It's exciting, isn't it? Starting something new? Well, this is really new for all of us. We may hit some bumps in the road, but we're doing something different...and, hopefully, worthwhile! Summer, sometimes, can be when we vacation---from both work and, regrettably, from Bible study. I hope this will keep us in the discipline of staying in God's Word through this summertime...it's such a beautiful time of year, let's not ignore the Creator of the beauty around us! It's often a time we get to spend a little more time with friends and family, let's put God's Word in us regularly so we can have the most Christian influence possible around those we love the most. I'm reminded of the verse in 2nd Corinthians, speaking of the aroma that we are to have as Christians. In the summertime we have the beautiful fragrance of flowers around us, but WE are to be a beautiful fragrance as well.
But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere. 2 Corinthians 2:14
If we are to spread the aroma of the knowledge of Jesus wherever we go, then we must possess that knowledge. We are to be the ones going before Christ's triumphal return, much like John the Baptist preceded His first coming, spreading the wonderful fragrance of His good news for all men. Let's be inspired today to seek His knowledge.
We might ask, "So what does the study of the Book of Proverbs have to do with the knowledge of Jesus?" Everything. I believe every word written in all of the Bible points us to Jesus in one way or another. That may be part of our quest...to see Jesus written in these words. I think what we will come to find is that Jesus is our human picture of the wisdom that Proverbs describes. Jesus is the One that portrays how a life looks when lived under the guiding principles of Proverbs.
So, with all of that said (see, I can type about as fast as I can talk...and just as much!), let's look at The Book of Proverbs. As I stated earlier, I'm going to be using the LifeChange Bible Study Series on Proverbs alongside my Bible. I like these study books because they are very much a tool to accompany your Bible, offering historical background, word definitions, and explanatory notes, without taking precedence over the Bible itself. One of their objectives that I like is "to teach you by example how to study a book of the Bible without structured guides." The guide is 15 lessons---I won't be going through them lesson by lesson because we only have 9 weeks. But I will reference things that are pointed out that I feel worthwhile to look at.
Today, I'm quoting from the book's introduction:
"As Psalms is the hymnbook of the Old Testament, so Proverbs is its teacher's manual. The moral maxims found there were used in ancient Israel to help the young acquire mental skills that promote wise living. Both the content of the proverbs and their structure contributed to the student's development.
"The word proverb comes from a verb meaning 'to be like, to be compared with, to be parallel, to be similar.' Hence, a proverb is simply a form of communicating truth by using comparisons or figures of speech. As brief maxims, the proverbs crystallize and condense the writers' experiences and observations. The concentrated saying cause the reader to chew on them until the truth is extracted and digested. The reward for this effort is wisdom."
I love those last two sentences. Let's chew, extract, digest and gain all the wisdom possible out of these proverbs, written by wise King Solomon, who had the innate wisdom to ask for God's wisdom. (1 Kings 3:5-15)
Let us make that same, humble request as we enter into this study.
Our Father in heaven, please hear our hearts' requests as we come into this book that You have given us. Let us hear these words and apply them to our lives. Let us honor You by lives well-lived. Let us spread the aroma of the knowledge of the perfect life of Jesus, our Savior, wherever we go. It is YOU we seek to please. Let us do that. Fill us with Your Spirit and let us allow Your power to show itself in our lives each day. We ask these things in Jesus' holy name and through His blood that saves us from our sins. Amen.
Starting off -- this week read Proverbs Chapters 1 through 3. As you read, please post comments, questions or just thoughts that you note as you go through these chapters. That way, we will feel connected as a group.
We're doing this! Let's start!
But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere. 2 Corinthians 2:14
If we are to spread the aroma of the knowledge of Jesus wherever we go, then we must possess that knowledge. We are to be the ones going before Christ's triumphal return, much like John the Baptist preceded His first coming, spreading the wonderful fragrance of His good news for all men. Let's be inspired today to seek His knowledge.
We might ask, "So what does the study of the Book of Proverbs have to do with the knowledge of Jesus?" Everything. I believe every word written in all of the Bible points us to Jesus in one way or another. That may be part of our quest...to see Jesus written in these words. I think what we will come to find is that Jesus is our human picture of the wisdom that Proverbs describes. Jesus is the One that portrays how a life looks when lived under the guiding principles of Proverbs.
So, with all of that said (see, I can type about as fast as I can talk...and just as much!), let's look at The Book of Proverbs. As I stated earlier, I'm going to be using the LifeChange Bible Study Series on Proverbs alongside my Bible. I like these study books because they are very much a tool to accompany your Bible, offering historical background, word definitions, and explanatory notes, without taking precedence over the Bible itself. One of their objectives that I like is "to teach you by example how to study a book of the Bible without structured guides." The guide is 15 lessons---I won't be going through them lesson by lesson because we only have 9 weeks. But I will reference things that are pointed out that I feel worthwhile to look at.
Today, I'm quoting from the book's introduction:
"As Psalms is the hymnbook of the Old Testament, so Proverbs is its teacher's manual. The moral maxims found there were used in ancient Israel to help the young acquire mental skills that promote wise living. Both the content of the proverbs and their structure contributed to the student's development.
"The word proverb comes from a verb meaning 'to be like, to be compared with, to be parallel, to be similar.' Hence, a proverb is simply a form of communicating truth by using comparisons or figures of speech. As brief maxims, the proverbs crystallize and condense the writers' experiences and observations. The concentrated saying cause the reader to chew on them until the truth is extracted and digested. The reward for this effort is wisdom."
I love those last two sentences. Let's chew, extract, digest and gain all the wisdom possible out of these proverbs, written by wise King Solomon, who had the innate wisdom to ask for God's wisdom. (1 Kings 3:5-15)
Let us make that same, humble request as we enter into this study.
Our Father in heaven, please hear our hearts' requests as we come into this book that You have given us. Let us hear these words and apply them to our lives. Let us honor You by lives well-lived. Let us spread the aroma of the knowledge of the perfect life of Jesus, our Savior, wherever we go. It is YOU we seek to please. Let us do that. Fill us with Your Spirit and let us allow Your power to show itself in our lives each day. We ask these things in Jesus' holy name and through His blood that saves us from our sins. Amen.
Starting off -- this week read Proverbs Chapters 1 through 3. As you read, please post comments, questions or just thoughts that you note as you go through these chapters. That way, we will feel connected as a group.
We're doing this! Let's start!
4 comments:
Just finished reading the first three chapters of Proverbs! Wow, what a lot of wisdom is packed in just those three chapters! Will love hearing your thoughts and comments as we go through this week, chewing, extracting & digesting everything that we can out of these verses!
I loved what the study guide said about the modern relevance of Proverbs. "The book of Proverbs is as relevant today as it was in 700 BC when it was completed. Though times have changed, people are essentially the same. They have the same needs and desires, the same fears, problems, temptations and ultimate goals." Isn't that the truth? Even though our times are much different than those of Solomon's days, our needs are not. We need the same things in our lives as they did...and our ultimate need is the relationship with God that Jesus brings to us, with the Holy Spirit filling our souls! God's Word IS timeless! Heard a song on the radio yesterday that just reinforced that to me, Third Day singing "Your Words."
Sharing the link to the YouTube version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9zaaiFp4RSM
Loved starting the study and Proverbs 3:5-6 has always been a favorite. I found it exciting that I have read the same verse 2 times since our first session in other Christian sites. Marilyn
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding: in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight.
Marilyn
Have you ever noticed the if / then structure of Proverbs 2:1-10?
IF --- we accept God's words, store them up as commands within us, listen closely to His wisdom, direct our hearts to His understanding, call out to Him for insight and pray for understanding, seek His wisdom above ALL else....
THEN --- we will begin to understand the fear of God, and discover the knowledge of Him, He will give wisdom and understanding, He will give us success and shield us, He will guard our paths and protect our way. We will understand righteousness, justice and integrity and know the good path. For we will have gained true Godly wisdom and His knowledge will direct our hearts.
We often ask, "How do I know God's will for me?" I think He's given us the answer. Does this mean God will keep us from all earthly harm and ensure our prosperity? I think, as followers of Christ, we hear His words to Nicodemus telling us that we have to be born again and look at EVERYTHING through reborn, eternally-focused eyes. All the promises that God makes us should be viewed as spiritual, eternal promises. I believe that's part of the gaining of His wisdom---we look at things entirely differently than our mortal eyes allow us. So our success, our protection is geared toward our eternal home and life with Him.
What do you think??
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