The Wisdom Challenge E-Book

Dan Britton

• Herausgeber: BroadStreet Publishing Group, LLC
• Kategorie: Religion und Spiritualität
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2020

Seitenzahl: 172

Beschreibung

Pursue. Partner. Pass it on. People have been deriving wisdom from Solomon's writings for thousands of years. The Wisdom Challenge unlocks the secret to a sustained approach of acquiring wisdom that profoundly changes you. Join authors Dan and Ron as they share a simple, effective strategy for pursuing wisdom, partnering in the pursuit, and passing it along. Take up The Wisdom Challenge and discover - knowledge that brings success, - understanding that nurtures relationships, - insight for increased wealth, and - discernment in leading others. Develop a deep hunger for wisdom as you engage in the book of Proverbs with your Proverbs Partner. Demonstrate a life-long pursuit of wisdom while you impact others to do the same.

Leseprobe

We all need wisdom—but where can we find insights that lead us deeper into our relationship with God? Dan and Ron come to the rescue with The Wisdom Challenge, a terrific resource that sets forth a sustainable path for pursuing and growing in God’s wisdom for a lifetime. If you want a heart of wisdom, The Wisdom Challenge is for you!

LEE STROBEL

New York Times best-selling author Founding director, The Lee Strobel Center for Evangelism and Applied Apologetics at Colorado Christian University

BroadStreet Publishing® Group, LLC

Group, LLC Savage, Minnesota, USA

BroadStreetPublishing.com

The Wisdom Challenge

Copyright © 2021 Dan Britton & Ron Forseth

978-1-4245-6083-7 (faux leather)

978-1-4245-6084-4 (eBook)

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form, except for brief quotations in printed reviews, without permission in writing from the publisher.

Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV® Copyright © 1973 1978 1984 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, Copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, a Division of Tyndale House Ministries, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked ESV are taken from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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Cover and interior by Garborg Design at GarborgDesign.com

Printed in China

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DEDICATION

We would like to dedicate this book

to our Proverbs Partners who have

joined us in the pursuit of wisdom.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

We would like to humbly acknowledge the stellar support we’ve received from the BroadStreet team in getting this book to press. Special thanks to Carlton Garborg for your leadership and for literally joining us in The Wisdom Challenge; to Tim Payne, Michelle Winger, Rachel Libke, Nina Derek, Chris Garborg, and so many others working behind the scenes. We are grateful for your grace, patience, and encouragement. Without you, The Wisdom Challenge would still just be an idea.

Deep appreciation to our editor, Danielle Ripley-Burgess, for bringing so much energy to the process and for taking our writing to the next level. Thanks for jumping in and making this book become a reality. You made it come alive, and we will be forever grateful! A big thank you to Kallie Muck and Claire Matera who made this book better with one last rigorous edit.

I, Dan, would like to thank my family who have all joined me in The Wisdom Challenge: Dawn, Kallie, Austin, Abigail, Garrett, Elijah, and Claire. Mom and Dad, you modeled godly wisdom every day for me and always pointed me to the Word of God. Additionally, I am grateful for my FCA teammates who journeyed with me through Proverbs to get wisdom, discernment, and understanding. Thanks Andriy, Jin, Mark, Kellen, Silas, Steve, Andrew, Craig, Holt, Scott, Janet, and many others!

I, Ron, would like to thank my wife, Carol, my daughter, Rachel, and my son, Randy, for supporting me in my pursuit of wisdom, and especially for joining me so often as Proverbs Partners. My father, Fred Forseth, has exhibited profound wisdom for a lifetime as did my mother, Jean Forseth, who listened to the Bible daily from her sickbed for twenty-three years and eagerly shared with me and my six siblings her love for biblical wisdom. Thanks, too, to Eric Ely for first quoting Proverbs to me over forty years ago and challenging me to pursue wisdom.

CONTENTS

Foreword

The Wisdom Challenge

CHAPTER 1 Wisdom’s Impact

CHAPTER 2 Wisdom’s Promise

CHAPTER 3 Wisdom’s Invitation

CHAPTER 4 Wisdom’s Gift

CHAPTER 5 Wisdom’s Tree

CHAPTER 6 Wisdom’s Legacy

CHAPTER 7 Wisdom’s Journey

Author Bios

Next Steps

FOREWORD

Dan and Ron are not the creators of wisdom, and they both make that clear. Wisdom comes from God; He is the true source. However, Dan and Ron have been charged with a message from God to uncover and declare God’s heart for wisdom—and to encourage everyone who wants it to seek and discover it.

Today our world loves riches; silver, gold, and rubies hold much value. But Proverbs says wisdom is even more valuable than all of these. That’s why I love this book. Our generation needs wisdom and The Wisdom Challenge will remind you of its value and help you discover it.

Whether you’re brand new to the Bible or you’ve studied it for years, doing The Wisdom Challenge is something we all need and can benefit from. Deep down, we all want wisdom. We’re made in the image of God, and God is the source of wisdom. We all want to make a positive impact. The Wisdom Challenge is a great resource to give us the wisdom we need to make a greater impact in the world.

Through The Wisdom Challenge, you’ll gain advice on relationships, money, leadership, and spirituality. You’ll read about a just God, a merciful God, a loving God, and a holy God. In Proverbs, we’re encouraged to hold our tongues, to rule our spirits, to guard our hearts, and to give great gifts. It’s powerful, practical, and applicable.

I hope you will join me on this incredible journey and take The Wisdom Challenge for yourself and for your relationship with God, the One who wants to give wisdom to us all. The pursuit of wisdom is worth it, and receiving it is an incredible blessing.

Blessed are those who listen to me,

watching daily at my doors,

waiting at my doorway.

For those who find me find life

and receive favor from the Lord.

PROVERBS 8:34–35 NIV

God bless,

JON GORDON

Bestselling author of The Carpenter and The Garden

Pursue

Read Proverbs every day to pursue wisdom.

Partner

Invite a Proverbs Partner to read the samechapter of Proverbs, and through a text, email,or quick phone call, share a brief reflection aboutwhat verse or insight impacted you.

Pass It On

Challenge your Proverbs Partner to invitesomeone else to take The Wisdom Challenge withhim or her at the start of the next month.

Chapter 1

WISDOM’S IMPACT

Walk with the wise and become wise.

PROVERBS 13:20 NIV

Have you ever felt that your heart was as dry as a dirt clod, like a brittle tree with parched roots long deprived of water? Have you ever longed to hear from God, wondering where He might be? I have. It’s rare for me to hear so clearly from God, but on March 1, 2012, I had an exception. That day I discovered that not only did He care for me in a rather personal way, but in that desert, He had also prepared a surprise that would alter the course of my life.

For whatever reason, over the previous decade, my dynamic connection with God had shriveled up to the point I began to wonder where He had gone or if He even really cared about me. I remember being at our home in North San Diego county, sitting in the comfy recliner in the early morning before anyone else in the family was up. I was a bit down emotionally but regrettably had come to accept that as the norm. That was soon to change. The conversation went like this:

God, what can I do to reconnect with You? I asked silently.

He answered, unmistakably, Each day eat spiritual food before you eat physical food.

Okay. That’s simple enough. So, You want me to read the Bible before I eat breakfast? I answered.

He replied, Exactly.

Where do I start? I asked.

He answered quite simply, Proverbs.

And that was the beginning.

I was glad God didn’t ignore my question and especially glad for the nudge to take the first step in a specific direction. That morning, reaching for my leather-bound Bible, I went straight into the book of Proverbs and, unexpectedly, enjoyed it more than the best breakfast I could have eaten from an award-winning chef. It was rich, alive, and delicious. It felt as if the pages radiated an energy I hadn’t experienced in a very long time.

The proverbs of Solomon son of David,

king of Israel:

for gaining wisdom and instruction;

for understanding words of insight;

for receiving instruction in prudent behavior,

doing what is right and just and fair;

for giving prudence to those who are simple,

knowledge and discretion to the young—

let the wise listen and add to their learning,

and let the discerning get guidance—

for understanding proverbs and parables,

the sayings and riddles of the wise.

PROVERBS 1:1–6 NIV

The words quenched my soul as God Himself brought verse after verse into vivid focus. God was clearly present. Each line I read breathed fresh life into my heart. It was as if my soul were coming out of a long, cold winter. This thing called wisdom was beginning to grip me as some sort of obsession. My appetite for it was rising up and driving me forward.

I believe God was smiling, that He looked over my shoulder and carefully released insight and understanding as I read the sentences one after the other. From the beginning of my brief conversation with God to the time I finished the first chapter of Proverbs, it must have been only about ten minutes. But when it was over, my soul was filled up like I’d just consumed a buffet, and I was ready for whatever the day had for me. I can’t remember what I had for breakfast that day, but that encounter with God remains vivid in my mind these many years later. Those ten minutes changed my life.

I repeated this exercise the next day. And the day after that. Each day the same thing happened, all the way to the end of the month. I was spiritually hungry, and Proverbs fed me. At the beginning of each month, I desired to keep going. I’d begin with the first chapter of Proverbs, reading the chapter that matched the month’s date. With most months having thirty-one days and Proverbs having thirty-one chapters, it was easy to stay on track.

Three months into my personal wisdom journey, I had another nudge from God and sensed He wanted me to walk this wisdom journey with someone else. I wasn’t to keep this for myself; God wanted to multiply it! He was forming The Wisdom Challenge. It wasn’t to be my own personal exercise but rather a movement that would spark a thirst for wisdom and feed a spiritual hunger among thousands all over the world.

God put my friend Dan, at the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, on my heart. Dan is a kind, God-loving man with a heap of wisdom already, and he has a dynamic leadership role in a global ministry. Our friendship had been an ongoing source of encouragement for about ten years, and I sensed Dan was the person God wanted me to invite into my wisdom journey. I called him and shared about my month-long encounter with God. Then I invited him to take The Wisdom Challenge with me. He accepted.

WalkingwithAnother

I had spent time with Ron for several years, and as our relationship grew, we were spiritually sharpening one another on a regular basis. I loved how he would always go out of his way to care for those he encountered, especially the “least of these.” He carries a special awareness for the people most others ignore or don’t take the time to help. I was stretched in my faith when I spent time with Ron. It was always good to hear from him. When I got Ron’s call, he shared that he wanted to read the book of Proverbs with me for the upcoming month.

“Would you like to be my partner to go through Proverbs with me?” Ron asked. I jumped on it! Ron was getting ready to stretch me once again, and so was God.

I already had a regular morning devotional time, so when Ron explained The Wisdom Challenge, I just added another ten minutes each day. It seemed simple enough. In the past, I had taken on some Proverbs challenges where I read a chapter of Proverbs each day for thirty-one days and greatly benefited from this exercise; however, I had never done it with someone. I was ready to experience something new.

Ron and I decided to both read the same chapter of Proverbs (the one that matched the date), and then we would text each other what God revealed to us. We encouraged and commented on one another’s insights. After only a few days, I was blown away.

The big surprise wasn’t necessarily what I was gleaning from Proverbs but the dynamic interaction with Ron through a couple texts each morning. It made our insights from Proverbs come alive. It gave them substance and application. And accountability! The interaction was life-giving. Each morning I couldn’t wait to see what God would show me in Proverbs and share it with Ron. Additionally, my excitement would grow reading what Ron discovered. I found myself eager each morning to know:

Will his inspiration come from the same verse as mine?

What will God reveal to my friend this morning?

How can I encourage Ron in his walk?

How will Ron challenge me?

For thirty-one days, Ron and I texted at least once each morning for The Wisdom Challenge. It was a powerful month of revelation, understanding, and growth. As Paul writes in Ephesians 1:18–19, the eyes of my heart were opened. Each day was a double portion of learning—my own insight and Ron’s. Throughout the day, I was compelled and convicted to live out what I shared with Ron because I was motivated to apply the wisdom I had gleaned. This was a game changer.

Toward the middle of our month, Ron challenged me to begin thinking of someone I could invite to do The Wisdom Challenge with me at the start of the next month. I immediately accepted. I couldn’t wait to share this exercise with others. My mind swirled as I thought of all the people who would benefit from doing it. It felt like I possessed a special gift that could bless another person for an entire month. So the following month, I carried it on. I decided to start with my son, Elijah. Spending thirty-one straight days in God’s Word with my son and hearing how God was speaking to him was a gift from God—something I will never forget!

Growing Together

Once we finished our month in Proverbs together, we each started The Wisdom Challenge with someone else. Although technically reading the same Scripture passages each month, Proverbs still felt so new. Taking the challenge with others brought new insights. New principles. New lessons. New takeaways.

Over the years, we have journeyed with countless friends, coworkers, and family members through Proverbs. The crazy thing is that it often feels like we’re going through Proverbs for the first time again.

Ron has walked through Proverbs with at least one new person each month for over one hundred months. Dan has also taken the challenge with many friends and family members. Through his teammates at the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, he’s seen it take off around the world. Numerous international leaders in dozens of countries are doing this simple discipline. Men and women around the world are growing in wisdom. And it’s changing lives!

What’s Your Impact?

What kind of impact do you want to make in life? Have you ever thought about that? Everyone desires to make an impact. The question is never, “Do you want to make an impact?” but rather, “What kind of impact do you hope to make?”

Bonnie and Clyde, Jack the Ripper, and Joseph Stalin all left legacies, but their names are forever remembered with regret. Jesse Owens, Abraham Lincoln, and Mother Teresa also left legacies, and the world will forever remember them for the extraordinary impact they made. We’d venture to say you want to make a positive impact. That’s why you’re reading a book about wisdom, which will help you make that impact. How? A key is found in Proverbs 13:20 where it talks about walking with the wise to become wise.

If we want to make a difference, we need to become wise, and a key way to become wise is to pursue wisdom with others. That is why The Wisdom Challenge isn’t for you alone; it’s for you and the other people you invite to join you on the journey. We cannot isolate ourselves and expect to become wise. Wisdom always comes in the context of relationships.

Wisdom + relationships = impact.

Wisdom - relationships = nothing.

Wisdom by itself is useless. True wisdom comes in the context of relationships, first with God and then with others. Walking with the wise leads to wisdom. Walking without the wise leads to trouble.

Walk with the wise and become wise;

associate with fools and get in trouble.

PROVERBS 13:20 NLT

The power of with is the key. We’ve found that walking with each other through The Wisdom Challenge has changed our lives, and we believe it will change yours too.

The Wisdom Challenge has taught me to lead with practical application from the book of Proverbs while getting closer to others. In nine months, I have partnered with fifteen people as we walked in wisdom together. And now they are walking with others!

ANDRIY, PROVERBS PARTNER

Chapter 2

WISDOM’S PROMISE

God gave Solomon wisdom and very great insight,and a breadth of understandingas measureless as the sand on the seashore.

1 KINGS 4:29 NIV

Are you sold on pursuing wisdom? Do you know the best place to find it? Wisdom is a promise that comes from God. But that’s not all. Wisdom carries a promise. If you believe this promise, apply this promise, and live this promise, your life will be marked with mission and meaning. You will experience God’s power and purpose. Those around you will also be marked. What is this promise wisdom carries? It’s four simple words: Nothing compares with wisdom.

Sometimes we refer to this as “The Nothing Promise” because nothing you get in life is more valuable than wisdom. Wisdom trumps everything. Proverbs makes this promise in chapter 3 and repeats it in chapter 8:

Wisdom is more precious than rubies,

and nothing you desire can compare with her.

PROVERBS 8:11 NIV

Wisdom is the primary ingredient for success in life. Without it, failure is guaranteed. With wisdom comes success and impact, something we all desire.

Wisdom Is Counter-Cultural

A survey1 asked seven hundred people, “If you could say in one word what you want more of in life, what would that be?”

Here were the top ten responses:

1.Happiness

2.Money

3.Freedom

4.Peace

5.Joy

6.Balance

7.Fulfillment

8.Confidence

9.Stability

10.Passion

No surprises. This is most definitely what our culture desires. And truth be told, most of us would have mentioned several of these answers in our top ten lists, too, had we been asked to take the survey. However, we noticed there is one response that didn’t make the list: wisdom. Yet when we seek wisdom, everything else falls into place.

If people understood the value and promise of wisdom, it would be at the top of their lists. After years of doing The Wisdom Challenge, wisdom is number one on our list. Why? Because of wisdom’s promise—which comes straight from the Bible.

Solomon’s Wisdom

Solomon, who was born about 990 years before Jesus, was the third king of the nation of Israel. He took the throne at age nineteen and ruled for forty years until he died at age fifty-nine. Solomon’s father was King David who, from an early age, challenged Solomon to pursue wisdom with all of his heart. When Solomon took the throne, God made him an incredible offer—an offer all of us would like. God said to Solomon, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you” (2 Chronicles 1:7 NIV).