Wisdom - The Proverbs Challenge

James 1:5-8 CSB (Holman Christian Standard Bible)
Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to all generously and without criticizing, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith without doubting. For the doubter is like the surging sea, driven and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect anything from the Lord. An indicisive man is unstable in all his ways.

Wow! What a great promise we find in these verses. I know I need God's wisdom. My guess is that you do too. I first started praying this verse - asking God for wisdom - when I was a very young married man with children and a church to care for. I needed God's wisdom because at 20 I sure didn't have any of my own.

God will answer that prayer for wisdom. I know that He will.

One of the chief ways He gives wisdom is through His word.  2 Timothy 3:16-17 CSB All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

So... to help all of us in our pursuit of wisdom from God I've started

drumroll please ............

The Proverbs Challenge!

For each day of June (June starts tomorrow) I'm challenging as many who will, to read a chapter of Proverbs a day. On June 1st read Proverbs chapter 1. On June 2 read Proverbs chapter 2. (If I have to keep explaining how it works past that then you have other learning issues that someone else will need to help you with. hahaha)

As you read the chapter I'd like you to first pray and ask God to speak to you through His word. Proverbs isn't just some cool old sayings like from Confucius. This book is included in the Bible and when Paul wrote "all scripture is inspired by God" Proverbs was part of his Bible.

Each day I will post a verse or two from that chapter and maybe tell what God was saying to me that day. I think it would be really awesome if several of you out there in blog land would post comments each day telling us what God said to you that day through His word. (You can post with your name or anonymously.) Perhaps the proverb reminded you of another passage of scripture. Perhaps God will encourage you in something you have started or will remind you of something you should stop doing. Whatever it is, it will encourage others as you share.

I'll be looking for you every day for The Proverbs Challenge!

Starting tomorrow!

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.