Dan’s Bible Fellowship Class

Elijah Zachary was born on Saturday.  As I held him in my arms I was impressed by what a cool part of my life I’m living.  I was also in awe as I thought about molding this little one into the man God wants him to be.  Obviously, Zachary has the primary responsibility here, but my every interaction with him will have an impact.

I guess I reflected on my performance as a father.  Certainly, my performance has not been stellar by most measures.  However, one thing I taught both my boys was to love God and love their mother.

This morning as I read Proverbs 9:10-11, God asked me, “Are you really seeking understanding or just knowledge?”

“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.  For by me your days will be multiplied, And years of life will be added to you. ”

The fear of the Lord described here isn’t fear in the sense of being afraid.  “Fear” in this context means “reverential awe” of the mightiness of God who created the universe, is omniscient, and omnipresent.  McArthur puts it this way:  “The fear of the Lord is a state of mind in which one’s own attitudes, will, feelings, deeds, and goals are exchanged for God’s.”

So if I am to have knowledge, I just seek out as many great teachers (including books) as I can find.  I devour them, and presumably ingrain their contents in my psyche.

However, if I am to have Wisdom, I am to exchange my own attitudes, will, feelings, deeds, and goals for God’s.  So how would that look in practice?

1.  The desires for my family would be what God desires for my family.  He desires that they first come to a personal relationship with Christ, and that they then each surrender their very beings to His Lordship.  Simply put, my family, individually, would “live for Jesus every day.”

2.  My work would be the work that He desires for me.  So I ask myself, “Am I doing what God has called me and equipped me to do?  If not, then when will I quit resisting His call on my life?”

3.  My desires and attitudes about money would be His.  Oops!  This means I have to acknowledge that He owns the cattle on a thousand hills (and the hills too).  This would also necessarily mean that when I give my tithe and/or my offering, I am not depriving myself, but instead giving back to Him money that actually already belongs to him.

4.  My relationship with my wife will look as He described it in Ephesians 5:23-33.

5.  My attitude about His Word would be His attitude about His Word!  This necessarily means that it is “sharper than any two edged sword” and is a “discerner of the thoughts and intents” of the heart.  It is from His Word that I will gain wisdom because He reveals Himself through His Word.

So am I looking for this Wisdom?  Lot’s to think through this morning.