Foolishly Answering, Or Answering The Foolish

Don’t answer the foolish arguments of fools,
    or you will become as foolish as they are.

Be sure to answer the foolish arguments of fools,
    or they will become wise in their own estimation.

—Proverbs 26:4-5 (NLT)

Forever Wise God,

Help me to discern when I should respond to the argument of a foolish person and when I should hold my peace.

Your Word tells me there are times I should not answer the arguments of fools just as there are times that I should answer—that is why I need the discerning wisdom of Your Spirit.

Help me to see when my answering would be an act of futility—wasted on a person who will not hear me, whose heart is not open to the truth, who is content to believe as truth the lies that spew from their own lips, who can see no fault in themselves or their actions. 

Help me to always check my motives and consider what I hope to accomplish by responding to their foolishness. 

Keep me from being deceived—from falling for that trap the enemy has set for me—by lowering myself to the level of their foolishness and attempting to answer, when in the twisted mind of the fool, no answer I could give would make a difference.

Help me to see when my answering would bring correction, understanding and peace—when reason would prevail and truth would be revealed to the heart of the fool—and help me to speak by filling my heart with Your words.

As You lead me forward and as Your Spirit prompts me, help me to speak Your truth, in love, or hold my peace and accept that there are things I cannot change—so that I might please You in everything I do.

Help me to discern when I should respond to the argument of a foolish person and when I should hold my peace.

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Exclusive Devotion

Serve only the Lord your God and fear him alone. Obey his commands, listen to his voice, and cling to him.

—Deuteronomy 13:4 (NLT)

O Lord my God,

May You alone be the One that I serve, the One that I fear, the One that I obey, the One that I listen to, and the One that I cling to always.

Help me to examine my actions to ensure that everything that I do is in service to You—that it is done to bring glory to Your Name.

Help me always to stand in reverential awe of You and to trust in Your power to deliver me in every situation that I face—and not allow myself to become afraid of anything that looms before me, whether man, demon, or circumstance.

Help me to be careful to obey Your commands—knowing that You have given them to me for my provision and my protection.

Help me to listen to, and follow after, Your voice alone—and not allow myself to be pulled off of the course that You have set me on, by the many “voices” of the world that call to me each day.

Help me to cling to You with all of my heart, mind and strength—and allow no temptation to sin to overcome me and separate me from You.

May You alone be the One that I serve, the One that I fear, the One that I obey, the One that I listen to, and the One that I cling to always.

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Love One Another

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.  By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

—John 13:34-35 (NIV)

Loving LORD,

Help me to do my part to ensure that when others look at me, they see that I share a great love, one for another, with my brothers and sisters in Christ.

Help me to love others not only by my words, but by my sacrificial actions, so that everyone will know that I am a disciple of Jesus Christ.

Let Your sacrifice of love for me be my only example of how I should love.

Help me to love when it is not convenient to do so—when it costs me, when it means I have to put the needs of others in front of my own needs, and when it requires me to refuse to take up the offense that the actions of others might bring to me and respond to them without malice.

May the love that I share with my brothers and sisters in Christ be so obviously demonstrated in truth, that others will not only recognize that I am a follower of Christ, but be drawn to the love of Christ in me.

Help me to do my part to ensure that when others look at me, they see that I share a great love, one for another, with my brothers and sisters in Christ.

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Safely Remaining In His Strength

I love you, Lord;
    you are my strength.
The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior;
    my God is my rock, in whom I find protection.
He is my shield, the power that saves me,
    and my place of safety.

—Psalm 18:1-2 (NLT)

Almighty God,

Because of my personal and intimate love relationship with You, You have become my strength—and I no longer have to walk in my own strength, but I walk in Your strength alone!

You are my Rock—the solid foundation beneath my feet, which will not be moved.

You are my Fortress—a strong and impenetrable place of safety from my enemies, within which I can remain.

You are my Savior—the One who rescues me from all danger and from all my troubles.

You alone, my God, are my Rock—the One in whom I find my protection.

You are my Shield—by the power of Your love which saves me, You block the accusing arrows of devil and silence the lies of the enemy.

As I remain in You, I do not fear—for You steadfastly continue to be my place of safety. 

Because of my personal and intimate love relationship with You, my LORD, You have become my strength—and I no longer have to walk in my own strength, but I walk in Your strength alone!

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Count Me "All In"!

Then he added, “Pay close attention to what you hear. The closer you listen, the more understanding you will be given—and you will receive even more.  To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them.”

—Mark 4:24-25 (NLT)

Heavenly Father,

I want to be “all in,” LORD, so that I may continue to grow in understanding—and not lose the little understanding that I have gained up until now.

Help me to pay close attention to what I hear from You—to listen for Your voice as You speak to me by the Holy Spirit—both through Your Word and in the words of others who would speak Truth to my heart.

Help me to understand that the closer I listen, the more I will understand—and the more Your Truth will be revealed to me.

Help me to apply the Truth that You speak to both my heart and my actions, so that I may continue to grow in understanding, as I live out Your Truth.

I don’t want to be a casual Christian, who carries the name of Christ, but not His heart—and so miss out on the promises You bring to a life lived in Him.

I want to be “all in,” LORD, so that I may continue to grow in understanding—and not lose the little understanding that I have gained up until now.

In the name of Jesus, Amen.