July 31, 2021
THE GIFT OF SPIRITUAL RECEPTIVITY One can have ears and eyes, yet still be deaf and blind. The Lord has made both the physical and the spiritual ability to hear and see. Both are grace. The physical is obvious, but few recognize the spiritual. The first offers awareness of the physical world, the second makes
July 19, 2021
DISCIPLINE YOUR CHILD WHILE THERE IS HOPE There is a short window of time for teaching children obedience. During this time there is hope that parental discipline might eventually become the child’s own self-discipline. It may seem a lot of work to discipline a child of ages 2 through 6, but it becomes nearly hopeless
July 18, 2021
ARE YOU KIND TO THE POOR? This is an astounding proverb! God willingly makes Himself a debtor to the one who is kind and generous to the poor. Someone may hesitate to give to a poor person, but who would not lend to the Lord? Surely the One who owns the cattle on a thousand
June 8, 2021
BLESSED ARE THE HUNGRY A wise observation by King Solomon: Hunger motivates work. In other words, hunger can act as an incentive for one to labor for himself. Self-employment is hard, but often the most rewarding, for both the stomach and for one’s self-respect. Of course, the opposite must also be true: Full stomachs inspire
April 19, 2021
HEART SICK FOR HEAVEN Having to wait for any expected good certainly affects our attitude. In this sense, the writer of this proverb accurately observed the growing despondency of the heart that waits unfulfilled. Yet, it is even more intense in the spiritual longing that we have for God. It was in this spiritual sense
March 23, 2021
GIVERS ARE GLAD, BUT MISERS ARE MISERABLE Generosity is a blessing both to the recipient and to the giver. But misers are miserable. This is a spiritual principle that reverberates in the physical world, although its effect is often slow to see. The wealth of the generous is paid in dividends that include more than
March 10, 2021
WORLDLY WEALTH WON’T HELP ON THAT DAY Wealth is useful when facing human justice. It pays for attorneys and even judges of a certain type. Yet, riches do not profit when we face the judgment seat of God. All the treasure in the world is useless on that day. As one has said, “You never
January 10, 2021
WHERE DO YOU PLACE YOUR TRUST? The proverb gives both a positive and a negative command: “Trust God, not yourself.” How many times have you regretted following your own advice? Your understanding was flawed and you suffered the consequences for relying on it. Have you not understood that your own understanding is negatively affected by
December 29, 2020
SPEAKING OUT FOR THE SPEECHLESS Throughout history there have been those who have been sentenced to death without someone to speak for them. Often it was the poor who couldn’t afford council or the widow or orphan who had no rights. Yet today in our nation, the greatest tragedy has been the unborn who have
December 3, 2020
HOW DO YOU RESPOND TO CORRECTION? Are you correctable? Are you humble enough to take correction and criticism without “hardening your neck?” In other words, being “stiff-necked” and unwilling to change. This biblical proverb warns us that those who will not listen to rebuke and make changes, will soon be in so much trouble that