A Nugget from New Life Network
Scripture for the Day March 7, 2019
Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Show us the Father? (John 14:9)
We just finished a seven part series on the Book of Job. If you did not get a chance to read each devotional you can go to our website and find all these devotionals under “The Book of Job” at the following link:
https://newlifenetwork-org-staging.smwnm894-liquidwebsites.com/devotionals/ (You will need to scroll down to The Book of Job)
Today’s devotional will be a short summary on what we learned by our study of the Book of Job.The main theme of the Book of Job is spiritual warfare and not suffering. It is a letter from God showing us how the enemy works. The thief (Satan) and all his demonic participants come to kill, steal, and destroy but God (Jesus) comes to give us life and life more abundantly (John 10:10). The Book of Job is a perfect picture of spiritual warfare that transpired several thousand years ago and it is still transpiring today. It is a war between good (God) and evil (Satan) and we are effected by that war.
Satan is a defeated foe. He knows that, but he still has certain powers that we must be aware of. He is a liar and if he can convince you to believe a lie it can lead to destruction and death. For example, if he can convince you that there is nothing wrong with drugs or alcohol then the end result can be drug addiction and alcoholism which can ultimately kill you. Satan is a master at smoke-screens.
My primary take from the Book of Job is that Satan is after God’s goodness. Satan has from the beginning of existence tried to convince us that what he has is good and what God has is bad. He does that by lies and manipulation of the truth. He knows that God is good and he wants to exalt himself to God’s position. So, one of his main tactics is to convince us that God is not good.
The Book of Job is a prime example of how he does that. If he can get Job (or us) to believe that God is the one responsible for the death of Job’s children and all the destruction and theft unleashed on Job’s property then we will quit believing that God is good. If Satan can just get you to even half-way believe that then he has won the war because a double-minded person cannot receive anything from God.
King David was probably the one person in the Bible that was the most adamant about the goodness of God. He had an intimate relationship with God and he knew how important it was to believe in God’s goodness. We need to have that same type of steadfast and immovable belief!!! Listen to David’s heart:
Good and upright is the Lord: therefore will he teach sinners in the way. (Psalm 25:8)
I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. (Psalm 27:13)
Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men! (Psalm 31:19)
O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him. (Psalm 34:8)
For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee. (Psalm 86:5)
For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations. (Psalm 100:5)
Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! (Psalm 107:8)
Thou art good, and doest good; teach me thy statutes. (Psalm 119:68)
Praise the Lord; for the Lord is good: sing praises unto his name; for it is pleasant. (Psalm 135:3)
They shall abundantly utter the memory of thy great goodness, and shall sing of thy righteousness. (Psalm 145:7)
David was a man after God’s own heart!!!
The following song by Bethel Worship puts into a song what I have been trying to say in words through these seven teachings about Job. Listen and worship as they proclaim the goodness of God:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pomqj7acJc4
