The Fear Of The Lord Is -Part 8- Zion's Treasure

 Isaiah 33:5, 6

The LORD is exalted, for He dwells on high; He has filled Zion with justice and righteousness. 

And wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of your times, and strength of salvation: The Fear of The LORD is his Treasure. 

Treasure: armory, storehouse, cellar, depository

    Here, The Fear of The Lord is a noun and can be built upon and multiplied, as one counts the cost of servitude to The Lord. This Treasure is Zion's Treasure. Zion will not be destroyed, though many throughout history and even now seek it's demise. 

    Zion is the mountain on the southeast of Jerusalem, the City of David. [2 Samuel 5:7]. Having once been a fortress, a stronghold, it now includes all of Jerusalem, especially the temple mount.

    Zion is the home of The Lord:

    Psalm 132:12

For the LORD hath chosen Zion; he hath desired it for His habitation.

    Zion is where The King's throne is:

    Psalm 2:6

Yet have I set My King upon My holy hill of Zion. 

    God's people appear before Him in Zion:

    Psalm 84:7

They go from strength to strength; Each one appears before God in Zion.

    

    This earthly Zion is a shadow of the Zion to come, the new Jerusalem, The City of The Living God. [Hebrews 12:18-24]. It is impenetrable. It is a place where both angels and God's people can worship together. It is holy and it is beautiful. [Revelation 21:2, 10-27]. All three statements apply: It is the home of The Lord; it is where The King's throne is; it is where God's people meet Him. 

    Zion's Treasure is The Lamb of God Who takes away the sins of the world. This Treasure neither rots, nor decays. [Matthew 6:19-21]. This Treasure is for anyone who desires the loving grace of God's salvation through His Only Begotten Son Jesus Christ. [John 1:12; John 3:16, 18; Acts 16:30, 31]. 

    Zion's Treasure cannot be measured, for the wealth of Zion is the glory of God. Grace dwells within her walls. Her foundations are faith in Christ Jesus, and her gates are built of wisdom. The Light within her always shines bright. The Love that keeps her near is an Everlasting Love. 

    The Fear of The Lord is my Treasure. Into this Storehouse, God adds to me: 

Justice: Isaiah 61:8

Righteousness: Job 27:6

Wisdom: Proverbs 2

Knowledge: Ecclesiastes 2:26

Stability: Isaiah 28:16

Strength of Salvation: Psalm 27:1

Grace: Ephesians 2:7-9

Peace: John 14:12

Understanding: Luke 24:45 

His Spirit: Ephesians 1:13, 14

    The question is now put forth to you: Do you have The Fear of The Lord within you? Without It, without Him, without Jesus Christ The Messiah, The Holy One of Israel, as your Firm Foundation, your life is built on nothing, on sand, on wind. You are uprooted and tossed into the fire as good for nothing, useless. 

    Don't let this fire be your destination. Now is the day to place your faith in Jesus Christ. Urgently, the call goes out: Come to Jesus! Pleading, begging you to turn from your wicked ways and follow Christ all the days of your life.  

    And, if you are a follower of Christ, this study is to encourage you to stay close to Jesus. Don't let go of His hand. Being a Christian has always been the hard road to travel, the more dangerous path to take, because of its narrow structure. But, remember, our destination is worth turning aside from worldly pleasures. The call rings out, "Stay faithful! Stay near! We're almost home!"

THE HOLY AND BEAUTIFUL CITY - Gloria Bailey

JUST AS I AM/I COME BROKEN - Travis Cottrell

    

 

The Fear of The Lord Is -Part 7- A Fountain of Life

 Proverbs 14:27

The fear of The LORD is a Fountain of Life, to depart from the snares of death.

Proverbs 13:14

The Law of the wise is a Fountain of Life, to depart from the snares of death.

    John 7:38 

He that believeth on Me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of Living Water. 

    In His discourse with the Samaritan woman at the well, Jesus declares that believing in Him will cause spiritual vitality (life) to rise up within and overflow without. What is received by the heart, will be implanted in the heart by The Holy Spirit [Ezekiel 36:27; Ezekiel 37:14]. And it will cause us to open our mouths and hasten our feet that others may hear this wonderful Word of Life which we have received.

    This Word of Life [Philippians 2:16; 1 John 4:1-3] is Christ within us. He is The Life Eternal as promised by The Father. He is The Fountain of Life, of Living Waters; water which does not stagnate, nor decay, but is everflowing in the hearts of the born again Christian. 

    This Fountain of Life is Strength to the one who carries it within them. But we do not keep it locked up: we share this Water of Life with everyone we meet and everywhere we may go. And we can only obtain it when we have the fear of The Lord actively pursuing a deeper walk with God. 

  
    This Fountain of Life also causes us to depart from (turn away from) the snares of death. Snares are unseen traps which catch us with their wily ways, ensnaring our hearts and our minds; tantalizing us with their deceits and desires. 

    But when we have the fear of The Lord living in us, filling us with a desire to please God and put His happiness first, then the snares will have no power over us. The Love of God living within us, Jesus Christ, and The Power of God, The Holy Spirit, working within us, will help us not to give into temptation, but pursue holiness and righteousness. It is an ongoing battle, but it is a battle that has already been won by Christ at the cross and in the garden! 

    When we have the fear of The Lord, we are already overcomers. 1 John 4:4 "You are of God, little children, and have overcome them (the spirits of antichrist [1 John 4:3]): because greater is He Who is in you, than he that is in the world." 

    Matthew 7:13, 14 

"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leads unto life, and few there be that find it." 

    We rise up now as defenders of the faith, our faith in Christ Jesus, and speak The Word of Life over our enemies. Not the people who are coming against us, but the spirits of antichrist who are compelling people to come against us. We rebuke them in The Name of Jesus Christ and fight back with The Word of God!

    Matthew 5:44 "Love your enemies. Pray for those who persecute you."

Proverbs 25:21, 22 "Feed your enemy. Render aid to them."

    Romans 12:14 "Bless your persecutors."

Matthew 25:40 "Meet the needs of the least of these."

    Galatians 6:10 "Do good to everyone."

    We pray for those persecute us. We pray for those who kill us. We pray for those who torment us. We pray for those who mock and ridicule us. We pray for their salvation, their deliverance, and for God's Holy Spirit to empower them in their walks with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 

    We pray for their families to know Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior. We pray for their governments, as we do our own, that God would have His Way in their hearts and their lives. We pray for those who are imprisoned for His Name's sake: that their needs would be met, that the bibles they are requesting would be given them, that places of baptism would be granted them, as new souls come to Christ. We pray for the wardens and the guards of these prisons, encampments, rehabilitation sites, etc. 

    We pray that the needs we cannot fulfill will be more than fulfilled by those who can. Though we have little, God has much. After all, He owns the cattle on a thousand hills. [Psalm 50:10]. Yet, the little we have can be multiplied in God's unchanging hands, and go farther than is humanly possible. Because nothing is impossible with God. [Job 42:2; Jeremiah 32:12; Matthew 19:26]

    We speak The Word of Life into their hearing, their dreams, their visions. We speak Jesus. And we speak Life. 

    

The Fear of The Lord Is -Part 6- Clean

    Psalm 19:9

The fear of The LORD is clean, enduring forever.

    The fear of The Lord is clean. It is pure and undefiled. It is uncontaminated. It is innocent and holy. 

    This fear is incorruptible. It is a sanctified fear, a set apart from all others, fear. This fear of The Lord draws us near to God and not far away from God. 

    This fear of The Lord endures forever. Forever is a really long time. A time, in fact, without end: eternally. This enduring fear of The Lord is linked to its being clean, holy, pure, sanctified. For we know that God Is Holy and that He is Eternal. Therefore, the fear of The Lord is eternal.  

💙

    It is impossible to worship God with an unclean heart, with a heart that lives for self and selfish desires. Our hearts must be filled with the fear of The Lord, with a reverent awe of how much God loves each of us. We should be excited to be in His presence, not scared to death to be in His presence. 

    Fear of retribution for the sins we have committed against Him is an honest fear to have, but it is not the whole fear. Dreading judgment for unrepentant sins brings us to the altar (hopefully) to repent of our wicked actions and evil words. Gladness of redemption brings us to our knees to adore and love on Him with our hands/arms raised, or brought low to prostrate ourselves before Him. This is the fear of The Lord.

💙 

    The fear of The Lord brings us into faithful covenance with our God. It keeps us near His Word through His Spirit, Who nudges and whispers reminders of what is right and holy; a discerning Word given when needed to propel us into the arms of God. We say we have only our hearts to give, when actually God wants our hearts, our minds, our lives. 

    In our hearts, Christ Lives via the power of The Holy Spirit. In our minds Christ dwells, that our thoughts may focus on Him. In our lives, God's power of Grace is constantly transforming, causing us to change and be more like Jesus day by day. 

💙

    The fear of The Lord in the life of a born-again believer sweeps over our souls, wiping away the last vestiges of sin, the fading shadows of what had once kept us out of His presence are now filled with The Light of His Love and The Holiness of His Word. It wipes away every stain and every blot from the bride's garment of holiness. This fear of The Lord is Grace and Mercy: the purification process by which God is purifying the believer's heart and mind and soul. 

    Is this fear evident in our lives? I hope so. I am keenly aware that this fear of The Lord is active in me. 

      

The Fear Of The Lord Is -Part 5- Wisdom

  

     Job 28:28

And to man He said, ‘Behold, the fear of The LORD, that is wisdom, And to depart from evil is understanding.’ ” 

    Proverbs 8:12-14

12. I, Wisdom, dwell together with prudence, and I find knowledge and discretion. 

13. To fear The LORD is to hate evil; I hate arrogant pride, evil conduct, and perverse speech.

14. Counsel is Mine, and Sound Wisdom: I Am Understanding; I have strength.

    It couldn't get any more plainer than that, now could it? Devine Wisdom has more value in and of itself, than any other thing we can desire for ourselves. 

    Proverbs 8:11

For Wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it.

    Proverbs 16:16

How much better to acquire Wisdom than gold! To gain Understanding is more desirable than silver.

    James 3:17

But The Wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated (a disposition that readily listens, is open to reason, and willingly cooperates with what is true and righteous), full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.

    The fear of The Lord in the person of Divine Wisdom is a valuable commodity in the kingdom of God. Though it cannot be purchase, nor sold, the having of it is priceless. The Wisdom of God is His Holy Spirit. And when we have Him in us, we have everything we will ever need to make it through this life we have been given in Christ. 

    The phrase "easy to be intreated" occurs only once in The New Testament. It is derived from the Greek word 'eupeithes' (pronounced: yoo-pi-thace'). The Wisdom of God waits for us to call on God [Jeremiah 33:3]. It calls us to reason with God [Isaiah 1:18]. And, lastly, it complies (responds) with what is True and Righteous. It listens, judges (tests), and delivers It's verdict regarding any situation where It is allowed to reign and be relied on. 

   Divine Wisdom rules the heart of the believer with constant alertness and awareness of the heart's surroundings. What the heart of the believer hears, the heart, the mind and the tongue are ready to deliver. As Christ only spoke what He heard His Father speak, so, too, should the Christian speak. That is Wisdom. 

    Divine Wisdom is personified. The word 'wisdom' is what is called a feminine noun. So when Wisdom speaks, It speaks with the pronoun 'she'.  

    Proverbs 1:20 She teaches in public

    Proverbs 1:23 She gives Her pupils The Divine Spirit

    Proverbs 8:14 She counsels and has sound judgment (cf. Job 12:13)

    Proverbs 8:22-30 She is created by The Lord before ever anything was created; She is older than the creation of this earth (cf. Genesis 1:1 "The Spirit of God")

    Proverbs 9:1 She builds her house; She is The Architect and Designer of her seven pillars [James 3:17; Isaiah 11:2]

    Proverbs 9:2-5 She prepares a feast; invites the simple (the teachable) to come and dine on what She has prepared

    Divine Wisdom is to be sought after and having found It, She is to be heeded (heard and obeyed). We seek The Wisdom of God that we might live lives that are more fruitful in the kingdom of God. For without Her, we will fail miserably in any endeavor we put our hearts and minds and hands to. Even if we think we are working for The Lord, without Divine Wisdom we are fruitless and our works will come to nothing. We have filled bags that are holey, and all that we have done has drifted away in the wind. [Haggai 1:6]. 

    We must examine our hearts and see if we measure up to God's Wisdom. If we are well, we will flourish. But if our hearts are weak and we have wandered, we must turn back to The Lord right now. Seek His face, seek His Wisdom, seek His kingdom. Repentance must be given, that forgiveness might be obtained. That is Wisdom. 

    Ezekiel 18:32

For I take no pleasure in anyone’s death, declares The Lord GOD. So repent and live!

    Romans 6:23

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

    Acts 3:19, 20

Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of The Lord, and that He may send Jesus Christ, Who was preached to you before. 

FEAR OF THE LORD - David Funk & Bethel

The Fear of The Lord Is -Part 4- The Beginning of Knowledge

    Proverbs 1:7

The fear of The LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

    Knowledge is based on experience and observation. The knowledge we have in life is the wisdom of our years applied to our daily lives. Wisdom is applied knowledge. We have learned from our mistakes, and no longer make foolish decisions that would detrimentally impact the life we choose to live now. 

    Even when our lives are given over to God, these same statements can be made. The fear of The Lord is the Beginning of Knowledge. But not only the beginning. The fear of The Lord remains with us; for we do not want to incur God's wrath, only His blessings.

    We experience God when we first come to saving grace through His Only Begotten Son Jesus Christ. [Ephesians 2:8,9]. We experience God when we choose to be obedient and put Him first in our lives. [Psalm 63:1; Exodus 20:3-7; 1 Corinthians 8:6].

    We experience God when we talk to Him. [Philippians 4:6]. We experience God when we walk with Him. [1 Thessalonians 4:1]. We experience God when we see His handiwork and recognize it as His creations. [Psalm 19:1-6; Psalm 66; Genesis 1; Colossians 1:16]. 

    This is the beginning of knowledge.

    We observe all that God is doing in our lives. For starters, He has changed us from "a people lost in darkness" to "a people who live in The Light". Before we came the knowledge of saving grace through Jesus Christ, we lived sin-filled lives. We wasted our finances on worldly investments, which only dragged us lower and eventually we hit rock-bottom where we landed on The Rock: Jesus Christ. 

    We recognized that God is God and saw that His Word is True. We came to Him through Jesus Christ and He forgave us of our sins. By the blood of His Holy Lamb God washed away the stench and stain of sin in our hearts. And gave us His Holy Spirit to both teach us God's Way and God's Word, and to Advocate for us on our behalf. This, too, is the beginning of knowledge.

 

But with this Word of Knowledge comes a warning:

            "Fools despise wisdom and instruction." 

Who is a fool? I'm drawing on The Topical Lexicon here:

Someone who knows The Truth and rejects It. 

    We know that The Truth is Jesus Christ. So, a fool must be someone who has known The Truth of God's Word, then rejected it for one reason or another. 

    John 3:19

“And this is the condemnation, that Light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than Light, because their deeds were evil.”

(Condemnation: judgment, verdict, the cause for indictment)

Someone who is morally and spiritually corrupt. 

    It is impossible to be a faithful God-fearing Christian and still harbor or hide a secret life from prying eyes. Someone is always watching, especially in this day and age. Be Warned: God can still see hearts and He knows who belongs to Him and who does not. [1 John 3:8; Matthew 7:23]

    2 Timothy 2:19

Nevertheless the Foundation of God stands, having this seal: “The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Let everyone who names The Name of Christ depart from iniquity.”

    Fools are impulsive: they do without thinking of the consequences of their actions. They make rash decisions and blame others for the fallout [Proverbs 10:14; 12:16; Job 5:2].

    Fools mock sin [Proverbs 14:9]. And in doing so, are mocking the atonement made for sin. Their mocking laughter fills the streets, but their hearts are not joyful. By heckling and harassing the believer, they hope to elevate themselves in the eyes of their peers, but their hearts remain as hateful to their peers as to themselves. 

    Fools deny The Truth vehemently. They refuse to believe that God became a man to save mankind from the punishment of death. In their refusal they have condemned themselves, and so will reap the consequences of their unbelief.

    John 3:18 

“He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in The Name of The Only Begotten Son of God.”

    Fools live their lives in vain. In their foolish hearts they have rejected God, God's Authority, God's Word, and God's Spirit. By denying God, they have submitted to lies and the father of lies. They seek the wealth of this world, instead of the riches of heaven. They ponder the meaning of life, instead of seeking it. 

    They torment themselves and each other in their vain attempts to reach the epitomes of their goals. Fools are self-seeking, not God-seeking: fame (having their names known), fortune (wealth of this world), and glory (prideful accomplishments) marks their endeavors. What is done for self will be rewarded in the second resurrection: eternal damnation and then the lake of fire [Revelation 20:6; 21:8]. 

    Therefore, the warning is put forth to you today:

    John 5:24

“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My Word and believes in Him Who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.”

    John 3:3

Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

    Do you believe? Do you believe that Jesus Christ is Lord? Do you believe that Jesus Christ is God's Only Begotten Son? that He died on the cross for your sins so that you wouldn't have to die? 

    Are you ready? Are you ready to serve God and live? or do you wish to remain in the filth of your sins? Do you wish to remain in the pigsty and eat slop? or are you ready to run to The Father and dine on His Bread and His Water?

IS HE WORTHY - Chris Tomlin

    

    

The Fear of The Lord Is - Part 3 The Beginning of Wisdom

     Proverbs 9:10

 The fear of The LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.

    The Fear of The Lord is the basic foundation upon which all other tenets of religion are built. Without it, nothing worth building will stand. A reverent, honest fear of God is to be had by the people who choose to hear and obey The Word of The Lord God. 

    This foundation, this beginning, is only the start of a deeper walk with God. We cannot merely stand on the seashore and hope the water will come to us, but we must enter in and strive to go deeper into the holy things of God. 

    Any relationship must have a beginning and continuity in it in order that it may withstand the storms of life and endure through joys and sorrows, hard times and good times. Especially our relationship with our God. Which will be tested time and again, that our faith in our God may stand stronger through and after every test, every trial. 

   

    

    Knowledge of the holy, of what is holy, what the holy things are, is understanding that these things are holy and why they are called holy. We know that God is holy and that being holy, sin has no place at God's table. Therefore whatever is righteous is holy because unrighteousness is unholiness. Whatever is unrighteous is left howling at the closed door to God's kingdom. [Revelation 21:27a; Revelation 22:15; 1 Corinthians 6:9, 10; Matthew 5:21, 22; Exodus 20:3-5]. 

    Knowledge with understanding of the definition of holiness is applied wisdom. This wisdom is applied to our hearts via The Holy Spirit, and we, in turn, apply it to our lives in loving obedience to our God.

    WHAT IS HOLY

God Is Holy. Exodus 15:11; Leviticus 11:44; Psalm 99:9; Isaiah 6:3

The things of God are holy:

Priestly garments - Exodus 28:2

Christ our Garment- Romans 13:14

The temple of God is holy - Psalm 11:4; Habakkuk 2:20

The dwellingplace of God is holy -  Psalm 28:2; Leviticus 26:11-12; 2 Corinthians 6:16

    WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE HOLY

Set apart for God's use. Whether a person or an object.

    Acts 26:16-18 (Paul's testimony to King Agrippa) Set apart from where he was (persecutor of believers) to go to a new place (becomes a believer and travels ancient Europe and ancient Middle East preaching the gospel).

    Malachi 4:5; Isaiah 40:3; Luke 1:5-25 John the Baptist's ministry foretold

    In the middle of Exodus 25 through Exodus 40, wherein God details the building of the place where He will come and visit Israel (His tabernacle), sits Exodus 35:2 which informs the Israelites that the seventh day is "holy unto The Lord". This seventh day is set apart for to honor God. Every seventh day is The Lord's day. 

    The color GOLD represents the holiness of God. This gold is in every facet of the building of the nomadic tabernacle of God. Holiness adorns God's temple in heaven and is mirrored in His tabernacle in Exodus. 

    Even in the hearts of the people whom God has called to be His people who were not His people before but are now. A people who once lived in darkness and far off from God's dwellingplace and His Light are now His places of habitation. For we worship a God we have seen and heard and known and are loved by. 

    HOW HOLINESS IS OBTAINED 

    Holiness, a set-apartness, a setting aside for God and by God, is being consecrated for The Lord's purpose. God ordains who and what is to be used for Him. All born-again believers, whose sins have been washed clean by the blood of God's Holy Lamb, are set apart unto God. 

    Ephesians 4:11-13

    Some are set aside for evangelism. Some are set aside for pastors. Some are set aside for teachers. Some are set aside for apostles. Some are set aside for prophets. They are not set aside to gain wealth and fame in this life. These offices are not separate offices, they are to be found in every person whom God has called to salvation AND empowered with His Holy Spirit [Acts 1:8; Galatians 1:1].

    We are set apart by God to: Evangelize (go into all the world); Apostolize (from The Topical Lexicon:  a person personally sent with full authority to represent the sender): An ambassador of the gospel [2 Corinthians 5:20]; Pastor (spiritual caretaker) [Matthew 9:36-38; John 15:16]. Teach (instruct competently with reverence) [Luke 6:40; 2 Timothy 1:13, 14]. Prophecy (reveals the mind/message of God to the hearers) [2 Peter 1:21]. 

    This knowledge of the holy can only be understood by the person who has the fear of The Lord evident in their lives. This knowledge of the holy is only the beginning of wisdom. There is so much more The Spirit of God wants to show us, to reveal to us. 

    We must be faithful pursuers of God, endeavoring to see God more clearly, without a veil or cloudy mirror blocking our view. We must look for God where He can be found. And we absolutely must be and remain faithful to Him once we have found Him. We look to Him with awe and reverence rooted in our deep and profound grace with which He has bestowed Himself upon us. This is the fear of The Lord in the born-again believer's life. 

    And how does this fear of The Lord propel us? We lead people to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Our love for Him impels us to tell everyone about our Jesus, that they, too, may have the opportunity to give their hearts to Him and live to make Him happy. 

    Proverbs 11:30

The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that wins souls is wise.

    Daniel 12:3

Then the wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness will shine like the stars forever and ever.

HOLINESS IS WHAT I LONG FOR  - Micah Stampley

    

The Fear of The Lord Is - Part 2: The Instruction of Wisdom

 Proverbs 15:33

The fear of The LORD is the instruction of wisdom;

 and before honour is humility.

    With Wisdom as our Teacher, our Instructor, The Fear of The Lord is taught to us. We learn from The Holy Spirit how to Fear The Lord God: with a humble heart and an attitude of humility. 

    A humble heart submits to God. Surrendering the self to The Almighty, we become His servants: we say what He wants us to say in The Way that He wants us to say it; we go where He wants us to go when He wants us to go; we do what He wants us to do when He instructs us to it. We are obedient to The Spirit's nudge and whisper. 

    A heart that is humbled before God is malleable. God is able to mold it, form it, and transform the heart into a heart that resembles His heart. Having surrendered ourselves to His grace and great love we find ourselves changed 'from glory to glory' according to His Word, His Will (His Purpose), and His Spirit. [2 Corinthians 3:18].

    The instruction of wisdom directs us to read our bibles for ourselves. It leads us to seek out The Truth of God's Word and helps us to understand and know what God has to say to us each day. As the risen sun falls across our sleepy eyes, we thank God for another day to serve Him. We read that His Word is brighter than the sun, and the moon, and the stars: It is The Light which causes all shadows and darkness to flee. [Revelation 21:23].

    Having The Light of God's Love living in us and we in Him, we refuse to submit to the forces of darkness any longer. We have turned our backs on sin and its cohorts and turned our faces to The Light of God's Word. Our hearts change first, then our thoughts, then our tongues, and finally our actions. In a split second sometimes, but usually over the course of our lives. 

    We are not intentional hypocrites: we are works in progress. But our hearts belong to God through faith in His Only Begotten Son Jesus Christ. Him coming to live in our hearts is the first change and instantaneous upon confessing Him to be Lord and Savior: Lord of our lives, Savior of our souls. [Romans 10:9, 10].

    At some point in our lives, whether here or on the other side of eternity, the humble of heart will be rewarded by God. It is God who rewards the humble heart. 

    Proverbs 22:4

By humility and the fear of The LORD are riches, and honour, and life.

    And what is more rewarding to the Christian's humble heart than the riches of heaven, the honour of heaven, and the life eternal in heaven? Nothing. Though God may reward some folks with riches in this life, He does so knowing that it will be used for His glory. Some have honour in this life, some live long lives. How God rewards the humble is how God wants to reward the humble. It is not of our choosing, for then the ugly head of pride would be the designer and not God Himself. 

    Let us hold onto a deeply reverent awe, fear, of The Lord God, and thereby gain heaven's riches itself as our reward. The best reward is knowing Jesus Christ as Lord, Savior, Friend. That's my riches of heaven. Is it yours?

TREASURES IN HEAVEN 

The Fear of The Lord Is - Part 1

 

Psalm 111:10
The fear of The LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do His commandments: His praise endures for ever. 

    Besides this reference in Psalm 111:10, the phrase "the fear of The LORD is" is found throughout the Scriptures. And it is either preceded by an action or it precedes an action. [I have found about seven verses using that exact phrase "the fear of The LORD is".]

    Here in Psalm 111:10, "the fear of The LORD" precedes an action; in point of fact, three actions:

(1) The beginning of wisdom is obtained through it

(2) A good understanding is gained through obedience to God's commandments

(3) His praise endures for ever

THE BEGINNING

    The beginning is always the best place to start. No one ever won a race by starting at the end or the middle. Reading the end of a good book first is never quite as satisfying as beginning with the first chapter and taking that journey the author takes with you to reach the end. 

    I like the first line of Moby Dick. "They call me Ishmael." The narrator never really says who he is: we just assumed his name is Ishmael. But then he goes on to tell us a whopper of a tale. It is a momentous beginning of a seafaring journey to catch an elusive white whale. But I like the beginning of the Bible, too. (It also has a better ending).

    In the beginning. Also a repeated phrase. Not just in Genesis 1:1, but in John 1:1. In the beginning God. The Author reveals God in all of creation, including the first people. He created all things in the beginning with His Son and His Holy Spirit. Genesis 1, 2; John 1:1-3. He is The Beginning. 

    The beginning of wisdom is to recognize/acknowledge/know that GOD IS GOD and there is no other god. [Isaiah 45:21; Isaiah 43:10]. Seeing there is no other god than GOD, we also know that it is foolishness to worship that which does not exist. For how can a nonexistent deity answer the cries of the human heart? Any prayer and worship extended to manmade gods is idol worship, saint worship, ungodly worship. 

    The beginning of wisdom is to fear God with a godly reverence: a deep, God-centered, God-focused attitude of worship. To Him we direct our praise. To Him we extend our love and devotion. Not just for what He has done for us, but just because HE IS GOD and HE IS OUR GOD. 

    We choose to fear THE LORD GOD because The Wisdom of His Holy Spirit resides in us and calls us to deeper worship and a deeper/closer walk with our Lord and Savior. 

A GOOD UNDERSTANDING

    Do you have a good understanding of God's commandments? You do, if you are obeying them. Obeying them in the fear of The LORD is vital to a strong relationship and a steadfast faith-filled walk with The LORD. Many are they who can recite the first ten commandments. Many can also study them thoroughly and exposit on them. But, sadly, not many of these will obey them. 

    Some see God's commandments as irrelevant in today's world. They are not the first to believe such lies, nor will they be the last. Those who mock God now and show Him irreverence in their lifetimes will not be laughing when God judges them. They need to repent and turn to God before it's too late. Come to Jesus and Live. God's Word is always True, and therefore it is always relevant and not outdated. 

    Ecclesiastes 12:13

When all has been heard, the conclusion of the matter is this: Fear God and keep His commandments, because this is the whole duty of man.

HIS PRAISE ENDURES FOREVER

    The word 'praise' in this verse is the word 'TeHillah', which means 'hymn, song of praise, to laud (extol the praises of ). From Genesis through  Revelation people have been praising God's Name. Were I to list one verse from every book of The Bible, we would have 66 verses telling us not only to praise God, but how to praise God. My challenge to you is, can you find one verse in every book of The Bible to give you a total of 66 verses of praising God? And are you willing to share what you have discovered here? 

    Every journey starts with one step and ends with one step. It is all the steps in the middle that determine where we take our last step. Let's make that first step matter. 

The Beginning of Praising God

Genesis 4:26

And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enos: then began men to call upon The Name of The LORD.

The Middle of Praising God

Psalm 150:1

Praise The LORD! Praise God in His sanctuary; Praise Him in His mighty firmament (the visible arch of the sky)!

Revelation 22:3

And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of The Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve (worship) Him.

The Lord Is Near to The Brokenhearted

 

THE LORD IS NEAR TO THE BROKENHEARTED

Psalm 34:18

The LORD is near to the brokenhearted; He saves the contrite in spirit.

Deuteronomy 4:7

For what nation is great enough to have a god as near to them as the LORD our God is to us whenever we call on Him?

Psalm 51:17

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise. 

    ONLY the brokenhearted will approach God; the arrogant have no place at His table. The brokenhearted soul seeks comfort in times of grief, sorrow and pain. At the feet of Jesus, Who experienced grief, sorrow and pain, we meet Someone Who knows all our troubles, all our secrets and all our wants. 

    When we realize Who God really is, we also realize that we are very blessed to have this God love us and care for us and help us through life. We surrender our hearts and our lives to God and become His humble servants, knowing that He is with us all the time. 

    Psalm 147:3

He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.

    He does, indeed, heal the brokenhearted. The mournful know joy in the presence of The King. Even when our hearts get broken again and again and again, over and over and over. Though darkness rules this world, its rule is temporary; God is God and His Word is True. But while darkness reigns, death reigns. Unless. Unless the soul that seeks God finds God and learns to see The Light of God's Salvation for themselves. Then The Light of God's Love will shine into their hearts and make Itself at home there. 

    It is good to be brokenhearted before The Lord, for then He will come near and make His presence known. The broken heart will surely repent of all its sins against God and seek His forgiveness that their heart might be healed of all unrighteousness. For it is only by the stripes across His back that we are healed at all. 

    There were two men hanging near Jesus on their crosses. At first both taunted Him (Matthew 27:44). But then, according to Luke 23:39-42, one thief called Jesus "Lord", an acknowledgement that He knew Jesus was different than they themselves and he asked to be remembered when Christ came into His kingdom. That thief's request was granted. Jesus' stripes healed his sins, too. 

    The fear of The Lord is the beginning of wisdom, says King Solomon, the writer of The Book of Proverbs (Proverbs 9:10). To not have this fear and believing that one can approach God without it is a fool's errand and no such person will be able have any kind of access to God. 

    Broken hearts get mended. But hardened hearts get crushed. It is amazing to me to know that even when facing God in their last moments that many will still choose not to see Him, not to hear Him, not to fear Him. Revelation 6:16 tells us that in the face of God's wrath, the wealthy ran and hid in caves begging for the rocks to fall on them to hide them from God. They are fools. God sees everything and everyone. He knows who belongs to Him and who does not. He knows who fears Him and who reviles Him. 

    I belong to Him and He belongs to me. Can you say that? 

I COME BROKEN 

WORD OF GOD SPEAK

GREAT IS THY FAITHFULNESS

GOD HELP ME NOW

The Lord Is A Friend

 To Those Who Fear Him

Psalm 25:14 (ESV)

The friendship of The LORD is for those who fear Him, and He makes known to them His covenant.

FRIENDSHIP WITH THE LORD

Proverbs 3:32

For the perverse person is an abomination to The LORD, But His secret counsel is with the upright.

Proverbs 18:24

A man who has friends must himself be friendly, But there is a Friend Who sticks closer than a brother.

John 15:14-15 

You are My friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not understand what his master is doing. But I have called you friends, because everything I have learned from My Father I have made known to you.

THE FEAR OF THE LORD

Proverbs 8:13

The fear of The LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.

Psalm 19:19

The fear of The LORD is clean, enduring forever; the judgments of The LORD are are true and righteous altogether. 

Proverbs 1:17

The fear of The LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Psalm 111:10

The fear of The LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have they who do His commandments: His praise endures forever.

Job 28:28

And He said to man, 'Behold, the fear of The LORD, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil, that is understanding.' 

Proverbs 10:27

The fear of The LORD prolongs days, but the years of the wicked are shortened.

Proverbs 15:33

The fear of The LORD is the instruction of wisdom,  and before honor is humility.

    So we see that to trust in God and obey His Word brings us both friendship with Him and a desire to learn and be taught by Him in His Word. He teaches us to fear (revere: respect and awe) Him. By our willingness to know and understand His Word, The LORD is able to teach each one who asks to be taught by Him. This is why we need His Holy Spirit. 

    It is The Holy Spirit's job, work, to open our eyes to see and understand what God reveals to us when He reveals it (and not before). These are the steps we take when we walk with Jesus and talk with Jesus and God. His Word tells us that His Word is a Lamp to our feet and a Light to our path: The Light of Christ shines on and through The Word of God. Think of it as solar lights lighting our path at night and the moon and stars shining their lights from above. We see much better with both lights to light our way: the light from above lights our path, the light from nearby lights our steps. So, too, this is how The Light shines in The Word.

    May you find yourself a friend with Jesus. May your eyes be opened with understanding and your hearts opened with wisdom. 

    

MARANATHA! MUSIC - Praise 2