One Verse at a Time
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This episode looks at Philippians 1:7, “For it is right for me to think this about all of you, because I have you in my heart, since both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel all of you became partners in God’s grace together with me.” Paul further explains his grounds for calling them participants in the gospel and for his confidence that God is at work in them. Our deep affection for fellow Christians and our fellow suffering for the gospel identifies us together with those who are united with Christ.
This episode looks at Philippians 1:6, “For I am sure of this very thing, that the one who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.” When God starts a good work, he always finishes it. What sweet comfort for us.
This episode looks at Philippians 1:5, “because of your participation in the gospel from the first day until now.” Paul is overflowing with joy and thanks because of the immediate and persevering partnership of the Philippians in the gospel. We should have a similar thankfulness for our partners in the gospel in ministry, church, and family.
This episode looks at Philippians 1:4, “I always pray with joy in my every prayer for all of you.” Thanksgiving and joy walk hand in hand. May it be so in our lives, and it may it prove to be a self-reinforcing cycle: thanks increases joy and joy prompts us to give thanks.
This episode looks at Philippians 1:3, “I thank my God every time I remember you.” Paul thanks God for how the Philippians have come to his aid. May we do the same, and may we also be the ones who bring the aid so that thanksgiving to God will multiply.
This episode looks at Philippians 1:2, “Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ!” Paul’s greatest hope for the Philippians is that God would pour out his unmerited favor (grace) upon them, and that this would result in a wholeness and tranquility in life (peace). What a sweet prayer we echo for those in our lives.
This episode looks at Philippians 1:1, “From Paul and Timothy, slaves of Christ Jesus, to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the overseers and deacons.” Paul writes to all the saints, calling them to live in light of what God has done in them, and he specifically includes the overseers and deacons because of the special role they play in bringing these realities to fruition in the church body.
This episode looks at Proverbs 12:28, “In the path of righteousness is life, and in its pathway there is no death.” This functions as a summary of the sections before it. Joyful diligence, righteous speech, humble acceptance of correction, etc. all lead on the path of righteousness—and thus life.
This episode looks at Proverbs 12:27, “The lazy person does not roast his prey, but personal possessions are precious to the diligent.” The lazy person depends on others for their needs. The diligent person accumulates possessions, and they find them precious. This same truth is fulfilled in Christ’s diligent work on earth, imitated in Paul’s life and ministry, and commanded to us.
This episode looks at Proverbs 12:26, “The righteous person is cautious in his friendship, but the way of the wicked leads them astray.” If we want friends who will pull us up out of seasons of depression, anxiety, and slothfulness and onto the joyful path of diligence, then we need to be thoughtful in our friendships. May God grant grace to make us worthy friends, help us to discern worthy friends, and then walk faithfully alongside our friends.
This episode looks at Proverbs 12:25, “Anxiety in a person’s heart weighs him down, but an encouraging word brings him joy.” Anxiety can weigh us down and cause slothfulness, so we need encouraging words (and hope to give them to others) to bring us into joyful diligence.
This episode looks at Proverbs 12:24, “The diligent person will rule, but the slothful will become a slave.” Diligence (acting consistently in pursuit of God’s calling) leads to rulership in our spheres of influence. Slothfulness leads to slavery (whether wage, debt, or ideological). May God help us pursue the one and forsake the other.
This episode looks at Proverbs 12:23, “The shrewd person conceals knowledge, but foolish people publicize folly.” The wise person does not have a heart that overflows in foolishness. Rather, the wise person chooses words and information carefully, not out of self-protection but out of love for God and others.
This episode looks at Proverbs 12:22, “The Lord abhors a person who lies, but those who deal truthfully are his delight.” The reason the last two proverbs prove true is because God favors the ones who deal truthfully and abhors those who walk in falsehoods. By the Spirit’s help, may we find God’s favor as we walk in truth.
This episode looks at Proverbs 12:21, “The righteous do not encounter any harm, but the wicked are filled with calamity.” Is this proverb true? Before Christ’s return, this proverb should encourage us that as we walk in righteousness we no that the harm we encounter is not from our own actions but rather from living in a fallen world. We can also look ahead to Christ’s coming, the time when this proverb will be actualized in every sense.
This episode looks at Proverbs 12:20, “Deceit is in the heart of those who plot evil, but those who promote peace have joy.“ We want joy, so we should counsel and promote peace — peace with God and peace in our communities.
This episode looks at Proverbs 12:19, “The one who tells the truth will endure forever, but the one who lies will last only for a moment.” Only true, faithful speech can bring lasting value. Lying may succeed for a moment, but the foundations are faulty, and liars will be exposed for what they are in the end. May we speak truly, and may we discern righteous and wicked speech with an eye toward leaving value for coming generations.
This episode looks at Proverbs 12:18, “Speaking recklessly is like the thrusts of a sword, but the words of the wise bring healing.” We need the power of the Spirit at work in us to know what to say, when to say it, and how to say it so as to bring healing and not harm to others.
This episode looks at Proverbs 12:17, "The faithful witness tells what is right, but a false witness speaks deceit." When seeking to establish righteousness, we must stand on truth. Anything else is just deceiving ourselves and others.
This episode looks at Proverbs 12:16, “A fool’s annoyance is known at once, but the prudent overlooks an insult.” We need patience and self-control to not react to everything that annoys or vexes us. Instead, we can at times overlook even insults to accomplish something greater.
This episode looks at Proverbs 12:15, “The way of a fool is right in his own opinion, but the one who listens to advice is wise.” A foolish path is paved by the arrogant person who refuses all counsel and help. The wise man, to the contrary, seeks out, listens to, and often heeds wise counsel. May we be found in the latter group.
This episode looks at Proverbs 12:14, “A person will be satisfied with good from the fruit of his words, and the work of his hands will be rendered to him.” This proverb stands or falls on applications of true justice: each person will receive what they are due. In God’s kindness, he absorbs our due punishment and grants us life instead. May we seek to live justly, speak truthfully, and offer mercy to others.
This episode looks at Proverbs 12:13, “The evil person is ensnared by the transgression of his speech, but the righteous person escapes out of trouble.”the one who transgresses in their speech is setting a trap for themselves later. They are also ensnaring themselves into bigger and bigger transgressions as time moves along. May it not be so with us, by the power of Christ’s Spirit working in us.
This episode looks at Proverbs 12:12, “The wicked person desires a stronghold, but the righteous root endures.” Wicked people grasp at certainty by evil means, thus producing evil. The righteous have a firm root in Christ, and therefore they produce good fruit in season. May we be rooted in Christ.
This episode looks at Proverbs 12:11, “The one who works his field will have plenty of food, but whoever chases daydreams lacks wisdom.” We can dream big, but we should do so in the context of what God has set before us to work after for today. God help us.
This episode looks at Proverbs 12:10, “The righteous person cares for the life of his animal, but even the most compassionate acts of the wicked are cruel.” The righteous person loves animals — but not for the animal’s sake alone. The righteous person shows compassion to all that God has made, humans especially, and leverages all the resources under his command in order to serve the humans around him.
This episode looks at Proverbs 12:9, “Better is a person of humble standing who nevertheless has a servant, than one who pretends to be somebody important yet has no food.” Reality matters more than appearance. We should care less about our self-presentation, and more about actually pursuing success and walking (speaking) in wisdom. God help us.
This episode looks at Proverbs 12:8, “A person is praised in accordance with his wisdom, but the one who has a twisted mind is despised.” We should actually desire praise from others, but only in right relationship to God and in accord with praiseworthy wisdom. May God help us to acquire wisdom and to speak it at the right moments.
This episode looks at Proverbs 12:7, “The wicked are overthrown and perish, but the righteous household will stand.” The house built on the firm foundation of Christ — thinking thoughts of justice, speaking words uprightly, living in nobility and strength — will leave a lasting legacy. The wicked, on the contrary, will come to nothing in the end. May we be counted among the righteous.
This episode looks at Proverbs 12:6, “The words of the wicked lie in wait to shed innocent blood, but the words of the upright will deliver them.” The wicked kill with their words, but the upright are delivered — if not now, then certainly when God reveals all things. May we be found in the right with our speech.
