Do you want your life to really count for eternity? Do you want to use your life to the fullest?

Do you want your life to really count for eternity?

Do you want to use your life to the fullest?

Do you want your work to have permanent,

intergenerational fruit?

Last fall I did a series entitled Artisanship and the Lifelong Pursuit of

Wisdom.

I left you with a 9-month challenge, at the end of

the series.

Project Over the Next 9 Months

Over the next 9 months, develop two habits:

• the 7th Priority habit

• the 4th Generation habit

We are going to provide several opportunities:

1. Sunday morning training

2. Planned midweek opportunities (monthly events, retreats, etc.)

3. Natural small groups encouraged (coordinate with midweek leaders)

4. SIMA and Your LifeWork Program

After much reflection, we decided to return to the

9-month challenge and work on it as a whole

church.

Several of you suggested it: (Wells), Leading Women’s Group, Doug, Steve Kemp’s message of your reflections on last year’s experience.

ORC 9-Month Focus

1. Sunday morning Skillful Life Series (Preaching the 65 categories)

2. Wednesday evening Midweeks—Artisan course (Practicing the skillful life categories)

3. Launching SIMA and Your LifeWork (3-year program)

4. Providing opportunities for 2 other lifework courses:a. Lifen: Life Stewardship in Community

b. Seek the Welfare of the City

5. As leadership, we will sit down with anyone in the summer months and review your lifework plans.

Let’s begin by returning to where

we left off at the end of November.

Artisanship and the Lifelong Pursuit of Wisdom

Part I Artisanship: Mastering Your Craft (3 messages)Part II The Skillful Life (6 messages)Part III The Lifelong Pursuit of Wisdom (2 messages)


Part I Artisanship: Mastering Your Craft (3 messages)

We each have need of wisdomSkill in our professionSkill in our LifeWork

Wisdom (hokmah) = skill in living


Part II The Skillful Life (6 messages)

There is a wisdom corpus (body of literature) in the O.T.It gives us a taxonomy (disciplined framework) by which to live life, which is illustrated in the following 2 charts.

We must master this wisdom body of literature!

The Wisdom Corpus

Proverbs Skill in Life

Mental Acumen

(discipline)

(understanding)

(insight)

(knowledge)

(discernment)

(prudence)

(wisdom)

Fear of the Lord

Prov 1:7

Song of Solomon Marriage

Eccl. Meaning

Job Crises

Core Life Skills 65 Categories Tool

One leading a skillful life

…living harmoniously in community

…respect for authority and administration

…kinds of generations

…justice

…a habit of lifelong learning

…character development

• character types• character traits• mental acumen

…disciplined in work…honest and fair

practices…good use of

money

…well ordered home…an excellent wife…discipline of

children

…dealing wisely and fairly with people

…control of emotions and words

...handling conflict

33

6

6

14

6


Basics of a Skillful Life (A Perfect Taxonomy)B. Character and Mental AcumenC. Money, Honesty, and Disciplined Work HabitsD. Marriage, Children, and an Ordered HomeE. Emotions, Words, and Skill in ConflictF. Authority, Respect, and Generational Harmony

Pursuing wisdom, in this series, means mastering

this wisdom corpus.


Part III The Lifelong Pursuit of Wisdom

10. Permanence to the Work of Your Hands11. Mastering the 65 Categories

At the heart of the lifelong pursuit of wisdom is Proverbs. We have observed 5 major groupings with 65 subcategories. Let’s return again to our chart.

Core Life Skills 65 Categories Tool

One leading a skillful life

…living harmoniously in community

…respect for authority and administration

…kinds of generations

…justice

…a habit of lifelong learning

…character development

• character types• character traits• mental acumen

…disciplined in work…honest and fair

practices…good use of

money

…well ordered home…an excellent wife…discipline of

children

…dealing wisely and fairly with people

…control of emotions and words

...handling conflict

43

6

6

4

6

Let’s review these 65 categories, which we

listed at the end of each of the 5 studies in the heart of this series.

Core Life Skills A Lifelong Habit of Learning, Character

Development 43 Subcategories

Importance of Character

Character Traits (16)

Character Types (10)

Plans/Decision-Making

Role of Discipline and Reproof

Mental Acumen (12)



Character Traits (16)

Ambitious, confident, dependable, diligent, disciplined, fair, generous, gentle, honest, humble, patient, pure, self-controlled, teachable, merciful, pleasant

Character Types (10)

Naïve, fool (1), fool (2), scoffer, proud, sluggard, seductress, angry man, flatterer/gossip/schemer, wicked



Mental Acumen (12)

Wisdom, instruction, wise behavior, righteousness, justice, equity, understanding, prudence, knowledge, discretion, learning, wise counsel

Core Life Skills Money, Honesty, and Disciplined Work Habits

6 subcategories

Work Habits (see also the category: The Sluggard)

Use of Money, Business Ethics

Investments and Inheritance

Success, Prosperity, Security

Generosity, Gifts

Rich, Poor

Core Life Skills Marriage, Children, and an Ordered Home

6 subcategories

Building a House

Importance of an Excellent Wife

Nagging Wives

Instructing/Disciplining Children

Honoring Parents

Grandchildren/Old Age

Core Life Skills Emotions, Words, and Skill in Conflict

4 subcategories

The Careful Use of Words

Conflict and Strife

Counsel and Reproof

Understanding and Controlling Emotions


4 subcategories


Unpleasant Emotions: anger

discouragement /sorrow fear/anxiety envy/jealousy bitterness /envy/revenge


4 subcategories


Pleasant Emotions: happiness/joy/laughter

love security/peace satisfaction/delight/prosperous/healthy respected

Core Life Skills Authority, Respect, and Generational Harmony

6 subcategories

Leaders (Kings, Courtiers)

Honor, humility, and power in high places

Corruption and injustice

Rights of the poor and oppression

Citizenry, living harmoniously in community (friends and neighbors; enemies; master, slave, employer and employee; response to leaders)

Kinds of generations

How do I go about mastering them? It

seems like we just skimmed over the top. It would take a long time

to master them.

My thesis is that its takes more than a long time to master them. It takes a

lifetime.

We must cycle back through the wisdom

literature several times during our lifetime.

Let me explain the basic idea.

The Idea: Cycle Through the Wisdom Literature 4 Times in a Lifetime

Child Youth (Naïve) Wise Wiser0 12 25 40 70/80

Guide for life direction

as an emerging adult

• gain common sense• shrewd, world-wise

behavior• a clear head and

focus

Proverbs 1–9, 31EcclesiastesSong of Solomon

Guide for establishing in community

young adults study together in community

• ability to manage life skillfully

• ability to deal wisely with people

Proverbs 10:1–22:16

Guide for counseling & leading

mature adults study together in community & as leaders

Proverbs 22:17–24:34Proverbs 25:1–29:27Proverbs 30:1–33EcclesiastesJob

• ability to see below the surface to real underlying issues

• acquire and assimilate complex counsel

• solve complex problems

Guide for basic training taught by parents

• fear of the Lord• train up• discipline

Appropriate Proverbs

Study Process

1. Cycle through books as you progress through life

• young adult• young family• later transitions

2. Create own categories3. Use guide during difficult

times and study deeper

Skillful Life Cycle Guides

Cycle 1: ChildhoodMemorize and concentrate on sections on “the fear of the Lord” and the most basic proverbs in 10:1–22:17.

Cycle 2: YouthMemorize and concentrate on sections in Proverbs 1–9 and foundations in Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, and Job.


Cycle 3: Early/Middle AdulthoodMaster Proverbs 10:1–22:17 and first major study of the Proverbs clusters from 22:17 on; master the Song of Solomon.


Cycle 4: Later AdulthoodReview Proverbs 10:1–22:17; master the clusters; master Ecclesiastes and Job.


Now let me introduce you to The Skillful Life: 65 Categories in Proverbs.

It is taken from The 4th Generation Life Cycle System.

Part 1: The 65 Categories

Part 2: The Life Cycle Guides

A. Instructions on using the life cycle guides

B. Quarterly Planning Guide

C. Annual Planning Template

D. Examples of 4 Types of Life Cycle Guides

It contains the following material:

Front of Life Cycle Guide— Proverbs Worksheet

Cycle 3: Young & Middle AdulthoodProverbs Worksheet

Proverb _______________Date __________________

Explanation of Proverb:

Issue & Questions:

Issue: ______________________________

Questions:

1. ________________________2. ________________________3. ________________________4. ________________________

List the proverb and the date you began to study it.

Format the proverb in a way that reflects its parallelism.

Then write out the meaning of the proverb in your own words.

State the main issue of the proverb in a phrase and then a set of questions to explore the implications of the issue.

Life Situation

Projects

Memory Verse

Illustrations—Find an illustration of the truth of the proverb from Scripture, or great literature/stories, biographies, current events, (magazines, newspapers), movies, TV, etc.

Projects—Think of projects such as books to read, movies to watch, family ministry projects, places to visit, etc.

Record the proverb—In your favorite translation, choose a category for it, and memorize it.

Category Proverb

Long term prayer request /

answers

Note: Develop a 3 x 5 card system, beginning with the 65 categories in this system; then gradually create your own categories system.

Front of 3 x 5 Memory Card

Back of 3 x 5 Memory Card

Back of Life Cycle Guide—Proverbs Worksheet

Quarterly Planning Guide

The Skillful Life (65 Categories)Quarterly Planning Guide

Peruse the 65 Categories

Select Individual Proverbs------------- ------------ --------------

------------- ------------ --------------

------------- ------------ --------------

------------- ------------ ---------------

etc.

Record any particular categories of interest for the coming quarter—drawn from life questions, challenges or problems surfacing; areas of your personal development or interest; and areas of need or interest of your children or grandchildren.

Use this space to either plan proverbs for the quarter or to keep track of the proverbs you study week by week.

Annual Planning Template

4th Generation Life Cycle Annual Planning Template

Childhood Youth Young/Middle Later Adulthood

List categories (from the 65) that you would like to address with your children over the entire year.

List the categories (from the 65) that you would like to address with your teens over the coming year. If you plan on studying Proverbs 1–9, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, or Job this year, record that as well.

List categories (from the 65) that you want to study in the coming year as you build your family, ministry, and lifework. Also note if you want to begin mastering any of the wisdom books in preparation for marriage, in early marriage, during times of crises, or in preparation for the teen years.

List any wisdom areas you have studied but would like to study more in depth, as well as at least one of the proverbs clusters from Proverbs 22:17–30:33 per year. Also focus on proverbs dealing with heritage issues.

Let me tell you a little of my own story here. I have worked on this stuff my

whole life.

It began in my apprenticeship— exposure

to Waltke.

My personal notebook, 1972–74.

It continued through a cycle a “series of series”

1978 Proverbs 1–9

1985 Extensive 2-year Wisdom Lit. Series

1991 SIMA and Art Miller

1995 7th Priority

1996 4th Generation

2003 Lifen Series (replaces 7th)

2005 Seek the Welfare Series

2006 Artisanship Series (replaces 4th)

Lifen replaces the 7th Priority

Artisanship course replaces the 4th Generation

My 34-Year Mentor: Dr.

Bruce WaltkeA Theology of Proverbs notes, lectures (1972–85)

Dallas SeminaryLater Regent in Vancouver

The Book of Proverbs: (NICOT) 1,278 pages

I am on my 3rd cycle through.

Will you begin your life cycles now by taking midweek seriously the next 6 months?

As emerging adults

As parents

As maturing adults

As older men and women

Documents

Do you want your life to really count for eternity? Do you want to use your life to the fullest?