Wisdom’s Cry Part XII
Scroll to read a recap of Pastor John’s sermon from August 30, 2026
Let’s Break it Down
No substance or comfort, whether food, alcohol, or anything else, should hold influence over our lives in the place that belongs to God alone. Our posture toward authority reflects our posture toward God, and in a world growing more lawless, Christians are called to stand out by living visibly different lives.
Key Takeaways
-The company we keep has a direct impact on our spiritual health and even our eternal direction. We should be intentional about who we invest in and who we allow to speak into our lives.
-Loving discipline in the home is not optional. It is a gift that protects children from a harder path and models the kind of ordered, purposeful life that reflects God's character.
-Scripture places gluttony and drunkenness on equal moral ground, reminding us that any substance or habit that gains influence over our lives can become a substitute for the
peace and sufficiency that only God provides.
-Respecting authority, even imperfect authority, is a biblical command rooted in the belief that God is ultimately sovereign over who holds positions of power.
Lawlessness is a mark of the end times, and believers are called to live differently.
-A life built on wisdom, understanding, and the fear of the Lord produces a home and a legacy that no amount of wealth or status can manufacture on its own.
Tap to watch Pastor John’s full sermon on YouTube
5-Day Devotional
Day 1: The Company You Keep
Devotional
There is a reason your parents warned you about your friends. The people closest to you are not neutral. They are either shaping you toward wisdom or pulling you away from it. This is not a new idea. It is ancient truth, and it is just as relevant today as it was when Solomon wrote it down. Think about the five people you spend the most time with. Are they pushing you to grow? Are they honest with you? Do they point you back to God when life gets hard? Or do they quietly normalize compromise and call it grace? This is not about being judgmental or cutting people off carelessly. It is about being honest. You cannot pour from an empty cup, and you cannot grow in wisdom if you are constantly surrounded by voices that pull you in the opposite direction. Here is the encouraging part. You get to choose. You have more influence over your inner circle than you might think. Seek out people who are further along in faith, in character, in wisdom. Lean into those relationships. Let them speak into your life. And when you find yourself in a season of growth, look around. Someone younger in faith is watching you too.
Bible Verse
'He who walks with wise men will be wise, but the companion of fools will be destroyed.' - Proverbs 13:20
Reflection Question
When you honestly look at your closest relationships, are they drawing you closer to wisdom and to God, or are they making it easier to drift?
Quote
"He who walks with wise men will be wise, but a companion of fools will be destroyed. When you see in the Bible the word destroyed, it is always in the strongest possible sense."
Prayer
Lord, give me the wisdom to choose relationships that sharpen and encourage my faith. Surround me with people who point me to You, and help me to be that kind of person for others.
Day 2: Shaped at Home, Sent into the World
Devotional
Parenting is one of the most urgent callings there is, not because it is glamorous, but because the window is short. Children are not raised in a vacuum. They are being shaped every single day, either by the intentional love of a parent or by the unfiltered pressure of the world. The question is not whether they will be shaped. The question is by whom. Proverbs is clear that loving correction is not cruelty. It is care. Leaving foolishness unchecked does not protect a child. It simply delays a harder lesson. And the world outside the home is rarely as patient or as kind as a parent who loves their child deeply. But here is what makes this even more personal. Children do not primarily do what they are told. They do what they see. If faith is real in your home, they will feel it. If it is performative, they will sense that too. The most powerful sermon a parent can preach is the one lived out in the ordinary moments of daily life. If you are a parent, take heart. You do not have to be perfect. You just have to be present, consistent, and honest. God's grace covers the gaps, and your faithfulness matters more than you know.
Bible Verse
'And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.' - Ephesians 6:4
Reflection Question
In what ways does your daily life at home reflect the values you want to pass on, and where might there be a gap between what you say and what you model?
Quote
"If you're preaching one thing and living another, they're going to do what you do, not what you say. And so you have to model it. It's got to be modeled."
Prayer
Father, give me the courage to lead my home with love and consistency. Help me to model a faith that is real, so that those watching me will want to know You.
Day 3: When You Reach for the Wrong Thing
Devotional
We all have moments when life feels like too much. Stress piles up, relationships strain, and the weight of it all becomes hard to carry. In those moments, the temptation is to reach for something that offers quick relief. It might be food, alcohol, entertainment, or any number of things that promise comfort but cannot actually deliver it. Proverbs places gluttony and drunkenness on the same level, which is a challenge for most of us. We tend to draw the line at one and excuse the other. But the deeper issue is not the substance itself. It is the posture of the heart behind the reach. When we consistently turn to something other than God to soothe our pain, we are quietly telling Him that He is not enough. And here is the truth that changes everything. He is enough. His peace is real. His joy is not a feeling that fades when circumstances shift. The love of God, when you actually let it sink in, is the most stabilizing force in the universe. You do not need to substitute it. If you are in a hard season right now, bring it to Him first. Let Him be your relief before you reach for anything else. You might be surprised by what you find.
Bible Verse
'Do not mix with winebibbers, or with gluttonous eaters of meat.' - Proverbs 23:20
Reflection Question
What is the first thing you tend to reach for when life feels overwhelming, and what would it look like to bring that need to God instead?
Quote
"I've found that God's peace can be a relief to me. God's joy can be a piece to me. Understanding the love of God can be a relief to me. Just knowing that God is in control, no matter how chaotic life gets, can be a relief to me. I don't need to substitute that."
Prayer
Jesus, forgive me for the times I have looked for relief in the wrong places. Teach me to run to You first, and let Your peace be more than enough for whatever I am carrying today.
Day 4: Respecting Authority in a Lawless Age
Devotional
It is not hard to find reasons to distrust authority right now. Leaders disappoint. Institutions fail. And the cultural pressure to resist, protest, and reject anyone in power has never been louder. But Scripture does not give us the option to simply opt out of respect for authority based on how we feel about the person holding the office. Romans 13 is clear. Every governing authority exists because God has allowed it. That does not mean every leader is righteous. It means that God is sovereign over the rise and fall of every person in power, and our posture toward authority reflects something deeper about our posture toward God Himself. Jesus warned that lawlessness would increase in the last days. We are watching that unfold in real time. The Christian response is not to join the rebellion. It is to stand apart from it, not passively, but visibly. A life marked by integrity, submission, and genuine faith will eventually draw attention from people who notice that something is different about you. You do not have to agree with every decision made by those in authority. But you are called to honor the office, pray for those who hold it, and trust that God has not lost control of any of it.
Bible Verse
'Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God.' - Romans 13:1
Reflection Question
How does your attitude toward authority, whether in government, at work, or in your community, reflect your trust in God's sovereignty?
Quote
"Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God. And the authorities that exist are appointed by God whether you voted for or not. No one slips into office without God knowing it."
Prayer
Lord, help me to honor authority even when it is difficult, trusting that You are sovereign over every position of power. Give me a Spirit of peace and submission that points others to You.
Day 5: You Have Something They Need
Devotional
People are watching you more than you realize. Your coworkers, your neighbors, the people in line behind you at the grocery store. They are watching how you handle pressure, how you treat people, and whether the faith you claim on Sunday shows up on Tuesday. Here is the beautiful opportunity in that. A life genuinely shaped by wisdom, integrity, and trust in God is magnetic. Not because it is perfect, but because it is different. When someone sees you navigate a hard season with peace that does not make sense, they notice. When they see you forgive instead of retaliate, they notice. And eventually, they ask. That question is your moment. Not to lecture or to argue, but to simply say: I have something, and I am not hoarding it. His name is Jesus. We believe that truth is not just a concept or a set of rules. Truth is a person. He is the way, the truth, and the life. You can know Him, and knowing Him changes everything. That is the message the world around you is desperate to hear, even if they do not know it yet. Live in such a way that the question gets asked. Then be ready to answer it.
Bible Verse
'Jesus said to Him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."' - John 14:6
Reflection Question
If someone who knows you well were to describe your daily life, would they see evidence of something worth asking about?
Quote
"Live in such a way that people would want what you have. And they're going to have to come to grips with the fact that you live in the same neighborhood and work the same job, but you have something that they don't have, what do you have? And you tell them, I got it, I got it, and I'm not hoarding it. His name's Jesus."
Prayer
Jesus, let my life be a clear reflection of Your grace and truth. Give me the courage to live openly and the words to point others to You when they ask why I am different.