Daily Devotion

 With Pastor Ancel Presnell

“BUILDING UP OUR HOME”

Proverbs 24:3— “Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established.”

I chose this year’s New Year theme for our church to be Build It Up 2026. You know, you can have a great job with good relationships, great pay, and a bright future—but if your home is falling apart, does it even matter? You can have friendships, good health, money in the bank, and all the material blessings you could ever hope for, but if your home is struggling, none of those things matter quite as much as they would if your home was thriving.

The Bible is very clear about the seriousness of what is at stake. The Apostle Peter said it best concerning the alertness we must have toward our adversary, the devil:
“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.”
(1 Peter 5:8)

We must be conscious of the intentions of the devil within our homes. He wants nothing more than to seek your family out and devour it. In Proverbs 24, the Bible outlines for us the necessary steps for building our home. This is not an outline from a sharp and savvy preacher, a family counselor, or a motivational speaker. This is an outline from the throne of God, given to us in the canon of Scripture. Over the course of this week’s devotionals, we will dive into God’s outline together.

The first emphasis in Proverbs 24 is found in the word build / builded. The Hebrew word is bānah, meaning “to build, rebuild, or establish.” Another helpful word for build or builded is fortify, meaning:
“To surround with a wall, ditch, palisades, or other works, with a view to defend against the attacks of an enemy.”
(Webster, 1828)

We must fortify our homes to protect our families from the enemy. So, the first emphasis in building up the home is protection. We need protection from the enemy—not if he will attack, but because he will attack. There is nothing you or I can do to stop the enemy from attempting an attack. The attack is imminent. So, if the attack is coming—and it is—we had better get to building.

The next four devotions will deal with the building blocks that fortify our homes against the attacks of the enemy. Get this first truth settled deep in your soul: we must strengthen our homes; we cannot do nothing.