45-Be a Better Friend

Do Better Be Better

Wisdom for Life from Solomon

Proverbs 2:2-4

“…a true friend is closer than your family.” Proverbs 18:24 (CEV)

 

David went and got Jonathan’s son and took care of him.

 

 

Make time for friendships

“If you can help your neighbor now, don’t say, ‘Come back tomorrow, and then I’ll help you.’ Proverbs 3:28 (NLT)

 

Don’t run when life changes 

“Never abandon a friend – either yours or your father’s. When disaster strikes, you won’t have to ask your brother for assistance. It’s better to go to a neighbor than to a brother who lives far away.” Proverbs 27:10 (NLT)

 

A true friend walks in when everyone else walks out.

 

Practice Impartial Friendship

Don’t treat one friend one way and another friend another way.

 

“Many people want to please a leader, and everyone is friends with those who give gifts.” Proverbs 19:6 (NCV)

 

“Wealth makes many ‘friends’; poverty drives them all away .” Proverbs 19:4 (NLT)

 

“The poor are despised even by their neighbor, while the rich have many ‘friends.’ It is a sin to belittle one’s neighbor; blessed are those who help the poor.” Proverbs 14:20-21 (NLT)

 

Don’t take your friends for granted. 

“Don’t visit your neighbor too often, or you will wear out your welcome.” Proverbs 25:17 (NLT)

 

Be in your friend’s corner if they are not there to defend themselves. 

“A friend is always loyal…” Proverbs 17:17a (NLT)

 

“Whoever forgives someone’s sin make a friend, but gossiping about the sin breaks up friendships.” Proverbs 17:9 (NCV)

The anti-Social Media scripture.

 

“It is foolish to belittle ones neighbor; a sensible person keeps quiet.” Proverbs 11:12 (NLT)

Tamala R. Maddox, Ph. D.

Principal

R.F. Bumpus Middle School

45 – Do Better, Be Better

Proverbs 2: 2 – 4 (NLT)

Tune your ears to wisdom and concentrate on understanding

Concentrate

Cry out

Seek them

Do something

 

Jumpstart to A Better Life

 

3 Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. 4 Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man. Proverbs 3:3-4 (NIV)

 

LOVE

The Hebrew word denotes loving kindness. The KJV translates the word, “mercy”

Love is a connector to Heaven

 

FAITHFULNESS

Indicates the character quality of being consistent for the long haul

Adhering to the same principles all the time no matter who’s around

In the Hebrew word it is TRUTH…..trustworthy

Hinder progress when we’re unfaithful

 

FAVOR

Gained by being loving and faithful

The Hebrew word means delight, acceptance, and pleasure. Favor is when God and others delight in you, accept you, and are pleased by you.

 

The excuses we make for not being loving and faithful

We’re blocking our own favor

It’s easy to be unfaithful.  It’s hard to be faithful.

Hard to make sure you keep your word all the time.

1. It takes effort.

“The lazy person claims, ‘There’s a lion on the road! Yes, I’m sure there’s a lion out there!'” Proverbs 26:13 (NLT)

 

2. Life is hard.

We make it harder by not being loving and faithful.

“People with good understanding will be well liked, but the lives of those who are not trustworthy are hard.” Proverbs 13:15 (NLT)

 

3. We’re stressed out.

We fight against the currents in our lives.  We fight against the natural flow.  Life doesn’t have to be as hard as we make it.

18 There are three things that amaze me – no, four things that I don’t understand; 19 how an eagle glides through the sky; how a snake slithers on a rock; how a ship navigates the ocean, how a man loves a woman Proverbs 30:18 – 19 (NLT)

 

How to succeed at love and faithfulness

“Depend on the Lord in whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.” Proverbs 16:3 (NCV)

 

5 Trust the Lord with all your heart, and don’t depend on your own understanding. 6 Remember the Lord in all you do, and he will give you success. Proverbs 3: 5 – 6 (NCV)

 

Don’t take your own counsel.  Find someone who knows.

 

 

Tamala R. Maddox, Ph.D.

Principal

R.F. Bumpus Middle School

45 – Do Better, Be Better
Wisdom for Life from Solomon
Proverbs 2:2-4 (NLT)

A Better Life

The Role Communication Plays in our Happiness & Success:

A. Our communication can stop anger or start it.

“A gentle answer will calm a person’s anger, but an unkind will cause more anger.” Proverbs 15:1 (NCV)

B. Our communication can wound others or heal them.

“Careless words stab like a sword, but wise words bring healing.” Proverbs 12:18 (NCV)

C. Our communication can mean life or death.

“What you say can mean life or death. Those who speak with care will be rewarded.” Proverbs 18:21 (NCV)

D. Our communication can bring inspiration to others.

“The right word spoken at the right time is as beautiful as gold apples in a silver bowl.” Proverbs 25:11 (NCV)

Solomon’s steps to successful communication.

1. Speak in ways that help others. “The good acquire a taste for helpful conversations; bullies push and shove their way through life.” Proverbs 15:2 (Message)

2. Fill your mind with wisdom in order to speak persuasively. “From a wise mind comes wise speech; the words of the wise are persuasive.” Proverbs 16:23 (NLT)

3. Listen before speaking. “Anyone who answers without listening is foolish and confused.” Proverbs 18:13 (NCV)

4. Think before speaking. “There is more hope for a fool than for someone who speaks without thinking.” Proverbs 29:20 (NLT)

5. Don’t talk too much. “If you talk a lot, you are sure to sin; If you are wise , you will keep quiet. Proverbs 10:19 (NCV)

Benefits:
Fulfillment “Everyone enjoys a fitting reply; it is wonderful to say the right thing at the right time.” Proverbs 15:23 (NLT)

Friendship “Whoever loves pure thoughts and kind words will have even the king as a friend.” Proverbs 22:11 (NCV)

Fitness “Those who control their tongue will have a long life…” Proverbs 13:3a (NLT)

Tamala R. Maddox, Ph. D.
Principal
R. F. Bumpus Middle School

 

45 – The Power of Prayer
Matthew 18:18-20

Jesus conferred the same authority to his disciples in chapter 16, the same authority he had on Earth.

Jesus taught his disciples what was important through repetition.

Power of prayer is underutilized. It is misused and abused.

When there’s conflict with another:
Go to the brother
Go get two witnesses
Bring it before the church

Prayer has:
Divided seas
Turned rocks into water
Shut the jaws of lions
Stopped the course of the moon
Burst open iron gates
Conquered
Controlled the raging passions of men
Brought a man from the bottom of the sea
Soothed crying babies
Guided surgeons hands
Saved marriages

But we still don’t know how it works

You have an expectation that when you pray, God will hear you

Surely if you can have faith that a cell phone will work, you can have faith in Jesus

Binding and loosing
We have limitations on prayer. Has to be within His will.

Don’t think of heaven as a place but as a space.

Prayer is the bridge that locks us into that sphere we call heaven

Heaven can be controlled by what we do on Earth. You can connect with me in this sphere if you ask me to.

Heaven is not just future, it is present. You have power through prayer.

Jesus has given all of us the authority to bind and loose through prayer. We are not using it. Because we live under the power of Grace so evil cannot prevail.  Romans6:14

I. Prayer is Powerful but mysterious

II. Prayer is greatly multiplied by unity – why we need to be in a fellowship of believers (right thinking folks); one of you can chase 1000 but two can chase 10,000. We exponentially empower when we’re together.

Agree-stand together
To sound together-to harmonize

III. The true power of Prayer is
God the Son
Praying to God the Father
In the power of God the Spirit and the prayer room is your heart.

Tamala R. Maddox, Ph. D.
Principal
R. F. Bumpus Middle School

45 – Lifeline: Experiencing God’s Power Through Prayer.

Mr. Big Stuff

Disciples only asked Jesus to teach them how to pray

Luke 18:10-14

There’s a right and wrong way to pray effectively.

Pharisee thought he was Mr. Big Stuff. God wants us to love Him.

Arrogant – Insulting attitude; thinking you are better, smarter or more important than others

Tendency to measure your worth when comparing yourself to other people.

Are you comparing yourself to others?

All Pharisees in scripture aren’t bad. Just this one.

Pharisee – member of Jewish faith set apart to maintain and further the divine cause.

Other person was a tax collector. He was as despised as the Pharisee was honored. Seen as extortioners and traitors.

Matthew was a tax collector.

Jesus took negative people and made them the hero. Master of juxtaposition.

Pharisee uses “I” seven times in his prayer. Be careful when you talk about you too much. He’s not really praying…..he’s reading his resume. God wants you to be confident but not boastful or look down on others. He stood in the temple…..bold. Trusting only in himself, not God.

Tax collector hung out in the back of the temple. He had wealth but that doesn’t make you right. He knew he was wrong. He felt unworthy and like a criminal. Still came to the temple though he was despised because he knew that’s where his healing would come from.

Jesus said the tax collector went home justified.

So, what’s the Spirit you pray with?

How should you pray?
Humble yourself
Contrite Spirit
Repentant heart

Luke 18:14
Exalt yourself and you will be humble

Humble yourself and you will be exalted.

Tamala R. Maddox, Ph. D.
Principal
R. F. Bumpus Middle School