Do You Want To Start Personal Life Change: Devotional

Part 1

Proverbs Lessons

It’s such a blessing to share with you the next lesson #3 in our series of Exploring the Book of Proverbs.

 I would like to just quickly remind you; Proverbs teaches a contrast between God’s way and man’s way.

 Secondly, these Lessons are about living life God’s way.

Now turn in your Bibles, if you would, to 1 Corinthians

chapter 3. 1 Corinthians chapter 3 and verses 10-15 and that really is the text that ties Proverbs together.

10 According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.

11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;

13 Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.

14 If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.

15 If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

How to make sure your life doesn’t get burned up.

There’s that reminder texts that we need to always keep before us. That we have an appointment. Let’s read together 1 Corinthians chapter 3,

According to the grace of God which is given

unto me, as a…” and what is the next word in your Bible? “Wise.” Now remember, Proverbs teaches God’s way is the wise way, the way of wisdom. What does God’s way lead to? Eternal gain. Now, do you remember what the Lord said? That all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and the pride of life is going to pass away when we, as believers, unwisely live for what is not eternal.

Verse 10 says, “as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation,” and take heed how everyone builds on it,

but let each one take heed. Paul gave us an example of how to live wisely, investing his life. When we don’t live life wisely, our life gets burned up.

Verse 11, ” For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.”

Verse 12 of 1 Corinthians 3, “Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble”

Remember there are six building materials which speaks of the fact, we have so many choices in life.

 In fact, we have so many choices in life. I like to say that life is like pushing a shopping cart. Here in America, we have Walmart. When you come in the door at Walmart, they give you this big basket with

 wheels and you push it around. The same thing as any other Mart or anywhere you live in the world. They have places like this, where you get a basket, and you can put anything that you see into your basket. If we’re not cautious, what we put in the basket of our life will get burned up.

Verse 13,

Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.

“Each one’s  work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures,” look at this, “he will receive a reward.” Proverbs explains what to put in your basket.

Proverbs explains what God wants our life to look like.

  Proverbs tells us when we revert to our old settings, the way we were born, in our lostness, our foolishness that what happens is, let me read it.

 Verse 15.

If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

 “If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss.” How to make sure your life, it doesn’t get burned up.

 The good news is that, even though saved people can act foolish and their life gets burned up… what we do with our life, what’s in our basket… look at the end of verse 15,  “but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.”

Let’s  take a moment to pray and ask the Lord to bless this lesson. Father in Heaven, I pray that you would open the eyes of our understanding, help us to understand the truth of your word. Especially as we explore the book of Proverbs and learn how to live life your way. In the name of Jesus, we pray. Amen.

 Living life God’s way, is the goal of these lessons. We’re exploring the book of Proverbs. I hope by now that your Bible in it you’re marking it up as you read.

 These Lessons are for:

 How to Make Sure You’re Saved.

 Being Servant Hearted, which means submitting to the will of God.

 I would encourage you, if you think of it, pray for your teacher. Pray, as I was up this morning at five o’clock reading the scriptures and preparing this Lesson as I was praying for you. Literally every evening,

 I, the last thing I do is have a prayer and I pray for you who are students studying God’s word. That God would use you as the next generation to take the gospel to the ends of the Earth.

Exploring Proverbs is looking at the top 10 themes.

There are 10 themes we’re going to cover.

1. Saved–Living Life God’s Way

2. Servant Hearted–God’s Servants for Life

3. Selective–Don’t Ruin Your Life Like Solomon

4. Submissive–The Ultimate Sin of Pride

5. Singular–Getting Ready For Your 2nd Greatest Day

6. Self Controlled–The Un-Intoxicated Life

7. Steward Minded–Money, Possessions and Eternity

8. Studious–Work Hard and Do Not Be Lazy

9.  Sober Minded–Overcoming The Distracted Life

10. Speaking Wisely–The Power of Spoken Words

Those themes are taken from the 100 topics or themes in the book of Proverbs.

Those themes I’ve looked at are the most mentioned. In fact, we’re going to cover maybe 70% of the verses in Proverbs, through looking at these 10 themes. Today, being servant hearted.

 The best life possible is doing God’s will. God’s will is that we follow Jesus through life. Now remember,

 God’s way is that when we got saved, when Jesus entered us, He entered us as the divine wisdom from above.

 Take your Bibles and look at the book of Proverbs. We will be reading these verses.

 If you do this, take your Bible and whenever I say let’s read this verse; you read and you follow along.

 By you looking at the scriptures and reading that silently where you’re sitting. You’re hearing the voice of God.

 Verse 7 of chapter 1, “the fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge.” What God wants, for us to be following Jesus, the wisdom from God. He wants us following Him through life.

 Look in your Bible at chapter 1, verse 29, “they hated knowledge.” Keep going down, “to  worshiping themselves.

 Look in your Bible at Proverbs 12:15, it says, “The way

 of a fool is right in his own eyes, but he who heeds counsel is wise.” When you do what’s right in your own eyes, you’re actually making yourself a god, you’re god and you worship your own way and live life your  own way.

 Look at chapter 14, verse nine, that’s the next thing on that chart. A fool in verse 9, “mocks at  sin, but among the upright there is favor.” That means we respond to the Lord.

 Chapter 20 of Proverbs and verse 24.

 “A man’s steps are of the LORD;” verse 24, “how then can a man

 understand his own way,” our own way?

 If we go our own way remember what Isaiah said,

 Isaiah 53:6, “all we like sheep have gone astray.

  “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.”

 We’ve turned, everyone to our own way.”

 Chapter 1, verse 29 says our own way is leading to destruction. We’re perishing because we’re going our own way.

 For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD:

 Do you remember the very bottom line? It says in chapter 4 of Proverbs verse 18,

 18 But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.

 19 The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.

 ” But verse 19, “the way of the wicked is like darkness.”

 The two roads of life.

 I would encourage you to have a Bible that becomes your personal record of your journey, of seeking God in the scriptures. Your Bible should slowly get worn out.

 Because every time I read through the Bible, I aggressively am looking for truth to respond to.

 I wrote in my Bible, there are two roads of life. Then this is the question, as I did the devotional process on this, which road do you want to follow? If you look, that shines brighter, wouldn’t

 you want to go in the pathway of God; God’s way, that gets brighter every day instead of the wicked and  the dark. “They don’t know what makes them stumble.”

2 Timothy chapter 3,

14 But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of,  knowing of whom thou hast learned them;

15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

 “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction,

 for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

 This is the theme of this section of our class, that I want to underline in your minds. What are the implications of that verse?

 God Himself wrote every word of the Bible through the 40 plus men He guided over a period of 1500 years of history.

 From 1446 BC Moses who wrote the first books of the Bible through, about 98 AD the apostle John who wrote the

 final words of the Bible.

 When I say God’s way, it’s not I think it’s God’s way,

 it’s because God inspired this book and said, if you want to obey Me, you’ll follow what’s written in My word.

 If you choose to not follow what’s written in My word, then you’re turning away from knowledge, you’re turning away from My way.

 That’s what’s so amazing about the Bible, you either believe what God said, or you go your  own way.

 I want you to think about, God is speaking in the books of wisdom. That’s Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon. Right in the middle of those, the book of Proverbs. God

 Himself gave us every word of the wisdom books through His servants, the prophets, and others.

 Now we’ve gotten to the doctrine of inspiration.

 Why believe the Bible is true?

 How do you know the Bible is true?

“Only one life to live and soon is past

Only what’s done for Christ will last!”

Hoping to make the time I have left count for the glory of God.