.’s Devo - Everyone Needs Encouragement

Read: Job 16:1-19:29; 1 Corinthians 16:1-24; Psalm 40:1-10; Proverbs 22:1 Job accused his friends of being lousy counselors. Instead of encouraging him they criticized him and blamed all his troubles on him. He already felt like God hated him and now he doesn’t have a friend in the world. Even his wife is repulsed by him. *** Job had been living the perfect peaceful life when in a moment lost everything. He not only experienced physical loss but respect, honor and position in the earth. He realized his only hope is God but he laments that he doesn’t have a mediator between him and God so he could reason with him. *** The third friend, Bilhad spoke up. He accused Job of speaking nonsense. He gives a brief description of the wicked and their fate and it mirrors everything that has happened to Job. *** Job responds that they should be ashamed of tormenting him with their words. He argues that it is God who has done this to him and it is not because of his sin. God has taken away his hope and counted him as His enemy. He begs his friends to have mercy on him because God sure isn’t. He warns them that they should have a more healthy fear of God themselves. *** In Corinthians, Paul answers the question about the money that was collected in the church in Jerusalem. He told them to set aside their offering every week and not wait until he got there to give. He shared his itinerary with them. He was going to Macedonia then spend the Feast of Pentecost at Ephesus. Then he would come and see them. He was sending Timothy to them. He was young, so Paul asked them to treat him with respect and encourage him. Paul himself would come later. *** Paul lists some of his greatest helpers in the ministry and what they had done. He encourages the people in Corinthians to be on their guard against evil, to stand firm in their faith, be courageous and to do everything in love. *** May that be our prayer also. Thank you that it is You who expose darkness so we can walk in the light. May our light shine today to lead others to You. May we choose to be encouragers.