at the beginning

At The Beginning                                                 1-1-16


Proverbs 1:7 (ESV) ⁷  The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Another one bites the dust. 2015 has given way to 2016 and to round aboutly plagiarize "The Who,"  "Meet the new year, same as the old year."I ushered the New Year in on I-40 and I-81 delivering the local paper to the carriers who would take out the New Years Edition to those who were fortunate enough to be spending the holiday in the comfort of their homes.

As I rode around last night, I was able to spend a while contemplating what the New Year might hold. I thought and prayed about what I would like to see happen in my life this coming year. And, I prepare to write those dreams and aspirations on paper. I was persuaded to begin writing my prayer for the New Year many years ago by my friend and confidant Pastor Doug.It really is amazing to go back and look at past years prayers to see just how God has answered those requests. If you have never written out your prayer for the New Year, you really should try it.

Just a short comment this week concerning the New Year and new beginnings.The above verse stuck with me this morning. It seemed appropriate to write about beginnings on the beginning of the New Year.As I have mentioned many times past, it seems that the Lord has been hammering home the idea of a personal relationship with Him; to the exclusion of all else.It BEGINS with God.All else is second hand isn't it? Look at this.

Hebrew Strong's Number: 7225

Hebrew Word: ‏רֵאשִׁית‎

Transliteration: rēʾshît

Phonetic Pronunciation:ray-sheeth'

Root: from the same as <H7218>

Cross Reference: TWOT - 2097e

Part of Speech: n f

Vine's Words: Head

Usage Notes:

English Words used in KJV:

beginning 18
firstfruits 11
first 9
chief 8
miscellaneous translations 5
[Total Count: 51]

from the same as <H7218> (ro'sh); the first, in place, time, order or rank (specifically a firstfruit) :- beginning, chief (-est), first (-fruits, part, time), principal thing.

Strong's Talking Greek & Hebrew Dictionary.

That word "beginning."

It means FIRST in place, time, ORDER or RANK. The chief or PRINCIPAL thing. Let that sink in this first day of 2016. As we once again BEGIN the year(the 66th for me) we are admonished that contrary to what the world says, the FEAR of he Lord is the BEGINNING of knowledge.

The reverence or respect for the one true God is the starting point for our success. Is that how you read it? Name then, and the list is long, all the various challenges to the truth of that statement. Where is that less traveled path we hear about that leads to happiness, satisfaction, and fulfillment? 

Is it the pursuit of higher learning? A noble path for sure. However, we live in an age where at the flip of a switch or the "google" of a subject opens us up to unending amounts of knowledge collected from untold sources available to us in a nanosecond. Yet, with all that, the world and those in it continues on its death spiral.

Is it the chasing of that fickle butterfly called wealth and riches? I read last week that in the biggest and most glamorous city, in the richest and most glamorous country, 60,000 yes that's right 60,000 people would spend the night on the street and most likely hungry. In New York city alone ,60,000 people are without even the basic necessities of life. The richest country in the world cannot take care of it's own.

Well, maybe we can throw ourselves into the political process. Surely we can find someone who is capable of leading us out of the abyss that we in this country find ourselves in????........?????? do I really need to try and address that?

Let us then lend our efforts to climate change in the hope of saving our planet for future generations. Or how about the debt crisis or the identity crises(plural, lol), or the wars in the middle east and in ALL parts of the world. Surely we can be points of light in such a dark world. Return to the top and read it again. Or you can read it right here.

 Proverbs 1:7 (ESV) ⁷  The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction. 

Oh yes, we are in dire straits and desperately need people to involve themselves in the problems of our world. I do not debate that truth. But, I will tell you the way it was told me. If we want "answers " to the problems that plague our world today,..more importantly, if we want the solutions to the challenges and attacks that confront us in our personal lives this new year, then we need to stop depending on second hand information. "What's that you say" Yes, that's right, second hand information. 

The opinions of what is wrong with this world are as numerous as the grains of sand on the beach. The reasons for our frustration in finding fulfillment and peace in our own lives are as many as the stars in the sky. Some would say those reasons can be found "in the stars"!!(smile)

All the while God sits in glory and quietly points us to the way. We search and seek out everyone and everything except the one who MADE the whole shebang. Not only that, He is the one who MADE YOU AND ME! What better source to begin our inquiry into the mysteries of this life?

"RONNIE! Stop depending on second hand information"

Brothers and sisters God is a great God. In spite of my efforts to derail myself, He watches over, protects and looks after me like a doting parent. He cleans up my messes.He guides my steps. He picks me up when I fall and loves me when I fail Him.He provides for my needs and wants AND He is going to take me home when my time on this earth is up.You hearin' me here?

All He wants is a relationship with us. All He wants is for us to spend a little time with Him before marching out to save the world. And the bottom line is that despite all of our efforts, religious or otherwise, that is all we can truly offer Him. All that we have to offer and all that He wants is our hearts.

Folks, Fox News ain't got it. CNN doesn't either. Republicans, Democrats, climate change, save the whales......you name it......it all amounts to second hand information. Here's the Apostle Paul's take on it.

 Philippians 3:8 (ESV) ⁸  Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 

At the beginning of this new year, let us secure the knowledge that surpasses all understanding. Let's find a place somewhere, anywhere and get alone with God.Dispense with leaning on second hand information and go straight to the source.At the beginning of this new year, let's seek the beginning of all knowledge and wisdom. Amen? Amen!!

Psalm 1:1-6 (ESV) ¹  Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
²  but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.
³  He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.
⁴  The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away.
⁵  Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the
congregation of the righteous;
⁶  for the LORD knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.

God Bless