4/29/10
Time Spent 5:15 PM
Main Idea: Godliness protects one's soul by standing as both a fortress and a fountain
What I Learned about God: The fear of the Lord brings life to men.
Summary: The normal association with the emotion "fear" is not one that brings prosperity. However, the fear of the Lord seems to bring just that; both bringing a firm, immovable foundation and being a fountain of life. The fear of the Lord in verse 26 gives not only a strong confidence to the person, but imparts it upon his children. This is a reminder that one's personal godliness is not only for his benefit. In this sense, when we fear the Lord it brings us to the point which we are able to protect us from attacks from the fool. Also, the fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, bringing life to people and instructing them to "move away from the snares of death". We see that the fear of the Lord is both a fortress and a fountain, because the enemy will not only attack, but attract. Understanding the way to deal with these attacks is through the fear of the Lord.
Application: Temptation comes in very discreet forms, which probably in my life looks more like attraction labeled in this verse. I recognize that in order for me to deal with those sins it is to put my understanding on what the fear of the Lord is. When I understand that I can find my full support in God's knowledge, then it would turn me away from temptation. The knowledge that God will make me as a fountain is an awesome analogy. John Piper states that God is interested in making a fountain, not a factory because the raw materials, the work, and the labor are all going to stem from the free-flowing work of God. This shows that as I remain in the fear of God, then I will immediately be a life-giving person by association and meditation. When I do QTs, I must always look at the wisdom in which God is trying to impart within the verse so that I may be a fountain for men
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