Bible Pathways 6/21/2001

June 21

Read Job 25 -- 29

The Book of Job is the inspired Word of God. Job was not searching for answers when he said: Where shall wisdom be found? and where is the place of understanding? Man knows not the price of it; neither is it found in the land of the living. . . . It cannot be gotten for gold, neither shall silver be weighed for the price of it. . . . From where then does Wisdom come? and where is the place of understanding? Seeing it is hid from the eyes of all living (Job 28:12-13,15,20-21). Even Job didn't know that God inspired him to give the priceless wisdom that we possess in this Book: Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is Wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding (28:28; see also Psalms 111:10; Proverbs 1:7; 9:10; 15:33).

God is the Author and Revealer of true wisdom. There is no substitute for reading all His Word to understand His perfect plan for our lives. This means that it is important to read through every book of the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, with a sincere desire to apply its instruction to our own lives.We can be sure that Satan will attempt to distract us from the true source of Wisdom and cause us to make decisions based on circumstances.

The worldly-minded find fault with God, just as the Israelites did as they journeyed through the wilderness. They complained about their circumstances instead of acknowledging that God is in control. We too make many decisions that grow out of either an attitude of faith or of a spirit of complaining. To illustrate, we may say to someone: "You make me angry." But the fact is, we choose to be angry. Or we may say: "I am depressed today." However, the sad truth is that we have refused to accept what the Lord brought into our lives. We can be sure that our Lord is far more concerned with our best interests than we are. Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to Him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator (I Peter 4:19). We always have the choice to move above and beyond anger and disappointments by permitting the indwelling Christ to rule our lives.

Apart from the Word of God, we have no final answers for life's purposes or problems and we know nothing concerning eternity. Strange as it may seem to a skeptical world, true wisdom can only be obtained after we confess and repent of our sins and receive Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord of our lives. The world needs to know that all who reject Christ miss the greatest discovery of life. For then, we have the mind of Christ (I Corinthians 2:16).

As members of the Body of Christ, which is His Church, let us respond to His authority, for we know that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into His death. Therefore we are buried with Him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life (Romans 6:3-4).

Christ Revealed: Through Job's compassion for others (Job 29:15-17,21-25). Christ had compassion on the multitudes of people who needed help (Matt. 14:14; 15:30-39).

Word Studies: 27:22 fain flee means desires to flee; 28:1 a vein means a mine; fine means refine; 29:14 diadem means turban or headdress.

Prayer:

Government Officials: Rep. Dan Burton (IN), Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (CA) and Sec. Togo West, Jr. (Department of Veterans' Affairs) · BPM Staff: Steve Harle · Pray for Rick Hash and the Bible Pathway Radio Broadcasts on WOOW-AM, Greenville, NC · Pray for the Bible Pathway International Radio broadcast sponsored by Thursday Morning Prayer · Country: Mexico (100 million) in North America · Major language: Spanish · Religious freedom · 88% Roman Catholic; 4% Protestant; .1% Eastern Orthodox · Prayer Suggestion: Praise God for godly men of old who were faithful to record His Word of Truth (Habakkuk 2:1-2).

Optional Reading: Ephesians 4

Memory Verse for the Week: Hebrews 9:24