Monday -
--- Read Proverbs 31 in NIV (15 mins)
--- (shorter day)
--- Memorize Proverbs 31:8 in NIV (15 mins)
Tuesday -
--- Read Proverbs 31 in NLT (15 mins)
--- Make a list - list all of the characteristics of a virtuous woman listed here (in your own words). POST YOUR NOTES on the facebook page. (15 mins)
--- Much attention is given to a virtuous woman because of this passage in the scriptures - but what about men? What does a virtuous man look like? Write your own passage, or list of notes, about what makes a "Virtuous man" in our day and age (don't be afraid to get specific!). Post your thoughts on the FACEBOOK page. (15 mins)
--- Memorize Proverbs 31:9 in NIV --- and review Prov. 31:8 (15 mins)
Wednesday -
--- Read Proverbs 31 in NKJV (15 mins)
--- IMPORTANT DAY: Watch this 2-minute video on "Who Am I?"
--- Memorize Proverbs 31:10 in NIV --- and review Prov. 31:8-9 (15 mins)
Thursday -
--- Read Proverbs 31 in MSG (15 mins)
--- Why the talk about "Who am I?" and about "Identity in Christ?" This week, the idea has come again to the forefront of my mind and heart - that as we go through the book of Proverbs, we should not be reading it through the eyes of the LAW. Rather, we should be reading it through the eyes of GRACE. The law gives us a list of rules - don't be lazy, don't fornicate, don't lie or steal or cheat. Don't, don't, don't. The law also says do be wise, be prudent, be humble, giving, virtuous, hard-working... Do this, do that, do this other thing. The LAW gives us a list of do's and don'ts. Grace however is a completely different system. Grace erases the list of do's and don'ts and gives us the Spirit of God inside of us. And the Spirit of God inside of us patiently and lovingly transforms us more and more into the image of Christ - perfect, whole, complete, blameless, children of God - who are loved by Him deeply, indwelt by Him fully, and empowered by Him completely to do more and more of His perfect will.
The law says - I must not steal. And I must serve the poor. GRACE puts Christ in us and we simply stop wanting to steal, and a love begins to grow in us for the poor naturally.
The law says - I must get wisdom! I must stop being so foolish! GRACE says - I have Jesus, and I trust Him to make me wiser as He sees fit. Jesus lives in my heart and I can trust Him to take the foolishness out of me at the right time.
The law says - don't, don't, don't as well as do, do, do - a very long list of both. GRACE says get rid of the list of do's and don'ts and TRUST JESUS to DO through you and to take the very desire away from you for the don'ts...
SOS young adults - as we read through Proverbs, we must be VERY careful not to read it through the eyes of the LAW. The point of the last 7 weeks is not to put a bunch of new rules and regulations out there for you to live by! God is not about putting more and more pressure on us to be good and to do right. The point of the reading and studying Proverbs is to give you some helpful guidelines for how to make good decisions in life that you won't regret later... and to help you see the importance of wisdom and understanding... but from there, we MUST understand that on our own we won't always make good decisions (and trust me, you will make some bad ones in the years to come) and we won't always be wise and full of understanding, no matter how hard we try. The point is to show you how good a life you can live, with wisdom and God on your side... but only HE can live in your heart and change you from the inside out - day by day, week by week, month by month, and year by year. Only He can cause you to be wise and to gain sincere understanding. Only he can put the desire in you to not sin and to avoid bad situations.
THE POINT: There is only one law under the new covenant: KNOW JESUS. Sit at his feet and hear his words... and know that he will forgive you NO MATTER WHAT. Truly virtuous women are made that way because they have KNOWN HIM a good while. And truly virtuous men are made that way through years and years of abiding close to Him and allowing Him to change you into a real man from the inside out. Young men and women, you can't do it yourself! Only HE can.
So don't be pressured by all these guidelines in the book of Proverbs. They are there to show you where Jesus will take you (not where you will take yourself) if you let him, and how good and perfect a place it is in the end!
Love you guys sooo much, and I am excited to see how God will work in your lives in the years to come!
~Sean
--- IMPORTANT DAY: Watch this 2-minute video (AGAIN) on "Who Am I?" and also watch this one called "Identity in Christ" (15 mins)
The law says - I must not steal. And I must serve the poor. GRACE puts Christ in us and we simply stop wanting to steal, and a love begins to grow in us for the poor naturally.
The law says - I must get wisdom! I must stop being so foolish! GRACE says - I have Jesus, and I trust Him to make me wiser as He sees fit. Jesus lives in my heart and I can trust Him to take the foolishness out of me at the right time.
The law says - don't, don't, don't as well as do, do, do - a very long list of both. GRACE says get rid of the list of do's and don'ts and TRUST JESUS to DO through you and to take the very desire away from you for the don'ts...
SOS young adults - as we read through Proverbs, we must be VERY careful not to read it through the eyes of the LAW. The point of the last 7 weeks is not to put a bunch of new rules and regulations out there for you to live by! God is not about putting more and more pressure on us to be good and to do right. The point of the reading and studying Proverbs is to give you some helpful guidelines for how to make good decisions in life that you won't regret later... and to help you see the importance of wisdom and understanding... but from there, we MUST understand that on our own we won't always make good decisions (and trust me, you will make some bad ones in the years to come) and we won't always be wise and full of understanding, no matter how hard we try. The point is to show you how good a life you can live, with wisdom and God on your side... but only HE can live in your heart and change you from the inside out - day by day, week by week, month by month, and year by year. Only He can cause you to be wise and to gain sincere understanding. Only he can put the desire in you to not sin and to avoid bad situations.
THE POINT: There is only one law under the new covenant: KNOW JESUS. Sit at his feet and hear his words... and know that he will forgive you NO MATTER WHAT. Truly virtuous women are made that way because they have KNOWN HIM a good while. And truly virtuous men are made that way through years and years of abiding close to Him and allowing Him to change you into a real man from the inside out. Young men and women, you can't do it yourself! Only HE can.
So don't be pressured by all these guidelines in the book of Proverbs. They are there to show you where Jesus will take you (not where you will take yourself) if you let him, and how good and perfect a place it is in the end!
Love you guys sooo much, and I am excited to see how God will work in your lives in the years to come!
~Sean
--- IMPORTANT DAY: Watch this 2-minute video (AGAIN) on "Who Am I?" and also watch this one called "Identity in Christ" (15 mins)
--- Memorize Proverbs 31:30 in NIV --- and review Prov. 31:8-10 (15 mins)
Friday - Join the Friday morning call at 9am MOUNTAIN time - call 712-432-0800, access code 360079#.
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