February 18, 2026 Morning Devotional

Morning Devotion: Read Proverbs

Proverbs 16:7  When a man's ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.

What does this verse mean? I have struggled with this verse for such a long time.

I have read the Foxes Book of Martyrs and the book Voices of the Martyrs and many others which reveal the wickedness of man against true believers in Christ Jesus. All of the Apostles except John were martyred.

The scriptures reveal that evil will get worse.  2Timothy 3:12  Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. 13  But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.

John 15:18  If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. 19  If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.

Think about this for a moment, the enemies of the Lord hated Him and crucified Him all while He was innocent and everything He did pleased the Father.

2 Corinthians 5:21  For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

John 8:28  Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things. 29  And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him. 30  As he spake these words, many believed on him.

Jesus did everything that pleased the Lord, and He did everything without flaw and in all ways that pleased the Father and the word still crucified Him.

Also, remember that the world hates God; God is perfect and without darkness or sin.

So what does this verse mean? Proverbs 16:7  When a man's ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.

Peace is not the absence of conflict nor is it the absence of trial and persecution; peace is being in the presence of the Lord.

I am reminded of Romans chapter 8 where the Lord gives us great clarification on this matter.

Romans 8:30  Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. 31  What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? 32  He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? 33  Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. 34  Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. 35  Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36  As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. 37  Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 38  For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39  Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Did you read that? Romans 8:31  What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?

In a world of instant gratification we often look at verses like Proverbs 16:7 and believe it applies to the here and now when in fact it may apply to the then and there.

Luke 6:20  And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said, Blessed be ye poor: for yours is the kingdom of God. 21  Blessed are ye that hunger now: for ye shall be filled. Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh. 22  Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake. 23  Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets.

Ultimately our enemies and the enemies of the Lord will be at a place where they know the Lord was right and the true believers are just and that my friend is the peace spoken of in Proverbs 16:7.

What about you are you at peace with God?

The choice is still yours,

Pastor Cook