Series Two: The Man of God

The purpose of this session is to help train men to develop a proper fear the Lord. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Man is finite, God is infinite. Discernment comes over time as we expose our minds to Scripture.

1. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Ps 111:10; Prov 9:10).
   1. The fear of God always begins with the understanding of judgment.
      1. God has a right to judge.
      2. Our judgment is warranted (Ps 51:5).
   2. The fear of God means understanding our finiteness.
      1. He is infinite, transcendent, and all-knowing (Ps 145:3).
      2. He is beyond our comprehension.
      3. Creation tells us of God’s greatness.
      4. We have been fashioned by God (Ps 139).
         1. The psalmist is “blown away.”
         2. God created mankind and we should be in awe of His marvelous works.
   3. The fear of God must be passed on to our children (Ps 78:1–8).
      1. Effective fathers always tell of God’s greatness.
      2. This must be a practice in the home (while eating, talking, walking, standing, etc.).
      3. It must be generational.
         1. Did you speak of Christ?
         2. Did your children know of the works of God?
         3. Did your grandchildren hear of what you talked about?
      4. Don’t be like the example in Ps 78:8–11.
         1. They did not trust in God.
         2. They did not believe Him.
   4. Practical aspects of the fear of God
      1. Urgent to never displease God
      2. Searching out ways to always please Him (Eph 5:10)
      3. Psalm 15 shows a man who fears God.
2. A man is blessed if he fears the Lord (Ps 128).
   1. To know God is to fear Him.
   2. A blessed man stays away from all evil influences (Ps 1:1).
   3. God looks to a specific kind of man.
      1. Humble and contrite, and trembles at God’s Word (Isa 66:2)
      2. He is a man of conviction.
      3. He stands by the Word of God regardless of the consequences (e.g., the Puritans and martyrs).
      4. He believes the truth and lives the truth (Ezra 7:10).

“Men fail in leadership because they do not fear the Lord enough. Then they do not pass it on to their children. Fearing the Lord means walking and standing in the fear of the Lord at all times.”