Job 5:8,12 I would seek unto God, and unto God would I commit my cause: He disappointeth the devices of the crafty, so that their hands cannot perform their enterprise.

Eliphaz has some good lines. Eliphaz is a clever fellow. I have to remind myself what God had to say about Job’s three friends in order to place their clever words into perspective.

Does God get the glory in those lines or is it Eliphaz’s cleverness that stands out?

I write this as both a confession of condition and encouragement to be careful to glorify God in those things you say or write.

These past few days I find myself deleting or rewriting devotionals because I was being clever to the point of being a showoff. Where is God to be glorified in that?

If you take one liners from chapters 4 and 5 in the book of Job, where Eliphaz speaks, they sound good and are quotable enough. We must be careful in quoting one liners out of context because they do not glorify God but rather show how clever we can be.

I found myself in that category of Job 5:12 being crafty and having God disappoint my efforts. He called me out on my behavior.

God has done wonderful things to shape and mold me into His servant but servant I am and nothing more if I cannot remember the words of my Lord.

John 5:30 I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.

It is not mine and I should not glory in it. I did not judge rightly in those things I was going to say to you and ended up having to eat my words.

Romans 3:25a Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith

Galatians 3:8a And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith

Galatians 3:14b receive the promise of the Spirit through faith

Ephesians 2:8a For by grace are ye saved through faith

2 Timothy 3:15c salvation through faith

Hebrews 6:12b who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

Hebrews 11:3a Through faith we understand

1 Peter 1:5a Who are kept by the power of God through faith

Take a moment to read these verse carefully and take into account the importance of faith in the life of Christians. Every important issue in our lives is directly tied to faith. None of this would be possible without faith.

Now think back over your own life that you have lived these past few days. Bring this one issue into focus and answer it for yourselves. How much did you think about faith?

2 Corinthians 5:7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)

In many respects we who can walk take that task for granted. We are so accustomed to our ability to walk we don’t even think about it. Do you need a drink? You get up and get it, thinking only about what to drink and where that item might be, walking is second nature.

Do we take something so important for this life for granted? Do we dismiss faith, which is so important for this life, as if it is of no consequence? What is the difference between losing faith and not using it?

Romans 14:1 Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations.

Just how do any of us become weak in the faith we are given? As the old saying goes, use it or lose it.

2 Timothy 2:13 If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.

He will not deny you if you stop using your faith, but is that the way you want to live this life?