1/15/12 The power of companionship/collaboration
DO HARD THINGS TOUR
Session 4 – The Power of Companionship/Collaboration
January 15, 2012
1. 3 Biblical Principles about Biblical companionship (Alex Harris)
a. Not just alone
i. 2 Timothy 2:22 “Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.”
ii. 1 horse can pull 2500 lbs. 2 horses can pull 12,500 lbs.
iii. Ecclesiastes 4:12 “Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken.”
iv. Proverbs 27:17 “As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.”
b. Not just with peers
i. Proverbs 13:20 “Whoever walks with wise men will be wise, but the companion of fools will be destroyed.”
ii. 1 Corinthians 15:33 “Do not be deceived: ‘Evil company corrupts good habits.’”
iii. Ephesians 6:1-3
iv. 1 Kings 12: 6-18 Rehoboam-negative example. Rejected the counsel of Solomon (his father)’s advisors and elders and immediately lost the kingdom.
c. Not just with people
What other non-human companions do we spend time with?
Books, music, podcasts, websites, media.
In 1998, the average American spends 9.5 hours a day watching TV, movies, surfing the web.
We should read, watch, listen with the same care that we choose our friends.
2. Rebelutionary Partnership between Wisdom and Strength (Gregg Harris)
Proverbs 20:29 “The glory of young men is their strength, and the splendor of old men is their gray head.”
Proverbs 16:31 “The silver-haired head is a crown of glory, if it is found in the way of righteousness.”
Wisdom tends to accumulate. This is the wisdom that comes from life experience.
3. 7 Practical Encouragements (Brett Harris)
a. You must have a hero. Human-shaped target or mentor to inspire and encourage you.
b. Make friends with dead people. Read books by dead authors (e.g. Francis Shaeffer)
c. Take advantage … (www.rebelution.com , http://www.facebook.com/pages/Alex-and-Brett-Harris/215401971172, http://www.myspace.com/dohardthings )
d. Find the secret rebelutionaries by being an obvious rebelutionary.
What if God wants to use you to light that spark in other teens?
e. Seek out godly, wise individuals in your life and ask “When you were my age, what do you wish you would have known?” “What do you wish someone had told you?”
f. Don’t live a victim mentality. Get to know God, the ultimate companion. He is your Father. Christ is your brother. The God of grace is not absent. He’s sufficient even if you have none of the above supports.
g. Change something.
i. Structural change. (Move the furniture around, cut cable TV?, etc.)
ii. Choose a project or something to get rid of, form a plan of action, tell someone about it, ask someone to help you, and then do it
4. Leslie and Lauren (H2O)
2 Corinthians 12:9-10