Last night at youth was our last Bible study on the book of Proverbs. The guest speaker shared with us 7 ways to be a great learner, based on the book of Proverbs. First he talked about Proverbs 20:18, which says: " Prepare plans by consultation, ( in other words by seeking advice) And make war by wise guidance."
The reason why we don't seek advice is the fact that we are fools!
He then went on with the list of 7 ways to be a great learner:
1. Get curious!
Proverbs 1:1-3
You gotta want it, and you gotta get it!
12:15 : " The way of the fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man is he who listens to counsel."
If we are wise we seek counsel.
Start asking questions!
1:4 - talks about teenagers.
We will gain wisdom once we start acknowledging that we don't know everything.
2. Grow up !
1:5-6
Once we do this, we start the process of gaining wisdom.
3. Fear the Lord!
Proverbs is all about wisdom . Non-Christians also fear God , but their fear is completely different to how we as Christians fear the Lord.
1:7 says it! " The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction."
The more we know about God, the more we fear Him, which is the basis of wisdom.
4. Be humble!
9:11-12
It is not about you.
God owns us.
We don't need to share our wisdom with the whole world!
15:33
To be honored, we must first be humble!
5. Listen to your parents!
This means we should listen and obey them whether they are saved or not.
1:8; 1:10; 1:15; 2:1-2; 3:1; 3:11; 3:21; 4:1-4; 4:10; 4:20; 5:1; 5:7; 5:20; 6:1; 6:20; 7:1 etc. All the way through Proverbs.
Have grown up conversations with your parents.
6. Shut your mouth and listen!
7:5 ; Ecclesiastes 10:12-14.
18:13, " He who gives an answer before he hears, It is folly and shame to him."
We mustn't interrupt , we must listen , and pay attention.
7. Look for trouble!
1:22-30
There are 2 main things from this passage:
- If we don't seek trouble - destruction
- If we do seek trouble - reproof.
And we need a lot of reproof!
3:11; 6:23; 13:1; 15:5; 15:12; 15:31; 17:10 etc.
12:1 , "Whoever loves discipline, loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid."
Yes, the Bible says that if we don't like being corrected we are stupid.
Therefore the pathway to wisdom is not easy!
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Thursday, March 24, 2011
10 Things I am Going to do to Stop Procrastination and Laziness
Last night at youth we heard about the Sluggard that is mentioned in Proverbs , and how each of us as acted like a sluggard at one point or another.
In our small groups we were talking about laziness and also how most of us has a problem with procrastination.
This morning during my devotions I came up with a list of 10 things I am going to do to stop laziness and procrastination in their tracks.
1. Pray!
2. Remember that whatever work I have to do , I must do it to bring honour and glory to God.
3. Read my Bible ( especially the book of Proverbs which talks a lot about the sluggard).
4. I must concentrate on the task I am doing .
5. PROCRASTINATION = STRESS , and I do not like or even want to be stressed!
6. Work is more important than watching TV or Facebook
7. If I am asked to do something , I must stop whatever else I'm doing and do it ( if it is a short-term task), so that once I complete the task I can get back to doing whatever I was doing before I was asked to do the task.
8. Remind myself of the affects of being a sluggard ( annoys people, unreasonable, unreliable , sleeps , makes excuses , thinks they are more wise but they are actually more foolish , also could end up in poverty, a lot more in Proverbs)
9. DO NOT HIT THE SNOOZE BUTTON, ( OR DO NOT TURN OFF THE ALARM CLOCK AND GET BACK INTO BED!) DON'T BE A SLUGGARD!!! ( this is one we discussed in our small groups)
10. I must ask my self this question if I feel a bit of laziness coming on :" As a believer I am supposed to be like Christ, and Christ was never lazy , so why am I ? "
With these 10 things I am sure I will combat laziness!
Bye for now !
In our small groups we were talking about laziness and also how most of us has a problem with procrastination.
This morning during my devotions I came up with a list of 10 things I am going to do to stop laziness and procrastination in their tracks.
1. Pray!
2. Remember that whatever work I have to do , I must do it to bring honour and glory to God.
3. Read my Bible ( especially the book of Proverbs which talks a lot about the sluggard).
4. I must concentrate on the task I am doing .
5. PROCRASTINATION = STRESS , and I do not like or even want to be stressed!
6. Work is more important than watching TV or Facebook
7. If I am asked to do something , I must stop whatever else I'm doing and do it ( if it is a short-term task), so that once I complete the task I can get back to doing whatever I was doing before I was asked to do the task.
8. Remind myself of the affects of being a sluggard ( annoys people, unreasonable, unreliable , sleeps , makes excuses , thinks they are more wise but they are actually more foolish , also could end up in poverty, a lot more in Proverbs)
9. DO NOT HIT THE SNOOZE BUTTON, ( OR DO NOT TURN OFF THE ALARM CLOCK AND GET BACK INTO BED!) DON'T BE A SLUGGARD!!! ( this is one we discussed in our small groups)
10. I must ask my self this question if I feel a bit of laziness coming on :" As a believer I am supposed to be like Christ, and Christ was never lazy , so why am I ? "
With these 10 things I am sure I will combat laziness!
Bye for now !
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Good Beginnings
This week I decided that instead of watching hours of TV , I was going to limit myself to watch no more than one hour a day . Instead of watching TV I will spend more time doing devotions and praying . I am also only listening to Christian Contemporary music , which has a much a better meaning than most of the world's secular music today!
I have already started reaping some of the benefits of spending more time "with" God. I have noticed that I am not snapping as much at my family as I used to and that once I start reading my Bible I don't want to stop !
A reason why I called this blog Seeking To Be A Teenage Girl After God's Own Heart is that I do want to be a teenage girl after God's Own Heart . The name also comes from a book by Mrs Elizabeth George called A Young Woman After God's Own Heart.
Bye for now !
I have already started reaping some of the benefits of spending more time "with" God. I have noticed that I am not snapping as much at my family as I used to and that once I start reading my Bible I don't want to stop !
A reason why I called this blog Seeking To Be A Teenage Girl After God's Own Heart is that I do want to be a teenage girl after God's Own Heart . The name also comes from a book by Mrs Elizabeth George called A Young Woman After God's Own Heart.
Bye for now !
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