Trinity Evangelical Free Church, Plainview Minnesota

The Wisdom Challenge

January 1 - February 4, 2012

There are 31 chapters in Proverbs, so we urge you to read and meditate on one chapter each day during the month of January.

Proverbs contains a gold mine of biblical theology packaged for practical life skills. It will challenge the way you think, live, and manage your daily life in light of divine truth.

Proverbs is one of the few biblical books that clearly spells out its purpose. In chapter one we are given a two-fold purpose for the book: 1) to impart moral discernment and discretion (1:2a, 3-5); and 2) to develop mental clarity and perception (1:2b; 6). The words "wisdom and instruction" (1:2a) complement each other because wisdom (hokhmah) means "skill," and instruction (musar) means "discipline." No skill is perfected without discipline, and when a person has skill he has freedom to create something beautiful. Proverbs deals with the most fundamental skill of all: practical righteousness before God in every area of life. This requires knowledge, experience, and a willingness to put God first (3:5-7). Proverbs as a whole is meant to both prevent and remedy ungodly life-styles. This book has served as a manual to impart the legacy of wisdom, prudence, understanding, discretion, knowledge, guidance, competence, correction, counsel, and truth from generation to generation.

The theme of Proverbs is: "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge" (1:7a). To fear God is to revere Him as holy and sovereign, and to trust Him with humble dependence. There is a reciprocal relationship here, because "the fear of the Lord is the beginning [foundation] of wisdom" (9:10), but wisdom leads to the knowledge and fear of God

(2:1-5).

Key Verses for The Wisdom Challenge

Prov. 2:2-7

2 Make your ear attentive to wisdom,

Incline your heart to understanding;

3 For if you cry for discernment,

Lift your voice for understanding;

4 If you seek her as silver

And search for her as for hidden treasures;

5 Then you will discern the fear of the LORD

And discover the knowledge of God.

6 For the LORD gives wisdom;

From His mouth come knowledge and understanding.

7 He stores up sound wisdom for the upright;

He is a shield to those who walk in integrity,

Memory Verses

You may choose from the following verses to memorize or select verses from your daily readings that are significant to you.

Prov. 3:5-7

5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart

And do not lean on your own understanding.

6 In all your ways acknowledge Him,

And He will make your paths straight.

7 Do not be wise in your own eyes;

Fear the LORD and turn away from evil.

Prov. 4:23

23 Watch over your heart with all diligence,

For from it flow the springs of life.

Prov. 9:10

10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom,

And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

Prov. 14:27 (cf. 19:23)

27 The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life,

That one may avoid the snares of death.