Be Steadfast In Love And Faithfulness
Sermon 1: Be Steadfast In Love And Faithfulness
Day 1
Read Proverbs 3:1-12
I am fully convinced that I can keep my kids alive longer than if I were to go ahead and let them be in charge of all of life’s decisions on their own. I used to think that would be a pretty obvious statement to make, but there are some things in our culture these days that have me questioning if we are all on the same page there. Wisdom is that thing that we gain in and through experience, but in the Bible’s eyes, it is best gathered from the places God gives us, from His sources. It goes to reason then that since God is for life, then God’s wisdom will lend itself to life, and according to many other verses, life, better than we expected.
Proverbs are a lot like life advice. They are good and they are true, but that doesn’t mean they are absolutes, or even perfect formulas. Much like my advice for my kids, it is good because I love them and want the best for them, there are still plenty of things happening outside of my advice that I have no control over. So, sure I can keep them alive and in a good place in life, but I can’t control everything that could happen to them. In other words, if I choose their meals at a very young age and teach them to eat intelligently, I can say that will lead to a longer and better life than if they were to live off of Fun Dip and Kool-Aid, like they want to. And that is the truth. But it is not all there is to consider. Wisdom is always in the path of life, if it is from God. We, like the child needing the parent, must learn to submit our lives to the path of wisdom that God offers to us, and on that path, we will discover the general idea of a much better way to live.
In what ways do you understand that God’s word (commandments; teachings) lead to “length of days” and “peace.”
What part of this section stands out to you the most and why?
How does this become part of your prayer today?
I am fully convinced that I can keep my kids alive longer than if I were to go ahead and let them be in charge of all of life’s decisions on their own. I used to think that would be a pretty obvious statement to make, but there are some things in our culture these days that have me questioning if we are all on the same page there. Wisdom is that thing that we gain in and through experience, but in the Bible’s eyes, it is best gathered from the places God gives us, from His sources. It goes to reason then that since God is for life, then God’s wisdom will lend itself to life, and according to many other verses, life, better than we expected.
Proverbs are a lot like life advice. They are good and they are true, but that doesn’t mean they are absolutes, or even perfect formulas. Much like my advice for my kids, it is good because I love them and want the best for them, there are still plenty of things happening outside of my advice that I have no control over. So, sure I can keep them alive and in a good place in life, but I can’t control everything that could happen to them. In other words, if I choose their meals at a very young age and teach them to eat intelligently, I can say that will lead to a longer and better life than if they were to live off of Fun Dip and Kool-Aid, like they want to. And that is the truth. But it is not all there is to consider. Wisdom is always in the path of life, if it is from God. We, like the child needing the parent, must learn to submit our lives to the path of wisdom that God offers to us, and on that path, we will discover the general idea of a much better way to live.
In what ways do you understand that God’s word (commandments; teachings) lead to “length of days” and “peace.”
What part of this section stands out to you the most and why?
How does this become part of your prayer today?
Day 2
Read Proverbs 3:13-20
I read about a family that went on vacation in Utah recently and discovered a very rare Tyrannosaurus Rex fossil. Interestingly enough, while I read that, our family was also planning a vacation and trying to figure out what we wanted to do. It would be cool to discover a dinosaur fossil on a family vacation. It would be tough to top the next year, for sure.
A better treasure to aim for is the treasure of wisdom. It is better than any monetary value you could hope for and is more useful. This section of Proverbs 3 also compares it to a tree of life. This is a really interesting connection that deserves so much attention. There were two trees in the Garden of Eden: the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and the tree of life. A tree of….wisdom and a tree of life? Think about this for a little while, Proverbs is combining those two idyllic trees into one thought. Wisdom and life are of the same flavor, so wisdom is like a tree of life. Is the Bible teaching us something here? I think it is! Isn’t it interesting that the idea of a tree of life is tied to the idea of wisdom and then also roped into that is the teaching of blessing? Those are three vital themes from Genesis 2 that are tied up in a really neat package for us to ponder on in this Proverb.
After you have spent some time meditating on these thoughts, how would you tell someone about the Bible’s approach to wisdom, life, and blessing?
How have you seen this idea played out in your life? What are the unwise experiences that you have had that led to something other than life? What are the wise experiences that you have had that have led to life?
How does this become part of your prayer today?
I read about a family that went on vacation in Utah recently and discovered a very rare Tyrannosaurus Rex fossil. Interestingly enough, while I read that, our family was also planning a vacation and trying to figure out what we wanted to do. It would be cool to discover a dinosaur fossil on a family vacation. It would be tough to top the next year, for sure.
A better treasure to aim for is the treasure of wisdom. It is better than any monetary value you could hope for and is more useful. This section of Proverbs 3 also compares it to a tree of life. This is a really interesting connection that deserves so much attention. There were two trees in the Garden of Eden: the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and the tree of life. A tree of….wisdom and a tree of life? Think about this for a little while, Proverbs is combining those two idyllic trees into one thought. Wisdom and life are of the same flavor, so wisdom is like a tree of life. Is the Bible teaching us something here? I think it is! Isn’t it interesting that the idea of a tree of life is tied to the idea of wisdom and then also roped into that is the teaching of blessing? Those are three vital themes from Genesis 2 that are tied up in a really neat package for us to ponder on in this Proverb.
After you have spent some time meditating on these thoughts, how would you tell someone about the Bible’s approach to wisdom, life, and blessing?
How have you seen this idea played out in your life? What are the unwise experiences that you have had that led to something other than life? What are the wise experiences that you have had that have led to life?
How does this become part of your prayer today?
Day 3
Read Proverbs 3:21-35
A friend of mine was telling me about a book he was reading that describes how this current generation of young people are some of the most anxious and fearful. The book outlines its ideas of why that is. The Bible also seems to take a stance on this thought and shares that wisdom and insight with us here. Once again, it would be unfair to make a statement so bold as to declare that the cure to fear and anxiety is wisdom, but there is a general teaching here that is true. God’s ways are the ones that lead away from fear and anxiety generally speaking. So don’t lose sight of them. The father to the son way of teaching this idea is helpful for us in processing what is being said. It is a generational type of teaching.
Think through all of the places and situations that are listed in these verses. It talks about walking along the way and lying down at night. The promise in wisdom is better sleep not because of some magic formula, but because of the peace that is experienced in wisdom. It talks about anxiety in those sudden destructive moments that we all worry about because there seems to be no control. These passages are full of some really great reflections that are important.
How does wisdom help you sleep?
How does wisdom help with anxiety and fear?
When is a time that you have experienced these truths lived out in your life?
How does this become your prayer today?
A friend of mine was telling me about a book he was reading that describes how this current generation of young people are some of the most anxious and fearful. The book outlines its ideas of why that is. The Bible also seems to take a stance on this thought and shares that wisdom and insight with us here. Once again, it would be unfair to make a statement so bold as to declare that the cure to fear and anxiety is wisdom, but there is a general teaching here that is true. God’s ways are the ones that lead away from fear and anxiety generally speaking. So don’t lose sight of them. The father to the son way of teaching this idea is helpful for us in processing what is being said. It is a generational type of teaching.
Think through all of the places and situations that are listed in these verses. It talks about walking along the way and lying down at night. The promise in wisdom is better sleep not because of some magic formula, but because of the peace that is experienced in wisdom. It talks about anxiety in those sudden destructive moments that we all worry about because there seems to be no control. These passages are full of some really great reflections that are important.
How does wisdom help you sleep?
How does wisdom help with anxiety and fear?
When is a time that you have experienced these truths lived out in your life?
How does this become your prayer today?
Day 4
Read Proverbs 1:1-19
“Because I said so…” as a parenting strategy really misses the mark. Sure, it encourages obedience and that’s pretty important thing in growing up, but it doesn’t give room for learning and understanding. All of the ideas that lead us, have to have a higher purpose than just making us do something. There has to be an inherit good that is at the heart of submitting in any relationship that begs to be healthy. Wisdom is the process and place of learning knowledge and understanding in an experiential way. That is why the beginning of wisdom is found at the fear of God. His truths, commandments, and statutes come down from who He is, seated above all of creation with a heart turned toward humanity, longing that they are brought back into His presence.
One of the best titles that God reveals to us about Himself is that of Father. It is there that we get His care for us as children and pick up on this idea seen here, of a relationship that is best lived submitted to Him and listening to Him. Wisdom is the best place to grow when you are learning about the God of the world that loved you so much He gave His One and Only Son to save you.
How would you describe the difference between wisdom and knowledge to someone new to the Bible?
As you understand it here, what does the “fear of God” mean?
How does this become part of your prayers today?
“Because I said so…” as a parenting strategy really misses the mark. Sure, it encourages obedience and that’s pretty important thing in growing up, but it doesn’t give room for learning and understanding. All of the ideas that lead us, have to have a higher purpose than just making us do something. There has to be an inherit good that is at the heart of submitting in any relationship that begs to be healthy. Wisdom is the process and place of learning knowledge and understanding in an experiential way. That is why the beginning of wisdom is found at the fear of God. His truths, commandments, and statutes come down from who He is, seated above all of creation with a heart turned toward humanity, longing that they are brought back into His presence.
One of the best titles that God reveals to us about Himself is that of Father. It is there that we get His care for us as children and pick up on this idea seen here, of a relationship that is best lived submitted to Him and listening to Him. Wisdom is the best place to grow when you are learning about the God of the world that loved you so much He gave His One and Only Son to save you.
How would you describe the difference between wisdom and knowledge to someone new to the Bible?
As you understand it here, what does the “fear of God” mean?
How does this become part of your prayers today?
Day 5
Read Proverbs 2
Here is some of the best news you could get today, “The Lord gives wisdom…” (verse 6 and James 1:5). Why is that so amazing? Because you just read here and in our text from the sermon about the value of wisdom and what kind of weight it would hold in your life. I had someone give me a riding mower one time, for my comically small lawn. It was in the dead heat of a hot summer and so even though it was way too much for my lawn, it was pretty amazing to just be given something. The mower was more than I needed, but it was also pretty used up. They didn’t go to the Home Depot and get me a new mower and give it to me, but they gave me what was used up and they were done with it.
But God’s gift of wisdom is not that. You get for free what is worth paying your whole life for. That is the best and most resounding truth of the Bible that seems repeated story after story. The word of God contains so much value that it could alter your very existence and it is given to you for free in hopes that you will take it, learn it, and change your life for it.
Almost like an infomercial that is desperately trying to get you to pick up the phone and order now, this chapter keeps adding detail upon detail of the benefits of wisdom and all that could be your today for one easy payment of….just asking God for it.
What part of the benefit of wisdom sticks out to you in your situation today as you read this chapter?
What part of wisdom’s description could you stand to learn from that is talked about here in this passage?
How does this become your prayer for today?
Here is some of the best news you could get today, “The Lord gives wisdom…” (verse 6 and James 1:5). Why is that so amazing? Because you just read here and in our text from the sermon about the value of wisdom and what kind of weight it would hold in your life. I had someone give me a riding mower one time, for my comically small lawn. It was in the dead heat of a hot summer and so even though it was way too much for my lawn, it was pretty amazing to just be given something. The mower was more than I needed, but it was also pretty used up. They didn’t go to the Home Depot and get me a new mower and give it to me, but they gave me what was used up and they were done with it.
But God’s gift of wisdom is not that. You get for free what is worth paying your whole life for. That is the best and most resounding truth of the Bible that seems repeated story after story. The word of God contains so much value that it could alter your very existence and it is given to you for free in hopes that you will take it, learn it, and change your life for it.
Almost like an infomercial that is desperately trying to get you to pick up the phone and order now, this chapter keeps adding detail upon detail of the benefits of wisdom and all that could be your today for one easy payment of….just asking God for it.
What part of the benefit of wisdom sticks out to you in your situation today as you read this chapter?
What part of wisdom’s description could you stand to learn from that is talked about here in this passage?
How does this become your prayer for today?
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