Today's Verse: A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger. ~Proverbs 15:1 Publius once wisely said, “I have often regretted my speech, but never my silence.” I think all of us can think of one or more instances when we answered or reacted too quickly to something said to us, and later regretted that we spoke too soon. Solomon said in a later proverb, “a fool uttereth all his mind.” This morning, let us examine the virtue of a soft answer. We see a

Today's Verse: As vinegar to the teeth, and as smoke to the eyes, so is the sluggard to them that send him. ~Proverbs 10:26 Apple cider vinegar is touted as a natural way to help you in many ways. It is said to alleviate gout, lower blood sugar levels, and decrease risk of diabetes, lower cholesterol levels, and assist with weight loss. However, one of the side effects that a user must be careful of is its effects on the enamel of your teeth. Apple cider vinegar is acidic an

Today's Verse: The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it. ~Proverbs 10:22 Are you rich? According to Charles Schwab and Company you are considered rich if your net worth exceeds $2.4M. Being financially rich will depend on where you live and the cost of living. To be considered rich in Detroit, MI you need to have an annual income of $51,000. The extreme of this is you are not rich in Anchorage, Alaska unless your annual income does not exceed

Today's Verse: Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: ~Proverbs 6:6 When someone is served a notice, it is a formal announcement of great importance that requires his attention. Typically, a notice is served formally with a specified period of time to respond. This morning, we see a notice that God serves upon the sluggard. We see the nature of the sluggard. “Thou sluggard....” Sluggard is someone who is careless, complacent, indifferent, lazy, pro

Today's Verse: For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law. ~Proverbs 4:2 Proverbs 4 is the instruction of a father to his son. I believe it is a good pattern for parents to follow for the training and instruction of their children. As parents, we must have the conviction that we never cease from being teachers of good things to our children, grandchildren, and future descendants. A father’s instruction is classified as good doctrine. Doctrine is what we believe and

Today's Verse: My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction: For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth. ~Proverbs 3:11-12 An important aspect of raising children is the necessity of chastening or discipline. Chastening is exercised to correct bad and improper behavior in children. In Ephesians 6:4, parents are commanded to raise their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. The wor

Today's Verse: Honour the Lord with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine. ~Proverbs 3:9-10 Investing is putting your money to work so that you are making more money. It is when we place a sum of money into a business, a security, real estate, or hard assets with the hope that this amount will grow and the investment does well. Wise investing is when we invest in

Today's Verse: She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness. ~Proverbs 31:26 On page 2 of the December 1989 issue of "Bits and Pieces," it tells the following story. Mamie Adams always went to a branch post office in her town because the postal employees there were friendly. She went there to buy stamps just before Christmas one year and the lines were particularly long. Someone pointed out that there was no need to wait in line because there wa

Today's Verse: There is a generation that curseth their father, and doth not bless their mother. ~Proverbs 30:11 Sociologists have identified seven generational groups that are present in our society. There are the Traditionalists, who were born before 1945. There are the baby boomers, who represent everyone born between 1946 and 1964. There is Generation X, which includes those born between 1965 and 1976. There are the millennials, which include everyone born between 1977 a

Today's Verse: Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. ~Proverbs 30:5 During the hot summer months, most people know that extended time in the sun can put them at risk of developing skin cancer. Sunscreen is a protective lotion that can be applied to the parts of the body that will be exposed to the ultraviolet rays of the sun. The stronger the SPF factor, the greater the protection. Thus, sunscreen serves as a shield from the damagin

Today's Verse: He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy. ~Proverbs 28:13 All of us have experienced failure in one way or another. It could have been a failing grade on a test or class. It could have been a losing season. It could have been a business venture that went out of business. It could have been our inability to live up to a required standard of excellence. Failure hurts. Failure is a setback. Failure make

Today's Verse: The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion. ~Proverbs 28:1 What comes to your mind when you think of a lion? Lions have been labeled the king of the jungle. They are considered fierce, strong, and relentless. They are fearless and tactical hunters. They instill fear into the hearts of their prey. Peter describes a lion as a predator that walketh about, seeking whom it may devour. Solomon uses the boldness of a lion to describe t

Today's Verse: When thou sittest to eat with a ruler, consider diligently what is before thee: And put a knife to thy throat, if thou be a man given to appetite. ~Proverbs 23:1-2 One of the most frightening circumstances that could happen to you is having someone put a sharp knife to your throat. The slightest resistance could result in the perpetrator using the knife to cut your throat and causing you to bleed to death. You don’t want to do anything that results in your inj

Today's Verse: A wise man scaleth the city of the mighty, and casteth down the strength of the confidence thereof. ~Proverbs 21:22 Strategic planning occurs when a person or a committee of people write out a plan of action for the accomplishment of a stated goal or assignment. This plan assigns responsibilities, establishes processes and timelines, and identifies the people who will get it done. It thinks through the what, the how, and the when. It takes something that start

Today's Verse: The words of king Lemuel, the prophecy that his mother taught him. ~Proverbs 31:1 Today we honor mothers everywhere. We owe a debt of gratitude to Anna Jarvis for diligently encouraging her state legislature in West Virginia to recognize all mother’s one Sunday a year. This noble deed resulted in our Congress passing legislation that made Mother’s Day an official day of recognition on the second Sunday of every May. Today we acknowledge the lives and ministrie

Today's Verse: The glory of young men is their strength: and the beauty of old men is the grey head. ~Proverbs 20:29 Solomon made many wise summations when the Holy Spirit moved him to write the book of Proverbs. Proverbs helps us to understand the right pursuits in life, how to be the right person, how to make right decisions, and how to develop the right people skills. God allowed Solomon to listen to and gain counsel from every facet of human experience. Our devotion this

Today's Verse: A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother. ~Proverbs 18:24 “Crazy Glue” is the brand name of an adhesive substance that bonds things together very well. I have used Crazy Glue to bond broken items. Its very name speaks of how well it bonds the most difficult things together. Our devotion this morning speaks to us about relationships that are to be like “Crazy Glue.” We see the camaraderie.

Today's Verse: As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, so honour is not seemly for a fool. ~Proverbs 26:1 A con man is a cheater who is deceitful and fraudulent. He takes advantage of other people for his personal gain. Proverbs 26 speaks to us about three types of con men. There is the conceited man who is proud and full of himself. There is the contemptuous man who despises God, goodness, and righteousness. There is the contentious man who is a troublemaker. Each of the

Today's Verse: Heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop: but a good word maketh it glad. ~Proverbs 12:25 Everyone gets discouraged. Whenever events in our life result in a setback, or we experience a serious challenge that leaves us feeling weak and vulnerable, we can find ourselves becoming discouraged. A heavy heart is when we are sad, lonely, defeated, and lacking a desire to go on. However, God in His infinite love for us brings us encouragement when we need it the

Today's Verse: She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness. ~Proverbs 31:26 Are you someone whom others would say is kind? I believe most of us respond well to those who exercise kindness to us. I believe most of us try to practice kindness in our interactions with others. Alexander Maclaren said, “Kindness makes a person attractive. If you would win the world, melt it, do not hammer it.” This morning, let us consider what Solomon calls “the