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Proverbs 1:7 and 2:1-4
We invite you to join us for worship each Sunday morning at 9:30. Over the past few weeks we have been studying some serious mistakes Christians have made that have caused us to lose of fear of God. To even consider true spiritual revival we must first regain that fear. In Prov. 1:7 we learn that fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge. In Prov. 9:10 we learn the fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom. Put them together and we learn the fear of God is understanding. Notice also that the fool despises wisdom, meaning they despise God Himself. As Christians we must learn to fear the LORD again and God tells us how. We begin by
- RECEIVING THE WORD OF GOD 2:1. The word “receive” means “to take so as to obey; to receive, take as a charge, possession, heritage. Read Prov. 10:8; 21:11 coupled with the verses above and we see how God is putting all this together for us. To “receive” My Words you must accept, choose, select, prefer, and take delight in the Word of God. Jesus told us to “hunger and thirst for righteousness (The Word). If you want God to open His Scriptures to you, you must receive them into your heart, then let your heart be softened by the Holy Spirit, after that let the Holy Spirit send the Word to your head for understanding! To have a true heart’s desire to understand the Word, then no Christian can ever say “that part doesn’t apply to me.” So ask yourself if your heart really desire to receive the Word as God intends it to be received. Christians must also
- TREASURE THE WORD OF GOD – Verse 1. I am told Christians in some places in the world can’t have Bibles openly, so they have small parts which they memorize then trade for another part to memorize. How many Bibles to you have in your home? Do you treasure them as those people treasure the Word? Do you value the Word for what is truly is? Do you treasure or “store up” the Word so it can be used in your defense when Satan attacks? What portion of God’s Word is so valuable to you, you go to is almost daily just to let is speak to you? What is in the storehouses of your heart? Until they are filled with the Word, the fear of the Lord is pushed somewhere else. You must treasure it and store is so you are ready to
- REPENT AND APPLY THE WORD OF GOD. Verse 2. The NKJV uses the word “incline” which gives a better picture of what Solomon meant. The word “incline” means “to stretch, extend, or expand. The idea is to stretch, expand your heart towards an object in regard, or favor. Do you see how beautiful this is? God tells us to “receive My Word into your heart as a valuable treasure stored up to be used to stretch, expand your heart in the direction I will lead you through My Word. Repentance (turning from the world toward God) is always the starting point. Only when we are facing God fully, can we receive and treasure His Word with the intent to hear it with our heart. So what’s keeping you from learning to fear the LORD again? The answer is nothing more than stubborn pride that has no fear of God! We all need to change that.
If we can help you with this or any other spiritual matter, call us at (574) 643-9419.
