UNDERSTANDING ADVERSITY: PART FIFTEEN

 

Understanding Adversity Part Fifteen

 

Hi folks. This topic will more than likely be the shortest talk in this series. That is because there is no point in dwelling on what is so blatantly necessary in our lives and that is…“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” so the Word says.

So, our fifteenth look at understanding adversity is that Adversity Is Our Open Motivation For Open Accountability

God’s key to life and peace, wisdom and lasting achievement is, a moment by moment awareness of our attitudes and our motives as well as our accountability for all our thoughts, actions and words.

I am reminded of an incident when I was pastoring a certain church many years ago. It was just prior to the morning service and a member of my board came to my office and he was very animated in his conversation with me. Actually, he was really quite agitated and I was getting a little bothered by his demeanor so I was a little terse with him and said, if you have that kind of problem get to the altar and lay your gifts down and don’t pick them up again until you have sorted out your feelings. And then I asked him to leave my office because I had a service to conduct. Little did I know one of my daughters who was not even a teenager at the time, was standing nearby and heard the commotion. When the gentleman left, she came over to me and she said, “Dad, you are going up to the pulpit to preach in a minute so you need to keep your words sweet, because if you don’t, someday you may have to eat them”.

That little bit of wisdom from my child spoke volumes to me about being accountable for my words and has stuck with me to this very day. Out of the mouth of babes, flows truth and wisdom.

Being accountable and having a continuing awareness of our words is actually the fear of the Lord. It is the beginning of wisdom and the fountain of life. Look at Proverbs 9: 10; & 14: 27;

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

Proverbs 14:27 “The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death.”

When we lose our awareness of God, we become vulnerable to thinking and acting as if God does not exist. Our words define what direction our life is headed. In response, God raises up painful reminders on a human level.

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Shall we pray. If you do not Know Jesus as your Savior today, I invite you to say the sinner’s prayer with me now.

Lord Jesus, I come to you today in need of a Savior. I believe you came to this earth as a man and walked among us teaching and healing and saving souls. I acknowledge today that I am a sinner and that you died for me and rose on the third day, ascended to Heaven and are seated by the Father. I ask you to forgive me of my sins and come into my life and be my savior today. I believe I am now born again and one day I will be with you forever. Thank you in Jesus name. Amen

See you in Part 16. Have a blessed day.