The Proverbs Challenge! - Day 2

For me, the point of "The Proverbs Challenge!" isn't for you to see what I have to say about a particular chapter. I certainly don't claim to be a Bible scholar. But I do want to tell you what God had to say to me, but I also want to encourage YOU to read a chapter each day and see what God has to say to you. You don't have to post it here (although I think that's pretty cool if you do) but I do hope you'll commit to reading Proverbs all through June.

If

it's a tiny little word but it carries a lot of weight.

God is offering us wisdom and understanding but there's a big "IF" in the equation. And the "IF" is totally in our hands.

Proverbs 2:1 My son, if you accept my words
and store up my commands within you,

and the "ifs" continue through verse 4.

vs. 5 THEN you will understand the fear of the Lord and discover the knowledge of God.

There are a lot of IF/THENs in the Bible. God doesn't force Himself on us. He offers Himself and if we follow the IF part He is faithful to always follow through with the THEN.

So why not take God up on His word? There are a lot of good promises from God in this chapter if you decide to take Him up on them. I'm praying that you will.

A Proverbs Challenge

Proverbs

What is a proverb? According to a nice explanation in my new Holman Christian Standard study Bible, "a secular proverb seeks to state a general (not absolute) truth... it is typically pithy, that is, it is brief but rich in meaning:"no pain, no gain." A proverb is practical; it gives advice that is useful in the real world."

My guess is that you know a lot of proverbs.

People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.
The pen is mightier than the sword.

I'm sure you can think of a lot of other proverbs that we use to deliver some truth or make a point. The writer or teller of a proverb is probably trying to get the listener to take what is said and apply it to life.

There are many ancient Chinese proverbs "Before telling secrets on the road, look in the bushes" and Ben Franklin wrote many in his "Poor Richard's Almanac"  - "Well done is better than well said" for one.

Some - over the years - have quoted old proverbs so much that they think they are biblical. "God helps those who help themselves" is one such proverb that is quoted as from the Bible, but it's really not.

So what's the difference between an everyday Chinese Ben Franklin kind of proverb and a biblical proverb? A biblical proverb not only offers practical advice, but the book of Proverbs will also guide the reader to eternal life: "For the discerning the path of life leads upward, so that he may avoid going down to Sheol." (Proverbs 15:24)
And since Proverbs is a part of scripture we know 2 Timothy describes it's content.

2 Timothy 3:16 CSB
All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness,

I challenged a couple of friends of mine to take a "Proverbs Challenge" with me in June. The challenge is to read a chapter of Proverbs each day for a month. On June 1 we'll read Proverbs 1:1-33. On June 2 we will read Proverbs 2:1-22. (It's the entire chapter if you're trying to figure it out.) Then each day we are going to e-mail or text each other the verse that spoke to us the most that day - and maybe why or what God is trying to teach us, etc.

So... I wanted to invite my blog readers to join us in the challenge. I'm going to post a verse or two from each chapter of Proverbs here the day before, and then I invite you all - on the actual day (ie. June 1 Proverbs 1) to post a comment telling us which verse spoke to you on that day. You can just put "v.5" or you can write it out "1:5 a wise man will listen and increase his learning" or you can leave a comment like "it's my prayer that as I read Proverbs this month that I will listen to what God says to me and increase my knowledge of Him and His ways - v.5" 

I hope you'll join us. I think it will be a good encouragement to all of us who participate. If you miss a day don't quit! Just jump right back in. I'm posting this now so you can make plans to join us a week from tomorrow, Wednesday, June 1.

Memory Monday - June 7

Since it is VBS week I'll post the VBS memory verse for our verse to memorize this week. This has always been a favorite verse of mine. I suppose it became a favorite when I was much younger - like early 20s - and was trying to be the best Music Minister/Worship Pastor I could be and I realized that at such a young age (and I suppose even now that I'm old the same thing is true) that I really needed God's wisdom to be able to help shepherd His flock and to be a leader in a church, etc. I prayed this verse a lot and I know that God answered my prayers. Not to say that I have arrived or know all of the answers to the deep mysteries or even the shallow puddles of life, but I do know that many times in my ministry, God has given me wisdom when I needed it - which has been often.

James 1:5 says,

But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.

What a fantastic promise. Here's part of the really cool thing about this promise. It's made to all of us!

Look at the verse in conext.

Jamese 1:2-6 Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind.

Later in that chapter James says 17.Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.

Oh, and here is some good advice that adds to wisdom

19.This you know, my beloved brethren. But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger ;


20.for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.

21.Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls.

22.But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves.

23.For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror ;

24.for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was.

25.But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does.

26.If anyone thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this man's religion is worthless.

27.Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this : to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.
 
You know? You should probably just memorize this entire chapter. Get busy... That's a lot of verses to learn (and do!)