Tag: pro16

Every Day—Every Step of the Way!

One of several fascinating chapters in the Word of God is Esther 6. While God’s name is not mentioned once in the Book of Esther, His presence is everywhere, and His sovereignty is seen in the details! 

On the eve of Esther’s plan to ask the king to spare her and the Jewish people from genocide, King Xerxes finds he can’t sleep. So what’s a king to do when he can’t sleep? He orders a bedtime story to be read to him out of the history books! Of all the history that could have been read to him, he learns that Mordecai (a Jew) was not honored for having revealed an assassination plot against him some years earlier. While the king is discussing with his advisors how to honor Mordecai, Haman arrives to ask permission to execute Mordecai for not bowing to him. But before Haman can get his words out, the king asks Haman how an unnamed man should be honored by the king. Upon Haman’s suggestion (who thought he was the unnamed man), the king orders Haman to honor Mordecai. This mortified Haman!

As I thought about the Lord God ruling in men’s affairs, we know from the Bible that God does so at a high level. He sets up kings and takes those same kings down as He pleases. Yet, it is also clear that God is in the small details of life, too! The small moments of perfect timing. That unexplainable chain of events. This reminds me of a verse in Proverbs. The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps. (Proverbs 16:9, ESV) While we like to plan the milestones of life, where is God? He is in the steps of life. We serve an everyday God; He is with us every day and every step of the way. Let’s take each step knowing God is there!

Thank you for joining me as I read and journal chronologically through the Bible! This devotional reflection comes from Esther 6-10.

The Pride Problem!

Today’s reading from Ezekiel is a good reminder of the outcome of pride. God has a message for Ezekiel to give to the kings of Tyre and Egypt. To the king of Tyre, God says because you claim that you are a god and as wise as a god, I am going to bring an army against you, and you will fall (Ezekiel 28:2, 7-8). Concerning Pharaoh, who claims in pride to have made the Nile River, God says that He will pull Pharaoh out of the Nile and into the wilderness and leave him there to die (Ezekiel 29:3-5). Though not mentioned in the reading, The Book of Daniel reminds us of Nebuchadnezzar, who was lifted with pride. God responded by causing him to crawl around on all four limbs like an animal and eat grass like an ox (Daniel 4:30–33). In the New Testament, the people called Herod a god, and because he did not dispute that claim, he immediately broke out into worms sent by God, which consumed him (Acts 12:21–23).

So, what does the Bible say about pride? Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall. Better to be of a humble spirit with the lowly, Than to divide the spoil with the proud. (Proverbs 16:18–19, NKJV) When pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly is wisdom. (Proverbs 11:2, KJV) A proud person lacks wisdom, for wisdom says to stay humble and not think of oneself too highly. 

What, then, is our best protection against pride? Notice this instruction from God’s Word. Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us. (Romans 12:3, NLT) Yes, by faith, let’s heed this warning from God!

Thank you for joining me as I read and journal chronologically through the Bible! This devotional reflection comes from Ezekiel 28-31.

Pride goes before destruction!

Here we go again—another king who started well but ended badly! King Amaziah of Judah is a classic example of pride destroying a person. As a young king, he respected the Word of the Lord and His prophet. But after a couple of victories, he changed considerably. 

Notice how this change began. First, his heart departs from God to follow the gods of the Edomites after defeating Edom in battle. In other words, the gods that couldn’t save Edom from Judah are the gods Amaziah has turned to worship. How illogical! But that is pride; it is illogical. This made the Lord very angry, and he sent a prophet to ask, “Why do you turn to gods who could not even save their own people from you?” (2 Chronicles 25:15, NLT)

Second, a prideful person will not listen to reason. Notice the king’s response to the prophet’s confrontation. But the king interrupted him and said, “Since when have I made you the king’s counselor? Be quiet now before I have you killed!”… (2 Chronicles 25:16, NLT)

Third, a prideful person becomes arrogant and boastful. In his pride, Amaziah challenges the king of Israel to battle. Israel’s king responds, “You are saying, ‘I have defeated Edom,’ and you are very proud of it. But my advice is to stay at home. Why stir up trouble that will only bring disaster on you and the people of Judah?” But Amaziah refused to listen, … (2 Chronicles 25:19–20, NLT)

What a textbook story of pride. Turn from God. Refuse to listen to reason. In boastful arrogance, go headstrong into destruction. Yes, pride goes before destruction, and haughtiness before a fall. (Proverbs 16:18, NLT) Since no one is immune to pride, may we all seek after humility!

Thank you for joining me as I read and journal chronologically through the Bible! This devotional reflection comes from 2 Kings 14; 2 Chronicles 25.

Money isn’t everything!

Money is not everything! Today’s reading in Proverbs cuts through the fever of acquiring and trusting in wealth. It mentions there are some things better than wealth. 

Better is a little with godliness than to be rich and dishonest (Proverbs 16:8). Wisdom and sound judgment are better than gold and silver (Proverbs 16:16). It is better to live humbly with the poor than to share wealth with the proud (Proverbs 16:19). It is better to eat a dry crust in peace than to feast in a house full of conflict (Proverbs 17:1). Godliness, wisdom and sound judgment, humility, and peace are better than riches. There is nothing wrong with wealth, but there are certainly things better than wealth. 

Proverbs also talks about a misperception when it comes to wealth. The rich think of their wealth as a strong defense; they imagine it to be a high wall of safety. (Proverbs 18:11, NLT) Yet, what does Proverbs say about those who trust in high walls? …anyone who trusts in high walls invites disaster. (Proverbs 17:19, NLT) The Bible also clarifies that riches can be gone in the blink of an eye. In the blink of an eye wealth disappears… (Proverbs 23:5, NLT) If riches are unstable and fleeting, can one go anywhere for safety? The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it and is safe. (Proverbs 18:10, ESV)

The LORD is here to stay—that fortress is not coming down. Riches can dissolve overnight, but godliness, wisdom, good judgment, humility, and peace are all things money cannot buy; these are true wealth. So, some people have a lot of money for a relatively short time; others are genuinely wealthy. To be deceived on this is to be greatly disappointed. 

Thank you for joining me as I read and journal chronologically through the Bible! This devotional reflection comes from Proverbs 16-18.