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[0:00] We will speak for the Lord's help from verse 16 in the chapter that we read. Book of Proverbs chapter 15 and verse 16.

[0:17] Better is a little with the fear of the Lord than great treasure and trouble their way.

[0:30] Better is a little with the fear of the Lord than great treasure and trouble their way.

[0:44] This method of comparison was one often adopted by Solomon, as you know, both here in Proverbs and in the book of Ecclesiastes.

[0:57] By comparing three, one of those being the fear of the grace of God, he sets very clearly before us the advantage of the minimum over against the maximum.

[1:19] And far better possess a little of the right thing than a lot of the wrong thing. This is a truth to be rescued on all the days of our life.

[1:43] Suffer no over-either. Whatever circumstances may I say, who reminds that it's better to possess the real, in a little quantity, as we're committed to speak, and to possess the next verse.

[2:07] The next verse says, Fetter is a dinner of herbs where love is, and a sore docks and a hatred therewith.

[2:19] Or, in the first verse of the 70s, Proverbs, Fetter is a dry morsel, and caught therewith, and a house full of sacrifices and strife.

[2:35] And we can accept this, for our enable to rest in the food of it, how blessed it is.

[2:49] To face the life out of comfort, comfort, and rest, under the blessed action of the God-given faith.

[3:02] To possess the lesser in all reality. To know its real worth and value.

[3:17] And to seek after the greater with its own. Unreality? Fault of it. The truth of this is carried over in Gospel language by the Apostle Paul Timothy.

[3:35] He says that godliness with contentment is great day. We brought nothing into this world, and it is certain that we can carry nothing out.

[3:53] So that the truth remains the same, and the Gospel and the very blessed life on it.

[4:05] Boy, tradition is possessing experience of. And not to be ever seeking after those things which are great treasures, and those noisy places of strife, the war of store-dogs and hatreds.

[4:31] Rather to dwell, as another scripture says, upon the corner of the house-top alone. Thinking of the old eastern house-top.

[4:43] And this is a fact. A blessed fact that brought comfort and solace to untold life. and that through the grace and mercy of God.

[4:57] Because the central theme of the text is the fear of the Lord. Without it, everything falls to pieces, falls apart.

[5:11] This is the binding power of the text. And when we come to the subject of the fear of the Lord, of course we come to the vast principle which God has been pleased to impart the hearts of untold numbers.

[5:33] which is said in the text of the Proverbs, to be the beginning of wisdom. It is God's choice, powerful, I guess, to his people.

[5:52] The fear of the Lord is to hate evil, pride and arrogance, faith and so on. We are now shorted with regard to direction as regards to the fear of the Lord.

[6:11] And yet it is a strength to death. You couldn't buy it. You couldn't earn it. No person could give it to it.

[6:23] It is absolutely unattainable by human hands, mind, reason. You cannot study in order to attain to the fear of the Lord, or cultivate your own mind, that is, the hidden principles.

[6:47] God is the giver, the maintainer, and it is for his honour and glory that he does it.

[7:01] But when you know how it has worked out and cleaned the lives of others and hurt it in your own life, at a barrier, you know something of its effectiveness.

[7:24] It is a good word of the hymn that says that it is an altruous life of all rights, but far or strong. But far or strong.

[7:36] Yet you can't explain it, or account for it, or say how you got it, if you have got it.

[7:48] Yet you know that there is a principle above the natural conscience. That is, an ally with the fear of the Lord, but it is not great.

[8:06] Conscience is not great. It is a part, a conscience that is, a part of the remaining embers of the fall of man.

[8:22] When man's hell, there were certain things that were left like to see in a fire, a confide, certain embers left. And there they thought of the reminder that they might very well had they been an inch or two further in the slide burnt up as well.

[8:49] So these embers of the fall remain and conscience is one of them. But conscience can be sealed, and it can be worsened, harmed.

[9:09] And the favourite things of the children, after there has been a, a bonfire, is to go and push some of these ships further in and make them burn if they can.

[9:23] One of the favourite works of the great adversary is to push your conscience, what remains of living principles further into the fire, so that it can be utterly destroyed.

[9:41] And with regard to the fear of the Lord, there is no such danger. It is a separate principle. It is implanted by God, and Solomon speaks so much of it, though it appears, of course, before Solomon's writing.

[10:04] and writing. And yet, it is a beautiful study of the Word of God. And a much more beautiful thing to possess in lively exercise in your heart to which I guess and know effectively and a preventative and a preventative on the one hand as Nehemiah says concerning his trial in his day over his mind because of the fear of God.

[10:43] So life have been prevented again and again from doing certain things an unknown power.

[10:56] That it was a power they have to bear constant witness to. They could never do it. So look, we are faced with a living sanct that we don't know where the spirit of the Lord is.

[11:16] That is, the people in whose heart it is. that it is God's gift and he describes it again and again in his holy word.

[11:37] Now the men in the fear of the Lord have done some remarkable things and on the other hand have been praying for doing them.

[11:48] because it works both ways. Not all positive any more than that light is up there.

[12:00] For all positive would work. It has to be negative as well. as well. So the fear of God has two parts.

[12:17] It has the wonderful effect upon a person who do so many things.

[12:29] the the verses in this chapter could very well be gone through and in the 16th. See what the fear of the Lord does.

[12:42] How the Lord lands up, devises his way and that the Lord directs his steps. the death.

[12:54] Well how does the Lord do it? Have you ever had your steps directed positively? You can answer the question therefore if you have.

[13:06] The way you divide it to a kind of path. The Lord directed your steps a different way. That there is a world that's only understood by the hybrid possessors of the fear of God.

[13:27] They are a reproach people. They are the laughed at. Paul yes.

[13:41] I thought to be very strange and peculiar because why can't you do this? What's wrong with that? Those others that have passed through life like this know very well that there is a different person in the world.

[14:04] It isn't you who can't say I did it because I didn't want to. it's more the other way around. No, it's a principle to quote the hymn writer again active strong.

[14:25] Well, Solomon that was asked we were speaking a few evenings about prayer meeting at the Lord the Lord he asked that the Lord asked what he should give him.

[14:41] Now when you come against this subject you come against real religion real practical godliness and it has to work so much alone and it has to be a little low.

[14:56] Because you can't collaborate with another on every occasion you can here and there. But by and large you have to act on your own not initiative of confusion to the things any time you have to act on your own initiative in world with it we are speaking of the principle of the fear of the Lord and then it is that it is something quite clearly set up and you do not cannot confer with another as to what a course you should perceive.

[15:50] Now it only understood by those that possess it and this is where the great mystery comes in to those who do not possess it.

[16:04] There are times in their lives we look back in the years past and we saw people doing certain things and acting in certain ways and instructing us in certain things giving us counsel and we took no notice of them we thought they were strife we regarded them as old fashioned and they were really strong the time came when we began through grace and always through grace and the implantation of the fear of the Lord see that they were prompted by a God given motive and that they had something our deeper than our poor mind could possibly complete.

[17:07] But as time went on and this became more apparent to us we realized what that principle was that it began to work in us and what a strong power it was and what good effect it had in this we began to put some meaning to this word better preferable if there's going to be a choice well let us have this principle it's better we'd rather have it but listen to these old folks yes but listen to the things that they've advised us not to do and do we do yes listen to them and take heed to what they said we began to put our own assessment on this principle and these principles were very simple at the outset as a child is taught to walk gradually so God teaches his people to walk gradually and walk in his field and not to be something that they can put on one side as occasion still and to adjust themselves to circumstances and look to see who's looking but an ever present principle if had such a world of value in it and do force up an affection and there's no hesitation in saying of this why this is this is better this is preferable this is more likely to lead to the desired end than having my own desire there's a way we've seen it right unto that yet there are the ways of death and other similar scriptures so that the fear of the Lord begins to open itself up in an active walk according to the word of God

[20:10] Sabbath desecration can you remember the time it didn't cost you anything desecrate Sabbath you see them to die you are eight it's obvious no respect for the die of rest which is one of the I mustn't say any men's rest because that would be the wrong word but one of the earliest principles the fear of God the house of God we now have the word of God a different view of the Sabbath conscience says no word of God conscience says yes fear of the Lord fear of the Lord with a conscience thus instructed guides a rite a wholesome tongue a wholesome tongue is a tree of life verse 4 truth truth truth is distinct from lies actuated by the fear of God that must be the underlying cause in this subject truth is mercifully preserved morally and fear the truth or people about in the world today who don't fear God whose word you can rely on fully oh yes

[22:00] I'm confused to the like a wholesome tongue in the tree of the night where the fear of God is in relation to the things of God and the fear of God is in relation to the things of God and the fear of God in relation to the things of God so that the fear of the law not only the wrath who the way God has outlined and ordained but it touches the inward parts that is that which cometh out of a man's mouth that's violent there is not what goes in he just had much to do with the Pharisees on this particular point so that there is this tenderness with regard to saying anything about the fear of God or the things of God which is so noticeable when the work of grace begins in the heart one of the greatest mistakes the devil makes today in the religious world in the religious world is to put the word converted in so many mouths of lips or this common expression of born again Christian getting so common as to fall into the street with his trust how much more in keeping the word of God is this is this person a God hearing person

[23:48] I know you must be born again I know that nor am I following with the expression itself taken in its simple meaning but it's so current today the end of his own phrasing that it's lost any meaning but ask whether this person fears God and your coming to them and your coming to them whether they are are prompted by the fear of God whether there is a wholesome count as regards the sickness of God whether it is really true that they are happy all the day whether it is really true whether it is really true that they do not know doubts and fears whether it is really so that they know nothing about sin and ungodliness that's all for the way whether it is really true that they have worshiped God and the beauty of holiness give holiness to a guitar all the night or beat music and they can follow the modern up to date method of worship as they are called leave the old passion of trailing behind is it really is God that what is exceedingly solemn is it the work of the Holy Spirit who has never yet departed from the living principle of the fear of God as his own gift and never will can you therefore not feel a barrier are you not tender and careful what you have to say can you run with the multitude to do evil or must you say no it does not accord with the word of God the wholesome time the wholesome time of self and beckoning unworthiness sinfulness the wholesome time that speaks the absolute truth that in and of yourself good unworthiness is this more in keeping then with the principle of the fear of the Lord than all these devices of the adversary whether they come out of the 16th 17th or the 20th century they were all same on the same end but not so fear of the Lord that's untraitable unchangeable is it better what is your choice what is your love when we read that Moses chose rather subtle fiction the people of God we're not talking about choosing Christ in preference to the world we're not talking about giving our hearts to Christ we're not speaking about man's ability to satisfy his maker if he wants to we're talking about an inborn love of God the fear of the Lord that gives a man that inward effect for that very principle that may well stand in his way and he wants to direct his own steps speak his own word a wholesome tongue that is a tree of light and out of the righteousness is much treasure what is your heart this is a spiritual

[28:38] Hebrew term called the inner working in the house of the right not your house what you will part by any treasure there any possession there that it's worth having is there much treasure there what do we mean what treasure shall we ask the King Solomon there's no need to what treasure in the house of the righteous the righteous being those that possess the fear of God what treasure what treasure where where is it what is it what's the most valuable thing in your house perhaps you best answer the question yourself I can tell you you want me to the most valuable thing in your house the most valuable thing in your house and those times that you spend on your knees before your God there's the treasure that's where you drop your gold and your silver and everything else if we're going to look down to these mundane things the house of the righteous is much better a wholesome tongue is a tree of light you may run as I have just said but look at that time running on again this morning this chapter contains so much indeed so do the others come back to the point of the text better is as little as there is a separating effect a sense of the meaning of the text which after all is one of the great advantages naturally in life a sense of value as is one of the most interesting studies in natural life which we've never made you meet half of us people yourself included and you talk with them you've last worked with them you know them well you've worked with them for twenty and thirty years

[31:12] I am I am I am I know they have said some of them a thing is that that I am compared how different they are aren't they they are they are different their occupations are different their outputs are different their politics are different and they are such a value but to see it hear it they come to mind as men and women of absolute prominence their value of one great thing I am speaking naturally not spiritually not spiritually of time things not be perfect what is it what is it what is it as women they hold they hold they hold they hold some men it's their garden their garden their garden and a score of other things if you could think about as readily as I have they hold they hold and there is with the fear of the Lord true sense of value and what is that true sense of value which is better where are you going to place your better of love should go into many good choices like Moses

[33:02] Moses like Ruth like John Timothy never really did he demurred that guy that was always and though a man never had his son Timothy watched his son indeed better than little his son is a little now this that we quoted just now upon Paul's official God with contentment great near Satan that works and this fear of the Lord will make him content for the little you'll find that having this you've got quite a little you'd rather have this little rest here in the truth feel that you're powerful highly favored and the other side of the text great treasure and trouble therewith yes or the next verse the stowdocks and hatred therewith what is it?

[34:34] what is it in comparison? how can we bring the two together? they're inseparable and all they never will be joined together and our choice of the believer better better Lord have a little and I fear my movements with it and I keep it and the subject the other you will know you will now have this rest upon your skin whether you can lie down or swear upon this and say how cruel better and little with the fear of the Lord preferable to all else this world cannot and at one time we did think it was going to offer us a good deal but no says the well aged man it's special you look these specials

[35:54] I don't know whether we should go on with this tonight but this word came to me very clearly this is a warning so I would agree with those that I am pleased and the Lord blessed somewhere somehow might be particularly the word of the record on the value of the fear of the Lord thank you we will pledge this morning service by singing in number 256 June 364 in number 266 to 374 in number 266 to 374 if I make sure that there is time with all that earth will be there when I know that sin will be there if I make sure that there is time with all that earth will be there when I know that sin will be there if your side will be there there by Paper

[37:16] Brad said Thank you.

[38:07] Thank you.

[38:37] Thank you.

[39:07] Thank you.

[39:37] Thank you.

[40:07] Thank you. Thank you.

[40:39] Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

[40:51] Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

[41:03]  Thank you.