We have spent twelve Sundays over the course of the summer taking a good look at the book of Proverbs. You may not have spent much time in this book of the Bible before this summer, but I do pray that the series has helped opened up a wealth of wisdom for you. If it has, then mission accomplished!
If you missed any of these summer services, you can find them in the sermon archive (or in the list below). In addition to the Proverbs series, I recommend this sermon from Heather Althoff about the “woman of valor” in Proverbs 31.
So why did we study in Proverbs this summer? Not only is Proverbs one of the rich books of the Bible (and we study all of the Bible as the Word of God), but Proverbs is in the list of literature we call “wisdom literature” of Scripture. All of us seek counseling of some kind to guide us through specific issues in life. This counsel might be as simple as seeking advice from a friend, or reading a good book that addresses the subject we are dealing with. For a heavier subject, we might seek a professional counselor to help us navigate the troubled waters. All of these above responses can be helpful, for sure, but I am amazed that we tend to overlook God’s counsel. This is why Proverbs was composed: it is God’s counsel—God’s wisdom—to guide us and help us navigate the real issues of life that we faced with.
Over these summer Sundays, we have certainly not covered all the subjects addressed in Proverbs. There are many more—but I do hope we have opened a door for you to start allowing God to speak to you and your real-life issues and challenges through Proverbs. I challenge you to seek the wisdom of God in all things, and Proverbs is one part of the Word of God to which you should turn. It is on your bookshelf, so use it!
What subjects of counsel did we address from Mother’s Day until last Sunday?
- Being a woman of valor – Proverbs 31
- Living a life of wisdom – Proverbs 1
- Wise alignment of my life – Proverbs 3
- Living a life of integrity – Proverbs 11
- Wisdom and my leisure lifestyle – Proverbs 21
- Use of my tongue for gossip – Proverbs 15
- Use of my tongue in encouragement – Proverbs 18
- Wise parenting – Proverbs 22
- Wisdom about my wealth – Proverbs 30
- Anatomy of wisdom and my heart – Proverbs 4
- Wisdom in making my life plans – Proverbs 27
- Iron sharpening iron – Proverbs 27
- The Word of God and our lives – Proverbs 30
As you become a lifelong reader of God’s Word, I would encourage you to put Proverbs somehow in your systematic Bible reading. Use it. Pore over it. Meditate on it. Proverbs is different from other parts of the Bible, in that it is a series of quotes and pithy sayings that give guidance on how to act, react, and live out a life that seeks the face of God. I pray that we have opened up this marvelous wisdom book for you this summer. May it forever be part of your life moving forward.
Proverbs 1:1-7 (NIV)
The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel: 2 for gaining wisdom and instruction; for understanding words of insight; 3 for receiving instruction in prudent behavior, doing what is right and just and fair; 4 for giving prudence to those who are simple, knowledge and discretion to the young— 5 let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance— 6 for understanding proverbs and parables, the sayings and riddles of the wise. 7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Just a look ahead: next summer my plan is that we will dig into another of God’s great counseling books—Ecclesiastes!
Keep God’s Word in your life!
