LISTEN
Today’s Reading: Job 20-21
Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion).
These are some of the ruins of ancient Laodicea in present-day western Turkey. The city was founded by Seleucid King Antiochus II in honour of his wife, Laodice. Laodicea became a prosperous Roman market town on the trade route from the east, famous for its woolen and cotton cloths. The city was an early centre of Christianity and one of the Seven Churches of Revelation (Rev. 3:14-22). It was to the Laodicean church that the Lord said, “Behold I stand at the door and knock.” God is knocking on the doors of the hearts of Job and his freiends.
GOOGLE MAPS – To see where the photo was taken, click HERE.
Key Verse: Job 21:2
Listen carefully to my speech, and let this be your consolation.
Job’s counsel in the sentence above is excellent advice for us. The contrast between Zophar’s words in chapter 20 and Job’s words in chapter 21 is obvious. To Zophar, “The triumphing of the wicked is short.” To Job, “The wicked live and become old.” In his efforts at grief counselling, Zophar approaches life in a negative way. Job is beginning to be more positive. He’s on his way to healing and restoration.
Job tells us to “listen carefully.” The word “consolation” could also be translated, “comfort.” Most of us are better at speaking than we are at listening. Many of our conversations are monologues. We sometimes wait impatiently for the other person to finish so that we can speak. God often had to say, “Hear, O Israel” (Deuteronomy 6:4). Jesus says to the churches, “He that has an ear to hear, let him hear” (Revelatoin 2:7). We need to learn to listen to God, and if we are to be true friends, we must also learn to listen. Only when we truly “hear” and understand, should we attempt to give counsel.
PRAYER FOR TODAY:
God…Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, may I listen with great care to You as I read Your Word each day, and I quietly wait before You, listening for the whisper of that “still small voice” (1 Kings 19:11-13). May I also listen much more carefully to people, particularly before I attempt to give counsel. In the Name of the One who listens to my prayer, the Lord Jesus, Amen!!!
100 PERSONAL WORDS:
Yesterday I read the plea of Job, “How long will you … break me in pieces with words?” (Job 19:2). Perhaps the first couplet I ever learned as a child was, “Sticks and stones can break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” I thought it was true, and it became a defence against bullying. Now I know it’s a false statement. Words can destroy a person. Many suicides are the result of “words.” Crossroads has a resource addressing suicide, particularly among young people (click here to watch the Inside Teen Suicide documentary trailer).
Yours for learning to listen more before we speak,
David
One of the many buildings that remain of ancient Laodicea.
I was very reluctantly led to Grieving Mothers and ‘given’ poems of comfort to share with them.Barbara (a descendant of Charles Spurgeon),the site owner loved the poems and made me (a male) a member of her site right then.(I did not know grieving sites existed and did not want to intrude.)There’s not enough room to explain it all so I just want to post this poem that explains the true source for depression if we could just make people believe.Yall have a great day and may God bless
Control (I believe this to be a fact.)
“….the one who has the power of death
—the devil.” Hebrews 2:14c (ERV)
Satan blends his thoughts with yours,
You think they came from you,
For his goal is to close all doors,
To control everything you do.
He starts this at an early age,
His lies make you the liar
And if you are in a rage,
That’s when you fuel his hellfire.
But just like Satan who sneaks in,
There is Another who is true,
For He knows well about sin
And what Satan wants with you.
He will only enter if invited,
A slave is not His goal,
He seeks a fire be ignited
From within to make you whole.
G W(Bill) Marshall / 13 June, 2013
“…. the evil one comes and snatches
away….” Matthew 13:19a (NIV)
Charles Stanley agrees in this video:
https://youtu.be/1j0j0XD_gsE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnr97uGmIc8 \Derek https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nsC_oGDHsfM /Prince
This is one I stumbled on while searching for the above poem:
All In One Voice (Suicide)
We are the children who could not defeat
The darkness that entered at early age,
So rather than surrender to evil’s conceit,
We choose to leave the unholy stage.
Most left suddenly with no farewell note,
But nothing could stop or change the mind,
Of the ones who were lost so do not dote,
We are in grace and are no longer blind.
This two faced sword is Satan’s blade,
For it also pains loved ones behind,
Who could not know nor have stayed,
The act that ended a life so confined.
So know well that you were not at fault,
For what was well hidden was by choice,
So pray often to the Lord we exalt,
Praise Him with us,all in one voice.
G W (Bill) Marshall/2012
Suicide does not send anyone to hell.
It is a sin like all the other sins:Forgiven.
I prayed The Prayer For Today.
Joining you in prayer Sah and trusting in our Lord and Saviour
Jesus Christ’s Will be done on earth as it is in heaven, Amen!
Job’s plea to his adviser and his words unto God; thank you Jesus that you opened the door to the Kingdom of light!!
Also prayed David’s to listen more and speak less
be blessed saints
God bless you Irene;
every day I ask the Lord to help me to keep my mouth shut and if I need to speak that I speak with respect,wisdom,…………well……….that last’s maybe for 30 minutes and then……………………however……………….I can confess this to my Lord and He forgives, never to bring it up again, and He continues to forgive me over and over and over……as I said I thank Him for this blog; for all who post precious words and for the honesty of everyone and kindness of everyone and everyone is so understanding, that makes me warm all over…….
we had our weekly concert tonight in the park on a Wednesday, next week is the last concert for this season in the park that is; very enjoyable and the musicians so very talented…….it’s a wonderful way to spend the evening and God bless our Arts Council for putting on these concerts……..
prayers needed for the seniors, many do not receive enough in their pensions to survive, many live in poverty, this is very hard to handle, this is Canada and people born in this country should never live in poverty, especially the seniors. Governments think that many women worked all their lives, HOWEVER that is not true, many women stayed at home to raise the children and look after the home, made sure meals were ready when hubby came home,the homes were cleaned and spotless, well, this didn;’t happen on its own, the moms washed and cleaned and cooked and made sure the family ran smoothly………our governments need to understand that perhaps they need to supply a pension for wives;mothers who stayed at home and looked after the family, this was not easy work, but very important work in the community…..pray our governments realize what they are doing by not increasing pensions is causing many hardships right here in Canada……