The Well-Lit Path: A Proverbs-Based Daily Devotional

By Bruce Jerome

The Well-Lit Path is a heartfelt attempt to honor God and to demonstrate how to thrive in life by putting the Proverbs of the Bible into day-to-day practice. By applying God's Word as a practical, trustworthy light, our lives become blessed and secure in Christ. As Bruce Jerome reveals both personal successes and failures in his many anecdotal offerings, he hopes to enrich the lives of his readers as they take to heart the God-inspired guidelines of the thirty-one chapters of Proverbs. It is Bruce's sincerest belief that by following this guidance, success, safety and blessings will become mainstays in a Christian's life. With this book in one hand and with the sacred text in the other, you will discover and develop your own testimonies of how God moves as you walk down the Well-Lit Path.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Declaration Press
• Release date: Dec 14, 2018
• ISBN: 9781386987604

Bruce Jerome

Bruce A. Jerome grew up in Vermont and New Hampshire. While serving in the U.S. Army in 1973, he became a Christian through the testimony and the influence of a young lady and her believing family. This young lady became his wife in 1974. Together he and Grace have raised four children—a son and three daughters. They joyfully delight in their seven grandchildren and a successful marriage. Bruce was ordained in the 1980s. Becoming a youth pastor in 1982, Bruce has gone on to pioneer three churches, one in Colorado and two in New Hampshire. Aside from a period of about eighteen months, Bruce has been bi-vocational and has used these jobs to further his understanding of people and their need for solid, trustworthy guidelines to live successfully in Christ. Bruce has recently retired from a twenty-plus year career in healthcare. He also served for over sixteen years as a police officer, all while pursuing his greatest passion—the furtherance of the Gospel.  He attributes any good that has come to his life as being completely based on the love shown to him by Jesus Christ and the light to his path, the Bible.

Book preview

The WELL-LIT PATH

A  PROVERBS-BASED  DAILY  DEVOTIONAL

BRUCE A. JEROME

Declaration Press

The Well-lit Path: A Proverbs-Based Daily Devotional

Copyright © 2018 by Bruce Jerome

All Rights Reserved

THIS MATERIAL MAY NOT be reproduced in any form without the expressed written permission of the author and Declaration Press.

Scriptures marked RSV are from the REVISED STANDARD VERSION, Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1971.

Scriptures marked NIV are from the THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, copyright© 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™. Used by permission of Zondervan.

Scriptures marked KJV are from the KING JAMES VERSION, public domain.

Scriptures marked BSB are from THE HOLY BIBLE, BEREAN STUDY BIBLE, BSB, copyright© 2016, 2018 by Bible Hub. Used by Permission. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.

Scriptures marked YLT are from YOUNG’S LITERAL TRANSLATION, public domain.

Scriptures marked DRA are from the DOUAY-RHYMES BIBLE, DOUAY-RHYMES 1899 AMERICAN EDITION, public domain.

Scriptures marked JUB are from the JUBILEE BIBLE 2000 TRANSLATION, copyright© 2000, 2001, 2010 by Life Sentence Publishing.

Scriptures marked NLT are from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW LIVING TRANSLATION, copyright© 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Scriptures marked GW are from the GOD’S WORD (GW): Scripture taken from GOD’S WORD®, copyright© 1995 by God’s Word to the Nations. All rights reserved.

Scripture marked ISV taken from the HOLY BIBLE: INTERNATIONAL STANDARD VERSION®. Copyright © 1996-forever by The ISV Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved internationally.

Scriptures marked NASB are from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, copyright© 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

Scriptures marked HCSB are from the HOLMAN CHRISTIAN STANDARD BIBLE (HCSB), copyright© 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville Tennessee. All rights reserved.

Scriptures marked WEB are from the WORLD ENGLISH BIBLE, public domain.

Scriptures marked NET are from the NET BIBLE®, copyright© 1996-2018 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scriptures marked ESV are from the ESV® BIBLE (THE HOLY BIBLE, ENGLISH STANDARD VERSION®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Cover Design by Jonathan Zajas

ISBN-13: 978-0-9983102-6-8

Contents

Dedication

Foreword

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

Dedication

To

my wife, Grace,

my children

and my ever steady friend,

Jesus

Foreword

Throughout my sixty years of walking life’s path, the Book of Proverbs has been a practical and faithful guide—a light. Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Solomon and a handful of sages penned these words of wisdom—words conceived out of their engagements with the real stuff of life. The nuggets of truth scattered throughout this sacred text comprise what I hold to be some of the most immediately useful and applicable portions of the Bible.

As a young man, I was drawn to the pages of this book. At some point, I discovered that there were as many chapters in the Proverbs as there were days in a month. It was then that I developed the daily habit of reading the proverb that corresponded with the date. For instance, on the first day of the month, I would read Proverbs, chapter one. On the second day, I would read chapter two, and so forth. But I did more than just read these chapters. I diagramed them and sorted them according to topics, in hopes that one day I might publish something out of all of that work. Well, I never produced such a book, but look at what Bruce Jerome has done!

I first met the author, Bruce A. Jerome, in Northern New England in the early 1990s while both of us served as pastors in the region. We also worked together in various denominational capacities during this same period. Through our shared experiences, I came to know Bruce as a no-nonsense follower of Christ. You never had to wonder what his thoughts were regarding a matter, for he always said it like it is. Combine that trait with a caring heart, and you can see why I regard Bruce as the kind of person you would want as a pastor, mentor or coach—willing to say the tough things that need to be said, but doing so with the wellbeing and development of the person at heart.  

Bruce’s straightforward manner comes through loud and clear in the pages of The Well-Lit Path. His writing is just like his talking. When you read what he has written, you are meeting the man. Bruce’s daily reflections on the Proverbs demonstrate that in his own engagements with the real stuff of life, he has allowed the Holy Spirit to instruct him. The author’s vulnerability and transparency are beyond what I would have personally offered, yet those very qualities are what make this book so great! It is authentic! What Bruce talks about is real life! You will be able to relate, and when it comes to the tough things that the author might address, his amazing sense of humor (believe me, you will laugh out loud) makes it all palatable.

I consider it a great honor, blessing and joy to have played a small part in helping Bruce Jerome get his message out with The Well-Lit Path. I believe that you will find wonderful illumination for your own path as you take the day-by-day journey through these pages.

J. Randolph Turpin, D.Min., Publisher

November 26, 2018

January

January 1st

The Holy Spirit’s Toast

Proverbs 1:33, NIV

But whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm.

Toasting is a common practice during the New Year celebration. Hosts raise glasses to pronounce some words of love and wishes for prosperity, often in the presence of special friends and guests gathered together in events marking the end of a passing year and the hope of a fresh beginning.

The more intimate the group, the sweeter and more personal the words become. Direct reflection is given as sincere love is expressed in well-thought-out words. Kindnesses and comfort are spoken forth to bring hope and assurance, while being encouraged with a new opportunity to prosper.

What better toast than one given by the Holy Spirit Himself? He hosts our journey with love and authority. He blesses us with a promise for new and renewed safety. His toast celebrates an opportunity to live in an anointed peace and a walk along a well-lit path—a path illuminated with God’s good and perfect counsel.

Hear His toast based on verse 33:

Listen to me. I am speaking into your life, through My Word, and with individual and intimate whispers of guidance, direction and protection.

You will live in safety. I, God, can protect you. Even before your worst enemies, in the face of fierce lions, and before those being led to destruction, I am way bigger than they are!

Be at ease. Listening and living in Me brings a peace for today. For this day’s and every day’s trials and challenges, I am here with you. I will help you and comfort you today.

Don’t fear harm. I, the Holy Spirit, can see around every corner, all the way to eternity. Nothing will come to you that does not pass by Me first. Nothing, and I mean nothing, can surprise Me or harm you beyond my magnificent plan to prosper you. I am God.

Prayer: Dear Lord, light my way. Guide and counsel me every day. Remind me often of your presence. This prayer is a toast to your perfect plan! Amen.

January 2nd

Accept My Words and Store the Treasure

Proverbs 2:1-5, NIV

My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding—indeed, if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God.

Which one of us would not want to open a safe found in a mansion, having been given full access to all that lies within? Imagine this: you receive an official document, granting title, address and the authority to take possession of all there is inside. Included in the paperwork is a combination: 32R-67L-17R-44L-1R. Turn it the proper way, and the treasures inside the safe are not only yours, but unlocked for your enrichment.

The Word of God contains treasures beyond all worldly value. Life, peace, joy, guidance, assured victory and eternal salvation are locked securely inside, and the Holy Spirit uses these verses to give us the combination to unlock the safe of His Word.

Here’s the combination; it will unlock His promises:

Accept: Just like opening a safe, you need to start in the right place. Start with God, accepting the authority of His Word. That is the starting point for all treasure. As the number 32 is not 33, or 13, we have a starting place to unlock the blessings God has for us—the full-on acceptance of the Word of God. Each time we need to open the treasury of victory, we start with the 33 beginning, by saying, This is the Word of God. It is my starting place.

Store: Did you know that God considers you a safe—a place that is a suitable container for His presence? 2 Corinthians 4:7 (NIV) reveals this: But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.

The Lord Himself has decided that His treasure is well and properly stored inside your heart. Jesus and the Holy Spirit are literally dwelling inside our hearts—a purposed and direct action by the hand of God Himself. Because of this, we should be ready for a great display of God’s many treasures. We have access to the occupying power of God within us!

Prayer: God, let me accept your words. They are colored by your love as our Father, soaked bright red in the blood of Jesus and shiny as fire by the presence of the Holy Spirit. Help me to grant you and your words complete access to my innermost being. Amen.

January 3rd

God’s Guarantee

Proverbs 3:1-2, NIV

My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart, for they will prolong your life many years and bring you peace and prosperity.

There are few guarantees in this world, and even fewer without an escape clause. These clauses release the producer from certain situations and lowers their liability if such and such happens. Years ago, my Dad, a carpenter and builder, bought Estwing® hammers. They were guaranteed for life. And he knew how to use a hammer! But any breakages led to a shiny new hammer with a beautiful blue handle. Can you guess what kind of hammer I have? (Actually, I have three of them.)

God’s teachings and His commands come with a guarantee that promises the value of the product and workmanship that lasts forever. There is no escape clause, no protection to keep the Creator from liability. Instead, God Himself promises success for those who walk in His light.

Here is the Lord’s guarantee: following His decrees will lengthen, prosper and make peaceful the life He gives to you.

My teaching: The word my is possessive. Teaching is an investment. God tells us that a binding guaranty come with commands. Remembering that God’s teachings guarantee successful decisions brings stabilizing direction and a formula to solve any problem.

My commands: God provides directions for proper use of our days and, more specifically, our lives in today’s passage. His attention and commands are for us as individuals. Again, He owns the commands. A command is a simple, clear instruction most often given to protect, direct or connect.

A command connects authority with expectation.

Remember, God didn’t give Moses the Ten Suggestions! Who among us does not need a guarantee of full life, peace and prosperity? This is God’s, our heavenly Manufacturer’s, promise through His teaching and command. And it is for you!

Prayer: God, your guarantee is good enough for me. Your promise to stand behind your product, and with me, is a sure sign that victory lies ahead. Remind me often that you have commands for me. I am so very blessed to make them the authority of my life. Amen.

January 4th

Why is Wisdom Called She?

Proverbs 4:6, NIV

Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you.

Walking through the woods one day, my friend Bob and I accidentally got between a Mama Bear and her cub. It was pretty exciting, to say the least! As we followed the path about a half mile from the famous Appalachian Trail, we had missed the cub. It was hiding under a bush. We nearly had our own life-changing experience!

Headed straight toward us was a real-life example of maternal instinct—protective, focused and mission-oriented. All that was wrapped up in two hundred-plus pounds of black bear flesh, running and shouting a clearly understood message! At twenty-seven paces (later measured with shaky legs), Mama realized that there were two of us, stopped her charge, and breathed a clear call to her cub. A bush about six feet away from me erupted, and the cutest little fur-ball of black bear and brown nose flew past us and headed right for Mama’s call. In a few seconds, they turned and fled their perceived danger into the safety of her guidance away from us. I can safely say that all of us benefitted from the wisdom of maternal love and instinct. Bob and I didn’t get clawed, bitten or thrown around the woods by an angry Mama; she didn’t get shot; and little Mr. Boo-Boo hopefully got years older before having another close call with two guys wandering through the woods.

Here in the love and protection of a Mama bear, we see wisdom. There is a strong, maternal nature to wisdom. Being created by God, as a discernible method of understanding and dealing with life’s issues, wisdom brings a solid source of protection to the lives of people. I didn’t invent the feminine, maternal reference to wisdom; God did. Mamas protect, love and watch over their young because it is a natural, nurturing, response to God’s created purpose. That is what wisdom will do for us. The mission of Mom and wisdom is innate; it is not just an assignment. It is as deep and essential as DNA.

Wisdom invests in us. Just like Mama Bear came to her cub’s rescue with just the right action to avoid disaster, wisdom also comes to our rescue. In the same fashion as Jesus, she plunges toward danger to rescue the weak and imperiled. The heart of God to protect us is expressed in the ready availability of wisdom. She protects from dangerous decisions and certain destruction.

A love for wisdom is as natural as loving your Mom. She, wisdom, brings us to a place where we can make successful, strong and wise decisions based on God-given instruction, with a watchful, invested, maternal instinct. Listen to wisdom’s guidance, for she was created by God and is older, and wiser, than we are, just like a good Mama. She is to be loved, respected and revered.

Prayer: Dear God, teach me wisdom, protect me and guide me through the words of wisdom recorded for us in the Bible. Protect me with them, as a Mama Bear protects her babies. Amen.

January 5th

Warning against Adultery

(Spiritual and Physical)

Proverbs 5:5, NIV

Her feet go down to death; her steps lead straight to the grave.

Any way you slice it, adultery is messy stuff. There is no tidy, neat way to tear apart a covenant, un-knit the interweaving of two lives, destroy the bonds of a family or break apart a relationship that God has placed His seal of acceptance upon. There is always betrayal, blasphemy and a broken covenant.

God’s writings to us from the book of Proverbs were laid out by His own hand, and Chapter 5 purposefully follows the instruction and encouragement to embrace the wisdom of Chapter 4. Wisdom is the dependable choice made in the counsel of our Creator. It is Heaven’s perspective and is validated by timeless proofs. The only safety from the powerful attraction of adultery is wisdom—acknowledging the authority of God’s Word and choosing God’s way over the most powerful, carnal urges we may ever experience. Please remember that the choice and effort to give place to the authority of God’s Word needs to be made before temptation appears. This is a key part of the success which comes when we flee temptation (2 Timothy 2:22).

Adultery is an emotionally-charged, hormonally-excited violation of a sacred covenant—a covenant ordained and witnessed by God. As such, it is an action with harsh consequences. Right after Thou shall not commit murder, the next commandment states, Thou shall not commit adultery. God takes it seriously, and when temptation fuels our thoughts, we can only trust God’s Word. In the heat and allure of passion, nothing can or should be trusted but His counsel.

The same is true when someone commits spiritual adultery. The same betrayal, the same blasphemy, the same broken covenant occurs when a person chooses to violate their relationship with God by breaking the relationship they have with the Lord to allow some other thought, act or allegiance to take first place in the heart.

In Matthew 12:39 (NIV), Jesus said, A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a miraculous sign! God recognizes the nature of carnal minds demanding that He prove His legitimacy: Prove that you love me!

Wisdom will be an anchor to secure the wayward heart. By wisdom and God’s promises, the heart is guarded so that it might be a wellspring of life (Proverbs 4:23, WEB). Wisdom is every day and all day illumination for our journey. It is a protected path laid for us as we choose, and I do mean choose, to stay faithful to God’s plan. Peace, prosperity and protection are ours through this faithful relationship. In today’s proverb, God has clearly spoken the alternative. The alternative is a trip to death and the grave. A not so funny thing. It really does not sound much like the end product that the world so embraces, does it?

Betrayal: What have I to gain, if I betray the Lord who shed His own blood for me? What will I lose when I break His trust? What will I destroy if I betray my spouse? Can I take an account of the price of this betrayal?

Blasphemy: If I choose to break my natural marriage covenant or my spiritual covenant with God, they are both blasphemy-based. I can’t go another way, any contrary way, without telling God that He isn’t really God. Any manmade plans are a poor and sin-smelling substitute for God’s best plan for my life.

Broken Covenant: When God made His covenant with Abraham, blood was shed. For every covenant He makes with us, the blood remains the standard seal of a binding contract between us. There is no end to these unions, until one dies. What payment will be demanded of me, if I choose to break God’s covenant with me or the covenant with my spouse?

We choose, all of us as individuals, to make decisions based on the unshakable substance of God’s Word or the desires of our flesh. The path of wisdom exalts, while the other leads downward straight to the grave. Knowing this puts adultery in perspective and makes the decision to avoid it strong. Strong enough to trust!

Prayer: Lord, keep me from the adulterous life. Help me to capture my thoughts, long before they become deeds, and hold them up to the light of your true words. Amen.

January 6th

The Decision to Listen and Obey

Proverbs 6:20-22,NIV

My son, keep your father’s command and do not forsake your mother’s teaching. Bind them always on your heart; fasten them around your neck. When you walk, they will guide you; when you sleep, they will watch over you; when you awake, they will speak to you.

I decided many years ago, and still not long ago enough, that I need a moral compass not of my own choosing. The old saying goes something like this: Too soon old and too late smart. Foolishness is too comfortable a condition today, and according to the Bible, not a twenty-first century condition alone. I have never been this old before. Never before have I watched my children and their families make decisions to move, choose and sometimes fail. I have never had to make health care decisions with aging parents before. I have never pastored a church through these times before. Get the picture? I need help, and fast! And, I ask the Lord, Can I get a side order of peace with that?

The answer is yes. The God who goes before us, who answers questions from the seat of eternal, perfect knowledge already knows our path. He gives our searching souls light—the wisdom of His Word. We have safe passage along the slippery path of life, and we are protected, even when we sleep. His promises speak to our hearts when we face difficult decisions, bringing the confident assurance of the author Himself, God.

In Exodus 28, there is a detailed description of the priestly garments of Aaron and his sons—specifically, a description of the breastplate and ephod, a garment of priestly attire, worn and associated with his duties in making decisions. This wraparound garment was worn in such a manner as to protect his heart and was even said to influence his decisions. This is the association in Proverbs 6, and like the ephod, God’s commands and teachings are to be fastened as a cover for our own hearts.

Guidance: It is our privilege to enjoy God’s direction. The benefit of good directions is an assured arrival at our destination. The better the guidance, the surer and safer the arrival. God is, and offers, our best guidance. He is the best navigator, the most experienced traveler, and the One who has gone before us.

Protection: Because of this protection, we can be safe enough to sleep, rest, breathe and expect safety. (See Peter in Acts Chapter 12.) God’s commands and teachings are strong enough to bring about a safe environment, safe enough to sleep under their covering. The protection of good decisions and the anointing that goes along with them bring the peace of knowing our obedience has brought God’s authority into our lives. This includes protection from spiritual attack and the peaceful rest of having dealt with life, and others, as God ordained.

Counsel: When I don’t know what to do, God does. Guidance is direction, and Counsel is the how to application of those directions, given in personal terms with the give and take of time spent with the Lord. It is Him teaching and explaining. You remember that the Holy Spirit is called the Counselor in the book of John, right? There is real power in asking God, How do I do this?

Prayer: Lord, the foolishness of this world lies like a blanket of fog across my sight. Show me, clearly please, how to follow you today. Amen.

January 7th

Stayin’ Alive: Keeping the Treasure

Proverbs 7:2, NIV

Keep my commands and you will live; guard my teachings as the apple of your eye.

My Dad carried a single silver dollar throughout most of his life. As I remember, he began carrying it as he served in WWII, every day. It became so smooth in his pocket that the majority of the engraving was erased over the years. My brother has it still; it is treasure to him. God wants us to feel that way about the instructions He has given us as a living inheritance. Keeping His commands means we can live, just as His Word lives. Guarding them reflects that we have learned to value them in the same manner He does. Things go poorly when we ignore God’s instructions. It may not be graphically obvious at first, or happen right away, but it does happen. The results become obvious and the peril is real. Let me make the following comparison.

The blue screen of death is a common phrase among computer (ab)users. It is a signal of some catastrophic process that has crashed your computer, taking your work, your records and your calendar off to the cyber graveyard. Yet another breath stopper in computer land is a screen that tells you that your computer has experienced a fatal error. That darned computer follows commands, and as an inexperienced operator, I have taken my own computer to the blue screen deployment. I learned that those .exe files that came on my computer should probably not be adjusted, or ever removed, unless by someone wiser than myself. As surely as opening an .exe program can import problems, eliminating the ones that came on your computer can cause some real issues. Turns out that the computer runs fairly well when you follow the commands. There is a way to make that stinkin’ thing work. It was set up by experts, which promise faithful accomplishments, time after time, until its life is over. Enough with that illustration. You understand my analogy, right?

God’s Word is an all-inclusive operator’s manual which brings a warranty of lifelong value and real life itself. Keep the commands, and you will keep stayin’ alive in your cyber place! It’s that simple. God’s program never needs updates, but the computers that you and I are operating in a spiritual world deserve constant maintenance and upgrades by way of His words. Seriously, we do need to download Spirituality 2.0 from the real cloud!

Guarding the teachings of God represents the value you place on each one of them. We guard what we treasure. Each of us has a certain something which may not have value to others, but it is priceless to us, just like my Dad’s silver dollar is to my brother, Wes. Consider this: the Word of God is eternal. In it is the written code of life, success and abundant life. Doesn’t that deserve both obedience in keeping and treasuring these instructions?

Keeping (with): The obedient act of trusting the instructions, step by step, through the process of building a full and vibrant, God-honoring life.

Guarding: To treasure, protect and cherish the eternal value contained in the written counsel of God. Setting up boundaries that keep the world from marring the illustrations and from stealing the original edition of God’s Word, which He signed in His own blood and gave to you.

Prayer: Treasuring your Word brings value to my life. It is the best investment I will ever make! Lord, help me to always find your Word in my heart and on my tongue. Amen.

January 8th

Basic Training

Proverbs 8:5, NIV

You who are simple, gain prudence; you who are foolish, gain understanding.

I can still remember many of the things taught to me when I was in Basic Training in 1971 and 1972. The basics were taught to me forty-plus years ago. In modern times, every soldier has been through this process. The experience was intended to instill survival skills deep within us—things that could be recalled at the right time, or should I say the wrong time, and flow through our minds, arms, hands and feet. They could make the difference between life and death. Truth and information become engrained to the point of becoming a reflex.

Several years ago, the police department I worked for purchased AR-15 rifles. It had been decades since I had handled the powerful weapon. Basic training came back to me in an instant. I could take that rifle, push the buttons in the right order to take it apart, put it together and fire it all from mental and muscle memory.

Have you ever thought just how much God sees potential in you? The way that this verse is written infers that God is saying, You’ve got this! I know we can handle this together. Through basic trainings, God gives us skill and understanding which we can use in real life experience. His confidence is that we can do it! Prayer and our handling of Scripture should become reflexive, engrained deep within every Christian heart, coming to the forefront of every battle or opportunity to act as a man or woman of God, transforming us from being ill-equipped and unprepared into being wise and skilled.

Verse 5 paints a graphic image of progression through people who are initially called simple. This is a word which literally translates as silly or seducible. The word simple is used to describe people who need to gain prudence to become wise. The word gain translates as understand or to learn to break something down mentally—a process of taking complex things (as I learned to break down that weapon, way back in the day), discerning the individual parts, understanding them, and then dealing with them properly.

God sees us as His creation, people who are capable and teachable but simply needing prudence and understanding. Don’t lament the lack of knowledge; embrace God’s confidence that You’ve got this!

Prudence: The translation of the Hebrew word for prudence means to use good discretion. Prudence suggests the use of acquired skill and good analysis of the situation and the proper use of resources. Additionally, prudence means actions which use caution while considering the danger or risk. God will equip open hearts with the skills to handle life!

Understanding: Understanding is gained by using the open channels of communication with God, the Teacher. We are invited to sit at His feet; listen to His voice as He speaks through His Word, sound teaching and the voice of His Spirit. These means of hearing God’s voice bring the ability to separate out the parts of complex situations and apply His marvelous understanding in our own lives. Going from observation to understanding is the key part of being led by the Holy Spirit; it develops as we gain His understanding.

Remember, God knows and states, You’ve got this! as you walk in His understanding and grace.

Prayer: Father, as you guide me, I will never fail. Amen.

January 9th

Perfect Counsel

Proverbs 9:1, NIV

Wisdom has built her house; she has hewn out its seven pillars.

Good advice is precious. We do not have to imagine what great advice would be like. God sends it to us by way of His wisdom. I can think of so many acquaintances who have fallen because of poor advice. Sadly, some never got up again. Follow your heart, some say, not remembering that the heart of flesh will fail us and is given to wickedness (Jeremiah 17:9). Others give counsel to pursue questionable goals, quick money or momentary pleasures. We must never trade God’s perfect counsel for the less-than-perfect, well-intentioned advice that people may offer—often advice that contradicts the Word of God. We must constantly filter advice through God’s counsel. Also, context should always be used to refine our understanding. God doesn’t always want us to hop out of a perfectly good boat, or chase a lion into a pit on a snowy day as Benaiah did in 2 Samuel 23.

The use of the words, seven pillars, indicates the perfect support and balance of God’s wisdom. A while ago, I preached a sermon on the seven pillars of Genesis, and the emphasis was the foundational investment of God in the life we are empowered to live with God’s provision. We can live in it, really alive! In Proverbs 9:1, we can garner peace just knowing we have received a perfectly balanced program of advice for our life’s challenges and opportunities.

The seven pillars of wisdom present timely counsel, applying forward-looking application of biblical experiences and the promises held in prophetic writings, all of which lay before us a reasonable expectation of victory and eternal life for God’s people, wisdom’s followers. Who represents us in the trials of life? Wisdom is our God-appointed Counselor!

These seven pillars are named in Proverbs 8:12-14:

Prudence: Careful use of skill or experience; to be careful in the face of danger.

Knowledge: This is what the Word of God says about x, y, and z.

Fear of the Lord: Realizing, revering, respecting God’s authority.

Counsel: Appropriate advice for situations and decisions.

Sound Judgment: Applying wisdom after achieving actual, factual information and seeing the real picture.

Understanding: Seeing the real, often after seeing beyond the emotional.

Power: Speaking, and moving, in the election of God’s adoption for us.

Prayer: God, present my case. Defend and advise me from the library of your Word. Speak for me, through me and to me today. Amen.

January 10th

Deliver Me from Death

Proverbs 10:2, NIV

Ill-gotten treasures are of no value, but righteousness delivers from death.

It seems funny and strange to me when I look at the things people treasure, to say nothing of the extent they are willing to go to get that special something. How we value something says a lot about who we really are. Our treasures point to the purpose and direction of our lives. Over the years I have craved certain treasures, many of them have found their way to the back of my closet or have gone the way of a yard sale. They weren’t necessarily ill-gotten, but the value proved to be far less than I had first assigned to these items.

I have a new way of establishing the value of my treasures. They need to be useful, daily. They need to be practical. A pastor in New England doesn’t typically need a spear gun in his closet. I do have treasures: my pocket-knife-tool thingy gets used every day, often more than once. My iPad is portable and has a great deal of practical, useful value. It saves me time, keeps me informed, helps me to organize busy days and entertains me when the rare spare moment comes along. Another way that I value treasures is to really consider the cost of that item. Because I work outside of my ministry, it was a real wakeup call for me to translate how much something costs into the hours of work that relate to the cost of things.

God says that righteousness is a valuable treasure and a truly priceless possession. Instead of being ill-gotten, it is a well-gotten treasure, fully worth its cost and purchased by the labor, love and sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ. I don’t just think I need righteousness; I need it. No matter the cost I must pay, I need righteousness! Without it, I die, and with it, I am delivered from death itself. No treasure promises and delivers like righteousness.

Delivers: Righteousness successfully presents and effectively projects a defense more powerful than the attack—in this case, the attack of death. It reverses bondage.

Righteousness: There are three major aspects to righteousness:

The incredible, unchanging way that God is just, fair and right at all times. God imputes this righteousness to us through Jesus; He fuels it through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

The blessing and protection of living honorably in our world. We display this righteousness; it anoints, protects and blesses our lives as we honor God.

The inner peace which often lengthens our lives comes from living in a way that honors and pleases God.

Our loving Father gives us the treasure of righteousness. What a gift!

Prayer: Father God, you have called me, equipped me and made me for a righteous life. To live any other way is to have less than the best you have promised me. Amen.

January 11th

The Prosperity Promise

Proverbs 11:25, NIV

A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.

Living is enhanced by generosity. Looking for ways to bless others, philanthropy, is to become more like the Father, the supreme example of giving. The acts of generosity come through people, and on this earth, the calling and the blessing is strictly ours. As only God can, the blessing flows both to giver and receiver.

The truth of the matter, simple and sure, is that God is generous. Consider the evidences of His generosity: giving us eternal life through Jesus; the blessing of daily guidance by the Holy Spirit and the Word; and the promise of Heaven, the best gift card anyone could ever receive. To follow in His ways is quite simply the route to blessings for the child of God.

Over the years, Grace, my bride of forty-plus years, and I have been given numerous opportunities to bless others through acts of generosity. There is such a sense of divine approval when you give a person a car or something else they can use to face life’s challenges more easily. God oversees the return, and at just the right time, He amazingly blesses us.

I have a pretty strong grip. I’ve used it over the years in certain tough situations to get an unspoken point across (as an officer—not a pastor). That strong grip has helped me many times during my life. But there is no need for my strong grip over my possessions. The only thing I have clamped onto with great force in this world is the Word of God.

Generosity itself has great reward, quickly followed by God’s approval and His own blessing. It is refreshment and springtime to our souls. The refresh word used in verse 25 literally means to quench thirst, and it speaks of the flow of water to satisfy the thirst of both the receiver and giver. It means to satiate, or fully quench the thirst.

Because the pattern of blessing and receiving is so powerful and antithetical to the devil’s way, he attacks it by twisting the truth into a sadly popular heresy, leaving a semblance of God’s intent, making it about money and power. Because some preachers have insinuated themselves, preaching half-truths with seductive words and false promises, many of us have become afraid to address true prosperity. God, however, is not afraid to talk about it.

Generous: To be generous is to own and steward with open hands. Regarding wealth, whether big or small, and things, whether small or big, it has all been entrusted to us to use so that others may be blessed through an act of benevolent offering, followed by inspired action.

Prosper: To prosper is to gain or become, to end up improved, enriched and more effective. When prospered by God, the gain is pure, effectual and potent.

Refreshed: Being refreshed is the state of being fully satisfied, to the level of forgetting the thirst and becoming ready to move ahead. A refreshed person is revitalized and prepared for action—recharged.

To unselfishly bless others is to align ourselves with God’s plan, using talents, things or time to become more like Him, and it opens the windows of Heaven.

Prayer: Lord, help me to hold things loosely, as if it is just entrusted to me and completely owned by you. Keep my ears open to the whisper of your Spirit and my eyes searching for opportunities to bless others. Amen.

January 12th

Teach Me Lord - GPA 4.0

Proverbs 12:1, NIV

Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates correction is stupid.

Teaching a child to use a power tool, a sharp knife or an oven mitt brings perspective quickly. Knowledge protects, while distraction or divided attention offers a lesson in harsh reality. Both bring about lasting effects. Not only is the child in danger, but the trainer is or should be aware of the need for clear, careful instruction and observation. Hopefully, the trainer and the student understand the importance of disciplined action. Parental responsibility is a blessed, lifelong thing. I remember the sudden shudder that went through my body when I learned that my son had bought his own chainsaw, and he was in his thirties! Remember that as you receive instruction from the Lord, He is protecting you by His training. Often the guiding instruction you are offered from parent, pastor and from God is fueled by the protective nature of a good and loving teacher.

Associating discipline with negative criticism is a big part of the failure of today’s society. It is too easy today to believe that discipline comes from a place of contempt in a parent’s or teacher’s heart. That could not be further from the nature of God the Father. He has so much to teach us, and with great willingness He desires to teach us victory. His training creates instinctive and correct action. Our hearts are refined by training and the knowledge of His Word as we learn to function in pleasing harmony with His Spirit. His joy is in our GPA (God’s Promotion Advancement). He will tutor, train and guide us to that 4.0 which assures our safe passage in to the victories ahead.

Notably, the words of Exodus 33:13 reflect the open heart toward God’s pure-intentioned teaching: If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that this nation is your people.

Hating correction, especially by the Holy Spirit, is simply a huge mistake. The motive of God is always securely found in His love, demonstrated in His protection and sealed with His own blood. This is His plan for us.

Prayer: You never teach me to make me feel small. You teach me so that I may walk on the mountaintops with you! Father, show me the way of sure footing. Teach me your ways, O Lord, so that I may walk, work and win in your truth. Amen.

January 13th

Associations

Proverbs 13:20, NIV

He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm.

Idleness and poorly chosen associations can bring disaster in short fashion. Working in law enforcement, you will often speak to people who give you some variation of the phrase, I was just hanging out. Too often, especially for a police officer, the phrase is quickly followed by proof of the contrary. 1 Corinthians 15:33 spells it out very clearly: Do not be misled: Bad company corrupts good character. To associate is often to become like someone by mere exposure. A believer who spends idle time in the company of others less dedicated to God’s ways will often begin to take on their characteristics. A firm, well-fed association with our Lord is the best guard. We are social beings too. Christians need to be salt and light to the lost. It is God’s command. The danger arises when we allow the opportunity to lead toward Christ to become diluted by the affairs and affections of the world. Time idly spent with God-starved people can become a trap for us.

Victory comes with a balance, which is easy to find if we are willing. I must spend as much time with God as I do with others. I must also bring God with me to every place I go. To associate with Him is a constant exposure to grace, love and mercy. I will end up bearing His characteristics!

Parents, think of the relevance of this truth in the lives of your sons and daughters. As you walk together with your children through their formative years, if you are living by God’s wisdom, they too will grow wise. Without your influence, they will face the challenge of having to learn their way through life from other influential people. Remember, train up a child... (Proverbs 22:6, KJV).

As detrimental as associating with fools can be, walking with the wise will build us up and polish us as reflectors of God’s character. Walking with the wise stimulates the presence of the Holy Spirit within to refuel and empower us with wisdom.

1 Kings 12 gives a detailed account of Rehoboam’s poor decision to take the counsel of his impetuous friends over the counsel of the wise. For all eternity, the passage will clearly point to the importance of the company we keep and the counsel we accept.

Walk with the wise. Develop a pattern and practice of being around and listening to the conversations of elders in the faith—people practiced and experienced in walking the walk. Remember who you are. A Holy Spirit based realization of who we are (Romans 8 is a great place to see God’s image of us) will stabilize our associations and protect us from suffering harm in dangerous associations.

Prayer: Jesus, help me to inspire, instill your qualities, and shine your light in my friendships with others. Help me to daily evaluate my associations so I can be sure to be your ambassador. I confess that time spent in your company is the single effective antidote to the exposures of this world. Amen.

January 14th

A Bad Compass

Proverbs 14:12, NIV

There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.

I am one of those blessed people who seem to have a good internal compass. Whether hiking, hunting, or driving, it seems easy for me to keep headed in the right direction—that is until it is dark, or raining, or foggy, or well, you get the idea. Driving across country over the past forty-five years has changed incredibly; I used to have a stack of maps in the car. Those were the times when you would hear horror stories of people driving great distances in the wrong direction, just because they couldn’t read a map.

I could tell you a story of a couple who left Connecticut heading for the ocean (due east from everywhere in Connecticut) and then ended up in our driveway, midway up the state of Vermont, asking how much further is it to the ocean! A true story! The answer? About as far as when you left your house! Sadly, how many people, as Don Francisco the singer-songwriter said, are flying by the seat of their pants spiritually?

Today, my phone gives directions, the car has navigation, and somewhere in my stack of not-needed gizmos is a GPS unit that once stuck to my windshield. How primitive!

Why then are so many people completely lost? Probably the single reason is that they have a bad compass. I have compiled a short list of bad compasses:

False religion. Jesus said I am the way... (John 14:6).

Media. Which direction is the media leading us? Most likely it isn’t toward life, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Here is what is perhaps the question of the century: Why do we let them lead us anywhere?

Secular thinking. So much of the logic being taught by today’s educational systems is many degrees off track from the clear teachings and pure compass of God’s Word.

Poorly chosen companions. What directions are given us by the people we spend time with? If they don’t point to the cross, to Jesus or toward Heaven, we are getting bad bearings.

Trusting a bad compass never gets us where we intended to go. Lost, off course, out of gas, alone or destroyed are the words that describe the person who follows a bad compass. It may seem right, but in the end it leads to death. Bad compasses never lead toward light, real life or safety. God’s Word is the good compass. The Holy Spirit points in the way that we should go; His compass points to Heaven. Isaiah 48:17 (NIV) says it this way: I am the LORD, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go.

Check your compass! Make sure the maker of your guidance system is God.

Prayer: Holy Spirit, be my guide, my compass through life. Use your Word, Lord, to keep me on course, headed safely home to you. Amen.

January 15th

Great Treasure and True Value

Proverbs 15:6a, NIV

The house of the righteous contains great treasure.

I need to remember the limitless truth of God’s Word, in every situation and at every crossroad. 1 Timothy 6:6 reinforces this limitless truth: "But godliness with contentment is great gain." There are three adjectives that help to define the victorious walk of righteousness for me: simple, true, and trustworthy. When I seek to live a life pleasing to God, pursuing righteousness, not for any purpose other than to honor my Master, I begin to inherit great rewards from His own hand.

Righteous people enjoy great treasure. What does it look like?

Peace. Open fellowship with God, knowing the liberty of forgiveness and the embrace of adoption into His family is a top-level treasure. It is the no matter what Job talked about. Peace is ours as we pursue His presence and favor.

Joy. Joy is different than peace. It is as if peace opens the door for joy. Peace relates to resting from labor or liberty from peril. According to one commentator, it is the feeling of being comfortable and content at home. Joy is a heart-sprung contentment and happiness in our state of security in Christ.

Respect. Righteousness is not a shell of appearance or a façade of godly acts. It is a truth coming from deep springs of fellowship with God. Respect belongs to those who live within the full-on love in Christ. Believing as we do, we either gain respect or demonstrate our limited faith. The depth of commitment brings the respect of others. A prime example is the Rev. Billy Graham.

Finances and labors. God promises to protect our efforts. Everything that God is in is blessed. Malachi 3:11 (KJV) reveals His promise: And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the LORD of hosts.

Treasure rightly belongs in the house of the righteous. God lives there!

Prayer: If my home and my heart have you inside, I am a rich child of God. Help me today to check the balance of my account and make another deposit in honor of your fullness. The renewed life of righteousness to which you have called me brings favor from you. Teach me to use it for your glory! Amen.

January 16th

God’s Stamp of Success

Proverbs 16:3, NIV

Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.

Commit and commitment are not common words these days. Commitments are considered to be temporary, situational and, for the most part, opportunistic. Commit is an action word, a verb. It means to place effort, invest energy or link by intent. We should consider commit as we would the acts of exercise or employment. All three require steadfastness for true success.

When we commit what we do to the Lord, we are placing Him as chairman of the board of directors, as president (We do, after all, elect him as our leader.), and the chief operating officer of our venture. Committing whatever we do means that it will honor, reflect and please Him. As a return for this authority, God in rightful authority will bring success to our souls.

As a means of success, we commit when the Holy Spirit comes to us with an idea or when we willingly receive a check in our spirit. We commit when we personalize a powerful and anointed revelation as we digest His Word. To commit means we receive, believe and demonstrate through change and growth.

I love the words that Walter Martin spoke many years ago. He was the author and investigator for a book called, Kingdom of the Cults. He was asked about his work and he said that it was 10% inspiration and 90% perspiration. We need that kind of commitment in our lives. Often the finest works happen when God completely takes over, but we need to be willing to put our hands to the plow and not look back (Luke 9:62).

We succeed when we make key decisions and submit to God’s counsel. From renewed minds, more victory or success comes in the form of supernatural protection. God inhabits the praises of His people (Psalm 22:3). If your actions, your employ and your ventures praise God, He will inhabit and bless them. He never designed any of us to fail. God can make innumerable promises and then keep every one of them (2 Corinthians 1:20). We are only called to render the Amen which translates to So be it, Lord.

Commit. I want God to be blessed, honored and obeyed, as I determine to continue actively in His plan. I decide to act so that the Lord will be a part of my everyday activities, not just what I do in the ministry spotlight.

Will. There is no maybe in will. Definite intent is expected and assured; God’s action will take place, and we will be blessed as we will to act. (Feel free to reread that last phrase.)

Succeed. Notice, please, God calls them your plans. Your plans are your plans. He puts the dreams and ideas in our hearts so He can use, bless and prosper us. Success is guaranteed. Live that!

Prayer: God, only you can guarantee my success. All I need to do today is commit myself, my life, my actions to you, and I cannot, will not fail. Help me to lay my plans before the throne of your scrutiny. Allow me to seek your wisest counsel and then be willing to operate in the light of your blessings. Amen.

January 17th

With Restrained Words

Proverbs 17:27a, NIV

A man of knowledge uses words with restraint.

The capacity of my mouth is huge, giant and cavernous. Sometimes, I can get both feet in there at once! And once they are in, I can still keep right on talking. It isn’t necessarily a blessing being witty or quick, but then not knowing when to speak, or not speak. This is especially true when we use our words to seek to fit in or be popular.

Interestingly, Ecclesiastes 3:7b puts the proper speech pattern in place when it says first, a time to be silent, and then says, a time to speak. Perhaps it is written that way because silence is the default option. Here’s a quip that I wrote; it might help us: A mouth at rest builds no nest for the crow he might have to eat afterward.

Silence is certainly a person’s best choice, until the Spirit releases His wisdom into our hearts. I will confess the need to apologize over and over for things spoken in haste.

There is an iconic landmark a few miles from our home: the Quechee Gorge. It is a tightly cut river flow that is crossed by a single span bridge. The distance from the bridge to the river is around 165 feet. The scenery is magnificent, with beautiful views from all directions, yet it is a dangerous place. Traffic, sadness, disappointments and bad decisions to end lives have all led to tragic ends there.

Saying things that are not filtered through the mind of Christ and tempered by the Holy Spirit is like a man standing on that bridge, cutting open a feather pillow and releasing the down out into the wind. It is far easier to cast the feathers than to gather them afterwards. Words spoken in haste, with their barbs, razor edges, and careless rhetoric, all come to land someplace, just like those tiny feathers. They may land in someone’s tender heart, perhaps reinforcing past hurts and potentially limiting their openness to others later on. Importantly, those words always land before the throne of God, who hears all we say, every single word.

I want to learn to speak Jesus, a language that is full of both love and knowledge. Speech that is prophetically powerful, speaking to the heart of matters with understanding and sacrificial intent. When my mouth opens, how much better would it be to speak the words that Jesus did?

Speech: Words can heal, or they can sow destruction. The choice is ours. The value of speech ranges from noise to prophecy.

Caution: There is wisdom in proceeding in reverent fear and with heightened awareness. Caution in speech demonstrates our knowledge of the power of the words we speak, both into the lives of others and into the record of our own lives.

Dialect: Dialect is the identifying intonation of the language we speak, reflecting community, familial lineage and geographic association. What is the best dialect? The language of Christ. When we speak His language, we relate where and how we live and reveal our family heritage.

Psalm 19:14 (NIV) clearly reflects every person’s need to surrender our speech to the Master of all Words. May the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight.

Prayer: Above all else, you know the value of words. I need to be reminded today to speak and use the words which reflect your love and your passion for all the people around this world. Amen.

January 18th

A Fool’s Opinion

Proverbs 18:2, NIV

A fool finds no pleasure in understanding but delights in airing his own opinions.

Few things are more annoying or better fortified than a closed mind. And, to be real candid, most close minds come with open mouths! It is difficult to listen to people with the tendency to have one-way conversations. I have discovered it particularly irritating when the person has a different opinion from mine. ☺

In order to deal with these folks, we must sincerely find the mind of Christ. Our best approach comes when we learn to deal with them with the same grace and mercy which God patiently uses to polish out our own scratches and dents.

What made them this way? What familial, cultural, perhaps even traumatic events have locked their hearts and ears in protect mode? Has this person been publicly ridiculed for a lack of understanding? Are those aggressive words, used in their strident opinion, some indication that they feel vulnerable to the exposure of some deep hurt?

I must confess, until writing this devotional, I hadn’t spent the time looking for God’s wisdom in order to go beyond the surface of this verse. God isn’t just condemning the fool in this passage. He is factually revealing a type of people we may encounter, or even more dangerously, might be. His plan is that we recognize the issue and then respond in His compassion; the Lord is always willing to work on us; wise or foolish, there is room for growth.

If we are speaking with this type of person, we need to realize that a momentary, militarized response won’t likely change this heart. However, a demonstration of love, instead of a harsh tit for tat response may well be the opening for God’s healing virtue to flow to this closed soul.

If you find some of yourself in this verse, please don’t move on without taking a private moment with the Master. Ask the Lord to reveal and heal your hurts. There is amazing mercy found for our flaws, as we open to His tender voice of counsel and correction. Prejudices, anger from hurts, and the scars of ridicule can turn us into a type of walled city where we keep ourselves in protected places within our