Get Wisdom Devotion

The theme for the upcoming GEMS season is Get Wisdom: Go beyond the Gold! It’s a theme topic that encourages girls and women to fear God and walk wisely on the highway of the upright. These are the verses that correspond to this theme: Proverbs 9:10 and Proverbs 16:16-17.

GET WISDOM: GO BEYOND THE GOLD!

How much better to get wisdom than gold, to choose understanding rather than silver!

Proverbs 16:16

Recently I watched a Francis Chan video where he pointed out the difference between knowing God’s Word and obeying it. He used the example of telling his daughter to go clean her room. What if his daughter came to him and said things like, “Hey, dad, I memorized the phrase, ‘Go clean your room.’” Or, “I can say ‘Go clean your room’ in Greek.” Or, “My friends and I are going to get together once a week and study what it means to go clean my room.” Obviously, none of those things matter until she does what she was told – cleans her room!

God tells us in His Word, that it is better to get wisdom than wealth. But is that what we are doing? Are we obeying that command? According to a July 2010 Barna Group report, “No!” There’s been a shift in American’s priorities. Since a 2006 study, Americans (I’m assuming this is true for North America as a whole) have an increased emphasis on “wealth, financial stability, money, professional attainment, success, and paying bills. These types of priorities have nearly doubled over the past four years.” What’s lost ground is the percentage of Americans who say their top priority is family and faith. “Despite the fact that more than three-quarters of adults identify themselves as Christians and nearly nine out of 10 Americans believe in God, matters of ‘faith’ are surprisingly rare when Americans choose their highest priority in life.”

Proverbs 16:16 says, How much better to get wisdom than gold, to choose understanding rather than silver! We can memorize that verse, learn it in Greek, study it as counselor teams, and within small groups of girls, but none of those things matter until we do what we’ve been told – go get wisdom!

There’s nothing necessarily wrong with owning things like gold, silver, or other items on our wish list. What God wants us to understand in these verses is that if we must make a choice between getting wisdom or getting things, choose wisdom! It’s the best choice! The things of this world won’t help us walk wisely or give true joy, but wisdom will. Proverbs 8:10-11, Choose my instruction instead of silver, knowledge rather than choice gold, for wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare with her.

What is it that you most desire? If Barna contacted you and asked what your highest priority is today, what would you say? Would your answer be proven or falsified by your choices, credit card receipts, and checkbook register?

Wisdom Step: If getting wealth has trumped getting wisdom in your life, what course correction will you make today?

If you want wisdom, you must “seek her as silver and search for her as for hidden treasures” (Proverbs 2:4). That means work! It means taking time to read, mediate, pray, and put truth into practice.

Warren W. Wiersbe

The Fear of the Lord

Many of you are finishing up your GEMS season and will be celebrating GEMS Sunday in the coming weeks after Easter, if you haven't already. Our "Feed the Fire" theme is coming to a close. I pray it has been exciting for you and your girls!

As you know, Tami & I recently attended a training workshop in Michigan to learn about the new theme (as well as other stuff) so that we can teach it to you at our next fall workshop. The theme is "Get Wisdom: Go Beyond the Gold" and I'm excited because I think there will be many ways you can implement the theme in your club. I hope to learn even more at conference in July!

Speaking of conference, are you coming to the 2011 conference in Colorado in July? It's not too late to sign up! It would be amazing to have a huge turnout from Area 3 and to experience the blessings of conference together! If you are wondering about signing up, let me know and I can help you out. I have a list of all the counselors from our Area who are registered, if you are looking for a roommate or anything.

Next year's theme will begin with trying to gather an understanding of the fear of the Lord. It says in Proverbs 9:10 that "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding." I think this is something that as counselors we will need to consider and study before we begin to explain it to our girls at GEMS. The following devotional is from Lenae Bulthuis, GEMS training manager, and is about this concept of the fear of the Lord. Let the Scriptures and thoughts begin to prepare your hearts.

THE FEAR OF THE LORD

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

Proverbs 9:10

On July 8, 1741 in Enfield, Connecticut, American theologian Jonathan Edwards preached the sermon, “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.” I was in middle school when it was first introduced to me and I sat wide-eyed at the imagery of the fierceness of God’s wrath. I closed my eyes as our teacher talked about the dreadful pit and the lake of burning brimstone. I opened them again to watch my instructor hold an imaginary spider on a slender thread above a raging fire as he quoted Edwards. “The God that holds you over the pit of hell, much as one holds a spider, or some loathsome insect over the fire, abhors you . . . it is nothing but His hand that holds you from falling into the fire every moment. Oh, sinner! Consider the fearful danger you are in.”

As I considered my personal peril, my heart sprinted into my loving Heavenly Father’s arms. I didn’t want to think on God’s burning anger. Instead I fixed my mind on the warmth of His grace, love, mercy, and forgiveness.

Looking back, I now realize that I mentally closed the door to the phrase, “the fear of the LORD.” Scripture and the Spirit have convicted me that we are not entitled to pick and choose who God is. He is both loving Heavenly Father and sovereign, righteous judge.

God is holy and perfect, almighty and absolute, and we must approach Him in a manner that is worthy of His name. To fear Him encapsulates a shrinking back in recognition of the holiness, power, and autonomy of God and a drawing close in awe, reverence, and worship. We don’t fear to be in His presence as much as we fear to be out of it!

Sadly, Romans 3:18 accurately describes our culture today. There is no fear of God before their eyes. Psalm 36 repeats the lament, I have a message from God in my heart concerning the sinfulness of the wicked; There is no fear of God before their eyes. In their own eyes they flatter themselves too much to detect or hate their sin. The words of their mouths are wicked and deceitful; they have ceased to be wise and to do good (vs. 1-3, TNIV).

In neglecting to fear God and His judgment, the world has gone wild instead of wise. Studies indicate there is little difference between how Christians make major decisions and live day-to-day when compared to secular society.

Now is the time for us to get wisdom and it begins by rightly understanding and living out what it means to fear the LORD.

Wisdom Step: Do a Bible word study on “the fear of the LORD.” Ask God to let that reverential fear keep you from sin and help you get wisdom.

Until you fear God and have a deep desire to follow Him you won’t care much about wisdom.

Jan Boone

ACTS Training

Hello dear counselors! I am in Michigan, having just finished up my ACTS training to prepare for the 2011-2012 GEMS year! I know it's hard to think about next year because you're finishing up this year and working on GEMS Sunday and all that. I just wanted you to know that Tami & I enjoyed our training, learned lots, and that we are praying for you as you finish up this year. May God grant you energy and PASSION in abundance for the remainder of your GEMS year.

I personally would love to connect with the Club Coordinators that are in my part of WA state - maybe Mount Vernon and northward to start with? Anyone interested in getting together for breakfast or coffee to close out the year? Or would it be better to meet in the summer after a bit of a break and then join together to share ideas for the upcoming year? Please feel free to comment or shoot me an email and let me know what you think.

Tami & I are also praying that more of you will be able to come to the conference in Denver in July. It is NOT TOO LATE to register! We'd love to have you there and it is an awesome experience that you will not regret! Let me know if you're still interested!!

As we all finish up our GEMS season and the theme of "Feed the Fire", let's be intentional about praying for all the GEMS clubs in our area and for our own clubs. Pray for energy for counselors, good attitudes for the girls, and that our hearts will remain on fire for Jesus throughout the summer.

Lastly, a huge THANK YOU to all of the counselors in Area 3 for your commitment and dedication to GEMS Girls Clubs and to your girls. Your relationship with those girls is helping them build their relationship with Jesus Christ and that is a gift for eternity. Thank you.