Treasures of Wisdom Day 1
“And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the LORD, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.”
Job 28:28
There is a two-fold wisdom; one hidden in God, which is secret and does not belong to us; the other made known by Him and revealed to us (man). The knowledge of God’s revealed wisdom is within our reach, and according to Proverbs 9:10-11 “Wisdom begins with respect for the Lord, and will add years to your life.” Wisdom is to fear the Lord and to depart from evil. Get the revelation of that and you have learned enough. Where is this wisdom to be found? The treasures of it are hid in Christ, revealed by the Word and received by faith, through the Holy Ghost. Its worth is more divine than all the riches in this world. It is a gift freely given by the Holy Ghost which cannot be bought with money. Let whatever is most precious in God’s heart, be in ours as well. Amen.
April Mayers
Day 2 Christ Crucified
“But we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness, but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.”
1 Corinthians 1:23,24
Man has had it all messed up since the Garden of Eden. The serpent tempted Eve by telling her God was keeping something from her – that God did not want them “to be like Him.” In fact, the very opposite was true. God gave them every opportunity to live a life of joy, peace and fellowship with Him but they traded it away. God had already created them in His image!
The truth is God loves us in spite of our turning from Him. God sent Jesus to demonstrate that love to us but we rejected him. Jesus dying on the cross looked like victory to Satan and defeat to mankind. But when He arose from that grave, He changed everything!
The real loser is the one who does not receive Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.
Pastor Paul Pierce
Well Taught Children Day 3
“Children in whom was no blemish, but well favoured, and skilful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had ability in them to stand in the king’s palace…”
Daniel 1:4
God’s plan was that Daniel should be raised up in childhood to be full of wisdom and knowledge. We should take this example and apply it to raising our own children and praying that this same favor and wisdom be endowed to them.
However, it is not sufficient just to pray for them to have wisdom. You must instruct them on how to read and study the Bible, how to live a daily life of prayer and communion with God, and how to apply what they learn to their lives.
Make a daily confession over your children based on Isaiah 54:13 that all of your children shall be taught of the Lord and great shall be their peace. Imagine the powerful leaders they will become as adults in God’s kingdom!
Linda Stradley
Day 4 Fear of the Lord
“And the Lord commanded us to do all these statutes, to [reverently] fear the Lord our God for our good always, that He might preserve us alive, as it is this day.”
Deuteronomy 6:24
Psalm 111:10, Proverbs 9:10
I understand that the fear of the Lord has much to do with wisdom. God has said in His Word that wisdom is to be desired and is more precious than gold. But, what does it mean to fear the Lord? Webster’s dictionary says, “The fear of God is a holy awe or reverence of God and His laws, which springs from a just view and real love of the divine character, leading the subjects of it to hate and shun everything that can offend such a holy being, and inclining them to aim at perfect obedience.” There are so many benefits to those who fear the Lord; He takes pleasure in them (Psalm 147:11), they will find knowledge of God (Psalm 25:12), He preserves them alive (Deuteronomy 6:24), He will fulfill their desires (Psalm 145:19), prolongs one’s days (Proverbs 10:27). The list could go on and on but, wisdom is the one thing that is more precious than gold (Proverbs 3:15).
Patricia Rodgers
Sunday’s Coming Day 5
“The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.”
Luke 24:7
We hear, it’s Friday many times during the Easter season. Christ has been crucified. He paid the ultimate price to redeem us from sin. He was placed in the tomb on Friday, but, oh, on Sunday the situation changed. Jesus rose triumphant.
In our lives many of us are experiencing a Friday. Things look hopeless. But look up, your redemption is nigh. Sunday’s coming! Things are not always as they seem. Jesus Christ is Lord over all! Lay hold of His Word. “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you. For I am the LORD your God, The Holy One of Israel, your Savior;” Isaiah 43:2,3a
Doubt not in your heart and watch the darkness turn to light. You’re going through to the other side.
Beverly Oulman
Day 6 What Really Matters?
“Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.”
Ecclesiastes 1:2
This verse really reminds me not to take this life or anything in it too seriously. I know it feels good to buy something new or think we have accomplished something great, but we all need to realize that without God we are nothing and if we aren’t following His plan for our life we are just spinning our wheels. So many people get caught up in the traps of this world that they forget it is all about loving God and loving people. We have an eternity to consider. Why do we stress so much about the vanities of this life? There are so many precious souls who need to know the truth of God’s love. Today I want to encourage you to relax and rest in God, knowing that He has everything under control. The Lord will give you the wisdom you need.He will turn your focus to what really matters and guide you every step of the way.
Kathy Rogillio
Rise Up Day 7
In Exodus 8:20, “The LORD said unto Moses, Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh; …and say unto him, … ‘Let my people go, that they may serve me.’” Again in Exodus 9:13, “The LORD said unto Moses, ‘Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh, and say unto him, … Let my people go, that they may serve me.’”And finally in Exodus 12:31, “He called for Moses and Aaron by night, and said, ‘Rise up, …and go, serve the LORD, as ye have said.’”
It’s going to take discipline and obedience to rise up early and seek God’s face for His Will in our lives. He will instruct us when and how to move, through our leadership, guided by His spirit, for the ultimate purpose of setting His people free.
None of these things would be possible if our Lord Jesus did not rise up early on the third day in order to set as many free that will receive Him. But how can they hear without a preacher?Church, it’s truly time to rise up, to become a great leader by being a great follower of Jesus. Together, we can help save a lost and dying world for Him. So “Rise Up, illuminate, let all the people celebrate. He’s risen victorious, in majesty He’s glorious, Jesus is alive!”
Pastor Chris Breaux
Day 8 Everything Happens for a Reason
“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven:”
Ecclesiastes 3:1
Being aware of what season the Lord has us in can help us overcome the challenges that we may face. Everything happens for a reason. The Lord allows certain things to take place according to His Will. There are times and seasons that takes place in life and wisdom helps us determine where we are. The Lord knows what He is doing and He knows what is best for us. He displayed his unfailing love for us when He shed His blood on the cross. Trusting in the Lord will always produce a better outcome than trusting in yourselves, this is wisdom.
John Foster
Wise Choices Day 9
“For wisdom will enter your heart,knowledge will fill you with joy. Wise choices will watch over you. Understanding will keep you safe.”
Proverbs 2:10-11
Proverbs tells us that wisdom, which is the key to a happy life, comes from God. As we continue seeking God, following His Word and asking Him to guide us by His wisdom, we will increasingly be able to make wise choices in all areas of our lives.
Beverly Daniels
Day 10 Paybacks
“If a man pays back evil for good, evil will never leave his house.”
Proverbs 17:13
If someone does something good for you and you pay him back by doing something evil to him, evil will never leave your life. Evil is like cancer; its whole purpose is to destroy good. It eats away at the good things little by little. As it eats away at the good things it grows bigger. As it grows, it needs somewhere to live so it lives in your house or inside of you until there isn’t any room for good.
Getting rid of evil is sometimes very hard because it clings to you and holds on to whatever spot that it can. But there is a solution. It’s called prayer, love and the name of Jesus. So when someone does an evil deed to you, don’t fight their actions with more evil. Do good to them and break the hold that evil seeks to maintain.
Dear God, allow my house to always be filled with Your Spirit of Love and Peace and help me to maintain the peace to love those who do evil toward me.
Susan Martin
Teach Your Children Day 11
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.”
Proverbs 3:5-6
As a mother and grandmother, I realize how important it is to teach your children about God’s wisdom and how to live a godly life. Proverbs 22:6 says, “Train a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not turn from it.” As Christian parents, we are under an obligation to fulfill this command. Our children face more temptation in the world today than ever before. Peer pressure, drugs, alcohol and sexual immorality all take their toll on our youth. Spiritual warfare is here and we must do all we can to teach our children to trust God and let Him guide their paths.
God’s wisdom and worldly wisdom are very opposite. God wants us to remain separate from the world and live apart from worldly pleasures. The devil and his army are ever ready to pounce and destroy. If we pray constantly for God’s wisdom, He will help keep our paths straight.
Rosa Turner
Day 12 A Cleansing
“I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols.”
Ezekiel 36:25
Have you ever noticed on rainy days you hear people saying how they would like to just stay home, curl up on the couch with a good movie and just do nothing? They just feel yuck. No energy, just yuck. God gives the rain to cleanse, to water the earth and to refresh all that He has made. I believe that is true of His people also. We should take notice. Maybe, He is telling us to stop all the running around we do. We need to come to him for our cleansing and refreshing.
Instead of the movie we wanted to watch, why not curl up with a book? That is to say “THE GOOD BOOK, GOD’S HOLY WORD, THE BIBLE.” Spend some time with God. He will take away the gloom and depression that settles on us and replace it with His glorious presence and love. After all, He is the “Light of the World.”
Donna Rodgers
Let Go of Anger…Quickly Day 13
“So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast.”
Genesis 4:5b
Cain had been doing wrong and he knew very well that his brother’s life was better than his; jealousy entered his heart.
When God rejected his offering, he had no thought of repentance, only revenge. He said to Abel, his brother, “Let us go out to the field.” When they came to the field, Cain rose up against Abel and killed him.
Just like Cain, anyone who hates his Christian brother is really a murderer at heart. We are to love one another as Christ loved us. A man of wisdom never gives opportunity to the devil by letting anger, exasperation, fury or indignation last until the sun goes down. (Ephesians 4:26)
Judy Rogillio
Day 14 Guilty by Association
“The righteous should choose his friends carefully, For the way of the wicked leads them astray.”
Proverbs 12:26
As is true of most parents, mine were always giving me advice. One of their favorites was that I should be careful who I hung around because if my friends did something wrong, I would be “guilty by association.” I would always try to argue that people who knew me wouldn’t jump to the conclusion that I was involved just because my friends did something wrong, but I always knew my parents were right.
The way I see it, there are two dangers to having the “wrong” friends. If you are always with someone who is doing wrong you are just as responsible as they are, even if you don’t participate. The other threat is that you usually become like the people you associate with.
Now that I am a parent, and can give unsolicited advice, I tell my children that they should socialize with people they want to be more like.
Marion Horta
How to Succeed Day 15
It is very hard to know what to do at times. This life is not easy to figure out!
God is so faithful! When we are at a crossroads or a problem comes up that is too big for us to handle, He has given us the plan to succeed.
1. Pray and when you think you have if figured out seek counsel.
“Without counsel, plans go awry, But in the multitude of counselors they are established.” Proverbs 15:22
2. When you seek counsel, make sure that your advisors know the Lord.
“The mouth of the righteous speaks wisdom, And his tongue talks of justice. The law of his God is in his heart; None of his steps shall slide.” Psalm 37:30-31
3. And most importantly when you have done all of the above. Follow the advice!
”Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” James 4:7
Kathy Rogillio
Day 16 Seek God’s Wisdom
“And the speech pleased the LORD, that Solomon had asked this thing.”
1 Kings 3:10
When the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream and said to him, “Ask what shall I give thee”, Solomon asked for wisdom. This pleased God so much that He promised Solomon not only wisdom, but riches, honor and long life if Solomon would continue to walk in the Lord’s way.
As we make our way through this life on earth, we should also be asking God for His wisdom and understanding. We are constantly being faced with decisions that will have either a positive or negative impact on our lives. Whether you are a teenager faced with the temptations of youth, a married couple dealing with family issues or an older person trying to adjust to the changes you are experiencing, it pleases God if we seek His wisdom.
Seeking God’s wisdom and following His ways will help us avoid the pitfalls that plague our world today and give us honor in God’s eyes.
Jim Turner
I Want That! Day 17
“Blessings crown the head of the righteous, but violence overwhelms the mouth of the wicked.”
Proverbs 10:6
There are two types of people in the world; those who love God and those who don’t! It’s easy to distinguish between the two because of the lifestyles they live. Those who love God seem to always help and love people. Those who don’t, seem to always be involved in activities that bring harm, emotional turmoil and some sort of anguish to the lives of others.
We should live in a continuous state of self-examination.Are we living for our crowns or do our lifestyles cause violence to flow from our mouths? What type of pressure would it take for us to go from good to bad, even if only for a moment? If we experience one of those moments, does that mean that we are wicked or does it mean that we merely lost control for a moment? Can we afford to lose control, especially when those we love and who depend on us are watching?
We have to constantly work to be the righteous person who can wear the crown of blessings. Our lifestyles should be such that everyone who sees us will say, “I want some of what he has.”
Ashanti Witherspoon
Day 18 Ask For Wisdom
“If any lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.”
James 1:5
Many people think of asking God for healing and blessings and for help in getting through tough situations. But as you see it says right here to ask for wisdom. I can tell you from personal experience that if you ask for wisdom from God in the name of Jesus and believe you have received it, then God will grant it to you. The Bible also makes reference to God granting wisdom. Proverbs 2:3-6 and 1 Kings 3:9-10 confirms the fact that God does grant wisdom.
Having made you aware of this fact it is your responsibility to now go to the Father in the name of Jesus and ask for wisdom.
Trey Hereford
Two Sides to Every Story Day 19
“The first to present his case seems right, till another comes forward and questions him.”
Proverbs 18:17
Do you realize how quickly we can pass judgment and have offense settle on our heart? Have you ever had someone run up to tell you “their side of the story?” How many times have I fallen into that trap of the devil? You hear the first side and make your mind up on the matter without hearing the other person’s version. In my experience there are usually two sides to a story and then there’s the truth which is usually somewhere in between.
I encourage you to always hear both sides of an issue before forming an opinion. This will spare you from looking foolish, from hurting people, as well as, taking up an offense for someone else in a matter that has nothing to do with you.
“Lord, help me to keep an open mind, not to take sides or place judgment, when I should be exhibiting the fairness and love of your character.”
Jeannie Sinclair
Day 20 The Sweetest Sound
“Death and life are in the power of the tongue.”
Proverbs 18:21a
When I first read this verse, I thought of when I was a little girl and my brothers and I would argue.Inevitably, my mom or dad would tell us, “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all.”After meditating a bit on this scripture, I realized that not saying mean things is only half of the equation.It’s quite obvious that we can destroy someone if we always put them down, but think of the affect we can have if we try to encourage someone with our words.
I once read that the sweetest sound a person could hear was the sound of their name spoken by someone they love.Imagine hearing your name in conjunction with a statement of appreciation or a compliment for a job well done.That’s like adding a double portion of God’s power into someone’s life!
All of us must think before we speak and, whenever possible, encourage or edify one another.We will be speaking life into each other’s existence.
Marion Horta
Patience Day 21
“Therefore I will look to the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation; My God will hear me.”
Micah 7:7
Knowing I cannot make it through life by myself, I’ve found I don’t have a problem looking unto the Lord with the sure knowledge He will hear me. When we know He has heard, we know we have an answer coming; yes, no or wait. The problem comes with that four letter word, wait, that the Lord is in the process of teaching us. His ways are higher than ours and perfect. He is always on time, even if it’s right to the minute, where He’s often brought me. He is teaching us to trust in Him with all our heart and lean not to our own understanding. Proverbs 3:5 Some learn this quickly, many of us are still a work in progress. Praise God!
Beverly Oulman
Day 22 Wisdom
“My son, if you receive my words, And treasure my commands within you, So that you incline your ear to wisdom, And apply your heart to understanding; Yes, if you cry out for discernment, And lift up your voice for understanding, If you seek her as silver, And search for her as for hidden treasures; Then you will understand the fear of the LORD, And find the knowledge of God. For the LORD gives wisdom; From His mouth come knowledge and understanding;”
Proverbs 2:1-6
The wisdom of the Lord supersedes any other form of wisdom. When we need direction and insight, it’s beneficial for us to lean not to our own understanding but in all our ways to acknowledge Him and He will direct our paths. (Proverbs 3:5-6) Many times this is difficult to put into practice simply because we like to figure out everything. The Lord always knows what the next step is and we should begin to trust Him at His Word. There is a reward for heeding to wisdom and the wisdom of the Lord will never lead us astray. If there is a need for wisdom, we must ask the Lord and He will reveal to us the path which we are to take.
John Foster
Raising Leaders Day 23
“And Moses called Bezaleel and Aholiab, and every wise hearted man, in whose heart the Lord had put wisdom, even every one whose heart stirred him up to come unto the work to do it:”
Exodus 36:2
We must pray for our current church members and those who are drawn to Miracle Place that God will place wisdom in their hearts. Pray diligently for those who are seeking a place to participate in ministry here at MPC that God will stir up their hearts to come and perform God’s work here.
Once God draws them, it is our responsibility to fully prepare them to go into all the world and preach the gospel, teaching them to observe all that God has commanded them. We prepare them so their wisdom increases by teaching the Word through services, our education classes, small groups and hands-on involvement in their chosen ministry.
We pray that we yield fruit and that our fruit will remain.
Linda Stradley
Day 24 Just the Facts!
“So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.”
James 1:19-20
People sometimes are quick to speak and don’t spend enough time processing what they hear. We tend to automatically draw all of our information from past experiences. They say our reaction is 90% of what has happened in the past and 10% of what is happening now. Those experiences may be similar but they are not the same. Just waiting a few minutes to hear, can change everything. Anger comes from not knowing all of the facts! I don’t know about you but I do not enjoy the feelings that come with anger. I would much rather walk in the righteousness of God. So let us try to get all of the facts, and be extra kind to one another. Remember we are all in a battle.
Pastor Danny Rogillio
Got Wisdom? Day 25
“Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or swerve from them.”
Proverbs 4:5
To stay on the right path we have to follow God’s instruction. When God speaks to us, we have to stand still and listen. It is so easy to get off-track. We need to make sure our priorities are in line. We have to pray to God for understanding of His Word so that we may know His Word. When we need His Word, He is always there. He will never leave us nor forsake us.
Pastor Charles R. Byrd
Day 26 Listen to God
“…but they did not listen to Moses on account of their despondency and cruel bondage.”
Exodus 6:9
In doing a precept Bible study, I came across this statement explaining Exodus, “Sometimes the pain is so great, the spirit so weak, we fail to listen to God.” What this spoke to me is that sometimes we allow “the pain” (financial worries, marital problems, problems with children) to overtake us. And “the spirit so weak,” we become tired of the daily battles and struggles. At this point we become so buried in self pity and hopelessness that “we fail to listen to God.” Maybe not intentionally but it still happens. What we have to do is take David’s advice in Psalm 27. 1) Express your confidence in God. 2) Pray for continued victory. 3) Rejoice while you wait on God.
Kathy Galloway
What Do You See? Day 27
“Let love and faithfulness never leave you;them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man.”
Proverbs 3:3-4
When we look around us we see all sorts of people; politicians, business professionals, mothers, fathers, teachers, ministers, singers, etc.
When we look at each of these people, what type of pictures appear in your mind or feelings stir in your heart about that person? Do thoughts of happiness and comfort fill your being, or are there thoughts of anguish, dread or even anger and hate that manifest?Whatever thoughts or feelings you have about that person have come about because of something that person has done or hasn’t done.
What thoughts come to your mind when you think about yourself? What thoughts come to the minds of others when they think about you? If we will merely let love and faithfulness become a part of our life, as indicated in this Psalm, then we will have a good name in the sight of God and man and we will win favor everywhere we go.
Ashanti Witherspoon
Day 28 A Tree and Its Fruit
“Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.”
Matthew 7:19-20
Recently we had a major freeze across the states. Some states were hit harder than others. Our fruit trees suffered a tremendous freeze to the point of total loss. As I listened to the news about these fruit trees I was reminded of how our Lord says we should bear good fruit. It made me stop and do some soul searching, looking at what kind of fruit I was bearing, as it should everyone. What kind of fruit is on your tree? Is it good or bad? Or was it good fruit that has gotten frozen.
Heavenly Father I ask in the name of Jesus that you will help us to bear good fruit for Your Kingdom so when we come before You we will hear, “Well done good and faithful servant.”
Donna Rodgers
Pay Attention Day 29
“My son, pay attention to my wisdom; listen carefully to my wise counsel. Then you will learn to be discreet and will store up knowledge.”
Proverbs 5:1-2
These verses are very intriguing. The very beginning of the passage starts out with an eye opener. He says, PAY ATTENTION to HIS wisdom. Whose voice are you listening to? Can you hear Him saying to you, “Listen carefully to My wise counsel.” Don’t allow the voices of the world to drive you into making a fleshly decision. Lean on His understanding and leading and you will see that the wisdom He offers will not lead you astray.
Father, today I pray that You will help me to hear only Your counsel. The influence You have over my decisions are life to me. Amen.
Pastor Tim Pierce
Day 30 Lost and Found
“My brethren, if any among you strays from the truth and one turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.”
James 5:19-20
Be careful if you think you could never fall into sin, for many have. We are to be our brother’s keeper. In other words, we are to help one another stay on track.
James urges the restoration of those who have fallen. A person may wander from the truth of the gospel in either belief or conduct or both. By bringing the errant one to repentance and confession, forgiveness is obtained. He is saved from death and his sins are covered.
God heals the backslider when he returns to the Lord. (Jeremiah 3:22)
It is wisdom to bring the erring one back to God.
Judy Rogillio
Call on Jesus Day 31
“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”
Romans 12:21
There will always be someone we will come in contact with that will push our buttons. They will come against us. They may talk about us or talk harshly to us. They will hurt our feelings. They will try to provoke us and make us mad. As human beings, our natural response is to become angry and sink to their level by arguing, hollering or even violence. At that moment, we have a choice: to be overcome by their evil actions and act the same way they do or to do as God repeatedly says and overcome evil with good. The way to do this is to call on the mighty name of Jesus Christ. Sometimes it can be hard to do when someone is screaming at you. But when you do, Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace, will meet you right where you are. He is love. He will give you a calmness and peace that will enable you to handle any situation the right way. When you are calm in the middle of a storm, others will notice and react in a more positive way. You can overcome when you call on Jesus!
Al Hart
Day 32 Friend of God
“No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.”
John 15:15
Most scripture is not self-explanatory. To be encouraging, Jesus said that He calls us friends and tells us all things which He heard from God. What more wisdom could we want than that? Although it takes us being open to hear His voice Jesus is wisdom and He will give us the wisdom to understand,we ask Him.When we make ourselves available to God, He sees our willingness and our desire to hear Him. Just knowing that the Spirit of God lives in us, is encouraging. Give Him the glory for His wisdom.
Patti Rodgers
Handling Finances Day 33
“Of what use is money in the hand of a fool, since he has no desire to get wisdom?”
Proverbs 17:16
Money often slips through our hands if we don’t know how to handle it. We need to pray to God for wisdom in the situation of handling money. God trusts us with a little to see how we manage a small portion before He gives us more. Use wisdom in all you do for the Kingdom of God.
Pastor Charles R. Byrd
Day 34 Giving Forth Light
“The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.”
Proverbs 11:30
The wise man will harvest not just the temporal but also the eternal. Because of his wisdom, he will shine as the brightness of the firmament, giving forth light to lost souls, turning many to uprightness and right standing with God, capturing human lives as a fisher of men, gathering them for eternity.
Judy Rogillio
Guard Your Lips Day 35
“He who guards his lips guards his life, but he who speaks rashly comes to ruin.”
Proverbs 13:3
The Word teaches us that life and death are in the power of the tongue, and we shall eat the fruit thereof. That statement is simple and to the point. We have to guard and be conscious of the words that we speak.
Do you remember the expressions on the faces of everyone you spoke to today? Did their expressions reflect a sense of happiness in what you said, or did their faces look confused, angry or stern? Did your statements bring life to your relationship with them, or were they said in such a way as to bring a wedge between you?
Our words are very powerful. It doesn’t matter if they are spoken loudly or in a soft tone. They will either bring life, or they will bring ruin. They will either inspire or they will bring feelings of defeat. Let’s be an example of life and not ruin.
Ashanti Witherspoon
Day 36 Commitment
Commitment means understanding who is in charge. When we commit to something, we can not just give a corner of ourselves, we have to give it all (surrender), carrying out our commitment. Stop talking about it and live it. Just do it! Luke 14:27 says, “Anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.” Committing to something and following through with your commitment is a visual way of showing who you are and what you represent. Claiming with words that you are a Christian (disciple) and not having the faith in Christ that He will give you strength and meet all your needs will only give others watching you discouragement. “Let your no be NO and let your yes be YES,” says the Lord. Submit to the Lordship of Jesus Christ and stop making a lot of noise about it. To love Him is to love His ways, even when we don’t understand. In John 14:15, Jesus tells His disciples, “If you love me, you will obey my commands.” Go ahead and let the Holy Spirit take up permanent residence in your heart and life. Move forward with your life. Let God be in charge. You will never be the same. Just imagine that!
April Mayers
The Good Old Days Day 37
“Don’t long for “the good old days.” This is not wise. Wisdom is even better when you have money. Both are a benefit as you go through life. Wisdom and money can get you almost anything, but only wisdom can save your life.”
Ecclesiastes 7:10-12
Have you found yourself in a place where you are longing for the good old days? Look at these verses, what days are you living in? Are they any different? I’ll venture to say that they are not. We are constantly in a mode of trying to achieve more but wisdom is the only way that your life can be saved. Take a look at verses 13-14; “Notice the way God does things; then fall into line. Don’t fight the ways of God, for who can straighten out what he has made crooked? Enjoy prosperity while you can. But when hard times strike, realize that both come from God. That way you will realize that nothing is certain in this life.”
Lord Jesus, help me to follow after Your wisdom. Help me to fall into line with Your Word. Show me that in good times or bad, You are the only certainty that I have. Amen.
Pastor Tim Pierce
Day 38 Your Heart’s Desire
“What the wicked dreads will overtake him; what the righteous desire will be granted.”
Proverbs 10:24
When you live a wicked life Satan rules your steps. He only wants to kill, steal and destroy. He will make you think that you are something that you are not. Then he will let all evil attack and rule your life. When you live a righteous life God will send His angels to fight for you and He will give you whatever your heart desires.
As you grow in the Lord, you will see that your desires grow more for His Will in your life. You realize that the things you desire today will be different tomorrow.
What is your heart’s desire? I challenge you to take it to God and see Him grant it for you. Don’t give up! Remember that His timing is not our timing and all things work together for the good of them who love Him.
Lord, thank you for making me righteous for You so that all of the desires of my heart will be granted in accordance with Your wonderful and holy will.
Susan Martin
Put God First Day 39
“But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”
Matthew 6:33
Sometimes in life, we go through trials. We try to control situations and circumstances. When we are in the middle of it, we can only see the desired outcome. For instance, when I started to follow Christ, I wanted to be free from addictions, I wanted to have my children live with me and I wanted a home, a wife and a normal life. God showed me, through this verse, that in order for me to receive these things, I had to put God first. That meant everything else had to go on the back burner. At first it was hard to forget about the things I wanted, but as I started seeking God, devoting my attention to Him and learning His ways, things started happening. I got free from addictions. I started to get my life back. Less than a year later, my kids decided they wanted to come and live with me. Soon after, I was blessed with a mobile home. Everything I desired, I have received or it is on the way. He even gives blessings beyond our desires. One of the greatest blessings God puts in our life is people. Be encouraged! Whatever you are going through, put God first and everything else will fall into place.
Al Hart
Day 40 God Knows the Heart
“All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, But the LORD weighs the spirits.”
Proverbs 16:2
As I read this verse, I thought of the many truly evil men throughout history – Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini, Saddam Hussein. These men followed their own ways and believed without a doubt that what they did was the right thing to do.
Before I was saved, I had convinced myself that because I was a good person and did good things that I was certainly going to heaven. It wasn’t until I was exposed to the truth of God’s Word that I realized that I was completely wrong.
Don’t be a fool and try to do things your own way. The only way to know if you are living according to God’s will is to judge yourself by God’s Word.
Marion Horta
Tags Day 41
“If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.”
Mark 8:38
Have you ever noticed that when a person’s tag is sticking out, someone always comes along and pushes it back into their shirt. Even a complete stranger will do this. I’m just as guilty. I don’t know why we do this, but you know, as Christians, we are a tag of the Lord’s. Of course our tag says “servant” or “I belong to God.” As Christians we need to leave our tag out. Let the world know who and what we are. We don’t need to keep our tag discreetly tucked inside. I say stand up for Jesus because I know He stands up for us. So the next time you push someone’s tag back into their shirt, also remind them that Jesus loves them.
Donna Rodgers
Day 42 Obey God
“But on Cain and his offering He did not look with favor.”
Genesis 4:5f
God most likely did not respect Cain’s sacrifice, an offering of the fruit of the ground, because he did not offer it in faith-obedience, as opposed to Abel’s offering of the firstlings of his flock.
The key is, you have to do things God’s way or it isn’t going to work out, no matter how good you may feel about what you are doing.
Our worship must conform to His demands and not to what seems right in our own eyes. Obedience is better than sacrifice; it’s always wise to obey God. (1 Samuel 15:22)
Judy Rogillio
A God of Second Chances Day 43
“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. For by me your days will be multiplied, And years of life will be added to you.”
Proverbs 9:10-11
Today I was listening to a message about a man who had many regrets. As I was listening I thought back over my life and I was remembering the death of my dad. Unfortunately I have some regrets, because at the time I had little knowledge of the Lord. I wish I could have encouraged him with God’s Word! My dad was saved, and he was so hungry and desperate to learn more about the Lord.
I now know the importance of wisdom and instruction, and I, too, am hungry and desperate to learn more. We should not waste any time in establishing the knowledge of our Lord and Savior in our life. It is essential to our being able to minister to people. Thankfully, God is a God of second chances, and since that time God has given me many opportunities to speak His Word into the lives of others.
Kathy Rogillio
Day 44 What’s In Your Eye?
“Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye?”
Matthew 7:4
I think it is interesting that the Bible refers to sin as being in your eye. The Lord could have said this another way. I think about the fact that when we are in sin, that it causes us not to see right. Our vision becomes distorted, we tend to justify the things that we are doing wrong and we miss God. Without vision we perish. It is very important to see clearly. The only thing that can come between us and God is unforgiven sin. Ignoring sin doesn’t make it go away. Even if it is just a speck, it must be recognized and repented of. In 1 John 1:9 it says, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”. Then we will see clearly.
Pastor Danny Rogillio
Hide and Seek Day 45
“It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honor of the Kings is to search out a matter.”
Proverbs 25:2
Secret things belong unto Him, and they are kept by Him: many things which He does reveal, yet the manner of them remains hidden; as what relates to His own beginning, the trinity of Persons in the Godhead; the virgin birth of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ; infilling of the Holy Spirit, etc. These are at present secrets in Him. Now it is His glory to conceal them; they are all known to Him, and the reasons of them; He is the omniscient, all wise God.
The secret things that Kings search for is the wisdom of God. Like the game we played as children called hide and seek, you had to search in the best hiding places. You didn’t give up until you found the other children. In 1 Kings 8:12, Solomon said, “The Lord said that He would dwell in the thick darkness.” Jeremiah 29:13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. God desires to be found, keep seeking.
Pastor Isiah Davenport
Day 46 The Beginning of Wisdom
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. For by me your days will be multiplied, and years of life will be added to you. If you are wise, you are wise for yourself, and if you scoff, you alone will bear it.”
Proverbs 9:10-12
Are you a mocker or a wise person? You can tell by the way you respond to criticism. Instead of tossing back a quick put-down or clever retort when rebuked, listen to what is being said – learn from your critics. This is the path to wisdom. Wisdom begins with knowing God. He gives insight into living because He created life. Do you really want to be wise? Get to know God better.
“If any of you lack wisdom, he should ask God who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.” (James 1:5) By wisdom, James is talking not only about knowledge but about the ability (wisdom) to make wise decisions in difficult circumstances. The beginning of wisdom denotes the final outcome of all wise decisions.
David Alexander
True Wisdom? Day 47
“But true wisdom and power are with God; counsel and understanding are his. What he destroys cannot be rebuilt. When he closes in on someone, there is no escape. If he holds back the rain, the earth becomes a desert. If he releases the waters, they flood the earth. Yes, strength and wisdom are with him; deceivers and deceived are both in his power.”
Job 12:13-16
Where do you think true wisdom comes from? Sometimes we can make decisions that jump out in front of God. According to these scriptures there is nowhere we can go to get away from His power. Ultimately God is in control and we should never think that we can ever be ahead of His leading.
Dear Lord, please help me follow YOUR leading and grant me the wisdom and strength to completely trust in You. Amen
Pastor Tim Pierce
Day 48 Let God Heal Your Hurts
“Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.”
1 Peter 5:7
You must open up your heart and seek God and let Him heal you because He has already made provision for you. You have to be willing to let Him heal you. It may be very painful. Your flesh and mind will fight you. You may need to seek help from a Christian friend or family member or someone at church as the body of Christ is one body. The key step is to let God do something. You are keeping yourself from experiencing the fullness of God’s calling and blessings on your life. You need to replace the hurt and pain in your heart with the Word of God.
It is important to seek God to be healed and continue to seek God after you get healed of your past hurts and offenses. Your seeking should include spending daily time reading and studying the Bible, praying and worshiping God, and attending and getting involved at church. Continue to educate yourself in the Word.
Linda Stradley
Time to _____ ? Day 49
“There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven—”
Ecclesiastes 3:1
In this chapter, Solomon states that there is a time for everything… to be born and to die, a time to cry and to laugh, a time to keep and to throw away and a time to love and to hate. What we need to learn is that this goes for everything. There is a time to learn and a time to teach others. There is a time to be helped and a time to help others. Before we take the time to do any of these things, we need to take the time to be with God. Take the time to study His word, to talk to Him, to ask Him how we are to do His will, or in other words, “God, is this a time to ___________?”
Kathy Galloway
Day 50 Wisdom for New Things
“Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things I now declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them.”
Isaiah 42:9
I can say that I have experienced this over and over. I look and see what God is doing in my life and as I look back He has already told me what I needed to know. God had spoken or showed me something earlier but I didn’t understand it. When I look back, I see it. If we want to know what it is that God is doing we should be still and know that He is God. He says that He calls us friends and that He lets us know everything that He is doing (John 15:15).
God does not lie nor does He break His promises (Numbers 23:19). I know that if we ask Him for wisdom (James 1:5) to do something new, and listen and wait for His answer that He will tell us what to do. Seek God in all that you do and you will walk in the perfect will of God and have fullness of peace and joy. We are here to worship God with our lives. Ask Him to show you His heart.
Patricia Rodgers
Love Them Like Jesus Day 51
“The tongue of the wise uses knowledge rightly,
But the mouth of fools pours forth foolishness.”
Proverbs 15:2
When we are sharing God’s Word with others we must have a wise tongue. We must seek wisdom from God, and bring forth the knowledge of Jesus rightly. Hurting people don’t need to hear how bad they are. If we really want to help them, and not send them running in the wrong direction, then we need to let them know how much they are loved and how much God desires to have a relationship with them. Jesus is loving and forgiving. The Holy Spirit is a gentleman; He speaks to us in a still small voice. Jesus was gentle and wise, even in correction, He did it in a way that it would be received. “Sin no more, take up your bed, rise up, go forth…” He wants to help us get up and move forward.
Lord, help us to be wise and not foolish when we are sharing Your Word with others. Amen!
Kathy Rogillio
Day 52 Tree of Life
“Wisdom is a tree of life to those who embrace her; happy are those who hold her tightly.”
Proverbs 3:18
In the book of Genesis there is a reference to a “tree of life.” The story goes thatplaced a flaming sword to block access to the tree. The reason for that was sin. Since Calvary, all we need to do is hold fast to the wisdom of the. We have to follow theand leadership of Jesus. The true joy and fulfillment that we are looking forbe accessible once again!
Lord Jesus, I would like my happiness to truly depend on You. Help me, Lord, to climb into Your branches and operate in Your wisdom today. AMEN!
Pastor Tim Pierce
Speaking God’s Word Day 53
“My mouth shall speak of wisdom; and the meditation of my heart shall be of understanding.”
Psalms 49:3
To speak of wisdom is to speak the Word of God. Let us strive to make sure all of our communication is from the Word or proclaiming what God has done in our lives. When we come together we should pray for each other. Analyze your activities to ensure they are beneficial to God’s kingdom.
The Word of God is power and by speaking it, it becomes activated in the spiritual realm and manifested in the physical realm. By speaking God’s Word, we hear it so it gets into our mind and hearts. This increases our faith thus imparting more wisdom to us.
Our meditation should be to seek greater knowledge and understanding of the things of God. Let’s pray as Paul did in Colossians 1:9, “… that ye might be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding.”
Linda Stradley
Day 54 Highway of the Upright
“The highway of the upright is to depart from evil: he that keepeth his way preserveth his soul.”
Proverbs 16:17
Before receiving Jesus as my Lord and Savior this highway of the upright was unfamiliar territory. I didn’t walk uprightly for I was blinded to the consequences of sin and evil.
Today I am a new creature in Christ. The scales have been removed from my eyes. God’s Word has shown me the fate of the enemy and all who follow. Wisdom tells me to depart from evil and choose the highway of the upright. That’s right, I must choose to be upright and depart from evil. I also have to keep my way the high way in order to preserve my soul. The word keep means to attend to; to have the care of. I must continue to seek God’s Word, praying for His wisdom and strength to stand for righteousness and to do the upright thing when the choice is set before me. Remember (1 Corinthians 10:13) God will always leave us a way of escape, the highway.
Pastor John Mayers
Let Us Ask Day 55
“If any of you is deficient in wisdom, let him ask of the giving God [Who gives] to everyone liberally and ungrudgingly, without reproaching or faultfinding, and it will be given him.”
James 1:5
There may be certain situations that you are not sure about the will of God, but He says that if we ask He will give us wisdom. We can ask the Lord to teach us His ways. Because His ways are higher than ours, He knows better for us than we know for ourselves. After all, He made us and knows what we are made of and knows our character and experiences in life. He even knows from the beginning to the end of our life. But, like the scripture says, we have to ask . If we haven’t been to God in prayer and told Him our request and expressed our feelings about our situation then we can’t expect to know what to do. God wants to hear you come to Him. Just because He knows the answer, He still desires that relationship and wants to hear your call to Him. Try Him, you may be surprised at what you get. Be quiet and get in His presence, He longs to share with you.
Patricia Rodgers
Day 56 Get Along With Others
“… Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you, Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.”
Luke 6:27-28
When someone offends you your natural response may be to strike back. You want to do something or say something that will even the score. You might spend hours, days or even years feeling sorry for yourself and let oppression and even depression set in. The devil sends people across your path to hurt, offend and mistreat you for the express purpose of stealing the Word of God and the anointing that goes with it.
The devil knows how powerful you are when you are anointed. That’s why he sends people around you that are insensitive and unappreciative. We need to realize that hurts are sent by the devil to rob us of the anointing and block the flow of the blessings of God.
God has called and equipped us with the power to respond in a supernatural way when someone does you wrong. He’s given you the power to respond in LOVE.
Linda Stradley
Big Dreams Day 57
God has big dreams for our lives. Without a doubt, His biggest dreams are for us to, be saved; to be thoroughly committed to Him and His Word, to be healed of our broken lives and made whole, as well as live clean lives full of passion so that we may follow His commands. In John 10:10 Jesus says, “A thief comes to steal and kill and destroy, but I come to give life; life in all its fullness.” God is thinking of you, all your desires, needs and dreams and wants to meet them. He is also thinking about the rest of the people in the world. The funny thing is He wants to use you to reach them, especially to reach those who have never had a chance to hear the truth (Jesus). I think about Jonah and how he carried on when God asked him to do one of the most important assignments in the history of mankind. He was to tell the people of Nineveh to repent or God would destroy them. He didn’t even need to come up with a sermon, God gave him the words. Let me tell you, God has a way of getting things done. Jonah ended up in the belly of a fish for three days because he was standing in the way of God’s dream. Read Revelation 7:9, it’s confirmation that no one will get in the way of God’s dream coming true. Do you want to be a willing vessel or do you need to spend a few days in the belly of a fish? Imagine being a part of fulfilling God’s big dream. It starts right here with me and you.
April Mayers
Day 58 Don’t Let Anger Rule You
“The beginning of strife is like letting out water, So abandon the quarrel before it breaks out.”
Proverbs 17:14
Anger is a very powerful emotion. It has destroyed many lives, families and ministries. God’s Word is clear that we are to “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.” (Ephesians 4:31) As a Christian, there is no room for “anger management.” The Bible teaches “anger eradication.”
I struggled with anger so much that it was bringing problems into my relationships with my wife, my kids and my friends. It was eating my lunch! As I was searching through Proverbs, I stumbled on this verse. I must behave proactively. Before the water is “spilt” I must “abandon the quarrel.” The only way to stop anger in my life is to avoid the possibility of an argument. I have a lot fewer messes to clean up on my journey now!
Pastor Paul Pierce
Self-Control Day 59
“Understand [this], my beloved brethren. Let every man be quick to hear [a ready listener], slow to speak, slow to take offense and to get angry.”
James 1:19
Man’s anger does not promote the righteousness God wishes and requires. Failure to manage anger has been very costly for leaders. As an example, Moses, the man of God, forfeited the privilege of leading Israel into the Promised Land. Anger was a part of his life: (1) he slew an Egyptian; (2) he destroyed the tablets of stone that God had made; (3) in anger he smote the rock the second time and rebelled against the Word of the Lord. He told Israel, ”The Lord was angry with me for your sakes” (Deuteronomy 1:37); it cost him his place of leadership.
The wisdom books exhort the wise persons to heed the consistent message of self-control, especially the matter of anger. Being slow to anger is a mark of “great understanding” (Proverbs 14:29).
Judy Rogillio
Day 60 Rainy Days
“And Jesus stood still, and called them, and said, What will ye that I shall do unto you? They say unto him, Lord, that our eyes may be opened. So Jesus had compassion on them, and touched their eyes: and immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed him.”
Matthew 20:32-34
When it rains, everything looks dreary and dark. After a few rainy days everything looks the same. Nothing stands out. After two weeks of raining, the sun finally started shining. It’s as though I had entered a whole new realm. I noticed the birds singing, the dew glistening on the grass and the way the moss on the trees swayed in the early morning sun. It was great to get my sunglasses out and wear them again. But, when I put them on, it was like putting on blinders to the beauty God had made. That is how we begin looking at sin. Sin is everywhere, on television, the internet, our workplace, even in our own homes. God doesn’t want us to walk around with dark glasses on. He wants us to see the beauty He has created. He wants us to be aware of the sin around us so we will know how to pray. Let’s keep those sin glasses in the trash where they belong.
Donna Rodgers
