Category: Proverbs

Heart Protection

Proverbs 4-6

My husband and I went to an amusement park last week with our three kids. Though I suffer from motion sickness in a major way and I’m terrified of heights, I still love roller coasters. Going on them with my kids has been a fun, new blessing, and I love that they are all big enough to ride them with us now. But I’ve also noticed that they are slightly less enjoyable in another way. I now do something on coasters that I’ve never done before.

I pray. Like constantly. Through the whole thing. The second we start going upside down all I can think is, “God, my entire family is on this contraption, please hold us safely in your hands!” I spend the entire ride begging for God’s protection. It eventually just turns into a long stream of silent pleas of, “Oh God, oh God, oh God pleeeeeeeease keep us safe!” All I can focus on is my family’s safety.

I know that the older I’ve gotten, the greater my anxiety has grown. This especially holds true with my kids. They are all running around in this world like nothing can harm them and all I can think is that literally EVERYTHING can harm them. And I want so badly to protect them. We’ve invested a great deal into several devices all designed to help us care for our kids’ medical needs. We have an alarm on our house to alert us to danger at night. Smoke alarms in appropriate rooms, and carbon monoxide detectors as well. Our family is precious to us and we want to guard it with all we have. 

But we also want to guard our hearts in the same way. Proverbs 4:23 says, “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” EVERYTHING we do flows from our hearts. Just as we all do certain things to keep our bodies safe, we should be protecting our hearts as well. Over and over in Proverbs, the importance of wisdom is repeated. If our hearts are filled with wisdom, love, truth, and righteousness, then these are what will come forth in our actions. Hearts full of wisdom will not only keep us on good, straight paths, but will also be a light for others to see as well. 

-Jenn Haynes

Reflection Questions: 

What is attacking your heart right now? What is badly influencing you? How is this showing in your actions and your words? How can you better guard your heart from those things? 

If you are a parent, how can you help your children protect their own hearts? 

Is everything you are doing showing others a path toward God? 

My prayer for you today is that you continue to find wisdom and instruction in these proverbs and use them in ways that will protect your precious heart. Fill it with all that is good and holy!

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The Root of Learning

Proverbs 1-3

I’m a homeschooling mom. I never meant to be one, it just kind of happened. It happened in such a weird way, actually, that I know it was God speaking into our lives. That being said, we follow what is known as a classical model of learning. I won’t go into details about it, but when you dive into homeschooling, or if you’re an educator, you have probably become familiar with pedagogy – the study of learning. Or, as most people think of it, the study of how to instruct. We’ve developed many different ways of learning over the years, trying to help people in various situations learn in different ways that speak to them more clearly. We require different methods because we are different people with a beautiful variety of brains. 

But the root of learning is not teaching. It’s not the brain, nor the instructor. It is knowledge and wisdom itself. And behind all knowledge and wisdom is God. 

God did an interesting thing when he created us and the world we live in. He placed a tree of the knowledge of good and evil and then told us not to eat from it. What a crazy thing, right? Why place the tree there at all? But to be completely free, he had to give us freedom of choice. And that means we have to have options to choose from. Humanity chose poorly. We continue to choose poorly. 

How do we choose wisely? Proverbs 1:7 tells us, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” The fear of the LORD means showing God the respect and awe that he’s due so that we long to obey him in all things. When we obey the instructions of the loving Father who wants only the best for us, then we are led to knowledge and wisdom. 

As you start through the book of Proverbs, take note of how this wonderful book is not only trying to grant you wisdom and knowledge, but also moral guidance. Let these Proverbs speak to you in a way that helps you see how much God loves you and wants to guide you and protect you. I hope you start to see the benefits of wisdom, as they are beautifully outlined in chapter 2, show up in big ways in your life. 

-Jenn Haynes

Reflection Questions:

What are some of the ways that God’s guidance has kept you from trouble? In what moments of your life do you feel you would have avoided trouble if you HAD followed God’s instruction more closely?

Proverbs 2:10 says, “For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.” What wisdom have you gleaned from scripture that has given you that sense of pleasantness in your soul? 

My prayer for you today is that you will experience the truth in Proverbs 3:5-6. Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. 

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Are you Listening?

Old Testament: 2 Kings 11 & 12

Poetry: Proverbs 28

New Testament: Luke 10:25-37

As Marcia mentioned in yesterday’s devotion, many of us were at Midwest Family Camp last week, where the theme was “Stand Firm”.  In a nutshell, if we don’t have a relationship with the Lord, it is critical that we repent and come into a relationship with Him. If we already have a relationship with the Lord, we need to strengthen that relationship, and stand firm in the faith – no matter what.

In today’s reading in Proverbs 28, there are a few verses that jumped out at me which reinforced that message.  The first is found in Proverbs 28: 9, “If anyone turns a deaf ear to the law, even his prayers are detestable.”  This proverb tells us that if we’re not doing everything to live the life God called us to live, if we’re not following His rules, then He won’t listen to our prayers.  Since many of our prayers are about asking for God’s help with various things, if we selfishly want Him to answer our prayers, then we need to obey His rules, and live for Him.  As we grow in relationship with Him, we come to long for an even deeper relationship with the Lord. Then we learn that prayer is powerful, and we don’t waste it just asking for superfluous things.

Proverbs 28:13 goes on to say, “He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy.”  This is saying if we pretend to be Christians, we won’t prosper (you can’t fool God).  But if we confess and renounce our sins, and turn completely to God, we will receive God’s mercy.  I don’t know about you, but I would much rather have His mercy than to have Him holding me back from prospering.

As we continue to read through this chapter, we get to verse 20, which says, “A faithful man will be richly blessed, but one eager to get rich will not go unpunished.”  I’ll take a detour here and comment on the health and wealth teachings we often hear from people who don’t know better.  The theory goes sort of like this… “if someone follows God, God will bless every aspect of their life.  They will be rich, healthy, and blessed.”  Many people who call themselves Christians subscribe to this false belief.  Jesus told us in John 16:33, “…In this world, you will have trouble.  But take heart, I have overcome the world.”  We have to remember this life isn’t our reward.  This life is the test to see what reward we will receive when Jesus returns.  If we are faithful to the Lord now, we will enjoy peace with God now, and eternal life when Jesus returns.  If we are just trying to get rich, we are actually worshiping money, not God — our reward is in this life, and we will forfeit eternal life.  

1 Tim 6:9-11 says, “People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction.  For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.  Some people eager for money have wandered from the faith and have pierced themselves with many griefs.  But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, and gentleness.”

Instead of trying to get rich, we need to follow the advice given in Proverbs 28:27, “He who gives to the poor will lack nothing, but he who closes his eyes to them receives many curses.”  Again, I think the idea is that if I’m greedy, wanting to keep all my money for myself, I’m not trying to please God, I’m just greedy for money, and God will curse me for not following Him.  But if I’m generous with the things God has given me by giving them to the poor — this mimics God’s generosity to me.  When I am imitating God, God loves that.  In fact we’re commanded in Ephesians 5:1, “Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children.”

So the bottom line is this.  We need to do everything we can to reconcile ourselves to God.  We need to confess and renounce our sins, obey His laws, be faithful, and be generous.  All these things are required to live in close relationship with God.  And if we live in a close relationship with God, we will have peace with God in this life, and an amazing reward in the life to come.  In Rev 21:4, we’re told, “He [God] will wipe every tear from their eyes.  There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain…”   Rev 21:7 goes on to say, “He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son.”

How well are you imitating Dad?

Stand Firm.

–Steve Mattison

(Originally posted June 28, 2021 – but we did just return from another week of Family Camp, where the theme was “Pray Continually”. You can watch Steve’s Thursday Night sermon and story on Yield to God’s Will here.)

Reflection Questions

  1. What are the prayer lessons to be remembered from Proverbs 28?
  2. How well are you following God’s instruction?
  3. When was the last time you confessed your sins to Him?
  4. What relationship do you have with money? Is it stronger than it ought to be? How would you rate your generosity? Why do you think God values our generosity?
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Wounds from a Friend

Old Testament: 2 Kings 9 & 10

Poetry: Proverbs 27

New Testament: Luke 10:1-24

The Proverbs are, in many cases, fairly self explanatory. Don’t be lazy, don’t be a wicked ruler, don’t be foolish but be wise, be a righteous ruler, be diligent in your work. Each Proverb has it’s own meaning but they go along those lines. But some are not so self explanatory. They are counterintuitive.

A short example is found in 28:27. If you want to be prosperous and blessed, to never be in want, then we give our money to the poor. The world, our own sinful heads, and many economists believe that the way to grow our wealth and not be in want is to hoard our money. But that’s not the way God works. It is only in generosity and giving that we will be blessed. This comes from the fact that God will bless and many times he blesses us through the care of others in our time of struggle and hardship.

Also, 27:5-6 doesn’t seem to be true in the moment. I don’t like to be rebuked. I don’t like it when a friend calls me out on the garbage way I am acting. But the Proverb teaches us that we should delight when a friend rebukes us because their correction comes from a place of love and they want our life to be one of wisdom and righteousness. This is especially true for  our brothers and sisters in our local church. Many times, we may feel judged by the people of our church, but more often than not, they are wanting the BEST for us. The “wounds” they give are better than any kisses of those who tell us we have nothing wrong with us. There could be people who act like a friend and hurt you in terrible ways, but here we mean TRUE friendship, TRUE companionship, TRUE love from a brother or sister in Christ. That true love is shown in forgiveness and compassion, especially in our moments of weakness and humility. Many times, when we are sinning and are fearing the rebuke of those people, we hide our sin away, like 28:13 says. But counterintuitively, by hiding our sins, we only hurt ourselves more when they are brought to light in some other way. We need to confess our sins and turn away from them. When we do, compassion and forgiveness are waiting for us from the people of God and from God himself.

Jake Ballard

(originally posted for SeekGrowLove June 17, 2020)

Reflection Questions

  1. What other proverbs have you run across that seem counterintuitive and the opposite of how the world thinks or operates? How is God’s wisdom better than the world’s?
  2. Can you think of a time a true friend gave you correction or a rebuke? Can you think of a time you, as a true friend, gave correction or rebuke? What is the value of correcting a friend? What problems can develop if we don’t correct in love, or if we don’t accept the correction given in true love?
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Seeking God & Standing Firm

Old Testament: 2 Samuel 23-24

Poetry: Proverbs 8

New Testament: Ephesians 6:1-9

The world’s most powerful navigational tool, the compass, has been around in some form for over 2000 years.  Originally used in divination, it found its way to navigation a few centuries before the age of exploration. When blinded by snow, when tossed at sea, when wandering through a dense forest, it works without fail for all who seek direction. When unobstructed by friction or gravity, the magnetized metal responds in the same true way to of the Earth’s gravitational field, aligning with poles of the Earth.  This means that a compass is actually influenced by two directions at once, polar opposites. It seems silly to say, but you cannot travel in the direction of north and south at the same time. All of these elements ring true in our faith.

“To fear the Lord is to hate evil; I [Wisdom] hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech. Counsel and sound judgment are mine;  I have insight, I have power.” – Proverbs 8:13-14

It is equally foolish to say that we can move in the direction of God and evil and be on the same course. They are truly polar opposites.  To love God is to hate evil (Psa 97:10).  To honor God is to give up pride (Jam 4:6). To pursue God makes the pursuit of anything else secondary (Matt 6:24).  We can acknowledge the fact that our journey will not be perfect, but the direction we are pointed is true, faithful, and unchanging.  It doesn’t adjust with time or relativism (Isa 40:8).  Be conscious of the friction and the pull that is in the present evil age that will skew your target.  Chart a course from God’s word and prepare yourself because there is more than one force at work.

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” Ephesians 6:10-12

The military command of “standing firm” is far from passive (Eph 6:13). In 2 Samuel 23, we see a captivating glimpse of David’s mighty warriors. Many of them, like Eleazar (v. 10), are not commended for their brilliant offensives, but holding their ground to the very end to eliminate enemy forces. Likewise, the grace we accept from God is through faith, not deed (Eph 2:8-9), and by seeking and finding Him, we have already arrived at the destination in some sense (Eph 2:19-20). Therefore, we cannot rest our laurels because there are all-out assaults coming. It is not a battle of mortality, flesh and blood, but a battle against rulers, authorities, powers of darkness, and even spiritual forces for the spoils of eternity. We are to armor ourselves with truth, peace, faith, salvation, righteousness, holding close to the Spirit and ready to wage war until the end.


In conclusion, today’s lesson is two-fold.  First, make sure that you are allowing God’s direction to guide you as you move.  Know that when you are moving towards God, you are fleeing from evil influence, relative morality, and sin and towards a loving God and restored perfection (2 Tim 2:22).  Second, once we arrive in grace, our job is to stand our ground.  We are to set a fortress around our hearts (Pro 4:23), as both a guard and a vigil, petitioning for God to intercede and help us withstand the battle.  Like Paul, our prayer should be for fearlessness (Eph 6:20), eyes-locked on the prize , so we can stand firm in the truth of the Coming Kingdom.

-Aaron Winner

Reflection Questions

  1. Towards God or towards evil? What does each path look like? What is at the end of each path? Which direction are you pointed?
  2. What or who has turned you around before, pointing you in the wrong direction? What are you leaving behind you when you move towards God?
  3. What acts as your compass? How valuable is your compass to you? Have you ever been lost without it?
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Photoreceptors

Old Testament: 2 Samuel 22

Poetry: Proverbs 7

New Testament: Ephesians 5

A few weeks back my children were very excited to have me read a new book they checked-out from the library.  Not yet mastering the alphabet, their choices are often from the featured book table, typically the flashiest cover; however, the book they chose did not meet my expectation. Their choice: The Worm.  The title wasn’t a metaphor. Not a how-to on dance moves. Not a fictional story of a kid-turned-wrestler.  It was literally a picture book just about worms, and so we began to learn everything I never wanted to know about these three phylums of the animal kingdom.  Did you know that worms can be over 100 feet long? And there are people around the world who eat worms? Or that worms are hermaphrodites? Probably the most relevant fact to today’s devotion is that most worms, including the earthworm, don’t have eyes. This doesn’t stop them from knowing when they are exposed to light. Built into the skin of earthworms are photoreceptors which work as light detectors. These creatures of darkness cannot exist in the light. Being caught above the surface trying to do your same wormy thing equals starvation, dehydration, or becoming prey.

Looking at today’s Proverb, we can see that the speaker is specifically warning his son about infidelity and adultery.  If we use a broader brush with this wisdom, and extend the metaphors and figures of these proverbs as is often done, we can bring our own struggle with sin into the picture.  “Do not let your heart turn to her ways or stray into her paths.  Many are the victims she has brought down; her slain are a mighty throng. Her house is a highway to the grave, leading down to the chambers of death. (Prov. 7:25-27).” Don’t stray into the path of lust, pride, greed,or being obscene (Eph 5:1-3).  A knock on the door soon becomes a visit. A visit becomes a stay.  When you stay long enough, it is where you live (James 1:14-15). Like a worm, deeper and deeper you dig yourself into the ground, making your bed and lying in the grave.

You may not have heeded the warning up to this point, so here is the wake-up call to all of us worms trying to hide from the light, whether it be for a day or decades,“But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light.  This is why it is said, “Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you (Eph 5:13-14).’” When we are exposed by the light of God, we shrivel up and die.  This can be tremendous or tragic. Waking up today means we die unto ourselves and become a new creation in Christ.  We are covered, cleansed, and made pure through God’s grace given to us through the blood of the Lamb.  If our dry bones do not rattle and we die in our darkness, there is no rebirth. Only an eternal separation, a scorching from the Light, because, “For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a person is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.  Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore do not be partners with them (Eph 5:5-7).” 

You may have fallen victim to a snare, directly disobeying the commands of God. Don’t sleep on this. Restore your relationship with the One True God, and in the midst of the distress, ask for help and He will answer, not letting you become a victim to the grave (2 Sam 22:5-7). God has given us a path to repentance and an amazing grace. It is time to put your photoreceptors to work, find the surface, and enter again into His marvelous light.

-Aaron Winner

Reflection Questions

  1. What sins have seduced you? What was enticing about this sin? Have you gone in for a visit, or a stay, or is that where you live now?
  2. What do you know about God’s wrath? What do you know about God’s grace? How does God decide which worm gets the grace and which worm gets the wrath? Which worm are you right now?
  3. How active have your photoreceptors been? Do you recognize the difference between light and dark? Unlike the worm, do you seek the light? How?
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Ramifications & Restorations

Old Testament: 2 Samuel 13 & 14

Poetry: Proverbs 2

New Testament: Galatians 6

The second day of school has traditionally been my rule day. In the midst of hearing about respect, responsibility and best efforts, students are surprisingly invited to leave the classroom.  “Did you know you don’t have to sit here and listen to me speak another word? In fact, you can leave. You can walk out right now…” Typically someone who I will get to know better as my class clown playfully walks to the door, and then I say, “but you have to deal with the consequences.” Then I lead students down the timeline of possible outcomes that lead to suspension, loss of friendships, poorer relationships at home, less opportunity in the future, and finally, on their deathbed alone, all because they chose to walk out of my class.  Thankfully, no one has ever walked out.

Amnon’s actions are far more sinister than walking out on his teacher.  Acting on his lust, he rapes his half-sister, both a violation and grievous sin against God’s law.  This comes with its own un-hyperbolic chain of tragic ramifications. For two years, his half-brother, Absalom, becomes consumed with calculating revenge. There is discord in the family tree designed after God’s own heart. Ultimately, Amnon’s disregard for divine laws leads to an untimely death. This is the havoc that sin can wreak, even in a single choice.

It is safe to say that most of our choices fall between leaving a classroom without permission and Amnon’s sin. Likewise, the vast majority of time, the immediate consequence lies somewhere between a phone call home and death (although, quick note: all sin leads to death. Rom 3:23)  So how do we stay away from the edge of the slippery slope? Proverbs 2:1-5 gives us an insight:

“My son, if you receive my words and treasure up my commandments with you, making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding; yes, if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God.” 

The pursuit of wisdom from God is portrayed as a protective measure against the consequence of sin, serving as a shield and guide against temptation. It leads us far and away from destructive patterns or downfalls and moves us closer to our good intentions, but better yet, our good God.  

Furthermore, we do not have to fight sin or seek wisdom alone.  Paul beckons the family of God to be on the watch for one another. In Galatian 6 he states, “Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.” This means that offering wisdom to one another in the form of correction and accountability may halt the tragic dominos from falling or make a path forward to clean up the mess, “bearing one another’s burden.” In this way, Joab advises Absalom to deal with his own ramifications, temporarily restoring the rift in the line of David.

We must be diligent to seek God’s wisdom, especially when navigating temptation.  If the chips have already fallen, let the consequence be a sobering reminder that there is opportunity for restoration in God through Jesus Christ. Though it may still hurt in the present, be reminded that the sting and tears are conditions of mortality and not life eternal.  Likewise, let us pull alongside others who are battling, being gracious because of our own shortcomings, running to their defense and offering correction. In this way, we may avoid the siege that comes with a breached wall of will and choose the power of restoration through God’s wisdom and grace.

-Aaron Winner

Reflection Questions

  1. Are you more intent upon seeking after wisdom or your own will? What can you do to pursue wisdom more?
  2. How can you be a part of someone else’s battle against temptation and their own will? How can you help, offering restoration with God, to one who is caught in their sin? Give specifics – name who, and your actions to free them from their deadly trap.
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The Throne of Him who Lives Forever and Ever

Old Testament: Lamentations 3-5

Poetry: Proverbs 31

New Testament: Revelation 4


When I was a little girl, I thought God looked something like the pictures I had seen of Jesus but with short hair. So the first time I met Greg Demmitt, I might have stared at him a little longer than socially acceptable. Obviously, I was a bit silly, but Greg was definitely a godly man and a faithful representative of Christ. I was so blessed to have known him and shared a few waffles at Waffle House with him and my family. My heart hurts that he and my uncle, Dan Kizer, both
great, godly men, both died of pancreatic cancer within four months of each other. In my earthly perspective, it was way too soon. Not because it’s from our reading, but because I need it;


Revelation 21: 1-5
1 Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,”[a] for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’[b] or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
5 He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”


What a balm for the grieving soul! I can’t get through reading without tearing up with joy…every.single.time.


As far as today’s reading…I got a little emotional whiplash! Lamentations was hard and gruesome to read… One of the commentaries I read said it was a book of sorrow and hope..I must have missed the hope part…except that it does seem God’s people FINALLY realize that they were being punished for their disobedience. But we aren’t told about their deliverance quite
yet. That is a story for another book of the Bible.


After all that sorrow, I read Proverbs 31….which contains the story of so many women I have been blessed to know throughout my life. I alway feel convicted that I don’t quite live up to this description. I alway feel like I can only be good at about a verse or two at a time 😀If you are a girl or woman, look to the women around you to find someone who emulates Proverbs 31. If you’ve been to FUEL you know quite a few! As I have talked about before, we all need good mentors who love the Lord, no matter what our age.


And finally, Revelation 4, our first peak at the throne of God! There is no description of God here (though I’m sure my perception is close) but a splendid description of the throne room and all those worshiping there. I used to think all that singing would be so boring, but then I heard Carrie Underwood sing All Is Well and decided if God gave us that kind of emotion stirring song now, imagine what the Kingdom will be like! But as beautiful as the Kingdom will be, and I am looking forward to seeing it, I really can’t wait to see God’s face, Jesus’s arms and all of those who will be resurrected, my mom, my grandparents, Dan, and Greg.

-Maria Knowlton

Reflection Questions

  1. Who has been a godly mentor for you? What have you learned from them? If no one comes to mind – pray and find one. And even if you don’t know everything and do everything right – you can be a mentor to someone who could use a good example, encouragement and accountability. Pray for an opportunity. And seize it.
  2. How does Proverbs 31 challenge you?
  3. What do you like most about the description of God’s throne room in heaven in Revelation 4? What do you look forward to in God’s Coming Kingdom?
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Old Testament: Lamentations Intro – see below

Poetry: Proverbs 29

New Testament: Revelation 2

Disclaimer: I know Proverbs 27:2 says not to brag about yourself, but I’m about to brag about my kids so it’s ok!


Today my husband, daughter and I met our son at a car dealership where my son wanted to purchase a car. He wanted our opinion on the car and it was a great excuse to meet him halfway between our home and his college. He had done quite a bit of research on the car and made all the financial arrangements himself. Between watching his interactions with the sales people and his new haircut, it just hit me how much he looks and acts like…an adult! Our daughter also seems to make a habit of making good choices. She always helps me around the house, is a leader on her cheer squad, and is very kind.. Both of my kids are the light of my life and I am so proud of them.


I would love to say that they are doing well because Dan and I are such awesome parents, but they have always been just easy to parent with teachable hearts. Even the times that I reprimanded them for a mistake or something I didn’t agree with, they made corrections and that was, usually, the end of that issue. Now, just because we haven’t had to be strict does not mean we forewent discipline. We spent a lot of time educating our kids on proper behavior,
respect, and morality based on the Word of God.


I like how the Message translates Proverbs 29:15. “Wise discipline imparts wisdom: spoiled adolescents embarrass their parents.” Now I don’t worry too much that my kids’ behavior will embarrass me, I worry that misbehavior will bring pain to them… which brings pain to me.


The entire book of Lamentations is a statement about this effect. The sins of Israel affected Jeremiah mentally and physically. He suffered right along with them even though he listened to God. God, of course, listens to him, and eases his suffering. However, I do think this points out the pain a parent/teacher/mentor feels when they have tried to disciple someone in the Lord and that person decides to reject it. When that person faces a consequence of a bad choice, it hurts the one who tried to help them.


Revelation 2 is a chapter full of both praise and discipline for the 4 churches mentioned. Jesus, through John, praises the churches for their good works but also disciplines the churches against some of their current practices to save them from destruction. The church at Thyatira was warned about a woman teaching “cross-denying, self indulging religion”(The Message). In my previous devotion, I mentioned a modern day “preacher” who is doing this and I am sure she is not alone, preaching a gospel of “your truth.” Later, I was reading through the comments of this Not the Bee article about this preacher. One gentleman wrote the best response to those who teach the power of self over the power of Christ:


“This is why you never flip the order of the First and Second Commands of Christ. Love the Lord your God first. Then love your neighbor as yourself. This heretic probably didn’t set out to blasphemy like this. She just saw Christianity as a means to care for people. But that’s not the primary end of Christianity. It’s to love, glorify and obey God. Loving people rest within that directive, but never above it. Cut enough corners to “love” people and soon you’re affirming sinful behavior. Before you know it, you’re a blasphemous heretic, parading your own made-up religion, never having understood Christ in the first place. The irony is that none of this was ever loving at all. These false doctrines literally hurt and kill people. So far from what Christ ever wanted.” Andy Sheehan – Random guy on the internet


All of our readings today relay the importance of discipline amongst our children, ourselves, our nation, and our churches. Pray we will identify the opportunities to educate and discipline in the name of the Lord.

-Maria Knowlton

Reflection Questions

  1. In keeping loving God first, what ought our response be to someone who is living outside of God’s laws? When have you seen this order (love God first, and secondly, love your neighbor as yourself) disrupted? What is the result?
  2. What should the first goal of Christian parenting be?

Lamentations Introduction

The book of Lamentations was almost certainly written by the prophet Jeremiah shortly after the fall of Jerusalem to Babylon in 586 BC.  The title, “lamentations”, means “loud cries”.  The historical record of the fall of Jerusalem is detailed in Jeremiah 39, 2 Kings 24-25, and 2 Chronicles 36.  The book of Lamentations contains the author’s grief over the fall of Jerusalem because of her sins.  

The book of Lamentations reminds us that sin always brings sorrow, grief, and pain; no matter how alluring and exciting the sin looks initially – it is never worth it.

Despite the overwhelming grief expressed, there is also hope, as we see in 3:19-24, “I remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness, and the gall. I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me. Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, ‘The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.’ ”

An interesting point of historical trivia, according to this website, according to Jewish tradition, the original temple was destroyed on the 9th of Av 586 BC.  The second temple (Herod’s temple) was also destroyed on the 9th of Av 70 AD.

-Steve Mattison

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Trusting in Yourself?

Old Testament: Jeremiah 51-52
Poetry: Proverbs 28
New Testament: Revelation 1


So, I spent most of today on a ladder. Not to sound too pompous, but I recently purchased “The Little Giant.” I was very excited. I tried to make it into a shape that would fit on our stairs, but I wasn’t having much luck. Finally, I let the ladder be and watched a few videos about how to use it. I then swallowed my pride and asked my husband for assistance. With some wrangling and a
few terse comments (I’m sorry Daniel!) we got the ladder into a position in which I could reach the areas I intend to paint. Later, we had a good laugh when Dan sent me the meme of a guy falling off a ladder saying, “When I lean on my own understanding (Proverbs 3:5). I do feel so bad for that guy and I am very glad I didn’t follow in his direction. We see a very similar verse in Proverbs 28:26. “He who follows his own heart is a fool.” In both verses, when we do not
seek out wise counsel and mentorship as I have mentioned before, we will lead ourselves astray.


While standing on the ladder, I mulled over the verses in Jeremiah, I wondered why kings did not listen to Jeremiah. They didn’t even have to seek him out. He was right there at their beck and call. They knew he was wise and sent from the Lord. I just don’t understand. Jeremiah 51 recaps what was going to happen to Babylon; Jeremiah even notes that there was opportunity for repentance but the Babylonian king was not interested. Jeremiah 52 recaps all that had happened to Zedekiah, Jehoiachin, and the people of Judah. Zedekiah never does turn things
around. I am unclear as to when or if Jehoiachin turned to the Lord but his story does end nicely. It is believed by many scholars that he did repent and that is why he did have a descendant return to the throne despite the Lord’s initial punishment denying descendants the throne. But it just seems to me that every story would have had a better outcome if they had just listened to the Lord.


Luckily for us, John did exactly what he was told and recorded what he saw in the vision he had seen and sent it to the seven churches in Asia, which is modern day Turkey. As frightening as Revelation can be, I love that in chapter 1, Christ starts with assuring John and us that HE is in control. We don’t have to lean on our understanding, make decisions without Godly counsel, or live lives without a future hope. Not to give away the ending, but Christ wins it all and if we believe in him, we will win too.


Had I not followed the directions in the videos for my new fancy ladder, I might not be writing this tonight as I might be in a cast. I know I sound like a broken record at this point (have someone over 50 explain what that means if you don’t know) but scripture repeats this too. Trust the Lord, follow His commands, give Him control of your life. It will not lead to a perfect life, but it will be a life tested and approved.

-Maria Knowlton

Questions for Reflection

  1. When have you tried to do things (regarding ladders or life) your own way and what was the result?
  2. When have you walked in wisdom instead – and what was the result?
  3. Who has shared wise counsel with you when you needed it? How did they do so?
  4. How does it help reading Revelation – and going through life – knowing how the story ends? Who do you know who might not have heard yet how the story ends? How can you share the story and wise counsel with them?
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