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Week Seventeen – July 17-23, 2016

July 15, 2016 By Leave a Comment

Ecclesiastes – Living with Purpose

Think.

  • What would you do if you suddenly came into having one-hundred million dollars (after taxes)?
  • How would your life change?
  • How do you think your relationships change?
  • Knowing that you never had to work a day in your life with that kind of money, what would you do with your time?
  • Do you think it would make your life better or worse to suddenly come into that kind of money?

Listen.

On the night that Solomon was to become king, God offered him any gift he wanted to help him during his reign. Instead of asking for wealth, power, honor, the life of his enemies or long life for himself, he asked God to grant him wisdom and knowledge so that he might be a better ruler for the people of Israel. (see 2 Chronicles 1:7-12)

God was extremely impressed by Solomon’s request and due to that wisdom, his reign ended up including a great amount of wealth along with the absence of a lot of the wars and internal strife that David had endured. But because Solomon was also a deep thinker, he sometimes struggled to make sense of the world he observed. He especially struggled with understanding the meaning of life, not just for him, but for all human beings.

In Ecclesiastes, he wrote….

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:

a time to be born, and a time to die;

a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;

a time to kill, and a time to heal;

a time to break down, and a time to build up;

a time to weep, and a time to laugh;

a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

a time to throw away stones, and a time to gather stones together;

a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

a time to seek, and a time to lose;

a time to keep, and a time to throw away;

a time to tear, and a time to sew;

a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;

a time to love, and a time to hate;

a time for war, and a time for peace.

What gain have the workers from their toil? I have seen the business that God has given to everyone to be busy with. He has made everything suitable for its time; moreover he has put a sense of past and future into their minds, yet they cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. I know that there is nothing better for them than to be happy and enjoy themselves as long as they live; moreover, it is God’s gift that all should eat and drink and take pleasure in all their toil.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-13 (NRSV)

As well, Solomon wrote very deeply about his own struggle with finding happiness and purpose in life. Given his wealth and power, he had access to all the best that the ancient world could offer. Yet he kept asking, is this all there is? The happiness brought by those things never lasted.

Ultimately, he decided to take life as it comes, and to strive for wisdom while admitting somethings will never make sense. He advised others to do good work, enjoy the good times in life so there are no regrets later on and not worry about the things outside of their control.

Finally, he noted in Ecclesiastes….

The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God, and keep his commandments; for that is the whole duty of everyone. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil. – Ecclesiastes 12:13

  • What are the experiences that you’ve had that will stay with you forever as moments that have shaped your life?
  • What’s something that you see people do that seems like a waste of time?
  • Is there something that it seems like people can get away with constantly that you wished would stop?
  • What’s something that might seem like work to someone else but that you truly enjoy?
  • What’s something that you are very proud of that you’ve accomplished?

Remember.

Living life only for its earthly pleasures will ultimately leave one empty. Only living for God will sustain a person over a lifetime.

Don’t worry so much about what other people are doing or what they think you should do. That’s God’s job. Keep your eyes on the main thing. Work hard no matter what you do. Enjoy yourself but don’t waste it on things that won’t bring your life meaning. Follow the rules. A lot of things won’t make sense along the way. It’ll seem like some people are getting away with something. But God’s paying attention. Let God handle it.

Pray.

Ask God to help you see your day to day life (school, chores, etc.) as a form of worship. Ask God to keep you mindful of Him when you are doing things that don’t seem to make a difference in the grand scheme of life.

More.

Scientific research on whether or not money can buy happiness.

https://youtu.be/JSIkdWxotKw

Filed Under: Summer 2016 Devos, Youth Ministry Blog Tagged With: , , ,

Week Fifteen – July 3-July 9, 2016

July 11, 2016 By Leave a Comment

Proverbs – Human Wisdom

 

Think.

  • What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever gotten? Who gave it to you? Do you follow it?
  • What is a piece of advice that you hear a lot from your parent? Do you follow it? Why do you think it is important for them to tell you this?
  • If you could give a piece of advice to someone a 2-4 years younger than you, what would you tell them? Why should they listen to you?

Listen.

King Solomon had been a child of wealth and privilege, while his father David had been a shepherd’s son. He was raised in the royal courts, never having to do his own work, while his father had been sent out as a child to protect the flock from predators. Other men fought on behalf of Solomon. David had often fought his own battles. And then then when David told Solomon that he’d be responsible for building God’s temple, he also undercut his son by telling everyone else around how young and inexperienced his son was and how much help he would need. When we look at the Book of Proverbs, we need to know that Solomon most likely did not create these sayings, although there are some attributed to him. It is most likely that these came from a wide range of fathers, religious leaders and other parental figures for the young people they felt responsible for.

My child, do not forget my teaching,

    but let your heart keep my commandments;

for length of days and years of life

    and abundant welfare they will give you.

Do not let loyalty and faithfulness forsake you;

    bind them around your neck,

    write them on the tablet of your heart.

So you will find favor and good repute

    in the sight of God and of people.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart,

    and do not rely on your own insight.

In all your ways acknowledge him,

    and he will make straight your paths.

– Proverbs 3:1-6

 

Flip through Proverbs and pick a saying that stands out to you.

 

Now take a look at these two verses…

Do not answer fools according to their folly,

or you will be a fool yourself.

Answer fools according to their folly,

or they will be wise in their own eyes.

– Proverbs 26:4-5

Ask.

  • Do these two verses seem to contradict themselves? Why or why not?
  • If you were a young person in the time of Solomon or after, learning these wise sayings, what would you think of all of them put together?
  • How would you know what was God’s wisdom versus human wisdom? Who should you listen to?

Say.

Living a life that pleases God has to include practical applications that anyone can use in lots of everyday situations. Some of it comes from God in a perfect sense. And some of it comes from godly people who may not even agree with each other and who definitely aren’t perfect or all-knowing but who do care about you.

Ask.

  • Can you think of anything that a young Solomon and you have in common?
  • Have you’ve been blessed or privileged with a lot of advantages, support and encouragement that others did not start with or that you did not earn?
  • If someone has ever said that you didn’t deserve an award or that you only got to where you are because you were a teacher’s pet or coach’s favorite, etc….then how can you show your true worth?
Remember:

A lot of us adults care about you. Parents, coaches, teachers, youth volunteers, older family members, etc. We care about you! We may not have all the answers and yes, we can even be wrong. But try to listen to us. We’ve been there and have learned a lot the hard way that we hope you will not have to experience on your own. So reach out for biblical wisdom that comes from God and from human wisdom from those who care about you too.

Close with prayer.

Thank God for the people who have sacrificed to provide you with a better life. Ask God to guide you to stay humble. Thank God for the people who care about you and try to give you good advice. Ask God for discernment in knowing what advice to follow.

More.

 0-100 | Best Advice You’ve Received.

Rainn Wilson, the actor who played Dwight on “The Office” has an inspirational web series called Soul Pancake. He brought in people ages 0-100 (actually all the way up to 105) to answer some of life’s big questions. They were asked the question, “what’s the best advice you’ve ever received?”

Filed Under: Summer 2016 Devos, Youth Ministry Blog Tagged With: , , , ,

Week Fourteen – June 26-July 2, 2016

June 19, 2016 By Leave a Comment

1 Chronicles – The Temple – A Sacred Place for a Sacred People

  • What building in Hoover best represents our city? In Alabama, for our state? In the U.S., for our nation?
  • What’s the most impressive building you’ve ever seen or been in? What stood out about it?
  • What do these buildings symbolize or represent for people?
  • Why are big buildings, monuments, museums, cemeteries or statues important to people?

Listen.

When David first took the throne as king, he realized that he was now living in a fine cedar-walled palace while the place to worship God was still in a tent – as it had been going all the way back to Moses’ years of wandering in the wilderness. God told him that one of his achievements would be to build a permanent place of worship, a temple in Jerusalem. But then David screwed everything up by the terrible decisions he made and there was so much bloodshed involved in regaining and then keeping the throne, that as much as God loved David, he would not let a man with that much blood on his hands be responsible for creating such a sacred space. God’s instrument for this building project would become David’s son Solomon.

David said to Solomon, “My son, I had planned to build a house to the name of the Lord my God. But the word of the Lord came to me, saying, ‘You have shed much blood and have waged great wars; you shall not build a house to my name, because you have shed so much blood in my sight on the earth. See, a son shall be born to you; he shall be a man of peace. I will give him peace from all his enemies on every side; for his name shall be Solomon, and I will give peace and quiet to Israel in his days. He shall build a house for my name. He shall be a son to me, and I will be a father to him, and I will establish his royal throne in Israel forever.’ Now, my son, the Lord be with you, so that you may succeed in building the house of the Lord your God, as he has spoken concerning you. Only, may the Lord grant you discretion and understanding, so that when he gives you charge over Israel you may keep the law of the Lord your God. Then you will prosper if you are careful to observe the statutes and the ordinances that the Lord commanded Moses for Israel. Be strong and of good courage. Do not be afraid or dismayed.  – 1 Chronicles 22: 7-13

So many times it seems like violence was what God wanted to pursue in the Old Testament. What we see here is that violence or war was actually not what God had intended for his people to get what they wanted. In fact, as much as David wanted to pursue God and build him a temple, the fact that he was such a violent man excluded him from being able to build the temple that he had always dreamed of worshiping in. That project would be Solomon’s charge to complete. And God again tries to explain to Solomon through David that Israel will not be protected through armies or even God’s Temple or the Ark of the Covenant being stored there. Israel’s true protection will be through following God’s commands.

  • If every church in our community was razed to the ground and no one was allowed to build a new one, where would you go to connect with God?
  • How would you connect with other Christians?
  • What parts of our Christian community would be the hardest to replicate without a building?
  • What parts would be the easiest?

Remember

Violence cannot achieve the will of God. Neither can buildings.

There is a lot of violence in the Old Testament. But our God is not a God of violence. God of is a God of peace. Violence, anytime it happens, is a result of something counter to the will of God. Many Christians see a connection to Jesus here. For centuries after the construction of the Temple, different Jewish military leaders tried to take it back by force from invaders and reestablish a Jewish kingdom. But Jesus told his followers that their very bodies would now serve as God’s Temple and that the Kingdom of God would never be achieved by violence and for that very reason it could never be defeated by threats like the Roman empire.

Pray

Pray for people around the world who are not able to worship God in the open because of persecution and violence. Pray for people who have had their churches destroyed and their lives threatened because of their faith. Pray for their safety and pray for God to change the hearts of their persecutors.

More

Check out this Minecraft recreation of the Temple in the time of Solomon.

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