I need this

I hope it is a good week for you

Intro: This week my wife total me looked at this weight loss plan and said

I need change in my life

I focused on a challenge I see as pastor (attendance) and in reading I was confronted by a need for change in myself

Do you see problems in your life?

It’s the same as me I problem with an addiction

Stuck in a pattern where life is not getting better

No problems but I really want to keep it going.

Forrest Gump Said Stupid is as stupid does

If Stupid is as stupid does, than learning what smart does can change me.

If Stupid is as stupid does, than learning what smart does can change me.

I was chatting with Gary Pierson when his wisdom ...

Proverbs 1:2–7 CEV

2 Proverbs will teach you wisdom and self-control and how to understand sayings with deep meanings. 3 You will learn what is right and honest and fair. 4 From these, an ordinary person can learn to be smart, and young people can gain knowledge and good sense. 5 If you are already wise, you will become even wiser. And if you are smart, you will learn to understand 6 proverbs and sayings, as well as words of wisdom and all kinds of riddles. 7 Respect and obey the Lord! This is the beginning of knowledge. Only a fool rejects wisdom and good advice.

Proverbs 1:2-7

When I read these verses I immediately thought about what is happening in our church right now, as we get ready to embark on small groups intentionally on Sunday.

We want a church that loves God, but loves others.

Antonio Brown just was fired by the Oakland Raiders yesterday. It began when he was a great receiver playing in Pittsburgh.

We want to be loved by other people and it should start here.

He facebook lived as we are doing the locker room coach talk.

Loving others isn’t easy.

we already said we are screwed up, right?

But if we are screwed up how are we going to change? How are we going to be smart .

A year later he got so mad at his quarterback in practice he threw a football at him and refused to practice.

The wisdom of the Lord is for us to turn our eyes toward loving others

I was having a tough day Friday

Few staff, struggling with so much to get done,

Then he demanded to change teams or he would retire.

I got stuck with a student, who doesn’t use the bathroom

These small groups are going to teach you some Godly wisdom from the word of God and they are going to teach you some Godly wisdom from God working through other people.

Again he was a great player

Raiders traded for him

He got frostbite on his toes from a special cyrochamber in France

He wouldn’t play because his helmet was too old to be approved

He threatened to quit after helmet

He then got fined for not practicing and then posted the letter of his fine to social media

He then got fined over $250,000

Then he demanded to be released aka fired, let out of his contract

Proverbs 1:4 CEV

4 From these, an ordinary person can learn to be smart, and young people can gain knowledge and good sense.

Proverbs 14:16–17 CSB

16 A wise person is cautious and turns from evil, but a fool is easily angered and is careless. 17 A quick-tempered person acts foolishly, and one who schemes is hated.

Antonio Brown and all of us can learn from God and scripture

But what does it take?

But what does it take?

Proverbs 1:7 CSB

7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and discipline.

Fear of the Lord is not a Halloween thing. It is a humble respect.

I think of NCIS and Gibbs, a mentor detective that nobody wants to cross because they are just afraid of him being furious with them or and more importantly losing his respect and love.

In so doing they will sit listen and do what he asks of them to do

But the opposite is a person who knows everything, who believes they know what they need to do.

I haven’t met an addict who didn’t have an idea or plan or realization of what they needed to do to get clean or get healthy but also had all the belief of why it wouldn’t work or wasn’t for them.

Like a rich, wealthy person who thinks they need nothing

A person who wonders what can God do for them? Why do they need a God?

If you’re there, than that’s the end of discussion.

You can’t reason with a classroom of teenagers who believe they know more than you.

There was a man when I was at Baylor who told me to save 10% of everything I made. If I had listened to that man I would be much richer today.

But I believe I had all the wisdom I needed

Today you have opportunity to begin a new life.

We are about to begin 3 great small groups teaching incredible Biblical wisdom

And we are also going to include in these groups brilliant people from all walks of life who are going to blow your mind with life changing God questions and wisdom are you ready for some real life ancient and modern proverbs?

Proverbs 1:4–6 CSB

4 for teaching shrewdness to the inexperienced, knowledge and discretion to a young man— 5 let a wise person listen and increase learning, and let a discerning person obtain guidance— 6 for understanding a proverb or a parable, the words of the wise, and their riddles.

Proverbs 1:4–5 CEV

4 From these, an ordinary person can learn to be smart, and young people can gain knowledge and good sense. 5 If you are already wise, you will become even wiser. And if you are smart, you will learn to understand

Proverbs 1:4–5 The Message

4 To teach the inexperienced the ropes and give our young people a grasp on reality. 5 There’s something here also for seasoned men and women,

Whomever you are, if you will approach with a humble heart the fear of what God is going to teach you

Than you will learn that God will teach you

Woman is more directly out of Proverbs speaking directly to women

My grandmother.

Anxiety -

Proverbs 14:12 CSB

12 There is a way that seems right to a person, but its end is the way to death.

How People Grow - I was in a small group and met a homeless man, who I thought I knew more than. (Chris)

He went to jail and we read this book together. When he came out sober and returned to his home and his life, he said this book changed his life

The only thing that will stop us is the lack of humility towards God and each other to see that we need more wisdom. We need more of what God has to give you us through small groups.

Dedicate yourself to regularly attend these groups, every week, for one hour, humble yourself to heal and change.