Our Favorite Proverbs: Proverbs 21:1

by David Chadwick

“The king's heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it wherever he will.” Proverbs 21:1

This proverb is a wonderful reminder about the sovereignty of God over everything in this world, even rulers and kings. He rules and reigns above everything. This verse shares a similar truth to another proverb in Proverbs 16:9, which says, “The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.”

Think about a stream of water for a moment; the way it flows, twists, and turns. Solomon declares this stream is directed by the Lord.

The Lord directs a leader’s heart in any way he pleases. Leaders and influential people in the world might think they control the destiny of the world, but they don't. God sovereignly controls his world. He oversees everything with intentionality for our good, for his purposes to be accomplished on the earth, and ultimately for his final glory.

For a moment, let’s jump to Daniel 2:21, which says, “He (God) changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding.” I love this verse. God has raised up and lowered leaders throughout all of history.

Contextually, Daniel was sitting under the reign of King Nebuchadnezzar. But according to the Bible, even this king, the most powerful man in the world at that time, was under God's sovereign power.

The same is true today. There are leaders and rulers making all kinds of noise and “rattling their sabers” to flex their power and establish their importance. As followers of Jesus, what should be our response to this?

First, continue to look to our sovereign God, the maker of heaven and earth, the one who controls everything!

Secondly, pray for those who are in authority over us. Pray for wisdom for our president and for other leaders throughout the world. Pray that they would seek God and his will above all else.

Above all, may we never be anxious, trusting fully in God's perfect plan over all nations and leaders.

Our Favorite Proverbs: Proverbs 22:1

by David Chadwick

“A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, and favor is better than silver or gold.” Proverbs 22:1

Today’s proverb focuses on the importance of having a good name and a positive reputation. In fact, terrorists and extortionists have found one of the greatest motivations for paying a large ransom is the threat to someone’s good name.

Interestingly, throughout the Bible, whether for better or worse, we often see how someone’s name's meaning indicates their character.

Let’s look at a few examples from Scripture.

Jacob’s name means “supplanter” or “trickster,” and he was the one who tricked his father into giving him the blessing that was meant for Esau, the firstborn son.

Isaac’s name means “laughter,” and he was the child born to Abraham and Sarah in their old age. I am sure he brought tremendous joy to his older parents.

David’s name means “beloved.” He was the beloved king over all of Israel.

Jesus’s name means “Savior,” and sure enough, he came into the world to save us from our sins.

Have you ever looked up the meaning of your name? For some people, your name's meaning shows a lot about who you are. Whether or not your name accurately describes your character, we should all strive to have a good name–a reputation that points to the finished work of Jesus Christ.

At the end of your life, you will not take anything with you from this world. No possessions, no power, no success. All that will remain is your name: your character, your integrity, your impact on those around you, and the reputation you established.

Guard your name. Make sure it always honors God. This is one of your most valuable possessions on the face of the earth. But always remember that you have no control over what other people think about you. Ultimately, your reputation is between you and God.

If you are a follower of Jesus, he is the one who called you out of darkness and into his marvelous light. The Father called you to be his son or daughter and your identity is in Jesus alone. How he sees you should be the driving force in how you think of yourself.

Our Favorite Proverbs: Proverbs 4:23

by David Chadwick

“Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.” Proverbs 4:23

Today’s proverb tells us about the importance of guarding our hearts. Out of our hearts flow the springs of all life. There is a phrase that I've lived by for many years that I want to share with you again today: “The heart of the matter is a matter of the heart.”

The core of everything that you have experienced, are experiencing, and will experience is a heart issue. Your heart carries the depths of your joys, pains, trials, and victories. Because of that, it must be regularly purified (Psalm 51:10), for it is only with a pure heart that we see God (Matthew 5:8).

Think of your heart as a door through which anything, both good and bad, can enter. How do things enter this door? Well, it first has to come through one of your gates. There are all sorts of gates in which things can access your heart: your eyes, your ears, your mouth, words from others, and even your mind.

We need to make sure we are vigilant toward anything that could enter our heart. Think with me for a moment. What do you watch on TV and in movies? What do you listen to? What kinds of material do you read? What thoughts do you imagine and ruminate over and over again? Once something comes in your gates, it will either edify your heart or defile your heart. This is why it’s so important to guard your gates.

Is there anything you are letting your eyes gaze upon that is corrupting your heart? Are there any words entering your brain that are hurting your heart? If so, I pray you will be diligent to guard yourself against anything and everything that could negatively impact your wellspring of all life–your heart.

People often wrongly think that feelings must be the root of our actions and wrongly believe they can only respond to what they feel. But the Bible teaches differently. It says that our thoughts are the root of what we feel, and then we respond to our feelings through our actions. Therefore, if we guard our hearts rightly, we will feel rightly and will then behave rightly.

Everything flows from the heart, so guard your heart with all vigilance.