Blog

Devotions for Dads! – Proverbs 10:30

“The righteous will never be removed, but the wicked will not dwell in the land.” Proverbs 10:30

He is the anchor. Like a building anchored to the bedrock of the earth, a righteous man will have permanence because of that solid foundation. Like the foolish man who built his house upon the sand, without the righteousness of God, brought to us today through the redemption of Jesus Christ, the storms of this life and the winds of change will toss and drive away those who practice wickedness with no regard to God and His wisdom.

Lord God, You are THE Rock. You are the Truth. You are The Way, The Truth, and The Life. Keep me anchored firmly to Your truth and to Your presence. You hold me secure through this life, whatever comes my way, and You are to be glorified! Praise, glory, honor to Your Name now and forever!! In the matchless name of Jesus Christ, I pray, amen!

Devotions for Dads! – Proverbs 10:29

“The way of the Lord is a stronghold to the blameless, but destruction to evildoers.” Proverbs 10:29

The truth is true, no matter how much someone argues over it. The way of the Lord is Truth. He created it. Therefore it is a refuge for those who abide by it, and it is opposed to those who do not. That is how truth works. Truth exists, and it comes from God Himself. He is the creator of everything we know, that is why He gets to make the rules …and His rules are for our good!

Praise You, Yahweh! Blessed be our God and Father, King of the Universe! You have made me, and allowed me to know You! That in itself is amazing. Let me cling to Your ways. Let me find a stronghold for my life in Them. Forgive me when I stray from them, and thank you for the reminder, in the way of unfavorable consequences, when I do – so that I may return to Your way. In Jesus’ Strong Name, I pray, amen.

Devotions for Dads! – Proverbs 10:28

“The hope of the righteous brings joy, but the expectation of the wicked will perish.” Proverbs 10:28

Those who have true Hope have a joyful future. True hope comes from God, specifically Jesus Christ and his blood that has redeemed us from our sins. He is our living Hope. Through this God brings us joy and joy to the fullest degree. Those who put their hope in anything besides the One way God created to redeem the wicked will find their hopes dashed in unrealistic expectations, not because God is unjust but because they wanted their own way over His.

Lord Jesus, You have redeemed my soul from the punishment and darkness it deserves! Thank you, be glorified in my life. You are my Hope! Remind me of that glorious hope that will NOT perish when this world surrounds my mind and my body with all of its cares and woes. Remind me that I am Yours and You are the King! I win because my hope is in You! I praise You in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Devotions for Dads! – Proverbs 10:27

“The fear of the Lord prolongs life, but the years of the wicked will be short.” Proverbs 10:27

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Wisdom leads to life-giving decisions which, in themselves, can lead to a longer, more pleasant life. Foolish decisions, especially made by those who know where wisdom lies but refrain from seeking/using it, lead to difficult, if not short lives of angst and fear.

Heavenly Father, You are the Maker of all things! You know how it all works. Help me to seek wisdom from You, and to hold You respectfully in the right perspective. Let my fear; my reverence of You guide every decision I make today, tomorrow, and beyond. In Jesus’ Name, I pray, amen.

Devotions for Dads! – Proverbs 10:26

“Like vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes, so is the sluggard to those who send him.” Proverbs 10:26

What do you expect? It is a disappointment when sweet wine has turned to vinegar and stings the teeth, just as it is when the camp-out cook is trying to make a fire and only gets smoke in his eyes. This is the same disappointment that comes when one expects a lazy man to do hard work, or to be responsible to accomplish a job or a task. The outcome is not what we expect. We must manage our expectations if this situation is inevitable, and /or be wise when these circumstances present themselves, again, needing to be accomplished, setting our expectations appropriately.

Lord, You know that I am a mess. Please show me what I need to learn from both sides of this equation. Inspire and strengthen me not be this sluggard, and give me the grace for him, when I encounter such a one. In Jesus’ Name, amen.

Devotions for Dads! – Proverbs 10:25

“When the tempest passes, the wicked is no more, but the righteous is established forever.” Proverbs 10:25

Be built on the Rock. This was obviously a foundation to Jesus’ parable of the wise and the foolish man, who both experienced the storm but only one weathered it well. Solomon also alludes, here, to the fact that storms strengthen, and secure, our faith when we see our Foundation, Jesus Christ Himself, firm and faithful through the storms that come into everyone’s lives.

Lord Jesus, help me to build my life; my house; my household on You. Inspire me to teach, train, and exemplify my secure foundation to my wife, children, and to all who encounter me. In Jesus’ Name, amen.

Devotions for Dads! – Proverbs 10:24

“What the wicked dreads will come upon him, but the desire of the righteous will be granted.” Proverbs 10:24

What we think about is important. Often stories of bad men getting the very thing they feared most, leads many to think of the brain as autonomously powerful. While the power that God gives each of our brains is unfathomable to us, the source is God Himself. He does tell us, however, first to fill our minds with Him, herein lies a hint, quantum physics, and “the science of prayer.” There is much value in what we think about; what we dwell on.

Lord, help me to set my mind on things above and focus on “whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, commendable, excellent, and worthy of praise.” In Jesus Christ, most powerful Name I pray, amen.

Devotions for Dads! – Proverbs 10:23

“Doing wrong is like a joke to a fool, but wisdom is a pleasure to a man of understanding.” Proverbs 10:23

What do you enjoy? When sin (wrong-doing) becomes entertainment foolishness abounds. There are those who try to out-do each other’s “wrong-doing” in the world today, be it drunkenness, promiscuity, greed, deceit, or many other things. This is foolishness and the mark of a fool. The Bible states over, and over, that the cure for foolishness is to dwell on the things of God. (Psalm 111:10 – “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding.”) We often begin the journey, of dwelling on thing things of God, with necessary discipline, but then the discipline turns into simple diligence, and ultimately it becomes a delight to seek after the things of God and God Himself… or as Solomon says, ” a pleasure to a man of understanding.” Children often enjoy what their father enjoyed: team loyalty, specific sports or hobbies, music, math… Using this wisdom let’s show them how to enjoy the things of the Lord.

Father, remind me how delightful it is to see You in as much glory as my eyes/mind can behold. You will be found. Inspire my continual seeking, In Jesus’ Name I pray, amen.

Devotions for Dads! – Proverbs 10:22

“The blessing of the Lord makes rich, and he adds no sorrow with it.” Proverbs 10:22

Listen here, if you prefer.

True riches are a blessing. Though we are made to work, our work is a response, not a sorrowful toil to achieve that which God gives freely. The balance of being diligent and seeing prosperity is the key. We can’t refrain from personal work and expect to prosper, and at the same time, we can’t rely so heavily on our own efforts that we are not sensitive to the One who invented prosperity, to begin with, and who gives it to those whom He chooses. The prosperity of the Lord, even when it is financial, does not come with fear and worry attached, in fact, He doesn’t send it with any strings attached.

Heavenly Father, clearly cut this balance into my mind and my life. Help me to rely on You and trust You while I work for Your glory and the increase of your kingdom. In Jesus’ Name I pray, amen.

Devotions for Dads! – Proverbs 10:21

“The lips of the righteous feed many, but fools die for lack of sense.” Proverbs 10:21

Listen here, if you prefer.

Speak life. The words we use and the content that comes from our mouths can be life-giving. When we speak God’s word, they are literally the words of life. Words that come from a life affected by the imputed righteousness of Christ, speak life-giving nourishment for all those who hear and heed them. However, words spoken that disregard, or are opposed to, wisdom and the Word bring foolishness upon the speaker AND often those who hear them.

Lord, grant me wisdom and discernment as I talk to the leadership this morning. Bring clarity to all of us, and may we seek a resolution and Your glory. Help me to be authentic and clear in expressing myself and grant me favor in their eyes. Heal my family God. If resolution cuts that short, then don’t bring it. Grow us all through this. Keep me “on my knees.” Dole out blessings on my family today, in Jesus’ Name, amen.