Day 31 - 40 Days of HOPE
Dr Jim Brown's TruNorth Devotional
40 Days of HOPE
Day 31 | WISDOM AND THE RIGHT PATH
40 Days of HOPE
Day 31 | WISDOM AND THE RIGHT PATH
WISDOM AND THE RIGHT PATH
Proverbs 23:17-19
“Live in the fear of the Lord always. Certainly there is a future, and your hope will not be cut off. Listen, my son, and be wise.”
Solomon is instructing the reader how to have a “future” and “hope” that will not be cut off (or come to an end). To this end, he reminds that we should “fear the Lord.” You’ll easily remember Solomon’s admonition “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom.”
But I find many – even church goers – who push away from this. They don’t like the word FEAR. In the Bible the word that is translated “fear” can have several meanings. It can refer to the terror one feels in a frightening situation (Deuteronomy 2:25). It can mean “respect” in the way a servant fears his master and serves him faithfully (Joshua 24:14). Fear can also denote the reverence or awe a person feels in the presence of greatness (Isaiah 6:5). The fear of the Lord is a combination of all of these.
Fear of the Lord can be defined as “the continual awareness that our loving heavenly Father is watching and evaluating everything we think, say, and do” (Matthew 12:36; Psalm 139:2; Jeremiah 12:3). As Jesus told each of the seven churches in Revelation 1 and 2, “I know your works.” Nothing escapes His attention.
In order to develop the healthy fear of the Lord, we must recognize God for who He is. We must glimpse with our spirits the power, might, beauty, and brilliance of the Lord God Almighty (Revelation 11:17; Hosea 12:5; Isaiah 6:1-5). Those who fear the Lord have a continual awareness of Him, a deep reverence for Him, and sincere commitment to obey Him. THEN, we can be assured that our HOPE will not be cut off.
Prayer: LORD, You are the Almighty God, the Creator; all-knowing, all-powerful and everywhere present. Help me always to remember that you are not “the man upstairs,” but rather you are Yahweh, the great “I Am.” Amen.
Proverbs 23:17-19
“Live in the fear of the Lord always. Certainly there is a future, and your hope will not be cut off. Listen, my son, and be wise.”
Solomon is instructing the reader how to have a “future” and “hope” that will not be cut off (or come to an end). To this end, he reminds that we should “fear the Lord.” You’ll easily remember Solomon’s admonition “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom.”
But I find many – even church goers – who push away from this. They don’t like the word FEAR. In the Bible the word that is translated “fear” can have several meanings. It can refer to the terror one feels in a frightening situation (Deuteronomy 2:25). It can mean “respect” in the way a servant fears his master and serves him faithfully (Joshua 24:14). Fear can also denote the reverence or awe a person feels in the presence of greatness (Isaiah 6:5). The fear of the Lord is a combination of all of these.
Fear of the Lord can be defined as “the continual awareness that our loving heavenly Father is watching and evaluating everything we think, say, and do” (Matthew 12:36; Psalm 139:2; Jeremiah 12:3). As Jesus told each of the seven churches in Revelation 1 and 2, “I know your works.” Nothing escapes His attention.
In order to develop the healthy fear of the Lord, we must recognize God for who He is. We must glimpse with our spirits the power, might, beauty, and brilliance of the Lord God Almighty (Revelation 11:17; Hosea 12:5; Isaiah 6:1-5). Those who fear the Lord have a continual awareness of Him, a deep reverence for Him, and sincere commitment to obey Him. THEN, we can be assured that our HOPE will not be cut off.
Prayer: LORD, You are the Almighty God, the Creator; all-knowing, all-powerful and everywhere present. Help me always to remember that you are not “the man upstairs,” but rather you are Yahweh, the great “I Am.” Amen.
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