Haman Hanged on His Own Gallows

In today’s Bible reading*, we read about Haman being hanged on the seventy-five-foot-high gallows he had built for hanging Mordecai. You will remember from yesterday’s reading and devotional, that Haman had tricked King Ahasuerus into enacting a law to exterminate all of the Jews and to entrap Mordecai, giving Haman a way to hang him….

Choose Your Counselors Wisely

In today’s Bible reading* we read about King Rehoboam who consulted two sets of counselors and heard two very different responses. The people came to him and asked him to be kind to them, unlike King Solomon had been. First, he consulted the elders who had counseled King Solomon. They encouraged King Rehoboam to lead…

Obedience is Better than Sacrifice

Today’s Bible reading* has a brief sentence that echoes something we saw a few weeks ago: Obedience is better than sacrifice. Doing what is righteous and just is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.Proverbs 21:3 (CSB) Then Samuel said: Does the LORD take pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying…

Wisdom and Self-Control

Several of the proverbs in today’s Bible reading* talk about controlling your tongue and anger. (Proverbs 13:3; 14:16-17; 15:1-2, 4, 18, 28; 16:23-24, 32) Having self-control is a sign of wisdom. It is a fruit of the Spirit’s filling. (Galatians 5:22-23) James warns, “… the tongue is a small part of the body, it boasts…