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If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?
1 John 4:20

Recommended Reading: 1 John 4:17-21

Do you know a “difficult” person? Perhaps in your family, church, or workplace. Do they get on your nerves? There were difficult people in the Bible too. Take Nabal, for example. He was “surly and mean in his dealings” (1 Samuel 25:3, NIV). Even his wife, Abigail, called him a “wicked man” and said, “He is just like his name—his name means Fool, and folly goes with him” (1 Samuel 25:25, NIV). Yet Abigail persuaded David to be forbearing, and the Lord took care of Nabal at the right time.

It is extremely hard to love “Nabals,” but God can give you a patient, forbearing spirit. Dale Carnegie said, “Any fool can criticize, condemn, and complain—and most fools do. But it takes character and self-control to be understanding and forgiving.”¹ When we meet Christ, we experience His love for us—the unlovely. And we can ask for that same love to flow through us.

Why not take a moment now to pray for that difficult person in your life?

Not everyone is your brother or sister in the faith, but everyone is your neighbor, and you must love your neighbor.
Timothy Keller

1. Dale Carnegie, How to Win Friends and Influence People (Simon & Schuster, 1981), 14.

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Wisdom makes one wise person more powerful than ten rulers in a city.
Ecclesiastes 7:19, NIV

Recommended Reading: Proverbs 8:1-6

If you know Jesus as Savior, you may not have all the answers. But you already have more wisdom than someone who doesn’t know Christ. We cannot know how to navigate this chaotic world without the wisdom that comes from Christ. When we don’t know what to do, we can ask for His guidance (Proverbs 3:5-6), we can search His Word (Proverbs 8:8), and we can claim His wisdom (James 1:5).

In the hymn, “Now Thank We All Our God,” Martin Rinkart wrote, “O may this bounteous God through all our life be near us, with ever joyful hearts and blessed peace to cheer us, to keep us in his grace and guide us when perplexed, and free us from all ills of this world in the next.”

Though we face problems, perplexity, and pressure all the time, we find answers in God. We can face all these things with confidence because we know our God. Give thanks that He allows us to have an abiding relationship with Him.

No mind, no wisdom—temporary mind, temporary wisdom—eternal mind, eternal wisdom.
Adoniram Judson

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Wisdom is good with an inheritance…. For wisdom is a defense as money is a defense, but the excellence of knowledge is that wisdom [preserves the life of] those who have it.
Ecclesiastes 7:11-12

Recommended Reading: Proverbs 8:33-36

The late primatologist Jane Goodall was the first to provide evidence that some primates made and used tools. Her discovery reversed the long-standing belief that only humans were capable of making and using tools.

Almost everything humans do is accomplished with tools, all of which are inanimate objects. Tools have no life or mind of their own; they are employed by a human facilitator. Whether tools are used for positive or negative ends depends entirely on the wisdom of the owner. Take money, for example. It can serve good ends and bring positive benefits to the owner. But compared to wisdom, tools like money are limited. Money can be used for many things, but it cannot ultimately preserve, protect, or provide life to those who have it. Solomon, who made this observation, knew what money could and couldn’t do—he had more than anyone in his day.

Whatever amount of money God has entrusted to you, pray for even more wisdom. Whoever finds wisdom finds life (Proverbs 8:35).

We may love money without having it, just as we may have money without loving it. 
J. C. Ryle

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It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise than for a man to hear the song of fools.
Ecclesiastes 7:5

Recommended Reading: 1 Kings 3:4-15

The main theme of Proverbs is comparing the life of a wise person with the life of a fool. A wise person is one who through instruction and correction has developed the skills needed to live successfully. A fool has, by rejecting instruction and correction, not learned to live a skillful life. A fool is a person who refuses to accept correction and rebuke when needed.

Solomon, the writer of most of Proverbs, knew well the results of correction versus the flattery of “the song of fools.” As king, he asked God for wisdom to rule (1 Kings 3:4-15) and no doubt endured the flattery of those in his court seeking favor from him. So nearing the end of his reign, it is no surprise that he wrote that rebuke was far better than flattery. Solomon wrote that correction can come from the words of the wise and that the wise person will receive it willingly (Proverbs 9:8-9).

Ask God to make you correctable and immune to flattery so that you may develop a heart of wisdom.

God’s house of correction is His school of instruction.
Thomas Brooks

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The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
Ecclesiastes 7:4

Recommended Reading: Psalm 119:67

Randy Alcorn is well-known for his writing on heaven and eternity. However, after his wife died of cancer, the knowledge that she is in heaven waiting for him hasn’t minimized the fact that he misses her deeply. Of this time of grief, he says, “The Lord has—through the process of grief—restored me to a place of being able to…write again, to be able to do things again.”¹

The lessons “in the house of mourning” are always the deepest. When Jesus faced death, He said, “Nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done” (Luke 22:42). Everyone who has suffered, especially in the “house of mourning,” knows that lessons are learned in that “house” that cannot be learned elsewhere—especially not in a party house. It is only in difficult days that the reality of Romans 8:28 hits home—that God is able to cause all things to work together for good.

Embrace the hard times God allows you to experience. Embrace them as wise teachers that will take you deeper into God’s sufficiency.

Death is the foreshadowing of life. We die that we may die no more. 
Thomas Hooker

1. Joy Lucius, “Randy Alcorn on Life, Grief, & Hope,” Eternal Perspective Ministries, July 14, 2025.

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February 16, 2026

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It is better to be content with what the eyes can see than for one’s heart always to crave more. This continual longing is futile—like chasing the wind.
Ecclesiastes 6:9, NET

Recommended Reading: 1 Timothy 6:6-10

The English naturalist and cleric John Ray published a Collection of English Proverbs in 1670. One of the proverbs he recorded—“A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush”—has its origins as far back as the seventh century B.C.: “Better is a sparrow held tight in the hand than a thousand birds flying about in the air.”

King Solomon understood this principle: Being content with what one has today is better than being anxious about what one wishes he had. Living in a state of “continual longing,” Solomon wrote, “is futile—like chasing the wind.” Sometimes we forget the lessons of Eden, that God created a world for us to enjoy on a daily basis. Yes, that world has been marred by sin and sin’s ill effects, but that does not mean we should be dissatisfied with the joys we can experience each day. The apostle Paul affirmed the benefits of contentment in 1 Timothy 6:6-10.

Ask God for wisdom in finding the balance between what you have and what you desire.

Contentment with what we have is absolutely vital to our spiritual health. 
Jerry Bridges

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Love never fails.
1 Corinthians 13:8

Recommended Reading: 1 Corinthians 13

The Washington Post carried an article about a paralegal named Mark Turner from Charlottesville, Virginia. He had a grinding daily commute—three hours each way—and it was hurting his marriage. He had little time or energy left for his wife. But he had a sudden moment of awakening, and he realized his family was more important than his job. He quit his high-paying job, took a lower-paying job nearby, and rediscovered the simple joys of unhurried mornings and family dinners. “The commute had beaten me,” he said, “but now I’m driving a new road.”¹

When we love others, we make sacrifices for them. It sometimes takes a sudden moment of awakening, and such moments are usually prompted by the Lord and by circumstances. Can you think of one way you can improve the way you love a family member? Love never fails.

“And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love” (1 Corinthians 13:13).

Love is the cohesive force that holds the family together…. True love does not fail. It loves even as Christ loved the church, despite personality defects, physical blemishes and mental quirks.
Billy Graham

1. Michael Leahy, “Driven to Extremes,” The Washington Post, June 3, 2007.

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Jesus in the center.
John 19:18

Recommended Reading: John 19:17-20

Where was Jesus on the day He died? He was in the center between two thieves. He was in the center of humanity, in the center of history, and especially in the center of the story of redemption.

Where is He in your life? Are you Christ-centered?

Paul Tripp wrote, “A Christ-centered life begins with realizing that the source of everything we are is the Lord. He created us, he owns us, he gifted us.”¹ Our Lord doesn’t simply want to be included in our lives; He want to be the axis, the nucleus, the hub around which our entire life revolves. When we keep Him at the center, He takes everything we have and makes it meaningful. But when we push Him to the side, we are unable to enjoy His gifts.

The Living Bible says in 1 Corinthians 1:24, “God has opened the eyes of those called to salvation, both Jews and Gentiles, to see that Christ is the mighty power of God to save them; Christ himself is the center of God’s wise plan for their salvation.” Is He at the dead center of your heart?

You were designed for the purpose of knowing Christ and making Him the center of your life.
Craig Etheredge 

1. Paul Tripp, “What Is a Christ-Centered Life?”, Paul Tripp, June 7, 2017.

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It is better not to make a vow than to make one and not fulfill it.
Ecclesiastes 5:5, NIV

Recommended Reading: Matthew 5:33-37

Parents sometimes hear their young children negotiating: “When will it be my turn?” “Just five more minutes—I promise!” Where do young children learn the technique of “promising”? Possibly from other children, but possibly from their parents. “I promise” is a modern version of the ancient practice of making a vow.

A vow in the Old Testament was a voluntary promise to God to perform a service that would be pleasing to Him in return for some desired benefit. For example, Jacob made a vow to serve God and pay Him a tithe if God delivered him safely back to his home (Genesis 28:20-22). Vows were taken seriously; there were strict protocols directing their use (Numbers 30). Solomon warned about the dangers of making a hasty vow to God: “It is better not to make a vow than to make one and not fulfill it” (Ecclesiastes 5:5, NIV). By Jesus’ day, the Pharisees had added layers of complication to vow-making which Jesus unwound. He made it simple: “But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No’” (Matthew 5:33-37).

Let your word be your bond. Keeping your “Yes” or “No” eliminates the need to promise.

The life of an honest man is an oath. 
Richard Sibbes

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Do not be rash with your mouth, and let not your heart utter anything hastily before God. For God is in heaven, and you on earth; therefore let your words be few.
Ecclesiastes 5:2

Recommended Reading: Proverbs 10:19

In art, perspective is defined as drawing objects on a flat, two-dimensional surface (height, width) so as to give an accurate representation of their relationship to one another from a particular point of view. Perspective also represents importance, proportion, and size. While perspective in art didn’t become a formal technique until the early fifteenth century, King Solomon wrote about perspective in life.

For example, he wrote that “God is in heaven, and you [are] on earth.” That clearly defines the position of two “objects” in order to understand how to interpret their relationship. Solomon’s point was to warn man against rash words or behavior when it comes to interpreting what happens in our life. With God being in heaven, He clearly sees and knows more than we do from our limited perspective on earth. Therefore, we should not be “rash” or “hasty” when it comes to blaming God or making promises to God in the midst of our circumstances.

Follow the words of James 1:19, “Be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath,” and maintain a godly perspective in your situation.

Worship liberates the personality by giving a new perspective to life.
Roswell C. Long

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A man who has friends must himself be friendly, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
Proverbs 18:24

Recommended Reading: Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

King Solomon wrote insightful words about the power and value of friendship (Proverbs 18:24; 27:10; Ecclesiastes 4:9-12). We have to wonder if his words were inspired by the youthful experiences of his father, David—especially the idea that “there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” Apparently, David was not particularly close to his older brothers (1 Samuel 17:28-29). He was, however, very close to King Saul’s son, Jonathan, with whom he seemed to have formed a covenant (protective) bond (1 Samuel 20). Their relationship is reflected by Jonathan’s words to David: “Whatever you yourself desire, I will do it for you” (1 Samuel 20:4).

In Ecclesiastes 4:9-12, Solomon describes the ways that “two are better than one”: teamwork (verse 9), help (verse 10), provision (verse 11), and strength (verse 12). But Solomon also notes the prerequisite for having such a close friend: “A man who has friends must himself be friendly.” That is, it takes one to know one.

Close friendships develop over time. Begin today by being the kind of friend you would like to have in your life.

Is any pleasure on earth as great as a circle of Christian friends?
C. S. Lewis

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And the second is like it: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
Matthew 22:39

Recommended Reading: 1 Peter 1:22-23

During the week prior to His crucifixion, Jesus engaged in debates with religious leaders in the temple in Jerusalem. One of His critics, a lawyer, asked Him, “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?” Jesus quoted Deuteronomy 6:5 about loving God with all there is within us. Then He went on to say the next greatest command was to love our neighbors, and He quoted from Leviticus 19:18.

“On these two commands hang all the Law and the Prophets,” Jesus said (Matthew 22:40). In other words, one single syllable—love—when biblically understood, fulfills every single law of the Bible.

A few days later Jesus demonstrated these two laws by dying on the cross. He loved the Father and submitted to the Father’s will. He loved us as neighbors and laid down His life for us. He was perfect in every way because He loved perfectly. He can love your neighbor through you. If there is someone you don’t particularly like, ask the Lord Jesus to love that person through you today.

When we give the Lord Jesus Christ more and more room in our lives, we cannot help but become more loving because Jesus will love others through us.
Michael Youssef

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And the second is like it: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
Matthew 22:39

Recommended Reading: 1 Peter 1:22-23

During the week prior to His crucifixion, Jesus engaged in debates with religious leaders in the temple in Jerusalem. One of His critics, a lawyer, asked Him, “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?” Jesus quoted Deuteronomy 6:5 about loving God with all there is within us. Then He went on to say the next greatest command was to love our neighbors, and He quoted from Leviticus 19:18.

“On these two commands hang all the Law and the Prophets,” Jesus said (Matthew 22:40). In other words, one single syllable—love—when biblically understood, fulfills every single law of the Bible.

A few days later Jesus demonstrated these two laws by dying on the cross. He loved the Father and submitted to the Father’s will. He loved us as neighbors and laid down His life for us. He was perfect in every way because He loved perfectly. He can love your neighbor through you. If there is someone you don’t particularly like, ask the Lord Jesus to love that person through you today.

When we give the Lord Jesus Christ more and more room in our lives, we cannot help but become more loving because Jesus will love others through us.
Michael Youssef

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His heart is established; he will not be afraid.
Psalm 112:8

Recommended Reading: Psalm 112

Charlie Brown, the famous character in Charles M. Schultz’s Peanuts comic strip, is quoted as saying, “I think I’m afraid of being happy because whenever I get too happy something bad always happens.” Don’t we all feel that way—at least sometimes? Our happiness is often diminished because we’re so afraid of what might happen to ourselves or to our loved ones. We live in a dangerous world, and there’s no escaping that fact.

Yes, fear is an awful emotion to endure. But remember—we don’t have to endure it. The Bible says, “Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who delights greatly in His commandments…. He will not be afraid of evil tidings; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord” (Psalm 112:1, 7). The Bible tells us to fear God. Don’t fear life (see Ecclesiastes 3:14-15). The Lord has determined your path. Come before Him today and tell Him you are choosing to fear Him with godly reverence, to follow His plan, and to trust Him to care for you, come what may.

If the Lord be with us, we have no cause to fear. His eye is upon us, His arm over us, and His ear open to our prayer—His grace sufficient, His promise unchangeable.
John Newton

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I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live.
Ecclesiastes 3:12, NIV

Recommended Reading: 1 Chronicles 16:8-13

As a young U.S. Marine in Vietnam, Scott Harrison found solace in a small music box he held to his ear to distract him from the horrors of war. He would close his eyes and think of a carousel. When he returned home, he learned that a famous carousel had lost all its animals. He spent 26 years carving more than fifty, one-of-a-kind animals, creating what is now called the Carousel of Happiness.¹

The whole world is wanting to find a “carousel of happiness,” a way of distracting themselves from the rigors of life. Some people don’t like where they live. Others are unhappy with the clothes or food they have. We’re all apt to become discontent. But when you truly find Christ, you stop going around in circles. You learn that every good and perfect gift comes from Him.

Even with the imperfections around you, you can see His hand, feel His heart, know His touch, and enjoy His grace. Remind yourself today that the Lord wants you to be happy and to do good while you live.

To be well-skilled in the mystery of Christian contentment is the duty, glory and excellence of a Christian.
Jeremiah Burroughs

1. “The Story of the Carousel,” The Carousel of Happiness.

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Then I looked on all the works that my hands had done and on the labor in which I had toiled; and indeed all was vanity and grasping for the wind.
Ecclesiastes 2:11

Recommended Reading: Ecclesiastes 2:1-11

Playwright and actor Woody Allen, 89, gave an interview last fall to The Wall Street Journal. He said, “The older I get, the more horrible I think everything is. I mean, the more life experience you have, you start to see what a foolish, meaningless, tragic experience it is.”¹ What a bleak way to view the world! Yet without Christ, life really is foolish, meaningless, and tragic. The writer of Ecclesiastes grappled with just that issue.

Jesus said, “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly” (John 10:10). When people can’t seem to find happiness and meaning in life, they sometimes want to give up. But God gives joy to those who follow Him and center their lives on Him. He gives joy in abundance. Praise God today! When we have the joy He brings, we learn to enjoy what life has to offer.

When we search for happiness apart from Christ, we find loneliness, confusion, and misery. When we focus on Jesus and others, we find untold happiness.
Randy Alcorn

1. Pamela Paul, “Woody Allen Refuses to Be Cancelled,” The Wall Street Journal, September 17, 2025.

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Whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
1 Corinthians 10:31

Recommended Reading: Isaiah 40:7-8

Think of the greatest building projects in the history of the world: the Egyptian pyramids, the Great Wall of China, the Eiffel Tower, the Golden Gate Bridge, and others. Now think about these massive buildings: St. Peter’s Basilica, St. Basil’s Cathedral, the Hagia Sophia, La Sagrada Família, and the Cathedral of St. John the Divine.

The difference between the first list and the second list is obvious. The projects in the first list were undertaken for the glory of man while the projects in the second list were built for the glory of God. King Solomon built the wealthiest kingdom on earth during his reign only to realize near the end of his life that labor for labor’s sake was not satisfying. Work of any kind can bring satisfaction when it is done to honor God: “Whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31).

Whatever you do today, do it in such a way that it honors God—with truth, integrity, beauty, and benefit.

There can be no greater glory for man than to glorify God. 
J. I. Packer

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He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end.
Ecclesiastes 3:11

Recommended Reading: Romans 1:19-20

While there are a number of countries that have practiced atheism as the official position of the state, there are only three countries that currently practice state atheism: the People’s Republic of China, North Korea, and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. Yet even within these officially atheistic countries, religions flourish. Wherever humans exist, the longing for God is ongoing.

This reality reflects the words of King Solomon near the end of his life. He recognized that God “has put eternity in [men’s] hearts”—that is, a longing to connect with man’s Creator. Solomon also observed that “no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end” by simply recognizing His existence. General revelation—for example, nature (Romans 1:19-20)—can show us God exists, but it takes special revelation—through the written Word and living Word, Jesus Christ (John 1:14)—to show us how to fill the God-shaped vacuum in our heart.

If you long to know God, begin by putting your faith in Christ as your Lord and Savior.

There is a God-shaped vacuum in the heart of every man, which cannot be filled by any created thing, only by God. 
Blaise Pascal

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But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
2 Peter 3:8

Recommended Reading: Psalm 90:1-6

There will be situations in the year ahead when your patience is tested. You may be waiting on a child to complete a task. You may be waiting for a boss to respond to your request in your workplace. Or you may be waiting on a spouse to make a change that would make your relationship better. In each case you will focus on time—and find yourself growing impatient.

Peter’s words will help us manage our feelings about time. Peter wrote that with God a day (or a minute) is like a thousand years and a thousand years is like one day (or any other measure of time). In other words, time to God is not the same as time is to us. God is outside of time—the past, present, and future are one to Him. Time to us is temporal and relative; time to God is eternal.

When time doesn’t move according to your preferences, ask God for His perspective. He is patient with us (2 Peter 3:9). So let us be patient with others.

Biblical patience…. is rooted in faith that says everything is in God’s control.
John Blanchard

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