A Lamp to Our Feet, a Light to Our Path
Read: Psalm 119:89-112 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. (Prov. 3:5-6) I can’t read those words from Proverbs 3 without traveling back in time and seeing Mr. Van Houten leading our junior […]
What to Do with Your Sins
Read: Psalm 32, James 5:13-16 Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy. (Prov. 28:13) Both David and Solomon (Psalms and Proverbs) knew long ago what modern psychology has confirmed. Suppressed guilt produces serious side effects. The psalmist’s spiritual struggles resulted in physical symptoms (Ps. 32:3-4). […]
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?
Read: Luke 18:18-30 Give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me, lest I be full and deny you and say, “Who is the LORD?” or lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of my God. (Prov. 30:8-9) I have a British friend who, when […]
The Fear of Man
Read: Matthew 10:16-33 The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is safe. (Prov. 29:25) In one of our early devotionals in this series, I mentioned that we don’t seem to pay much attention to the fear of the Lord today. But there’s another kind of fear we may worry […]
A Good Name
Read: Acts 9:36-42 A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, and favor is better than silver or gold. (Prov. 22:1) When Proverbs talks about choosing a good name it’s not referring to expectant parents having lengthy conversations about what to call the baby. It’s talking about caring in the right sense […]
Lord Willing
Read: James 4:13-17 Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring. (Prov. 27:1) When I was growing up, it was customary for the church bulletin to feature the letters “D.V.” in the schedule of events for the coming week—as in, “The Ladies Missionary Society will meet on Thursday […]
An Eye for an Eye?
Read: Matthew 5:38-48 Do not say, “I will do to him as he has done to me; I will pay the man back for what he has done.” (Prov. 24:29) Speaking of payback, let’s listen to Jesus: “Turn the other cheek,” “Go the extra mile,” “Give him your cloak too.” In these famous examples Jesus […]
Don’t Get Even, Get Generous
Read: Romans 12:9-21 If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink, for you will heap burning coals on his head, and the LORD will reward you. (Prov. 25:21-22) Have you ever thought about the difference between Proverbs and proverbs—the human sayings that have […]
“Spare the Rod, Spoil the Child”
Read: Hebrews 12:3-11 My son, do not despise the LORD’s discipline or be weary of his reproof, for the LORD reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights. (Prov. 3:11-12) The book of Proverbs is famously big on parental discipline, including discipline that seems unduly harsh to us. Remember […]