The resources God has given us to live a thriving life are His Word, Spirit, and People.
Read God’s Word:
Proverbs 21-24
Act 2: God’s Covenant People
Scene 5: Kings and Prophets: God shapes a kingdom people
Background Information: Proverbs 21-24
In Proverbs, we read about parenting, responding to authority, the pursuit and use of money, marital relationships, decision making, and on and on it goes. These 31 chapters run the full gamut of human experience. Many people have written books throughout the centuries proposing how to live a good, wise, and thriving life. Those books may contain some pearls of wisdom, but when they are based purely on human wisdom, the shells far outweigh the pearls. Proverbs is all pearl and no shell. It lays the foundation for wisdom, not in human capacity, but in the sovereignty, wisdom, and power of God. You see this foundation over and over, presented in different ways. Look at this couplet:
“No wisdom, no understanding, and no counsel will prevail against the Lord. A horse is prepared for the day of battle, but victory comes from the Lord.”
Proverbs 21:30-31
Verse 30 gives a warning about fighting against the Lord, while verse 31 warns against fighting without him. There again is that framework for thinking about our lives. When we begin with ourselves and work outward from there, we will, in the end, fail. When we trust ourselves in direct opposition to God, our plans will lead to disaster. When we fail to understand that all of our planning will not make up for a lack of trust in God, even in success, we are foolish, and that success will turn sour. We are to begin with who God is, what his will is, and from there we are to formulate our plans.
“All a person’s ways seem right to him, but the Lord weighs hearts.”
Proverbs 21:2
In the book of Judges, we read of the disaster that came when Israel did what was right in their own eyes. We need not learn from personal experience the folly of sin. Experience is not the best teacher; God’s word is. God’s revelation has been given for our instruction so that we may avoid folly and live in the wisdom of a life fully committed to Christ. (Romans 15:4, 1 Corinthians 10:11)
Pray:
Praise God for…
Thank God for…
Confess your sins to God
Pray for Sarah as she hosts a team of college students from River. Pray for God to encourage her through them and for the students to accelerate the work she is doing.
Ask God for… (what else concerns you?)
Reflect:
Write down one passage of scripture that stood out to you today.
Write down why this passage stood out to you.
Engage Community:
Text or call someone now and tell them…
– What you are praying for.
– What stood out from God’s word today.