Geneva College Blog Posts - Geneva College

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Biblical Wisdom
How Sweet Are Your Words: Geneva’s Cover to Cover Bible Reading Project
From February 19-26, the Bible was read cover to cover across campus. Students, faculty, and staff participated in reading aloud and listening to the word of God.
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March 12, 2025
Biblical Wisdom
How to Spot a Wolf: Recognize Abusive Church Leadership Before It’s Too Late
What are the circumstances when honoring God means disobeying, fleeing, or even calling out those who minister in His name? Read here to learn Pastor Rutledge Etheridge's thoughts on the question!
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September 12, 2024
Biblical Wisdom
Unfathomable Interrelationship
God has created all human beings to be in relationship with Himself, each other, and with nature. Read what Pastor Rutledge Etheridge has to say about the beautiful and unfathomable interrelationship that God has designed for his created beings.
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July 19, 2024
Biblical Wisdom
Faithful Doubt: Habakkuk, a Review and Reflection
Faithful Doubt: Habakkuk, written by pastor Travis Scott, explores the short prophetic book of Habakkuk, in a practical and meaningful way through the lens of a doubter. Travis approaches the passage of scripture from an honest and humble perspective, recalling difficulties experienced as a husband, father, and pastor.
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March 2, 2022
Biblical Wisdom
"Every Good Work"
Dr. J. Ligon Duncan of Reformed Theological Seminary delivered the spring 2021 Commencement address at Geneva College on May 10, 2021. Here is an excerpt of that message, entitled, "Every Good Work," from 2 Timothy 3. This excerpt first appeared in the Summer 2021 edition of Geneva Magazine.
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August 6, 2021
Biblical Wisdom
It Is from the LORD that a Man Gets Justice
When the Bible teaches one thing and your “instincts,” as it were, disagree, whose wisdom do you trust, your own or God’s? Do we really need to be told not to trust in our own minds? Yes, because we want to trust ourselves, and because in our day putatively wise people constantly tell us that high self-esteem brings success.
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July 2, 2021
Biblical Wisdom
Whoever Trusts in His Own Mind Is a Fool
When the Bible teaches one thing and your “instincts,” as it were, disagree, whose wisdom do you trust, your own or God’s? Do we really need to be told not to trust in our own minds? Yes, because we want to trust ourselves, and because in our day putatively wise people constantly tell us that high self-esteem brings success.
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June 4, 2021
Biblical Wisdom
7 Reasons Why Bible Study for College Students Can Help with Better Grades
As busy as college students are, it can be profoundly beneficial for them to seek out and engage in a routine Bible study. Diving deeper into their faith, exploring what the world’s challenges mean to them, and creating a Christian-based path forward can give any college student the direction he or she needs to achieve their best life. Still, it’s not always easy to make that decision—instead of a night with friends or yet another study session for a high-level math class, go to Bible study instead.
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May 25, 2021
Biblical Wisdom
The Rest of Peace
Handing our cares and worries over to God gives us peace which keeps us from falling into doubt, as stated in Philippians. "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God."
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May 19, 2021
Biblical Wisdom
Know Well the Condition of Your Flocks
What should someone with wealth do? Solomon writes, “Pay attention to it and know its condition.” He uses the example of sheep and goats. Wise parents blessed with wealth will teach their children how to work to maintain it. Wise children will accept the burdens of responsibility that go with family wealth, always remembering that riches do not last forever.
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May 5, 2021
Biblical Wisdom
Whoever Hates Disguises Himself
The Book of Proverbs has no use for the gullible, viewing them as willful fools. Even when everyone else can see a hateful, deceitful person for what he is, the gullible choose to believe gracious words.
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April 6, 2021
Biblical Wisdom
Justification by Grace Alone through Faith Alone
At Easter, a good question to ask is, "How are people saved?" This should be a question that Christians can easily answer, and indeed most can. However, sometimes Christians are less knowledgeable about the doctrine of justification and its important distinctions than perhaps they should be.
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April 1, 2021
Biblical Wisdom
Like a Muddied Spring or a Polluted Fountain
When wisdom, truth, and love demand that good men show courage, their failure to stand firm makes them no more useful than a muddied spring or a polluted fountain. They promise life-sustaining water, but when put to the test, they fail.
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March 1, 2021
Biblical Wisdom
Just Mercy
When someone shows us mercy, they are not giving us the punishment that we deserve.  Jesus models this action for us in multiple ways. The importance of the exhibition of mercy by Christians is displayed throughout the New Testament, and there are many ways for us to show mercy daily.
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February 22, 2021
Biblical Wisdom
Whoever Gives an Honest Answer
One of the dangers powerful people face is subordinates who tell them only what they think their bosses want to hear. Not hearing bad news, or honest evaluations of plans, the bosses then make mistakes and fail. The one who speaks with straightforward honesty, especially when he knows that what he has to say will not be welcome, is the true friend.
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February 1, 2021
Biblical Wisdom
Best of 2020: The Responsibility of Stewardship
In a world that has been impacted by sin, there is always more that can be done to ensure a mindset of good stewardship and redemption. It starts with understanding that God intends to connect man’s physical existence with the environment from which he was brought forth and continues with educating people with sensible information.
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January 6, 2021
Biblical Wisdom
Give Me Your Heart
Sexual sins enslave many. Fall into a deep pit, perhaps a cistern, and someone else must pull you out. Get wedged in a narrow well, and you can’t climb out. Being trapped below the earth in a pit or a well that someone has dug nicely describes enslavement to any sin. Better to heed the father's request - give me your heart.
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January 4, 2021
Biblical Wisdom
Impactful Career Opportunities if you have a Degree in Biblical Studies
Do you have a strong faith and love the word of God? Do you have a burning desire to dig deeper into the Scriptures? Do you yearn to share the gospel with others, locally or abroad, but feel under-equipped? Do you think about becoming a pastor or working in Christian education? Do you long to help others with their religious questions and/or spiritual development?
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December 16, 2020
Biblical Wisdom
Be Not One of Those Who Give Pledges
Solomon warns the son he addresses in Proverbs against a common road to poverty. There is a kind of gambling disguised as a friendly helping hand, co-signing a student loan, co-signing a mortgage, handing someone else your credit card. If you can’t make good their failure to pay, Solomon warns, you’ll be out on the street.
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December 1, 2020
Biblical Wisdom
The Desire of the Sluggard Kills Him
The lazy man fears to give because he has no source of getting, since he won’t work. He lives in an alternate world of wishing, where he gets what he wants without work. But desire combined with laziness kills the spirit, leaving a person imprisoned in covetousness.
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November 2, 2020
Biblical Wisdom
A Wise King Winnows the Wicked
A wise ruler enforces one law for the rich and the poor, one law for people from the king’s tribe and from other tribes, one law for the police and those they are charged to protect, one law for the educated and the uneducated. He winnows the wicked, understanding that swift and certain punishment matters more than severity.
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October 5, 2020
Biblical Wisdom
A Son Who Brings Shame and Reproach
Every society faces the problem of “elder abuse.” In time, a son always becomes stronger than his father and can push him around, and a son (or a daughter) can sometimes appropriate his mother’s house and property, perhaps abusing a trusting mother’s grant of power of attorney to “chase her away.”
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September 2, 2020
Biblical Wisdom
To Fine the Righteous Is Not Good
Fining the righteous (i.e., the innocent) “is not good,” surely an understatement. Let rulers know that there is a God in heaven who will judge those who fine the innocent, or flog the noble for their integrity. No matter how great a ruler is, he should know that doing such things is “not good.”
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August 3, 2020
Biblical Wisdom
A Worker's Appetite Works for Him
The threat of hunger keeps us working, even when our work bores and exhausts us. Thus, a worker’s appetite for food and shelter works for him by urging him on to work. The wise will not sever the relationship between work and eating that God has established.
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July 7, 2020
Biblical Wisdom
Gracious words are pure
God hears our thoughts as clearly as others hear our words. Like people who know each other well, God even knows what we are going to think before we think it. The terms “abomination” and “pure” applied to human thoughts and words implies that they are a sacrifice to God, one that either pleases Him or displeases Him.
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June 5, 2020
Biblical Wisdom
In the fear of the LORD one has strong confidence
The word “fear” makes modern Christians nervous, but the New Testament embraces it: “Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God.” (I Peter 2:17). The LORD’s unshakable love and care for His people means that their fear of Him and Him alone will never disappoint them. “What shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?”
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May 4, 2020
Biblical Wisdom
One who is righteous is a guide to his neighbor
God gives us our families, but we choose our friends. Spend time with sneering losers, and you will become one. Associate with the snooty smart set, and you will share their attitude. Put in time with respectful, hard-working types, and their good habits will become yours. So the Book of Proverbs tells the “son” repeatedly, choose friends well.
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April 3, 2020
Biblical Wisdom
Proverbs 11:26 – The people curse him who holds back grain...
People who control products necessary for life, like food or medicines, and decline to press their economic advantage to its fullest show the quality of mercy, of which Jesus said, “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy (Matthew 5:7).” Solomon teaches that there will be a blessing on the head of such people, from neighbors no doubt, but also from God.
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March 5, 2020
Biblical Wisdom
Proverbs 10:26 - Like vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes...
Many of Solomon’s proverbs describe lazy people because there are a lot of lazy people. Lazy people ruin their own lives, disrupt their family’s lives, and disturb their employer’s peace of mind. Like vinegar that sets teeth on edge, and smoke that irritates one’s eyes, so is the sluggard to anyone who uses him to do even a simple task.
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February 4, 2020
Biblical Wisdom
By justice a king builds up the land
When rulers receive gifts, they stop treating everyone fairly. People with an interest in what you can do for them will pay for your speech, give to your campaign, or fund your foundation. “Pay to play” expectations are automatically built into a king’s “exacting” gifts, named “gifts” to disguise their actual door-opening purpose.
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November 4, 2019
Biblical Wisdom
Those who forsake the law praise the wicked
What do wicked people want from the law and the Supreme Court? They want not just “decriminalization” of their behavior; they want approval of it, in the press, in schools, and in pulpits if they can get it. Those who refuse to get with their program will have to praise them or strive against them.
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October 7, 2019
Biblical Wisdom
Who can stand before jealousy?
Wrath can be cruel and anger overwhelming. Jealousy, however, can hide and last for years, plotting and scheming, a silent assassin. It is an enemy often undetected until ready to strike, with weapons subtle as whispered slander or violent as murder.
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September 4, 2019
Biblical Wisdom
Answer not a fool according to his folly...
The self-confident fool thinks too highly of himself and his opinions, and he shares them freely. How should a wise person deal with him?
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August 1, 2019
Biblical Wisdom
Proverbs 25:4-5 - Take away the dross from the silver...
This proverb sounds easy. Purify the silver, and you can make a silver cup; get bad people away from the king, and he will rule justly over a stable kingdom. But neither process is easy or safe!
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July 1, 2019
Biblical Wisdom
Proverbs 24:3-4 – By wisdom a house is built...
What builds a “house” and fills its rooms with riches? Wisdom! Where do father and mother learn wisdom so they can build their house, that is, their family? They learn it most easily when their own parents apprentice them to it, but also when they possess the inherited wisdom of generations summed up in pithy proverbs.
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June 5, 2019
Biblical Wisdom
Proverbs 23:4-5 – Do not toil to acquire wealth...
Rest is one of God’s blessings. Sleep is wonderful, a gift of God. Tired bodies revive, dreams integrate the day’s events into our minds, and sleep puts us in the hands of God, who never sleeps.
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May 1, 2019
Biblical Wisdom
Proverbs 22:4 – The reward for humility and fear of the LORD...
Humility requires God’s grace, given often through rebukes, setbacks, God’s Word, parents, and teachers, until we learn that God is God, and we are not, and that other people deserve the same love and consideration we do. The humble person thinks honestly about himself, not too highly, nor falsely denying what God has given
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April 1, 2019
Biblical Wisdom
Proverbs 21:4 – A haughty look, a proud heart...
Everyone recognizes a haughty look. It is “looking down one’s nose” at others. People with exalted self-esteem glance at others with a look meaning, “You are nothing but vermin.” But all stand before God as equals; He is no respecter of persons.
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March 1, 2019
Biblical Wisdom
Proverbs 20:4 – The sluggard does not plow in the autumn . . .
A farmer who failed to plow in the fall found plowing in Israel’s rainy winter, or in America’s muddy spring, difficult. He could not reasonably expect much of a harvest. When does a person “plow” in our society?
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February 1, 2019
Biblical Wisdom
Proverbs 19:4 – Wealth makes many friends...
Men’s love of one another is so weak that if someone falls into poverty, whether through business failure or illness, even old friends find reasons not to contact him. Who wants to hear tales of woe? Who wants to see needs he should help alleviate? Not many!
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January 2, 2019
Biblical Wisdom
Proverbs 18:4 – The words of a man’s mouth are deep waters...
As deep waters hide what lurks beneath them, a person’s words may hide his thoughts as well as reveal them. Jesus uniquely knew what people were thinking deep within, and while we do not, Solomon warns us that there are depths beneath another’s words that we can’t see.
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December 3, 2018
Biblical Wisdom
Proverbs 17:4 – An evildoer listens to wicked lips...
The father’s point in this proverb is to urge his son not to listen to wicked words. A wise son will never join evildoers or join liars. Good people must make it clear that they do not welcome wicked words. Sometimes refusing to listen to wicked talk exacts a price.
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November 1, 2018
Biblical Wisdom
Proverbs 16:4 – “The LORD has made everything for its purpose..."
Like a good engineer, God made everything for a purpose. Sometimes the purpose is easy to figure out. The purpose of other things take careful study and time to figure out. Some things, God tells us, we will never know because His ways are higher than our ways (Isaiah 55:9), and some of His plans He keeps sealed until the end of time (Revelation 10:4).
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October 1, 2018
Biblical Wisdom
Proverbs 15:4 – “A gentle tongue is a tree of life...
A family of gentle speech, a church where people speak kindly, an office with such conversation, is like a Garden of Paradise where one would want to live forever. Could there be higher praise than to compare something to a tree of life, which bestows immortality?
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September 1, 2018
Biblical Wisdom
Where no oxen are, the trough is clean...
A life accomplishing anything will include a lot of messiness, including untidy houses and barns. But a messy house shows that people live there, people to love and be loved, people made in God’s image.
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August 1, 2018
Biblical Wisdom
The soul of the lazy man desires, and has nothing...
It is impolite today to describe people as lazy, let alone suggest that laziness will lead to poverty, but that is how Proverbs mainly sees the world. The main issue in desiring and having versus desiring and not having is hard work versus laziness.
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July 2, 2018
Biblical Wisdom
Unity in Christ: Loving One Another, Despite Our Differences
Nowadays it is easy to get caught up in our many differences. But in reality, we have so much more in common than we think.
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June 21, 2018
Biblical Wisdom
An excellent wife is the crown of her husband...
The ideal wife in Proverbs is loyal, merry, capable, and strong, the perfect helper for her man. For more than one man, his wife is the best thing he has going for him, refusing to use his weaknesses as an excuse for not fulfilling her marriage vows.
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June 1, 2018
Biblical Wisdom
Riches do not profit in the day of wrath...
In this life, riches command respect, buy the best lawyers, and may even bribe the judge. But in the day of wrath, riches will not sway the Judge, nor remove the sting of God’s wrath. The only help in the day of wrath is righteousness.
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May 1, 2018
Biblical Wisdom
He who has a slack hand becomes poor...
A “slack hand” person works carelessly, sloppily, and, yes, a little deceitfully. Rather than striving to do excellent work, he regularly says, “good enough.”
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April 2, 2018
Biblical Wisdom
He who is often rebuked, and hardens his neck...
Wise people learn from others, from father and mother, teachers, friends, police, or even enemies. They listen to advice, they watch and observe, and they learn from books, such as Proverbs. Then there are people who refuse to learn.
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January 3, 2018
Biblical Wisdom
The wicked flee when no one pursues...
Really? The wicked flee, and righteous people are bold as lions? Many Psalms lament the success of the wicked. Bullies often rule school playgrounds. Bad guys win their share of wars. So how is this proverb true?
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December 1, 2017
Biblical Wisdom
Do not boast about tomorrow...
Despite constant future-telling failure, people still want to know the future. The less sober read their daily horoscope or go to fortunetellers. The college educated trust climate scientists and writers of books like Professor Ehrlich’s 1968 book "The Population Bomb." What is the Lord’s advice about such prophets? Ignore them.
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November 1, 2017
Biblical Wisdom
5 Ways to Impact Future Generations with Your Christian Faith and Higher Education Degree
As Christians, we are called to serve and be fishers of men. Education is a field that directly impacts future generations and created an opportunity to instill the gospel into the future leaders of the world.
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October 23, 2017
Biblical Wisdom
Celebrating a Biblically Based Conflict Resolution Day
Inevitably we all will face conflict in our lives. While it has historically is viewed in a negative light, we see it a tool to not only grow our faith but cultivate fruitful relationships as well.
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October 17, 2017
Biblical Wisdom
Honor is not fitting in a fool
Proverbs 26:1 – “As snow in summer and rain in harvest, so honor is not fitting in a fool.” The honored fool in this proverb is an unshakably self-confident person who cannot be taught and rejects good advice.
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October 2, 2017
Biblical Wisdom
Do not be envious of evil men...
Proverbs 24:1-2 – “Do not be envious of evil men, nor desire to be with them. For their heart devises violence, and their lips speak of troublemaking.” Why want to be around evil men? Power! Do not be envious of such men, let alone join them.
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September 1, 2017
Biblical Wisdom
When you sit down to eat with a ruler...
This warning tells the “son” for whom Proverbs is meant to watch out when a ruler invites him to dinner. No matter how good the food, he should curb his appetite. The food is deceptive.
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August 2, 2017
Biblical Wisdom
A good name is to be chosen...
Both riches (silver and gold) and an honorable reputation (loving favor, i.e., respect) are good. But if one has to choose between them, Solomon says, “Choose a good name.”
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July 5, 2017
Biblical Wisdom
The King’s Heart...
God’s people, even with bad rulers, should never despair, but rather pray. A king’s calling is onerous, and the temptation to pride and abuse is huge. So God tells His people, wherever they live, to pray for their rulers.
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June 1, 2017
Biblical Wisdom
Wine is a mocker...
This proverb depicts wine and strong drink as actors in their own right. Wine mocks; it starts fights; and it makes people foolish.
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May 1, 2017
Biblical Wisdom
Proverbs 19:1 – Better is the poor man who walks in his integrity...
People err when they think wealth is the measure of a man. The question, “How much is he worth (meaning money)?” is way off the mark. A far better measure of a man is integrity: “better is the poor man who walks in his integrity.”
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March 1, 2017
Biblical Wisdom
A Man Who Isolates Himself...
The loner is someone who purposely holds himself aloof. Everyone else is unworthy! “People are fools.” Every proud loner needs to come to his senses, seek human companionship, and learn to listen to advice.
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February 1, 2017
Biblical Wisdom
Why Reflection is the Cornerstone of Spiritual Growth
Reflection is more than just skimming a morning devotional while you grab breakfast or scanning your Bible before bed. It requires deliberate and thoughtful pondering of the materials that quicken and inspire you, using a method and frequency that motivates you to be your best self.
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January 19, 2017
Biblical Wisdom
Better Is a Dry Morsel with Quiet...
Imagine a rich farmer whose fields produce such abundant crops that he must build bigger barns, congratulating himself on his comfortable retirement. Imagine he ends up owning the whole world! Then he suddenly dies. How will things turn out when he faces God in judgment?
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January 3, 2017
Biblical Wisdom
The Preparations of the Heart Belong to Man...
To make plans, God gave us eyes, ears, and minds, and He wants us to use them. One variety of planning involves thinking ahead how to say something well, the “preparations of the heart” in the proverb. By “heart,” the Bible usually means our thoughts. God made us able to think in words, like God Himself.
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December 1, 2016
Biblical Wisdom
A Soft Word Turns Away Wrath...
Wrath comes everyone’s way. To turn it away, answer softly. To make it angrier, answer harshly. It’s simple. The trouble is we answer before thinking, with reflexive irritation, or a habit of defending our honor, or desiring to justify ourselves, or determined to dominate.
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November 1, 2016
Biblical Wisdom
The Need for Jesus (Part 4): The Second Adam
Who is Jesus? How does He fulfill the Old Testament? He is the Messiah, the Son of David. He is the Lamb of God, who fulfills Israel’s worship by sacrifice. He is the Seed of Abraham in whom all nations of the earth are blessed. He is the Second Adam from whom the human race takes a new beginning.
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October 30, 2016
Biblical Wisdom
The Need for Jesus (Part 3): Both King and Lamb
Here is an irony of history. Jesus is both David’s heir and the fulfillment of sacrificial worship. In Jesus’ day His disciples were eager to call Him King. They had to be forced to see in Him the sacrifice for their sins. Today, it is sometimes the opposite. Christians are happy to have Christ be their priest and sacrifice. But they sometimes resist obeying Him as King.
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October 24, 2016
Biblical Wisdom
The Need for Jesus (Part 2): More than Just Another David
By being the Son of David and God’s chosen Messiah to suffer for His people, rise to life, and ascend to heaven to rule, Jesus fulfills God’s Covenant with David beyond Israel’s wildest dreams. Let’s look more closely now at how Jesus fulfills God’s Covenant made through Moses.
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October 17, 2016
Biblical Wisdom
The Need for Jesus (Part 1)
Wouldn’t you love to hear a tape of Jesus’ talk showing how He fulfilled the Old Testament? I would. But we don’t need such a tape. We have the New Testament! The New Testament is Jesus’ interpretation of the Old Testament. In sum, His interpretation is this: “You search the Scriptures, because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is these that bear witness of Me.” (John 5:39)
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October 10, 2016
Biblical Wisdom
The Wise Woman Builds Her House...
Whether it be family, or church, or workplace, or country, people (not just women) can build or pull down. Tearing down a house with one’s own hands requires hard, often angry work, but it is easy to get started: just do what comes naturally, that is, put your own whims and desires first, and when they are thwarted, destroy!
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October 3, 2016
Biblical Wisdom
A Wise Son Heeds His Father's Instructions...
What sort of people should children aspire to be, and what ideal should parents hold before them? The Book of Proverbs praises adjectives like “obedient,” “respectful,” and “humble,” rather than today’s popular aspirations of “creative” and “independent.”
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September 26, 2016
Biblical Wisdom
What Is the Gospel?
What is the Gospel? That’s an easy question for Christians. No doubt you can answer it. But don’t just think “Good News!” That’s only the etymology of “euangellion.” The question is, what news is Good News? Let’s see what the Bible teaches.
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September 14, 2016



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