Jesus taught with analogies, using something that we know about to explain how something else works. I like to think in this same way; sometimes I can't understand something because I haven't fully experienced it, but if I can relate it to something else that I have experienced it helps to make things clear.
The analogy of paths is one that I like. Each decision that we make takes us down a different path, and if we make a few wrong choices then we end up somewhere that we don't want to be. You can't just keep going down the same path and expect to get to a different place. Proverbs 3:6-8 tells us that if we acknowledge God He will make our paths straight. Unlike a winding path, you can see where a straight path is going. Proverbs goes on to tell us to 'not be wise in our own eyes.' If God is higher than us then He can see the outcome of the paths that we are on. He is wiser than us, and we should never think that we don't need Him.
- Can you stop and visualize yourself going down different paths; are you headed to where you want to be?
- Do you think you are "wise in your own eyes" like proverbs warns against? What would that look like?
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Monday, August 24, 2009
Benefits
Being wise benefits you. We've already talked about how wisdom can give you protection, good advice, and help you avoid temptations. All of these things are beneficial to you. As we also talked about, it's very obvious that making wise choices will help you in the long run, but we still make bad choices from day to day!
Proverbs 3:1-6 has some more advice for us. It starts out by telling us to remember these wise things that we are told. What good does it do to read something and then forget it? What good does it do to know something if you don't put it to use?
This section of the Proverbs goes on to tell us that if we learn to be wise then we will "gain a good name in the sight of God and man." Wouldn't you like to be known as a trustworthy, wise and good person?
In our lives we all follow paths that are taking us places. Some of your friends will go down paths that you don't go down, and you will grow apart from each other. Even now you may be going down some paths that are leading you to places that you don't want to be. Proverbs 3:6 tells us that if we are looking to God and trying to make wise decisions based on His goals for us, then He will keep our paths straight. We will benefit immensely by heading in the right direction.
Proverbs 3:1-6 has some more advice for us. It starts out by telling us to remember these wise things that we are told. What good does it do to read something and then forget it? What good does it do to know something if you don't put it to use?
This section of the Proverbs goes on to tell us that if we learn to be wise then we will "gain a good name in the sight of God and man." Wouldn't you like to be known as a trustworthy, wise and good person?
In our lives we all follow paths that are taking us places. Some of your friends will go down paths that you don't go down, and you will grow apart from each other. Even now you may be going down some paths that are leading you to places that you don't want to be. Proverbs 3:6 tells us that if we are looking to God and trying to make wise decisions based on His goals for us, then He will keep our paths straight. We will benefit immensely by heading in the right direction.
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Common
1 Corinthians 10:13a says: No temptation has seized you except what is common to man.
There is a very common temptation that you will see on TV, in magazines, on the internet, at school and basically anywhere that you go. Sometimes people avoid talking about it because it can be awkward, but Proverbs 2:16-22 doesn't avoid the subject; it's very clear. Remember that the goal of Proverbs is to tell you wise things that make your life easier; this area is no exception.
"Sex sells" is the motto that many TV shows take; Proverbs takes to opposite stance and says that it "leads down to death." Sex was created by God not to be perverted like the world has done. Sex before marriage leads to places that you don't want to be, and the wise man or woman, boy or girl will avoid it entirely. Since that path "leads down to death" we have to learn to take our thoughts captive and never start going down that path. That means that we stay away from the things that will lead us in that direction: the things that we fill our minds with.
- How are we taught to overcome temptations such as these?
If you want to send me a private question you can email me at: joe.w.thomas@gmail.com
There is a very common temptation that you will see on TV, in magazines, on the internet, at school and basically anywhere that you go. Sometimes people avoid talking about it because it can be awkward, but Proverbs 2:16-22 doesn't avoid the subject; it's very clear. Remember that the goal of Proverbs is to tell you wise things that make your life easier; this area is no exception.
"Sex sells" is the motto that many TV shows take; Proverbs takes to opposite stance and says that it "leads down to death." Sex was created by God not to be perverted like the world has done. Sex before marriage leads to places that you don't want to be, and the wise man or woman, boy or girl will avoid it entirely. Since that path "leads down to death" we have to learn to take our thoughts captive and never start going down that path. That means that we stay away from the things that will lead us in that direction: the things that we fill our minds with.
- How are we taught to overcome temptations such as these?
If you want to send me a private question you can email me at: joe.w.thomas@gmail.com
Monday, August 17, 2009
Protection
Discretion is the ability to use your better judgment to make a wise choice or decision.
If you are faced with many different choices in front of you, it's in your best interest to choose the best option, but this isn't always easy. So, what can discretion do besides help you make wise choices? It can protect you from the outcomes of bad choices!
Proverbs 2:11-15 shows what you will see a lot in life - people around you going down the wrong paths and later suffering for it. If you are looking to the Bible and to people who care about you for advice and guidance, you will make wise decisions and be saved from all the consequences that deciding to sin will bring.
- Does someone come to mind when you think about a person whose bad decisions are taking them down a "dark path?"
- How can you avoid being at the end of a path where you don't want to be?
If you are faced with many different choices in front of you, it's in your best interest to choose the best option, but this isn't always easy. So, what can discretion do besides help you make wise choices? It can protect you from the outcomes of bad choices!
Proverbs 2:11-15 shows what you will see a lot in life - people around you going down the wrong paths and later suffering for it. If you are looking to the Bible and to people who care about you for advice and guidance, you will make wise decisions and be saved from all the consequences that deciding to sin will bring.
- Does someone come to mind when you think about a person whose bad decisions are taking them down a "dark path?"
- How can you avoid being at the end of a path where you don't want to be?
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Adviser
Nations have advisers, people that get paid to give advice. Advisers have the job of giving their opinions to help make tough decisions easier; to point out things that were maybe missed.
The book of Proverbs was written by King Solomon and other wise men. The point is to give advice to you, the reader.
Proverbs 2:1-11 starts off by saying "my son, if you accept my words..." Notice how the writer says "my son" when starting. The writer is not literally writing to their children, but giving advice like a father would give his son or daughter advice. A parent that loves his children will have their best interest in mind, and as such they will give them advice that will help them.
Once again, the goal of proverbs is to make us wise; to open our eyes to the things around us so that we can make good decisions that will make our lives better. A truly wise person will listen to advice from people who care about them, and make their own decision afterward.
- Who are you getting your advice from? Friends? Family? The Bible?
- Who in your life do you trust the most to give you good advice?
The book of Proverbs was written by King Solomon and other wise men. The point is to give advice to you, the reader.
Proverbs 2:1-11 starts off by saying "my son, if you accept my words..." Notice how the writer says "my son" when starting. The writer is not literally writing to their children, but giving advice like a father would give his son or daughter advice. A parent that loves his children will have their best interest in mind, and as such they will give them advice that will help them.
Once again, the goal of proverbs is to make us wise; to open our eyes to the things around us so that we can make good decisions that will make our lives better. A truly wise person will listen to advice from people who care about them, and make their own decision afterward.
- Who are you getting your advice from? Friends? Family? The Bible?
- Who in your life do you trust the most to give you good advice?
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Obvious
"You reap what you sow"
"He'll get what's coming to him"
We've heard these expressions before, and they make sense. If you plant beans in the ground, don't expect corn to grow up. Likewise if you are always hateful to everyone around you, don't expect anyone to want to be around you. You get back what you put in.
It is always easy to look at someone else's life and see mistakes. It's even pretty easy to look back on our own lives and see mistakes in the past; however, living life in the present we always seem to think that we know what we are doing. Sometimes we are so caught up, we fail to see that we are making obvious mistakes along the way.
Proverbs 1:20-33 explains that wisdom is quite obvious.
Isn't it obvious that murdering someone will lead to bad results? Extreme guilt, jail time. Isn't it obvious that drinking tons of hard liquor will get you sick, make you throw up, make you do stupid things you will regret? Isn't it obvious that making fun of or putting someone down will make them resent you, make them feel bad about themselves, possibly make them do something to hurt themselves or someone else?
These actions obviously lead to bad things; sin leads to bad things. Satan's goal is to make sin look good. He makes revenge look good, he makes drinking with friends look good, he makes it look good to put others down so that you will look better.
These are only a few examples of things that a wise person avoids. All sin leads to bad results, but making wise choices benefits you in the future. Proverbs 1 ends by saying "The waywardness of the simple will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them; but whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm."
- Are you currently making wise choices?
- How can you know what decisions will lead to good, and what will lead to bad?
(If you are reading this, that means that you are making a decision to look at the Bible and learn from it. That is a very wise choice; one that will lead to a lot of good in your future and save you from a lot of harm if you learn from it. Good job!)
"He'll get what's coming to him"
We've heard these expressions before, and they make sense. If you plant beans in the ground, don't expect corn to grow up. Likewise if you are always hateful to everyone around you, don't expect anyone to want to be around you. You get back what you put in.
It is always easy to look at someone else's life and see mistakes. It's even pretty easy to look back on our own lives and see mistakes in the past; however, living life in the present we always seem to think that we know what we are doing. Sometimes we are so caught up, we fail to see that we are making obvious mistakes along the way.
Proverbs 1:20-33 explains that wisdom is quite obvious.
Isn't it obvious that murdering someone will lead to bad results? Extreme guilt, jail time. Isn't it obvious that drinking tons of hard liquor will get you sick, make you throw up, make you do stupid things you will regret? Isn't it obvious that making fun of or putting someone down will make them resent you, make them feel bad about themselves, possibly make them do something to hurt themselves or someone else?
These actions obviously lead to bad things; sin leads to bad things. Satan's goal is to make sin look good. He makes revenge look good, he makes drinking with friends look good, he makes it look good to put others down so that you will look better.
These are only a few examples of things that a wise person avoids. All sin leads to bad results, but making wise choices benefits you in the future. Proverbs 1 ends by saying "The waywardness of the simple will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them; but whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm."
- Are you currently making wise choices?
- How can you know what decisions will lead to good, and what will lead to bad?
(If you are reading this, that means that you are making a decision to look at the Bible and learn from it. That is a very wise choice; one that will lead to a lot of good in your future and save you from a lot of harm if you learn from it. Good job!)
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Temptation
Temptation comes in many different forms.
1 Corinthians 10:13 tells us that "No temptation has seized you except what is common to man." These things that you struggle with, everyone has struggled with. Even Jesus was tempted by these same thoughts - but Jesus did not give into any temptation to sin.
We started off on our quest for wisdom, and after Proverbs explains to us what Wisdom is in the first 7 verses, it goes on to give the first advice on how to be wise. What is the advice? Don't give into temptation.
Read Provers 1:8-19.
This section of Proverbs chapter 1 warns us against the temptation coming from the people around us. You probably won't hear one of your friends from school say "let's go waylay some harmless soul," but you may hear them ask if you want to go to a party with them and drink and smoke, or you may hear them making fun of someone and be tempted to join in.
Does a wise person give into temptation? No. The end of this passage says "it takes away the lives" of those who do. Take comfort in knowing that everyone is tempted, and take greater comfort in knowing that you don't have to give into this temptation. 1 Corinthians 10:13 goes on to say that "God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear." This is the first step to being wise: avoid giving into temptation, it doesn't lead to anywhere that you want to be.
-What are you personally tempted with the most? (answer to yourself)
-What are some ways that we can avoid giving into temptation?
1 Corinthians 10:13 tells us that "No temptation has seized you except what is common to man." These things that you struggle with, everyone has struggled with. Even Jesus was tempted by these same thoughts - but Jesus did not give into any temptation to sin.
We started off on our quest for wisdom, and after Proverbs explains to us what Wisdom is in the first 7 verses, it goes on to give the first advice on how to be wise. What is the advice? Don't give into temptation.
Read Provers 1:8-19.
This section of Proverbs chapter 1 warns us against the temptation coming from the people around us. You probably won't hear one of your friends from school say "let's go waylay some harmless soul," but you may hear them ask if you want to go to a party with them and drink and smoke, or you may hear them making fun of someone and be tempted to join in.
Does a wise person give into temptation? No. The end of this passage says "it takes away the lives" of those who do. Take comfort in knowing that everyone is tempted, and take greater comfort in knowing that you don't have to give into this temptation. 1 Corinthians 10:13 goes on to say that "God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear." This is the first step to being wise: avoid giving into temptation, it doesn't lead to anywhere that you want to be.
-What are you personally tempted with the most? (answer to yourself)
-What are some ways that we can avoid giving into temptation?
Monday, August 3, 2009
Wisdom
Wisdom. What is it? How is it different from knowledge?
My definition is this: Wisdom is knowing what to do with knowledge.
You can know a whole lot of information, but if you can't make good decisions with all that you know, what good does it do you?
The book of Proverbs in the Bible is all about gaining Wisdom. This quote from the beginning of Proverbs shows it's purpose:
for attaining wisdom and discipline;
for understanding words of insight;
for acquiring a disciplined and prudent life,
doing what is right and just and fair;
Doesn't it sound good to be wise? It will make your whole life better; you will be able to make good decisions when they come along. You will understand why things happen, how things work, and the purpose for things you experience.
Together I want to discuss the book of Proverbs. If you want to be wise, open your Bible to Proverbs 1:1-7, or visit this link: Proverbs 1:1-7.
- Who do you know that you would call "wise?"
- Why do you think they are wise?
- Do you think that you are wise?
- Where does wisdom come from?
Feel free to ask other questions that you have about this passage. We will go on to the next passage tomorrow.
My definition is this: Wisdom is knowing what to do with knowledge.
You can know a whole lot of information, but if you can't make good decisions with all that you know, what good does it do you?
The book of Proverbs in the Bible is all about gaining Wisdom. This quote from the beginning of Proverbs shows it's purpose:
for attaining wisdom and discipline;
for understanding words of insight;
for acquiring a disciplined and prudent life,
doing what is right and just and fair;
Doesn't it sound good to be wise? It will make your whole life better; you will be able to make good decisions when they come along. You will understand why things happen, how things work, and the purpose for things you experience.
Together I want to discuss the book of Proverbs. If you want to be wise, open your Bible to Proverbs 1:1-7, or visit this link: Proverbs 1:1-7.
- Who do you know that you would call "wise?"
- Why do you think they are wise?
- Do you think that you are wise?
- Where does wisdom come from?
Feel free to ask other questions that you have about this passage. We will go on to the next passage tomorrow.
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