Proverbs 9:10

Verse of the Day: Proverbs 9:10

“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” – Proverbs 9:10

I want to start this by letting Solomon himself declare why these writings are so important. “To know wisdom and instruction, To discern the sayings of understanding, To receive instruction in wise behavior, Righteousness, justice, and integrity; To give prudence to the naive, To the youth knowledge and discretion, A wise person will hear and increase in learning, And a person of understanding will acquire wise counsel, To understand a proverb and a saying, The words of the wise and their riddles.” Proverbs 1:2-6. And then he wraps up these verses into one. “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and instruction.” Proverbs 1:7.

Now, one more thing we need to understand is the difference between knowledge and wisdom.  Knowledge, in itself, is nothing more than an accumulation of raw facts. An example of this would be a list of holidays or family members or how much money we currently have. But wisdom goes well beyond this, being the ability to see people, events, things, and situations as God sees them. Throughout this book, Solomon reveals the mind of God in matters high and lofty and in common, ordinary, everyday situations as well. As we read it, we see no topic escaped King Solomon’s attention. These include, but not limited to,  personal conduct, sexual relations, business, wealth, charity, ambition, discipline, debt, child-rearing, character, alcohol, politics, revenge, and Godliness.

Now let’s look at what the Psalmist says about this. “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; All those who follow His commandments have a good understanding; His praise endures forever.” Psalm 111:10. The verses before this in Psalm 111 speak of the great works of the Lord. “Praise the LORD! I will give thanks to the LORD with all my heart, In the company of the upright and in the assembly. Great are the works of the LORD; They are studied by all who delight in them. Splendid and majestic is His work, And His righteousness endures forever. He has caused His wonders to be remembered; The LORD is gracious and compassionate. He has given food to those who fear Him; He will remember His covenant forever. He has made known to His people the power of His works, In giving them the inheritance of the nations. The works of His hands are truth and justice; All His precepts are trustworthy. They are upheld forever and ever; They are performed in truth and uprightness. He has sent redemption to His people; He has ordained His covenant forever; Holy and awesome is His name. Psalm 111:1-9.

Now, the theme of wisdom and its necessity in our lives finds its fulfillment in Christ. We are continually exhorted in Proverbs to seek wisdom, get wisdom, and understand wisdom. It also tells us several times that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Our fear of the Lord’s wrath and justice is what drives us to Christ, who is the embodiment of God’s wisdom as expressed in His glorious plan of redemption for mankind. We read in Colossians that  “For I want you to know how great a struggle I have in your behalf and for those who are at Laodicea, and for all those who have not personally seen my face, that their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, and that they would attain to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God’s mystery, that is, Christ Himself, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” Colossians 2:1-3. We receive a full understanding of true knowledge and wisdom, which is found in Christ. And in another verse we read,  “But it is due to Him that you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, so that, just as it is written: “LET THE ONE WHO BOASTS, BOAST IN THE LORD.” 1 Corinthians 1:30-31.

The wisdom that is found only in Christ is in contrast to the foolishness of the world which encourages us to be wise in our own eyes. But Proverbs also tells us that the world’s wisdom is not God’s way. “Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and turn away from evil.” Proverbs 3:7. but actually leads only to death “There is a way which seems right to a person, But its end is the way of death.” Proverbs 14:12. Wisdom comes to us when we fear the Lord, not in being afraid in a phobic way, but an awe and reverential fear as we really think about God; His greatness, His power, who He is, just that awe that comes over us when we desire to do what God would have us do. As Pastor Chuck Smith once said, “Love what God loves. Hate what God hates. Have that desire recognizing who God is. To seek to please Him, that’s what the fear of the Lord is about. That’s the beginning of wisdom.”

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries.

Proverbs 9:10

Verse of the Day: Proverbs 9:10

“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” – Proverbs 9:10

This verse in Proverbs tells us where true wisdom and knowledge come from.  Many think wisdom comes from the very wisest in our society, and that knowledge comes from schooling.  This may be true; however, they are not the ultimate sources.  Let’s look at what this verse says from one of the wisest and most knowledgeable men that ever lived, Solomon.

First, wisdom starts by fearing the Lord.  The word fear in this context means respect and reverence. True wisdom comes through the reverence of the true God, honoring and praising Him for who He truly is, not who or what we think or what Him to be, such as a figment of our imagination.  For true wisdom comes through belief and the holding firm in real reality, not in trying to create a false reality.

Understanding comes through knowing and seeking the source of this actual reality, one who knows the end from the beginning, who is infinite and has never not existed, and who knows everything.  When we seek knowledge, do we go to someone who might know, or do we choose someone who truly knows?  I go to the latter, God. He will provide wisdom and the knowledge that leads to understanding to anyone who seeks Him.

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries, Inc.

Proverbs 3:5-6

Verse of the Day: Proverbs 3:5-6

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight.” – Proverbs 3:5-6

This is a crucial verse to practice on a moment-by-moment basis.  The question it brings up is, do you trust in God regarding everything?  And if you say yes, the next question is, are there times when you revert to trusting yourself or anything else besides God?

God knows all things, understands all situations, knows the end from the beginning, has only our best in mind.  He loves us with an everlasting love, He never leaves our side, in fact, as Christians he is in us by way of the Holy Spirit.  He is everywhere throughout the entire universe at once, so there is no place we can go where God is absent.  Moreover, He can speak and interact with everyone and everything at the same time.  Can you say the same about anyone or anything else?  I cannot, and I would guess you cannot either.

This is the reason Solomon said that we must trust God with our whole heart and not trust in ours or any other’s judgement or advise.  If we do, then He will guide and lead us where He knows it is best for us and others.   To trust another is not wisdom and shows a lack of knowledge of the reality of God and His great and eternal love.

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries, Inc.

Proverbs 14:29

Verse of the Day Devotion: Proverbs 14:29  

“He who is slow to anger has great understanding, but he who is quick-tempered exalts folly.” – Proverbs 14:29        

One thing I have definitely noticed during this difficult time is what this verse speaks of.  In watching what is happening, we see people punching and beating people in the streets.  We also see the destruction of public and private property, and also massive retaliation for what I deem as frivolous offenses.  Anger appears to be the most observed emotion today.  

Now, I understand that often these things happen simply because people just want to be destructive.  There are organizations whose  total purpose for being involved is to wreak havoc and fuel the hostilities of others.  However, there are many who are just angry in response to a wrong done to them, either physically or verbally.  And many times, anger at someone will often cause them to be angry in return.  And this is the main idea regarding this verse.  Solomon writes in our focus verse that we are to be slow to anger, because they are those who exhibit great understanding.  Matthew Henry in his commentary on Proverbs states that meekness is wisdom.  He goes on to say, “He rightly understands himself, and his duty and interest, the infirmities of human nature, and the constitution of human society, who is slow to anger, and knows how to excuse the faults of others as well as his own, how to adjourn his resentments, and moderate them, so as by no provocation to be put out of the possession of his own soul.”  What he is saying is that he is capable of keeping control of his thoughts and feelings and is not one to retaliate for another’s anger. 

Paul writes the following to the Ephesians.  “Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” Ephesians 4:1-3.  Uncontrolled anger is one of the biggest reasons for dis-unity.  It can also harden the hearts of the people we are witnessing the truth of Christ to.  James, understanding this wrote the following, “This you know, my beloved brethren. But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.” James 1:19-20.  If we desire to show the righteousness of God in us, we must temper any times where we find ourselves getting angry.  If we cannot control our anger, we may find ourselves unable to do the work God has called us to do.

In closing, let us be careful that we maintain control in all situations so that our witness of Christ will remain intact and powerful.  At the end of our focus verse, Solomon states that a quick temper exalts folly.  He may be thinking that he is magnifying himself, however, the vast majority of the time, his folly is all that is exalted.  Let us all pray that we can remain in control of our emotions so that we can share the gospel and teach our brothers and sisters in a way that brings glory to Christ.

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries.