Daily Devotions

Proverbs 18:2, “Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions.” Have you ever been in a disagreement with someone and heard them say, “I don’t care what you think, I know I’m right” or, “I don’t need to listen to what you’re saying because I already know you’re wrong?” If…

Proverbs 17:22, “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.” Did you know that God’s wisdom about a cheerful heart being “good medicine” has actually been proven true in the medical world? For example, “One recent study polled healthy first-year law students at the beginning of the school year…

Proverbs 17:17, “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity.” What is the real difference between a friend and a sibling? According to Solomon a friend is a spiritual relationship based on mutual choice, whereas a brotherly relationship (or sibling) is a physical relationship based on family…

Proverbs 17:14, “Starting a quarrel is like breaching a dam; so drop the matter before a dispute breaks out.” Have you ever noticed that there are some things in life not worth arguing about? Especially for those who are married, have you realized that sometimes it’s better to just drop the issue before a fight…

Proverbs 16:18, “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.” Do you remember Pharaoh in the book of Exodus? He had watched God use Moses to send devastating plagues upon the land and people, yet he refused to obey God. It took God sending a death angel to kill all the first-born males…

Proverbs 16:3, “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.” Have you ever tried to take a toy away from a small child that didn’t want to give it to you? They might have cried, screamed or become angry. Why? They didn’t want to give you what they felt belonged to…

Proverbs 15:33 (ESV), “The fear of the Lord is instruction in wisdom, and humility comes before honor.” Solomon gives two important principles in today’s proverb with their positive outcomes. First, he mentions that, “the fear of the Lord is instruction in wisdom.” The “fear of the Lord” means to, “honor and respect God as the…

Proverbs 15:31, “Whoever heeds life-giving correction will be at home among the wise.” My Mom is Italian and my Dad is Polish. Both of their grandparents came from the mother country. My parents were the first generation to marry outside of their nationality. Up until that time, their parents married within their own culture. So…

Proverbs 15:22, “Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.” One of the hardest failures that I faced as a pastor was moving into a large facility and having to break our lease because of the lack of finances. Words cannot describe how defeated and discouraged I felt. I had worked…

Proverbs 15:1, “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” Often times King Solomon teaches us God’s wisdom in generalities. He is describing what will happen in most cases. He is not writing specifically to every situation. For example, in Proverbs 6:20 he writes, “My son, keep your father’s command…