S – A man who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the Lord

Proverbs 18:22 CSB

O – The Hebrew word for “good thing” is defined as “good in its widest sense.”  The word “favor” is defined as “delight.”  A man who finds a wife is complemented with a help mate and God is pleased.

A – I am grateful for my wife.  Together, we make a strong team as we both endeavor to follow the Lord individually and as a couple.  I appreciate the definition of  “good in its widest sense.”  I can’t compartmentalize all the things I love about her. I can see pleasure in our relationship.

R – Heavenly Father, we stand in awe of you.  Thank you for my wife.  I am a better man because of her.  Together, we choose to follow you today.  We want our love for you to be evident as we also love others. 

S – The king, the governor, Bernice, and those sitting with them got up, ³¹ and when they had left they talked with each other and said, “This man is not doing anything to deserve death or imprisonment.” 

³² Agrippa said to Festus, “This man could have been released if he had not appealed to Caesar.”

Acts 26:30–32 CSB

O – Commentary: 

Paul is not guilty before Roman law, and this is the only conclusion that Roman law would care about. Nor is he offensive to Agrippa’s more liberal form of Judaism, which abhorred revolutionaries and did not accede to the demands of the Jerusalem aristocracy.

26:32. Agrippa’s opinion would have been included in the cover letter for the case. Because Paul had used his Roman right to appeal to Caesar’s tribunal, Agrippa and Festus can only refer him there with a letter specifying their own opinion. This necessity was likely political rather than legal, and it extracted Festus from a difficult political situation vis-à-vis Paul’s local accusers. This appeal had earlier saved Paul’s life (25:3), and now it provides him free passage to Rome (cf. 19:21) and a public forum for the *gospel.”

The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament

A – Most would say Paul’s further imprisonment would be a challenging part of his life.  It proved to be just the opposite.  It saved him from being killed by the Jewish leaders. It gave him constant protection. The gospel’s message would go to the highest forum of its time.  How do we view our circumstances?  Do we dwell on the negative or find the positive in it?

R – Heavenly Father, we worship and surrender to you today.  We invite your Holy Spirit to give us understanding that we may know all that you are doing.  Please enable us to see and listen to discern what is going on in all realms.  

S – But I enter your house by the abundance of your faithful love; 

I bow down toward your holy temple in reverential awe of you

Psalms 5:7 CSB

O – Commentary:

In contrast with such wickedness David did not extol his own virtues. Rather he stressed God’s mercy (ḥeseḏ, “loyal love”) toward him. By this he could approach the tabernacle (cf. comments on house and temple in the first paragraph under Ps. 5) to worship the Lord in reverence. The Hebrew word for bow down (often trans. “worshiped,” e.g., Ex. 34:8) signifies prostrating oneself, a posture that represents the proper inner attitude toward God in worship. The wicked are arrogant; a worshiper is humble before God.

“Psalms,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures

A – We need to check our hearts.  We should revere God in times of worship but also at all times.  This talks of physically going to a place of worship.  If our lives are an act of daily worship, we should carry ourselves in a way that demonstrates a healthy fear and reverence of God.

R – Heavenly Father, you are the one, true God.  We stand in awe of your unlimited power and presence.  Nothing compares to you.  Let us walk in this attitude and bring honor to your name today.  Let others see your love demonstrated in our lives.

S – You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and new wine abound. 

⁸ I will both lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, Lord, make me live in safety

Psalms 4:7–8 CSB

O – Commentary: 

The joy and contentment David experienced in trusting in the Lord was greater than the mirth of the harvest festivities. Even in distress and away from the visible evidence of God’s goodness, he enjoyed peace and safety in his God (on sleep; cf. 3:5). True joy and peace depend not on circumstances but on God’s protection and provisions.

 “Psalms,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures

A – Do we have joy and peace?  In all situations, we can.  The more we grow our relationship with God, we will increase our trust and faith in Him.  In the good, we can have more than we would have naturally.  In the bad, we can have it when it is unexplainable.  The foundation for both is our relationship with God.

R – Heavenly Father, we stand in awe of who you are.  We invite your Holy Spirit to grow us today.  We want your presence with us in our thoughts, conversations and situations.  We want to know your peace and joy throughout the day. Give us a deep rest at night.

S – A person’s spirit can endure sickness, but who can survive a broken spirit? 

Proverbs 18:14 CSB

O – Commentary:

But if a person is crushed (“stricken or prostrated”; cf. 15:13; 17:22) inwardly, if his inner strength is gone, medicine can hardly sustain him. A physically ill person can be borne along by his spirit, but if his spirit is down too, if he is depressed, what or who can lift him out of his illness?

“Proverbs,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures

“Broken” – nâkê˒, smitten, i.e. (fig.) afflicted:— broken, stricken, wounded.

 James Strong, The New Strong’s Dictionary of Hebrew and Greek Words

A – Mental health is a real, valid area today.  One of the most significant battlefields in our lives will be in our minds.  Our thoughts are foundational to our everyday health.  We must invite the Holy Spirit into our thoughts and ask God to help us “renew” our minds daily.  

R – Heavenly Father, you are our Creator and hold all things.  We invite you to renew our minds through your Word and relationship.  Help us eliminate the thoughts that don’t honor you or ourselves.  Keep us strong in our minds, souls and bodies.

S – “I have installed my king on Zion, my holy mountain.” 

⁷ I will declare the Lord’s decree. He said to me, “You are my Son; 

today I have become your Father.

Psalms 2:6–7 CSB

O –  Commentary:

my son (or Son). Today I have become your Father (or Today I reveal you as my son): People in the ancient Near East commonly accepted a father-son relationship between gods and kings. In Israel, the Lord adopted kings as his sons. God set David apart as his most excellent and exalted son (89:27). All descendants of David were the Lord’s representatives or agents. As an eternal member of the Godhead (John 1:1) and a descendant of David (Acts 13:33; Heb 1:5; 5:5), Jesus is the true Son of God.

 New Living Translation Study Bible 

A—God affirms his covenant with David that his lineage will be “as sons” to him. This also perpetuates his plan of the Messiah coming through the line of David to save the world.  Jesus uses this verse to affirm who He is when he was before religious leaders.  This statement spans hundreds of years and works together to accomplish God’s plans.

R – Heavenly Father, we honor you above everything.  Thank you for your plan and purpose to save us from our sins.  We invite your Holy Spirit to lead us today.  Give us courage and discernment to hear your voice in all we do.  Let us honor you today.

S – Before his downfall a person’s heart is proud, but humility comes before honor. 

Proverbs 18:12 CSB

O – Commentary:

Haughtiness cultivates pride. It leads to failure because it does not allow for change in the face of criticism. Humility learns from others and leads to the honor of success

 New Living Translation Study Bible 

A – I like the commentary  where it says, “Doesn’t allow for change.”  Change isn’t easy.  Yet, we live in a world of change.  If we are to navigate it well, we cannot rely only on ourselves.  Nor can we be arrogant enough to think we don’t need to learn from God and others.  Humility invites the Holy Spirit and others to speak healthy truths into our lives.

R –  Heavenly Father, we honor and glorify you today.  We invite your Holy Spirit to be part of our thoughts, words and actions.  Show us your ways and empower us to change when necessary.  We want to show your love to others.

S – ¹ Hallelujah! 

Praise God in his sanctuary. 

Praise him in his mighty expanse. 

² Praise him for his powerful acts; 

praise him for his abundant greatness.

Let everything that breathes praise the Lord. 

Hallelujah! 

 Christian Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2020), Ps 150:6.

Psalms 150:1–2, 6 CSB

O – “Hallelujah” – defined

hâlal, haw-lal’;  to be clea; to shine; hence, to make a show, to boast; and thus to be (clamorously) foolish; to rave; caus. to celebrate; also to stultify:

Yâhh, yaw;  Jah, the sacred name:— Jah, the Lord, most vehement. comp. names in “-iah,” “-jah.”

The New Strong’s Dictionary of Hebrew and Greek Words (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1996).

The Psalm ends with anything that breathes should celebrate the holy name of God. 

A – This appears to be a simple command.  We should boast and give glory to the One, True God.  We can do this every day with our thoughts, words and actions – basically our lives.  The challenge comes when He doesn’t meet our expectations or we are challenged.  As long as we are breathing, we need to honor Him.

R – Heavenly Father, we choose today to put our boast in you.  We want to honor you with every breath and action we take.  Thank you for another day to walk in your plans and purposes for us.

S – After we had been there for several days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. ¹¹ He came to us, took Paul’s belt, tied his own feet and hands, and said, “This is what the Holy Spirit says: ‘In this way the Jews in Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him over to the Gentiles.’ 

Acts 21:10–11 CSB

O—The prophet Agabus gave a visual prophecy depicting Paul’s capture by the Jews in Jerusalem and trial by the Gentiles. The powerful illustration was fulfilled. 

A – Paul knew what would happen to him and still moved toward it.  Life is challenging and complicated at times.  What do you do when you know God is putting you into a difficult situation?  You move into it knowing that the Holy Spirit is with you and that you have all of God’s resources.

R—Heavenly Father, we surrender and worship you. As we enter a new week, we honor you first.  We know this week will have challenges.  Help us to walk confidently in your presence and power.  Give us courage to face all that we go into and obey your direction.

S – He remained faithful to the Lord and did not turn from following him but kept the commands the Lord had commanded Moses. 

⁷ The Lord was with him, and wherever he went he prospered

 2 Kings 18:6–7 CSB

O – Hezekiah remained faithful to the Lord.  He did not fall away at the end or turn to other gods during his reign. God rewarded that with his presence and prosperity.

A—This embodies our challenge. We love God today. Will we stay aligned with Him and His will? Will we do this for a lifetime and “finish strong?” God is ready to provide his presence, power, peace and blessing. The choice is ours.

R – Heavenly Father, you are the one true God.  There is no other God that is above you.  Give us strength and conviction to follow you today and each day.  We want to finish strong, knowing that we have honored you in our lifetime.