Here’s an excerpt from Warren Wiersbe from another source than our Be Mature book.
Wiersbe comments on “Real Wisdom”, which aligns with our text from Chapter 8 – “Where To Get Wisdom?” as he comments on Psalm 111:1-10.
“We live in a world with a great deal of knowledge but not a great deal of wisdom. So-called smart people do stupid things. David tells us the secret of wisdom and understanding in Psalm 111. ‘The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; a good understanding have all those who do His commandments. His praise endures forever’ (Psalm 111:10). Here we have three secrets of wisdom, and a person doesn't have to go through a university to learn them.
“Fear God. ‘The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.’ This is not the fear of a slave before an angry master. This is the reverence and respect of a loving child for a loving Father--showing respect for God, His Word, His presence and His will for our lives.
“Obey Him. ‘A good understanding have all those that do His commandments.’ The Word of God is given to us not just to read and study but to obey. We are to be doers of the Word, not just auditors who sit in class and take notes. When we obey God, we begin to understand what He is doing. Obedience is the organ of spiritual understanding.
“Praise Him. ‘His praise endures forever.’ Praise takes the selfishness out of our lives. It takes us away from idolatry, from living on substitutes.
“The more we fear Him, the more we obey Him. The more we obey Him, the more we praise Him. These are the ingredients of a happy and successful life.”
Then Wiersbe states the following paragraph, in which he speaks of the result of “real wisdom”, “fear of the Lord” and then quotes a Charles Bridges, which I think ends with another great challenge for us:
“We Must Walk in the Fear of the Lord”
“The phrase “fear of the Lord” is found twenty-seven times in the Bible, fourteen of them in the Book of Proverbs alone. It is a key concept in biblical theology. I especially like the definition that Charles Bridges gives in his masterful exposition of Proverbs: “It is that affectionate reverence by which the child of God bends himself humbly to his Father’s law.” It is not a paralyzing fear that stuns us but an energizing fear that stimulates us and motivates us to seek to please the Lord in everything. If you want to understand the fear of the Lord, start by reading and obeying Proverbs 2:1–5. I suggest you pause right now and do it.”
I agree with Mr. Bridges – so let's all of us, for the rest of this week, until we meet on Saturday, March 7th, meditate on that passage: Proverbs 2:1-5.
Let's read it; let's obey it; and let's praise our gracious, merciful, long suffering God for His goodness!
Wiersbe comments on “Real Wisdom”, which aligns with our text from Chapter 8 – “Where To Get Wisdom?” as he comments on Psalm 111:1-10.
“We live in a world with a great deal of knowledge but not a great deal of wisdom. So-called smart people do stupid things. David tells us the secret of wisdom and understanding in Psalm 111. ‘The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; a good understanding have all those who do His commandments. His praise endures forever’ (Psalm 111:10). Here we have three secrets of wisdom, and a person doesn't have to go through a university to learn them.
“Fear God. ‘The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.’ This is not the fear of a slave before an angry master. This is the reverence and respect of a loving child for a loving Father--showing respect for God, His Word, His presence and His will for our lives.
“Obey Him. ‘A good understanding have all those that do His commandments.’ The Word of God is given to us not just to read and study but to obey. We are to be doers of the Word, not just auditors who sit in class and take notes. When we obey God, we begin to understand what He is doing. Obedience is the organ of spiritual understanding.
“Praise Him. ‘His praise endures forever.’ Praise takes the selfishness out of our lives. It takes us away from idolatry, from living on substitutes.
“The more we fear Him, the more we obey Him. The more we obey Him, the more we praise Him. These are the ingredients of a happy and successful life.”
Then Wiersbe states the following paragraph, in which he speaks of the result of “real wisdom”, “fear of the Lord” and then quotes a Charles Bridges, which I think ends with another great challenge for us:
“We Must Walk in the Fear of the Lord”
“The phrase “fear of the Lord” is found twenty-seven times in the Bible, fourteen of them in the Book of Proverbs alone. It is a key concept in biblical theology. I especially like the definition that Charles Bridges gives in his masterful exposition of Proverbs: “It is that affectionate reverence by which the child of God bends himself humbly to his Father’s law.” It is not a paralyzing fear that stuns us but an energizing fear that stimulates us and motivates us to seek to please the Lord in everything. If you want to understand the fear of the Lord, start by reading and obeying Proverbs 2:1–5. I suggest you pause right now and do it.”
I agree with Mr. Bridges – so let's all of us, for the rest of this week, until we meet on Saturday, March 7th, meditate on that passage: Proverbs 2:1-5.
Let's read it; let's obey it; and let's praise our gracious, merciful, long suffering God for His goodness!