Job 42:10  
When Job prayed for his friends, the Lord restored his fortunes. In fact, the Lord gave him twice as much as before! (NLT)

After Job had interceded for his friends, GOD restored his fortune—and then doubled it! (The Message)

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What we do for the benefit of others indicates the true nature of our character. 

Job was a man of grace and integrity before he lost it all. He was the same after he lost it all, even while accused of secret sins and wicked deeds by his closest friends. He was the same man, refined and renewed, after the bad times were over for good. 

Do you seek God’s highest and best for those who betray you? 

Do you seek God’s salvation for those who would happily put a bullet in your brain or a knife in your back?

Do you seek God’s blessings on those who treat you with unkindness and spite?

Job was the kind of man who could answer these questions with Yes. 

It appears the authors of other books of wisdom literature in the Bible pondered Job’s life and learned from it:

The generous will prosper; 
those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭11‬:‭25‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Finishing is better than starting. 
Patience is better than pride. 
Control your temper, 
for anger labels you a fool. 
Don’t long for “the good old days.” 
This is not wise.
‭‭Ecclesiastes‬ ‭7‬:‭8‬-‭10‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Trust GOD from the bottom of your heart;
don’t try to figure out everything on your own.
Listen for GOD’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go;
he’s the one who will keep you on track.
Proverbs 3:5, 6 The Message

What have we learned here today?

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I will trust God from the bottom of my heart, and I will ask him to make my heart like his.

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Our Father, two simple prayers come to mind: Make my heart like yours, and give me a pure heart and clean hands. Amen.