Proverbs 15:1

Thursday July 10, 2025

Good morning, Lord

Father in Heaven, I seek You first-the knowledge of Your kingdom and Your righteousness. Fill my consciousness constantly and complete Your joy in me as I take up my cross and follow...In Jesus' name…

Memory verse: Jeremiah 15:19 ESV

Therefore thus says the Lord: “If you return, I will restore you, and you shall stand before me. If you utter what is precious, and not what is worthless, you shall be as my mouth. They shall turn to you, but you shall not turn to them.”

Verse of the day:  Philippians 1:6

6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

Today’s Reading: Job 41-42 Acts 16:22-40

Proverbs 15:1

“A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”

We have visited this before. On the surface, the meaning is obvious. If someone yells at you and you yell back, trouble is brewing. More harsh words, hate, and then revenge or worse may happen.

That is the reason that God tells us in Proverbs 17:27:

“A man of knowledge restrains his words, and a man of understanding maintains a calm spirit.”

What I see in Proverbs 15:1, “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger” is what happens in our own hearts.

It starts with Galatians 5:23 where ‘self control’ is the last of the fruit of the Spirit. The Spirit of God, in us, gives us Divine self control but only when we are ‘walking in the spirit’(Galatians 5:16-18) or ‘God conscious’. When we are awake and conscious in the Spirit, we have God’s self control.

If we are not, our response to harsh words can be harsh and sinful. But it starts with harsh thoughts and emotions. If we are not using the Mind Of Christ(1 Corinthians 2:16), we are using the mind of our old self-sin living in us(Romans 7:17).

Proverbs 7:27 tells us a man of understanding and knowledge maintains His words with a calm spirit. Any of us has no divine knowledge or understanding outside of the Holy Spirit-the mind of Christ. Anything else is in sin(Romans 14:23).

Self control is only maintained in the Spirit. The Lord wants us to know the freedom from hate and anger and quick and harsh responses. He wants us to operate in His strength and well-being but controlled by His peace.

Isaiah 60:17 says, “Instead of bronze I will bring you gold, and silver in place of iron. Instead of wood I will bring you bronze, and iron in place of stones. I will make peace your governor and well-being your ruler.”

Getting to this place takes much work and all of us are up to the work-we must know this.

New term-’walking meditation’-we must learn how to be centered on Him as we ‘walk’ and live meditating on Him and His word and will as we move in this place.

Ask God how to keep your mind in the Holy Spirit all the time. Practice-keep working on it.

...because He loves us...He will do it…

Father in Heaven,

Your name is above all names. Your kingdom is perfect. Give me, today, the desire to walk in the Spirit constantly and be in the mind of Christ always. Forgive me for turning away. Lead me away from the wickedness in hate and anger.

God of peace and self control,

In the name of Christ Jesus,

Amen