A NEW BEGINNING
Proverbs 1:7
Preached By Kelvin l Parks
On 31 December 2007 At Gideon Missionary Baptist Church
Waukegan, IL
(v.7) The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Subject: A NEW BEGINNING
Let us deal briefly with the “B” portion of this scripture and talk for just a few minutes about the fool
THE FOOL -- The text says that fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Well ... I’m a firm believer that a fool typically goes wrong in his life ... somewhere around the beginning. Don’t believe me --- watch this. If you are going to build a house, may I suggest that you find a solid foundation on which to build first?
You see -- only a fool will build his house on sand. Well ain’t that what Jesus said in Matthew 7:26 “And every one that hearth these saying of mine, and doeth them not, shall be liken unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand.” Well, what is Jesus saying --- He saying don’t be a fool
Watch this (v.7) ... the fool
- The text says fools despise wisdom ... which simply means, you can’t tell a fool nothing.
- Proverb 14:9 tells us that fools make a mockery of sin (ain’t no shame in their game)
- A fool will drink all night Saturday and stand up and sing and direct the choir on Sunday,
- cuss folks out all week and serve on the doors,
- A fool will have his mistress right there in congregation and have the audacity to stand up and preach God’s word on Sunday, then justify it by saying that -- well the Lord knows my heart. I am talking about a fool.
- The Bible says in Proverbs 1:22 that a fool hates knowledge. A fool doesn’t want to know better. I have been doing it this way all of my life ... and I aint trying to change.
- Fools, Fools, the Bible call them fools. Fools are:
- Self-sufficient (make it w/o God). You know like the certain rich man in Luke 12:20 that wouldn’t share his riches but built barn and storehouse instead ... and God said “Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee:”
- Self-confident (arrogant) name it and claim it kind of believers. You can hear them from a mile away, they begin every sentence with I.
- Self deceivers ... thinking that they are all of that; high minded
- Full of words -- hot air (talk w/o thinking)
- Then there is the special kind of fool that will even say in his heart that there is no God (Psalm 14:1)
Well I am a firm believer that fools act this way because they flat out ain’t scared of the consequences. However, I want to let somebody know that sin has consequences...
(Galatians 6:7-8)
(v.7) Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
(v.8) For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
So knowing this ... and to keep living any old kind of way ... simply means, I ain’t scared of you; I ain’t worried about the outcome; I ain’t concerned about the consequences.
This type of attitude ... is the same as pumping your fist at God and saying -- You don’t scare me. I ain’t never been scared of ya ... and I ain’t bout to pick the day to start running.
Well ... why do so many feel this way. It is simple. Grace and Mercy.
You see ... grace allowed you to sin last night and still wake you up this morning. Grace got a lot of us thinking that we have got away with some stuff.
You know that unmerited favor, that pardon when you deserved death; you know how God kept you and allowed you to fulfill your selfish ambitions.
It never ceases to amaze me how some people especially during this time of year try to boil God’s sovereignty over your life down to chance and believe that eating some cabbage and black-eyed peas will bring you prosperity.
What happened -- how did you get this way. Well, I believe that something happened in the beginning.
In the beginning, God says that you use to love me. In the beginning you use to honor me, you use to obey me but now ... we call Him mighty ... yet we disobey Him
Angels bow before Him, Heaven and earth adore Him ... yet we disrespect Him in our giving, disrespect Him in our living; our worship and our praise.
And we wonder why there are so many miserable Christians. We wonder why there is no spiritual growth in our churches ... I’m a firm believer that they we are in this situation because we don’t fear the LORD!
We give Him any old thing, treat Him any old kind of way and ... and we have the audacity to expect a blessing in 2008. Well I stop by to tell somebody that tomorrow’s cabbage and black-eyed pea is goanna do the something that they did the last new years day ... GIVE YOU NOTHING BUT INDIGESTION AND HEARTBURN
If you want a break through in 2008 ... start fearing the Lord. Start reverencing God for who He is. Start respecting God for what He has done for you.
Walk with me ...
(v.7) The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge:..
Before we can understand knowledge ... we must first appreciate something else about God. Yes, God is awesome and holy, Yes, God is all-powerful, yes, and God is all-knowing.
But what many fell to realize is that God is also to be feared In fact search the scriptures for yourself and you will find that the Bible is full of this fear language, in fact it commands it and even celebrates it.
- (Ps. 2:11) Serve the Lord with fear and rejoice with trembling.
- (Ps. 33:8) Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the people of the world revere him.
- (Eccles. 12:13) Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.
- (Phil. 2:12) Work out your salvation with fear and trembling.
Well these scriptures beg the question, what does it mean to fear God? Does it means to fear him as we would a poisonous snake?
Well lets examine the text ... the word fear here literally means just that, “to fear.” However, depending on your translation and the commentator that you subscribe to, you may notice that the word fear substituted with alternatives words like, awe, respect, reverence, but none of these words quite captures the raw strength of the word fear the Jesus used in
Luke 12:4-5
Where He said “... do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after the killing of the body, has power to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear Him. Jesus is commanding us to fear God.
You know when you think about it -- it is sad day when more people are afraid of the boogieman and UFOs than God. More afraid of something that does not exist, than the one who created everything.
We have watered down fear to awe, respect and reverence ... all of which are decent and in order. However, I am a firm believer that the one you fear is the one that you will obey.
Well, what now. We stand of the cusp of yet another new beginning. In about 30 minutes we will usher in a new beginning. With the new beginning come new promises. Promises to lose weight; promises to stop drinking, promises to stop cheating, promise to start tithing; promises to be more involved in the church; promises to study God’s word more...
Promises, promises, promises ... may I submit to you this New Years Eve that the weight and balance of your ability of keep any of your resolutions (or promises) rest on your awe, respect, reverence and yes ... fear of God.
Will tomorrow be like yesterday, full of broken promises and resolutions? Will tomorrow be like yesterday, full of broken promises and resolutions? On the other hand, will you be the faithful God fearing Christian that you were created to be.
What are you saying ... well -- YOU WOULD HAVE TO MAKE A BREAK PROMISES ABOUT:
Losing weight if you feared God enough and believe what He said about gluttony
With drinking if your feared God enough and know that He said “Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.”
Cheating ... if you feared God enough and knew how He feels about adultery
About tithing ... if you feared God enough to obey Him about bringing the tithes into the storehouse.
Being active ... if you feared God enough and knew what He has to say about laziness
I do not know about you ... but I’m goanna begin 08 in search of some knowledge and understanding. So go ahead with your promises to lose weight ... but I am on a quest to gain more knowledge, more wisdom, and more understanding.
The things that I am in search of in 08, you can’t find on the internet, you can’t find in a magazine. The only way to get wisdom, knowledge, and understanding is from GOD.
You see ... resolution come and resolutions go, but one thing is certain the word of God is the only thing that will stand the test of time. In fact Isaiah 40:8 says “The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.”
So don’t put your trust in trends and gimmicks ... fear God and trust Jesus for your future.
I stopped by this New Year’s Eve to say when you consider your resolution ... my I suggest that you considering fearing God, the author of your very existence.
Instead of a resolution ... start 2008 right from the beginning by fearing God who is ...
Self-existent – I AM THAT I AM. He is God all by Himself.
Self –sufficient – He owns every thing even a the cattle on a thousand hills
Eternal – Does not have a beginning or end
Infinite – without boundaries or limits
Omnipresent – He is present everywhere (someone said is quicker than at once and sooner than right now)
Omniscience – He is all knowing
Omnipotent – He is all powerful
Wise – In fact He is the only wise God
Immutable – Perfect and cannot become better – because cannot change he is the same yesterday, and to day, and forever.
I want to let somebody know that ... making resolution will not solve your problems. So as we stand on the cuss of yet another year and you feel like there are some issue that you do not want to take into 2008 ... you may fell like you can’t
- stop smoking
- stop cursing
- stop drinking
- stop lying
- stop cheating
Then I say thank be to God for a new beginning 2 Cor 5:17 says
“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”
Tomorrow marks a new beginning ... in fact your new beginning starts right now.
Fear God and He will prove to you that there is nothing to hard for Him. Who need resolutions when you can go to Elohim?
- God is so powerful and mighty that He spoke this world into existence.
The circumstances of 2007 cause some of us walking around aimlessly without direction ... situations shook up so hard that we did not know which way to turn. One day we were up the next day we were down ... didn’t know whether we are coming are going.
But thanks be to God for new beginning.
Who need resolutions when you can call on
- Jehovah-Rohi. Psalm 23:1 The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want
- Jehovah–Shammah. The Lord who is present. Ps 46 say that He is a very present help in the time of trouble.
- Somebody has an appointment the doctor in 2008 -- well thank God for new beginning ... I encourage you call on Jehovah-Rapha. The Lord our healer
- Jeremiah 23:6 calls Him Jehovah-Tsidkenu, which means The Lord our Righteousness.
- Abraham call Him Jehovah-Jireh in Genesis 22:13-14, which means the Lord, will provide.
- Isaiah calls him El-Olam that means The Everlasting God.
Gideon ... I stop by to tell you ... don’t make resolutions for 08. Just fear God and thank Him for a new beginning.
The same God that brought us through 2007 is the same God that we lead us in 2008
- The same God that gave you Comfort in the midst of crisis in 2007 Is the same God that will Help in the midst of hopelessness, in 2008
- Peace in the midst of perplexity, in 2007, is the same God that will give you Solutions in the midst of problems in 2008
- Wealth in the midst of poverty ... Stability for our stumbling,
- Victory for our battles ... Deliverance from our defeats
- Forgiveness for our faults, Faith for our fears, and Light for our darkness!
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge
Thanks be to God for New Beginning
