Bible Study THE SOURCE OF KNOWLEDGE, WISDOM, AND INSTRUCTION.

Good afternoon to all of you who love studying God's Word together with Soul man, Hermit, and me. We are about to take a close look at a word that can go many ways. That word is FEAR. It is a very important word for every one who loves the Lord and his/her neighbor. Together, we will attempt to investigate the good, life saving results of fear as well as the bad features of fear.

We, Soul man and Peter, hope that you will join us, not to argue with each other about what that person sees how fear motivates them, but consider from their perspective, it just might be genuine, we just don't have the background that they do.

Lets consider our theme verse of Scripture....Proverbs 1:7 "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction."

THE FEAR OF THE LORD. First off, what comes into your mind when you see those five words? I asked a Catholic friend of mine a long time ago, the same question. He said, "I'm afraid to read the Bible and go to your youth group." Sad but true.

There are many good results that come to us as the result of fear. There are many unhealthy results that come to us as the results of fear.

Fear is a motivator. Good or bad....Lets look at the good from our Scripture....Fear is the BEGINNING of knowledge. Hmm. What do you think of that? The beginning? How so?

Also, fear is the beginning of instruction. Ah, now it's getting a little clearer right? How so?

Also, fear is the beginning of wisdom. If the fool despises wisdom and instruction, he won't respect what fear can lead him into or out. Remember, fear is a motivator.

I'll stop right here, just to get your mind centered on this little word fear. What's good about it and what's bad. Remember, it will, most likely, be different for each of us.

Stay Tuned,
Chopper

Interesting introduction to

Chopper said:

Proverbs 1:7 "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction."

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It begs me to bare my soul.

It sounds contradictory to fear the LORD when God is love (see 1 John 4:8). When I was in full self-will run riot living, I certainly was terrified of the LORD, for deep down I knew that the God of gods would surely see and know everything about me. That He would know everything that I do not want to even know about myself. Knowing there is no escape, I still tried in desperation to stay in denial, and done it well too.

What helped me to bare my soul was to replace my religious upbringing of a punishing god with one of Truth. That is, God/Truth will set me free from my fears of self-denial. It is about the fear of losing my self for the Self. To lose all my untruths (sins) for the Truth/God/Christ. To be totally exposed and vulnerable so that God's Grace can replace the dark with light. It is an act of faith which literally took me to the brink of attempted suicide on a number of occasions. I am not saying this to scare, but how it was for me. The fall from being a legend in my own mind, to being nothing but a worthless parasite, is ego-deflation at depth. This unveiling of self-fabricated lies (sins) is the beginning of real knowledge, and not some arrogance born from ignorance/denial.

In early recovery from alcoholism and other addictions, I attended regular rehab group therapy. It was there when I was introduced to the word 'denial'. In one group session, the therapist told me I was in denial. Out of fear, I arose out of my chair yelling "I am NOT in denial", and abruptly left the group. I quickly found a dictionary to look up the word 'denial'. When I read it, I discovered I already knew what it meant but was in denial of the word denial. This shocked me. I thought, 'what else am I in denial about and not knowing it'? This was the start of no longer trusting my own thoughts. I question myself regularly, and even after thirty years.

A few years later, I heard an acronym Didn't Even kNow I Am Lying. I took that on board as true. But after many years of introspection through daily prayer and meditation, I came to realize that the 'denial' acronym was a denial in itself. Why? Because you have to know what you are denying before you can deny it. In other words, denial is no longer an excuse, and God knows it.

So what actually do we do to deny something without being fully conscious of it? We sense a threat by association/ memory/ symbolism/ metaphor before it becomes clear. In that moment we decide to instantly turn away from the threat. This can happen in a microsecond. It is akin to judging a book by its cover.

So what do we fear? We fear the truth. But it is the truth which is knowledge, and the source of wisdom and instruction. It is facing our fears, through faith in Christ and God, which is the beginning of gaining that knowledge of truth. And we must start of by facing our own fears of self, to inhibit denying anything else we may fear and deny.

Also, denial is the fear of the wisdom and instruction which may reveal 'self' as wrong. For example: I once referred a lad to work for an apprenticeship, but he soon lost the position. The employer told me he could not teach the lad anything, "Every time I gave him an instruction he would say, 'Yeah, I know', yet he didn't know". So what happened is that the lad may have known a small portion of the instruction (the book cover) and assumed the rest, and resulted in not hearing the lesson.

Fools that despise wisdom and instruction are not only in fear of the Truth about not facing their fear due to the lack of faith (trust) in God's love of forgiveness, wisdom and instruction. Fools fear Truth period, that is why they despise it. On the other side, God despises untruths. Luke 16:15 He said to them, "You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of others, but God knows your hearts. What people value highly is detestable in God's sight.

The day, or moment, we are not in denial we will actually be following God's will and not our own. For most of the faithful , it means continual prayer and meditation (awareness in what we are thinking and doing), to have some sort of a good day in Christ. That is, a day of wisdom and instruction through the Holy Spirit of Truth.

When it comes to Scripture, every verse is a package of Truth. It is best not to get caught up in just the package and never seeing its content. That is like judging a book by its cover. Prayer and meditation over the Scripture will reveal its contents even more so. 1 Samuel 16:7 But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."

Fear comes from the deep seeded root of who we once were. Fear controls the world, and will not allow for freedom.
Fear in the believer is a holdover of the old man, sin-nature. We are exhorted time and time again to get the mind of Christ. Without the mind to go with the new nature the believer can and will express the ways of the old mind.
All violence, backlash, Satan abuse and so on come from fear. Fear is a controlling factor that dominates humanity.
The only way fear is overcome is in the simple answer of a knowing; knowing who you are.
When I make that statement, which I frequently do; it is not as the world has coined it as "coming into your own". Quite the opposite 'the knowing is in the understanding of who you are, what you became the moment you believed.
You will not know it the moment you believed but in time as the Father has placed you under the element of time, in this case "His time."
"You will know," it is the reason you breathe, the reason you exist, the only reason for creation.
That moment when you believed, another was birthed in you, to be your life and only life. You do not have any other life.
BC you had no other life but a Satan life, you have never existed on your own. Life comes from a father, you're sin life (Satan), now you're Christ life (Christ).
You are in one or the other, to those in Christ it is imperative they get the mind of Christ to go along with their new Christ in you nature.
When you read our wonderful Apostle Paul you are reading the mind of Christ.
Have you ever wondered how to get the mind of Christ, I am telling you where to find it. It is written in plain black and white English for all to read and understand.
Give the HolySpirit something to work with and He will. He honors the truth of Gods word.
You cannot mix and commingle 66 books of written scripture and find out who you are.
Fear will dominate you all the days of your life.

Ah, my partners in the Word of God have done a great job of entering into the mysteries of Christ in us. The wonderful process of the trinity of the three of us, we learn from each other.

There is, as I have already noted, a very positive result of fear as it has to do with what I call "the smarts". That is found in....

Exodus 20:18 "Now when all the people saw the thunder and the flashes of lightning and the sound of the trumpet and the mountain smoking, the people were afraid and trembled, and they stood far off
20:19 and said to Moses, "You speak to us, and we will listen; but do not let God speak to us, lest we die."
20:20 Moses said to the people, "Do not fear, for God has come to test you, that the fear of him may be before you, that you may not sin." (ESV)

Ah yes. the fear of God so that we might not sin. Perhaps it would better be understood as fear of how God will react if I sin. In my studies of the Covenant of Law, and the Covenant of Grace, there is a huge difference. Especially when it comes to our Salvation. Here's a difficulty that I find....Romans 6:1 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? I'm afraid that many of today's pew warmers think that they can sin with no penalty because of forgiveness thru Grace. Just something to think about.

Here is something that I've thought is backward, as it has to do with fear. That is the difference between the word fear in the Old Covenant as compared with the New Covenant. I'll list both meanings. Fear from the Hebrew language, and fear from the Greek....

Old Testament (Covenant) Hebrew....Ecc 12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man....
yârê'
yaw-ray'
A primitive root; to fear; morally to revere

New Testament (Covenant) Greek....phobeō, to frighten, that is, (passively) to be alarmed, afraid, fear (exceedingly).

In other studies that I've done in the past, Old Covenant fear seemed to always be a form of reverence or awe.
In the New Covenant, fear always seemed to be a form of terror, a running away from, to be alarmed.

Now, I would think that these two meanings of fear in these two languages, should be reversed. Am I just twisted? What is going on here. Does anyone have a answer?

Hi again friends. This Scripture made an impression in my mind...Ecclesiastes 12:13 "Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.
12:14 For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil."

So, the whole duty of man, according to God (Elohim) is to fear Him (Them) and keep His (Their) Commandments. Some day, I'm going to introduce to our study here on which Commandments are we to keep? Old Covenant Law, or New Covenant Grace, or a combination of them both. That is coming later, not now.

Ok, fear God and keep his Commandments. Actually, God's Commandments are designed to keep us from sinning, right? Therefore we should fear breaking what God has placed before our thinking what will keep us from sinning. I don't want to sin, and disappoint Jesus who labored heavily on the cross of torment to free me from sin and separation from the Godhead.

Someone asked me why I spend every day studying the Old Covenant? I told him that I wanted to know what pleases our Lord as I see Israel struggling thru the wilderness, and the wars as Israel battled the wicked nations who occupied the promised land that YHWH promised Abraham, Issac, and Jacob.

I have found that God loves obedience, and judges the opposite. Fear? Yea, I fear doing what Israel did to provoke our Lord, and I delight in doing what God rewarded Israel for when they were obedient. Presently, as well as studying Numbers in the OC, I'm studying the book of Acts in the NC.

O my friends. History, history, and more history really opens my mind and understanding in how to walk in the Spirit as Romans chapter eight says to do. It's one thing to read what we're supposed to do in the Scriptures, and another to know how to do it. The history of Israel and the history of the Church after Pentecost tells me how....All I have to do is DO IT!!

.

Before I was indwelt with the Holy Spirit and before I learned to fear/love my Saviour, God, I knew fear to be both good and bad but never excellent. Then I learned to fear God and as the Spirit led me in learning, I realized that the fear of God was modeled by me when I was under fourteen years of age.

As I approached fifteen I was becoming a man, I thought, and no longer feared my dad. I was not afraid of him, ever, but I did fear disappointing him. I have found that same fear of God and is a good thing because it has caused me to completely turn from myself to Him.

The Old Man is still there, tied to my back, rotting away and trying desperately to kill me for murdering him and it can, at any moment grasp me and from time to time it does and then I sin. I sin because it is then that I am disobedient and Quench the Spirit of God that lives in me. It is then that I find my heart broken and move my wretched self into repentance.

And it is then that I realize how wonderful God is to me. It is then that I recall all of the times I should not have survived because of the Vietnam War. The times my ship was shot to hell and back and yet not a man on board was hit, the times, twice, that the B40 missal missed us and flew past the ship. And particularly the time we were give clearance to break right on take off and the 155mm round came in one Cargo Door and out the other and on to it's intended destination. Things like that do not just happen. Before I loved God, 23 years later, God loved and protected me. Leaving me no choice but to love Him and to fear disappointing Him.

Chopper said:

...In other studies that I've done in the past, Old Covenant fear seemed to always be a form of reverence or awe.
In the New Covenant, fear always seemed to be a form of terror, a running away from, to be alarmed.

Now, I would think that these two meanings of fear in these two languages, should be reversed. Am I just twisted? What is going on here. Does anyone have a answer?

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(my underlining).

Great question Chopper.
I know you already know from my heart. So I will let out what is in my heart.

Instead of fear, how about love of God, love of Christ. Loving the Truth will not only deter sin but create such a desire towards DOING the right thing (the way) in Truth, and in life, as a Christian would in Christ.
Luke 10:26-28
26. "What is written in the Law?" he replied. "How do you read it?"
27. He answered, "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'"
28. "You have answered correctly," Jesus replied. "Do this and you will live."

However, most people got love reversed too. Their reference about love is what they themselves can gain from it. Their focus is about GETTING love, to FEEL loved. When in fact, it is GIVING from our heart without expecting anything in return which fulfills us because WE ARE LOVE. Christ in us is the Son in the Father, and the Father in the Son. God is love and is in us. When we surrender self for Self we become love. We have so much love within us 'my cup runneth over' forever (as long as I dwell in the house of the Lord).
dwell = remain in the heart, in d-well of love.

th1b.taylor said:

...Leaving me no choice but to love Him and to fear disappointing Him.

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Bravo Bill Taylor. Great message.
I also find, to love Him, disappears the fear of disappointing Him, because I am in too much love to fear anything.

Going back to Proverbs 1:7 "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction."
When we think of fear we think of being afraid of something. Now read the same passage using the word respect. "To respect the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction." (Not adding to the word so do not crucify me )

It makes fear become respect as we respect God in whom we desire who holds all knowledge in instruction and wisdom. His word disciplines me in all areas of my life. I respect God for the many times He has stepped on my toes to discipline me with just His spoken word and keep me in His will when my foolish self wants to take another direction. There is nothing we can hide from God and He alone is our judge.

for_his_glory said:

Going back to Proverbs 1:7 "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction."
When we think of fear we think of being afraid of something. Now read the same passage using the word respect. "To respect the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction." ....
...we respect God in whom we desire who holds all knowledge in instruction and wisdom. His word disciplines me in all areas of my life. I respect God for the many times He has stepped on my toes to discipline me with just His spoken word and keep me in His will when my foolish self wants to take another direction. There is nothing we can hide from God and He alone is our judge.

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Great response, and instruction.
Yes, respect is a better word than fear. As you said... "we respect God in whom we desire" ... because we love God for all those things you mentioned, 'for_his_glory'.

th1b.taylor said:

Before I was indwelt with the Holy Spirit and before I learned to fear/love my Saviour, God, I knew fear to be both good and bad but never excellent. Then I learned to fear God and as the Spirit led me in learning, I realized that the fear of God was modeled by me when I was under fourteen years of age.

As I approached fifteen I was becoming a man, I thought, and no longer feared my dad. I was not afraid of him, ever, but I did fear disappointing him. I have found that same fear of God and is a good thing because it has caused me to completely turn from myself to Him.

The Old Man is still there, tied to my back, rotting away and trying desperately to kill me for murdering him and it can, at any moment grasp me and from time to time it does and then I sin. I sin because it is then that I am disobedient and Quench the Spirit of God that lives in me. It is then that I find my heart broken and move my wretched self into repentance.

And it is then that I realize how wonderful God is to me. It is then that I recall all of the times I should not have survived because of the Vietnam War. The times my ship was shot to hell and back and yet not a man on board was hit, the times, twice, that the B40 missal missed us and flew past the ship. And particularly the time we were give clearance to break right on take off and the 155mm round came in one Cargo Door and out the other and on to it's intended destination. Things like that do not just happen. Before I loved God, 23 years later, God loved and protected me. Leaving me no choice but to love Him and to fear disappointing Him.

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Good word Taylor, where you been haven't seen the white of your eyes in awhile!!!!

th1b.taylor said:

Before I was indwelt with the Holy Spirit and before I learned to fear/love my Saviour, God, I knew fear to be both good and bad but never excellent. Then I learned to fear God and as the Spirit led me in learning, I realized that the fear of God was modeled by me when I was under fourteen years of age.

As I approached fifteen I was becoming a man, I thought, and no longer feared my dad. I was not afraid of him, ever, but I did fear disappointing him. I have found that same fear of God and is a good thing because it has caused me to completely turn from myself to Him.

The Old Man is still there, tied to my back, rotting away and trying desperately to kill me for murdering him and it can, at any moment grasp me and from time to time it does and then I sin. I sin because it is then that I am disobedient and Quench the Spirit of God that lives in me. It is then that I find my heart broken and move my wretched self into repentance.

And it is then that I realize how wonderful God is to me. It is then that I recall all of the times I should not have survived because of the Vietnam War. The times my ship was shot to hell and back and yet not a man on board was hit, the times, twice, that the B40 missal missed us and flew past the ship. And particularly the time we were give clearance to break right on take off and the 155mm round came in one Cargo Door and out the other and on to it's intended destination. Things like that do not just happen. Before I loved God, 23 years later, God loved and protected me. Leaving me no choice but to love Him and to fear disappointing Him.

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Thank you, my old warrior friend. that's a good post and great testimony of God's protection of you. Just think, because God wanted you saved, not only were you protected, but all the others in that chopper benefited from God's love for you.

Soul man said:

Good word Taylor, where you been haven't seen the white of your eyes in awhile!!!!

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i was feeling rough but am much better now. My granddaughter Ashley,, and young Christian husband are about six months the development of their first son ad she has, suddenly, become a high risk pregnancy. And to complicate the matter, they live in Corpus and her young man has been scouted and the scout has offered him twice the income to work for them. He would be insane not to take this position and move to San Antonio.

Ashley has the doctor's permission to go if she can find a doctor that will accept a known high risk pregnancy. We are praying for God to hold Emmot right there in the birth canal or to move back. They gave the drugs that developed the lungs but he would still, only weigh about 3 pounds or less if he comes now vand so it is we are in prayer.

Thank you for the concern.

th1b.taylor said:

i was feeling rough but am much better now. My granddaughter Ashley,, and young Christian husband are about six months the development of their first son ad she has, suddenly, become a high risk pregnancy. And to complicate the matter, they live in Corpus and her young man has been scouted and the scout has offered him twice the income to work for them. He would be insane not to take this position and move to San Antonio.

Ashley has the doctor's permission to go if she can find a doctor that will accept a known high risk pregnancy. We are praying for God to hold Emmot right there in the birth canal or to move back. They gave the drugs that developed the lungs but he would still, only weigh about 3 pounds or less if he comes now vand so it is we are in prayer.

Thank you for the concern.

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for all of you as you are placed in Gods hands

th1b.taylor said:

i was feeling rough but am much better now. My granddaughter Ashley,, and young Christian husband are about six months the development of their first son ad she has, suddenly, become a high risk pregnancy. And to complicate the matter, they live in Corpus and her young man has been scouted and the scout has offered him twice the income to work for them. He would be insane not to take this position and move to San Antonio.

Ashley has the doctor's permission to go if she can find a doctor that will accept a known high risk pregnancy. We are praying for God to hold Emmot right there in the birth canal or to move back. They gave the drugs that developed the lungs but he would still, only weigh about 3 pounds or less if he comes now vand so it is we are in prayer.

Thank you for the concern.

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Ok buddy, we'll get to praying for that little one who will have that pre-born in the hand of Jesus, in the palm of His hand. Rest easy my friend, all is well in the Son of God.

th1b.taylor said:

i was feeling rough but am much better now. My granddaughter Ashley,, and young Christian husband are about six months the development of their first son ad she has, suddenly, become a high risk pregnancy. And to complicate the matter, they live in Corpus and her young man has been scouted and the scout has offered him twice the income to work for them. He would be insane not to take this position and move to San Antonio.

Ashley has the doctor's permission to go if she can find a doctor that will accept a known high risk pregnancy. We are praying for God to hold Emmot right there in the birth canal or to move back. They gave the drugs that developed the lungs but he would still, only weigh about 3 pounds or less if he comes now vand so it is we are in prayer.

Thank you for the concern.

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Praying that all concerned will find contentment in all things in God and His Son.

th1b.taylor said:

i was feeling rough but am much better now. My granddaughter Ashley,, and young Christian husband are about six months the development of their first son ad she has, suddenly, become a high risk pregnancy. And to complicate the matter, they live in Corpus and her young man has been scouted and the scout has offered him twice the income to work for them. He would be insane not to take this position and move to San Antonio.

Ashley has the doctor's permission to go if she can find a doctor that will accept a known high risk pregnancy. We are praying for God to hold Emmot right there in the birth canal or to move back. They gave the drugs that developed the lungs but he would still, only weigh about 3 pounds or less if he comes now vand so it is we are in prayer.

Thank you for the concern.

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Ok wow, my oldest daughter was a premmie, 4.2. Tawni was month and half early, trying time. I was 18 years old and didn't know the lord. The lungs are the last too develope.
Pray Mother and child will be ok, the lord minister to them.
I'm kind of wierd you know, as a child growing up I dreamed of having a family, I wanted to be married. I was engaged in high school and couldn't wait to get out of school to get married.
We did and still best of friends, not married but Teri is like a sister to me. We have talked each other through many hard times. We went to church together as children but didn't know each other. As you know Berdoo is a big town to get lost in. Blessings my friend and the lord take care of the situation is my prayer.

Soul man said:

Ok wow, my oldest daughter was a premmie, 4.2. Tawni was month and half early, trying time. I was 18 years old and didn't know the lord. The lungs are the last too develope.
Pray Mother and child will be ok, the lord minister to them.
I'm kind of wierd you know, as a child growing up I dreamed of having a family, I wanted to be married. I was engaged in high school and couldn't wait to get out of school to get married.
We did and still best of friends, not married but Teri is like a sister to me. We have talked each other through many hard times. We went to church together as children but didn't know each other. As you know Berdoo is a big town to get lost in. Blessings my friend and the lord take care of the situation is my prayer.

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They have given her Steroids and the lungs are developed. It would still be rough to go home without him because he was in the incubator but he should survive now. I'm still praying for the LORD to keep him in the oven though and thank you. May God bless and His will be done and may we always accept.

th1b.taylor said:

They have given her Steroids and the lungs are developed. It would still be rough to go home without him because he was in the incubator but he should survive now. I'm still praying for the LORD to keep him in the oven though and thank you. May God bless and His will be done and may we always accept.

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Ty for the update...................power of prayer works when Gods children stand in agreement

th1b.taylor said:

They have given her Steroids and the lungs are developed. It would still be rough to go home without him because he was in the incubator but he should survive now. I'm still praying for the LORD to keep him in the oven though and thank you. May God bless and His will be done and may we always accept.

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Amen my friend