The Only Foundation for Right Perspectives
Everyday with God
The Only Foundation for Right Perspectives
The Only Foundation for Right Perspectives
'Proverbs 1:7 reads in full, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline". Knowledge as used here, is more than an accumulation of information. It involves the ability to view that information with the right perspective and to use it for its proper end. Paul for example speaks of knowledge that "puffs up" as well as knowledge that leads to godliness. Only the latter has the right perspective and proper goal in mind.
Two people may possess essentially the same knowledge with regard to a body of facts. One person views this knowledge as a means of acquiring position, power, or possessions and uses it to that end. The other person sees it as a gift from God and as a stewardship to be used to serve him.
Our main goal in life should be to glorify God. That is the ultimate goal to which all knowledge should be directed. Regardless of how helpful an item or body of knowledge may be to society, if it does not have as its final purpose the glory of God, it remains defective. It is like a structure without a foundation, a plant without a root.
Of course, since our fear of God is always imperfect, our knowledge will always be defective and incomplete, not only factually, but also in its use. But the person who does not fear God doesn't even have the right foundation on which to build. He may be a decent person and generally beneficial to society, but in the end he falls short because he neither knows nor fears God.
Several years ago, I read Evolution: a Theory in Crisis by Michael Denton, an Australian physician who does research in microbiology. In my opinion his book is one of the most brilliant and devastating critiques of the theory of evolution available today. Doctor Denton did his homework well. From a number of perspectives he makes a convincing case that animal life as we see it today, and particularly the human body and brain, must be the product of a specific design by an infinitely intelligent designer rather than the result of mere time and chance.
As you read through the book, you keep waiting for Dr. Denton to make a seemingly obvious statement that this intelligent designer must be God. However, after thoroughly debunking the Darwinian theory of evolution, Dr. Denton throws up his hands. We don't know, he essentially says, and we didn't know before Charles Darwin made his observations about plants and animals on the Galapagos islands. And we still don't know today.
Why would a brilliant scientist come to such a conclusion? The reason is found in Solomon's words "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge". Doctor Denton has amassed a formidable amount of information and makes a strong case against evolution, and yet he is unable to bring his reasoning to a successful conclusion because his knowledge is incomplete. It does not take account of God. On numerous occasions I found myself pausing to worship as I read and thought what a pity, this man who knows 1000 times more than I about this subject could not use it to glorify God because he did not know the fear of the one about whom he was writing.'
I praise you God, Jesus my Savior, that in you are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Thank you for being my wisdom, my righteousness, my holiness, and my redemption.
Praise be to the Lord God, who alone does marvelous deeds. Psalm 72:1
*I Give You Glory, O God by Jerry Bridges.
In I Give You Glory, O God, Bridges offers you the best reasons and the best words for bringing honor to your awesome, incomparable God.
In his third powerful volume of the Private Worship Trilogy, this beloved author gives you the encouragement, motivation, and specific guidance you seek for your private, individual worship of God. As a result, you can better see and understand what it really means to glorify God. To fear God. To live as his child. To follow his wisdom day by day. And you can begin to experience the blessings God promises as you truly live for him.
Available on Amazon: ISBN 1578566290
Two people may possess essentially the same knowledge with regard to a body of facts. One person views this knowledge as a means of acquiring position, power, or possessions and uses it to that end. The other person sees it as a gift from God and as a stewardship to be used to serve him.
Our main goal in life should be to glorify God. That is the ultimate goal to which all knowledge should be directed. Regardless of how helpful an item or body of knowledge may be to society, if it does not have as its final purpose the glory of God, it remains defective. It is like a structure without a foundation, a plant without a root.
Of course, since our fear of God is always imperfect, our knowledge will always be defective and incomplete, not only factually, but also in its use. But the person who does not fear God doesn't even have the right foundation on which to build. He may be a decent person and generally beneficial to society, but in the end he falls short because he neither knows nor fears God.
Several years ago, I read Evolution: a Theory in Crisis by Michael Denton, an Australian physician who does research in microbiology. In my opinion his book is one of the most brilliant and devastating critiques of the theory of evolution available today. Doctor Denton did his homework well. From a number of perspectives he makes a convincing case that animal life as we see it today, and particularly the human body and brain, must be the product of a specific design by an infinitely intelligent designer rather than the result of mere time and chance.
As you read through the book, you keep waiting for Dr. Denton to make a seemingly obvious statement that this intelligent designer must be God. However, after thoroughly debunking the Darwinian theory of evolution, Dr. Denton throws up his hands. We don't know, he essentially says, and we didn't know before Charles Darwin made his observations about plants and animals on the Galapagos islands. And we still don't know today.
Why would a brilliant scientist come to such a conclusion? The reason is found in Solomon's words "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge". Doctor Denton has amassed a formidable amount of information and makes a strong case against evolution, and yet he is unable to bring his reasoning to a successful conclusion because his knowledge is incomplete. It does not take account of God. On numerous occasions I found myself pausing to worship as I read and thought what a pity, this man who knows 1000 times more than I about this subject could not use it to glorify God because he did not know the fear of the one about whom he was writing.'
I praise you God, Jesus my Savior, that in you are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Thank you for being my wisdom, my righteousness, my holiness, and my redemption.
Praise be to the Lord God, who alone does marvelous deeds. Psalm 72:1
*I Give You Glory, O God by Jerry Bridges.
In I Give You Glory, O God, Bridges offers you the best reasons and the best words for bringing honor to your awesome, incomparable God.
In his third powerful volume of the Private Worship Trilogy, this beloved author gives you the encouragement, motivation, and specific guidance you seek for your private, individual worship of God. As a result, you can better see and understand what it really means to glorify God. To fear God. To live as his child. To follow his wisdom day by day. And you can begin to experience the blessings God promises as you truly live for him.
Available on Amazon: ISBN 1578566290
Linda Miller | Ministry Development