Chester ARP Devotional Podcast

When pride comes, disgrace follows. The proverbs in Proverbs 11 all center on the idea that disgrace follows pride. May we learn from them. 

Solomon says a wise son makes his father glad, and a foolish one brings sorrow to his mother. He also says that hard work pays off, and laziness brings ruin. 

Following wisdom does not require secrecy and does not lead to regret. When we follow her, we can be proud. 

Wisdom is eternal because it is the revelation of God's character. We follow wisdom when we follow Christ. 

Wisdom is calling to those who would follow her. Would you? 

The world seeks to seduce the followers of Christ as a prostitute pursues a young man. Beware of her wiles, for she will lead you into the chambers of death and destruction. 

Adultery is destructive. It destroys lives and should be avoided at all costs. Preserve your life by keeping watch on your heart and following the commands of the Lord. 

Solomon gave his sons practical warnings about living a righteous life. Don't lie, be lazy, or wicked. 

Beware of wandering eyes. Stay faithful to your beloved bride of your youth. 

Keep hold of instruction; do not let her go. She is a valuable teacher and cares for her precious loved one. 

We are to possess a teachable spirit and be willing to learn from those who have walked in righteousness before us. 

We are to walk wisely in the Lord and in faith. We are to pursue the good of others, withholding nothing from them and planning no harm to them. 

Those who walk in wisdom are blessed to live in a relationship with Christ. We follow Christ and pursue Him more than anyone else. 

Trust in the Lord with all your heart. He's worthy of it. 

Wisdom from the Lord is invaluable to us as we follow him and live our lives. Will you embrace it? 

Wisdom calls us to follow her. Will we? Great question. 

Solomon tells us to grow up in the Lord so we can rightly apply God's wisdom to our lives. 

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. Fools despise wisdom. Don't be a fool. 

Wisdom requires discretion. It also builds discretion as we apply it more and more to our lives. 

Wisdom leads to discernment, which enables us to consider matters from different perspectives. This helps us determine the right course of action. 

Instruction and accountability go hand in hand. We can't have one without the other. 

What is wisdom? It's the proper application of God's Word to life's situations. 

Greatness in the Bible is defined in terms of faithfulness and how well one treats other people. Mordecai was great because he trusted the Lord, sought the welfare of his brothers, and spoke peace to all people. 

After God brought victory to his people, they celebrated. We should do the same. 

The Jews destroyed their enemies by the hand of God. They didn't go looking for a fight, but they were willing to engage in one when it came to them. 

Queen Esther and Mordecai convinced the king to issue a decree allowing the Jews to defend themselves from the attacks of their neighbors. Their freedom was going to be won. 

Every decision we make has consequences, whether good or bad. This is especially true for our evil and sinful choices. Haman's story is an excellent warning to us. 

Haman's plot was exposed by Queen Esther during her second banquet with the King and Haman. It was not a good day for him. 

King Ahasuerus honored Mordecai for his discovery of the plot against the king's life. Haman was the one to honor Mordecai. 

Haman devised a plan for hanging Mordecai because he was angry over the fact that Mordecai wouldn't bow to him. 

King Ahasuerus welcomed Queen Esther into his court. God ordained that this interaction would be operate in that way. 

The news of Haman's plot against the Jews reached Esther, and Mordecai challenged her to do something about it. God will accomplish His will. The question is, will we be a part of it? 

Mordecai and the rest of the Jews tore their clothes, lamented, and wore sackcloth and ashes once they heard the news of the Jews' impending annihilation. They turned to their God, the only one to whom they could turn in that moment. 

Confusion set in the minds of Susa's residents when the evil genocidal plans of Haman and King Ahasuerus were made known. People didn't know how to process the news that the entire Jewish population would be annihilated. Neither do we. 

Haman was a little man emotionally and mentally. He plotted against the Jews because Mordecai refused to bow down to him. He couldn't handle any opposition. Many worldly leaders operate the same way today. 

God put Mordecai in a position to discover a plot to kill the King of Persia. He told Esther about the plot, and she told the king. As a result, Mordecai's name was recorded in the chronicles of the kingdom. God had good intentions then, and he still does now. 

God is at work behind the scenes in the Esther story. We see his providential hand throughout. He put her in the position to be queen and gave her favor with all those in authority. He works in our lives the same way. 

Queen Vashti refused the King's command to appear before his drunken buddies to show off her body. Her inspiring decision had significant consequences, but she was willing to pay the price for maintaining her dignity. 

King Ahasuerus had it all -- money, fame, power, wealth. No one was going to stop him. We live in a day like his and have the same call as the Jews in his day -- live faithfully with our God. 

Esther is a story for the exiles living away from their homeland. It's a story of survival. It's as applicable to us as it was its original readers. 

Nehemiah concluded his book with a list of reforms that he brought to Jerusalem while serving as the leader during the rebuilding of the wall. All reforms were meant to restore the worship of our true God among the people. Our call is similar in our day. 

Nehemiah brought religious and societal reform to the Jews when he led the work of rebuilding the wall. These changes were to purify Jerusalem. 

We praise the Lord for his good work in and through us. He deserves all the credit. 

The Judeans took practical steps to help them follow the Lord more faithfully. We can learn from them. 

God deals with his people faithfully, so we walk with him in faith. Recommitting our lives to him is the call on our hearts when he brings us back from wandering from him. 

God pursues his people in his grace. The story of the Judges reveals his great love for us. 

The Judeans found comfort in God's grace and faithfulness as they confessed their sins to him. We can know the same comfort when we confess our sins before the Lord. 

The Jews gathered to confess their sin to the Lord corporately. They had sinned as a people and needed to confess it as a people. We are to do the same. 

Nehemiah told the Israelites not to mourn, but to celebrate God's glory and grace. He had been kind to them, and they weren't to get lost in the darkness of their own self-pity. Neither are we. 

Recommitting to the Lord is a necessary thing for faithful followers of the Lord. We are to learn from the Jews and respond to God's grace in faith and repentance. 

Nehemiah and the Jews completed the work God had given them to do. We must stay the course and complete the tasks God has given to us.