DAILY DEVOTIONS

February 9-Wisdom Write out the Scripture.Proverbs 11:16-17, A kindhearted woman gains honor, but ruthless men gain only wealth. 17 Those who are kind benefit themselves, but the cruel bring ruin on themselves.Observe what it is saying.In a culture that elevated men and diminished women, this tells the remarkable truth that kindhearted women outshine unkind men all day long. Honor comes to those w...

February 2-Wisdom Write out the Scripture.Proverbs 11:1-3, The Lord detests dishonest scales, but accurate weights find favor with him. 2 When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom. 3 The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity.Observe what it is saying.Today, we begin our look at chapter 11 as an example of the pithy sta...

January 26-Wisdom Write out the Scripture.Proverbs 3:13-15, Blessed are those who find wisdom, those who gain understanding, 14 for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold. 15 She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her.Observe what it is saying.The way of blessedness or happiness is found in attaining God’s wisdom. When we gain God’s et...

January 19-Wisdom Write out the Scripture.Proverbs 3:1-2, My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart, 2 for they will prolong your life many years and bring you peace and prosperity.Observe what it is saying.Solomon pleads with his son not to forget but to always remember his teaching. In fact, he tells him to locate these instructions in his heart. They are not to be me...

January 12-Wisdom Write out the Scripture.Proverbs 2:1-5, My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, 2 turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding—3 indeed, if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, 4 and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, 5 then you will understand the fear of the Lord and ...

January 5-Wisdom Write out the Scripture.Proverbs 1:1-6, The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel: 2 for gaining wisdom and instruction; for understanding words of insight; 3 for receiving instruction in prudent behavior, doing what is right and just and fair; 4 for giving prudence to those who are simple, knowledge and discretion to the young— 5 let the wise listen and add to their le...

December 29-The Son of God Write out the Scripture.Proverbs 2:6, For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.Observe what it is saying.The writer of Proverbs taught that true spiritual knowledge is the result of a visitation of heavenly wisdom. It is a kind of baptism of the Spirit of Truth that comes to God-fearing men and women. This wisdom is always associated wit...

December 22-The Son of God Write out the Scripture.Acts 4:10-11, then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. Jesus is “‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.’Observe what it is saying.Of all the people on the earth, the nati...

December 15-The Son of God Write out the Scripture.1 Peter 1:15-16, But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; 16 for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”Observe what it is saying.Our God is holy and our Lord is holy, and we call the Spirit the Holy Spirit. Now think how stained and how spotted and how carnal the average Christian is. We allow stains—months go by with...

December 8-The Son of God Write out the Scripture.Romans 4:7-8, “Blessed are those whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord will never count against them.”Observe what it is saying.When the eternal Son of God became the Son of Man and walked on this earth, He always called individuals to His side. Jesus did not come into the world to deal wit...

December 1-The Son of God Write out the Scripture.Psalm 119:137-138, You are righteous, Lord, and your laws are right. The statutes you have laid down are righteous; they are fully trustworthy.Observe what it is saying.(Today, we begin a series of devotionals by AW Tozer on “The Son of God.” He was a well-known pastor, author, and earned the reputation as the “20th century prophet.”) To manipulate...

November 24-Sermon on the MountWrite out the Scripture.Matthew 7:21, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Observe what it is saying.Just as we can determine false preachers by their fruit so can we do the same with false disciples. At this stage of the Jesus movement, calling Jesus, “Lord,” d...

November 17-Sermon on the MountWrite out the Scripture.Matthew 7:13, “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.Observe what it is saying.The Sermon on the Mount ends with four warnings, each offering paired contrasts: two ways (vv.13-14), two trees (vv.15-20), two claims (vv.21-23), and two builders (vv.24-27). T...

November 10-Sermon on the MountWrite out the Scripture.Matthew 7:1-2, “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.Observe what it is saying.What is the measure by which you judge others? Are you a superficial measurer? You make judgments according to how others dress, talk, or carry t...

November 3-Sermon on the MountWrite out the Scripture.Matthew 6:25-26, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valu...

October 27-Sermon on the MountWrite out the Scripture.Matthew 6:16, “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.Observe what it is saying.This is the third Jewish practice of piety that Jesus addresses in Matthew 6. We have discovered that the practices themselves,...

October 20-Sermon on the MountWrite out the Scripture.Matthew 6:9, “This, then, is how you should pray: “‘Our Father in heaven,”Observe what it is saying.In this sermon where Jesus lays out the nature and character of His kingdom, He gives us a very clear picture of what it looks like to be His disciple and a member of His kingdom. I love the fact that Jesus not only tells us what not to do in pra...

October 13-Sermon on the MountWrite out the Scripture.Matthew 6:1, “Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.Observe what it is saying.“Practice your righteousness” is the outward demonstration of one’s piety, which in Judaism often centered on giving alms, praying, and fasting. Jesus addresse...

October 6-Sermon on the MountWrite out the Scripture.Matthew 5:43, “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’Observe what it is saying.Love for one’s neighbor was commanded by God through Moses (Lev. 19:18) and was one of the central truths of the Old Testament. When answering the test of a legal expert about the greatest commandment, Jesus replied to love God with...

September 29-Sermon on the MountWrite out the Scripture.Matthew 5:29-30, If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body...