Authors

Guarding the Heart

2 weeks ago

Above All Else “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it” (Proverbs 4:23, NIV). — Micah Hess This theme scripture offers an essential insight into human nature. It tells us that the heart stands at the center of our being and exercises great influence over the course of life. It does not merely influence our thoughts, words, and actions; in a profound sense, it often governs them. Jesus makes this connection explicit: “But those things which proceed […]

Accepting Rebuke

2 weeks ago

Patient Humility “Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you. Reprove a wise man, and he will love you” (Proverbs 9:8, scriptures from NASB unless otherwise noted).                                                   — Brett Blackwell This proverb is a “hard saying” for several reasons. First, reproof is hard to give sincerely, and in most cases, even harder to receive sincerely. Second, the proverb deals only in extremes. It identifies two distinct subjects of reproof, the scoffer and the wise man. There are two opposing effects of re-proof: […]

Wisdom for Guarding the Heart

2 weeks ago

The Cruelty of False Mercy “A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast: but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel” (Proverbs 12:10).                                                  — Todd Alexander The theme of this article, “Wisdom for Guarding the Heart,” calls us to deeper spiritual discernment and a more rigorous examination of the motives and principles that guide our walk. Proverbs 12:10 presents us with an important and challenging paradox. We may easily understand the first clause: a righteous man, reflecting the character of […]

The Importance of Self-Control

2 weeks ago

Slow to Anger “He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.” (Proverbs 16:32, KJV. Other citations are from the New American Standard Bible, unless otherwise noted.) — Ernie Kuenzli The theme text above highlights the importance of ruling our spirit. To do this, one must exercise self-control. Doing so is one way the Christian guards the heart because it ensures that the inner life is not ruled by […]

Letting God Direct Our Steps

2 weeks ago

Advice from Proverbs “A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps” (Proverbs 16:9). — John Bivol This issue concludes with the powerful thought that while we may plan our way, it is God who has the final say in our lives. Few scriptures so gently, and yet so firmly, capture the balance of the Christian life as Proverbs 16:9. In a single verse, Solomon brings together two realities that shape our Christian walk: hu-man agency and divine sovereignty. […]