When I was in high school, some leaders at my church challenged me to read the 31 chapters in the book of Proverbs in 31 days. And so now I issue the same challenge to you. Psalm 119:9-16 says:
By living according to your word.
10 I seek you with all my heart;
do not let me stray from your commands.
11 I have hidden your word in my heart
that I might not sin against you.
12 Praise be to you, Lord;
teach me your decrees.
13 With my lips I recount
all the laws that come from your mouth.
14 I rejoice in following your statutes
as one rejoices in great riches.
15 I meditate on your precepts
and consider your ways.
16 I delight in your decrees;
I will not neglect your word.
How does a young person stay pure? How does a young person stay on a pure path? How does a young person stay in the will of God? The answer is repeated over and over again in these 7 verses of Scripture. Live according to God's word. Love God's word. Keep it close to your heart. Repeat God's word to yourself. Enjoy God's word. Spend time thinking about God's word. Do not neglect God's word.
A follower of Jesus wants to know what Jesus thinks about everything because they want to follow him. You can't learn to live like him and think like him if you don't know what his life looked like or what he said. A follower of Jesus has to start by paying attention to what he has said. This is something that followers of Jesus learn to do on their own. They don't wait around for someone to teach them. They go looking themselves. They ask questions. They dig.
The Proverbs Challenge is a way to help you get started. You are encouraged to open your Bible and to start reading, You have one month to read the book of Proverbs. That's the only rule. Other than that, everything else is up to you. What kind of questions will you ask? How deep are you willing to go? Will you read it through quickly just to get it done, or will you slow it down so that you can hide portions of it in your mind and in your heart? Will you memorize any of it? It's really up to you. The challenge is meant as a way to make it fun, but I hope that it will become fun on it's own. God's word is a treasure chest full of wonders.
I have created this blog as a way to help you engage with what you are reading. I hope to be able to point out things that I see as I read along with you. Feel free to comment as well.
Come. Let's begin!
Allan Heidman
This looks good. I hope the youth take up this challenge. Encourage them to comment on what you have written and to add their own insights to what they have read that day.
ReplyDeleteWhat about the youth leadership? Encourage them to also add their comments as well. Some of the youth will relate to the other leaders and want to know what they have to say and will follow their example.
Great Job.