Do you struggle with drinking in excess? Most of us would answer, no, but have you ever thought about what God would say regarding your alcohol consumption? Peer pressure to drink in excess or even eat beyond a healthy lifestyle leads to an emptiness that seems to beg for more and more to feel a […]
The Thirty Sayings of the Wise: Slothful Sluggard (Proverbs 23:19-21)
The Thirty Sayings of the Wise: Envy Evil Error (Proverbs 23:17-18)
Each of us wants hope, a confident assurance regarding our future. In his Thirty Sayings of the Wise, Solomon offers insights for us to experience God’s hope on this side of Heaven. That hope is the person of Jesus Christ (see 1 Timothy 1:1). Solomon’s Thirty Sayings of the Wise offers insights for us to experience […]
The Thirty Sayings of the Wise: Common Sense Counts (Proverbs 23:15-16)
The mouth and the heart are inextricably linked. Jesus taught: “The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks” (Luke 6:45). Swearing, […]
The Thirty Sayings of the Wise: Disciple Discipline (Proverbs 23:13-14)
Do you struggle with establishing consistent discipline among your children? Perhaps, you attempt to correct them merely through an angry tone of voice. Proverbs reveals that discipline is much broader than we think. In his second pillar for a God-honoring, loving family, Solomon called young leaders to prioritize making disciples of their children: “Do not […]
The Thirty Sayings of the Wise: Receive Reproof (Proverbs 15:32; 23:12)
Family is the ultimate picture of God’s love. In The Thirty Sayings of the Wise, Solomon offered four pillars to construct a firm foundation for a God-honoring, loving home. The first is learning. Israel’s wise king commanded young leaders: “Apply your heart to instruction and your ears to words of knowledge” (Proverbs 23:12). Learning was […]
The Thirty Sayings of the Wise: Sanctified Survey and Lawful Landmarks (Proverbs 22:28; 23:10-11)
Have you ever changed the rules to a game in order to win? Many of us alter previously understood parameters in our relationships to gain something. As a child, down a couple runs in our kickball game, we change the pre-agreed-upon number of innings, in order to have another shot at scoring. As a teen, […]
The Thirty Sayings of the Wise: Wisdom Wasted (Proverbs 23:9)
Have you ever attempted to argue with a fool? Voices raise, tones become harsh, tempers flare, words demean, and no one seems to benefit. In his Thirty Sayings of the Wise, Solomon cautioned against wisdom wasted: “Do not speak to fools for they will scorn your prudent words” (Proverbs 23:9). The fool Solomon describes in […]
The Thirty Sayings of the Wise: Hard Work Helps (Proverbs 22:29)
Wisdom applies faith to our circumstances, literally sticking God’s character to our challenges, like a post-it-note adhered to our calendars. Solomon taught how to combine God’s heart with street smarts in our work ethic, as our Heavenly Father connects our vertical commitment to Him with our horizontal encounters. Solomon observed: “Do you see someone skilled […]
The Thirty Sayings of the Wise: Borrow Barrier (Proverbs 22:26-27)
Debt takes us farther than we wanted to go, keeps us longer than we wanted to stay, and costs us more than we wanted to pay. Yet, like a junkie longing for their next fix, we often add more and more leverage to our already overextended lives. Solomon addressed the risk of borrowing money in […]
The Thirty Sayings of the Wise: Poverty Police (Proverbs 22:22-23)
Money provides one of the most difficult challenges to manage on this side of Heaven. The ticks in the equity markets, the weight of risk to return, mortgage payments, car loans, bank accounts, debit cards, credit cards, healthcare, insurance, and the like seem to dominate our thoughts and concerns. We are called by God to […]
Navigating Life’s Waves of Conflict: The Thirty Sayings of the Wise (Proverbs 22:17-21)
Are you struggling with life’s conflict? When two objects attempt to occupy the same space at the same time, do you feel like a boat being tossed around at sea by an unforeseen storm? Nestled in the middle of the Bible is a treasure map to navigate life’s challenges, guiding you through the storms of […]
Love, Learn, Live the Word (Proverbs 9:10)
“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding” (Proverbs 9:10). Love the Word When conflict arises, do you respond wisely? Would those closest to you characterize you as an understanding person? The Bible offers us wisdom for managing conflict, including understanding that only our loving […]
Solomon’s Secrets to Leading Leaders – Develop Our Skills (Proverbs 22:29)
To lead leaders, we must develop our skills. Solomon invited: “Do you see someone skilled in their work? They will serve before kings; they will not serve before officials of low rank” (Proverbs 22:29). So, how do we become skilled in leading leaders? First, we work hard. Solomon observed: “Lazy hands make for poverty, but […]
Solomon’s Secrets to Leading Leaders – Speak with Grace (Proverbs 22:11)
In order to lead leaders, we must speak with grace. This is held at a premium in our world today. When the heat of interpersonal conflict rises, we have a tendency to speak with a harsh tone, one that demands what we want. Wisdom offers a different way. Solomon counseled: “One who speaks with grace […]
Solomon’s Secrets to Leading Leaders – Love a Pure Heart (Proverbs 22:11, 29)
Have you ever struggled with influencing your boss? Are you unable to effectively communicate with your spouse? Does the coach of your team seem immovable? In our sinful nature, we have a tendency to respond to conflict with other leaders in three foolish patterns. First, we act with an impure heart, one with mixed motives, […]
Three Habits of Highly Destructive People – Powering Up (Proverbs 27:20)
Solomon taught that the eyes are never satisfied (see Proverbs 27:20). We desire one more deal, one more illicit relationship, one more achievement, one more title, one more company. Consequently, whether at work, home, in the community, or even at church, we power up on others to achieve more. We power up physically, claiming, “I’m […]
Solomon Pursued Money for the Sake of Security (Ecclesiastes 5:10; 7:12)
Where do you turn for security? Is it a person, a place, or a thing? Security connotes “safety, refuge, or a sanctuary.” Oftentimes, we seek security from money. Solomon was wealthier than any other king on the planet (see 1 Kings 10:23). “The weight of the gold that Solomon received yearly was 666 talents” (1 […]
House of Leadership: God’s Idea (Proverbs 3:19-20)
Have you hardened your heart toward God and made a string of foolish choices? Has the ensuing conflict left you confused? Do you feel disconnected from Him? If so, He is ready, willing, and able to offer you healing. The House of Leadership is God’s blueprint for success. This was His design when He created […]
House of Leadership – Four Walls That Disconnect Us From Others (Proverbs 24:5b)
Are you building walls or bridges in your interpersonal conflict? Left unchecked in conflict, we build four walls that disconnect us from others. First, we hold on to conflict, mulling over our selfish perspective of the two objects attempting to occupy the same space at the same time. Second, we foolishly seek the satisfaction of […]
House of Leadership – The Furnishings are Knowledge (Proverbs 24:4)
How well do you know the opposing person in your conflict? Once our house is built, it is time to furnish it. Solomon concluded: “Through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures” (Proverbs 24:4). Knowledge is the connection of the innermost part of two or more persons through the Spirit of God. […]