Wednesday, 1 April 2020
Proverbs 1:7
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction. (ESV)
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge. The word “fear” in Hebrew means “reverence”, the word “knowledge” in Hebrew means “wisdom (discernment)”, and the word “instruction” in Hebrew means “chastening (correction)”. In another word, when we show reverence to God, we will begin to have good discernment in life. However, the fools (perverse) who are proud and scornful would despite God’s given wisdom and correction. In verse 8, God refers to Himself as a loving father and mother to give instruction and law (direction or teaching). HE wants us to hear it (take into our heart) and not to forsake it. To fear GOD is to take HIM seriously, to take HIS teaching into our heart, living it out in our daily living, and never forsake HIS teaching.
I can recall when my son, Carter, was at age 8. We decided to give a valuable I-Pad to him to use for speech training and home-school websites and applications. We gave him clear instructions to use it with care along with many reminders of potential dangers. Carter grew attached to his I-Pad having it in his hand wherever he went. Then one wild afternoon playing an I-Pad game alone on his bed, Carter jumped up and down with his excitement and accidentally landed down to the bedroom floor together with his precious I-Pad. His elbow was greatly hurt and his I-Pad was in undesirable damaged. Carter failed to take heed of our advice and instructions.
God, our Father in Heaven, gives us advice and instructions on how to live our life because He loves us. He teaches us to follow his commands so that we can live a joyful and abundant life. A life that is led by divine wisdom – to make righteous choices, to have clear judgment, and to navigate life-direction.
When we fear God, it means that we are willing to take God as who He really is, take heed of His teaching, and obey His commands. We make His wisdom our wisdom! However, the foolish man, who is self-centred and arrogant, despises the wisdom and instruction of God, goes his own way and eats the fruit of his own foolishness. Have we been taking God seriously? Do we have our hearts filled with the reverence toward HIM? If we do, it would show by coming to receive His word daily by reading the Bible and never forsake HIS instructions by living our life according what the Bible says.
God reminds us in Proverbs 1:25-33 that He has given us the warning if we do not take His words seriously. We will face consequences if we carry on our ignorance.
25 since you disregard all my advice and do not accept my rebuke, 26 I in turn will laugh when disaster strikes you; I will mock when calamity (tragedy) overtakes you— 27 when calamity (tragedy) overtakes you like a storm, 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; they will look for me but will not find me, 29 since they hated knowledge (wisdom in the teaching of God) and did not choose to fear the LORD. 30 Since they would not accept my advice and spurned (reject) my rebuke, 31 they will eat the fruit of their ways and be filled with the fruit of their schemes. 32 For the waywardness (disobedience) of the simple (fool) will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them; 33 but whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm. (Proverbs 1:25-33)
Pray:
Dear Jesus,
We confess, if we have not taken Your WORD seriously, and not choosing to FEAR You in absolute reverence. Please, Lord, forgive us!
Lord, I pray that “With my whole heart I seek You; let me not wander from Your commandments! Help me to store up Your WORD in my heart that I might not sin against You. Blessed are You, O LORD; teach me Your commands! With my lips, I declare all the commands of Your mouth. In the way of Your testimonies I delight as much as in all riches. I will meditate on Your WORD and fix my eyes on Your ways. I will delight in Your commands; I will not forget your WORD. (Taken from Psalm 119:10-16)
In Jesus name I pray, Amen.
Ps. Wallace Ong
xxx
每日灵粮
1/4/2020
（作者： 王振威传道）
箴言1:7敬 畏 耶 和 华 是 知 识 的 开 端 ； 愚 妄 人 藐 视 智 慧 和 训 诲 。
敬畏耶和华是知识的开端。 “敬畏” 在希伯来语指的是“尊崇”；“知识”在希伯来语指的是“智慧（辨别力）”；“指示”在希伯来语指的是“磨炼（矫正）”。换句话说，当我们尊崇上帝，我们将开始有好的辨别力。然而，傲慢的愚妄人藐视上帝所给的智慧和训诲 。在第8节，上帝称自己为仁慈的父母，给予指示和律法（方向或教导）。他希望我们侧耳倾听 （耳听心受），而不是放弃训诲。敬畏上帝就是要认真对待他，将他的教导放在心里并活出来，且永远不要放弃他的训诲。
我回想起我的儿子(Carter）8岁时，我们决定给他使用一个贵重的i-Pad来进行语言培训以及下载在家自学的网站和应用程式 (APP)。我们给了他明确的指示，要他谨慎使用，并提醒他关于这部i-Pad许多潜在的危险。Carter 越来越喜欢使用i-Pad而且随身携带它。有天下午，Carter独自一人在床上玩i-Pad里的游戏。正当他激动地跳来跳去时，一个不小心和他的i-Pad一起跌倒在卧室地板上。他的肘部严重受伤，i-Pad也受到了令人不快的损坏。Carter显然没有听从我们的建议和指示。
上帝啊，我们天上的父，他之所以给我们生活中的建议和指示是因为他爱我们。他教我们遵循他的命令，使我们可以过喜乐而丰盛的生活。以上帝的智慧过生活-可以做出正确的选择，做出明确的判断，并指引生活方向。当我们敬畏上帝时，这意味着我们愿意接受上帝真实的身份，听从他的教导，并服从他的命令。我们以他的智慧为我们的智慧！然而，自以为是，自大的愚昧人鄙视上帝的智慧和教训，走自己的路，尝自己愚昧的果子。
我们有没有认真对待上帝？我们有没有全心尊崇上帝？若有，我们会每日灵修，读他的话语，按照圣经所说的生活，而绝不会放弃他的指示。
上帝在箴言1：25-33中提醒我们，若我们不认真对待祂的话, 祂已经给了警告。如果我们不改变愚昧的行为，我们将面临后果。
25反 轻 弃 我 一 切 的 劝 戒 ， 不 肯 受 我 的 责 备 。26 你 们 遭 灾 难 ， 我 就 发 笑 ； 惊 恐 临 到 你 们 ， 我 必 嗤 笑 。27 惊 恐 临 到 你 们 ， 好 像 狂 风 ； 灾 难 来 到 ， 如 同 暴 风 ； 急 难 痛 苦 临 到 你 们 身 上 。28 那 时 ， 你 们 必 呼 求 我 ， 我 却 不 答 应 ， 恳 切 地 寻 找 我 ， 却 寻 不 见 。29 因 为 ， 你 们 恨 恶 知 识 ， 不 喜 爱 敬 畏 耶 和 华 ，30 不 听 我 的 劝 戒 ， 藐 视 我 一 切 的 责 备 ，31 所 以 必 吃 自 结 的 果 子 ， 充 满 自 设 的 计 谋 . 。32 愚 昧 人 背 道 ， 必 杀 己 身 ； 愚 顽 人 安 逸 ， 必 害 己 命 。33 惟 有 听 从 我 的 ， 必 安 然 居 住 ， 得 享 安 静 ， 不 怕 灾 祸 。
祷告：
亲爱的耶稣，
如果我们没有认真地对待你的话语，也没有选择全然敬畏你，我们承认我们的罪。主啊，请你原谅我们！
主啊，这是我的祷告： 我 一 心 寻 求 了 你 ； 求 你 不 要 叫 我 偏 离 你 的 命 令 。我 将 你 的 话 藏 在 心 里 ， 免 得 我 得 罪 你 。耶 和 华 啊 ， 你 是 应 当 称 颂 的 ！ 求 你 将 你 的 律 例 教 训 我 ！我 用 嘴 唇 传 扬 你 口 中 的 一 切 典 章 。我 喜 悦 你 的 法 度 ， 如 同 喜 悦 一 切 的 财 物 。我 要 默 想 你 的 训 词 ， 看 重 你 的 道 路 。
我 要 在 你 的 律 例 中 自 乐 ； 我 不 忘 记 你 的 话 。（摘自诗篇119：10-16）
(巫惠如 译）