Taking Care of Business
“Know the state of your flocks, and put your heart into caring for your herds, for riches don’t last forever, and the crown might not be passed to the next generation.” Proverbs 27:23-24 NLT Don’t take what you have been given for granted. Most of us don’t have flocks and herds in this culture, but in the […]
The Test of Praise
“Fire tests the purity of silver and gold, but a person is tested by being praised.” Proverbs 27:21 NLT We know that we are often tested by trials in our lives. The Bible tells us that those trials are for our good. But what we may not often consider is that praise received can also test […]
What You Desire
“Just as Death and Destruction are never satisfied, so human desire is never satisfied.” Proverbs 27:20 NLT “Human desire is never satisfied.” Advertisers know this and so they target you with phones, cars, clothes, food, cosmetics, and medication ads. We know it, we expect it, and they still do it. Why? Because it works. We always want something […]
True Reflection
“As a face is reflected in water, so the heart reflects the real person.” Proverbs 27:19 NLT With the right light and water stillness, you can see your reflection in the water and know what your face looks like. It is in the stillness that we can know the truth. But just as with fun house […]
Giving and Getting
“As workers who tend a fig tree are allowed to eat the fruit, so workers who protect their employer’s interests will be rewarded.” Proverbs 27:18 NLT The nature of work has changed quite a bit from ancient times. Fewer and fewer people work in agriculture, particularly in western culture. But while the nature of work may […]
Iron Sharpens Iron
As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend. Proverbs 27:17 NLT I love this week’s Proverb, and it is probably one of the verses that comes up most often in ministry conversation. It is a popular verse in fellowship ministry for a good reason. Like all of scripture, it is infallible. It […]
Is Now the Time?
“A loud and cheerful greeting early in the morning will be taken as a curse!” Proverbs 27:14 NLT It was Mark Twain who said that “humor is tragedy plus time.” A joke out of place is not funny and can sometimes even be cruel. There is a time for everything. Ecclesiastes tells us. “For everything there is […]
Head in the Sand
“A prudent person foresees danger and takes precautions. The simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences.” Proverbs 27:12 NLT You have likely heard the “bury your head in the sand” expression. The saying is a metaphor for someone who avoids, or tries to avoid, a particular situation by pretending that it does not exist. The […]
A Good Investment
“Never abandon a friend— either yours or your father’s. When disaster strikes, you won’t have to ask your brother for assistance. It’s better to go to a neighbor than to a brother who lives far away.” Proverbs 27:10 NLT This last week we celebrated Thanksgiving. A day set aside to give thanks for the many things […]
A Time to Correct – Part 2
“Wounds from a sincere friend are better than many kisses from an enemy. …The heartfelt counsel of a friend is as sweet as perfume and incense.” Proverbs 27:6,9 NLT This week is the second week of the two-part devotion on loving correction. As Christians we want to bless others, but sometimes offering correction, is tough but […]
