May 23, 2019 The Precious Furnace of Affliction Article by Vaneetha Rendall Risner Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tried you in the furnace of affliction. (Isaiah 48:10) Ten years ago, the furnace of affliction burned hotter than normal. Suddenly a single parent, my life became a waking nightmare. I … Continue reading The Furnace of Affliction
Month: May 2019
Proverbs 18
Do you know anyone who isolates themselves from others? Maybe they have determined the church is full of hypocrites and they can do better on their own. But, “he who separates himself seeks his own desire, He quarrels against all sound wisdom” (18:1, NASB). The Bible gives the understanding that we need others: A community … Continue reading Proverbs 18
Proverbs 17
The comparison of the life of the godly and the life of the ungodly continues. The right focus in life is —on the Lord. We now see the right features in life: contentment and character.[1] “Better is a dry morsel and quietness with it Than a house full of feasting with strife” (Proverbs 17:1). One … Continue reading Proverbs 17
Proverbs 16
Reading through this proverb exposes any whitewashing to our characters that we are prone to do for sure. The following is a sampling of verses that pricked a cord in my veins: We might look pure in our own eyes, as well as our neighbor’s eyes, but guess what? God knows the motives and intentions … Continue reading Proverbs 16
Proverbs 15
Are you familiar with someone who rarely smiles? They find life too difficult while dragging themselves from one task to the next without any regard for how it may be affecting their spouse or children! Their words usually uncover the self-inflicted, self-absorption of their existence. “A broken heart crushes the spirit” (Proverbs 15:13b, NLT). “For … Continue reading Proverbs 15
Proverbs 14
While seeing a female medical doctor, I mentioned keeping my then 2-year-old grandson. Since she had a 3-year-old little girl, she proceeded to inform me of what her pediatrician had recommended for temper tantrums. When the little girl had her next tantrum, she gave it a try which consisted of shutting her 3-year-old in her … Continue reading Proverbs 14
Proverbs 12 & 13
One never knows how adult children will end up doing things, but I’ve been highly impressed as I watch ours do the “disciplining thing” with their children. This past weekend has given me a genuine respect for the time and energy, not to mention wisdom, that goes into disciplining the foster-grands! When wisdom is needed, … Continue reading Proverbs 12 & 13
Proverbs 11
I’ve been on a very special weekend with my daughters and all the grands. It was special because it’s the first time to have a getaway, just us girls, and the first time for my older daughter to bring her foster-children, not to mention having four grands at the beach; a priceless experience. But what … Continue reading Proverbs 11
Proverbs 10
Do you wonder if your neighbors are reading the Book of Proverbs? Do your neighbors want to ask YOU to read the Book of Proverbs on a regular basis? Proverbs is God’s practical wisdom for righteous living: Wise Behavior = Skillful Living We encountered the foundational truth of wisdom in the first chapter of the … Continue reading Proverbs 10
Proverbs 9
Have you built a house or watched one being built? There’s so much work that goes into the whole project. While examining Proverbs 9, I was impressed with the first line of the first verse, “Wisdom has built her house” (Proverbs 9:1a, NLT). The Bible Knowledge Commentary observes, “in Proverbs wisdom is frequently personified as … Continue reading Proverbs 9
