The Beginning of Wisdom

 

The Bible teaches that the beginning of wisdom is to fear the Lord…

“The [reverent] fear of the Lord is the beginning (the prerequisite, the absolute essential, the alphabet) of wisdom; a good understanding and a teachable heart are possessed by all those who do the will of the Lord; His praise endures forever.”—Psalm 111:10 (AMP)

but it also states that God is love…

 “The one who does not love has not become acquainted with God [does not and never did know Him], for God is love. [He is the originator of love, and it is an enduring attribute of His nature.]—1 John 4:8 (AMP)

So, which is it?

>>>Are you struggling to believe in a God who truly loves you?<<<

What is the Fear of the Lord?

If you’ve come out of a home life that was uncertain, possibly an abusive situation, you understand what it means to fear someone. The house is consistently in an uproar, chaos is a way of life.

We’ve prayed with so many people who have come out from these situations and who struggle with the concept of a ‘loving God.’

This description seems too close to their past, and brings no solace or comfort.

But you must understand that “fear of the Lord” is a term that has a much deeper meaning than when seen from a distance. Up close the meaning is simple and not frightening at all.

This is why the Psalmist tells us that the beginning of wisdom is to fear the Lord…

It is to examine the terrible consequences of sin, understanding that our debt was paid for us by an almighty God in Heaven who loves us.

>>>Do you want to know God in a deeper way?<<<

What does it mean that I am born-again?

When Jesus died on the cross and rose again, He offered an opportunity for each one of us to enter into a relationship with our Heavenly Father—a relationship that was lost in the garden.

It offers us new beginnings and starts us on a journey where we abandon our old soulish desires in exchange for a new life in Christ.

So, to “fear the Lord,” really means to revere His awesome power—to stand in amazement with great respect for what He has done for us. It is about honor, not about being frightened. It is to stand back in awe and wonder, observing the awesome God that we serve.

What does the Bible really say about fearing God?

So, if fearing the Lord is really a security blanket for all who choose to do so, what does that look like in comparison to man-made love that turns ugly?

If I turn my life over to God, will He take advantage of me? Is this just another abusive relationship?

NO! Absolutely not. While you may have experienced earthly relationships that failed you, we must look to the Word of God to understand the relationship God desires to have with us.

Five Scriptures to use when you need reassurance of God’s love…

  • “My son, if you will receive my words and treasure my commandments within you, so that your ear is attentive to [skillful and godly] wisdom, and apply your heart to understanding [seeking it conscientiously and striving for it eagerly]; yes, if you cry out for insight, and lift up your voice for understanding; if you seek skillful and godly wisdom as you would silver, and search for her as you would hidden treasures; then you will understand the [reverent] fear of the Lord [that is, worshiping Him and regarding Him as truly awesome] and discover the knowledge of God.”—Proverbs 2:1-5 (AMP)
  • “His soul will dwell in prosperity and goodness, and his descendants will inherit the land.”—Psalm 25:13 (AMP)
  • “In the [reverent] fear of the Lord there is strong confidence, and His children will [always] have a place of refuge.”—Proverbs 14:26 (AMP)
  • His soul will dwell in prosperity and goodness, and his descendants will inherit the land.”—Psalm 25:13 (AMP)
  • “How great is Your goodness, which You have stored up for those who [reverently] fear You, which You have prepared for those who take refuge in You, before the sons of man! In the secret place of Your presence You hide them from the plots and conspiracies of man; You keep them secretly in a shelter (pavilion) from the strife of tongues.”—Psalm 31:19-20 (AMP)

>>>Do you struggle with fearing what others think about you?<<<

What is the fear of man?

The fear of man is really something that all of have struggled with at one time or another. All of us want the approval of others to some degree—some of us needing it more than others.

Still, God commands us to fear and revere only Him. This isn’t because He’s full of Himself, no, only the opposite. Even in ALL of His omnipotent glory, He is lowly and humble in nature.

He desires that we reverently keep Him first in our lives, because He knows the fickleness of man. He knows that they are prone to jealousy, pride, and selfish ambition. He knows that more often than not, they will use you to get where they are going, rather than give you a leg up to where you need to be.

This is why He asks us to keep Him first, because He DOES have our best interests at heart. He asks that we keep our eyes on Him, because He truly sees the dreams of our heart and our deepest desires. He longs to cultivate the gifts He has placed within us, so that we might walk out the destiny that He originally designed in the first place.

Still, He knows that if we continually look to other people to feed that fire in our heart, we will come out disappointed and discouraged. No matter how supportive they may be, only God has the ability to prepare us for our call in a way that will lead us from glory to glory, mountaintop to mountaintop.

Don’t get us wrong, He will use men and women in our lives to help us along the way, but we must remember that God was the provider all along and that He alone deserves to be worshiped.

So, we must honor those in leadership above us. We must respect the positions of authority in our lives, but when push comes to shove, we must not fear or revere them to the point that we lose touch with what God is speaking over our lives.

Four scriptures that apply when struggling with the fear of man…

  • The Lord favors those who fear and worship Him [with awe-inspired reverence and obedience], those who wait for His mercy and” –Psalm 147:11
  • “In God have I put my trust and confident reliance; I will not be afraid.
    What can man do to me?”
    —Psalm 56:11 (AMP)
  • “The fear of man brings a snare, but whoever trusts in and puts his confidence in the Lord will be exalted and”—Proverbs 29:25 (AMP)
  • “Listen to Me, you who know righteousness (right standing with God), the people in whose heart is My law and instruction; do not fear the reproach and taunting of man,
    nor be distressed at their reviling.’”
    —Isaiah 51:7 (AMP)
  • So we take comfort and are encouraged and confidently say, ‘The Lord is my helper [in time of need], I will not be afraid. What will man do to me?’”—Hebrews 13:6 (AMP)

We hope that you have enjoyed this word of encouragement on the beginning of wisdom! If you are struggling with the fear of man in regard to circumstances in your own life, please do not hesitate to schedule a one-on-one personal prayer appointment with our prayer team. We would love to pray with you! Schedule an appointment today!