Week of 1/27-2/2: Develops - Wisdom for New Lives

Day One: Prov 1:1-7 The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel: For gaining wisdom and being instructed; for understanding insightful sayings; for receiving wise instruction in righteousness, justice, and integrity; for teaching shrewdness to the inexperienced, knowledge and discretion to a young man—a wise man will listen and increase his learning, and a discerning man will obtain guidance—for understanding a proverb or a parable, the words of the wise, and their riddles. The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.

PROVERBS ARE SHORT SAYINGS that generally hold a nugget of truth or wisdom. The book of Proverbs is full of them, but there are many more proverbs that vary from culture to culture. Which of these proverbs have you encountered?

“A chain is only as strong as its weakest link.”

“A penny saved is a penny earned.”

“The early bird gets the worm.”

“A picture is worth a thousand words.”

“You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.”

The reason proverbs are embedded in culture is because they offer a pretty astute commentary on the world. These are general principles that have been passed down from generation to generation, helping inform the subsequent generation about the realities of life.

There is one key difference between these modern day proverbs and the proverbs found in God’s word. The modern day proverbs have arisen from intense observation by those who live in the world. When people see occurrences over and over again, they tend to have a pretty good idea about the circumstances surrounding those occurrences.

God’s proverbs, however, aren’t collected as mere observations. They are not generated by one who merely observes the world, but rather by the one who created the world. All genuine wisdom and knowledge is rooted in God. If we are to pursue wisdom, we must do so by pursuing the giver of wisdom and knowledge. Only through a growing relationship with God can true wisdom be obtained.

PAUSE AND REFLECT

▷▷What is wisdom?

▷▷Why should we pursue wisdom?

▷▷How do we pursue wisdom?

Week of 1/27-2/2: Develops - Wisdom for New Lives

Day Two: Job 1:20-21 Then Job stood up, tore his robe and shaved his head. He fell to the ground and worshipped, saying: Naked I came from my mother’s womb, And naked I will leave this life. The LORD gives, and the LORD takes away. Praise the name of the LORD.

THIS PAST MOTHER’S DAY the Raleigh News and Observer ran an amazing story about an incredible mom. This young mother has dealt with more tragedy than most of us can imagine.

The story began several years ago. This mom was still learning to adjust to life as a new mother when the unthinkable happened. While at work, she got a call informing her that her 9-month-old daughter had been in a car accident and was being rushed to the hospital. Upon arrival, she was given the terrifying news that her baby had died.

In the midst of this immense pain, the family maintained their faith. They were able to have another daughter and begin to enjoy life again when the news came that they were going to have a third child, this time a boy.

Life was exciting as they were preparing for the arrival of their son. About a month before his expected arrival, he stopped moving around in her belly. A subsequent doctor’s appointment confirmed the fears: Her son had passed away in the womb.

This mother now had to schedule a time to deliver a deceased baby. The normal excitement that accompanies the pain of childbirth was absent. The excitement was replaced with heavy hearts and sadness.

In just a few short years, this woman had to bury two children for two completely different reasons. In spite of these awful circumstances, she has remained faithful to God. In fact, the most incredible line of the entire article was this: “Though she’ll never fully understand God’s plan, (she) accepts it with an unwavering faith.”

This is precisely the same attitude we find in the book of Job. Job, too, endured more pain and suffering than we can fathom. His entire household was destroyed. His children were taken away from Him. Yet in spite of the circumstances, he remained faithful to his creator. The fact that we live in a fallen world means that we, too, will endure tragedy in this life. We must learn to be like Job, and praise the name of God in the midst of those tragedies.

PAUSE AND REFLECT

▷▷How have you responded to tragedies in your life?

▷▷How are we supposed to respond to tragedies?

▷▷How can we prepare ourselves to respond to tragedy in a Job-like manner?

Week of 1/27-2/2: Develops - Wisdom for New Lives

Day Three: Ecc. 12:13-14 When all has been heard, the conclusion of the matter is: fear God and keep His commands, because this is for all humanity. For God will bring every act to judgment, including every hidden thing, whether good or evil.

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Song of Songs 6:3 I am my love’s and my love is mine.

“I WANT TO BE A PROFESSIONAL ATHLETE.”

If you were to poll elementary aged boys about their life ambitions, this would more than likely be the most common response. Boys dream of growing up and becoming famous athletes. They imagine a life full of big money, tons of accolades, and a beautiful spouse. Being a pro athlete appears to provide the best that life has to offer.

But does reality mirror this pristine picture? Are professional athletes really the happiest people in the world? According to an article printed by Sports Illustrated in 2009, the answer to both of these questions is a resounding “NO!” The following statements were printed in that article:

* By the time they have been retired for two years, 78 percent of former NFL players have gone bankrupt or are under financial stress because of joblessness or divorce.

* Within 5 years of retiring, an estimated 60% of former NBA players are broke.

* By common estimates among athletes and agents, the divorce rate for pro athletes ranges from 60 percent to 80 percent.

The fact is, life is fleeting. If we devote our lives to being successful in this world, we’ll end up just like the countless pro athletes described in this study. Shortly removed from their playing careers, they find themselves broke and alone. The fairytale life they were promised clashed with the harsh realities of the world.

King Solomon, one of the wealthiest and wisest men to ever life echoed these sentiments. The book of Ecclesiastes details all of the ways he tried to find lasting happiness in this world. Ultimately, he concluded that genuine and lasting worth is found in God alone. Our lives ought to be wholly devoted to worshipping and obeying our loving Creator. Earthly fame and wealth pale in comparison to the glory of God.

PAUSE AND REFLECT

▷▷What does genuine happiness look like?

▷▷How can we obtain genuine happiness?

▷▷Why do so many people search for happiness apart from God?

Week of 1/20-1/26: Develops - Songs for New Hearts

Day One: Psalm 1:1-6 How happy is the man who does not follow the advice of the wicked or take the path of sinners or join a group of mockers! Instead, his delight is in the LORD’s instruction, and he meditates on it day and night. He is like a tree planted beside streams of water that bears its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers. The wicked are not like this; instead, they are like chaff that the wind blows away. Therefore the wicked will not survive the judgment, and sinners will not be in the community of the righteous. For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to ruin.

I HAVE A TENDENCY TO TALK more about how healthy I eat than I do actually eat healthy. For some reason I think that if I talk about being healthy and eating healthy then I will magically eat healthier things. This obviously is not true. The truth is I like to eat, and, more specifically, I like to eat sweet things. It doesn’t really matter what the particular sweet thing is as long as it has some form of sugar. It’s my delight. I talk a good game about how being healthy is my delight but my late night runs to the cookie cabinet tell a different story.

We are good at talking about what our delight is. In other words, we are trying to convince ourselves and others what is important to us, but our actions always tell the truer story. We are good at telling people that God’s Word is our delight and that reading it is very important to us, but the problem is that our actions, or lack thereof, tell the truer story. We don’t really delight in God’s Word because we are too busy actually delighting in lesser things.

The Psalmist was not just a “talker” about delighting in God’s Word. He actually did delight in it and His actions told the full story. He meditated on it day and night. We seem to struggle to spend five minutes in the Word a day. How do we cultivate our delighting in the Word? It’s not unlike a decision we have to make about food: as good as apple pie may be, an apple is always better.

PAUSE AND REFLECT

▷▷What does it mean to delight in God’s word?

▷▷Do you delight in God’s word, or just say that you do?

▷▷How can you delight in God’s word today?

Week of 1/20-1/26: Develops - Songs for New Hearts

Day Two: Psalm 51:1-5 Be gracious to me, God, according to Your faithful love; according to Your abundant compassion, blot out my rebellion. Wash away my guilt and cleanse me from my sin. For I am conscious of my rebellion, and my sin is always before me. Against You— You alone—I have sinned and done this evil in Your sight. So You are right when You pass sentence; You are blameless when You judge. Indeed, I was guilty when I was born; I was sinful when my mother conceived me.

THERE ARE FEW THINGS MORE REWARDING as a parent than being present but unnoticed by your child while they do something they know is wrong. The moment you clear your throat to let them know you are there is classic. They immediately begin justifying, excusing, and even denying what you (and they) know they did.

Without fail it’s the same story when it comes time for them to apologize. It goes like this: “Son, don’t just say you are sorry, tell me what you did and why it was wrong.” He usually fires back, saying “You saw what I did.” For some reason there is a road block to actually verbalizing the wrongdoing. It is a lot easier just to say, “I’m sorry,” than it is to confess, which means verbalizing the wrongdoing and agreeing that the wrongdoing was wrong.

God doesn’t just want to hear us say we are sorry—that is easy to do and it is only a superficial response, as opposed to a genuine heartfelt confession. Why is this a big deal? God is after our heart and just saying we’re sorry isn’t a heart issue.

King David is heartbroken over his sin and Psalm 51 is a far cry from a superficial “sorry.” It is a heartfelt, detailed account of his sin, which leads to complete restoration with God. A restoration that doesn’t come from a simple “Sorry.” Does God know we sinned? Yes, He was right there. Naming your sin in front of the One who saw you makes you see how bad it is and how bad you need forgiveness. When confession is met with a plea for forgiveness it ends in restoration.

PAUSE AND REFLECT

▷▷Why is it hard for us to say we’re sorry?

▷▷Why does God require more than just an apology when we sin?

▷▷How does David’s confession set a model for us?

Week of 1/20-1/26: Develops - Songs for New Hearts

Day Three: Psalm 100: 1-5 Shout triumphantly to the LORD, all the earth. Serve the LORD with gladness; come before Him with joyful songs. Acknowledge that Yahweh is God. He made us, and we are His — His people, the sheep of His pasture. Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him and praise His name. For Yahweh is good, and His love is eternal; His faithfulness endures through all generations.

NOT LONG AGO, my wife and kids were in a car wreck. The vehicle they were driving was hit head-on while they were in the turning lane going into our local pool. By God’s grace they all walked away fine and my son’s only complaint was that they were not able to go to the pool that day. The police officer said if the oncoming driver had not first grazed a light pole then it would have been a different story. My family could have been hurt seriously, or even worse, killed in a moment.

When I saw them later that day I hugged them a little tighter and a lot longer than I normally do. What changed? Nothing, except reality became a little clearer in my eyes. Life is fragile and we never know what might happen. That reality often gets clouded by normalcy and routine. The truth is life is always fragile, but sometimes you are more aware of it than at other times.

When we hear about God over and over His characteristics and attributes become a bit normal. You read Psalms 100 and its easy to read past all the great truth it says about God. Sometimes we need to be shaken up a bit to realize how great a God we have. He doesn’t change, the truth of Psalms 100 never changes, but its reality can become clearer if we don’t take Him for granted. Reread Psalm 100, slower this time, and don’t skip over the things you think you already know. Praise Him for every attribute listed and thank Him for what He has done.

PAUSE AND REFLECT

▷▷What truths about God are found in Psalm 100?

▷▷Why do we sometimes get jaded about the great and wonderful aspects of God?

▷▷How can we keep from feeling this way?

Week of 1/13-1/19: Develops - God Provides Leaders

Day One: 2 Samuel 7:11-16 “ ‘The LORD declares to you: The LORD Himself will make a house for you. When your time comes and you rest with your fathers, I will raise up after you your descendant, who will come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom.” “He will build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be a father to him, and he will be a son to Me. When he does wrong, I will discipline him with a human rod and with blows from others. But My faithful love will never leave him as I removed it from Saul; I removed him from your way.” “Your house and kingdom will endure before Me forever, and your throne will be established forever.”

DO YOU HAVE ANY POSSESSIONS left to you by an older relative? Maybe your grandfather’s old watch sits in a drawer, or your great-grandmother’s pearls are in your jewelry box. Leaving behind a tangible reminder of your life to generations that follow is a key part of the way our society remembers its previous generations. It humanizes the names we grow up hearing about and gives us something to look at to think about those who came before us. It helps those who went before us live on in our hearts and minds.

In this passage, God is making clear his intention to rule his people through a human king, David, but also to set up a lineage and a kingdom. “I w

ill raise up after you your descendant, who will come from your body,” he tells David. There would be no watch or journal left behind—future generations would remember David’s reign (and God’s fulfillment of His promises) through David’s lineage, beginning with his son, Solomon.

Items that get passed from generation to generation are clues that help us understand the person who left them. In this passage, we see some other clues—look closer at the language God uses: “I will establish his kingdom forever.” God is speaking about a greater King to come—a King whose reign will never end. A King who will never be removed from his throne. Any human king that would ever take the throne would pale to this coming King, this King Jesus, who would leave behind a life and ministry that would change the world forever. Now that’s a legacy you can’t keep in a drawer.

PAUSE AND REFLECT

▷▷How does looking at items left from one generation to another help us remember the person who left them?

▷▷How would you feel if you were given the message God gave David—that He would establish a kingdom through your lineage?

▷▷How does this promise to David point to Jesus?

Week of 1/13-1/19: Develops - God Provides Leaders

Day Two: 2 Sam. 7:18-24 Then King David went in, sat in the LORD’s presence, and said, “Who am I, Lord GOD, and what is my house that You have brought me this far? What You have done so far was a little thing to You, Lord GOD, for You have also spoken about Your servant’s house in the distant future. And this is a revelation for mankind, Lord GOD. What more can David say to You? You know Your servant, Lord GOD. Because of Your word and according to Your will, You have revealed all these great things to Your servant. “This is why You are great, Lord GOD. There is no one like You, and there is no God besides You, as all we have heard confirms. And who is like Your people Israel? God came to one nation on earth in order to redeem a people for Himself, to make a name for Himself, and to perform for them great and awesome acts, driving out nations and their gods before Your people You redeemed for Yourself from Egypt. You established Your people Israel Your own people forever, and You, LORD, have become their God.

“THIS IS IT,” Sarah said to her mother back stage. “This is my big chance; there’s no coming back from this.” Sarah was about to step on stage for one of the biggest vocal solo festivals in her state. It was her time to shine, and she knew that if she could woo the crowd, she could make first place and possibly land a recording contract. But the worst happened. The audio malfunctioned and completely broke her concentration, and her chances of landing first place. Although it

wasn’t her fault, she was thankful for the opportunity and kind to the judges when they called her out for her third place trophy. Much to Sarah’s surprise, she was offered not one, but two recording contracts that night. When she asked why, the talent scouts said that it wasn’t just her talent that mattered, but her character and her choice to be thankful despite her circumstance.

In today’s reading, King David chose to be thankful, despite his circumstances. He didn’t get what he initially wanted (to build a temple for God) and I’m sure it was hard for the king to hear the word “no,” even coming from God. Nevertheless, David’s humility, trust, and thankfulness shined through in his prayer.

How do you respond to life’s circumstances? Read again David’s prayer and notice the humility and character that exists in every word. Ultimately, David made everything about God and nothing about himself. Today, despite your successes and failures, strive to make everything about God—He deserves all the praise.

PAUSE AND REFLECT

▷▷How can you make everything about God in your daily life?

▷▷What do you think it means to be a person after God’s own heart?

▷▷What does humility look like in your school, at work, and at home?

Week of 1/13-1/19: Develops - God Provides Leaders

Day Three: 1 Kings 8:54-61 When Solomon finished praying this entire prayer and petition to the LORD, he got up from kneeling before the altar of the LORD, with his hands spread out toward heaven, and he stood and blessed the whole congregation of Israel with a loud voice: May the LORD be praised! He has given rest to His people Israel according to all He has said. Not one of all the good promises He made through His servant Moses has failed. May the LORD our God be with us as He was with our ancestors. May He not abandon us or leave us. May He incline our hearts toward Him to walk in all His ways and to keep His commands, ordinances, and judgments, which He commanded our ancestors. May my words I have made my petition with before the LORD be near the LORD our God day and night, so that He may uphold His servant’s cause and the cause of His people Israel, as each day requires, and so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the LORD is God. There is no other! Let your heart be completely devoted to the LORD our God to walk in His ordinances and to keep His commands, as it is today.

MANY FAMILIES HAVE EXPERIENCED PAIN and separation throughout the years of conflict in the Middle East. When Sgt. Danny said goodbye to his only daughter, he made a vow with her that he intended to keep: “I will come back. I have never broken a promise and I don’t plan to start now.” After a year in the harsh climate of the desert, the sergeant returned safely to his daughter who was consumed with emotion. As she jumped into his arms, he was dumbfounded. “Why are you so surprised?” he asked. “Did you think I would break my promise?”

Much like the father in this story, you can count on God to keep His promises. He always keeps His word, and better yet, we have a way of finding assurance. His Word provides comfort, hope, and inerrant truth. When King Solomon dedicated the temple, he brought up the fact that God had never broken a promise: “May the Lord be praised! He has given rest to His people Israel according to all He has said. Not one of all the good promises He made through His servant Moses has failed” (1 Kings 8:56).

Find hope in God’s promises. Through His Word, He promises rest and security (Matt. 11:28-29), provision for all of your needs (Phil. 4:19), the gift of the Holy Spirit (John 14:26-27), but most of all victory in Jesus (Romans 8:37-39). As humans, we fail and we sometimes break our promises. But God is ever faithful—He always keeps His promises.

PAUSE AND REFLECT

▷▷Is it important to keep promises in your daily life? Why?

▷▷What does it feel like when someone breaks a promise with you? How does that impact the relationship?

▷▷How does it feel to know that God will never do that to you?

Week of 1/6-1/12: Develops - God Gives a Home

Day One: Joshua 1:6-9 “Be strong and courageous, for you will distribute the land I swore to their fathers to give them as an inheritance. Above all, be strong and very courageous to carefully observe the whole instruction My servant Moses commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right or the left, so that you will have success wherever you go. This book of instruction must not depart from your mouth; you are to recite it day and night, so that you may carefully observe everything written in it. For then you will prosper and succeed in whatever you do. Haven’t I commanded you: be strong and courageous? Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”

Read the beginning of the story, Joshua 1:1-5, in your Bible.

THE CURRENT WAS STRONG and the waves were rough at the beach the day that 59-year-old Elizabeth decided to swim. The longer she spent in the water, the further the current dragged her away from shore, until it was too late. Elizabeth fought hard, flailing her frail arms and legs in an effort to make it back, but wave after wave pummeled her into submission. Just as her mouth filled with salt water, a hand reached out and pulled her up. The stranger, a 15-year-old boy fishing nearby, was the only one to come to her rescue. “Don’t be afraid; I’m here with you,” he said as he brought her to safety.

God uses similar words to encourage us. In today’s passage, He encouraged Joshua, who was also caught in a seemingly rough spot. Moses, the leader of the Israelites, had just passed away and God was appointing Joshua to lead 2 million nomads across the Jordan River. Talk about an interesting first assignment! Not to mention, the river was at flood stage during this time. In spite of these challenges, God still delivered the Israelites and saw Joshua through: “Haven’t I commanded you: be strong and courageous? Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”

God does not promise He will not lead you into fearful situations. He may ask you to stand against the tide of popular opinion at school, to be Christ to a stranger, or to even serve Him in a land far away. But He does promise to always be with you. And He always keeps His promises. Today, be ready to step into the river. He is faithful. Be strong and courageous.

PAUSE AND REFLECT

▷▷What would you do if you were in Joshua’s position?

▷▷How is God calling you to serve Him at school, church, etc.? How can others hold you accountable?

▷▷How can you encourage the leaders around you and those who are over you?

Week of 1/6-1/12: Develops - God Gives a Home

Day Two: Ruth 4:14-17 Then the women said to Naomi, “Praise the LORD, who has not left you without a family redeemer today. May his name be famous in Israel. He will renew your life and sustain you in your old age. Indeed, your daughter-in-law, who loves you and is better to you than seven sons, has given birth to him.” Naomi took the child, placed him on her lap, and took care of him. The neighbor women said, “A son has been born to Naomi,” and they named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David.

FOR LAURA, a 16-year-old from Texas, cancer was something God used for good.

Throughout her high school career, clothes were more important than school, shopping took precedence over family, and partying trumped church on weekends. But one day Laura awoke with what felt like an extra bone in her right thigh. After a visit to the doctor, it turned out to be a cancerous tumor. Fortunately, the doctors caught it in time and surgically removed the majority of the cancer. The aftermath of the tumor and surgery left Laura with a limp and a deep anger at God. While in rehab, Laura learned about those who die every day from terminal cancer, and even met some who live in peace despite their circumstances. Slowly, she realized that her life, and ultimately her relationship with God, couldn’t depend on life’s circumstances.

The story of Ruth starts with desperately unpleasant circumstances: famine, death, and despair. But it changed direction due to multiple cases of undeserved kindness: Ruth to Naomi (1:16-17; 2:11-12) and Boaz to Ruth (2:13-14). The main characters were unlikely people (two widows and Boaz, the son of a prostitute), but God showed undeserved kindness to them and blessed them. In today’s Scripture, you will read about their blessings.

Today, count your blessings and choose to live life despite your circumstances. Remember that God loves you—so much so that He provided the ultimate gift of undeserved kindness: He sent Christ to sacrifice His life for you.

PAUSE AND REFLECT

▷▷Does your relationship with God depend on your life’s circumstances?

▷▷Do you ever judge God in light of your circumstances or the circumstances of the world? Is that fair?

▷▷What lessons has God taught you through seemingly “bad” situations?

Week of 1/6-1/12: Develops - God Gives a Home

Day Three: Judges 2:16-19 The LORD raised up judges, who saved them from the power of their marauders, but they did not listen to their judges. Instead, they prostituted themselves with other gods, bowing down to them. They quickly turned from the way of their fathers, who had walked in obedience to the LORD’s commands. They did not do as their fathers did. Whenever the LORD raised up a judge for the Israelites, the LORD was with him and saved the people from the power of their enemies while the judge was still alive. The LORD was moved to pity whenever they groaned because of those who were oppressing and afflicting them. Whenever the judge died, the Israelites would act even more corruptly than their fathers, going after other gods to worship and bow down to them. They did not turn from their [evil] practices or their obstinate ways.

Read the beginning of the story, Judges 2:11-15, in your Bible.

THERE’S SOMETHING ABOUT COMIC-BOOK MOVIES that really seems to hit home with us. I think it’s because, even though Spider-Man is swinging around town or Batman is pummelling some thug in an alley, we can relate to something about them—a flaw, or a personal tragedy they have to overcome. Often these characters are portrayed as normal people put in extraordinary situations, doing what they can to be heroes but fighting something that lingers—some moral dilemma or dark character trait they can’t get past. Movie-screen heroes are never perfect.

The book of Judges is an account of God’s people descending into spiritual indifference and rebellion, and the efforts of judges, spiritual heroes appointed by God, to bring those people back to righteousness. The judges, however, were flawed people. The Bible honors them (Heb. 11:32) for their faith, not for their perfection. Fortunately, God sent a Hero who was perfect and who is able to rescue us from sin.

Jesus not only lived a perfect life, but He willingly died for you so that you could have a relationship with God—life with purpose. You can accept this free gift by accepting Christ as your savior, believing that He died for you and was raised again, and by repenting from your old life and trusting Him every day. If you have already done these things, then it’s time to spread the word! Because let’s face it, there’s no way we could live a sinless life and earn our way into a relationship with God—that’s what our Hero was for.

PAUSE AND REFLECT

▷▷How can you be Christ to those around you today?

▷▷Do you think the Israelites took God seriously? Why?

▷▷Do you take God’s Word seriously? What are some ways you can live that out?