Tag: Evil

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Where Is Wisdom?

Daily Reading

Job 24-28

Daily Thought

Job challenges his friends, “Where shall wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding?” (Job 28:12). Certainly not among you three is at least half the answer. The friends have knowledge, but knowledge is not wisdom, and often the more a fool knows, the greater a fool he is. Knowledge is indiscriminate, wild and promiscuous, flirting with whomever fancies it; but what of wisdom? That is Job’s question.

“I hold fast my righteousness and will not let it go; my heart does not reproach me for any of my days” (Job 27:6). Job is resolute in his devotion to God, but (as Job points out) the wicked “live, reach old age, and grow mighty in power” (Job 21:7); and they seem to get away with it (read Job 24). Why then turn from evil? And, thus, where is the benefit in wisdom?

It is in suffering Job uncovers God’s wisdom, the place of understanding, “This is the portion of a wicked man with God, and the heritage that oppressors receive from the Almighty: If his children are multiplied, it is for the sword” (Job 27:13-14). The length of life on earth is of no consequence to a Holy God. Justice will have its say in the end, “for what is the hope of the godless when God cuts him off, when God takes away his life” (Job 27:8). The number of years lived in time are of no matter, for the wicked to live long and grow mighty is only to increase evil and the Judge of eternity is righteous.

Stripped of all he has, Job discovered all he needs, “and it is not found in the land of the living” (Job 28:13), in all or anything life offers. Wisdom is found in devotion to the righteous and eternal Holy God of heaven.  

“Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom,
     and to turn away from evil is understanding.” ~Job 28:28

Daily Prayer

To the only wise God, our Savior, be glory, majesty, dominion, and power, both now and forever, may I live a life devoted to and delighting in You. Everything else is a gift, and You are the giver of all that is good and worthwhile. I will seek You because You are God and You are true and You are good. It’s the wise thing to do.

I want to know You more to know You better. I see the wonder of Your ways in the world. You created the heavens and oceans, the gardens and grandeur, and all that breathes. There is this marvelous world, beyond our corruption, looking forward to redemption and restoration, freed from evil, filled with wisdom, for Your glory and our pleasure throughout eternity. Beyond my dreams, what more could I hope for?

Amen

Daily Question

Can you be evil and successful?

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War and Peace

Daily Reading

Joshua 12-15

Daily Thought

God made it clear, the land is filled with evil. Drive out all of the evil from the land, “yet the people of Israel did not drive out the Geshurites or the Maacathites, but Geshur and Maacath dwell in the midst of Israel to this day” (Joshua 13:13). They drove out a lot, but not all. Not everybody. Sometimes some cities didn’t appear worth the battle and they allowed them to remain. They allowed some people to live among them.

God’s church, like the nation of Israel, is called to be holy, yet sins linger. Gossip, gluttony, lust, greed, compromise, hypocrisy, pride. They seem tolerable, not worth the battle it would require to remove them, so we allow them to linger. Scripture warns us to “work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose” (Philippians 2:12-13), but we fear the war when we should fear the peace.

Eighty-five years young, Caleb remains ready for battle. Those of old age speak more often of past victories, but Caleb is ready to fight yet again. His confidence was not in himself, but in his God. The years had not dimmed his trust in the Almighty, nor his resolve to drive out evil, no matter how formidable. “So now give me this hill country of which the Lord spoke on that day, for you heard on that day how the Anakim were there, with great fortified cities. It may be that the Lord will be with me, and I shall drive them out just as the Lord said” (Joshua 14:12).

Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. ~Colossians 3:5

Daily Prayer

Holy God, You called me to be perfect just like You. Which I cannot do… on my own. Help me keep my repentance true. I’ve chosen to turn away from my sin, and God, I need Your Spirit to give me guidance and strength not to turn back. Thank You that even when I fall and fail, I can return and confess, and the once-for-all death of Your Son, Jesus Christ, covers all my sins.

I am so glad You are perfect and that Your standard is holiness. What other kind of eternity would be good? Thank You, Father, for doing the work that makes my holiness possible. It is only in the Name of Your Son, Jesus Christ.

Amen

Daily Question

What sins do you allow to linger more than others?

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Chapters of Wrath

Daily Reading

Jeremiah 46-48

Daily Thought

God utilized the enemies of Israel to discipline his children, but that does not make their violence virtuous. These evil nations were all too willing to strike God’s chosen, and lest they glory in their victories, the Lord executes the promise of retribution he gave to Abraham, “I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse” (Genesis 12:3). The children of Israel aptly disciplined, God’s sword now turns toward justice against the Egyptians and the Philistines, the Moabites, Ammonites, and Edomites, Damascus, Kedar, Hazor, Elam, and Babylon.

These nations assaulted Israel and, because of that, ought fear the looming wrath of God and run. And run they will, but “he who flees from the terror shall fall into the pit, and he who climbs out of the pit shall be caught in the snare (Jeremiah 48:44). Out of the frying pan, into the fire, so to speak, and God’s judgment is sure. There will be no place to run, hide, or escape. 

God’s terror of righteousness against those opposed to righteousness creates an awful clamor, and Jeremiah cries, “Ah, sword of the Lord! How long till you are quiet? Put yourself into your scabbard; rest and be still!” (Jeremiah 47:6). The Bible is a book of love, yet there are chapters of wrath, and this must be. A holy love demands a holy hatred of evil–“How can it be quiet when the Lord has given it a charge?” (Jeremiah 47:7), responds the Almighty. These nations desired neither goodness nor God, but sought what was evil. This God’s holiness cannot abide, thus, the sword.

Daily Prayer

Righteous God of Justice, You are holy. Thank You for salvation, because I deserve Your wrath. My righteousness does not measure up–it is as filthy rags. And my unrighteousness, well, I’m good at that. You have covered my sin by the blood of Your Son who took my sins and, thus, bore Your wrath. There is, therefore, now no condemnation because Your justice is true and satisfied and the righteousness of Your Son is now mine. “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2Corinthians 5:21). Thank You.

Amen

Daily Question

Does the wrath of God frighten you?

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Cleaning House

Daily Reading

Nehemiah 12-13

Daily Thought

Nehemiah led the effort to rebuild Jerusalem. He returned the Word of God to public reading, reestablished the worship, the Sabbath, and the festivals of the Jewish faith, and rededicated a confessing people to follow their God. Then he left for a time, traveling to Babylon to visit her king. He returned after who knows how long, but it was too long, because sin had moved back into the city. Tobiah, an Ammonite enemy of Israel and God, was living in a room in the temple. Evil doesn’t ask to be in charge, but tolerated, because then it’s in charge. The temple was neglected, the Sabbath was ignored, and the people were marrying foreign women who worshipped foreign gods. “Did not Solomon king of Israel sin on account of such women? Among the many nations there was no king like him, and he was beloved by his God, and God made him king over all Israel. Nevertheless, foreign women made even him to sin” (Nehemiah 13:26). Purity cannot abide evil. A child dropped his ice cream cone upside-down onto the dirt. It ruined his ice cream. Didn’t bother the dirt at all.

So Nehemiah cleaned house, literally. “And I was very angry, and I threw all the household furniture of Tobiah out of the chamber” (Nehemiah 13:8). There is a time for tantrums because there is such a thing as too much tolerance. “And I confronted them and cursed them and beat some of them and pulled out their hair” (Nehemiah 13:25). It reminds me of a man who walked into a temple and began turning over tables.

Daily Prayer

Holy God, I love Your Word. Everything in it tells me about life, how it should be lived and Who it should be lived for. It displays Your goodness, Your righteousness, Your holiness. Your grace and mercy. Your love.

God, I commit myself to You. Set me apart from the sin around me. Surround me with others who love what is good. Keep me good, keep me righteous, keep me holy by Your Word. Forgive me when I stray, and lead me back to the right path.

Amen

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War and Peace

Daily Reading

Joshua 12-15

Daily Thought

God made it clear, the land is filled with evil. Drive out all of the evil from the land. “Yet the people of Israel did not drive out the Geshurites or the Maacathites, but Geshur and Maacath dwell in the midst of Israel to this day” (Joshua 13:13). They drove out a lot, but not all. Not everybody. Sometimes some cities didn’t appear worth the battle and they allowed them to remain. They allowed these people to live among them.

God’s church, like the nation of Israel, is called to be holy, yet sins linger. Gossip, gluttony, lust, greed, compromise, hypocrisy, pride. They seem tolerable, not worth the battle it would require to remove them, so we allow them to linger. Scripture warns us to “work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose” (Philippians 2:12-13), but we fear the war when we should fear the peace.

Eighty-five years young, Caleb remains ready for battle. Those of old age speak more often of past victories, but Caleb is ready to fight yet again. His confidence was not in himself, but in his God. The years had not dimmed his trust in the Almighty, nor his resolve to drive out evil, no matter how formidable. “So now give me this hill country of which the Lord spoke on that day, for you heard on that day how the Anakim were there, with great fortified cities. It may be that the Lord will be with me, and I shall drive them out just as the Lord said” (Joshua 14:12).

Daily Prayer

Holy God, You called me to be perfect just like You. Which I cannot do… on my own. May my repentance be true. I choose to turn away from my sin, and God, I need Your Spirit to give me guidance and strength not to turn back. Thank You that even when I fall and fail, I can return and confess, and the once-for-all death of Your Son, Jesus Christ, covers all my sins.

I am so glad You are perfect and that Your standard is holiness. What other kind of eternity would be good? Thank You, Father, for doing the work that makes my holiness possible. It is only in the Name of Your Son, Jesus Christ.

Amen