"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever!" (Psalm 111:10, ESV)
I gather from our text that the reason so many people act stupidly is that they don't have, "the fear of the Lord." The ESV translation of our text says something quite interesting about, "the beginning of wisdom," and, "a good understanding." They are only life changing for, "....all who practice it...." Moreover, here is something that most people have probably never connected. The proper translation of our text is, "The fear of the Lord Jesus Christ is the beginning of wisdom." I suspect that most religious people have never thought of, "the fear of the Lord," being connected with Jesus. But after all, Jesus is, "the Lord." Most people's eyes and thoughts are colored by their Sunday School upbringing or just religious traditional thinking, and cannot conceive of fearing the Lord Jesus. They had better start.
Stupidity is not determined by how well you and I can do math problems, understand science, or put a faucet in our kitchens. It is determined by our, "fear of the Lord [Jesus]." Most people love to quote, "The Lord is my shepherd," and, "I can do all things through Christ Who strengthens me," and other great passages. But if these wonderful realities are not accompanied by, "the fear of the Lord," they will just lead us astray into some self-deceived euphoric religion. And what about those politicians which wow people because of their "intelligence" and charismatic personalities, but have no, "fear of the Lord Jesus"?---- Stupid. Those college professors, those loud mouths at the water cooler, those relatives who seem to always have an answer for everything and make you sound and look stupid yet have no, "fear of the Lord Jesus?----- you got it: Stupid.
Who would not admit that they want, "wisdom," and, "understanding"? Without wisdom and understanding we are like a rudderless ship, we are as people whom Paul describes in the Ephesian Letter, "tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive...." "The fear of the Lord Jesus," however, will simply not allow, "cunning craftiness," and deception to overtake those who live in, "the fear of the Lord Jesus Christ."
Let me close with a very current illustration. So many American church-goers are enamored with the Clintons, and I know will vote for Hilary in the primaries, and for president should she win the primaries, yes, many of those self-proclaimed "born-againers." For the life of me I am baffled by it. The Clintons receive hundreds of thousands of dollars for their "speeches" which do nothing but spout humanist, Christ-rejecting nothings. They are play actors par excellence. Why are people fooled by such?--- stupidity which comes from no, "fear of the Lord Jesus." When people do not have, "the fear of the Lord Jesus," they will not take His Words seriously, nor live by them, nor vote by them, nor run their business by them, nor teach in their schools by them. God told Jeremiah, "I will put the fear of me in their hearts." This is what I pray for all of us. This is what I pray for America.
Father, in Jesus' Name, teach me more and more, "the beginning of wisdom," and, "practice...good understanding." Amen.
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Update s and Commentaries at: jhs58.blogspot.com
I gather from our text that the reason so many people act stupidly is that they don't have, "the fear of the Lord." The ESV translation of our text says something quite interesting about, "the beginning of wisdom," and, "a good understanding." They are only life changing for, "....all who practice it...." Moreover, here is something that most people have probably never connected. The proper translation of our text is, "The fear of the Lord Jesus Christ is the beginning of wisdom." I suspect that most religious people have never thought of, "the fear of the Lord," being connected with Jesus. But after all, Jesus is, "the Lord." Most people's eyes and thoughts are colored by their Sunday School upbringing or just religious traditional thinking, and cannot conceive of fearing the Lord Jesus. They had better start.
Stupidity is not determined by how well you and I can do math problems, understand science, or put a faucet in our kitchens. It is determined by our, "fear of the Lord [Jesus]." Most people love to quote, "The Lord is my shepherd," and, "I can do all things through Christ Who strengthens me," and other great passages. But if these wonderful realities are not accompanied by, "the fear of the Lord," they will just lead us astray into some self-deceived euphoric religion. And what about those politicians which wow people because of their "intelligence" and charismatic personalities, but have no, "fear of the Lord Jesus"?---- Stupid. Those college professors, those loud mouths at the water cooler, those relatives who seem to always have an answer for everything and make you sound and look stupid yet have no, "fear of the Lord Jesus?----- you got it: Stupid.
Who would not admit that they want, "wisdom," and, "understanding"? Without wisdom and understanding we are like a rudderless ship, we are as people whom Paul describes in the Ephesian Letter, "tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive...." "The fear of the Lord Jesus," however, will simply not allow, "cunning craftiness," and deception to overtake those who live in, "the fear of the Lord Jesus Christ."
Let me close with a very current illustration. So many American church-goers are enamored with the Clintons, and I know will vote for Hilary in the primaries, and for president should she win the primaries, yes, many of those self-proclaimed "born-againers." For the life of me I am baffled by it. The Clintons receive hundreds of thousands of dollars for their "speeches" which do nothing but spout humanist, Christ-rejecting nothings. They are play actors par excellence. Why are people fooled by such?--- stupidity which comes from no, "fear of the Lord Jesus." When people do not have, "the fear of the Lord Jesus," they will not take His Words seriously, nor live by them, nor vote by them, nor run their business by them, nor teach in their schools by them. God told Jeremiah, "I will put the fear of me in their hearts." This is what I pray for all of us. This is what I pray for America.
Father, in Jesus' Name, teach me more and more, "the beginning of wisdom," and, "practice...good understanding." Amen.
*******************
Update s and Commentaries at: jhs58.blogspot.com
When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"
"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2
"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2
