“How do I prepare for the critical moments?”
(Proverbs 2)
Intro: Inspiring story of virtue from tsunami hero…man who has orphanage and rescued all his kids in the boat…
Power of moments… “What if you knew somewhere in front of you was a moment that would change your life forever, a moment with potential, a moment filled with endless possibilities? …where the choices you made determined the course and momentum of your future? How would you treat that moment? How would you prepare for it? How would you identify it?” Erwin MacManus
Life is made up of moments. Then there are the key moments…sharing our faith with a stranger, choosing to remain faithful to a broken spouse, child; getting involved in a ministry this year. God has given us a way to prepare and Proverbs 2 speaks to it. It makes a conditional covenant between us and God. An “if…then” if you will.
1. If I value the Bible as the Word of God…1st condition of the promises
Prov 2:1-8 Good friend, take to heart what I’m telling you; collect my counsels and guard them with your life. 2 Tune your ears to the world of Wisdom; set your heart on a life of Understanding. 3 That’s right — if you make Insight your priority, and won’t take no for an answer, 4 Searching for it like a prospector panning for gold, like an adventurer on a treasure hunt,
5 Believe me, before you know it Fear-of-GOD will be yours; you’ll have come upon the Knowledge of God. 6 And here’s why: GOD gives out Wisdom free, is plainspoken in Knowledge and Understanding. 7 He’s a rich mine of Common Sense for those who live well, a personal bodyguard to the candid and sincere. 8 He keeps his eye on all who live honestly, and pays special attention to his loyally committed ones.
a. The Bible is the revelation of God. It is revelational. – commands, insight, understanding about life and God from the heart of God.
i. Absolute authority
b. The purpose of the Bible is to draw me into a relationship with God. It is relational. –
5 Believe me, before you know it Fear-of-GOD will be yours; you’ll have come upon the Knowledge of God.
i. A relationship where there is an appropriate Fear. Fear means awesome respect and adoration that leads to a radical obedience.
“The fear of the Lord means reverent submission that leads to obedience ... it includes a knowledge of our sinfulness and God’s justice and his anger against sin. But this worship-fear also knows God’s great forgiveness, mercy, and love... It knows that in our relationship with God, he always says "I Love you" first. This knowledge draws us closer to God rather than causing us to flee. It causes us to submit gladly to his lordship and delight in obedience. This kind of robust fear is the pinnacle of our response to God."
1. “I can never break one of God’s commandments without suffering terrible consequences in my spirit and life.”
2. True both positively and negatively.
3. Ask God for this..
ii. A relationship with God where there is a intimate knowledge of God not merely knowledge about God.
1. The demons believe all kinds of things about God
James 2:19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that — and shudder. NIV
2. My knowledge of Teresa has to be her revelation of herself not just my interpretation of her.
3. I want to know her as she defines herself. – imperfect illustration of a divine reality!
c. The principles and guidelines of God are practical and relevant for my everyday life. – putting together Riley’s train.
i. Context of desperation in this proverb…a hunger.
6 And here’s why: GOD gives out Wisdom free, is plainspoken in Knowledge and Understanding. 7 He’s a rich mine of Common Sense for those who live well, a personal bodyguard to the candid and sincere.
2. If I devote myself to becoming a person of the word of God…2nd condition of the promises…
Prov 2:8 He keeps his eye on all who live honestly, and pays special attention to his loyally committed ones.
a. I Meditate on it. Am I thinking about all of the implications of this particular verse?
b. I Memorize it. Am I able to access this verse in my every day life?
c. I pray it…marinate. Have I prayed about what God is saying to me in this verse?
d. I practice it… Has this verse become a part of my day?
e. I Master it. Am I actually becoming a more Biblical person?
f. I “M-ploy” it. Is my advice Biblical?
3. Then I will become…
a. Wise,
Prov 2:9-11 So now you can pick out what’s true and fair, find all the good trails! 10 Lady Wisdom will be your close friend, and Brother Knowledge your pleasant companion. 11 Good Sense will scout ahead for danger,
Insight will keep an eye out for you.
b. Honest,
Prov 2:12-15 They’ll keep you from making wrong turns, or following the bad directions 13 Of those who are lost themselves and can’t tell a trail from a tumbleweed, 14 These losers who make a game of evil and throw parties to celebrate perversity, 15 Traveling paths that go nowhere, wandering in a maze of detours and dead ends.
c. Moral,
Prov 2:16-19 Wise friends will rescue you from the Temptress — that smooth-talking Seductress 17 Who’s faithless to the husband she married years ago, never gave a second thought to her promises before God. 18 Her whole way of life is doomed; every step she takes brings her closer to hell.
19 No one who joins her company ever comes back, ever sets foot on the path to real living.
b. Join the company of good men and women,
Prov 2:20-21 So — join the company of good men and women, keep your feet on the tried and true paths.
c. And I will Live beyond myself.
Prov 2:21 21 It’s the men who walk straight who will settle this land, the women with integrity who will last here.
i. Or not!
Prov 2:22 The corrupt will lose their lives; the dishonest will be gone for good.
Cody story…
Concl: How will you prepare for the critical moments? How will you interpret them? Bitter toward God?
There is one fundamental way that God says we can do it…
Will I devote myself to becoming a person of the word of God by spending at least 20 minutes daily with God in His Word and prayer? ____
Will you spend at least 15 minutes a day reading the word of God? How do you assess how well you did? This right now for some of you is the “moment.” Some of you are choosing to go to India with PC. Some of you are giving to support them. This month we will
Helpful tips on a meaningful devotional life…(preparing for the moments…)
1. Ask God daily for a desperate heart for Him.
Matt 5:6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled. NIV
2. Believe that the Word of God releases the power of God into my life.
Rom 1:16 I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes…NIV
3. Decide that I will have a regular time each day devoted to reading and prayer.
Matt 14:23 After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. NIV
4. Don’t allow flimsy excuses.
Ps 9:16 They have no excuse; the way God works is well-known.
5. Determine to assess decisions Biblically.
Ps 119:169 May my cry come before you, O LORD; give me understanding according to your word. NIV
6. Declare regularly and personally to God that I will live according to every word that comes from His mouth.
Matt 4:4 Jesus answered, "It is written: ’Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’" NIV
