Daily Devotion: Proverbs 27:17

Proverbs 27:17 "Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend."

I remember, growing up, having a whet rock in one of the kitchen drawers. When a knife became dull, that stone would be taken out and the knife edge rubbed back and forth, making it sharp. That stone was well worn from use.

Solomon tells us that our friends should make us sharper just as that stone makes the knife sharper. The book of Proverbs has much to say about seeking wise counsel. There is safety in true counsel of a friend. There is encouragement in the true counsel of a friend. There is direction to be found in the true counsel of a friend. Friendly wisdom shared with another makes us sharper in our own decision making and actions.

We are told from childhood to be careful in choosing our friends (acquaintances, companions). We saw back in chapter 18 that there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. His name is Jesus, Wonderful, Counselor, the Mighty God, Prince of Peace. His friendship sharpens us more than any other.

Daily Devotion: Colossians 1:25-26

Colossians 1:25-26 “Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God; Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:” In verse twenty-four, Paul has expressed his joy in bearing hardship for the church. It is of this church, the body of Jesus Christ, that he is made a minister. Since Paul used the phrase “made a minister” in verse twenty-three of this same chapter, it seems there is something important that he wishes to convey. The Greek word translated as “made” means “to cause to be.” It was the will of God (Col 1:1) that caused Paul to become a minister. God is always the cause of true ministry. Although our fathers may be ministers, if we become true ministers of the gospel it is not because our fathers are ministers. True ministers of the gospel do not take that path because they seek honor for themselves, or b...

Daily Devotion: Exodus 7:6-10

Exodus 7:6-10 "And Moses and Aaron did as the LORD commanded them, so did they. And Moses was fourscore years old, and Aaron fourscore and three years old, when they spake unto Pharaoh. And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, When Pharaoh shall speak unto you, saying, Shew a miracle for you: then thou shalt say unto Aaron, Take thy rod, and cast it before Pharaoh, and it shall become a serpent. And Moses and Aaron went in unto Pharaoh, and they did so as the LORD had commanded: and Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh, and before his servants, and it became a serpent." Moses and Aaron had begun to doubt whether they were right for the job the LORD had given them. Here, it is evident that God granted them a renewal of their faith. Moses and Aaron did as the LORD commanded them. In my opinion, all truly successful outcomes in our lives begin with this. Moses and Aaron were not young men. Moses was eighty years old, and Aaron was eighty-three years old. Still,...

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