the fear of the lord

Understanding

Good day to each and all of you reading about Understanding God’s Laws. I hope this day has found you are well and are refreshed in God’s ways—

Let’s consider the word understanding—I must tell you that I have been married many wonderful years and my wife still says do you understand? Yes, I do, but I have “selective hearing” as I hear her and understand what she says but I may not have the same sense of urgency or hear what I want to hear.

I am sure many of you are like me that we hear and understand what we want to hear and understand and the rest is tuned out. The word understanding is used in the Strong’s exhaustive concordance, 160 times and Proverbs utilizes understanding 54 times and Ecclesiastes 1 time—It is obvious that King Solomon made great use of this word especially used with wisdom and knowledge.

Let me ask you, the reader, which would you choose– rich in wisdom or wealth? Now you can have either but not both—Take a moment and think about this—wisdom or wealth—knowledge or money (lots of money)

Which would you choose? Before I give you my thoughts, here’s one—Where in the Bible does it say that you can’t be well to do or to be rich? Where is it a sin to be wealthy? More on this later and back to the question—Would you rather be rich in wisdom or wealth?

As for me, I will take wisdom—Proverbs 1:7 (KJV) The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction. The Hebrew & Aramic Dictionary use the word yir’ah or fear as reverence—Do you revere or in awe of God? Upon reading the Wycliffe Bible commentary, wisdom … instruction, etc. Wisdom goes hand in hand with understanding and many examples are found in the book of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes where God supplies his thought to you and me on this wonderful subject.

Have you taken the time to read the book of Job? I like to read Job because this book shows how great God is and how dependent we are upon him—I am humbled when I read the last few chapters of Job because I have no idea of how he created all things and how each has a purpose. How can you dare beckon God’s chambers and challenge him to anything or any subject?

Well, back to understanding God’s laws—So how can you understand anything in the Bible if you don’t begin by reading the Bible? You can say that I know that and I read the Bible, but do you search when you have a question? Have you searched out his word or just skipped over that question?

Do you hear that little voice quietly in your mind asking about a particular subject? Is the Holy Spirit speaking to you? Do you stop and do some further research or do you move ahead? Dear reader, if I am to understand then I wish to research that verse or that subject.

As you read God’s word, what is your goal or goals? To please God, to spend more time with God and develop a relationship with him, to understand what he is saying to you, to become more knowledgeable, to become more Christ-like. I think Paul said it best in the New Testament and I am paraphrasing—We are not in a sprint but we are in a marathon—when reading the Bible, this is a marathon and each time you read, questions arise and the more you read, the more you understand and the more you understand, the closer relationship you have and more knowledge and understanding God gives you. Do you understand and aren’t you in awe of all things that he has done?

God is never to be placed on the shelf and dusted off only in times of trouble—If we are to understand his perfect ways, then we need to study his word and ask for wisdom. As we begin to close this second lesson on understanding, I challenge each of you to pray and to use the “ASK” method.

Do you know the “ASK” method? Turn with me to Matthew 7:7-8 (KJV)—Ask, and it shall be given you: Seek, and ye shall find: Knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For everyone that Asketh, Receiveth: and he that Seeketh, findeth: and to him that Knocketh, it shall be opened. This is the “ASK” method for understanding and wisdom and it does work. Have you tried this method yet? Look at the 8th verse and follow with me—You ask—You receive, You seek—You find, You knock and it shall be opened—Wow! So simple to gain understanding and wisdom but you must go to God and begin by asking him.  On a sided note, did you know that the number SEVEN in the Bible means completeness—Would you agree that Matthew 7:7 is completeness?

Thank you for reading and may God Bless you each moment of the day and Thank him for all that he does each day.

Jeff

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