Latest / Bible Chat Devotional / March 15 - The Humility to Listen

Transcript

March 15 - The Humility to Listen · Bible Chat Devotional

• 0:02
  Welcome to Bible Chat, where we have devotional conversations
• 0:06
  rooted in Scripture and relevant for today, March 15th.
• 0:12
  Hands that care. Words that heal.
• 0:14
  There are days when it feels like what you do does not
• 0:16
  matter. You help, but no one notices.
• 0:19
  You try to be responsible, but it feels ordinary.
• 0:23
  You say something from the heart, and it seems like no one
• 0:25
  really hears you. In a world that often celebrates
• 0:29
  the loudest voices and biggest moments, it is easy to forget
• 0:33
  that God also works through quiet faithfulness, patient
• 0:36
  care, and truthful words spoken at the right time.
• 0:40
  Proverbs chapter 12 verses 10:50 says Whoever is righteous has
• 0:45
  regard for the life of his beast, but the mercy of the
• 0:48
  wicked is cruel. Whoever works his land will have
• 0:51
  plenty of bread, but he who follows worthless pursuits lack
• 0:54
  sense. God honors care and diligence.
• 0:59
  He notices the person who shows kindness in small ways and stays
• 1:03
  faithful in ordinary responsibilities.
• 1:06
  Then Job chapter 32, verses 18 to 20 gives us Ali, whose words
• 1:11
  I am full of words. The Spirit within me constrains
• 1:14
  me. I will speak that I may find
• 1:17
  relief. And Job chapter 33 verse 14 says
• 1:20
  God speaks in one way and in two, though man does not
• 1:23
  perceive it. Sometimes we think only dramatic
• 1:26
  things count, but God is often speaking and working in ways
• 1:31
  people overlook. Your hands matter.
• 1:34
  The way you serve at home matters.
• 1:36
  The way you care for something weak or vulnerable matters.
• 1:39
  The effort you put into your work matters.
• 1:41
  Your words matter too. A wise word can comfort someone
• 1:45
  carrying silent pain. An honest conversation can stop
• 1:49
  misunderstanding from growing. A gentle answer can come, a
• 1:53
  tense moment. A brave truth spoken in love can
• 1:56
  become part of someone's healing.
• 1:58
  Not every word needs to be loud, and not every act needs to be
• 2:02
  seen. Faithfulness is powerful even
• 2:04
  when it feels hidden. God sees what others miss.
• 2:08
  He hears what you cannot fully express.
• 2:11
  He can use your care, your consistency, and your voice to
• 2:14
  bring life to people around you. So do not despise the small
• 2:17
  things. Keep showing up, keep caring.
• 2:20
  Keep speaking truth with grace. The God who speaks even when
• 2:24
  people do not perceive it, is able to use your life in ways
• 2:27
  far beyond what you can see. Let's pray.
• 2:31
  Heavenly Father, thank you for seeing the small things that
• 2:34
  others may overlook. Help me to use my hands to care
• 2:37
  faithfully and my words to bring healing and truth.
• 2:41
  Teach me to be diligent, compassionate, and courageous in
• 2:43
  everyday life. Use even my quiet obedience for
• 2:46
  your purpose and glory in Jesus name, Amen.
• 2:51
  What if the most important question in your life deserves
• 2:54
  more than a shallow answer? Does God Exist is a powerful,
• 2:58
  thought provoking series that explores reality, meaning, and
• 3:01
  truth through reason, evidence, human experience, and scripture
• 3:06
  without preaching pressure or assumptions.
• 3:08
  Book 1, Something from Nothing, confronts the mystery of
• 3:11
  existence itself and asks why anything exists at all.
• 3:15
  Book 2, The Cause Behind the Cosmos, examines the origin of
• 3:18
  the universe and whether it points beyond itself.
• 3:21
  Book 3, Design or Accident, wrestles with order and
• 3:25
  complexity. Are they products of chance or
• 3:27
  intelligence? Book 4, The Moral Signature,
• 3:30
  explores why objective right and wrong may require a source
• 3:33
  beyond human opinion. Book 5, The God We Cannot
• 3:37
  Escape, considers conscience, longing, and humanity's
• 3:39
  persistent awareness of God. Book 6, From Reason to
• 3:43
  Revelation, asks whether the God who exists would also speak, and
• 3:47
  Book 7, Denying God, examines the internal tensions of
• 3:51
  unbelief and the deeper implications of rejecting the
• 3:53
  divine. Written in clear, accessible
• 3:55
  language for seekers, skeptics, students, and curious minds,
• 3:59
  this series invites honest reflection and careful thinking.
• 4:03
  If you're ready to explore the question seriously, Order Does
• 4:06
  God Exist? On Amazon or visit
• 4:08
  prayerscripts.org today. Now I invite you to spend time
• 4:13
  with God in today's three-year Bible reading plan.
• 4:17
  Proverbs chapter 12, verses 10 to 11 World English Bible A
• 4:22
  righteous man respects the life of his animal, but the tender
• 4:26
  mercies of the wicked are cruel. He who tills his land shall have
• 4:29
  plenty of bread, but he who chases fantasies is void of
• 4:33
  understanding. Job chapters 32 to 33, World
• 4:37
  English Bible. So these three men cease to
• 4:40
  answer Job because he was righteous in his own eyes.
• 4:43
  Then the wrath of Alihu, the son of Bereshel, the Buzite of the
• 4:46
  family of Ram, was kindled against Job.
• 4:49
  His wrath was kindled because he justified himself rather than
• 4:52
  God. Also his wrath was kindled
• 4:55
  against his three friends because they had found no answer
• 4:58
  and yet had condemned Job. Now Alihu had waited to speak to
• 5:02
  Job because they were older than he.
• 5:04
  When Alihu saw that there was no answer in the mouth of these
• 5:07
  three men, his wrath was kindled.
• 5:10
  Elihu the son of Bereshel the Buzet answered, I am young and
• 5:13
  you are very old. Therefore I held back and didn't
• 5:16
  dare show you my opinion. I said days should speak and
• 5:20
  multitude of years should teach wisdom.
• 5:22
  But there is a spirit in man, and the spirit of the Almighty
• 5:26
  gives them understanding. It is not the great who are wise
• 5:29
  nor the age to understand justice.
• 5:32
  Therefore I said, listen to me, I also will show my opinion.
• 5:36
  Behold, I waited for your words, and I listened for your
• 5:39
  reasoning while you searched out what to say.
• 5:41
  Yes, I gave you my full attention, but there was no one
• 5:44
  who convinced Job or who answered his words among you.
• 5:47
  But where lest you say, we have found wisdom.
• 5:50
  God may refute him, not man, for he has not directed his words
• 5:54
  against me, neither will I answer him with your speeches.
• 5:57
  They are amazed, they answer no more.
• 5:59
  They don't have a word to say. Shall I wait because they don't
• 6:02
  speak, because they stand still and answer no more?
• 6:05
  I also will answer my part, and I also will show my opinion, for
• 6:09
  I am full of words. The spirit within me constrains
• 6:12
  me. Behold, my breast is as wine,
• 6:15
  which has no vent like new wineskins.
• 6:17
  It is ready to burst. I will speak that I may be
• 6:20
  refreshed. I will open my lips and answer.
• 6:23
  Please don't let me respect any man's person, neither will I
• 6:26
  give flattering titles to any man, for I don't know how to
• 6:29
  give flattering titles, or else my Maker would soon take me
• 6:33
  away. However, Job, please hear my
• 6:35
  speech and listen to all my words.
• 6:37
  See, now I have opened my mouth, my tongue has spoken in my
• 6:41
  mouth. My words will utter the
• 6:43
  uprightness of my heart. That which my lips know, they
• 6:45
  will speak sincerely. The Spirit of God has made me,
• 6:49
  and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.
• 6:51
  If you can answer me, set your words in order before me and
• 6:54
  stand up. Behold, I am toward God even as
• 6:57
  you are. I'm also formed out of the clay.
• 7:00
  Behold, my terror will not make you afraid, neither will my
• 7:03
  pressure be heavy on you. Surely you have spoken in my
• 7:06
  hearing. I have heard the voice of your
• 7:08
  words saying I am clean without disobedience.
• 7:12
  I am innocent, neither is there iniquity in me.
• 7:14
  Behold, he finds occasions against me, He counts me for his
• 7:18
  enemy, He puts my feet in the stalks, He marks all my paths.
• 7:22
  Behold, I will answer you in this you are not just, for God
• 7:25
  is greater than man. Why do you strive against Him?
• 7:28
  Because he doesn't give account of any of his matters.
• 7:31
  For God speaks once, yes, twice, though man pays no attention in
• 7:35
  a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls on
• 7:38
  men, in slumbering on the bed. Then he opens the ears of men
• 7:41
  and seals their instruction, that he may withdraw man from
• 7:44
  his purpose and hide pride from man.
• 7:47
  He keeps back his soul from the pit, and his life from perishing
• 7:50
  by the sword. He is chastened also with pain
• 7:53
  on his bed, with continual strife in his bones, so that his
• 7:57
  life abhors bread, and his soul dainty food.
• 8:00
  His flesh is so consumed away that it can't be seen.
• 8:03
  His bones that were not seen stick out.
• 8:06
  Yes, his soul draws near to the pit, and his life to the
• 8:09
  destroyers. If there is beside him an Angel,
• 8:12
  an interpreter, one among 1000 to show to man what is right for
• 8:15
  him, then God is gracious to him, and says, Deliver him from
• 8:19
  going down to the pit. I have found a ransom.
• 8:22
  His flesh will be fresher than a child's.
• 8:25
  He returns to the days of his youth.
• 8:27
  He prays to God, and he is favorable to him, so that he
• 8:30
  sees his face with joy. He restores to man his
• 8:33
  righteousness. He sings before men, and says, I
• 8:36
  have sinned and perverted that which was right, and it didn't
• 8:39
  profit me. He has redeemed my soul from
• 8:41
  going into the pit. My life will see the light.
• 8:45
  Behold, God does all these things twice, yes, three times
• 8:48
  with a man to bring back his soul from the pit, that he may
• 8:51
  be enlightened with the light of the living.
• 8:53
  Markwell Job and listen to me, hold your peace and I will
• 8:56
  speak. If you have anything to say,
• 8:58
  answer me. Speak, for I desire to justify
• 9:01
  you. If not, listen to me, hold your
• 9:04
  peace and I will teach you wisdom.
• 9:07
  Thanks for joining us on Bible Chat, where Scripture meets
• 9:10
  everyday life. If today's devotional encouraged
• 9:14
  you, share it with a friend and be sure to follow the podcast so
• 9:17
  you won't miss the next conversation.
• 9:19
  Until next time, stay rooted in truth, anchored in hope, and
• 9:23
  walking daily with Jesus.