West Side Young Adults

There’s a fine line between confidence and pride. Confidence gives a man what he needs to achieve his goals, but pride makes him blind to the pitfalls in life. Confidence helps a man find solutions, but pride lets him see only himself.  Confidence breaks down barriers, but pride builds them up.  Pr. 28:26 sums up this concept when it says “He who trusts in himself is a fool, but he who walks in wisdom is kept safe.”  With so many obstacles in life, do we really need to keep building more for ourselves?

Read Pr. 28:1-28 and look for new insights… or take a closer look at some of the old issues that keep tripping you up.  Got anything to share today?  Leave a comment.

If it is possible to have a favorite book of the Bible, mine is Proverbs.  If it is possible to have a favorite verse of the Bible, mine is Pr 27:17.  This passage says “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.”  I have worn a lot of different hats in my lifetime.  I have been a friend, a husband, a father, a coach, a teacher, a co-worker, a boss, a leader, etc.  In every role I’ve played, this verse has had a place of relevance.

This verse is engraved on a leather football on a bookshelf in my home.  When I quit coaching football years ago, my last team gave me that ball because they knew the verse represented my purpose for coaching.  They knew my purpose for coaching football had more to do with developing young men of strength and integrity, than it had to do with winning games.  Don’t get me wrong.  I coached to win, but when my desire for winning conflicted with my mission for God, I always tried to let Christ shine through me.

Are you being sharpened by someone in your life?  Are you helping to sharpen someone else?

Read Pr 27:1-27 and do your part to help strengthen and encourage someone today.

One of the most vivid verses in Proverbs, at least to dog owners, is Pr 26:11.  It says “As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his folly.”  How disgusting… and yet so incredibly true.  I have a dog that will occasionally get sick and… puke.  When this happens I must clean it up, even if it happens in my yard.  For weeks he will try to return to the site of the incident, looking to consume more of what obviously was not good to begin with.  When I witness this obsessive activity, I wonder in my mind, what good could possibly come from returning to something that has proven to be so bad.  Then this verse comes to mind. 

How often do we “humans” lower ourselves to this same level?  How often do we let the deceitful cravings of our sinful appetites draw us into situations that we know… on some level… will only do us harm?  Are we simply animals following our natural instincts?  We are fully capable of standing up like a man and drawing strength from the one source that can overcome any temptation in our life.  We just need to do it.

Read Pr 26:1-28 share your insights and observations.

Only one week remains in the “Proverbs Challenge.” Seven chapters in seven days. Rather than draw upon a specific verse from Pr 25:1-28, I want to commend those of you who have entered into this time with me. Several people have told me they are doing this in addition to their other daily bible reading routines. That’s great, but I am most excited about those of you who have started a new habit of opening your Bibles every day. As we approach the end of this book and the end of this challenge I don’t want it to become the end of a good thing. 

Later this week I plan to ask you what book of the Bible you plan to read next. When I do, I hope to see lots of responses… so start thinking now.  Pr 25:11 says “A word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.”  In the spirit of He 10:24, I encourage you to “spur one another on” with your comments aptly typed.

Today I want to hear… Are you enjoying your journey through Proverbs?  Tell me about it.

Do you like exercise.  I mean really “like” exercise?  I like the effect of exercise… I feel better, I have more energy, my weight… well, at least I feel better.  But when it comes to actually exercising I don’t like the pain, the inconvenience, and… did I mention pain?  I love playing football.  As I have gotten older-ish, I have noticed that failing to exercise on a regular basis, seriously hampers my ability to compete for the entire game.  The same can be said of our spiritual endurance.  Pr 24:10 sort of “calls us out” by saying “If you falter in times of trouble, how small is your strength!”  Ouch!  Speaking of pain, it hurts to think that I may falter spiritually at a time when God wants me to be strong.

Olympic athletes train long and hard to compete.  I’m guessing there are times in their training and times during grueling events when they simply want to quit.  Living a Godly life is no different but Gal 6:9 gives us encouragement to keep on keepin’ on when it says “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” 

What strength or encouragement do you get from Pr 24:1-34?

Alcohol. It’s a touchy subject in the church. It’s a topic that brings out extreme views and plenty of conflict. It is not my intent to initiate debate over the significance of “casual drinking” such as a glass of wine with dinner or a cold beer after mowing the lawn. I have my opinions, but I will reserve them for more personal conversations.  Pr 23:1-35 speaks to several aspects of self-control, but drunkenness is one of the most dominate themes.  It warns of both associating with drunkards (20-21) and the physical and psychological effects of drunkenness (29-35).

While casual drinking may be up for debate in some Christian circles, it’s hard to miss the fact that God condemns the excessive use of alcohol.  Throughout scripture, being drunk is associated with compromised boundaries, foolish behavior, and devastating results.  Attempting to support or justify even occasional drunkenness calls for serious denial of biblical truth and stubborn self-serving tendencies.

If this is a new concept or you think I am being harsh and closed minded, don’t take my word for it.  From the Old Testament to the New, God’s word is very clear. Here are a few places to start, but be sure to read thoroughly and in context: Dt 21:20, Mt 24:49, Lk 21:34, Ro 13:13, Eph 5:18, and 1Ti 3:3.

By the way, this chapter also talks about gluttony… but I seem to have run out of time.

We all like promises and guarantees, but those don’t come easy in life. Various books of the Bible deliver trustworthy promises from God, but much of Proverbs doesn’t come with guarantees. A father anguishing over a wayward son may find little solice in Pr. 22:6, which says “Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.” The best planning, education, and spiritual guidance in raising a child doesn’t always result in a God-honoring adult.  Parents are responsible for raising their children, and spiritual training is a great foundation.  However, children have free will and are ultimately responsible for making decisions that will shape their future and determine their destiny.

The good news is that the same free will that allows us to stray from a Christian upbringing is the same free will that allows us to break free from generations of secular traditions to accept salvation freely offered through Jesus Christ.  People can be messy, but it’s good to know we aren’t bound to our past.  We have choices.  Choose wisely.

Read Pr. 22:1-29.  Take a moment to share your observations.

How secure does a married man need to be to write about quarrelsome, nagging wives? Since I’m married to an angel, I think I’ll take a shot. Pr. 21:9 and Pr. 21:19 both make some harsh comparisons regarding the consequences of an unhappy marriage relationship.  Unhappy marriages don’t typically happen overnight.  It’s wise to exercise patience and discernment when choosing your husband or wife, but it’s also critical to continue cultivating a loving, respectful relationship over the life of that marriage.

Any relationship, marriage, dating, or simply being friends, calls for a healthy investment from both parties.  If you are struggling in your relationships, maybe you should audit your investments.  What are you bringing to the table?  We all have the ability to brighten a room.  Some of us by entering it… others by leaving it.  Who are you?

Read Pr. 21:1-31 today.  Tell us which verses you find interesting, challenging, or particularly relevant in your life.

Admitting our faults can be one of the toughest things to do, and yet it is a vital first step toward a truly glorious life.  God has a prepared a place for us that is beautiful beyond our wildest imaginations, but he would never allow us to take up residence with all of our baggage.  No matter how hard we work at being good, we just can’t earn our way to heaven; we just can’t lose the stench of sin that keeps us out.  Therein lies our problem.  Pr. 20: 9 says “Who can say, ‘I have kept my heart pure; I am clean and without sin’?” 

The answer to that question is the same answer to our problem.  Jesus.

When we openly admit that we are helpless in our sin, and reach out to Jesus, He has promised us a place.  That’s why He came… that’s why He died… and that’s why He rose again.  Jesus gave 100% for us.  Is there anything you are holding back from Him?

It is great to see God’s people excited about living for God, talking about Jesus, enjoying worship services, gathering in small groups, and joyfully serving in the church.  However, while busily participating in a dynamic church we often neglect one of the most critical disciplines in our Christian walk.  Reading our bibles gives us the knowledge base needed to support and guide our zest for living a Christian life.  Pr. 19:2 says “It is not good to have zeal without knowledge, nor to be hasty and miss the way.”  Daily quiet time with God’s word provides a steady flow of life-giving knowledge that goes way beyond historical facts and fascinating stories.   In 2 Ti. 3:16-17, the Apostle Paul proclaimed the authority and power of the bible when he said “All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correction and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

We all have busy schedules and lots of distractions in our lives.  Do you prioritize your bible appropriately?

Read Pr. 19:1-29 and tell me what strikes you.