[Ohio-Communities-of-Faith] DONNIE DAILY GEMS FOR TUESDAY MAY 31

[Donnie Parrett]

DONNIE DAILY GEMS FOR TUESDAY MAY 31

WORD OF WISDOM

The best way to fulfill your dream is to help others fulfill their's.

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DAILY DEVOTION

Freedom and Commitment

And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of
bonds and imprisonment: They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were
tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and
goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; (Of whom the world was not
worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves
of the earth.
Hebrews 11:36-38

 The level of freedom we enjoy as believers in America is almost
unprecedented in history. We have been able to meet openly, witness
publicly, and stand for our beliefs without fear of secret police, prison,
torture, or death. Of course, we realize that the freedom we enjoy came at a
high price. Through the centuries, men and women have laid down their lives
on behalf of their nation, purchasing the freedom we are blessed to
experience. We must never forget what it took to get and keep it, and we
must also never forget that freedom is not guaranteed to us.
There are no promises in the Word of God that we will not be called on to be
faithful to the Lord in times of intense persecution, hardship, and
suffering. We have many examples from both Scripture and history of those
who have gone before us and could not be stopped from following Jesus or
silenced from preaching the gospel.
Richard Wurmbrand, who spent years in Communist prisons because he would not
stop preaching the gospel wrote, "Persecution has always produced a better
Christian-a witnessing Christian, a soul-winning Christian. Communist
persecution has backfired and produced serious, dedicated Christians such as
are rarely seen in free lands. These people cannot understand how anyone can
be a Christian and not want to win every soul they meet." Even as we give
thanks for the freedom we enjoy and express our appreciation for those who
paid the price for it, we must also commit ourselves to being faithful if it
were to be taken away.
If we are not faithful when times are good, we cannot expect that we would
be faithful when times are bad.

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DAILY BIBLE READING

Job 31-33 New King James Version
Job Defends His Righteousness
31 "I have made a covenant with my eyes;
Why then should I [a]look upon a young woman?
2 For what is the allotment of God from above,
And the inheritance of the Almighty from on high?
3 Is it not destruction for the wicked,
And disaster for the workers of iniquity?
4 Does He not see my ways,
And count all my steps?

5 "If I have walked with falsehood,
Or if my foot has hastened to deceit,
6 [b]Let me be weighed on honest scales,
That God may know my integrity.
7 If my step has turned from the way,
Or my heart walked after my eyes,
Or if any spot adheres to my hands,
8 Then let me sow, and another eat;
Yes, let my harvest be [c]rooted out.

9 "If my heart has been enticed by a woman,
Or if I have lurked at my neighbor's door,
10 Then let my wife grind for another,
And let others bow down over her.
11 For that would be wickedness;
Yes, it would be iniquity deserving of judgment.
12 For that would be a fire that consumes to destruction,
And would root out all my increase.

13 "If I have despised the cause of my male or female servant
When they complained against me,
14 What then shall I do when God rises up?
When He punishes, how shall I answer Him?
15 Did not He who made me in the womb make them?
Did not the same One fashion us in the womb?

16 "If I have kept the poor from their desire,
Or caused the eyes of the widow to fail,
17 Or eaten my morsel by myself,
So that the fatherless could not eat of it
18 (But from my youth I reared him as a father,
And from my mother's womb I guided [d]the widow);
19 If I have seen anyone perish for lack of clothing,
Or any poor man without covering;
20 If his [e]heart has not blessed me,
And if he was not warmed with the fleece of my sheep;
21 If I have raised my hand against the fatherless,
When I saw I had help in the gate;
22 Then let my arm fall from my shoulder,
Let my arm be torn from the socket.
23 For destruction from God is a terror to me,
And because of His magnificence I cannot endure.

24 "If I have made gold my hope,
Or said to fine gold, 'You are my confidence';
25 If I have rejoiced because my wealth was great,
And because my hand had gained much;
26 If I have observed the [f]sun when it shines,
Or the moon moving in brightness,
27 So that my heart has been secretly enticed,
And my mouth has kissed my hand;
28 This also would be an iniquity deserving of judgment,
For I would have denied God who is above.

29 "If I have rejoiced at the destruction of him who hated me,
Or lifted myself up when evil found him
30 (Indeed I have not allowed my mouth to sin
By asking for a curse on his [g]soul);
31 If the men of my tent have not said,
'Who is there that has not been satisfied with his meat?'
32 (But no sojourner had to lodge in the street,
For I have opened my doors to the [h]traveler);
33 If I have covered my transgressions as[i] Adam,
By hiding my iniquity in my bosom,
34 Because I feared the great multitude,
And dreaded the contempt of families,
So that I kept silence
And did not go out of the door-
35 Oh, that I had one to hear me!
Here is my mark.
Oh, that the Almighty would answer me,
That my [j]Prosecutor had written a book!
36 Surely I would carry it on my shoulder,
And bind it on me like a crown;
37 I would declare to Him the number of my steps;
Like a prince I would approach Him.

38 "If my land cries out against me,
And its furrows weep together;
39 If I have eaten its [k]fruit without money,
Or caused its owners to lose their lives;
40 Then let thistles grow instead of wheat,
And weeds instead of barley."

The words of Job are ended.

Elihu Contradicts Job's Friends
32 So these three men ceased answering Job, because he was righteous in his
own eyes. 2 Then the wrath of Elihu, the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the
family of Ram, was aroused against Job; his wrath was aroused because he
justified himself rather than God. 3 Also against his three friends his
wrath was aroused, because they had found no answer, and yet had condemned
Job.

4 Now because they were years older than he, Elihu had waited [l]to speak to
Job. 5 When Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouth of these three
men, his wrath was aroused.

6 So Elihu, the son of Barachel the Buzite, answered and said:

"I am young in years, and you are very old;
Therefore I was afraid,
And dared not declare my opinion to you.
7 I said, [m]'Age should speak,
And multitude of years should teach wisdom.'
8 But there is a spirit in man,
And the breath of the Almighty gives him understanding.
9 Great[n] men are not always wise,
Nor do the aged always understand justice.

10 "Therefore I say, 'Listen to me,
I also will declare my opinion.'
11 Indeed I waited for your words,
I listened to your reasonings, while you searched out what to say.
12 I paid close attention to you;
And surely not one of you convinced Job,
Or answered his words-
13 Lest you say,
'We have found wisdom';
God will vanquish him, not man.
14 Now he has not [o]directed his words against me;
So I will not answer him with your words.

15 "They are dismayed and answer no more;
Words escape them.
16 And I have waited, because they did not speak,
Because they stood still and answered no more.
17 I also will answer my part,
I too will declare my opinion.
18 For I am full of words;
The spirit within me compels me.
19 Indeed my [p]belly is like wine that has no [q]vent;
It is ready to burst like new wineskins.
20 I will speak, that I may find relief;
I must open my lips and answer.
21 Let me not, I pray, show partiality to anyone;
Nor let me flatter any man.
22 For I do not know how to flatter,
Else my Maker would soon take me away.

Elihu Contradicts Job
33 "But please, Job, hear my speech,
And listen to all my words.
2 Now, I open my mouth;
My tongue speaks in my mouth.
3 My words come from my upright heart;
My lips utter pure knowledge.
4 The Spirit of God has made me,
And the breath of the Almighty gives me life.
5 If you can answer me,
Set your words in order before me;
Take your stand.
6 Truly I am [r]as your spokesman before God;
I also have been formed out of clay.
7 Surely no fear of me will terrify you,
Nor will my hand be heavy on you.

8 "Surely you have spoken [s]in my hearing,
And I have heard the sound of your words, saying,
9 'I am pure, without transgression;
I am innocent, and there is no iniquity in me.
10 Yet He finds occasions against me,
He counts me as His enemy;
11 He puts my feet in the stocks,
He watches all my paths.'

12 "Look, in this you are not righteous.
I will answer you,
For God is greater than man.
13 Why do you contend with Him?
For He does not give an accounting of any of His words.
14 For God may speak in one way, or in another,
Yet man does not perceive it.
15 In a dream, in a vision of the night,
When deep sleep falls upon men,
While slumbering on their beds,
16 Then He opens the ears of men,
And seals their instruction.
17 In order to turn man from his deed,
And conceal pride from man,
18 He keeps back his soul from the Pit,
And his life from [t]perishing by the sword.

19 "Man is also chastened with pain on his bed,
And with strong pain in many of his bones,
20 So that his life abhors bread,
And his soul [u]succulent food.
21 His flesh wastes away from sight,
And his bones stick out which once were not seen.
22 Yes, his soul draws near the Pit,
And his life to the executioners.

23 "If there is a messenger for him,
A mediator, one among a thousand,
To show man His uprightness,
24 Then He is gracious to him, and says,
'Deliver him from going down to the Pit;
I have found [v]a ransom';
25 His flesh shall be young like a child's,
He shall return to the days of his youth.
26 He shall pray to God, and He will delight in him,
He shall see His face with joy,
For He restores to man His righteousness.
27 Then he looks at men and says,
'I have sinned, and perverted what was right,
And it did not profit me.'
28 He will redeem [w]his soul from going down to the Pit,
And his life shall see the light.

29 "Behold, God works all these things,
Twice, in fact, three times with a man,
30 To bring back his soul from the Pit,
That he may be enlightened with the light of life.

31 "Give ear, Job, listen to me;
Hold your peace, and I will speak.
32 If you have anything to say, answer me;
Speak, for I desire to justify you.
33 If not, listen to me;
[x]Hold your peace, and I will teach you wisdom."

Footnotes
Job 31:1 look intently or gaze
Job 31:6 Lit. Let Him weigh me
Job 31:8 uprooted
Job 31:18 Lit. her
Job 31:20 Lit. loins
Job 31:26 Lit. light
Job 31:30 Or life
Job 31:32 So with LXX, Syr., Tg., Vg.; MT road
Job 31:33 Or as men do
Job 31:35 Lit. Accuser
Job 31:39 Lit. strength
Job 32:4 Vg. till Job had spoken
Job 32:7 Lit. Days, i.e., years
Job 32:9 Or Men of many years
Job 32:14 ordered
Job 32:19 bosom
Job 32:19 opening
Job 33:6 Lit. as your mouth
Job 33:8 Lit. in my ears
Job 33:18 Lit. passing
Job 33:20 desirable
Job 33:24 an atonement
Job 33:28 Kt. my
Job 33:33 Keep silent