Trusting in God

“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” (Proverbs 3: 5-6).
Today’s verses from Proverbs were one of the first passages from Scripture I memorized. My step-mom wrote them in the front of the Bible she gave me after my baptism and profession of faith. Every night, I read my Bible before I went to bed and did my best to live how the Word commanded me to live. I was eleven years old and loved the Lord, but it was difficult for me to learn to trust Him as a person. I had no idea how to depend on someone I could not see. After some difficult times in my life, I renewed my relationship with Jesus, and only then did I learn how to relate to Him on an intimate level. By trusting in myself and my own understanding, I had created a real mess of my life. Godly men, it is hard to learn how to lean on God after years of doing our own thing, but it is essential to our spiritual growth to learn to trust Him. Psalms 37: 4 and 5 says: “Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.” If we seek the Lord’s will for our lives, He will not leave us to our own devices. He is faithful to guide and direct our paths. He cannot be the Lord of our lives, if we refuse to trust and lean on Him. What in our lives keeps us from trusting Him like we should? What do we need to surrender to Him that we have been holding on to ourselves? Ask the Lord to teach you to trust Him more, today.

Avoiding Evil Men

“Who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the frowardness of the wicked; Whose ways are crooked, and they froward in their paths.” (Proverbs 2: 14-15).
Not only do ungodly men commit evil, but they rejoice to do evil. They love to do wrong and do not care who knows it. God says that even when men know “the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.” (Romans 1: 28-32). Ungodly men justify their sins and love to see others commit sin as well. “Misery loves company” applies easily to ungodly men who recruit others to engage in debauchery and lasciviousness. Today’s proverb says: they “delight in the frowardness (perverseness) of the wicked.” Godly men, on the other hand, know that “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” (Proverbs 14:12). They realize that “wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” (Matthew 7:13-14). Whereas ungodly men actively seek evil, godly men do everything in their power to avoid it. “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.” (Psalms 1:1-2) Men of God, may we “walk worthy of God, who hath called [us] into his kingdom and glory.” (I Thessalonians 2:12)

Being Content

“Envy thou not the oppressor, and choose none of his ways. For the froward is abomination to the Lord: but his secret is with the righteous.” (Proverbs 3: 31, 32).
Every godly man who has ever struggled-financially or otherwise- has wondered at one time or another why it seemed that the ungodly always prospers. If we are not careful, our struggles can cause us to harbor bitterness and resentment in our hearts. Our envy may not be financially motivated; perhaps we are jealous of power, general prosperity, the family or the prestigious position of the ungodly. Regardless, God says that we should not be concerned about these temporal blessings. We are told in Psalm 37: 1, 2 and 7 to: “Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb. Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.” God’s wrath and justice against the ungodly will be pacified- if not in this life, then in the life to come. God is God: He sees the big picture, and He can be trusted. Envy of others and their possessions hinders our relationship with the Lord because it causes us to question His goodness. We need to learn to be grateful and content with the blessings God has given us. If we keep our eyes on Jesus, we will not be distracted by what others have and what we lack. Men of God, live the life God has called you to live to the best of your ability. Trust Him to do right by you.

Our Duty to Help Others

“Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it.” (Proverbs 3:27).
We have a duty as godly men to use our resources wisely. God has not blessed us solely for ourselves but so we may help others who are in need. Certainly, our primary financial responsibility is to provide for our families. “But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.” (I Timothy 5:8). Once our family’s needs have been met, we have an obligation to our fellow believers. “As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.” (Galatians 6:10). The early Church had a great witness and testimony that we should emulate. “Neither was there any among them that lacked.” (Acts 4:34). No believer did without, if he had a need. If one Christian had the ability to meet a lack in the life of another believer, he did so. Take note that he didn’t send the destitute brother to the benevolence committee or the church food pantry. (These ministries are helpful, but have we created them to meet a need or so that we can “minister” without getting our hands dirty?) The responsibility for ministry in the Church is placed upon us as individuals. We are to meet the needs of our spiritual leaders (I Corinthians 9:9), to spread the gospel (Philippians 4:15-18), and to minister to the poor and needy in our community (Galatians 2:10). Men of God, do not shirk your spiritual obligations. Do not pass the buck to the church or ministry staff. Help those God sends your way, if you have the ability to do so.

Don't Forget What God Has Done

“Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart: So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man.” (Proverbs 3:3- 4).
Many men are successful in the eyes of men and some are successful in the sight of God, but how many find favor with both God and men. We often deem these two possibilities as mutually exclusive, but they are not. It is feasible to have both-in a sense. Men usually make the mistake of tackling the world first, squeezing out all of its benefits, and then fitting God into whatever remains. In Proverbs 16:7, we discover the opposite principle at work: “When a man’s ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.” Our primary responsibility as Christians is to please the Lord. By committing ourselves to Him and following His commands, we bind mercy and truth about our necks and write them upon the table of our hearts. God gave the same promise to the Israelites as they prepared to enter the Promised Land. He knew that if they did not constantly remind themselves of His mercy and truth, they would soon forget His mighty miracle of deliverance out of pharaoh’s hand. If we fail to remind ourselves of God’s goodness and do not hide His Word in our hearts, we will also forget His truth. Thankfully, under the New Covenant, God writes His commands “Not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.” (II Corinthians 3:3). Lord, help us to lean on the Holy Spirit, who will remind us of all you have said and assist us in applying it to our lives.

Obeying God

“Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded.” (Proverbs 1:24).
A godly man does not refuse to hear God’s voice when He calls, and he does not reject God’s hand when He offers His help. Men can sometimes be so prideful that they refuse assistance from anyone-even God. Still, God constantly reaches out to us and speaks to our hearts. He actively pursues us, yet we remain aloof. We hide, like Adam in the garden, afraid to face God because of our disobedience. “I also will choose their delusions, and will bring their fears upon them; because when I called, none did answer; when I spake, they did not hear: but they did evil before mine eyes, and chose that in which I delighted not.” (Isaiah 66:4). “But they refused to hearken, and pulled away the shoulder, and stopped their ears, that they should not hear.” (Zechariah 7:11). A godly man heeds the voice of God, even if He rebukes him. He reaches up to take the hand of God when he is in the pit of tribulation and despair. He knows that only God is able to lift him out of the “horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set [his] feet upon a rock, and establish [his] goings.” (Psalm 40:2). A godly man seeks to obey God and to do those things that please Him. Men of God, we need to examine our lives daily to ensure that we live the faith we proclaim with our lips. Do our actions mirror our profession, or are we godly men in name only? Do we listen for the still small voice of God, or are we too busy doing the “work of the Lord” that we miss the Lord altogether?

Receiving Wise Counsel

“A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels.” (Proverbs 1:5).
The godly man who desires to be a success in the eyes of the Lord will hear the Word and do what it says. “For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.” (Romans 15:4). On the contrary, ungodly men will be “ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of truth.” (II Timothy 3:7). A godly man will first receive counsel from the Lord before he seeks counsel from man. “The counsel of the Lord standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations.” (Psalms 33:11). Only after he has sought the counsel of the Lord will he then proceed to procure counsel from godly men.
“Every purpose is established by counsel: and with good advice make war.” (Proverbs 20:18). “Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counselors there is safety.” (Proverbs 11:14). The biggest reason men have difficulty soliciting counsel from other men is pride. We are stubborn and intent upon going our own way. We lean on our own understanding and attempt to do things in our own power. Nevertheless, we must learn to lay aside our pride and submit to the instruction and discipline of God. We must also submit ourselves to elder men of the faith, (I Peter 5:5) and we give the body of believers’ permission to hold us accountable. (Romans 12:10; Ephesians 5:21). Our Christian walk is not a one-man show. If we are to be successful in the life of faith, we must lean on God and our brothers and sisters in Christ.

A Plan For Purity

“Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee: To deliver thee from the strange woman, even from the stranger which flattereth with her words; Which forsaketh the guide of her youth, and forgetteth the covenant of her God.” (Proverbs 2: 11, 16-17).
The area in men most vulnerable to Satan’s attacks is sexual purity. Our adversary knows that we are usually weakest here, and he sets a game plan in place designed to make us fall. Because of our past failures and infidelities, Satan knows our shortcomings as well as we do. We must prepare ourselves for his attack, because it will be tailor-made to appeal to the lusts of our flesh. God says that discretion will preserve us and understanding will keep us. The word discretion can also be translated as “a plan.” “[A plan] shall preserve thee.” Do we have a plan to protect our sexual purity? Temptation will come: it’s only a matter of time. Are we prepared to avoid the flattering woman, who seeks to entice us with her enchantments? Will we permit other godly men to hold us accountable to purity? Will we protect our minds by using filtered internet service and by asking the front desk clerk to block adult movies from our hotel room? Will we starve our eyes from other women, so that we can fast our eyes on our wives alone? The key to sexual purity is to allow Jesus to meet our every need and to heal us where we are most vulnerable to temptation. “When Christ ceases to fill the heart with satisfaction, our souls will go in silent search of other lovers.” (Maurice Roberts).

From Darkness to Light

“Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee: To deliver thee from the way of the evil man, from the man that speaketh froward things; Who leave the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness.” (Proverbs 2: 11-13)
Men of the world walk in the ways of darkness. They love darkness rather than light because their deeds are evil. They hate the light and will not even enter in to the light, lest their evil deeds should be discovered. (John 3:19-20). Darkness hides the sins of men, but the Light of the World, Jesus, (John 8:12) has come to expose men for who they really are. When His searchlight shines upon a man’s heart, he sees himself for what he is – a sinner in need of a savior. Jesus has come to open the eyes of evil men “and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they might receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in [Him].” (Acts 26:18). Just as evil men walk in darkness by their very nature, godly men walk in the light. “For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light.” (Ephesians 5:8). “Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.” (I Thessalonians 5:5). Jesus says that His followers “are the light of the world.” (Matthew 5:14). He says to “let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16). Remember, brothers, that God has called us out of darkness into His marvelous light. (I Peter 2:9) Lord, help us to walk accordingly.

Responding to the Needs of Others

“Say not unto thy neighbor, Go, and come again, and tomorrow I will give; when thou hast it by thee.” (Proverbs 3:28).
Why would a man tell his neighbor to come back tomorrow for something he could easily give him today? At the very least, the man lacked compassion, and at worst, he was selfish and dishonest. My guess is the man really didn’t want to give his neighbor anything, and by putting him off, he hoped the neighbor would forget to return or would no longer need what he had been seeking. What the selfish neighbor failed to recognize was the amount of pride his neighbor had to swallow in order to ask for help. Most men are so prideful that if you turn them down once after they have come to you for help, they won’t likely ask for your assistance again. Perhaps this is what the selfish neighbor wanted. Notice that the favor was not an inconvenience. The word says the man clearly had it by him. In other words, the man would not have been hurt in any way if he had given his neighbor what he requested. I have known men who used their wealth and blessings to feed their sense of power and self-importance. If someone asked for assistance, even if it was easily in their power to help, they would practically force the person to beg and grovel. Men of God, selfishness and lack of compassion are traits that ought not to be named among us. We should respond to the needs of others in the same manner the Lord has granted our necessities- with grace and mercy. “As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.” (Galatians 6:10).

Free to Give

“Honour the Lord with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.” (Proverbs 3:9-10).
Under the Old Covenant, the Israelites gave a tenth of their possessions (firstfruits) as a tithe to the Lord. The money collected and offerings given were used to support the priests and to meet the expenses of running the temple. In the New Covenant, we are not under the letter of the law, but the principle of tithing is alluded to. Instead of a mandated amount, we are instructed to give freely out of the abundance of our heart. We are commanded to give freely and cheerfully, for the Lord loveth a cheerful giver. (II Corinthians 9:7) We also have the blessing principle. If God has blessed us abundantly financially, we should shoulder a greater proportion of Kingdom work. Beware of Christian leaders who encourage you to “sow financial seed” into their ministry and promise financial windfalls as a result of your “seed of faith.” This scheme is spiritual manipulation at the very least and quite possibly witchcraft. Well-meaning Christians have sent their last dollar to these men, who prey upon the elderly and poor, and have the audacity to drive around in luxury cars doing the “work of God” Hypocrisy! Men of God, let us not be like the Galatian church Paul wrote to, always putting ourselves back under the law. Instead, let us operate in grace and allow the Lord to be in control of all areas of our lives, including our finances. Remember, to whom much is given, much is required. (Luke 12:48). Give to the Lord’s work out of the abundance of His provision, and He will bless your faithfulness. (Luke 6:38).

A Spiritual Harvest

“When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul; Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee.” (Proverbs 2:10-11).
Every spring my granddad plants a garden of tomatoes, squash, butter beans, corn, watermelons and cucumbers. The 1960 blue, Ford tractor emerges like clockwork to be dusted off, tuned up and prepared for another hard season of plowing and cultivating. My granddad is very knowledgeable about the crops he plants, and he toils long and hard to produce an abundant, healthy harvest. Since the principle of labor bearing fruit is so obvious in the natural, then why do we expect anything different in the spiritual? We claim to covet discretion and understanding, yet we aren’t willing to labor in order to produce them. God’s word says that if we want these gifts, we must do two things. First, we must allow wisdom to enter our hearts. How does this occur? By studying the Word of God and planting its truths deep down in our hearts. Second, knowledge must be pleasant unto our soul. We have to truly desire revelation from God and be willing to act on the knowledge He gives us. As we hide God’s Word in our hearts and meditate on His truth, He will cultivate, water, and prune the fruits of discretion and understanding in our lives. Our labor is this: “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” (II Timothy 2:15). Men of God, are we willing to labor for spiritual fruit as quickly as we toil for physical fruit? Is God’s Word important enough that we will make time to spend in it?

Resisting Temptation

“My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.” (Proverbs 1:10).
One of the greatest characteristics of a godly man is that he is able to resist temptation and stand firm when sinners entice him. Joseph is one of the best biblical examples of a man who refused to sin, even when he was actively pursued. When Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery, Potiphar, a captain of Pharaoh’s guard, bought him from his captors. Joseph found grace and favor in Potiphar’s sight and was made overseer of all Potiphar possessed. As Joseph gained recognition with his master, he also gained the attention of his master’s wife. She asked Joseph on numerous occasions to lie with her, but he refused out of his respect for Potiphar and because he feared God. He said, “How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?” (Genesis 39:9). When Potiphar’s wife saw that Joseph would not fornicate with her, she lied to her husband and falsely accused Joseph of rape. Potiphar believed his wife and became so angry that he had Joseph thrown into prison, where he remained for several years. Joseph continued to serve God in prison, even though he was innocent. He gained a reputation of godliness and favor with the keepers of the prison and was given charge over all the prisoners. God later made a way for Joseph’s release, and he became second in command over all of Egypt. Men of God, would we have resisted the advances and affections of a prosperous woman as Joseph did? Do we fear God enough to do what is right in His eyes, even though there may be negative repercussions? Will we follow Joseph’s example and resist temptation, or will we give in when we are enticed?

Being a Spiritual Mentor

“To give subtlety to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion.” (Proverbs 1:4)
King Solomon wrote Proverbs with the intention of passing down the wisdom he had received from God, along with the instruction he received from his father, David, to the next generations. He purposely left behind a record so that young men would be taught knowledge and discretion. If Solomon had not possessed a vision and a heart for discipleship, much of his wisdom would have been lost. Every man reading this blog has wisdom, life experience and a unique story that young men need to hear.
You have a responsibility to share the knowledge you have acquired with them. Paul was a spiritual father, mentor, teacher and pastor to many. He discipled a small group of men, and these men went on to spread the gospel throughout the world. You may not be a theologian, but all you need to disciple someone is a willing heart and a basic knowledge of your faith. “Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to your account” (Philippians 4:17) Live the Christian life before him. When he falls, pick him up and encourage him to press on.
We are not only responsible for ourselves but also for other believers. (Romans 15:27). Through your investment in the lives of young believers, you will receive the satisfaction of watching them mature in the faith and then go on to disciple others. Some of your greatest accomplishments will not be what you have personally done for the Lord and His kingdom but what your sons in the faith accomplish through your encouragement and support. By discliping and mentoring other young men, your legacy will continue through them even after you have gone to be with the Lord.

Keeping Good Company

“My son, walk not thou in the way with them; refrain thy foot from their path: For their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood.” (Proverbs 1: 15-16)
When I was a teenager, my Dad always told me to watch the kids I hung out with because “you are known by the company you keep.” He knew the effects of peer pressure better than I did and tried his best to steer me clear of harmful situations. I never brought many friends home that he disapproved of, but if I did, he was quick to inform me if he thought they were trouble. During our quest for godly manhood, we can get sidetracked if we fail to surround ourselves with other godly men with similar goals. Paul warns us: “Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.” (I Corinthians 15:33). The people we socialize and interact with are the ones who will have the greatest influence on us. “A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump,” (I Corinthians 5:6).If we desire to stay godly men, we will have to be careful with whom we associate. We must refrain our feet from the path of the wicked because it is their nature to run to evil. Not only that, but we must also “abstain from all appearance of evil.” (I Thessalonians 5:22). Many godly men’s reputations have been ruined by being in the wrong place at the wrong time or by being in a situation that appeared evil, even if it was totally innocent. We must always be on guard for our reputations and for the purity of our hearts. Think about the company you keep. Is there anyone hindering your walk with the Lord that you need to distance yourself from?

Calling on God

“Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me: For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the Lord: They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof.” (Proverbs 1: 28-30)
When ungodly men call upon the Lord, He has no obligation to answer them (unless they are praying a prayer for forgiveness of their sin). Even when they expend great effort to reach God, He says that they will not find Him. Why? Because they hated knowledge, chose not to fear the Lord and “refused his counsel and despised his reproof.” (Complete Jewish Bible). The world has myriad ways and paths to god; however, God says there is only one way to Him and that way is through His Son Jesus Christ. Since God is the One who has been offended, He is the only person who has the right to say what could atone for our transgression. The shedding of Jesus' blood on the cross is what reconciled us to God. (Colossians 1:20). The world has no right or authority to speak on God’s behalf. When we become men of God after our new birth, we become enemies of the world. We will be persecuted just as Jesus was. Believers are no longer bound to the world but have become the bondservants of Jesus Christ: we are His ambassadors. We should no longer allow the world to dictate how we should live or what we should do. Our allegiance belongs to a new King, and we are to conform to His standards. When faced with a conflict between what the world says is right and what God’s Word says is correct, always stand on the side of God. No matter what the world tosses our way, may we always say, “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24:15)

Is God Your Co-Pilot?

“But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.” (Proverbs 1:33)
I once saw a bumper sticker that read, “God is my Co-Pilot.” If that is true for the driver, then he is in a heap of trouble. God is the Pilot in the life of a Christian, and our only responsibility is to board His plane. The “I’m the pilot” attitude is precisely what gets Christians into trouble. We desire to be in charge of our own lives, make our flight plans and call them in to God for approval. But God commands us to listen attentively and follow him. Air travel is a real danger today because of terrorism, mechanical failure and the bankruptcies of the airlines. However, it is far more dangerous to fly without the Pilot. When God is in command of our lives and we allow him to have the controls, we do not have anything to fear. “He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord.” (Psalm 112:7) Throughout the word of God, we are commanded to fear not. The only person we are instructed to fear is the Lord God. “What man is he that feareth the Lord? Him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose.” (Psalm 25:12) Men of God, don’t fall into the trap of trying to run your own life. Listen closely to God and follow wherever He leads. If you were on a dangerous, African safari, you would stay very close to your guide. Similarly, in the spiritual jungle we know as the world, it is even more important to follow our Guide, the Lord Jehovah.

Accepting God's Correction

“Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.” (Proverbs 1:23)
The journey to become godly men will be full of progress and regression. It will sometimes feel that we are taking one step forward and two steps backward, but the key is to keep pressing on. Occasionally, we will stumble and fall. Rest assured, God will be there to pick us up, dust us off and send us on our way again. We must be vigilant not to become stubborn or hard hearted. When we err, God will gently correct us. He will pour out grace upon us, and He will reveal exactly what He expects from us. It is our responsibility as godly men to listen to God’s voice of correction. We need not become angry with God because of His discipline toward us. “My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.” (Hebrews 12: 5-7, 11) When God reproves us, we must stop the sinful activity we are engaged in and return to God. True repentance involves agreeing with God that we are wrong and then turning from our sinful behavior.

Becoming a Godly Man

“My Son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee; So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God.”

(Proverbs 2:1-5)

The quest for truth and the knowledge of God is the apex of the masculine journey. Who are we? What is our calling? Why are we here? What does God think of us? Thankfully, God answers our cry and reveals in His Word the map we need to find the sacred treasure for godly knowledge. 1) Receive my words. 2) Hide my commandments with thee. 3) Incline thine ear unto wisdom. 4) Apply thy heart to understanding 5) Criest after knowledge. 6) Liftest up thy voice for understanding. 7) Seekest her as silver. 8)Searchest for her as for hid treasure. “Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God.” Fear of the Lord and knowledge go hand in hand. According to Proverbs 9:10; “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.” To fear the Lord means to revere God, to respect Him and have humility before him. As men, we must lay aside our dependence on worldly knowledge and submit ourselves under the mighty hand of God. By following the eight principles above, not by the letter of the law, but with a heartfelt desire to obtain the knowledge of God, He will grant us the desires of our hearts. We will become Godly men.