Proverbs 15:33 Wisdom’s instruction is to fear the Lord, and humility comes before honor.

Today we visit the wisdom of Proverbs as we explore humility as it relates to our fear of the Lord. To be honest, when I first read this proverb I had no idea how the two statements related to one another. In true proverbial form, the author made his point by using a comparison. But at first glance I was unable to see how they could be explained in today’s devotion. I had to spend some time in prayer and had to do a deep dive into the words that close out this chapter in Proverbs to be able to write today’s message.

If you want wisdom, you need humility. If you want to gain spiritual insight, you need to fall to your knees before God in humble submission. True wisdom recognizes that we are nothing and brings us before God with a heart that is open and longing for His instruction. True wisdom begins with seeing ourselves as we truly are - we are nothing without Him.

Through humility we gain honor and wisdom. We learned a few days ago that if we don’t humble ourselves, He will do it for us and it will probably not be pleasant. If we want to gain the honor and wisdom He has waiting for us we need to be submissive and teachable. We need to recognize and accept our need for Him.

We cannot do it on our own. To think we can gain wisdom or honor by our own means is arrogance and He will knock us down a few pegs. We must reject our own thoughts and opinions and instead turn to Him and His wisdom if we want to grow. The path to wisdom and honor lies in cultivating a submissive, respectful relationship with God.

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Ephesians 4:2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.

In a world that valued self-exaltation, Paul called for humility and gentleness to define the church, something that was not the norm in that society. And this same humility and gentleness that Paul spoke of so long ago is just as important in today’s society, which we can argue would probably be just as out of place.

A few days ago in our word study, we learned that the Greek form tapeinophrosunēs was more than just a lowly attitude but also consisted of lowliness of the mind. This humility was a form of a deep-seated inner attitude and not just an outward act, one that demonstrated a lack of selfishness and a willingness to stoop to serve, rather than seeking position or praise.

And it is the same form that we find in today’s verse. In English we see the wording of completely humble. Completely. Not just partially. Wholly, fully, entirely humble. We set aside everything and we position ourselves in humility, setting aside our own pride and our own needs and instead focusing on others.

It is paired with gentleness and patience, signifying a "clothed" attitude of selflessness and grace (Colossian 3:12). These virtues are not natural for the majority of us and require us to seek out God’s help. Thinking about all that we have learned and what our response is supposed to be can be overwhelming and feel impossible. Completely? How? But we have hope because with God all things are possible, including things that don’t feel natural to us and require us to extend a lot of effort to accomplish.

Today let’s spend some time thinking not about how we can be humble and instead surrender and let God use us. Trust in Him to provide you with the opportunities and give you the “how” - and you simply obey.

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Matthew 23:12 For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.

Today we hop into the book of Matthew to look at a short verse, but a powerful reminder of how we should act. A quick overview of the context from which it is drawn - we have Jesus speaking as He contrasts the arrogant behaviors of the Pharisees with the humble lifestyle required of His followers. The verse is the culmination of the teaching in which Jesus said the greatest among us would be a servant. We see the contrast between the behaviors of the religious leaders of the day and how the followers of Jesus are supposed to act.

Let’s do a quick word study of exalt and then one for humble. The Greek word for exalt in this verse is hypsōsei. It is a verb that is translated as to elevate or raise on high. It appears as part of a future-tense warning indicating a direct consequence in the future. Exploring it a little further, the English word “exalt” (which is what we see in the NIV, which is used for these devotions) comes from the Latin word exaltare, which means “to lift up.”

Looking at humble, we see the same Greek word used that we have studied before: the verb tapeinoō which means to lower, abase, or reduce in stature. Our verse uses this verb in two different, but similar, forms: tapeinōthēsetai (will be humbled) and tapeinōsei (humbles). We see from the word structure that the first response to self-exaltation is a divine humbling (not our choice) with the second being a voluntary humbling (one we choose to do ourselves).

We have had multiple lessons already this month that have reminded us of the need to humble ourselves, but none of them spoke of God doing the humbling for us - at least not until today. Jesus is very clear in this verse that those who exalt themselves WILL be humbled. And we know from other Scripture that those who humble themselves will be exalted by God (Luke 14:11, 1 Peter 5:6).

Each day we should be making the choice to humble ourselves before God and with one another. We should be choosing humility over our own self-interests and needs. Knowing now what Jesus said about the possibility of divine intervention and involuntary humbling, perhaps we will be a bit more willing to live a life of humility.

What are some ways you have been living a life of humility since starting this month’s theme? And what are some areas that you can still choose humility in?

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Romans 12:3 For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.

Today’s verse does not say the word “humility” or “humble” anywhere within it, nor does it say them in other translations either. But if we look at what is being said in this verse, as well as examine the context from which it was taken, we can clearly see that it is speaking of our attitude and the way we see ourselves. Paul strongly encourages believers to have a humble self-view that is based upon faith, not pride. Let’s break down the different parts of the verse and see just what message Paul had for us.

The book of Romans was written to believers. They had already accepted Christ as their Savior and were following the instructions and teachings of Paul and his companions. We know this by the way Paul addressed them throughout the letter. And he does the same in this letter, giving them instructions on how they are to live as believers, in accordance with their faith.

Paul told them to be aware of how they thought of themselves, to not think more highly of themselves than they should. It was a warning against self-importance. They were to avoid the temptation of pride and vanity within their positions in the church. He also instructed them to be objective and have a realistic view of themselves. It is easy to fall victim to our own pride and the way we think we are. Paul, realizing this about human nature, made it a point to guide them away from thinking in such ways.

And as said in the intro today, these things are done according to the faith we’ve received. This is not a reference to the faith we have in God or in His Son as our Savior. Instead, it refers to the spiritual gifts He has given us. Each of us has been gifted something special that we are to use to glorify God and fulfill His purpose. And when we have an inflated view of ourselves, we are not able to let the Spirit use us and do the powerful, purposeful work that He has for us.

How do you view yourself? Do you have a humble attitude that allows the Spirit to work in and through you? Be honest with yourself today and consider the words Paul spoke to the believers in Rome. Take them to heart and apply them in your own life and then let the Spirit do what He alone can do when we come before in humble submission to His power.

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Colossian 3:12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

Today we revisit a familiar verse for long-time readers. It seems we have covered this verse in at least 4 other books, so apologies for the verse yet again. But it is so interesting how we can explore the same verse repeatedly and always get something new from it. This devotion we are exploring the verse to discover what we can about humility.

A quick reminder (and for those who are new to the verse), we are God’s chosen people. We are His children, adopted into His family when we became believers. We have become heirs to righteousness and are dearly loved by Him. And because of this, we are to be holy. We do this by clothing ourselves with the virtues listed in this verse: compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. And over all of it, we put on love (Colossians 3:14).

The Greek word for humility in this verse is not the same as humility in other verses, though it is similar. This time it is tapeinophrosynen, which is derived from two Greek forms: tapeinos (which means lowly) and phren (which involves the mind). Together we get the word tapeinophrosynen, which is literally a "lowliness of mind.” It is an inward attitude of humility rather than an outward performance one does to appear humble.

From everything we have learned in the past week, we know that humility doesn’t just happen because we decide we are humble. It is as much a conscious effort as it is a choice, requiring a change in our behavior. And as we can see from today’s verse, it is also a change in our minds. It refers to an attitude of serving others, of placing their needs above our own. Or to put it in other words, you are not not thinking less of yourself, but instead are thinking of yourself less.

Are you putting on humility each day? Though I have read this verse multiple times (and explained different aspects of it repeatedly in previous devotions), I must confess that I am not putting on humility in my day-to-day actions. I may choose to be humble when I am with others, thinking of them instead of myself. But with my own family? I am not sure. As a mother I admit to caring for others first and putting myself last. But I can still be selfish, too, as all of us can be. Humility is a choice, a shift in thinking as well as behavior. My behavior might shift, but my mind? Different story.

How about you?


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Micah 6:8 He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.

Today’s verse is a great biblical passage that summarizes God's requirements for a faithful life. In it we see we are to be acting justly, loving mercy, and walking humbly with God. It emphasizes ethical living, compassion for others, and spiritual humility rather than fruitless religious rituals. Let’s look at it more closely.

This verse comes in the middle of a "covenant lawsuit" (Micah 6:1-8) where God indicts Israel for corruption, injustice, and empty religious rituals. It is a summary of the Old Testament's ethical demands. We see that He has indeed shown us what is good, reminding us that we are merely mortals and should not see ourselves as proud or haughty, but rather we are humble before Him.

Then the question is asked… What does the Lord require of you?

The answer immediately follows. He requires us to act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with Him. We are to act justly, which means there is fairness and respect in our daily lives. We are to love mercy, which He has showered down upon us when we were undeserving, freeing us from the punishment of eternal separation and guaranteeing us a place in His eternal kingdom. And we are to walk humbly with Him.

How exciting is that? We get to walk WITH God. We are to have an attitude and demeanor that is purposefully lower than Him and respectful. And honestly, when we see Him and walk with Him, how can we be anything BUT humble before His greatness and glory? It won’t be a choice at that point. We will be in such amazing awe that there is no choice but humility.

Today’s verse is a move away from what amounts to empty, fruitless, pointless legalism to living a life with authentic faith that is humble before Him. It emphasizes that heart-level change and ethical actions are the center of our faith.

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Proverbs 18:12 Before a downfall the heart is haughty, but humility comes before honor.

Before we begin today’s devotion, let’s take a look at a few words in this proverb. We will start with haughty. Haughty (gabah) is derived from Hebrew roots and implies that one is "lifted up," "high," or "lofty," indicating a conceited attitude. Contrast that with the Hebrew form of humility (anavah) which implies being bowed down, meek, or humble and you see just how much the two words are polar opposites.

In true proverbial format, we see two things that are vastly different, or as I said above, polar opposites. We are given pride in contrast to humility.

Before a downfall the heart is haughty. Not a comforting thought when you are a prideful person. I admit to being prideful at times. I try to be humble, but I catch myself being haughty sometimes, unintentionally. And when I do it is a humbling experience. I don’t like it when I realize I have elevated myself to a position where I am judging another person as being less than me in some way. It is not a good feeling to know pride has taken over, especially since we see in this verse that pride comes before a downfall. One who sets themselves up higher than others is going to tumble down at some point. Haughtiness is a direct warning sign of assured disaster. It can be considered a "spiritual blind spot."

But humility comes before honor. True honor and recognition are preceded by humility. It requires us to humble ourselves rather than exalting ourselves. We have explored the definition of humility for a week so far this month, but all have been the Greek form of the word. Today’s word is in Hebrew, but the definition is the same - bowed down or meek, lowly. A humble person chooses to lower themselves and lifts others up instead. And when one does this, they will be rewarded with honor. Yet a humble person does not take pride in honor received. But honor they will receive, according to the proverb.

Which side do you find yourself on most of the time? Are you a prideful person or one who bows down with humility? Be honest with yourself and don’t try to justify things if you find yourself to be more prideful than humble. Choose humility. It takes practice and effort. It doesn’t happen instantly because we decide we are now humble. But humility is possible. With God, all things are possible.

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1 Peter 5:6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.

Yesterday we had James telling us that if we humble ourselves before the Lord, He would lift us up. Today we have the same message from Peter, with a few additions.

Looking at the Greek word for “humble” in this verse we again see it is tapeinōthēte which we learned yesterday is to make oneself lowly. The term describes a modest opinion of ourselves, not thinking of us as haughty but having a willingness to submit to the power and will of God.

We choose to place ourselves in a lower position under His mighty hand. This signifies God’s power and control in our lives and often refers to or is connected with times of trial and suffering. It is an acknowledgment that God is sovereign and in control of our circumstances, and we humbly trust Him to provide for our needs or the outcome.

It is important for us to realize that it is us that initiates the process of humbling ourselves. We do not wait on God to humble us. We bring ourselves into a submissive position where we acknowledge our dependence on Him, not our own strength.

And we trust that in due time, He may lift us up. He MAY lift us up, not necessarily He will. We trust in Him to work, to remedy the situation we find ourselves in, or to provide for our needs. We believe that relief comes in His perfect time, not when we think we should receive it. We patiently wait on Him and His timing, trusting and believing in His plan for our lives.

Whatever you may be facing today, know that in His perfect timing He will work. Humble yourselves under His mighty, sovereign hand, and lay it at His feet. He loves you and wants only what is best for your life. Submit to Him willingly and rest assured He knows what you face.

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James 4:10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

On day one we learned that if we humble ourselves before the Lord, He would hear us and answer. Today we learn that if we humble ourselves before the Lord, He also lifts us up. Let’s look at it closer and see what we can learn today that is different from the last couple of days.

The Greek word for “humble” in this verse is tapeinōthēte. It is a verb meaning "to make low," "bring low," or "submit.” It comes from the root tapeinos (which means lowly). In this context, we can see that it is an imperative command telling us to voluntarily submit your heart, attitude, and actions to God.

The process of humbling ourselves is one of action and choice. We make the conscious effort to humble ourselves. We take on a low position of heart, acknowledging our need for God while choosing to repent of our selfish, worldly ways. We recognize the relationship we have with God, choosing to surrender to Him and acknowledging that we are lower.

We humble ourselves BEFORE the Lord, or in front of. True humility is an internal and sincere action. It is not an outward performance that we engage in for human applause. Our attitude and behavior are humble before Him because we realize we have no right to be anything more than that, and what other people think matters not. It only matters what He thinks.

And He will lift you up. What a glorious promise that is. He will lift us, carry us, guide us, and more. He guarantees that He will exalt us if we humble ourselves before Him. He will give us what we need to get through whatever we may be facing. He gives us strength to endure the trials of life. He fills us with confidence when we stand before others. He restores us when we have sinned and repent. He will lift us up.

Humble yourself today. Choose to lower yourself and be humble in His Presence. And know that He sees you and He will lift you up.

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2 Corinthians 10:17 But, “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.”

A little context before we begin…

Paul was writing to the Corinthians and addressing the false teaching and false “apostles” who were negatively influencing the church. They were challenging his apostolic authority. Rather than defend his position he responded with humility.

At this point in his letter, Paul quotes from Jeremiah 9:24 - The Lord said to Jeremiah, "Let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth."

His response was not to argue or defend himself but instead he took the discussion in a different direction - he reminded them of the words of Jeremiah. And if anyone has the right to boast of their accomplishments it was Paul. He made a huge impact on the world through his missionary work and letter writing. Yet, he chooses not to boast in his own accomplishments. His boast is in the Lord.

Any boasting we do should not be to glorify ourselves. Instead, we boast in the Lord. We boast about what He has done in our lives and the blessings He has rained down upon us. We boast of the grace and mercy we have been given. We boast of Him, and Him alone. He is our focus and He is the One to be glorified.

Do you get caught up in the world of comparison and accomplishments? Cease with fruitless efforts and striving to meet man-made goals. The world offers nothing boast-worthy. Only God meets all of the criteria for our praises.

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Psalm 34:18 The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

As we move into day four of our month of humility I prayed a simple prayer for each of you. I prayed that each of us, myself included, would enter into each day with a humble spirit and submit ourselves to the Lord and His purpose for our lives. I prayed that lives would be touched by the words He provides me and that hearts would be prepared for the seeds being planted.

Today we look at those who are humbled by circumstances. We all face trials. We all experience grief and loss, whether we want to or not. It is a natural part of life. Whatever life events or behaviors have led to these losses does not matter - we all face it regardless. Whether brokenhearted and crushed in spirit due to the loss of love, through death or the end of a relationship, whether it be the loss of something tangible or physical like an item or belongings, or whether it come from the loss of a position, such as a job or title - any loss can break us and leave us despondent.

But take hope, friends! The psalmist (David) tells us the Lord is close to the brokenhearted. He is close to us and knows what we are facing. Jesus wept for the loss of His friend Lazarus, though He knew He was going to raise him from the dead. He felt the emotions, knew the grief, and He wept (John 11:35). And the apostle John tells us in Revelation that a day will come when every tear will be wiped away and be no more (Revelation 21:4).

He saves those who are crushed in spirit. He will lift you up, carry you through the trials and loss, and give you comfort during those rough times. Remember, we all must walk through the valley - no one escapes it. But we don’t walk alone. We have a Shepherd who guides us and keeps us on the path, One who gives us comfort and security (Psalm 23:4).

Whatever you face today, know that He is with you. You do not face it alone. You have a Lord who loves you and gives you comfort. He is with the brokenhearted and He saves those who are crushed in spirit. Let Him wrap His arms around you and give you shelter and comfort today.

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John 3:30 “He must become greater; I must become less.”

I don’t know how many times I have read these words or how many times I have uttered them. But as I see them again today I find myself again saying them from the heart. I must become less, letting Him alone be the focus. If anyone sees anything when looking at me, I want it to be Him. I must become less so that He shines through brighter than ever.

The words spoken here in today’s verse come from John the Baptist. John was the forerunner of Christ, announcing the coming kingdom and preparing people. He earned his name of Baptizer because he was baptizing people to help prepare the way. He was a preacher of repentance and followed that repentance with baptism, including the baptism of Jesus Himself.

John the Baptist was also the first to recognize Jesus for who He was. He called Him the Son of God and the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. And he knew that he had to step back from his ministry to let Jesus shine. He still continued to preach, which we know because he was arrested and beheaded for what he said about Herodias, the wife of King Herod Antipas. But we do not know if he continued baptizing or if Jesus and His disciples took over that role completely.

John’s words are important because he was the first to recognize Jesus and his words should be important in your life, too. Recognize that Jesus is King, the Son of God, the Lamb Who takes away your sin. Repent, as John preached, and turn from your sins to Him. Humble yourself the way John did when he recognized Jesus as the Son of God.

We must become less, He must become more. Let those words be a rallying cry, a mantra. Let it be the cry of your heart. Less of me, More of Him.

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Philippians 2:3-4 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

If you have been with us for a while, either online or through other books, you know this is a verse that has been studied before. Today we study it again, this time focusing on humility.

Do nothing out of selfish ambition is not hard to understand. We are not going to do anything that is selfish or for ourselves. It is easy for us to get into habits that meet our own needs. But Paul is telling the recipients of this letter that they are NOT to focus on themselves or their own selfish needs. Instead, they are to focus on others.

But we don’t just focus on others. We do so in humility. We do this with an attitude of humble, compassionate care for others. We look to their needs first, putting our own needs aside for the moment, and we do what we can to help them. We make ourselves less, making them more. We put others above ourselves, making them the focus of our service. Paul says we are to look to their needs, not our own which means focusing on them rather than ourselves.

The same is true today. We should be valuing others and seeing to their needs before we see to our own. We should not be making ourselves the focus of things. We have a humble attitude and we value others above ourselves. We model our actions after Christ’s, who had a humble demeanor the entire time He ministered throughout the holy lands. He served as He was here. He healed, He encouraged, He forgave. And most of all, He loved. He did not judge or turn away. He gave of Himself - so why can’t we do the same?

Today look for opportunities to value others above yourselves. Be humble as you serve others, putting their needs above your own. The joy you’ll feel from doing good is indescribable.

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2 Chronicles 7:14 …if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

We begin a new month with a theme of humility. Our first verse comes from 2 Chronicles and is a promise of God who appeared to King Solomon in a dream after the dedication to the Temple had concluded. In this dream we see the promise God makes above. He was addressing the people of Israel, but there is much we can draw from it and apply to our own lives.

If His people would humble themselves and seek Him… He wants us to seek Him, to call out to Him, to put our trust in Him, and to cast our burdens at His feet. But to do that, His people (the Israelites and now us) must seek His face.

But they couldn’t just seek Him and pray. He wants repentance. He wants to see change, a complete reversal from the sinful ways we walk into those of His grace and mercy. He gave specific instructions - seek Him, pray, repent (turn from their wicked ways). That same formula is how we learn to walk in righteousness. We seek Him, we pray and ask forgiveness, then we do a complete about face and change our wicked ways.

Doing all of this is our part. His part is to hear us. And we know that He always hears us, hearing every prayer we speak and those we don’t speak. He hears them all and has a plan for our lives. We have this promise He made to King Solomon that He hears from heaven when we seek His face. And He forgives sins and heals. For the Israelites it was healing their lands from drought and plague. But for us it could be more - healing of the body, mind, relationships, whatever you need Him to intervene in.

Pause today (and every day throughout the month) and seek His face. Seek Him and pray. Turn from the sins in your life and let His healing wash over you and bless your life.

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Psalm 130:5 I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits, and in his word I put my hope.

We reach the final day and find ourselves back in the Psalms with a verse that is not using the word patient within it but clearly speaks of it. So we end the month with a reminder from David of just what our own patience should look like. Let’s take a look and see what we can learn from this man after God’s heart. (Note: The author is actually anonymous but it is often assigned to David for his repentant heart after his various transgressions.)

The word used for wait in this case is qavah, often written in the form of qivviti (I wait). It indicates one who waits with eager expectation or hope. It is not a passive process of waiting. This term can also mean to twist together, suggesting a deep connection with God while waiting. It is this active waiting upon God and trusting in Him that we interpret as patience.

The author (or David) says, “I wait for the Lord, my WHOLE BEING waits…” He waits with everything he has, everything he is. He is actively waiting and anticipating what God is going to bring (and from the context we know that he was seeking forgiveness after having repented). Have you ever wanted something so badly that you can almost taste it? That you long for it with every fiber of your being? That is the waiting that the psalmist speaks of here - wholly and totally waiting with every ounce of who he was.

But this wasn’t a wishful thinking type of waiting. It was a trusting wait. Patience in the season of waiting on the God Who provides with full trust that He WILL. He ended with, “...in his word I put my hope.” He knew that God was a faithful Father, One who wants what is good for us, One who gives grace and mercy in abundance. In His word was where the psalmist’s hope was. The Word as we know it was not in existence yet, the New Testament not even written yet. But the Israelites put their hope in God and His words - His promises.

We wrap up the month with a simple question - where do you put your hope in the waiting seasons? Have patience, friends, and know that He has a plan. Put your hope in Him and what He offers, knowing He loves you and wants what is best for your life.

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Proverbs 15:18 A hot-tempered person stirs up conflict, but the one who is patient calms a quarrel.

As we approach the end of the month it is my prayer that you have developed some patience of your own over our time together. Today is another opportunity to evaluate your patience levels and apply them in possibly trying situations.

Let’s do a little thinking for a minute. Think of at least one person that you know, either now or from your past, who you would say is hot-tempered. I am sure all of us can think of multiple people. Some of us might even BE that hot-tempered person (though I admit I am nowhere near hot-tempered).

Now think about why you identified that person or people as being hot-tempered. Was it because they were quick to stir up trouble or stir up conflict? I know the people that came to mind for me definitely qualify as stirring up trouble or getting into fights. Which proves this psalm to be correct. A hot-tempered person most definitely stirs up conflict.

And when you have a hot-tempered person, you need someone with great patience to keep things calm and to put an end to the quarrel. I tend to be the person with the patience to bring about resolution and calm things down when they get heated. (Which is funny since I said a few days back I often lack patience.) A patient, calm person needs to have a good sense of what is needed to smooth things out and fix the quarrel. If you recall, we also spoke of the patient person having a good deal of spiritual maturity, which will definitely be needed to restore calm to the situation.

We could all use a bit of practice with conflict resolution, I am sure. And I am fairly certain you have people around you who allow you to have that opportunity. The question is, do you take it or stay out of things? Be like the patient person in this psalm and step into the quarrel with the patience to restore peace once again.

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James 5:8 You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near.

It seems from reading these devotions on patience that a lot of them relate to the end of ages somehow. Either they are telling us to be patient, the end is near or telling us He is patient. Either way, this is not our first verse that mentions the Lord’s second coming.

The letter from James addresses believers who were facing economic injustice, oppression, and persecution. James encourages them to endure through the challenges, not retaliate or grumble. In verse 7, James uses the farmer waiting for the rains to illustrate that patience is required to see the final reward of harvest (James 5:7). He then follows up with You, too, be patient…

Sometimes it is hard to be patient when we want something so bad or worse, when we need something and know we have to wait to receive it. But remember, the waiting is what is building your character and teaching you dependence upon the Lord. Our faith in the end provision is tested as we wait. Your faith should be unshakable. It must stand firm.

And why? He says it is because the Lord’s coming is near. We don’t know how near “near” is, but know that it will be coming sooner or later, possibly much sooner than later. We simply do not know. But when His hour comes and He returns to earth, justice will be served. Those who are standing firm and waiting patiently will be vindicated and rewarded, so have faith. The end is near.

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2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

And we come to one of my favorite verses and one I frequently quote when I talk about the love the Father has for each of us as sinners, that He wants none to perish but that all would come to know Him and His amazing, forgiving grace and mercy. But have you ever stopped to think about just what this verse means? What promise is He slow in keeping?

The promise that Peter is speaking of in this verse is the return of Christ. The Father is not purposely delaying or putting off what was promised, that Christ would return again ushering in the Kingdom of God. He is not taking His sweet time, keeping a tally of all of the souls needed before the heavens would open. He is patiently planning, patiently waiting, patiently watching…Not delaying.

No, He has a reason that Christ has not returned yet and it is for our benefit that He hasn’t yet. He wants every soul to have the option of hearing the Gospel and being able to choose Him or not, to ask for forgiveness, to repent of sins, and to turn to Him. He wants none to perish. None. Not even one. And every soul that does perish without choosing Him is mourned because He wants ALL to come to repentance and be saved. So He patiently watches. He patiently waits. He patiently rejoices in every soul that is saved.

If Christ were to return today, this very day, would you be ready? Would you have confessed your sins and repented? Would everyone you love have heard the message of Christ and been given the same choice? Would they be ready? And what about those they love? Would they all be ready? So many people have yet to decide, thinking they have time to check out this church thing and the Jesus stuff that people keep selling them… But do they? Do they really have time to dawdle and delay?

We don’t know when it will happen. It will happen in the blink of an eye. Two will be working, one will be taken. Where will you be? Will you be there left wondering where your coworker went? Or will you be with Jesus?

He doesn’t want ANY to perish and we shouldn’t want that either. Why do we tarry with sharing the Gospel? Their very souls are at risk of eternal separation. Why don’t we feel more urgency to tell everyone today, now, of what He did for you and me? He wants ALL to come to repentance. He wants everyone to be saved. He wants no one to perish. Yet here we sit, doing our own thing and not sharing the life saving information we hold.

Don’t wait any longer. Today is the day to open your mouth and share. Today is the day to do your part to make sure everyone you love is ready to meet their Maker. Today is the day that we need to get right with God and get our acts together. What will you do?

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Proverbs 14:29 Whoever is patient has great understanding, but one who is quick-tempered displays folly.

How would you describe a person who is patient? Would you use words like wise, even tempered, slow to respond? Or do we not think of these things when we think of patience? In my mind, a patient person is one who has great self control and can maintain a steady temperament regardless of the circumstances. But would I have considered them wise? Probably not. Not until reading today’s verse.

A patient person has great understanding. They show wisdom in their response to things because a patient person is going to weigh out all of the options and consider the outcomes before engaging. They are not going to “fly by the seat of their pants” and jump at the first sign of trouble. When a person shows patience they are able to manage their temper, unlike a foolish person, and they show a depth of understanding and insight, as well as that sense of self-control. It signifies a calm, thoughtful approach that we can argue reflects God's character. He is patient with us, and we should be patient in response to others and with regard to ourselves.

The opposing side of the coin is the person who shows folly. They showcase foolishness rather than self-control. They react to things quickly without thinking of the consequences. One who lacks control or is an impatient person often doesn’t think of things in the long term. They don’t weigh the options and consider the consequences of their actions. This usually results in unnecessary conflict and further hurts them and others.

We see the value in being patient and exercising self-control. We know that it helps us with controlling emotions which leads to better, wiser choices, whereas losing control leads to mistakes, conflict, and folly.

Today’s verse was just one proverb in a series of great wisdom contained within the overall book, as well as within chapter 14 itself, where we see an emphasis on wisdom tied to our mental and emotional well-being. Remember today’s proverb when you find yourself starting to respond quickly to something and know that with patience you exercise wisdom and not foolishness.

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Revelation 13:10 “If anyone is to go into captivity, into captivity they will go. If anyone is to be killed with the sword, with the sword they will be killed.” This calls for patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of God’s people.

It is funny how we rarely dig into the book of Revelation, yet here we are for the third time this month alone pulling out nuggets of wisdom and truth about patience. Today’s verse speaks of what is widely considered the Great Tribulation and speaks of a time of great persecution and trial for believers. Whether you are a pre or post Tributionist believer, we can agree on the fact that none of us want to be present during this time in history because it will be a very unpleasant experience for all involved.

At this point in the story, the Antichrist will have been empowered by Satan to rule and to wage war against the believers for forty-two months. This will be a period of great persecution and the believers, whether they be new believers that have come about since the beginning of the End times or believers who are still present on earth when the Antichrist takes power, we don’t know. But they will have war waged against them, and we know war is never a pleasant experience for those in the crosshairs.

This verse instructs Christians that while the beast will persecute them, God is sovereign. The saints are called to "endurance and faith" rather than violent resistance. John reminds the people who are reading his words that though we may face persecution, whatever happens will ultimately happen and God will be glorified in it. We may not understand at the time but once we get through the trial and come out the other side we often see God’s guiding hand leading us through and out.

I pray we escape the trials and tribulation that the believers of Revelation will experience, but we know that if any are to go into captivity, into captivity they will go. It cannot be thwarted. And if any are to die by the sword, by the sword will they die. There is no escape and there is no need to fight. We stand firm in our beliefs and know that we will be with God one way or another and our momentary trials are just a blink in the eye of eternity, so persevere, trust, and let Him be our strength and hope.

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Psalm 27:14 Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.

Any time you see something repeated you know it is important. The psalmist, who happened to be David, does not use modern editing features like we do. They didn’t have bold or italics so had to be creative in how to place emphasis. In this case, it is done using repetitive wording. David wanted to emphasize “wait for the Lord.”

So what does it mean to wait for the Lord? The obvious answer would be that we await His response to our prayers. But is there more to it than just prayer requests? When we wait on the Lord we draw closer to Him. Waiting teaches us patience. It is an action, trusting His timing and not our own, relying on His character to fulfill His promises.

How do we wait on the Lord? We turn to Him in prayer. We are obedient children of God, trusting Him to do what He said He would do. And we do so in a disciplined manner. Similar to a soldier, we wait patiently with purpose and look forward with confidence, no matter how difficult circumstances might get.

Our verse encourages patient, active trust in God. And it is not the only verse that speaks of waiting and patience. Isaiah 40:31 says those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength. Lamentations 3:25-26 tells us the Lord is good to those who wait for Him. And Psalm 37:7 says to be still before the Lord and to wait patiently for Him.

If we have learned anything today it is to wait on Him. Wait on the Lord, have patience, trust in His timing. And in every action, wait. Sometimes waiting is the hardest thing to do but we trust in His plan and know His ways are better than our own. Trust Him and you will see.

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Romans 2:7 To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life.

When you first read today’s verse, you might be led to believe that Paul is teaching that salvation is earned by our merit - by what we do. But if you read the verse in context and look at other verses throughout the book of Romans and the New Testament, we see that Paul defends his position that salvation is not by works, but is by faith alone.

We see instead that through our persistence in doing good seek glory, He gives eternal life. This is not saying we are working to earn our salvation. Instead, it is showing the evidence of a changed heart. A transformation has taken place in the new believer and their heart was been made new. And as a result of this, they become a new person, saved by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8-9)

There is no doubt that Paul supported salvation by faith alone. He very clearly lays out his case in the book of Romans (Romans 3:20; Romans 3:28;Romans 4:5; Romans 11:6). Look at all he wrote in the various epistles. Other New Testament writers, including Jesus Himself, defend the position that salvation is a gift of God and not something earned through our works (John 3:16–18; John 6:28–29; 1 Peter 1:3–9; 1 John 3:1–5; 1 John 5:1–12).

What does this mean for you and me in today’s day in age? It means the same thing to us that it meant to the people of Paul’s time - salvation is by grace alone, not by our own merit. We cannot save ourselves. We can only believe and trust in Him and accept His grace and mercy for ourselves. Don’t fall victim to the belief that you earn your salvation or that you continue to work it out. You are saved by grace through faith and nothing more. It is His great grace and mercy that He bestows upon us, though we are totally undeserving.

Spend a few minutes today pondering how great that gift is. Meditate on it for a few minutes and really synthesize what it means in your life. And then thank Him for what He did for you. He died for you. He gave His life in exchange for yours. The least you can do is give Him the glory for what He has done. Praise His Name and thank Him for your salvation.

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1 Timothy 6:11 But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness.

Before we begin going over today’s verse, we need to pause and read the context from which it is taken. We don’t know what Paul is telling Timothy to flee from without checking the context, so need to read and find out. In the previous verses, from about verse 3 through 10, we see Paul urging Timothy to avoid false teaching and the love of money. When he said to “flee these things” he was referring to the materialistic traps, greed, and arguments mentioned in the previous verses.

Instead of pursuing materialistic things, Paul urges Timothy to pursue six Godly virtues. These are righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, and gentleness. We will be focusing only on one - endurance, which is also seen as steadfastness in some versions, perseverance in others, and patience in the KJV and NKJV. Timothy is not only to avoid these unholy things, he is told to flee them. To run from them. To escape from as quickly as possible.

While this letter was written to Timothy and addresses him in his role as a leader, the truth behind these words can be applied to our own walks today. We, too, need to flee ungodly things and pursue good virtues. We need to pursue patience. We don’t just have patience, we actively seek it. We go after it. Pursuing is an ongoing action that isn’t finished only one time. We are to pursue it consistently, constantly, and in a continuous manner. We are not just running away from the ungodly things, but we are running TO the good ones.

Are you actively pursuing a life that is patient? Are you fleeing the negative things of our world and sins and seeking the virtue of patience and endurance? Run towards these six virtues and away from the sins of your life. Trust in God to reward you for your actions and know that you seek what is good, what is holy, what is right and true.

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