The fear of the LORD - Psalm 34

What I learned from the Word today...

In truth, I learned a lot. I had really sweet time with the LORD this morning, for several hours. I love it when I get hour(s) PLURAL with God! I love it!

I'm preparing to take the Precept Ministries advanced leader training this weekend, and boy do I have my work cut out for me! (Pray, people! Pray for me!) :)

Today they had me studying 1 Samuel 21 and 22, and several Psalms that correspond with 1 Samuel, because these Psalms were were written by David during the time of
1 Samuel 21 & 22.

There's so much that the LORD showed me today, but I'll have to save some of it for tomorrow, because we have study tonight, and I've got to get ready!!! Oooh! I see a bad hair night tonight!

Here is one thing that God really pressed upon my heart today, and I just had to share it.

It's based upon this Psalm:

Psalm 34:11
Come, you children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD.
Psalm 34:12
Who is the man who desires life And loves {length of} days that he may see good?
Psalm 34:13
Keep your tongue from evil And your lips from speaking deceit.
Psalm 34:14
Depart from evil and do good; Seek peace and pursue it.

Today was the first time I think I realized that the fear of the LORD can be taught. And if it can be taught, then the implication is that it can be what?

That's right, it can be learned! How cool is that?!

There's hope for all of us, if we'll just choose to learn from God's Word.

Then, it seems, in this Psalm, David describes (at least in part) what it looks like to fear the LORD.

Study note: This is the perfect time to make a list of what you see from Scripture, and a great time to use the tool of structuring so that you can really "see" what the Word is telling you.
( For more about structuring, call Precept Ministries to inquire of their next training. It's such a great tool!)

v.13 Keep your tongue from evil
AND
your lips from speaking deceit

v. 14 Depart from evil
AND
do good

v.14 Seek peace
AND
pursue it (peace)

So, the LORD showed me today that I have a great responsibility before Him to teach my children the fear of the LORD. I suppose that goes for anyone whom He brings into my life to teach or disciple.

And, He is gracious enough to tell us what walking in a fear of Him requires of us. Great list there..great definitive direction is found in those 2 verses above.

Keep your tongue from WHAT?
Keep your lips from WHAT?
Depart from WHAT?
After you depart from it, what are you to do?
What are we to seek?
What are we to pursue?

Through WHOM do we find peace?
Who is the Prince of Peace?
In WHOM is there no guile found?
After WHOM are we to model our lives?
How would it be possible to remain (as opposed to departing from) with evil and accomplish what David is telling us to do in this Psalm?

Is it possible to live with words of evil and lips of deceit, and still learn the fear of the LORD? What from the above Scriptures supports your reason for believing as you do?

Are you allowing Scripture to define your worldview, or are you allowing a lost world to do that for you?

Remember, the flesh wages war against the Spirit!

OH, there's so much truth to be found in just these few verses...I could stay here all day and write out Who, What, When, Where, Why and How questions for us to reason through..but I gotta go study some more. :)

Here is another amazing verse about the fear of the Lord. Think about it, according to this verse, there is no true wisdom apart from the fear of the LORD.

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

Quite the defining statement for a homeschooling mom..for any mom, for that matter. The LORD made it clear to me today that if I want my children to be wise, I MUST teach them the fear of the LORD.

The fear of mom or dad is not sufficient. We won't always be there. They must know and fear the LORD.

What does the Bible mean by "fear"?

Tune in, we'll see that tomorrow or the next day. :)

Gotta keep 'ya coming back, right?! :)

OK...I gotta go get ready...I'm looking scary right now!

Have a super week!

Much love!
Jesica