Day 6 - Week 50 - Proverbs 1:7 "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction."

Let's take a quick look at what is currently on the New York Times Best Seller list for advice:

1. THE END OF ILLNESS, by David B. Agus with Kristin Loberg - a book to help us stay healthy always
2. TAKING PEOPLE WITH YOU, by David Novak - subtitled "Making Big Things Happen" and detailing out to get people to succeed with you by getting them aligned, enthusiastic and relentlessly focused
3. DELICIOUSLY G-FREE, by Elisabeth Hasselbeck - a book about scrumptiously satisfying gluten-free food!
4. PSYCHOLOGY OF WEALTH, by Charles Richards - which Donald Trump says is a, "pertinent and comprehensive view of the skills and mindset necessary for success. Prosperity can be achieved by anyone."
5. STRATEGY FOR YOU, by Richard Horwath - "In this book, world-renowned business strategist Rich Horwath provides a five-step plan for building a bridge to the life you want. Using the foundational principles of business strategy, Horwath lays out the five steps you can take to create a more fulfilling and successful life."

Now I am not saying these books are bad, or that they do not contain information that may spur us on to better health, larger bank accounts, and greater position in life.  We are to make the most of the lives we've been given...but there's something missing here...do you feel it?

What's missing is the base foundational truth that our verse is trying to get us to see...that without the fear of the Lord, none of these other books of "wisdom" will get us to where we really need to be.  You can have all the health, wealth and prestige that this world has to offer, and without putting God first in your life, you will have ultimate emptiness and eternal sorrow. 

For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?  Luke 9:25

Before we strike out into researching all of the "how to" books written by man, don't you think it would be a good idea to have a really good understanding of God's great "how to" Book, His Word of truth, the Bible?  When we have His Word secured within us, then we can have a plumb line to compare everything else we may read to see if it contains true wisdom, or possibly deception planted by the Deceiver.  Don't be fooled into thinking that everything that is written is true and leading us into God's way...it isn't.  There are so many false teachings available to us today that can really pull us away from God's truths.  We need to be wise in His teaching first.

"It is one of life's strange turns that scholars ransack libraries looking for wisdom, while, perhaps the janitor has found it long ago!"  Vance Havner