Scripture:

Job 34:8

But it is the spirit[a] in a person, the breath of the Almighty, that gives them understanding.

"Wisdom"

Elihu reminds us that it is not age that makes us wise, even though much of our wisdom, decisions, and direction does tend to arise as we get older; it is not the source of it.   One of the things that I have learned from life and serving the Lord is that He can give me the wisdom and ability I need to do what He has sent me to do (Exodus 36:1-2)  I know this because all the things I can do are because of God's provision in my life.  Solomon asked for wisdom and understanding to lead God's people, and God gave him that and so much more.

Don't let what you "think" you can do limit your ability to do it.   Ask the Lord for wisdom and understanding, and the ability to do it.  Remember that it is the spirit of God that breathes not only life into us, but sustains us with it. He can also breathe wisdom, understanding, and ability today. This is a fact; it was true for them, it is true for me, it is true for you. 

Prayer:Lord, I pray that we would lose the "Buts" of this life, that we would not allow excuses to hinder what you want to do in and through us, let us be great because we have a "Great God."   A God who can supply everything we need to do what He has sent us to do (His Will.)   That old saying, "Where God guides, God provides."   We are standing on it, in Jesus' name, Amen!

Scripture:

Job 31:4

Does he not see my ways
    and count my every step?

"He Knows"

Often, when we face difficult times in our lives, it is then that we ask the Lord, 'Where are you?' as if He has left us or does not see us, where we are, and what we are going through.   But as Job asserts here, "He Knows," He sees our way, not one step has He missed, He counts our tears the Psalmist tells us.  It is like the picture of footprints in the sand, where the man asks the Lord, why is it that in the most difficult times in my life, there is only one set of footprints?  And the Lord answered and said, "That is when I carried you."

• Not a step taken without Him.
• Not a thing He does not see
• My Ways are Known to Him.

The application here is to live in the perspective that God is always with me.   This truth should both bring strength into every situation I face and the security to walk boldly in and through them.   It should cause my steps to be careful in reverence; I should walk knowing He is with me and that should cause my steps to be careful, not wanting to disappoint Him.   You want to walk closer with God this year, then walk with this perspective in mind.

Lord, help us to live with this truth in mind, that you are "With Us" in all that we see, all that we do, all that we will do, let us live in this truth, let it guide our steps, change our motives, cause us to do things that would please you, use this truth to transform our hearts, all that we see and do, in Jesus' name, Amen!

Job 28:28

And he said to the human race, 'The fear of the Lord—that is wisdom, and to shun evil is understanding

When we hear the word fear, we think of being frightened or scared of someone, but this word fear, 'Yir'at' יִרְאַת in Hebrew, which means: "a profound sense of awe, worshipful respect, and humble submission to God's authority and majesty."  It is this picture of having such a good dad that you never want to disappoint him or let him down, and so you are careful with your actions that they would honor him, please him.   The second part of this verse to shun evil, it is not just a thought or a statement but a wholehearted action to turn from evil, to keep yourself from it.

This fear of the Lord, or Holy reverence, is the action in our verse today.   That we would have a thinking shift, that we would begin to have this Holy Reverence for God that would affect our decisions, what we say, what we do, where we allow our feet to take us and that we would serve God out of this reverence.

Lord, help us to love and respect you this way, with holy reverence, that we would not want to disappoint you in any way, that we hate was is evil, turn from what we should have no part of, that our lives would be transformed by this devotion, this daily decision to please and honor you, in Jesus' name, Amen! 

Job 16:19-21

19 "Even now my witness is in heaven; my advocate is on high.

20 My intercessor is my friend as my eyes pour out tears to God;
21 on behalf of a man he pleads with God as one pleads for a friend.

I don't know about you, but the moment that I read this, I think of 1 John 1:21 where John reminds us that Jesus is our advocate before the Father, defending us, advocating for us, and again in John 14:26, where John reminds us that the Holy Spirit is our advocate, reminding us of Jesus words.   Could it be that Job knew of Christ, or was this just a prophetic understanding that there is a heavenly advocate who is advocating on our behalf, pleading our case before God?  Many theologians believe that this was a prophetic word about Christ.  

The good news is that you and I have an advocate, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit and their functions of advocacy are different:

• Job (Job 16:19) refers to a heavenly advocate who will testify to his innocence against false accusations.

• Jesus Christ: Identified as the "advocate with the Father" (1 John 2:1), representing believers in the heavenly court.

• Holy Spirit: Described in Greek as the Paraclete—one called to one's side to help, comfort, or defend.  Reminding us of Jesus' words "Advocating Revelation," exposing the words of Christ to you and I

That we are not alone in this situation called life, be at the highest of highs, or our lowest of lows, we have Christ and the Holy Spirit advocating for us. This is a powerful truth knowing that Jesus is advocating, pleading our case in the Heavenly court before the Lord, and we have an earthly advocate, the Holy Spirit, who is reminding us of Jesus' words, that we might live them out..

Lord, let us not ever lose hope, knowing that we are not alone in this life, that we have you working on our behalf, advocating for us, pleading our case before the Father in heaven, destroying the arguments of the enemy, and an advocate here the Holy Spirit reminding us of your words, helping us live for you, we praise you in Jesus' name, Amen! 

Job 12:15

If he holds back the waters, there is drought; if he lets them loose, they devastate the land.

One of the major themes throughout Job is that God is Sovereign.  As Job tries to understand his suffering and expresses his frustration with it, yet he still concludes that God is good and He is in control, and that He has the power to change any situation.  It all goes back to Job's statement in chapter 1, verse 21: "Blessed be the Name of the Lord."  God is good no matter if life is bad or good, or stalled, be it happy or sad, or indifferent, when it rains or shines, God is still good.

The application here is that no matter where you are, what you are going through, if it is a difficult time, then like Job, you can tell God, you can even be mad about it, you can tell God of your frustration.   But in all things, in view of His Sovereignty, we should see that God is GOOD, no matter the place we find ourselves in.   

Remember this: 

The place I am in right now is because:

1. Choice I have made (what I sow)
2. Circumstances outside my control.
3. The result of other people's choices/influence.
4. The plans I make.
5. Blindspots in my life.
6. Self-Sabotage
7. Risk 

Most of these give us the "why" in why we encounter good and bad.  But in all this God is still good, and merciful, and gracious, "Blessed be the name of the Lord."

Lord, always as we read through Job, we may ask this question, "Why?"  But in the end, we must conclude as Job did in the beginning of His trial that you are still Good even when life is Bad.  Like Romans 8:28 you are working even the bad things out for my good. May we all overcome our struggles, our tests, our difficult times and be victorious, be people who trust you, who walk through them with you, may we rejoice in the good times, and in the bad, the highs and the lows, may we find comfort in your sovereignty, in Jesus name, Amen!