Daily Devotionals
Daily Devotional: Proverbs 29:1-5
Prov 29:1-5
1 He who is often reproved, yet stiffens his neck, will suddenly be broken beyond healing. 2 When the righteous increase, the people rejoice, but when the wicked rule, the people groan. 3 He who loves wisdom makes his father glad, but a companion of prostitutes squanders his wealth. 4 By justice a king builds up the land, but he who exacts gifts tears it down. 5 A man who flatters his neighbor spreads a net for his feet.
2 Cor 2:4-8
For I wrote to you out of much affliction and anguish of heart and with many tears, not to cause you pain but to let you know the abundant love that I have for you. Now if anyone has caused pain, he has caused it not to me, but in some measure—not to put it too severely—to all of you. For such a one, this punishment by the majority is enough, so you should rather forgive and comfort him, or he may be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. So, I beg you to reaffirm your love for him.
In Acts 7, Stephen made his defense against the false charges that were being made against him. In his closing remarks that brought about his death, he called the Jewish religious leaders “stiff-necked” and said that they were continually resisting the Holy Spirit. One who stiffens his neck is one who is stubborn because they think they have all the right answers. They feel they have the Scriptures all figured out, so their understanding becomes the standard of truth for all.
To understand God’s word, we must not resist the Holy Spirit who gives us the understanding and shows us how to apply it in our lives. In his first book to the Corinthians Paul had told them that by the Spirit, spiritual truths were revealed to those who are spiritual. When we fail to let him work in us, we cause him grief. If we continue in this, his fire in us will be completely extinguished.
Change is hard. This is especially true if it is a belief that we have held all of our lives. But growth is impossible without change. The change we want to happen in our lives is that we be molded into the image of Jesus. A good place to begin is to learn to love our enemies, pray for them and seek to do them good. Not retaliate when treated badly. Not get even when wronged. Love. Forgive. Rejoice always!
O Lord God, change me from deep within so I will be just like Jesus in my heart, in attitude, in my speech, and in all I do. Help me look for what is right and what is good instead of looking for things that are bad or wrong. Remind me to always treat others the way I want them to treat me. Use me and what you have given to me to help others. Give healing to our country so that we can live in peace and in all godliness. I humbly pray in the name of Jesus my Lord.
Robert
