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Prov. 2:3-5
We invite you to join us for worship each Sunday morning at 9:30. Last week we learned to regain or fear of God we must choose to receive the Word as the Word of God then treasure it in our hearts. Many Christians make the mistake of reading (casually) the Word, even memorizing it, but they never make the permanent decision to turn from the world to God. God’s wisdom is always available to us, but it is not easy to embrace. Notice Solomon continues in verse three telling us we must
IV. CRY OUT FOR INSIGHT AND UNDERSTANDING. Read Prov. 1:21; 8:1; 9:3; and 21:31. All those verses picture a person crying aloud with urgency, almost agony wanting to hear from God. In Isa. 21:8; Joel 1:19 and Jonah 1:14 you can feel the urgency/agony of these people in these situations. All those examples are the same word Solomon used here in Prov. 2:3. James say it in his letter in 1:5 ask, or beg, call 4, crave, desire that God give to them. When people tell me they just don’t get anything out of reading the Bible or from preaching, I often question them and discover they haven’t put anything into their study or listening. To get the deeper truths of Scripture we must put some real effort into it. Notice in verse 4 we must
V. RECOGNIZE THE VALUE OF WISDOM AND UNDERSTANDING! The old saying “anything worth having is worth working for” applies here. In Matt. 13:44, 45 Jesus makes it very clear God places an extremely high value on wisdom and understanding. However, if you read these verses carefully, you will come away seeing that God hasn’t reduced His Word to just-add-water, nuke it for 10 seconds to get instant wisdom and understanding. True Biblical Christianity that works as God designed it to work requires a higher level of commitment, devotion, effort, and work than anything else in this life. A vital dynamic walk with Christ isn’t easy; you must want it more than you want your next breath! By the way, such a decision isn’t a once for ever decision. You must make it as deeply and as seriously every day, all day to make it stick! Finally, when we have done all these steps in verses 1-4 God will see to it we
VI. UNDERSTAND THE FEAR OF THE LORD AND FIND KNOWLEDGE! When we come to the point in our life were The Word of God and all it brings to us, becomes the only starting and ending point in our life, then we begin to accept it – store it in our hearts – we repent, turn completely toward God in understanding and obedience; when we seek God with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength – we cry out to Him for insight and understanding – when we search for them diligently as we would for buried treasure worth trillions of dollars – then and only then are our hearts and lives touched with true fear of a thrice holy God! So here is the question: when the sin that still infects your life goes to your mind, does its very presence in your life so horrify you that you literally tremble at the truth that it occupies the same heart as the Holy Spirit? Does it bring a tear from a broken heart to your eyes that you would even consider allowing such a catastrophic atrocity? It should! Won’t you bow before God now and ask Him to help you work for the fear of God?
If we can help you with this or any other spiritual question, call us at (574) 643-9419.
