Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but whoever takes crooked paths will be found out. (Proverbs 10:9) "Everyone has a skeleton in his closet." You've heard that phrase before, haven't you? The implication is that we all have things that we either like to hide or want to hide from others. Due to the reality of our propensity to sin, it's not surprising that most ... [Continue Reading]
Do Good (Proverbs 1-3)
Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to act. (Proverbs 3:27) It isn't possible to help every person in need, but it is possible to help some people in need. Solomon gives wise counsel in Proverbs 3:27 when he encourages his sons to do good whenever possible. Whenever it's within your power to do good for someone else, then you ... [Continue Reading]
Awakening Love (Song of Solomon 1-4)
Do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires. (Song of Solomon 2:7b) There is a danger in awakening love too early or too quickly. Even so, our culture is bent on encouraging people to awaken love at a rapid pace, in search of the perfect relationship or in search simply of pleasure. How often in our culture are people guilty of awakening love too quickly? How ... [Continue Reading]
Death Bed Advice (1 Kings 1-2)
When the time drew near for David to die, he gave a charge to Solomon his son. “I am about to go the way of all the earth,” he said. “So be strong, act like a man, and observe what the Lord your God requires: Walk in obedience to him, and keep his decrees and commands, his laws and regulations, as written in the Law of Moses.” (1 Kings 2:1-3a) A person's final words are ... [Continue Reading]
Finding the Truth (2 Samuel 16-18)
Then Abishai son of Zeruiah said to the king, “Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over and cut off his head.” (2 Samuel 16:9) When David was confronted by the curses of Shimei he had a couple of choices. One option was to have his mighty warriors destroy Shimei right there on the spot. Another option was to listen to Shimei's words and to take ... [Continue Reading]
The Risk of Doing Right (2 Samuel 8-9; 1 Chronicles 18)
David asked, “Is there anyone still left of the house of Saul to whom I can show kindness for Jonathan’s sake?” (2 Samuel 9:1) Doing what's right can sometimes be risky. I was watching an episode of MasterChef a few months ago, and one of the contestants forgot to grab a certain ingredient. Due to the rules, she wasn't allowed back into the kitchen, so she began asking ... [Continue Reading]
The Manipulation Trap (1 Samuel 27-29)
So Saul disguised himself, putting on other clothes, and at night he and two men went to the woman. “Consult a spirit for me,” he said, “and bring up for me the one I name.” (1 Samuel 28:8) When things don't go the way we want in life, it's tempting to try and manipulate our way into a different outcome. Such was the case with Saul as he visited a witch in order to ... [Continue Reading]
On Receiving Advice (1 Samuel 24-26)
The men said, “This is the day the Lord spoke of when he said to you, ‘I will give your enemy into your hands for you to deal with as you wish.’” Then David crept up unnoticed and cut off a corner of Saul’s robe. (1 Samuel 24:4) Not all advice is good advice. In fact, we've all had times when we've received bad advice and suffered as a result of it. So how do you know ... [Continue Reading]
Doing the Right Thing (1 Samuel 18-20)
Saul’s anger flared up at Jonathan and he said to him, “You son of a perverse and rebellious woman! Don’t I know that you have sided with the son of Jesse to your own shame and to the shame of the mother who bore you?” (1 Samuel 20:30) There are times when it's convenient and easy to do the right thing; in those moments, you'd be a fool not to do what's right. And then ... [Continue Reading]
On the Throne (1 Samuel 7-9)
But when they said, “Give us a king to lead us,” this displeased Samuel; so he prayed to the Lord. And the Lord told him: “Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king. (1 Samuel 8:6-7) God allows us to have things that are outside of His plans for our lives. Though He's omnipotent, He allows ... [Continue Reading]
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