Proverbs 16:18 (16:16)

Arrogance goes before destruction
And folly before a fall.

Personal Challenge

I believe that most of us have heard this verse one way or another. The one that I am most familiar with is, “Pride goes before a fall.”. So, how do we prevent a fall or destruction in our lives? It all comes back to humility. If we strive to live humble, righteous lives, we will be able to fend off arrogance and folly. This is not however, a one and done event. We must continually be working on our humility and righteousness, repenting every time that we fail, and pursuing Christlikeness at all times, and in all situations. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner!

Galatians 4:4-7

But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.

And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!” Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

Encouraging Words

Because of whom Jesus is, fully God and fully man, and what He did through being born a human, living a sinless life, going to the cross for sinners, defeating death, and being resurrected, we can become adopted sons and daughters into the family of God. We can cry out to Him saying, “Abba, Father!”. This is the most intimate way possible to call out to Him. Through Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit, we are no longer slaves but adopted children into the kingdom of God. Glory to Him!

Proverbs 16:7 (16:4)

He who seeks the Lord will find knowledge with righteousness,
And those who seek Him rightly will find peace.

Encouraging Words

Our God is not some sneaky, elusive entity that likes to play hide and seek with people. He is always present in a way that no one can say that they cannot find Him. He is always present, everywhere. If we truly seek Him, we will find knowledge with righteousness. If we seek him rightly, we will find peace. Glory be to God!

Proverbs 16:3

The beginning of a good way is to do righteous things,
And this is more acceptable to God than to offer sacrifices.

Personal Challenge

Galatians 3:26-27

For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

Encouraging Words

What a wonderful statement of who we are after we have been baptized into Christ. We have put on Christ. We have taken off our old garments of the sinful nature and its resulting death and replaced them with garment of Christ, Himself, making us sons and daughters of God. Glory be to God!

Proverbs 16:1

All the works of the humble are evident before the Lord,
But the ungodly will be destroyed in the evil day.

Personal Challenge

A consistent message throughout the entire scripture is that God desires that we live our life with a humble heart. Through humility we can love the Lord our God with our heart, soul, and spirit. Through humility we can love out neighbor as ourselves. By being humble we can serve God in ways that glorify Him and build His kingdom. Do we really want our works to be evident before our God? Then we must do them in humility. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

Galatians 2:20

I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

Personal Challenge

As a follower of Christ, we can proclaim this along with Paul. Our sinful, passion driven self was crucified with Christ when we were baptized into His body and chrismated by the oil of the Holy Spirit. It is up to us, and our free will, to stop reclaiming those crucified aspects of our lives. We can choose to live by faith in the Son of God and live sinless lives. Glory be to God!