Do I fear the Lord?
Yesterday
We all took a stab at verse 13 on our own.
How did you do?
I am so proud of you for making the effort. Be patient as God is going to open up a whole new world of understanding to you as you grow in discovering Truth for yourself.
Today
Let’s unfold verse 13 together.
See Discovery: LOOK, LEARN, LIVE >
Open GODcha to the Book of James.
NOTE:
If you don’t have GODcha Get It >
Or, you can use your hardbound Bibles and follow along.
You can print off this post and put in a Notebook!
Let’s Pray
O LORD, as we come to Your Word of Truth, may we come cleansed, with nothing that would hinder us from hearing You speak to us personally and individually. Please open our understanding to live radically changed lives. Thank you!
LOOK at What God Says
Let GODcha point the way.
How shall we get under way?
Do you know why I keep asking you this?
Because our tendency is to run to a commentary and read another person’s discovery.
I want to help you see that you can discover truth for yourself and have your own personal encounter with your Creator!
READ God’s Word
Read James 3:13-18, asking the 5W’s and H.
You might read out loud as you will not only see the Word, but saying it and hearing it helps you remember it.
Let’s focus on verse 13.
What does James ask?
LISTEN…
Am I wise and understanding?
Respond to God…LIVE it out!
Unlock the Meaning 
Let’s unlock wise, understanding, and wisdom that are 
Key.
Understand God’s Words
Check Out the Meaning
Dictionary Tutorial >Wise, sophós; Not necessarily implying brilliance or scholastic training, but rather the ability to apply with skill what one knows. In the NT, particularly used of applying spiritual truth, spiritual knowledge in one’s life.
Understanding, episteâmōn; to know thoroughly, understand. Endued with knowledge, understanding, expertise (James 3:13). Applies to the knowledge of God’s principles.
Wisdom, sophía; stands for a skill, the ability to regulate one’s relationship with God. The application of God’s principles.
TIP: Remember, take the meanings back to the text.
“Who among you is wise [has the ability to apply spiritual truth in their life] and understanding [thorough knowledge and understanding of God and His principles]?”
You know, in raising our precious, little strong willed daughter, we wanted to be wise. It wasn’t a question of knowledge, as we searched God’s Word and read every book we could get our hands on, gleaning much information.
No, the question was wisdom, how did we take that information, that knowledge, and apply it to any given situation so we didn’t crush her spirit, or damage who God had created her to be!
We see: Understanding is the knowledge of God.
We see: Wisdom is taking that knowledge and applying it to our lives.
Truth Explains Truth
CR-Cross References-Word Search Tutorial >
Did you know Ecclesiastes, Proverbs, Psalms, Job and the Song of Solomon are considered the Books of Wisdom?
Do you suppose wisdom is important to God?
Let’s dig in and see what God says about ‘wise’, ‘wisdom’,and ‘understanding’.
I realize GODcha gives us several Cross References, we’ll check out a few today, and then the rest the next time we meet together.
- Work at your own pace. Peruse a few today, and then the rest tomorrow.
- THINK and REASON by asking questions.
Remember….
Fine Tune Your Ears!
There is no rush. We want to engage with God, see what He is saying and hear Him speak to us personally.
LISTEN and Respond to God…LIVE it out!
1. First, do you remember what we discovered about ‘wisdom’ back in Chapter 1?
You might take a look at some of the Cross References from Chapter 1:5-6 to refresh your memory.
(Dan 2:20-21); (Psa 111:10); (Pro 2:6); (1Co 2:14); (2Ch 1:7-13).
2. Where does true wisdom come from according to James?
Wisdom is from above. (Jam 3:17)
3. According to Job, what is wisdom? What is understanding?
We see: True wisdom begins with fearing the Lord.
We see: True understanding begins with departing from evil. (Job 28:28)
Do you see the connection of ‘departing from evil‘ to our behavior, our conduct, that James keeps pointing to?
Understand: As we consider who is ‘wise and understanding’, God is referring to those who ‘fear Him‘ and ‘depart from evil‘.
LISTEN…
Who do I fear?
Do I fear the Lord? Why?
Have I departed from evil?
Respond to God…LIVE it out!
Let’s Stop A Minute!
Understand God’s Words
Check Out the Meaning
Because Job is an Old Testament CR, what does wisdom mean in the Hebrew?
Did you check it out?
Wisdom, ḥokmāh; skill, experience, shrewdness. Is the ability to judge correctly and to follow the best course of action, based on knowledge and understanding. Wisdom is the ability to see something from God’s viewpoint. Wisdom is “God’s character in the many practical affairs of life.”
Fear, yir’āh dreadful, exceedingly, viewed as a positive quality. Fear, reverence and respect of God. This fear acknowledges God’s good intentions (Ex. 20:20). It will motivate and delight even the Messiah (Isa. 11:2, 3). This fear is produced by God’s Word (Ps. 119:38; Prov. 2:5) and makes a person receptive to wisdom and knowledge.
Evil, ra; It means bad in a moral and ethical sense. It depicts evil in an absolute, negative sense.
Understanding, biynāh; comprehension, discernment, righteous action.
Remember: Take these meanings back to the text.
“The fear [reverence and respect of God making a person receptive to wisdom/knowledge] of the Lord, that is wisdom [the skill, the ability to see things from God’s viewpoint];
And to depart from evil [bad in a moral and ethical sense] is understanding [comprehension, discernment].‘”
Since ‘Fearing the Lord’ is key to wisdom and understanding,
Let’s LOOK at What God Says About
Fearing Him
CR-Cross References-Word Search Tutorial >
1. What do you understand about ‘fearing the Lord’?
a. We are commanded to follow and fear the Lord; and keep His commandments, listen to His voice, serve Him, and cling to Him. (Deut 13:4); (1Pe 2:17)
We see: It is a command to fear the Lord.
LISTEN…
Do I take God’s commands seriously?
How do others know I fear the Lord, and am following Him?
What am I doing to listen to His voice?
How am I serving Him and clinging to Him?
Respond to God…LIVE it out!
b. Not to be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your body And refreshment to your bones. (Pro 3:7-8)
We see: When a person fears the Lord, there is a turning from evil.
LISTEN…
Do I struggle with being wise in my own eyes? Why?
What evil have I turned from?
How has that brought healing and refreshment?
Respond to God…LIVE it out!
2. What is ‘the fear of the Lord’? What is ‘the knowledge of the Holy One’?
We’ll answer this tomorrow.
Let’s Call It a Day!
Isn’t it awesome that God has given us His wisdom and understanding!
Ponder and chew on all that God has shown you.
Chat with the Lord! He is waiting and wanting to have fellowship with you!
Don’t Forget to Journal Your Time with God
Perhaps note the Subject: Wisdom.
Make a note on the wisdom from above, and
Make another note on the wisdom that is not from above.
As we dig deeper, you can always come back and add later.
2 short, sweet points, you will remember!
Turn What You LEARNED into a Prayer
Perhaps…
OH FATHER GOD, THE ONE TRUE GOD, WHO IS ALL WISE AND ALL KNOWING, we bow before You today with praise for who You are. We bow before You knowing that wisdom and power belong to You, and You give wisdom to those who are wise, and knowledge to those of understanding. Help us all to comprehend there is a wisdom from above, Your wisdom that is a divine wisdom that You give to those who fear You. A divine wisdom that we all need in order to be wise and understanding. Knowing that the key to Your wisdom and understanding begins with a fear of You, then Father, may each one of us truly fear You. Fear You in a good way, fear You alone, and be receptive to Your Word, Your wisdom and understanding! May our lives show we fear You through our hatred of and departure of evil. Help us when we meet with anything that is of evil, to depart from it. We ask these things in the precious name of our Lord Jesus! Amen!
GODchats posts 3 to 4x a week to give you time to sit at the feet of Jesus and not be rushed.
Please know that God established a pattern for mankind, and that pattern is that we work six days and then we have one day when we set it aside to rest, and replenish our body, and focus on worshiping God. Rest tomorrow and worship God!
See you in a couple of days to continue to LOOK at ‘wisdom’and ‘understanding’.
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