Embracing the Fear of the Lord for Wisdom

In the shared discourse, the focus is on the concept of the "fear of the Lord," which is presented as a foundational element of wisdom and a guiding principle for a life of reverence and respect towards God. The fear of the Lord is clarified not as a terror or dread of God, but as a deep respect, reverence, and understanding of God's sovereignty, power, and role in one's life. It is emphasized that this fear is not about being scared but about recognizing God as the ultimate authority and the giver of life.

The discussion delves into the practical implications of fearing the Lord, suggesting that it leads to wisdom, motivates evangelism, and helps keep individuals from sinning. Wisdom is described as a byproduct of fearing the Lord, and it is argued that without a proper reverence for God, one cannot fully appreciate or utilize the gift of wisdom. The fear of the Lord is said to be the beginning of wisdom, and it is suggested that seeking wisdom without first having a reverence for God is futile.

Evangelism is also highlighted as a natural outcome of fearing the Lord. It is suggested that a proper fear of God compels individuals to share their faith and the transformative work God has done in their lives with others. The narrative includes a story of a pastor who struggled to convince his congregation of their responsibility to evangelize, illustrating the importance of this fear in motivating believers to spread the gospel.

Additionally, the fear of the Lord is presented as a deterrent to sin. It is suggested that when faced with temptation, individuals should consider whether the sin is worth being eternally separated from God. The story of Ananias and Sapphira from the Book of Acts is used to illustrate the seriousness with which God regards sin and the importance of honesty and integrity within the community of believers.

The discourse also touches on the personal journey of individuals who have been called to serve in different capacities within the church community. The narrative includes a prayer for a couple who are embarking on a new assignment to lead a church in need of pastoral care. The prayer emphasizes the importance of God's anointing and the belief that all things work together for good for those who love God and are called according to His purpose.

In conclusion, the message calls for individuals to examine where they have placed God in their lives and to ensure that He is in the rightful place as Lord. It is a call to be a church that impacts the world by honoring and reverencing God, with the understanding that the power of God follows those who honor Him.

Key Takeaways:

- The fear of the Lord is foundational to wisdom and is not about being scared but about having a deep respect and reverence for God's sovereignty and authority. This reverence is the starting point for receiving wisdom, as it aligns one's perspective with the divine order and acknowledges God as the source of all knowledge and understanding. [56:06 ]

- Evangelism is fueled by a proper fear of the Lord. Recognizing the magnitude of what God has done in one's life compels sharing that transformation with others. This fear moves believers beyond complacency and into active participation in the Great Commission, ensuring that the message of salvation reaches those who have yet to hear it. [01:18:14 ]

- The fear of the Lord acts as a safeguard against sin by providing a divine perspective on the consequences of our actions. It prompts the question of whether any momentary pleasure or gain is worth eternal separation from God, thereby encouraging choices that honor God and align with His will. [01:19:21 ]

- The fear of the Lord offers protection and blessings not only to the individual but also to their family. When parents live with a reverence for God, it is believed that their children will be safeguarded and blessed as a result of their obedience and faithfulness. This principle underscores the generational impact of one's relationship with God. [01:06:57 ]

- A life lived in the fear of the Lord is marked by an undivided heart, one that is fully committed to God and not torn between serving God and self. This undivided heart is essential for stability and faithfulness in one's spiritual journey, as it ensures that God's will and purposes are the central focus of one's life. [01:04:11 ]

### Bible Reading
1. Proverbs 9:10 - "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding."
2. Acts 5:1-11 - The story of Ananias and Sapphira.
3. Psalm 86:11 - "Teach me your way, Lord, that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name."

### Observation Questions
1. According to Proverbs 9:10, what is the beginning of wisdom? How does this align with the sermon’s definition of the fear of the Lord? [54:26]
2. In the story of Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1-11), what was the consequence of their actions? How did this event impact the early church’s understanding of the fear of the Lord? [01:01:53]
3. Psalm 86:11 speaks about having an undivided heart. How does the sermon describe the relationship between an undivided heart and the fear of the Lord? [01:02:57]
4. What practical outcomes does the sermon suggest result from having a proper fear of the Lord? [01:16:02]

### Interpretation Questions
1. How does the fear of the Lord serve as a foundation for wisdom according to the sermon? Why is it important to have a proper reverence for God before seeking wisdom? [56:06]
2. The sermon mentions that the fear of the Lord motivates evangelism. How does recognizing what God has done in one’s life compel someone to share their faith? [01:18:14]
3. In what ways does the fear of the Lord act as a safeguard against sin, as illustrated by the story of Ananias and Sapphira? [01:19:21]
4. How does living with a fear of the Lord provide protection and blessings to one’s family, according to the sermon? [01:06:57]

### Application Questions
1. Reflect on your own life. Do you feel you have a proper fear of the Lord? How can you cultivate a deeper reverence and respect for God’s sovereignty and authority? [54:59]
2. The sermon suggests that evangelism is a natural outcome of fearing the Lord. Identify one person in your life who needs to hear about the transformative work God has done in your life. How can you share your faith with them this week? [01:18:14]
3. When faced with temptation, how can you remind yourself of the eternal consequences of sin to help you make choices that honor God? Think of a specific situation where you can apply this principle. [01:19:21]
4. The sermon emphasizes the importance of having an undivided heart. Are there areas in your life where your heart is divided between serving God and serving yourself? What steps can you take to fully commit your heart to God? [01:02:57]
5. As a parent, how can you model a fear of the Lord to your children to ensure they are safeguarded and blessed? What specific actions can you take this week to demonstrate this reverence in your household? [01:06:57]
6. The sermon calls for individuals to examine where they have placed God in their lives. Take a moment to reflect on your priorities. Is God in His rightful place as Lord in your life? If not, what changes can you make to ensure He is? [01:20:49]
7. How can you, as part of the church community, contribute to creating an environment that honors and reverences God, thereby impacting the world around you? What specific actions can you take to support this vision? [01:21:31]

Day 1: Reverence: The Heart of Wisdom
Reverence for the Lord is not about cowering in fear but embracing a posture of deep respect and awe for the Creator's sovereignty and authority. This reverence is the bedrock upon which wisdom is built, aligning one's perspective with the divine order and acknowledging God as the source of all knowledge and understanding. When one begins to see the world through the lens of God's majesty, decisions and actions are informed by a wisdom that transcends human intellect. This wisdom guides life choices, shapes character, and influences interactions with others, reflecting a life that honors God's rightful place as Lord. [56:06]

"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight." - Proverbs 9:10 (ESV)

Reflection: How does your view of God's sovereignty shape your daily decision-making and pursuit of wisdom?

Day 2: Evangelism: Compelled by Reverence
A proper fear of the Lord naturally propels one to share the transformative power of God's love with others. Recognizing the magnitude of what God has done in one's life creates an urgency to participate in the Great Commission. This is not a task taken lightly; it is a response to the profound impact of God's grace and mercy. When believers truly revere God, they cannot help but express that reverence through evangelism, inviting others to experience the same life-changing relationship with the Creator. [01:18:14]

"And he said to them, 'Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.'" - Mark 16:15 (ESV)

Reflection: Who in your life needs to hear about the transformative work God has done for you, and how can you share it with them this week?

Day 3: Sin's Deterrent: Divine Perspective
The fear of the Lord offers a divine perspective that acts as a powerful deterrent against sin. It prompts believers to weigh the eternal consequences of their actions against momentary pleasures. This reverence for God instills a desire to honor Him in all things, leading to choices that reflect His will and character. When one understands the gravity of sin and the holiness of God, the allure of temptation diminishes, replaced by a commitment to integrity and righteousness. [01:19:21]

"By the fear of the Lord one turns away from evil." - Proverbs 16:6b (ESV)

Reflection: When faced with temptation, how can you use the fear of the Lord to help you choose a path that honors Him?

Day 4: Generational Blessing: Obedience and Faithfulness
Living in the fear of the Lord not only benefits the individual but also extends to their family. When parents embody a life of reverence and obedience to God, their faithfulness becomes a shield and blessing for their children. This principle highlights the generational impact of one's relationship with God, underscoring the importance of cultivating a household that honors the Lord in all aspects. The legacy of faith is one of the most precious inheritances one can pass down to future generations. [01:06:57]

"The friendship of the Lord is for those who fear him, and he makes known to them his covenant." - Psalm 25:14 (ESV)

Reflection: In what ways can you model a reverent fear of the Lord to positively influence your family and those you mentor?

Day 5: Undivided Heart: Full Commitment to God
An undivided heart is marked by unwavering commitment to God, free from the distractions of serving self-interests. This wholehearted devotion ensures that God's will and purposes remain the central focus of one's life. Stability and faithfulness in one's spiritual journey stem from this singular devotion, as it allows for God's anointing and guidance to lead the way. A life lived with an undivided heart is a testament to the power of placing God above all else. [01:04:11]

"I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh." - Ezekiel 11:19 (ESV)

Reflection: What area of your life is divided between God and other interests, and how can you begin to give it wholly to God?

[Applause]

Now, um, you know that you have helped a lot, and the one thing that he said he wanted to do, he said he wanted to come and help. Our church is better because of the both of you. It is immensely better because of the both of you. I know what a risk it was for you to be here. Um, I know it wasn't easy, right? Right? You're coming over as things are happening. It's like, okay, God, why did you call me to Woodland? I get it. I've been there. But you were here, and you have been faithful, and God has blessed this church.

When you look out and see the fact that we're barely able to hold people in this service, it is a direct result of you guys' obedience. Thank you. Thank you for holding up all of the things. Thank you for serving our kids with love. Thank you for allowing us to partner with you in your business. Every shirt that we wear, we have on is because of your faithfulness and you being willing to step out and do what God called you to do. So thank you, guys. Thank you so very much.

And I know you said it’s not goodbye, and it’s bittersweet, but we’re honored to have had you. You are a gift. You are a gift, and we desire to cherish and honor those gifts. Sometimes God calls us to give those gifts back, and we have to be obedient, as much as we don’t want to do it, and say, “Here, God, it’s yours.”

So what we want to do right now, church, if you would just stretch your hands, we’re going to pray over... I’m actually going to call Dad forth. Um, G, let you... you want to speak?

Yes, so Dad, where you at? Dad, would you come and pray?

Um, Pastor Ryan, go ahead. Just want to share what the opportunity is. You guys have a blessing in this church that you don’t take for granted, but unless you don’t know, unless you lose it, you don’t know how good it is. And that is you have a pastor that is in this pulpit every week, and he’s here, and he loves you.

There’s a church in a little town down in the South Bay who hasn’t had a pastor for eight months. Their pastor they had for 33 years got sick recently, and he’s no longer able to continue to pastor that church. They asked us if we would come preach on a Sunday, and for eight months they’ve had different people in the pulpit fill in the pulpit. Pastor Keenan was gracious and allowed me to go down to minister to this church, and while we were down there, they asked if we would be willing to come and be a consistent voice in that pulpit until they can find a new pastor.

And that’s what we’re going to do. There’s a church that needs a pastor and needs leadership, and God has called us and asked us if we would do it, and we said yes. And so we’re going to go down and we’re going to love on a church in a little town in the South Bay the way your pastor loves on you every week. That’s our assignment. That’s what we’re getting ready to go.

[Applause]

Do praise God.

Father, Lord, we thank you for Pastor Ryan and his lovely wife, Samantha. Dear Heavenly Father, dear Lord God, yes, it’s hard, dear Lord, but it’s not about our emotions. It’s not about our feelings. It’s about your call that you have upon their life. Dear Lord, I pray for your anointing upon them as they go, Heavenly Father, because it’s your anointing that destroys the yoke of the enemy.

And Father, the enemy’s trying to hold this church hostage, dear Lord God, but you are sending this couple down, Heavenly Father, with your anointing upon them to encourage them, to uplift them, for deliverance, for souls to be saved, dear God. So Father, I thank you, and I praise you, dear Lord.

And we get to see, we get to see with our own eyes how you work. Heavenly Father, some of us are heavy-hearted, dear Lord God, but all things work together for the good to them that love God and who are called according to their purpose. And this is what they’re doing; they’re walking it out, Heavenly Father.

Father, it’s never goodbye. It’s never goodbye, Heavenly Father, Lord, because we’re always brothers and sisters in Christ. We’re always here to help one another. We’re always here to encourage, to uplift each other, dear Lord God, that no matter where we are at, no matter where we go, we are always family.

So Father, I thank you, and I praise you in Jesus’ name. Amen. Amen.

[Applause]

Amen. Love you guys.

All right, we have some announcements, and um, I think it’s only right. It’s Pastor Ryan’s last week. He’s actually going to be preaching this Sunday, so lean in.

Hi, my name is Danella, and these are your Limitless announcements.

Hey, guys, Limitless! I have an important announcement. We are excited to have our very first Limitless Church membership class. That’s right! If you’ve been going to this church for a while and you said, “Hey, this is my home. This is the place where I want to establish my family. This is where we’re going to be,” we’re excited to offer you an opportunity to become a member of Limitless Church.

We have our class, and the class is called Roots and Wings. The Roots is really going over the foundations of our church, the foundations of our beliefs here at Limitless Church, and the Wings are talking about these opportunities to grow and really be all that God has called you to be here at Limitless Church.

So I want to offer you the opportunity to join us at our first class on the 28th. That is the last Sunday of this month, and it’s going to be immediately after service at 1:00. So, um, please sign up at the link in the QR code or sign up at the Team Limitless table. I want you to be a part of that. This is going to be a wonderful time and a time for you to really be a part of Limitless Church.

Hey, Limitless families! I have an exciting opportunity coming up for those of you who are parents from ages zero to three. We have baby dedications coming up, and we would love for you to participate.

Now, what are baby dedications? If you say, “Hey, you know what? I want to commit to raising my child up in the ways of the Lord. I want to commit to showing my child the word of God and the family of God and them being a part of that,” then this is for you. We would love, love to celebrate with you as you dedicate your child to the Lord.

February 11th, both services, we’re having baby dedications. If you want to sign up, you can do so at the QR code on the seat pocket in front of you or at the Team Limitless table. This is a wonderful occasion, and we encourage you to bring your family, bring your friends, and celebrate with you as you commit your child to the Lord. Can’t wait to see you!

And those were your Limitless announcements.

It’s always exciting when you get to see Pastor Keenan with two different hairstyles in one video. That is a rare occasion, and you need to relish that. That’s a good thing. I’ve had the same haircut for too long, man. I can’t do what you do.

It’s been an honor to be at Limitless Church. It’s been an honor to be in and around and with Limitless Church. It’s been an honor to grow with Limitless Church, take the limits off the way that the world sees Jesus, faith, and the church.

It’s an honor to get to be a part of a vision like that, sitting in a miracle right now on a property that I remember talking to Pastor Keenan about a year and change before we ever bought it. He was talking to me about buying this building, and we’re looking at it and going, “There’s no way, there’s no way, there’s no way.” And God goes, “Watch me make a way.”

It’s amazing to be a part of a church that has faith and vision and people that invite others because I promise you, half y’all were not even here a year ago. Y’all are a product of someone who cared enough about your life to invite you to a church like this so you can come and encounter the presence of a living God and allow him to change your life.

It’s been an honor to be here this morning. You guys with me today?

Yeah, we’re not sad, are we?

No? Good! We better not be sad because if we’re sad, that’s... I’m not... well, I am. But anyways, we’re going to talk about the Bible this morning, so we’re just going to move right on from that.

We’re in the Book of Proverbs, chapter 9, and we’re going to be in verse 10. So turn your Bibles to Proverbs chapter 9:10.

We’re in a series this morning, and Pastor Keenan has got this thing that we’re doing right now called “Welcome to Church.” Say, “Welcome to Church.”

Welcome to Church!

Look at your neighbor and say, “Welcome to Church.”

Welcome to Church!

Look at your other neighbor that you weren’t so excited about and tell them, “Welcome to Church.”

Some of y’all aren’t saying anything. You’re just not even excited about it. Some of y’all are just staring at me. That’s all right. You can look at me. I’m welcome to church too.

We are excited to be in the house of God today, and we are excited to be in this series on the first-ever church, the church in the Book of Acts. We’ve been talking about what set them apart. The church in the Book of Acts was uncommon. They were abnormal. They lived their lives opposite of their culture. They gave of what they had so that nobody in the church was in lack.

Proverbs chapter 9, verse 10 is what I’m about to read, and the topic that Pastor Keenan gave me this morning, he asked me to come preach. He said, “Will you come and talk to the church about the fear of God, the fear of the Lord? What it means to have a proper reverence, a proper respect, a proper perspective of who the Lord is. What it means to really have God in his place and for you to be in your place. What it really means to see the Lord for who he is and what he is and to understand the position and the posture that we’re supposed to have in accordance with that relationship—a fear of the Lord.”

Now, when you hear that word, a fear of the Lord, sometimes we think that there’s a terror, and we need to be scared of God, and I can’t talk to him; he’s too scary. That’s not what fear of the Lord means. A fear of the Lord is a reverence and a respect and an understanding for who God is and what God has done and what God has called you to and who God has made you to be.

And there is a reverence for the fact that I don’t wake myself up in the morning; God gives me breath that wakes me up in the morning. And because of that, I put him in his place as king of the universe, and I play my role as a humble servant. And because of those postures and those positions, I understand what it means to have a fear of God.

Proverbs chapter 9, verse 10 says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.

Now, a lot of us like to pray for wisdom. We like to quote James, and we go, “The Bible says in James that if anyone lacks wisdom, he should pray for it, and the God of gods will grant it generously, and you will have wisdom for days.”

But Proverbs says that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, which means you can go to God all day long and ask God to grant you wisdom, but if you have not first laid the foundation for the gift he’s going to give, which means you need to have a fear of him, then you’ll never receive the gift.

If you don’t have a proper appreciation for the giver of the gift, you will never appreciate the gift. If you don’t have a proper admiration for the one who is giving you the gift, then you will abuse the gift that is being given to you.

“God, I want wisdom.” Have you laid the foundation of fear of the Lord so you know how to even use the gift? Why would God give you something as amazing as wisdom if you don’t even know how to use it properly because you haven’t put the one who gave it to you in his place in your life?

You cannot have a fear of the Lord; you cannot have wisdom if you don’t have a fear of the Lord. You cannot appreciate the gifts of God if you have not first honored God.

“Lord, I come to you, and I need your blessing in my life, but I’m not interested in putting you as the Lord of my life. I want to be the Lord of my life.”

See, here’s the problem with a lot of us: we want to treat ourselves as our God, but when we pray to God, we don’t receive answers. You know why? Because the god you worship is the one you are banking on to answer you in the time of need.

And when you worship you, you’re banking on you solving your problems. And so you go to God, and you go, “God, I need you. God, I need you. I have to have you. God, I’m in such a desperate place.” But you’ve been worshiping yourself for so long that God’s not going to answer that prayer.

You don’t fear God; you treat him like a piggy bank. We don’t fear God; we want his stuff. We don’t have a reverence for his word. We like to twist it to fit our lifestyles. We don’t want to honor what he says; we want him to bless what we do.

There’s a difference in having a fear of God and a reverence of God and wanting God’s things. Are you living your life with the foundation, “I fear the Lord so that I may have wisdom,” or are you going to God and going, “God, give me the things that I need so that I can do what I want to do”?

At the very beginning of this church in the Book of Acts, they understood what it meant to have a fear of the Lord. There were situations and circumstances that came about that caused the church to have a reverence for the name of the Lord.

There’s a story in the Book of Acts, chapter 5, about a husband and wife named Ananias and Sapphira. We read this verse when we get ready to give tithes and offerings, and the verse says that they brought everything they had together so the house was full and no one had need. They sold their possessions and gave the money to the church so that everybody in the church had their needs fulfilled.

What would happen is people would sell their houses, and they would sell their fields, and they would sell their possessions, and the money they received, they would come and they would give it to the disciples, and the disciples would disperse that to the widows and to the orphans and to the poor in the church so everyone had their needs met; no one had lack.

And there was this couple, Ananias and Sapphira, this husband and wife, and what they had saw was that people were selling their things and giving them to the disciples, and God was blessing those people with abundance because they were giving out of their abundance and giving in obedience.

And Ananias and Sapphira go, “We like this. We like the way this looks. This is good. You give your stuff, God gives you other stuff. This is really good. We want a piece of that.”

They said, “Hey, we got a field over here. We’re going to sell our field, and we’re going to bring a part of what we got from it, and we’re going to give it to the disciples, but we’re going to keep a piece of it for ourselves.”

Now, there’s nothing wrong if that’s what they wanted to do. The problem came because they did not have a healthy respect for the Lord’s name.

See, Ananias sold the field, and he brought the amount in, and he puts the amount down in front of Peter. “Field, and this is what we got for it.” And Peter, being full of the Holy Spirit, understanding truth and lies, looks at Ananias and says, “Is this the entire amount you got for the field?”

And Ananias goes, “That’s it. That’s all of it.”

Peter says, “You have lied to the Holy Spirit,” and Ananias died instantly, fell dead at Peter’s feet.

And we don’t like this story because this is New Testament stuff. That’s Old Testament God, and New Testament Bible. We don’t like to mix those things up. No, no, no, leave the God of judgment over there in all those books. This is Mercy, Grace, and Love. We want Daniel, Lions, and Lollipop Jesus. We don’t want the God of judgment over here.

But this crosses over, and what happened is Ananias lied to the Holy Spirit and fell dead. And the Bible says three hours later, his wife Sapphira shows up. She’s coming in to get her blessing. She’s coming in to get her kudos. She’s coming in to look good, like, “Hey, look what I just did.”

She comes in, she goes, “Hey, Peter, did Ananias bring the gift? Did he bring the money?”

Peter goes, “Yeah, he brought the money. I have a question, though, for you, Sapphira. Is that the amount? Is that the whole amount?”

She goes, “Yeah, that’s all of it. That’s all of it.”

In Acts chapter 5, verse 10 starts like this: “At that moment…” At that moment, she lied. She said, “Yeah, that was all of it.” It says, “At that moment, she fell down at his feet and died, and the young men who came in carried out Ananias, carried her out, and buried her next to her husband.”

And this is where we understand that the Book of Acts and the church in Acts had a fear of the Lord. It says, “Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard these events.” They understood the weight of the power of God.

See, this church would lay hands on the cripples, and they would be healed. This church would pray for the sick, and they’d be made well. This church would lay hands on the dead, and they would be raised. This church believed in the movement of the Holy Spirit. This church shared the gospel. The Bible says this church flipped the world upside down. They understood what it meant to have a fear of God.

Psalm chapter 86:11 says, “Teach me your ways, O Lord, that I may rely on your faithfulness. Give me an undivided heart that I may fear your name.”

Okay, we’re going to read this together. Put that verse up on the screen.

“Teach me your way, Lord, that I may rely on your faithfulness. Give me an undivided heart that I may fear whose name?”

Say it again: “I may fear whose name?”

Lord, the Lord’s name.

So teach me your ways. Leave the verse up there. Don’t take it down. Teach me your ways, teach me your ways, teach me your ways, that I may rely on your faithfulness. Give me an undivided heart that I may fear your name.

So if a fear of the Lord produces a heart that is not divided, what does it mean when our heart is divided? It means that we have got this divided heart. The Bible says a house divided against itself will not stand. In the same way, a heart divided against itself will not remain faithful.

A house divided against itself is not going to stand, and a heart that is divided will not be faithful. You can’t be faithful when your heart is divided between two things.

What is my heart divided between? Between honoring the Lord and serving yourself? I’m going to fear what the Lord says, rather I’m going to fear what people’s opinions are instead of living my life in obedience to what God says.

I’m going to make sure that everyone agrees with my life decisions so I feel good about myself, and you are divided. You sit on a fence, and the Bible says you’re lukewarm.

I have a divided heart. Not only are you divided, but you can’t even be faithful to one or the other. When you don’t have a fear of the Lord, you are a divided person, and the Bible says a double-minded man is unstable in all of his ways.

Why is it that everything I go to put my hands to, it won’t succeed? It won’t prosper? It doesn’t have the favor that I’m looking for? It’s because your heart is divided between serving yourself and serving the Lord.

A divided heart does not have a fear of the Lord. A fear of the Lord means having an undivided heart, having a heart that is solely His, that belongs to him, that is serving him, that gives all you have to him and honors him and serves him and loves him and obeys him.

Why do I still not have a relationship with God that I want? Because my heart is divided between him and myself.

Proverbs 24:26 says, “In the fear of the Lord, one has strong confidence, and his children will have a refuge.”

I hit this hard in first service; I’m going to do it again.

“In the fear of the Lord, one has strong confidence, and his children will have a refuge.”

You know what that means, parents? Parents, if you’re a parent, let me see you put your hands in the air. If you’re a mom or a dad, put your hands up in the air. There you go.

Okay, now with your hands up, keep your hands up. Now keep them up real quick. We’re going to do something here. If you’re a parent, look around the room. Look around the room. You’re not the only one with crazy children.

We all have got some crazy kids that need Jesus in their lives. We all got them. Okay, put your hands down. We have a support group. We’re all together. We all need Jesus in our children’s lives. Hallelujah!

I got them. God bless me. Pray for Josiah; he needs Jesus. That little boy says things, and my wife looks at me and goes, “That’s your son.”

The fear of the Lord, one has strong confidence, not a weak confidence, a strong confidence, and his children will have a refuge.

You know what this means, Mom and Dad? Listen to me. That when you live your life in a reverence for God, it protects your children.

That when you live your life in submission and surrender and you have a proper fear of the Lord in your life, your children will have a protection that you couldn’t build for them around them.

That God says, “Mom, Dad, if you will honor me and uphold me and bless me and put my name in your mouth in a positive way, and you will speak blessings over my name, and you will honor my kingdom, and you will live your life in obedience, I will protect your children because you have honored me.

I will protect your lineage. I will protect your heritage. I will protect what comes after you because you have honored me with your life. I will protect your future.”

Mom and Dad, if we wonder why it is that life is so difficult with our children and we’re having such a hard time getting them to serve God, it is because we have not placed God in his proper place in our lives.

We have got more of a fear of government than we do of the Lord, and fear of the education system than we do of the Lord, and fear of things that we can’t control than of the Lord.

But I have a strong confidence when I put my fear in the Lord, and He will guard my children.

Can I tell you something? I protect my boys. I keep my boys safe the best I can, but there are moments I’m not around them, and I can’t guard them, and I can’t protect them, and I can’t watch over them, and I can’t hover them, and I can’t put my arms around them.

And in those moments, the only strong confidence that I have is that God is at the center of my life, and he is going to protect my sons when I’m not around.

Mom and Dad, you want your children to be guarded and protected? Put the Lord in his proper place in your life. Fear the Lord.

The fear of the Lord sets you free from the opinions and the thoughts of others. When you see God for who he is and how powerful he is, the opinions and the thoughts of others become so much less important.

Why? Because your confidence is set on what God says and what God does, not other people’s opinions or perceptions of your life. Who cares if they don’t agree with you if it honors God?

Your confidence is in his faithfulness and his promises.

To fear the Lord leads us to respect him in his law. Every now and then, I find myself in a place where I don’t think I am seeing God the way that I should see God, and I start getting a little confident and start feeling myself a little too much and start thinking like I’m killing it.

I’m doing it. Look at me. Oh God, look at me. I’m doing great stuff. Look at me. Look at Ryan. I’m feeling good today about myself.

And when that happens, the Lord reminds me, “Ryan, you need to go read Job 38.”

Anyone in this place raise your hand? You ever read the Book of Job? Y’all know what I’m talking about? If you start thinking that you’re awesome, I encourage you to go read Job 38.

If you start thinking you’re killing it in life, go read Job 38. If you don’t know the story of Job, go read Job 38.

The story of Job is incredible. Job was one of the wealthiest men on the face of the planet at the time. He had a beautiful wife, a lot of children, a ton of cattle and livestock. He had multiple homes. Job was one of the wealthiest people on the face of the planet, and he served God, and he loved God, and he honored God, and he had a fear of God.

And the Bible says that hardship came upon Job’s life because that happens. He lost all of his children, all of his livestock, all of his stuff. The Bible says at one point his body was covered in boils, and his wife said to him, “Curse God and die. Just get it over with. It’s not worth it. You look ugly. I’m not staying here. Just curse God and end the whole thing.”

And Job says to God, “What did I do to deserve this, God? What have I done to deserve such a punishment? God, why am I being treated like this? God, I’ve honored you, and I’ve served you. Why is this happening to me?”

And you get to the Book of Job, chapter 38, and you start to read and understand just how big God is and how small we are.

I’m going to read you some of this. Just listen for a minute with your ears.

Job chapter 38: “Then the Lord answered Job out of the storm.” There’s a storm surrounding Job, and the Bible says the Lord answered him out of the storm.

It says, “Who is this?” This is God speaking. “Who is this that darkens my counsel with words without knowledge?” In other words, “Who’s out here talking stupid right now? Who is it that’s talking stupid to me? Who’s over here talking like you know, but you really don’t know what you’re talking about?”

And then God says these words: “Brace yourself like a man. I will question you, and you will answer me. Where were you when I laid the Earth’s foundation? Tell me if you understand. Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know. Who stretched a measuring line across it? And what were its footings set, or who laid its cornerstone while the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy?

Who shut up the sea behind doors when it burst forth from the womb? When I made the clouds its garment and wrapped it in thick darkness? When I fixed limits for it and set its doors and its bars in place? When I said, ‘This far you may come and no further; here is where your proud waves halt’?

Have you ever given orders to the morning stars or shown the dawn its place that it might take the Earth by the edges and shake the wicked out of it? Have you entered the storehouses of snow or seen the storehouses of hail that I saved for times of trouble, for the days of war and battle?

What is the way to where the lightning is dispersed or the place where the East winds are scattered over the Earth? In other words, you’re questioning me? Where were you when I told this, that the ocean, you may come forth, but not any further than this? This is the furthest you’re allowed to go.

Where were you when I decided that I was going to put the Pleiades in Orion in the sky? Can you loose the cords of Orion? Can you bind the beautiful Pleiades? Where were you when I set the lightning? Do you know which way it goes? Are you the one that gives commands to the morning stars?

What about Venus? What about Mars? Were you there when I decided that I was going to speak light from nothing, and it has been burning ever since? Are you the one who gave commands to the darkness and wrapped it in clouds? Tell me, tell me, Job, what holds the Earth up? Who’s the cornerstone of my creation?

Surely you know. If you’re willing to judge me and question me, surely you’re the one strong enough to tell me these things.

And Job, Job answered the Lord because he said, “You will answer me,” so you got to answer God. “I’m unworthy. How can I reply to you? I put my hand over my mouth. I spoke once, but I have no answer. Twice, and I will say no more.”

A fear of the Lord, to put this into terms that we can understand today, I’m going to share with you the way that it helped me understand just how big God is in human terms and layman’s terms in the way that I can understand.

If we took every power company in the world, every single power company—electricity, coal, all this stuff, water power—if we took every power company and all their money and all their resources and put them together to create the power that the sun generates, we could generate the power of the sun with all that we have on this planet for one whopping second.

But God spoke, and it stood still, and it’s been burning ever since. It’s never dimmed. It’s never moved further or closer. The sun has been burning since the beginning of time, and it refuses to stop until the voice of the one who spoke it into existence tells it that it’s done.

That is the power of the God we serve, and yet you and I have the audacity to look at God and go, “You don’t know my problems, God. You don’t understand my situation. You don’t know what they did to me. You don’t know how hard they treated me, God. You can’t fix my solution. God, you don’t know my family and what I come from.”

And yet God is the one who gave you breath to speak to him that way. Do you have a proper reverence for the one who created all things, or are you speaking to him as though he is just another one of your homeboys?

Can I tell you? Jesus is not your homeboy. He is the King of Kings, and he is the Lord of Lords, and he is not the one that you treat that way. We honor him, and we put him in his place.

Uncle Pete, you are not supposed to be calling me out, man.

G, wrap this up for the sake of time.

I have three things—three things that a fear of the Lord will do for you.

Pastor Ryan, this is all good, and I’m really inspired, and it feels good, and I feel convicted and all those fuzzy things. How does this apply to my life?

There are three things that a fear of the Lord will do for you. The first one is this: it will give you wisdom.

Just talked about it. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Psalm 111:10 says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belong eternal praise.”

Wisdom is a byproduct of having a fear of the Lord. If the fear of the Lord is where wisdom starts, then I would argue that if you lack wisdom, you lack an accurate perspective of who God is.

Wisdom says that I need help making decisions. I’m going to go to the Lord for guidance and wisdom so I make the right choice. But foolishness says, “I don’t care what God’s opinion is, nor do I care to listen to the counsel he has placed in my life. I’m going to do what I think is best and just pray that God blesses it later.”

“God, I need you to help me.” And God says, “Have you sought wisdom and counsel?” And you say, “No, I just did what felt good in the moment, so bless it.”

Wisdom is a byproduct of a reverence and a fear of God. Exodus 33:14-16, Moses and God are having a conversation, and God says to Moses, “I myself will go with you, Moses, and I will give you victory.”

Then Moses said back to God, “If you yourself don’t go with us, then we don’t want to go.” In other words, “That’s cool, God, but if you don’t go, I’m not going. I know where I’m supposed to be, but unless you go with me, I don’t want to go.”

The fear of the Lord will put God in his proper place.

The second thing it does is it motivates you in evangelism. 2 Corinthians 5:11 says, “Therefore, since we know what it means to fear the Lord, we try to persuade men. What we are is clear to God, and hope it is clear to your conscience as well.”

I have a friend who’s a pastor in Idaho. His name is Wayne. I talked to Wayne this week, and I said, “Wayne, what is the hardest thing about being a senior pastor?” He said, “I’ve had to convince people in my church that it’s their responsibility to tell others about Jesus.”

I said, “Are you kidding me?” He goes, “No, I literally have people in my church that believe they have no responsibility to tell others about God.”

Can I tell you that in Matthew chapter 28, Jesus said to go and make disciples? You can’t make disciples of people who don’t know, and they’re not going to find out unless you tell them.

A fear of the Lord says, “God, you have done miracles in my life, and I’m going to share it with the world.”

And the last thing that a fear of the Lord will do is it helps keep you from sin. Exodus 20:20 says, “Moses said to the people, ‘Do not be afraid. God has come to test you, so the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning.’”

Um, I’m not going to ask you to raise your hand this time. I’ll be the only one to admit it. I get tempted, uh, because I’m human. So I get tempted, and there are sinful desires in my life.

And there’s a very simple question that I ask myself when there’s an opportunity for me to sin, when there’s an opportunity for me to lie to somebody about something going on, where I’m at the checkout stand. I’ve got four items, but I only want to pay for two and leave with the other ones because they’ll never know. It’s Walmart. How are they going to find out?

All those things that happen when someone cuts you off, and you spend three miles trying to catch up to them to tell them that they’re number one.

All those things that are coming up in your mind, and you want to sin, and you want to do some things you shouldn’t do and look at some things you shouldn’t look at and say some things you know you shouldn’t say.

There’s a simple question I want you to ask yourself: Is what I’m about to do worth spending an eternity separated from God over?

Is it worth it? Because Ananias and Sapphira realized that saving a portion of what they got for their field wasn’t worth an eternity separated from God because when you die, it’s not going with you, and one day it’s all going to burn.

So are the things that you’re willing to sin over, is it really worth separating yourself from God for eternity? Because you and I, we’re not promised tomorrow. This might be the last decision you make. Is this the one you want to stand before God and give an account for?

Not a lot of amens on that moment, is there?

When you fear the Lord, when you fear the Lord, you put him in his place, and nothing else goes there. Nothing else goes there. You don’t go there. Your job doesn’t go there. Your team doesn’t go there. Your children don’t go there. Your marriage doesn’t go there. Nothing else goes there. That’s where God belongs, and everything else falls in its place as you fear the Lord.

So my question to you is this: Where have you placed God in your life? And do you have him in his right place as he should be, or has God taken another position because you have placed him there?

Are we going to be a church that flips the world upside down because we have a respect for who God is, or are we going to be a church that just meanders through life, not doing anything of value or significance?

Because I’m going to tell you right now, the power of God follows those who honor him. The Holy Spirit of God will be poured out on those who fear him.

The Holy Spirit of God will be poured out on those who reverence him. God is in heaven, and we are on Earth. Let our words be few.

Let’s pray. Invite the keys up.

Father, there’s a whole lot to unpack in this time, and quite frankly, I just pray your Holy Spirit’s been speaking louder than I could have. I believe and I know even in my own heart right now as I’ve been preaching, you’ve been speaking to me.

God, I don’t want to have a divided heart. I don’t want to have a heart that is in opposition to you in any way because you oppose the proud, but you give grace to the humble.

Lord, I pray in this moment we could humble ourselves and say with all transparency whether or not we have been fearing you, reverencing you, honoring you.

And God, if we have not, then I pray that in the name of Jesus that every one of us in our lives would take whatever it is that we have been placing before you and remove it off that place.

And God, we would serve you with our lives and put you in the position you deserve.

Lord, I pray you would help our church to understand what it means to have a fear of the Lord, that we would not just flippantly speak and not consider our words, that we would not take your name in vain, that we would not just say things that come to the mind, but we would be wise in our words and our actions and our decisions.

Holy Spirit of God, this is your church, and these are your people. You brought us into this house this morning to hear this word, and I pray that your Holy Spirit speaks louder than I ever could. Convict our hearts, speak to our minds.

In Jesus’ name, amen.

Pastor Keenan, want to... Hallelujah!

Amen. I’m going to ask our offering team to come forward at this time as we prepare to transition to a time of giving.

And just keeping in line with what Pastor Ryan says, you know, when I think about this opportunity that we have to honor God with our resources, that’s why I give. I give because I have a fear of the Lord—not in the sense of, as Pastor Ryan said, I’m scared or I’m afraid, but I honor his word.

I honor him, and I honor the fact that he woke me up. I honor the fact that he gave me the breath of life. I honor the fact that he keeps protecting me as I’m able to go to work every morning.

I’m honoring the fact that he gave me the job, that he provided me the resources, so I’m going to honor him with my resources. Say, “God, I fear you. You are Lord of my life, even in my finances, even in this.”

So I don’t give out of compulsion. I don’t give because I feel guilty. I give because I honor you, God. It’s the least that I could do for all that you’ve done.

I don’t want to have a conversation like Job, so I’m going to go ahead and handle what I need to do.

So God, I honor you with this.

So I’m going to pray that the Lord would speak right now over whatever it is that you’re giving, that you would hear him in this moment as he speaks to you about what to give.

We have three ways to give: our QR code, LimitlessWay.com. If you’re watching us online, you can text the word “give” to 833-879-1161 to give as well.

God, we take a few seconds out to hear from you as it pertains to our giving. What is it that you would have us to give? We don’t want to give because of whatever we have in our pockets. No, you told us to honor this moment.

Speak to us right now in these next moments on what we should give. God, we believe that we’ve heard you, and we choose to move out of faith. We choose to move out of obedience. We choose to move out of our fear of God.

Amen.

Offering team, would you go ahead and pass the buckets? And as you pass those buckets, would you mind standing? Um, Adriana is going to lead us in worship, and then Pastor Ryan is going to come up and close us.

1) "Wisdom is a byproduct of having a fear of the Lord. If the fear of the Lord is where wisdom starts, then I would argue that if you lack wisdom, you lack an accurate perspective of who God is." [01:16:34 ] (Download)

2) "The fear of the Lord says God you have done miracles in my life and I'm going to share it with the world." [01:18:14 ] (Download)

3) "When you fear the lord, you put him in his place and nothing else goes there. Your job doesn't go there, your team doesn't go there, your children don't go there, your marriage doesn't go there." [01:20:49 ] (Download)

4) "The fear of the Lord one has strong confidence and his children will have a refuge. When you live your life in a reverence for God, it protects your children." [01:06:57 ] (Download)

5) "A fear of the Lord means having an undivided heart, having a heart that is solely His, that belongs to him, that is serving him, that gives all you have to him and honors him." [01:04:11 ] (Download)

6) "You cannot have wisdom if you don't have a fear of the Lord. You cannot appreciate the gifts of God if you have not first honored God." [57:13 ] (Download)

7) "We don't fear God, we want his stuff. We don't have a reverence for his word, we like to twist it to fit our lifestyles. We don't want to honor what he says, we want him to bless what we do." [58:15 ] (Download)

8) "The fear of the Lord sets you free from the opinions and the thoughts of others. When you see God for who he is and how powerful he is, the opinions and the thoughts of others become so much less important." [01:08:32 ] (Download)

9) "God I need you to help me and God says have you sought wisdom and counsel and you say no, I just did what felt good in the moment so bless it." [01:17:05 ] (Download)

10) "The fear of the Lord will put God in his proper place. The second thing it does is it motivates you in evangelism." [01:18:14 ] (Download)