Live Smart: Preparing for the Future God Wants for You

By Dan Dumas and R. Albert Mohler

A Guide to Living Wisely While You're Young

As a professor and youth director, author Dan Dumas has seen that young people have high expectations for themselves. They want their lives to matter, and there's no reason our expectations for them should be any different.

This book presents practical tools and biblical advice to middle school and high school-aged readers so they can make the most of their youth. It covers everything from making the right friendships to how to think about education and how to invest in their relationships with God. The habits a person forms when they're young can last a lifetime--now's the time to make it count.

This book is ideal for parents and youth pastors to give to young people to read on their own or study in groups.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Baker Publishing Group
• Release date: Apr 5, 2016
• ISBN: 9781441230164

Book preview

© 2016 by Dan Dumas

Published by Bethany House Publishers

11400 Hampshire Avenue South

Bloomington, Minnesota 55438

www.bethanyhouse.com

Bethany House Publishers is a division of

Baker Publishing Group, Grand Rapids, Michigan

www.bakerpublishinggroup.com

Ebook edition created 2016

Ebook corrections 09.06.2018

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—for example, electronic, photocopy, recording—without the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is on file at the Library of Congress, Washington, DC.

ISBN 978-1-4412-3016-4

Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2007

Scripture quotations identified NASB are from the New American Standard Bible®, copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. (www.Lockman.org)

Cover design by Darren Welch Design

Author is represented by Wolgemuth & Associates.

"Live Smart is a conversational book packed full of wit and wisdom for younger readers. Buy it for the students you care about. It might contribute to the kinds of conversations that change the very trajectory of their lives."

—Dan DeWitt, Dean of Boyce College, author of Christ or Chaos

"We all need godly wise counselors in our lives to point the way to the most God-glorifying path. Live Smart serves as that voice, giving clear direction for the journey you are beginning. Listen intently, learn deeply, love strongly, and live godly. You only have one life to live, live to the glory of God with all your might!"

—Steven J. Lawson, President, OnePassion Ministries, Dallas, TX

The growth in wisdom over time brings with it an unrequited desire for our future selves to urge our younger selves to walk a better, more God-honoring path. Humility demands that we root out unbelief and walk humbly in faithful service to our Savior and King. This book takes dead aim at worldly expectations and reminds us of the old paths wherein we find true life (Jeremiah 6:16).

—Chris Larson, President of Ligonier Ministries

"Dan Dumas underestimates the target audience of Live Smart. Yes, it is helpful for teenagers and young adults, but it is wise, biblical counsel for anyone seeking to live a life for God’s glory—and for those seeking to influence others to do the same. I wish Dumas had written this book, and given it to me, years ago."

—Jason Allen, President of Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary & College

"As I read this book, I thought, I can’t wait to put this in the hands of my sons. This book has a unique combination of having a relatable author, a foundation that is biblical, guidance that is essential, and steps for implementation that are practical. I am thankful for this valuable work by such a gifted communicator of God’s truth to young people today."

—Eric Bancroft, Senior Pastor, Castleview Baptist Church

"Live Smart is a great guide for anyone who wants to discover what it means to really follow Jesus. Every young Christian needs to read Dan’s book!"

—Russ Lee, Singer/Songwriter for the group NewSong

Dan Dumas is an organizational genius, brimming with wisdom and creativity. I have often sought counsel from him about practical leadership questions in my own life. Now we have a book that makes such counsel available to anyone. This book will help you get your life together and will inspire you to get out of whatever rut you find yourself in with understandable steps of how to proceed. I commend this book to everyone from the stressed corporate executive to the college student seeking to plan out his or her life.

—Russell Moore, President, Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention

Dedicated to

my beloved sons, Aidan and Elijah,

future intentional leaders

Contents

Cover    1

Title Page    2

Copyright Page    3

Endorsements    4

Dedication    5

Foreword    9

Acknowledgments    11

Introduction: A Bear, a Lion, and You    13

Part One: You + God    17

1. Fear God    19

2. Know the Bible and Pray Like Crazy    29

3. Love the Church    39

Part Two: You + Others    47

4. Submit to Authority    49

5. Serve Others    57

6. Seek Mentors    65

7. Choose Friends Wisely    73

Part Three: You + Yourself    79

8. Take More Risks    81

9. Work Hard    87

10. Make Character King    95

11. Flee Sexual Immorality    103

12. Embrace Correction    109

Part Four: You + the Gospel    117

13. Know the Gospel    119

14. Speak, Defend, and Spread the Gospel    127

Conclusion: Into the Deep    135

Notes    139

Back Cover    144

Foreword

What difference can a book make?

When I was a teenager, a wise older friend put it to me straight: At the end of the day, much of who you are will be decided by the people you know and the books you read.

This is a book that can make a real difference in your life, right now. Dan Dumas is a man who wants to make an impact in the world with his life, and he wants to help you to make an impact as well.

Where does it all start? Well, for the Christian, it all begins with seeking wisdom. This was King Solomon’s great desire, and it should be ours as well. When Solomon asked God for wisdom, God gave it. We have much of the wisdom God gave to Solomon in the book of Proverbs, right in the middle of the Bible. Right after the Psalms, is a book all about wisdom.

Live Smart takes you through the wisdom God gave to Solomon, summarized into fourteen timeless principles for life—the kind of life that makes a difference in the world, and the kind of life that pleases God.

The greatest tragedy that can happen to any of us is to miss out on God’s plan for our life. In this book, Dan Dumas walks you through these fourteen principles and shows how each principle can be real in your own life. Powerfully real.

When I read a book, I want to have confidence that the author knows what he is talking about. Dan Dumas is the right man to write this book. He is a leader and he is a man who helps others lead. He wants you to be a leader as well, and he wants you to live out God’s plan for your life to its fullest.

Live Smart will make a difference in your life. You will really like how Dan Dumas writes about his own experiences gaining wisdom, and they were often painful lessons. He makes every one of these principles come to life, and he grounds every principle in the perfect wisdom of the Bible.

I never had the opportunity to know King Solomon. I missed him by about 3,000 years. Dan Dumas, on the other hand, I know very well. I know him as a committed Christian and I get to watch him as a man of character, a powerful leader, a teacher, a husband, a father, and a man of boundless energy. More than that, I know him as a friend. When you read this book, you will see why I am so thankful for this friend.

Read this book and mark it up. Underline what seems most important and pray about what you read. Be determined to make a difference for Christ and be determined to start right now.

Read smart. Be smart. Live Smart—all to the glory of God.

R. Albert Mohler Jr.

December 22, 2015

Acknowledgments

First and foremost, I want to thank my wife, Jane. She is patient, kind, and unconditionally loving toward me. Our forever love is what keeps me going. The way she lives the Christian life and the hard work she puts into raising our boys shine as an example and inspiration to me. Aidan and Elijah, my boys and our future, thank you for patiently listening to me work these truths out in our everyday lives. I pray they will find a home in your character and leadership.

I am deeply indebted to Matt and Anna Damico. Anna served as my executive assistant at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, and helped me champion Christ’s hospitality and excellence on the campus. I want to express special gratitude to Matt, who is an especially gifted thinker and writer. Matt’s prose, collaboration, and precision made this book possible. You are unmatched in helping me set the tone for this book. I am forever indebted to the countless hours and zeal you put into this project. You are an amazing servant of the King.

I am so thankful for my executive team, Charles (C.T.) Eldridge and Rachel Hunter, who are two of the finest leaders and servants of Christ. They continually make my life simple by handling all the logistics and strategy of our office, and have been especially instrumental in seeing this project to the finish line.

I am grateful for my VP Team at Southern Seminary. They are indomitable: full of ideas, always thinking outside

Reviews for Live Smart

[robsumrall · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Dan Dumas loves students. That fact shines through in every chapter of Live Smart: Preparing for he Future God Wants for You. Dumas offers 14 short chapters of advice rooted in Proverbs for his young audience. In the four sections of the book, he focuses on the reader's relationship with God, with others, with themselves, and with the Gospel. If you are looking for a theological treatise, you pulled a book from the wrong shelf. Live Smart is written on a popular level for a young audience. But that does not mean it doesn't contain powerful, crisp Biblical wisdom. It is packed with boots-on-the-ground advice that young people need to consider as they transition into adulthood. Dumas covers topics from submitting to authority, loving the church, the value of hard work, the joy of service, fleeing sexual immorality, and taking risks in life.I can see this book becoming a great gift for high school graduates or being used as a Bible study for high school juniors and seniors looking to the future. One suggestion I would make to the editors is to include a short section of questions for group study. A tool like that would only enhance the value of the book as a discipleship tool.