Proverbs 3:7  Be not wise in thine own eyes:  fear the LORD, and depart from evil.

Proverbs 8:13  The fear of the LORD is to hate evil:  pride and arrogancy, and the evil way and the froward mouth, do I (the LORD) hate.  (KJV)

Humility comes when we compare ourselves not to one another, but to Holy God.  I have had my self-righteousness (that I was totally unaware of) handed to me on a platter and it tasted really BAD!  The dinner courses just keep coming and the taste only gets worse.  “Wise in my own eyes” was not a problem I thought I had.  I can hear my critics snickering behind me.  My downfall was in not recognizing what constitutes evil in my life.  The evil in my life was not actual murder, theft, adultery, or other easily recognizable BIG sins; it was the innocuous –complaining, criticism, judging, anger, lack of obedience.   Trust me if you are patting yourself on the back because you don’t smoke, drink, do drugs, haven’t actually committed murder, adultery or the like—for Heaven’s sake STOP!!!   Humble pie is not palatable.  God’s Word holds a mirror up and not so gently asks:  “Whose reflection do you see?”  If the answer is not  “Jesus,” well…………….

Pride is an attitude God hates, it is actually called an abomination that will not go unnoticed (Prov 16:5) and pride precedes a fall (Prov 29:23).

Today’s post will be succinct:  short, sweet, to the point, because I am dealing with this reflection thing..

 

 

 

 

 

 

These two verses offer us the definition of fear of the LORD from God’s dictionary straight to man.  

Evil is anything not of God.
Pride is thinking you have it all together.
Arrogancy is you don’t need God.
Evil way is doing what is right in your own eyes.
Forward mpouth is using your mouth against God or His prize creation–our fellow man.
If wse can see ourselves in any one of these, then the fear of the LORD has not truly found a home in our hearts.  In the words of Dr. Allen Atkins, “You need to figure out who is on the throne of your heart.  There can only be one:  you or the LORD. The LORD will not share His glory! Period. (Jeremiah 9:23)  

King Solomon, the wisest man to ever live said it this way: (Proverbs 2:1-5)  My son, IF thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee; so that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding:  yea IF thou criest after knowledge and liftest up thy voice for understanding; if thou seekest her as silver and searchest for her as for hid treasure; THEN shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.  (KJV)  (emphasis mine)

Solomon began Proverbs with this:  The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.  (Proverbs 1:7, 9:10)

More than 300 times God’s word speaks of the fear of the LORD.  The fear of the LORD has its rewards:  It “prolongeth our days,” “is a place of refuge,” and is a “fountain of life.”  (Proverbs 10:27 and Proverbs 14:26, 27)   King David knew this fear of the Lord and penned “Ye that fear the LORD, trust in the LORD:  He is their help and their shield.  He will bless them that fear LORD both great and small.”  (Psalm 115:11.13)

Did you awaken this morning with heartache.  Are tears falling like water dripping from a broken faucet.  Are you overwhelmed, have a choking sensation and your mind screams:  I.  CAN.  NOT.  DO.  THIS.  ANY.  MORE!!!!!  Look and see who is sitting on the throne.  If you see yourself (or any other person, place, thing) sitting there, can I humbly suggest you climb down and invite the LORD to take His rightful place.  This is the fear of the LORD, giving Him first place.

 

Abandon pride-the ”I can do it myself,” attitude.  Examine your heart for secret transgressions-those things that break God’s heart.  In humility, seek forgiveness.  Sit down at the feet of Jesus.

Treading in humility,

We Choose the Fear of the LORD by the Maranatha Singers