Are You Ready?

Bible Story: 
Jesus Tempted in the Wilderness | Luke 4:1-13
Bottom Line: Be ready to do the right thing
Key Question: How do you get ready?

We start the month in Luke 4:1-13. We see how Jesus was led into the desert by the Spirit and tempted by the devil for 40 days. Jesus was able to face these temptations because He was prepared and understood God’s Word. In this passage, we can see from Jesus’ actions how important it is to be prepared. Then, with God’s help, we’ll be able to face whatever situations come our way.

Bottom Line: Be ready to do the right thing. There may be moments in our lives when we’re faced with many different choices—both good and bad. Some choices may be obvious, while other times we’re left struggling to figure out the best choice to make. The right thing may not always be the easy thing to do. But we can practice doing the right thing by being ready and asking God to help us make the wise choice.

These Words

Bible Story: Choose Your Words Carefully | Proverbs 12:18
Bottom Line: Think before you speak.
Key Question: How can your words change things?

In week 2, we head to Proverbs 12:18, where Solomon spoke about the power of words. He said, “The words of thoughtless people cut like swords. But the tongue of wise people brings healing.” Thoughtless, mean, and hurtful words can cause harm like a sword! But on the flip side, when we ask God for wisdom and speak intentionally
with kindness, love, and care, the words we say can bring healing.

“Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.”
Ever heard or said that phrase growing up? The thing
is, words DO hurt. When we aren’t careful and when we lose control, we have the potential to do damage to others and ourselves that may be harder to overcome later. However, when we take the time to sort through our thoughts before we say them, we can build better and stronger relationships in the future. Relationships matter to God, so they should matter to us as well.

You’d Better Think

Bible Story: David Spares Saul’s Life | 1 Samuel 24
Bottom Line: Think before you act.
Key Question: When have you had self-control?

In week 3, we head to 1 Samuel 24, where we find David on the run from his enemy, King Saul. Saul’s jealousy got the best of him, so he set out to kill David. While on the hunt, he entered a cave to relieve himself, which also happened to be the SAME cave where David was hiding! David could have killed Saul, but he chose to trust God and show self-control instead.

Do you ever catch your body reacting to something before you can even think about it? Like when a baseball comes flying at you, you duck or stick out your hand to catch it before you even realize that you’re doing it. Sometimes it’s easy to react first and think later . . . and that can be a good thing. However, when we act out of anger or act before we think, our actions can do more harm than good.

Too Much

Bible Story: Too Much of a Good Thing | Proverbs 25:16
Bottom Line: Know when to stop.
Key Question: Why is it hard to stop?

We end the month in Proverbs 25:16 with another one
of Solomon’s wise sayings—this time about food: “If you find honey, eat just enough. If you eat too much of it, you will throw up.” Of course, Solomon’s words are true about more than just food. Too much of anything isn’t good for us. But when we trust God to help us, we can choose to stay in control.

It’s hard to stop if you don’t know WHEN you should stop. God has given us
the Holy Spirit to help us show self-control. In fact, self-control is something God’s Spirit creates IN us. When we demonstrate self-control, others can see the difference God has made in our lives. That may not come easily, but we can choose what’s best when we trust God and ask God to help us.