“He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy.” – Proverbs 28:13

Christian author Don Miller was a student at liberal Reed College. For a campus Renaissance Faire, his Christian friends discussed what to do:

“Some of the Christians in our little group at Reed decided this event marked a good time to come out of the closet and let everybody know there were a few Christians on campus. We wondered what to do, because in the past, some students had expressed hostility toward Christians. I suggested we build a confession booth in the middle of campus, with a sign that said, “Confess your sins.” I meant it as a joke, but Tony thought it was brilliant.

“But here’s the catch,” he told our little group, “We are not actually going to accept confessions. We are going to confess that, as followers of Jesus, we have not been very loving. We have been bitter, and for that we are sorry. We will apologize for the Crusades, we will apologize for the televangelists, and we will apologize for neglecting the poor and lonely. We will ask students to forgive us, and we will tell them that in our selfishness we have misrepresented Jesus. We will tell people who come to our booth that Jesus loves them.”

We all sat there in silence because it was obvious that something beautiful and true had hit with a thud. We all thought it was a great idea.”

The best thing you can do with sin is to confess it and forsake it. Today in prayer, confess any sin in your life to the Lord. Draw close to Him and receive His gift of mercy.

“A man should never be ashamed to own he has been wrong, which is but saying in other words that he is wiser today than he was yesterday.” – Alexander Pope

God’s Word: “When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer. Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the LORD"-- and you forgave the guilt of my sin.” – Psalm 32:3-5

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2023, Devotional E-Mail   

DEVOTIONS IN PROVERBS. †

“Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth.” – Proverbs 27:1

A friend of Winston Churchill, high-powered lawyer FE Smith, wrote in 1922 of medical advances he saw on the horizon. He was writing in a period when tuberculosis was a major killer in the UK and around the world. He was optimistic enough to suggest the eradication of this and other epidemic diseases was "fairly certain" by 2030, as was "the discovery of cures for such scourges as cancer".

Death from old age could also be delayed, Smith thought. Scientists would create injections containing an unspecified substance bringing "rejuvenations", which would be used to prolong the average lifespan to as much as 150 years.

Smith acknowledged this would present "grave problems" from an "immense increase in population". He also foresaw extreme inter-generational inequality, wondering "how will youths of 20 be able to compete in the professions or business against vigorous men still in their prime at 120, with a century of experience on which to draw"?

We do not know what will happen tomorrow. Today in prayer, confess any sin of boasting in the future and trust in Jesus for all of your days. 

“I never worry about the future, it comes soon enough.” – Albert Einstein

God’s Word: “Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money." Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that." As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil.” – James 4:13-16

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2023, Devotional E-Mail   

DEVOTIONS IN PROVERBS. †

"A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who pours out lies will not go free.” – Proverbs 19:5

Mark Fuhrman was the Los Angeles Police Department detective who provided key testimony in the unsuccessful prosecution of O.J. Simpson. One of the key sticking points in the trial was whether or not the detective had habitually used a variety of racial slurs with colleagues and suspects. Fuhrman vehemently denied these charges, but Simpson's defense team was able to turn up multiple witnesses and a tape of Fuhrman spewing hateful slurs.

Not only did Fuhrman's poor choice of words severely damage the prosecution's efforts, they got Fuhrman into some pretty hot water, too. Following the Simpson trial the state attorney general filed perjury charges against Fuhrman for his lying over the use of racial slurs throughout the trial. In 1996 Fuhrman entered a plea of no contest to the charges and received a sentence of three years probation and a $200 fine.

Although Fuhrman didn't spend time in prison, his status as a convicted felon meant he could no longer serve as a police officer. Oddly, his perjury conviction means that he is the only person to be convicted of a crime in connection with the infamous case.

The Lord hates lying lips and a false witness. Today in prayer, confess to the Lord any lies in your life and seek to be truthful in all that you do.

“The least initial deviation from the truth is multiplied later a thousand fold.” – Aristotle

God’s Word: “A false witness will perish, and whoever listens to him will be destroyed forever.” – Proverbs 21:28

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2023, Devotional E-Mail   

DEVOTIONS IN PROVERBS. †

“A gift opens the way for the giver and ushers him into the presence of the great.” – Proverbs 18:16

Dr. Elmer Towns taught a stewardship lesson in the Pastor’s Bible Class at Thomas Road Baptist Church. The most requested lesson of all he was "Who Owns Your French Fries"? It is the story of a man who buys his little boy some french fries. Then the father does what all fathers do, he reaches over and takes one French fry to taste it. The little boy slaps his father’s hand and says, "Don’t touch my french fries." The father thinks that his son is selfish. The father knows that he bought the french fries and they belong to him. The father knows that his son belongs to him. The father could get angry and never buy his son another french fry again to teach his son a lesson, or the father could "bury" his son in french fries. The father thinks, "Why is my son selfish, I have given him a whole package of french fries; I just want one french fry." God has given us money, when He asks for a tithe, people figuratively slap His hand and say, "Keep Your hands off my money." God owns everything we have. 

The Lord blesses those who give. Today in prayer, thank the Lord for all that you have and ask Him how you can faithfully give to others.

“Nothing is really ours until we share it.” – C.S. Lewis

God’s Word: “On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh.” – Matthew 2:11

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2023, Devotional E-Mail    

DEVOTIONS IN PROVERBS †

“A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.” – Proverbs 17:17

Sam Rayburn was Speaker of the United States House of Representatives longer than any other man in our history. There is a story about him that reveals the kind of man he really was.

The teenage daughter of a friend of his died suddenly one night. Early the next morning the man heard a knock on his door, and, when he opened it, there was Sam standing outside. The Speaker said, “I just came by to see what I could do to help.”

The father replied in his deep grief, “I don’t think there is anything you can do, Mr. Speaker. We are making: all the arrangements.” ‘’Well,” Sam said, “have you had your coffee this morning?”

The man replied that they had not taken time for breakfast. So Sam said that he could at least make coffee for them. While he was working in the kitchen, the man came in and said, “Mr. Speaker, I thought you were supposed to be having breakfast at the White House this morning.”

“Well, I was,” Sam replied, “but I called the President and told him I had a friend who was in trouble, and I couldn’t come.

We can never love our friends and family too much. Today in prayer, praise Jesus for your family and friends, and ask Him how you can love them deeper.

“God evidently does not intend us all to be rich, or powerful, or great, but He does intend us all to be friends.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

God’s Word: “Do not forsake your friend and the friend of your father, and do not go to your brother's house when disaster strikes you-- better a neighbor nearby than a brother far away.” – Proverbs 27:10

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2023, Devotional E-Mail   

DEVOTIONS IN PROVERBS. †

“Starting a quarrel is like breaching a dam; so drop the matter before a dispute breaks out.” – Proverbs 17:14

The website Church Answers posted an article entitled: “Twenty-Five Silly Things Church Members Fight Over”. Here are some of those arguments:

A 45-minute heated argument over the type of filing cabinet to purchase: black or brown; 2, 3, or 4 drawers.

A big church argument over the discovery that the church budget was off $0.10. Someone finally gave a dime to settle the issue.

Arguments over what type of green beans the church should serve.

Two different churches reported fights over the type of coffee. In one of the churches, they moved from Folgers to a stronger Starbucks brand. In the other church, they simply moved to a stronger blend. Members left the church in the latter example.

Major conflict when the youth borrowed a crockpot that had not been used for years. 

An argument on whether the church should allow deviled eggs at the church meal.

An argument over who has the authority to buy postage stamps for the church.

A disagreement over using the term “potluck” instead of “pot blessing”.

The best way to get over a quarrel is to never start one. Today in prayer, confess any sins of anger to Jesus. Ask Him to give you the wisdom when to drop a matter before it becomes a quarrel.  

“You should either avoid quarrels altogether or else put an end to them as quickly as possible; otherwise, anger may grow into hatred, making a plank out of a splinter, and turn the soul into a murderer.”  – Augustine

God’s Word: “It is to a man's honor to avoid strife, but every fool is quick to quarrel.” – Proverbs 20:3

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2023, Devotional E-Mail   

DEVOTIONS IN PROVERBS †

“Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.” – Proverbs 16:3

In his article: “Be Thankful for What You’ve Got: Overcoming FOMO”, author Paul Terranova wrote:

“FOMO—that is, a strong Fear Of Missing Out, has become a sad reality in America.

FOMO is the feeling that other people are more successful, having more fun, or living better lives than you are. In an age of social media, this phenomenon is almost impossible to avoid. Who among us hasn’t read an article on the “Great Resignation” in the past year and—regardless of how happy we are with our current jobs—at least briefly thought about what could be?

Studies indicate that people with FOMO will often do one of the following:

overcommit and then fail to fulfill many of their commitments, or

choose to avoid, as much as possible, making any commitments at all.

In the second case, the lack of motivation stems from the fear that, in making a commitment, people may lose the chance to engage in another experience that could yield even greater short-term satisfaction. The incessant stress and doubt that FOMO creates can lead them impulsively to follow whatever others are doing, at the expense of their own goals.”

The Lord asks us to commit to the Lord whatever we do. Today in prayer, commit all that you do to the Lord and seek to faithfully seek Him.

"Give me 100 men who hate nothing but sin and love God with all their hearts and I will shake the world for Christ!" - John Wesley

God’s Word: “Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.” – Psalm 37:5-6

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2023, Devotional E-Mail   

DEVOTIONS IN PROVERBS †

“A hot-tempered man stirs up dissension, but a patient man calms a quarrel.” – Proverbs 15:18

In 2015, a study at UC Berkeley conducted by Adrianna Jenkins and Ming Hsu was released, it was discovered imagination may be the pathway needed to uncover patience. The study found when we imagine possible outcomes, it allows us to be more patient in a way that does not pull on our brain’s need to use willpower.

The technique has been dubbed “framing effects” where you provide yourself with different scenarios as to how options are presented to you. Even when the reward is identical, the way we frame them can spark imagination, which in turn produces a willingness to be more patient.

When Hsu told participants they could receive one hundred dollars tomorrow or $120 in thirty days, the researchers framed the option in what they called an “independent frame.” You could have this or that, and the option was an independent choice. Another way of giving the same reward was to provide a “sequence frame” to the option.

Researchers told participants they could have one hundred dollars tomorrow and zero dollars in thirty days, or zero dollars tomorrow and $120 in thirty days. When we provide our brain with a sequence, we have a greater ability to be patient. When we have an option to get up early or sleep in, the only thought process our brain typically engages in is what the immediate next consequence of not waking up will bring us.

One of the toughest lessons in life is learning to be patient. Today in prayer, confess any sin of impatience to the Lord and seek to be a patient person.

“There are three indispensable requirements for a missionary: 1. Patience 2. Patience 3. Patience.” - Hudson Taylor

God’s Word: “Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.” – Psalm 27:14

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2023, Devotional E-Mail   

DEVOTIONS IN PROVERBS †

“The sluggard craves and gets nothing, but the desires of the diligent are fully satisfied.” – Proverbs 13:4

In October 2010, a jobless security worker has won a competition billed as Spain's inaugural siesta championship, napping for 17 minutes in a busy shopping center.

Pedro Soria Lopez from Ecuador took first place and 1,000 euros (£890) for his efforts - or lack of them.

Judges praised the 62-year-old not only for the duration of his 40 winks, but also for his volume, notching up snores of 70 decibels - around talking level.

The contest was run by Spain's National Association of Friends of the Siesta.

It was part of a campaign to revive the Spanish power-napping tradition, which is seen as threatened by the fast pace of modern life.

Over the course of nine days, 360 competitors were challenged to sleep for as much of a 20-minute period allotted to them as possible.

Participants stretched out on sofas in the Madrid shopping center while their pulses were monitored to check they were asleep.

Judges awarded points for the speed with which participants fell asleep, the volume of their snoring, the most original sleeping position and the best-dressed sleeper.

The Lord does have a plan for our lives. We need to discover that plan to diligently at it. Today in prayer, confess any sin of laziness and seek to be a diligent worker.

“Laziness grows on people; it begins in cobwebs and ends in iron chains.” – Thomas Buxton

God’s Word: “Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise!” – Proverbs 6:6

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2023, Devotional E-Mail   

DEVOTIONS IN PROVERBS †

“The LORD detests lying lips, but he delights in men who are truthful.” – Proverbs 12:22

In 2004, CBS News aired a report on 60 Minutes II, claiming that then-President George W. Bush had received preferential treatment during his service in the Texas Air National Guard during the Vietnam War. The report relied heavily on documents supposedly written by Bush's commander at the time, which CBS claimed to have authenticated.

However, it was later revealed that the documents were likely forgeries, created with modern word-processing software rather than the typewriters that would have been used at the time. The controversy became known as "Rathergate," named after CBS News anchor Dan Rather, who had presented the story.

The revelation that the documents were likely fake led to widespread criticism of CBS and accusations of political bias. The incident damaged the reputation of 60 Minutes II and led to the resignation of several CBS News executives, including the show's producer.

Lies are in direct conflict with the Truth. Today in prayer, confess any lies to the Lord and seek to be a person of integrity who walks in the truth.

“White lies are non-existent, for a lie is wholly a lie; falsehood is the personification of evil; Satan has two names; he is called Satan, and he is called the Father of Lies.” – Victor Hugo

“There are six things the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies and a man who stirs up dissension among brothers.” – Proverbs 6:16-19

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2023, Devotional E-Mail   

DEVOTIONS IN PROVERBS †

“The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity.” – Proverbs 11:3

Dr. Charles Madison Sarratt was a man of integrity. He was the co-author of a textbook on mathematics. He was the Chair of the Department of Mathematics at Vanderbilt University from 1924 to 1946, Dean of Students from 1939 to 1945, Vice-Chancellor from 1946 to 1958, and Dean of Alumni from 1958 to 1978.

Before giving a test, Dr. Sarratt would admonish his class something like this: "Today I am giving two examinations - one in trigonometry and the other in honesty. I hope you will pass them both. If you must fail one, fail trigonometry. There are many good people in the world who can't pass trig, but there are no good people in the world who cannot pass the examination of honesty."

Guard your good name and maintain integrity in all that you do. As a Christian, you carry Christ’s name with you and often your conduct is your witness. Today in prayer, thank Jesus for His Holiness and integrity and seek to follow Him in all that you do.

“There is no such thing as a minor lapse of integrity.” – Tom Peters

God’s Word: “Righteousness guards the man of integrity, but wickedness overthrows the sinner.” – Proverbs 13:6

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2023, Devotional E-Mail   

DEVOTIONS IN PROVERBS. †

“Hatred stirs up dissension, but love covers over all wrongs.” – Proverbs 10:12

In 1938 a group of researchers from Harvard University set out to answer the question of what habits led to a fulfilling life. They chose a group of 268 men who for the next seventy-five years were studied on a range of psychological, physical, economic, and spiritual characteristics. Called the Grant Study (named after its patron W. T. Grant, the department-store baron), it became the longest-running longitudinal study of human development.

With the remaining participants now reaching into their early nineties, George Vaillant, the last acting director of the Grant Study, decided to bring it to a close by publishing what they had learned in a remarkable book called Triumphs of Experience. After more than seventy-five years of research, they learned that while factors such as education, a stable marriage, and healthy lifestyle choices were all helpful for a good life, there was only one thing that really mattered to a vibrant life: love. The capacity to love and be loved is the point of our human existence. “The only thing that really matters in life [is] your relations to other people,” Vaillant said.

In all that we do, we need to love others. Today in prayer, praise the Lord that He loves you. Show your appreciation by loving others for Jesus.

“He alone loves the Creator perfectly who manifests a pure love for his neighbor.” – Bede

God’s Word: “He who covers over an offense promotes love, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.” – Proverbs 17:9

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2023, Devotional E-Mail   

DEVOTIONS IN PROVERBS †

“Do not rebuke a mocker or he will hate you; rebuke a wise man and he will love you.” – Proverbs 9:8

In his now famous Letter from a Birmingham Jail, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. offers a scathing rebuke of his white clergy colleagues, whose inaction caused him much frustration:

“I have heard numerous southern religious leaders admonish their worshipers to comply with a desegregation decision because it is the law, but I have longed to hear white ministers declare: ‘Follow this decree because integration is morally right and because the Negro is your brother.’ In the midst of blatant injustices inflicted upon the Negro, I have watched white churchmen stand on the sideline and mouth pious irrelevancies and sanctimonious trivialities.

In the midst of a mighty struggle to rid our nation of racial and economic injustice, I have heard many ministers say: ‘Those are social issues, with which the gospel has no real concern.’ And I have watched many churches commit themselves to a completely other worldly religion which makes a strange, un-Biblical distinction between body and soul, between the sacred and the secular.”

A gentle, loving rebuke can shake us to great things.  Today in prayer, ask the Lord to give you a ready ear and heart and to apply any rebuke to become more like Jesus Christ.

"Often times God asks us to take risks in order to be obedient to Him. This is especially true when He speaks to us about our need to confront others when they are unmistakably caught in the cycle of unrepentant sin." - Ritch Grimes

God’s Word: “These, then, are the things you should teach. Encourage and rebuke with all authority. Do not let anyone despise you.” – Titus 2:15

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2023, Devotional E-Mail

DEVOTIONS IN PROVERBS †

“To fear the LORD is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech.” – Proverbs 8:13

Born into wealth and royalty, Liu He had everything going for him. And, indeed, his future looked bright when, in 74 BC, his uncle, the Emperor and ruler of the Han Dynasty died without an heir.

In all, Liu He reigned for just 27 days. And it’s actually surprising that he lasted this long. From the start, he offended influential figures in the royal court. For starters, it was believed that Liu did not correctly observe the period of mourning for his uncle. Indeed, instead of showing respect for the recently-deceased Emperor, Liu spent the first few days of his reign partying day and night. Despite his advisors cautioning him to show some restraint, Liu carried on with his playboy ways and, after some parties, would appoint friends or favored relatives to government positions, regardless of how qualified they were.

After a few weeks, senior ministers had enough. They went to Empress Dowager Shagguan and asked her to depose her wayward nephew. Citing his “licentious and arrogant behavior,” she readily agreed. The Empress calculated that Liu had committed a massive 1,127 different offenses during his 27 days on the throne. Liu was forced out of power and made the Marquis of a small, inconsequential province. He died there, humiliated and alone in 59 BC, aged just 33. 

The sin of arrogance is odious to both God and other people. Today in prayer, confess to the Lord any pride or arrogance in your life. Seek to walk humbly with Jesus in all that you do.  

“The source of sin is pride.” – Augustine

God’s Word: “When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.” – Proverbs 11:2

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2023, Devotional E-Mail

DEVOTIONS IN PROVERBS †

“In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: ‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’ ”  – Luke 24:5-7

Stuart Briscoe was an evangelical Christian author, international speaker and senior pastor of Elmbrook Church, in Brookfield, Wisconsin, United States. Elmbrook is the largest church in Wisconsin, averaging 7,000 in attendance per week.

In his book “I Believe It, (The Live of Jesus)” Briscoe wrote: “The Greek language, in which the New Testament was written, has two words for life. One (bios) means “mere biological existence”; the other (zoe) means “life in all it’s fullness.” What we are being offered is fullness of life, which not even death itself can destroy. We are not being offered an endless extension of our biological existence but rather a transformation of that existence.”

Jesus died, was buried, and then rose from the grave. He is alive. Today in prayer, give thanks to the Lord for His Resurrection and that He is alive. Praise the Lord that eternal life awaits us beyond the grave!

“Angels, roll the rock away; Death, yield up thy mighty prey: See, He rises from the tomb, Glowing with immortal bloom.” – Thomas Scott

God’s Word: “The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay.” – Matthew 28:5-6

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2023, Devotional E-Mail

DEVOTION FOR EASTER †

“Here they crucified him, and with him two others--one on each side and Jesus in the middle. Pilate had a notice prepared and fastened to the cross. It read: JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS.” – John 19:18-19

In 1968, explorers found the skeletal remains of a crucified man in a burial cave at Giva'at ha-Mitvar, near the Nablus road outside of Jerusalem. It was a momentous discovery: while the Romans were known to have crucified thousands of alleged traitors, rebels, and deserters in the two centuries straddling the turn of the era, never before had the remains of a crucifixion victim been recovered. The condition of the remains unearthed at the necropolis dramatically corroborated the Bible's description of the horrendous Roman method of execution.

The bones were preserved in a stone burial box called an ossuary that was etched with the name Yhohnn Yehohanan. The remains appeared to be those of a man who was about five feet five inches tall and between twenty-four and twenty-eight years old. His open arms had been nailed to the crossbar, in the manner typically shown in crucifixion paintings. The knees had been doubled up and turned sideways, and a single large iron nail had been driven through both heels. The nail---still lodged in the heel bone of one foot, though the executioners had removed the body from the cross after death--was found bent, apparently having hit a knot in the wood. The shin bones appeared to have been broken, corroborating what the gospel of John seems to suggest was the normal practice in Roman crucifixions: "Then the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and of the other who had been crucified with him. But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs" (19:32-33). In other respects, too, the physical evidence from the bones of Yehohanan matches the type of execution described by the writers of the gospels.

Christ’s execution was one of the most painful deaths one could imagine. Today in prayer, thank Jesus for dying for your sins on the Cross.

“The cross is proof of both the immense love of God and the profound wickedness of sin.” - John MacArthur

God’s Word: “Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him!” – Romans 5:9

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2023, Devotional E-Mail

DEVOTION FOR GOOD FRIDAY †

“For the lips of an adulteress drip honey, and her speech is smoother than oil; but in the end she is bitter as gall, sharp as a double-edged sword.” – Proverbs 5:3-4

In his book “You’ll Get Through This”, author Max Lucado writes: “Years ago, a friend gave me this counsel: ‘Make a list of all the lives you would affect by your sexual immorality.’ I did. Every so often I reread it. “Denalyn. My three daughters. My son-in-law. My yet-to-be-born grandchildren. Every person who has ever read one of my books or heard one of my sermons. My publishing team. Our church staff.”

The list reminds me: one act of carnality is a poor exchange for a lifetime of lost legacy. Dads, would you intentionally break the arm of your child? Of course not. Such an action would violate every fiber of your moral being. Yet if you engage in sexual activity outside of your marriage, you will bring much more pain into the life of your child than would a broken bone.”

Adultery hurts those involved and those who love them. Today in prayer, look to the Lord and flee from any temptation of adultery.

“Do not commit adultery. Adultery destroys a marriage and is a sin against God and against your mate.” – Billy Graham

God’s Word: “Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body.” – 1 Corinthians 6:18

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2023, Devotional E-Mail

DEVOTIONS IN PROVERBS. †

“Honor the LORD with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine.” – Proverbs 3:9-10

John Wesley was the founder of the Methodist Church and he was known for his stewardship. As a student at Oxford, he lived on 28 pounds a year. As his earnings increased to 30 and eventually to 120 pounds annually, he continued to live on the same 28 pounds. He told people that if at his death he had more than 10 pounds in his possession, they could call him a robber.

One time a distraught man furiously rode his horse up to John Wesley, shouting, “Mr. Wesley, Mr. Wesley, something terrible has happened. Your house has burned to the ground!” Weighing the news for a moment, Wesley replied, “No. The Lord’s house burned to the ground. That means one less responsibility for me.”

The Lord asks us to be good stewards of the money and goods He has entrusted to us. Today in prayer, thank the Lord for all that He has given you and seek to bless others with what you have been given.

“Feel for others - in your pocket.” - Charles H. Spurgeon

God’s Word: “"Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. "But you ask, 'How do we rob you?' "In tithes and offerings.” – Malachi 3:8

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2023, Devotional E-Mail

DEVOTIONS IN PROVERBS. †

“For the LORD gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.” – Proverbs 2:6

Bernard of Clairvaux has been called the "honey-tongued doctor" for his eloquent writings on the love of God.

He was a twelfth-century French abbot. He admonished his readers to be wise in all that they do.In his writing “On the Song of Songs”, he wrote: “The man who is wise, therefore, will see his life as more like a reservoir than a canal. The canal simultaneously pours out what it receives; the reservoir retains the water till it is filled, then discharges the overflow without loss to itself…Today there are many in the Church who act like canals, the reservoirs are far too rare…You too must learn to await this fullness before pouring out your gifts, do not try to be more generous than God.”

We find wisdom when we seek the Lord. And seeking the Lord begins with searching His Word. Today in prayer, thank the Lord that He gives wisdom in the Bible and seek Him with all of your heart.

“The wiser man shapes into God’s plan as water shapes into a vessel.” – Ella Wheeler Wilcox

God’s Word: “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.” – James 1:5

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2023, Devotional E-Mail

DEVOTIONS IN PROVERBS †

"My son, if sinners entice you, do not give in to them." - Proverbs 1:10

In 1956, Elvis Presley recorded the hit single, “Heartbreak Hotel,”. It sold over 1 million copies, followed by his first album, “Elvis Presley,” which went to No. 1 on Billboard’s pop album chart.

His popularity rocketed and he became famous and wealthy at a young age.

Elvis struggled with his fame, as well as the many temptations that befell him during his time as an iconic musician. In 1958, at age 23, following an Easter Service at the First Assembly of God in Memphis, Tennessee, Elvis told the Reverend James Hamill, “Pastor, I’m the most miserable young man you’ve ever seen. I’ve got all the money I’ll ever need to spend. I’ve got millions of fans. I’ve got friends. But I’m doing what you taught me not to do, and I’m not doing the things you taught me to do.”

Every day and in many ways, we are tempted to sin. Today in prayer, thank the Lord that in Him we can overcome the temptation to sin.

"Few speed records are broken when people run from temptation." - E.C. McKenzie

God's Word: "And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one." - Matthew 6:13

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2023, Devotional E-Mail

DEVOTIONS IN PROVERBS. †