Fear of the Lord

I was doing devotions this morning and was led back into Proverbs and ran across some awesome passages that sure seem pertinent to us today.

Solomon was the wisest man to ever live.  Sadly he started strong and ended poorly.  He wrote many of the Proverbs and we can start with this one from 1:7

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge,
but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

What percentage of Americans actually fear (respect, honor) the Lord?  You think a small number??  I think it's a small number.  So of course since FEW of us fear the Lord we can't even BEGIN to have knowledge...and if we don't have knowledge we all become a bunch of fools who despise wisdom and don't want anyone telling us how to live.  Gay marriage, legalized hallucinogenic drugs, live together and 'try it out' before marriage, kids out of wedlock, divorce our spouse when we aren't happy, etc... will all be the result when we 'do whatever we want.'

Let's go on to 1:20 and find out what happens when people despise wisdom;
(the parenthesis are my commentary)

Wisdom’s Rebuke

²⁰ Out in the open wisdom calls aloud, (Bibles are everywhere, Christian radio in every city)
    she raises her voice in the public square; (is anyone in America listening?)
²¹ on top of the wall she cries out,
at the city gate she makes her speech:

²² “How long will you who are simple love your simple ways?
    How long will mockers delight in mockery
and fools hate knowledge?  (think of TV shows that Americans feast on)
²³ Repent at my rebuke!
Then I will pour out my thoughts to you, (Americans aren't into repentance)
    I will make known to you my teachings. (so the knowledge WILL NOT be coming)
²⁴ But since you refuse to listen when I call (empty, lifeless churches across America)
    and no one pays attention when I stretch out my hand,
²⁵ since you disregard all my advice (few actually read and study the Bible)
and do not accept my rebuke, (who needs you?  We are born knowing what we want)
²⁶ I in turn will laugh when disaster strikes you;
I will mock when calamity overtakes you—
²⁷ when calamity overtakes you like a storm, (9/11, tornado outbreak, hurricanes, droughts)
    when disaster sweeps over you like a whirlwind,
when distress and trouble overwhelm you.

²⁸ “Then they will call to me but I will not answer; (Everyone asks, "Where is God in 9/11?)
    they will look for me but will not find me, (let's read our horoscope to see what's up)
²⁹ since they hated knowledge
and did not choose to fear the Lord.
³⁰ Since they would not accept my advice (no longer a God-fearing nation)
    and spurned my rebuke,
³¹ they will eat the fruit of their ways (we will collapse and lose our freedom and security)
    and be filled with the fruit of their schemes. (Ponzi schemes anyone, 'fiscal cliff'?)
³² For the waywardness of the simple will kill them,
and the complacency of fools will destroy them; (a nation where more people know Snooki and Honey Boo Boo than know Jesus)
³³ but whoever listens to me will live in safety
and be at ease, without fear of harm.” (Thank you Jesus!!  No one and no thing can snatch me from your hand!)

 

Friends, we need to spend more time in the Word of God and more time in prayer.  The Satanic deception appears to be growing at an alarming pace.  We need to keep focused on our Savior as the world continues to shake and the foundations of America get ripped apart.

 

The secular world and news media believe that everything happening with floods, famines and earthquakes is somehow all being caused by global warming.  Since they have no FEAR OF THE LORD they can't possible have any KNOWLEDGE as to what is really happening.

 

The Lord is stretching out his hand.  Will you be helping the Lord of the Harvest in these last few days, months or years that we all have?...or will we all continue spending more time watching pro football every week than we spend seeking wisdom by the Word of God?

 

We all have a choice.