Eph.ch 1 Proverbs 4:7 -- Proverbs 9:10 -- Isa. 11: 1 - 4

There are many questions being asked in society today such as What has happened to our society? Why is the world in such a moral mess ”? Well we all know that the world is in mess . However it reminds the man and woman who know the Lord that what the Bible is saying is true.
Where is the answer found to the conundrums of life?? It is found in the Bible, which is The Word of God. If that is true then “WHAT IS IT SAYING?
The first thing it is saying is:-
“There is no fear of God before their eyes.” Romans 3:18 [Psa.36:1]
This is why the world is in such a state today.
What about the church? The different doctrines and misunderstandings of scripture interpretation stem from not knowing God and what His Word is really saying.
Does the Bible have the answer? The Bible does have the answer. What it is saying ? “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding”. Proverbs 9:10 That is what God is saying right through His Word! You say is that it? Yes!
However, there is a problem! Not only in the world but in the Church there is a lack of understanding because there is little or no knowledge of a Holy God.
Let me illustrate. If I said to you “ How do you know that adultery is wrong? Maybe you would say “God says so”. I say, “How do you know God says so?” You would say, “it is in the commandments. ‘Thou shalt not commit adultery’. ” Now here is the real question. Why does God say that?
Why is adultery wrong? The answer is, in the beginning a Holy God made man and woman

“ God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness” God created men and women as autonomous people with intelligence, feelings and the ability to make decisions.

SO God “created ....; male and female created he them”. Gen 1:27
He joined them together in a sanctified relationship as husband and wife. God “took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.” Gen.2:21,22. “they shall be one flesh.” Gen. 2:24
So any sexual relationship outside marriage spoils what the Holy God intended. One flesh and also a type of Christ and the Church. Eph 5:31-33
WHAT IS HE SAYING?

To get answers to all questions we need to consider this verse. “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding”. Proverbs 9:10 There are two parts to this verse
1] The Fear of the Lord 2] Knowledge of the holy
Now there are many people in the church who fear the Lord but there are those in the church and out who do not.
A. What does it mean to fear the Lord?
It is not a frightening fear but respect and obedience to the Lord.
A deep reverent respect for the Lord, and a complete obedience to what is written in God’s Word [the Bible] .
That “is the beginning of wisdom: “ Wisdom is the working out in our lives, what we know of God’s Word . When we are saved then we get wisdom.
A wisdom that you and I have not known before.
This wisdom will quickly show itself in our actions.
That is, we reveal it in the way we live our lives.
However, it is saying more than that. So, What is it really saying?
This brings us to our second point.
2] Knowledge of the holy
“the knowledge of the holy [God] is understanding”.
We need to know not only what the Bible is saying but why it is saying it?
That is we need to know the character of God to understand the whole of life.
“the knowledge of the holy [God] is understanding”. That is what God is saying right through His Word!

Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting

get understanding. Proverbs 4:7

Understanding is to know that “God is spirit”. God is a non-material personal being, self-existent, self-conscious and self-determining and working in ways beyond our knowing. Working in human lives, like yours and mine, descending to us in limitless love. Creating within our hearts a sense of wow. Can this possibly be that God wants to live and abide and move in our midst? Yes it is! What is His name? "I Am WHO I AM." Exo 3:14,
This great eternal, almighty, all-knowing, all-seeing, ever-present, unchangeable, inescapable Creator Spirit” who fills and has always filled space, because we are special to Him has something to say to you and me. Listen!!!
“God is Spirit” Man is created in the spiritual “image” and “likeness” of God. Not bodily, or visible, but intellectual and moral likeness, in “knowledge, righteousness” and “holiness of truth”

How if “God is Spirit” does the Trinity fit in. Well numbers belong to the physical world and it is difficult to conceive spiritual being in the forms of physical thought. This one Infinite God makes Himself known to us finite beings as Father, Son and Holy Spirit as separate personalities. “God is Spirit” He is invisible but revealed through the Son “Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:” Col 1:15 “No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.” John 1:18 God the Omni-potent spirit created the light through the Word because they are spirit. Jesus said, “It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.” John 6:63“.....the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.” Gen. 1: 2,3.
“For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse: ” Romans 1:20
God has shown to all the world through creation through His word, through Jesus Christ His Son how much He loves and cares for them a desires that they should enjoy all that He intended them to enjoy, but they have to choose.
“I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, “ Duet 30:19

Many people are deluded. Some think there is no God. Surprise! Surprise! There Is.

Some think that God will not judge. Surprise! Surprise! He Will.

Some Christians think they have all the answers on the Spirit. Surprise! Surprise! There’s more than you think. God Is Spirit.

“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding”. Proverbs 9:10

Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding. Proverbs 4:7

This Supreme God has many attributes. [qualities and properties that are inseparable from God]
IF GOD IS TO BE GOD THEN HE MUST OF NECESSITY HAVE ALL THESE QUALITIES .

We need to be aware of them to begin understand GOD.

FIRST. God has absolute [free from limits or conditions] attributes.

A.God is ETERNAL. [always there] "from everlasting to everlasting Thou art God" [Psa. 90:2]

B. God is UNCHANGEABLE. [ always the same] "for I am the Lord I change not" [Mal. 3:6]
".....the Father of lights in whom there is no variableness" [James 1:17]

C. God is OMNI-POTENT. [all mighty] "I know that Thou canst do everything" [Job 42:2]
"...He spake and it was done, He commanded and it stood fast" [Psa.33:9]

D. God is OMNI-PRESENT. [always present everywhere] "Whither shall I go from Thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from Thy presence?" [Psa.139:7]

E. God is OMNI-SCIENT. [all knowing all seeing] "No thought can be witholden from Thee" [Job 42:2]
"The Lord knoweth the thoughts of man" [Psa.94:11]

God has MORAL [right conduct] ATTRIBUTES [qualities]

A. God is HOLY. [whole or complete] "Be ye holy for I am holy." [1 Peter 1:16] "Who is like unto Thee, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like unto Thee, glorious in holiness" [Exo.15:11]

B. God is JUST. [giving due recompense or reward] "The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether." [Psa.19:9] "Shall not the judge of all the earth do right?" [Gen.18:25]

C. God is FAITHFUL.[firm is adhering to promises.] "God is faithful" [1 Cor. 1:9] "If we believe not , yet He abideth faithful" [2 Tim.2:13]

D. God is LOVE. [devoted attachment to one] "For God so loved" [John 3:16] "Hereby perceive we the love of God, because He lay down His life for us" [1 John 3:16]

E. God is MERCIFUL. [a forgiving disposition to one] "The Lord is merciful and gracious" [Psa.103:8] "....so then He has mercy to whomsoever He will" [Rom. 9:18]

F. God is GRACIOUS. [undeserved favour to one] "Gracious is the Lord" [Psa. 116:5] "The Lord is merciful and gracious" [Exo. 34:6]
Grace is what makes Christianity different from all other faiths

"I Am WHO I AM." Exodus 3:14, “knowledge of the holy is understanding”. Prov 9:10 "I Am WHO I AM." Exodus 3:14, The self-existent God
This is what God is revealing in HIS WORD! This is what we all need to know, understand, and act upon!