Author: Braden Condray

Devotional

Daily Devotional-June 11

June 11, 2020

The book of Proverbs is a collection of short sayings in the Old Testament meant to instill wisdom in God’s people. As we read, it is important to remember that a proverb is a statement which is generally true in principle, not a universally true promise. Let’s dig into the Word together and allow the Lord to shape our hearts, our minds, and our lives in his wisdom over the next month!

Proverbs chapter 27 repeatedly asserts that an aspect of living a wise, God-glorifying life is having people in our lives who can both give good advice as well as call us out when we need it. Verses 5-6 say this: “Better is open rebuke than hidden love. Faithful are the wounds of a friend; profuse are the kisses of an enemy.” As the people of God, we have been called to lovingly rebuke, correct, and call one another out as we seek to follow after Jesus together!

We all need to surround ourselves with people that we can be vulnerable and real with and who won’t just tell us what we want to hear, people who are willing to call us out in order to help us walk more closely with Jesus! The picture the New Testament paints of the church is that we need each other, that we cannot live as God has called us to as individuals without the help, support, and correction of the whole. 

Verse 17 asserts this principle again in a different way: “Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.” This is an amazing picture of the kind of relationships we need to have with others in the church; we need to have relationships in which both parties are being “sharpened”, where we are mutually loving and leading one another to look more like Jesus in every area of life!

Proverbs 27

27 Do not boast about tomorrow,
    for you do not know what a day may bring.
2 Let another praise you, and not your own mouth;
    a stranger, and not your own lips.
3 A stone is heavy, and sand is weighty,
    but a fool’s provocation is heavier than both.
4 Wrath is cruel, anger is overwhelming,
    but who can stand before jealousy?
5 Better is open rebuke
    than hidden love.
6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend;
    profuse are the kisses of an enemy.
7 One who is full loathes honey,
    but to one who is hungry everything bitter is sweet.
8 Like a bird that strays from its nest
    is a man who strays from his home.
9 Oil and perfume make the heart glad,
    and the sweetness of a friend comes from his earnest counsel.
10 Do not forsake your friend and your father’s friend,
    and do not go to your brother’s house in the day of your calamity.
Better is a neighbor who is near
    than a brother who is far away.
11 Be wise, my son, and make my heart glad,
    that I may answer him who reproaches me.
12 The prudent sees danger and hides himself,
    but the simple go on and suffer for it.
13 Take a man’s garment when he has put up security for a stranger,
    and hold it in pledge when he puts up security for an adulteress.
14 Whoever blesses his neighbor with a loud voice,
    rising early in the morning,
    will be counted as cursing.
15 A continual dripping on a rainy day
    and a quarrelsome wife are alike;
16 to restrain her is to restrain the wind
    or to grasp oil in one’s right hand.
17 Iron sharpens iron,
    and one man sharpens another.
18 Whoever tends a fig tree will eat its fruit,
    and he who guards his master will be honored.
19 As in water face reflects face,
    so the heart of man reflects the man.
20 Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied,
    and never satisfied are the eyes of man.
21 The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold,
    and a man is tested by his praise.
22 Crush a fool in a mortar with a pestle
    along with crushed grain,
    yet his folly will not depart from him.

23 Know well the condition of your flocks,
    and give attention to your herds,
24 for riches do not last forever;
    and does a crown endure to all generations?
25 When the grass is gone and the new growth appears
    and the vegetation of the mountains is gathered,
26 the lambs will provide your clothing,
    and the goats the price of a field.
27 There will be enough goats’ milk for your food,
    for the food of your household
    and maintenance for your girls.

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

Family Discussion Question:

  • How can we make starting and developing friendships and relationships like verse 17 describes, relationships where we are helping the other person follow Jesus more closely and they are doing the same for us, the priority they need to be?
Devotional

Daily Devotional-June 10

June 10, 2020

The book of Proverbs is a collection of short sayings in the Old Testament meant to instill wisdom in God’s people. As we read, it is important to remember that a proverb is a statement which is generally true in principle, not a universally true promise. Let’s dig into the Word together and allow the Lord to shape our hearts, our minds, and our lives in his wisdom over the next month!

This chapter of the book of Proverbs concludes the “sayings of the wise”. It covers a range of topics including prudent and wise home building, good work ethic, and refusing to join with the schemes of the wicked or to envy them. It also addresses issues of justice and how God’s people are called to live in times of adversity: verses 10-11 say “If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small. Rescue those who are being taken away to death; hold back those who are stumbling to slaughter.”

God’s people are meant to show the strength and integrity of their character during the “day of adversity” by looking to the good of others, stepping out to rescue those who cannot defend themselves. Throughout the Scriptures God makes His concern for the oppressed, the lowly, and the “least of these” clear, and He calls His people to love, care for, and show mercy on such. Those who suffer injustice and oppression move God’s heart to compassion in a special way!

This truth, coupled with the prohibition of partiality in verse 23 and the commendation to rebuke the wicked in verse 25, is a timely reminder for the people of God in our culture and context right now. We are commanded to rise up on behalf of the oppressed, to shine the light of God’s truth, compassion, love, mercy, and justice into the darkness of the world around us. We must respond to the injustice and oppression we see around us, showing the same depth of care, concern, and boldness that Jesus demonstrated on behalf of those who were marginalized during His earthly ministry.

Proverbs 24

24 Be not envious of evil men,
    nor desire to be with them,
2 for their hearts devise violence,
    and their lips talk of trouble.

3 By wisdom a house is built,
    and by understanding it is established;
4 by knowledge the rooms are filled
    with all precious and pleasant riches.
5 A wise man is full of strength,
    and a man of knowledge enhances his might,
6 for by wise guidance you can wage your war,
    and in abundance of counselors there is victory.
7 Wisdom is too high for a fool;
    in the gate he does not open his mouth.

8 Whoever plans to do evil
    will be called a schemer.
9 The devising of folly is sin,
    and the scoffer is an abomination to mankind.

10 If you faint in the day of adversity,
    your strength is small.
11 Rescue those who are being taken away to death;
    hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter.
12 If you say, “Behold, we did not know this,”
    does not he who weighs the heart perceive it?
Does not he who keeps watch over your soul know it,
    and will he not repay man according to his work?

13 My son, eat honey, for it is good,
    and the drippings of the honeycomb are sweet to your taste.
14 Know that wisdom is such to your soul;
    if you find it, there will be a future,
    and your hope will not be cut off.

15 Lie not in wait as a wicked man against the dwelling of the righteous;
    do no violence to his home;
16 for the righteous falls seven times and rises again,
    but the wicked stumble in times of calamity.

17 Do not rejoice when your enemy falls,
    and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles,
18 lest the Lord see it and be displeased,
    and turn away his anger from him.

19 Fret not yourself because of evildoers,
    and be not envious of the wicked,
20 for the evil man has no future;
    the lamp of the wicked will be put out.

21 My son, fear the Lord and the king,
    and do not join with those who do otherwise,
22 for disaster will arise suddenly from them,
    and who knows the ruin that will come from them both?

More Sayings of the Wise

23 These also are sayings of the wise.

Partiality in judging is not good.
24 Whoever says to the wicked, “You are in the right,”
    will be cursed by peoples, abhorred by nations,
25 but those who rebuke the wicked will have delight,
    and a good blessing will come upon them.
26 Whoever gives an honest answer
    kisses the lips.

27 Prepare your work outside;
    get everything ready for yourself in the field,
    and after that build your house.

28 Be not a witness against your neighbor without cause,
    and do not deceive with your lips.
29 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.”

30 I passed by the field of a sluggard,
    by the vineyard of a man lacking sense,
31 and behold, it was all overgrown with thorns;
    the ground was covered with nettles,
    and its stone wall was broken down.
32 Then I saw and considered it;
    I looked and received instruction.
33 A little sleep, a little slumber,
    a little folding of the hands to rest,
34 and poverty will come upon you like a robber,
    and want like an armed man.

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

Family Discussion Question:

  • What does it look like, practically, for God’s people to seek justice on behalf of those who have experienced injustice or oppression? How can we live this out as the church today, as families today?
Devotional

Daily Devotional-June 9

June 8, 2020

The book of Proverbs is a collection of short sayings in the Old Testament meant to instill wisdom in God’s people. As we read, it is important to remember that a proverb is a statement which is generally true in principle, not a universally true promise. Let’s dig into the Word together and allow the Lord to shape our hearts, our minds, and our lives in his wisdom over the next month!

Proverbs 23 continues the 30 “words” or “sayings” of the wise begun in chapter 22. They exhort the reader to be wary of the rich and stingy, to fear the LORD, to do good to the less fortunate, to discipline their children, to diligently pursue wisdom and to honor their parents. They warn against the dangers of drunkenness and gluttony, of adultery and of the fleeting nature of riches. These are intensely practical sayings which should guide the lives of God’s people!

In verse 17-18 the author urges the reader to “Let not your heart envy sinners, but continue in the fear of the LORD all the day. Surely there is a future, and your hope will not be cut off.” This is a clear picture of the idea that there is great reward in fearing the LORD and living according to His wisdom, while there is great ruin and destruction in failing to do so!

The value of wisdom and the reward which exists in living wisely is a major repeated theme throughout the book of Proverbs, and this chapter reminds us in verse 12 that it is not an easy endeavor! We must apply ourselves in determination and in discipline in order to gain true wisdom; it takes a great deal of effort on our part, and a great deal of grace from our God, in order to attain the wisdom that He offers. 

We can rest assured that it will be well worth the effort!

Proverbs 23

23 When you sit down to eat with a ruler,
    observe carefully what is before you,
2 and put a knife to your throat
    if you are given to appetite.
3 Do not desire his delicacies,
    for they are deceptive food.
4 Do not toil to acquire wealth;
    be discerning enough to desist.
5 When your eyes light on it, it is gone,
    for suddenly it sprouts wings,
    flying like an eagle toward heaven.
6 Do not eat the bread of a man who is stingy;
    do not desire his delicacies,
7 for he is like one who is inwardly calculating.
    “Eat and drink!” he says to you,
    but his heart is not with you.
8 You will vomit up the morsels that you have eaten,
    and waste your pleasant words.
9 Do not speak in the hearing of a fool,
    for he will despise the good sense of your words.
10 Do not move an ancient landmark
    or enter the fields of the fatherless,
11 for their Redeemer is strong;
    he will plead their cause against you.
12 Apply your heart to instruction
    and your ear to words of knowledge.
13 Do not withhold discipline from a child;
    if you strike him with a rod, he will not die.
14 If you strike him with the rod,
    you will save his soul from Sheol.
15 My son, if your heart is wise,
    my heart too will be glad.
16 My inmost being will exult
    when your lips speak what is right.
17 Let not your heart envy sinners,
    but continue in the fear of the Lord all the day.
18 Surely there is a future,
    and your hope will not be cut off.

19 Hear, my son, and be wise,
    and direct your heart in the way.
20 Be not among drunkards
    or among gluttonous eaters of meat,
21 for the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty,
    and slumber will clothe them with rags.

22 Listen to your father who gave you life,
    and do not despise your mother when she is old.
23 Buy truth, and do not sell it;
    buy wisdom, instruction, and understanding.
24 The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice;
    he who fathers a wise son will be glad in him.
25 Let your father and mother be glad;
    let her who bore you rejoice.

26 My son, give me your heart,
    and let your eyes observe my ways.
27 For a prostitute is a deep pit;
    an adulteress is a narrow well.
28 She lies in wait like a robber
    and increases the traitors among mankind.

29 Who has woe? Who has sorrow?
    Who has strife? Who has complaining?
Who has wounds without cause?
    Who has redness of eyes?
30 Those who tarry long over wine;
    those who go to try mixed wine.
31 Do not look at wine when it is red,
    when it sparkles in the cup
    and goes down smoothly.
32 In the end it bites like a serpent
    and stings like an adder.
33 Your eyes will see strange things,
    and your heart utter perverse things.
34 You will be like one who lies down in the midst of the sea,
    like one who lies on the top of a mast.
35 “They struck me,” you will say, “but I was not hurt;
    they beat me, but I did not feel it.
When shall I awake?
    I must have another drink.”

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

Family Discussion Question:

  • How does verse 12, couples with verses 17 and 18, encourage you to seek wisdom with diligence and determination?
Devotional

Daily Devotional-June 8

June 8, 2020

The book of Proverbs is a collection of short sayings in the Old Testament meant to instill wisdom in God’s people. As we read, it is important to remember that a proverb is a statement which is generally true in principle, not a universally true promise. Let’s dig into the Word together and allow the Lord to shape our hearts, our minds, and our lives in his wisdom over the next month!

Proverbs 22 communicates God’s wisdom on wealth, poverty, and discipline before beginning the 30 “sayings of the wise” which will go on for the next chunk of the book. There are multiple verses concerning the raising of children, such as the famous principle of verse 6 (it is incredibly important to remember here that these are generally true principles and not universally true promises!). 

Verse 15 asserts that “Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline drives it far from him.” The statement implies something that any parent knows all too well; children don’t have to learn foolishness, rebellion, or disobedience. They know it inherently from a very early age! 

The rest of the proverb affirms the pivotal importance of disciplining children in order to drive that inherent folly and rebellion from their hearts! What is true of earthly parents and children is also true of us with our Heavenly Father; we don’t have to learn to rebel against His authority, we do it instinctively! Sin is the most natural thing for us, and it takes mercy and discipline to drive it out of us!

Just as we are called to raise our children in the instruction and discipline of the Lord, God disciplines His children in order to drive folly out of our hearts, in order to lead us to repentance! It is important to remember that God’s discipline and judgment is always a mercy to us because it always has as its purpose to lead us back to God’s way which, as we have discovered in our journey through Proverbs, is the only way to true and full life and joy!

Our God, in His mercy, intentionally allows trials and hardship to come on us because, just like an earthly parent with their children, He knows what we don’t know, He sees what we can’t see, and He loves us enough to zealously pursue our hearts, even if that means temporary suffering, pain, or discomfort for us.

Proverbs 22

22 A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches,
    and favor is better than silver or gold.
2 The rich and the poor meet together;
    the Lord is the Maker of them all.
3 The prudent sees danger and hides himself,
    but the simple go on and suffer for it.
4 The reward for humility and fear of the Lord
    is riches and honor and life.
5 Thorns and snares are in the way of the crooked;
    whoever guards his soul will keep far from them.
6 Train up a child in the way he should go;
    even when he is old he will not depart from it.
7 The rich rules over the poor,
    and the borrower is the slave of the lender.
8 Whoever sows injustice will reap calamity,
    and the rod of his fury will fail.
9 Whoever has a bountiful eye will be blessed,
    for he shares his bread with the poor.
10 Drive out a scoffer, and strife will go out,
    and quarreling and abuse will cease.
11 He who loves purity of heart,
    and whose speech is gracious, will have the king as his friend.
12 The eyes of the Lord keep watch over knowledge,
    but he overthrows the words of the traitor.
13 The sluggard says, “There is a lion outside!
    I shall be killed in the streets!”
14 The mouth of forbidden women is a deep pit;
    he with whom the Lord is angry will fall into it.
15 Folly is bound up in the heart of a child,
    but the rod of discipline drives it far from him.
16 Whoever oppresses the poor to increase his own wealth,
    or gives to the rich, will only come to poverty.

Words of the Wise

17 Incline your ear, and hear the words of the wise,
    and apply your heart to my knowledge,
18 for it will be pleasant if you keep them within you,
    if all of them are ready on your lips.
19 That your trust may be in the Lord,
    I have made them known to you today, even to you.
20 Have I not written for you thirty sayings
    of counsel and knowledge,
21 to make you know what is right and true,
    that you may give a true answer to those who sent you?

22 Do not rob the poor, because he is poor,
    or crush the afflicted at the gate,
23 for the Lord will plead their cause
    and rob of life those who rob them.
24 Make no friendship with a man given to anger,
    nor go with a wrathful man,
25 lest you learn his ways
    and entangle yourself in a snare.
26 Be not one of those who give pledges,
    who put up security for debts.
27 If you have nothing with which to pay,
    why should your bed be taken from under you?
28 Do not move the ancient landmark
    that your fathers have set.
29 Do you see a man skillful in his work?
    He will stand before kings;
    he will not stand before obscure men.

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

Family Discussion Question:

  • What does it mean for God to “discipline” us? How is it actually a good thing for us?
  • Why is it important to remember that, even though God’s mercy and grace are not always comfortable for us, they are always working to transform our hearts through the discomfort?
Devotional

Daily Devotional-June 7

June 7, 2020

The book of Proverbs is a collection of short sayings in the Old Testament meant to instill wisdom in God’s people. As we read, it is important to remember that a proverb is a statement which is generally true in principle, not a universally true promise. Let’s dig into the Word together and allow the Lord to shape our hearts, our minds, and our lives in his wisdom over the next month!

Proverbs chapter 21 touches on a few different themes. In the middle of the chapter we see the theme of the reward in living wisely contrasted with the ruin brought on by wickedness and foolishness. A repeated notion in this section is that the wicked man who shows no mercy will also find no mercy when he seeks it: verse 15 states that “Whoever closes his ear to the cry of the poor will himself call out and not be answered.” 

As people who have experienced the rich mercies and extravagant generosity of God through our Lord Jesus Christ, we are called to extend that same mercy and generosity towards others! 

The proverb implies that the one who shows no mercy should not expect to receive mercy when in need of it; if we fail to be people of mercy, it should cause us to pause and question whether we have truly experienced and been transformed by the mercy of God! “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. (Matthew 5:7).

Proverbs 21

21 The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord;
    he turns it wherever he will.
2 Every way of a man is right in his own eyes,
    but the Lord weighs the heart.
3 To do righteousness and justice
    is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.
4 Haughty eyes and a proud heart,
    the lamp of the wicked, are sin.
5 The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance,
    but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty.
6 The getting of treasures by a lying tongue
    is a fleeting vapor and a snare of death.
7 The violence of the wicked will sweep them away,
    because they refuse to do what is just.
8 The way of the guilty is crooked,
    but the conduct of the pure is upright.
9 It is better to live in a corner of the housetop
    than in a house shared with a quarrelsome wife.
10 The soul of the wicked desires evil;
    his neighbor finds no mercy in his eyes.
11 When a scoffer is punished, the simple becomes wise;
    when a wise man is instructed, he gains knowledge.
12 The Righteous One observes the house of the wicked;
    he throws the wicked down to ruin.
13 Whoever closes his ear to the cry of the poor
    will himself call out and not be answered.
14 A gift in secret averts anger,
    and a concealed bribe, strong wrath.
15 When justice is done, it is a joy to the righteous
    but terror to evildoers.
16 One who wanders from the way of good sense
    will rest in the assembly of the dead.
17 Whoever loves pleasure will be a poor man;
    he who loves wine and oil will not be rich.
18 The wicked is a ransom for the righteous,
    and the traitor for the upright.
19 It is better to live in a desert land
    than with a quarrelsome and fretful woman.
20 Precious treasure and oil are in a wise man’s dwelling,
    but a foolish man devours it.
21 Whoever pursues righteousness and kindness
    will find life, righteousness, and honor.
22 A wise man scales the city of the mighty
    and brings down the stronghold in which they trust.
23 Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue
    keeps himself out of trouble.
24 “Scoffer” is the name of the arrogant, haughty man
    who acts with arrogant pride.
25 The desire of the sluggard kills him,
    for his hands refuse to labor.
26 All day long he craves and craves,
    but the righteous gives and does not hold back.
27 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination;
    how much more when he brings it with evil intent.
28 A false witness will perish,
    but the word of a man who hears will endure.
29 A wicked man puts on a bold face,
    but the upright gives thought to his ways.
30 No wisdom, no understanding, no counsel
    can avail against the Lord.
31 The horse is made ready for the day of battle,
    but the victory belongs to the Lord.

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

Family Discussion Question:

  • Why is it so important that we show the same love, mercy, generosity and kindness that God has shown us in Jesus? What does it demonstrate about us if we don’t?
Devotional

Daily Devotional-June 6

June 6, 2020

The book of Proverbs is a collection of short sayings in the Old Testament meant to instill wisdom in God’s people. As we read, it is important to remember that a proverb is a statement which is generally true in principle, not a universally true promise. Let’s dig into the Word together and allow the Lord to shape our hearts, our minds, and our lives in his wisdom over the next month!

The majority of Proverbs 20 deals with having good judgment and discernment. The teachings in this chapter deal with a range of topics such as hard work, justice, being a good and wise ruler, and money. The various teachings contained in this chapter work towards a vision of having good judgment!

In verse 5 we see that people’s true intentions and purposes are often difficult to discern, but in order to be wise we must draw it out of them! Immediately following this verse, verses 6 and 7 say this: “Many a man proclaimshis own steadfast love, but a faithful man who can find? The righteous man who walks in his integrity-blessed are his children after him!” (emphasis mine). 

The author is teaching us that although many people say their hearts are true, proclaiming their faithfulness, but do so in pretense, disguising ulterior motives. We can and should observe the fruit of their lives in such matters and expose those things!

Even more than that, however, these verses act as a call to God’s people to walk in integrity, in total, radical honesty and authenticity, rather than in hypocrisy. Jesus instructed us to “Let what you say be simply ‘yes’ or ‘no’; anything more than this comes from evil.” (Matthew 5:37). The principle is clear; in reflecting God’s character to the world, His people are meant to live lives of such uprightness and integrity that we don’t even have to say “I promise”; our “yes” or “no” is enough because we can be trusted to that extent!

This is a tremendously difficult calling, and few people actually live this way, yet God expects this from us as His people! No one should ever have to question if we mean what we say, if we are masking some hidden agenda, or if we really are what we present ourselves to be; our integrity and trustworthiness should be such that we have no pretension with anyone!

The gospel frees us to live this way! Because even our biggest regrets and our most heinous sins have been freely, fully, and forever forgiven in Christ, we can live with total honesty in every area of our lives; if we can come just as we are before the Holy God because of what Jesus has done for us, certainly we can come as we truly are before other broken and sinful people!

Let’s examine our lives and our ways, see if we truly live this way, and come to the Lord in confession and repentance! Let’s lead our lives in such radical integrity, genuineness, and authenticity that the truthfulness and faithfulness of God is put on display through us!

Proverbs 20

20 Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler,
    and whoever is led astray by it is not wise.
2 The terror of a king is like the growling of a lion;
    whoever provokes him to anger forfeits his life.
3 It is an honor for a man to keep aloof from strife,
    but every fool will be quarreling.
4 The sluggard does not plow in the autumn;
    he will seek at harvest and have nothing.
5 The purpose in a man’s heart is like deep water,
    but a man of understanding will draw it out.
6 Many a man proclaims his own steadfast love,
    but a faithful man who can find?
7 The righteous who walks in his integrity—
    blessed are his children after him!
8 A king who sits on the throne of judgment
    winnows all evil with his eyes.
9 Who can say, “I have made my heart pure;
    I am clean from my sin”?
10 Unequal weights and unequal measures
    are both alike an abomination to the Lord.
11 Even a child makes himself known by his acts,
    by whether his conduct is pure and upright.
12 The hearing ear and the seeing eye,
    the Lord has made them both.
13 Love not sleep, lest you come to poverty;
    open your eyes, and you will have plenty of bread.
14 “Bad, bad,” says the buyer,
    but when he goes away, then he boasts.
15 There is gold and abundance of costly stones,
    but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.
16 Take a man’s garment when he has put up security for a stranger,
    and hold it in pledge when he puts up security for foreigners.
17 Bread gained by deceit is sweet to a man,
    but afterward his mouth will be full of gravel.
18 Plans are established by counsel;
    by wise guidance wage war.
19 Whoever goes about slandering reveals secrets;
    therefore do not associate with a simple babbler.
20 If one curses his father or his mother,
    his lamp will be put out in utter darkness.
21 An inheritance gained hastily in the beginning
    will not be blessed in the end.
22 Do not say, “I will repay evil”;
    wait for the Lord, and he will deliver you.
23 Unequal weights are an abomination to the Lord,
    and false scales are not good.
24 A man’s steps are from the Lord;
    how then can man understand his way?
25 It is a snare to say rashly, “It is holy,”
    and to reflect only after making vows.
26 A wise king winnows the wicked
    and drives the wheel over them.
27 The spirit of man is the lamp of the Lord,
    searching all his innermost parts.
28 Steadfast love and faithfulness preserve the king,
    and by steadfast love his throne is upheld.
29 The glory of young men is their strength,
    but the splendor of old men is their gray hair.
30 Blows that wound cleanse away evil;
    strokes make clean the innermost parts.

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

Family Discussion Question:

  • What does it mean to have integrity? What about hypocrisy? How does the grace of Jesus free us to not feel like we have to pretend with anyone?
Devotional

Daily Devotional-June 5

June 5, 2020

The book of Proverbs is a collection of short sayings in the Old Testament meant to instill wisdom in God’s people. As we read, it is important to remember that a proverb is a statement which is generally true in principle, not a universally true promise. Let’s dig into the Word together and allow the Lord to shape our hearts, our minds, and our lives in his wisdom over the next month!

One of the various topics that chapter 19 addresses is that of the benefits of wisdom and of fearing the LORD. Verse 8 states that “Whoever gets sense loves his own soul; he who keeps understanding will discover good.” We know from the beginning of the book of Proverbs that any and all true sense, wisdom, knowledge, or understanding is rooted in the fear of the LORD (Prov. 1:7), and in verse 23 we see the “The fear of the LORD leads to life, and whoever has it rests satisfied; he will not be visited by harm.”

It is incredibly important as we think about pursuing the wisdom of God, seeking to live in ways that are wise and honoring to Him, to remember that there is great reward in doing so! In seeking God and His wisdom, we are seeking our own good, and we can rest assured that the life He gives to those who fear Him is the only true life that exists (see John 10:10)!

Proverbs 19

19 Better is a poor person who walks in his integrity
    than one who is crooked in speech and is a fool.
2 Desire without knowledge is not good,
    and whoever makes haste with his feet misses his way.
3 When a man’s folly brings his way to ruin,
    his heart rages against the Lord.
4 Wealth brings many new friends,
    but a poor man is deserted by his friend.
5 A false witness will not go unpunished,
    and he who breathes out lies will not escape.
6 Many seek the favor of a generous man,
    and everyone is a friend to a man who gives gifts.
7 All a poor man’s brothers hate him;
    how much more do his friends go far from him!
He pursues them with words, but does not have them.
8 Whoever gets sense loves his own soul;
    he who keeps understanding will discover good.
9 A false witness will not go unpunished,
    and he who breathes out lies will perish.
10 It is not fitting for a fool to live in luxury,
    much less for a slave to rule over princes.
11 Good sense makes one slow to anger,
    and it is his glory to overlook an offense.
12 A king’s wrath is like the growling of a lion,
    but his favor is like dew on the grass.
13 A foolish son is ruin to his father,
    and a wife’s quarreling is a continual dripping of rain.
14 House and wealth are inherited from fathers,
    but a prudent wife is from the Lord.
15 Slothfulness casts into a deep sleep,
    and an idle person will suffer hunger.
16 Whoever keeps the commandment keeps his life;
    he who despises his ways will die.
17 Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord,
    and he will repay him for his deed.
18 Discipline your son, for there is hope;
    do not set your heart on putting him to death.
19 A man of great wrath will pay the penalty,
    for if you deliver him, you will only have to do it again.
20 Listen to advice and accept instruction,
    that you may gain wisdom in the future.
21 Many are the plans in the mind of a man,
    but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.
22 What is desired in a man is steadfast love,
    and a poor man is better than a liar.
23 The fear of the Lord leads to life,
    and whoever has it rests satisfied;
    he will not be visited by harm.
24 The sluggard buries his hand in the dish
    and will not even bring it back to his mouth.
25 Strike a scoffer, and the simple will learn prudence;
    reprove a man of understanding, and he will gain knowledge.
26 He who does violence to his father and chases away his mother
    is a son who brings shame and reproach.
27 Cease to hear instruction, my son,
    and you will stray from the words of knowledge.
28 A worthless witness mocks at justice,
    and the mouth of the wicked devours iniquity.
29 Condemnation is ready for scoffers,
    and beating for the backs of fools.

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

Family Discussion Question:

  • Is it selfish to seek your own good and to seek fullness of life for yourself I pursuing God and His wisdom? Why or why not?
Devotional

Daily Devotional-June 4

June 4, 2020

The book of Proverbs is a collection of short sayings in the Old Testament meant to instill wisdom in God’s people. As we read, it is important to remember that a proverb is a statement which is generally true in principle, not a universally true promise. Let’s dig into the Word together and allow the Lord to shape our hearts, our minds, and our lives in his wisdom over the next month!

A major theme in chapter 18 of the book of Proverbs is the way in which we use our words. The tongue is small but powerful; it is able to bring great shame and ruin (v.6-7, 13) or great honor and good (v.20). In verse 21 the author takes it a step further, stating “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.”

We see that the way in which we use our words are incredibly important: the words we choose can change the course of our entire lives in a moment (see James 3:2-6)! Jesus said that we will be judged according to “every careless word [we] speak” (Matthew 12:36), and that the words we say reveal the condition of our hearts (Luke 6:45). 

Our words can impart life, or they can inflict harm. They can be full of grace or full of destruction. As we seek to live in God’s wisdom in following after Jesus, we must be prudent in the way we use our words! Verbal communication is a gift from God; let’s use it to speak grace and truth!

Proverbs 18

18 Whoever isolates himself seeks his own desire;
    he breaks out against all sound judgment.
2 A fool takes no pleasure in understanding,
    but only in expressing his opinion.
3 When wickedness comes, contempt comes also,
    and with dishonor comes disgrace.
4 The words of a man’s mouth are deep waters;
    the fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook.
5 It is not good to be partial to the wicked
    or to deprive the righteous of justice.
6 A fool’s lips walk into a fight,
    and his mouth invites a beating.
7 A fool’s mouth is his ruin,
    and his lips are a snare to his soul.
8 The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels;
    they go down into the inner parts of the body.
9 Whoever is slack in his work
    is a brother to him who destroys.
10 The name of the Lord is a strong tower;
    the righteous man runs into it and is safe.
11 A rich man’s wealth is his strong city,
    and like a high wall in his imagination.
12 Before destruction a man’s heart is haughty,
    but humility comes before honor.
13 If one gives an answer before he hears,
    it is his folly and shame.
14 A man’s spirit will endure sickness,
    but a crushed spirit who can bear?
15 An intelligent heart acquires knowledge,
    and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.
16 A man’s gift makes room for him
    and brings him before the great.
17 The one who states his case first seems right,
    until the other comes and examines him.
18 The lot puts an end to quarrels
    and decides between powerful contenders.
19 A brother offended is more unyielding than a strong city,
    and quarreling is like the bars of a castle.
20 From the fruit of a man’s mouth his stomach is satisfied;
    he is satisfied by the yield of his lips.
21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue,
    and those who love it will eat its fruits.
22 He who finds a wife finds a good thing
    and obtains favor from the Lord.
23 The poor use entreaties,
    but the rich answer roughly.
24 A man of many companions may come to ruin,
    but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

Family Discussion Question:

  • Why is it that words can be so influential, for good or bad? What are some ways we can make sure we are using our words in ways that honor the LORD?
Devotional

Daily Devotional-June 3

June 3, 2020

The book of Proverbs is a collection of short sayings in the Old Testament meant to instill wisdom in God’s people. As we read, it is important to remember that a proverb is a statement which is generally true in principle, not a universally true promise. Let’s dig into the Word together and allow the Lord to shape our hearts, our minds, and our lives in his wisdom over the next month!

Proverbs 17 explores a variety of topics and brings God’s wisdom to bear on them. One such topic is the issue of holding grudges. Verse 9 says “Whoever covers an offense seeks love, but he who repeats a matter separates close friends.” The author is saying part of living a wise life is to be a forgiving person and not repeatedly dig up old relational wounds!

We see this principle at work in Jesus’ parable of the unmerciful servant; those who have been forgiven much should, in turn, also forgive others much! This means that, as followers of Jesus, we mustshow the same mercy we have been shown in Christ. We cover over the offenses of others in order to demonstrate the love that God has shown in covering over ours!

On the other hand, when we refuse to show mercy, we actually demonstrate that we do not esteem the mercy God has shown us (see Matthew 18:32-33). Let’s celebrate the forgiveness of God towards us by refusing to hold grudges against others, by freely forgiving as we have been freely forgiven!

Proverbs 17

17 Better is a dry morsel with quiet
    than a house full of feasting with strife.
2 A servant who deals wisely will rule over a son who acts shamefully
    and will share the inheritance as one of the brothers.
3 The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold,
    and the Lord tests hearts.
4 An evildoer listens to wicked lips,
    and a liar gives ear to a mischievous tongue.
5 Whoever mocks the poor insults his Maker;
    he who is glad at calamity will not go unpunished.
6 Grandchildren are the crown of the aged,
    and the glory of children is their fathers.
7 Fine speech is not becoming to a fool;
    still less is false speech to a prince.
8 A bribe is like a magic stone in the eyes of the one who gives it;
    wherever he turns he prospers.
9 Whoever covers an offense seeks love,
    but he who repeats a matter separates close friends.
10 A rebuke goes deeper into a man of understanding
    than a hundred blows into a fool.
11 An evil man seeks only rebellion,
    and a cruel messenger will be sent against him.
12 Let a man meet a she-bear robbed of her cubs
    rather than a fool in his folly.
13 If anyone returns evil for good,
    evil will not depart from his house.
14 The beginning of strife is like letting out water,
    so quit before the quarrel breaks out.
15 He who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the righteous
    are both alike an abomination to the Lord.
16 Why should a fool have money in his hand to buy wisdom
    when he has no sense?
17 A friend loves at all times,
    and a brother is born for adversity.
18 One who lacks sense gives a pledge
    and puts up security in the presence of his neighbor.
19 Whoever loves transgression loves strife;
    he who makes his door high seeks destruction.
20 A man of crooked heart does not discover good,
    and one with a dishonest tongue falls into calamity.
21 He who sires a fool gets himself sorrow,
    and the father of a fool has no joy.
22 A joyful heart is good medicine,
    but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.
23 The wicked accepts a bribe in secret
    to pervert the ways of justice.
24 The discerning sets his face toward wisdom,
    but the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth.
25 A foolish son is a grief to his father
    and bitterness to her who bore him.
26 To impose a fine on a righteous man is not good,
    nor to strike the noble for their uprightness.
27 Whoever restrains his words has knowledge,
    and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding.
28 Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise;
    when he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent.

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

Family Discussion Question:

  • How does it demonstrate wisdom to show mercy towards those who have wronged us?
Devotional

Daily Devotional-June 2

June 2, 2020

The book of Proverbs is a collection of short sayings in the Old Testament meant to instill wisdom in God’s people. As we read, it is important to remember that a proverb is a statement which is generally true in principle, not a universally true promise. Let’s dig into the Word together and allow the Lord to shape our hearts, our minds, and our lives in his wisdom over the next month!

Chapter 16 of Proverbs highlights the sovereignty of God multiple times. Verse 9 states that “The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps”, and in verse 33 the author says that “The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD.” We see that everything, from the grand scale of cosmic history, to the path that our lives take, to even something as small as the roll of a die is determined according to the purpose and plan of God! His authority and power are so complete that no event or circumstance or situation lies outside of it!

Many throughout the course of history have balked at the idea of God being sovereign, or even asserted that if God is sovereign then he cannot be good: how could a God who is both good and sovereign allow such pain and suffering to exist in the world? We might think along similar lines, or perhaps think that God’s sovereignty is bad news for us because it means that we aren’t really the ones in control.

These are not easy questions to answer, but we can rest assured from God’s Word that, for those of us who are in Jesus Christ, God’s complete sovereignty is a very good thing! It is only by God’s sovereignty that we can know that there is reward in following Him!

God’s sovereignty means that He can and will deliver on every single promise He has made to us; it means that He has controlled the events of human history in order to bring about our salvation and redemption in Jesus Christ; it means that the end of the story has been decided from before it began, and it ends in victory and eternal joy for all who are in Christ!

Celebrate God’s sovereignty today, and choose to see it as the precious promise that it is!

Proverbs 16

16 The plans of the heart belong to man,
    but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.
2 All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes,
    but the Lord weighs the spirit.
3 Commit your work to the Lord,
    and your plans will be established.
4 The Lord has made everything for its purpose,
    even the wicked for the day of trouble.
5 Everyone who is arrogant in heart is an abomination to the Lord;
    be assured, he will not go unpunished.
6 By steadfast love and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for,
    and by the fear of the Lord one turns away from evil.
7 When a man’s ways please the Lord,
    he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.
8 Better is a little with righteousness
    than great revenues with injustice.
9 The heart of man plans his way,
    but the Lord establishes his steps.
10 An oracle is on the lips of a king;
    his mouth does not sin in judgment.
11 A just balance and scales are the Lord’s;
    all the weights in the bag are his work.
12 It is an abomination to kings to do evil,
    for the throne is established by righteousness.
13 Righteous lips are the delight of a king,
    and he loves him who speaks what is right.
14 A king’s wrath is a messenger of death,
    and a wise man will appease it.
15 In the light of a king’s face there is life,
    and his favor is like the clouds that bring the spring rain.
16 How much better to get wisdom than gold!
    To get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver.
17 The highway of the upright turns aside from evil;
    whoever guards his way preserves his life.
18 Pride goes before destruction,
    and a haughty spirit before a fall.
19 It is better to be of a lowly spirit with the poor
    than to divide the spoil with the proud.
20 Whoever gives thought to the word will discover good,
    and blessed is he who trusts in the Lord.
21 The wise of heart is called discerning,
    and sweetness of speech increases persuasiveness.
22 Good sense is a fountain of life to him who has it,
    but the instruction of fools is folly.
23 The heart of the wise makes his speech judicious
    and adds persuasiveness to his lips.
24 Gracious words are like a honeycomb,
    sweetness to the soul and health to the body.
25 There is a way that seems right to a man,
    but its end is the way to death.
26 A worker’s appetite works for him;
    his mouth urges him on.
27 A worthless man plots evil,
    and his speech is like a scorching fire.
28 A dishonest man spreads strife,
    and a whisperer separates close friends.
29 A man of violence entices his neighbor
    and leads him in a way that is not good.
30 Whoever winks his eyes plans dishonest things;
    he who purses his lips brings evil to pass.
31 Gray hair is a crown of glory;
    it is gained in a righteous life.
32 Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty,
    and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.
33 The lot is cast into the lap,
    but its every decision is from the Lord.

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

Family Discussion Question:

  • What does it mean that God is sovereign? 
  • Why is the sovereignty of God such a hard thing for people to accept or understand? Why should it be a thing that we celebrate and take comfort and joy in?