From: "Beverly French" <frenchb@vcss.k12.ca.us>
To: "C & P Greene" <greenehouse72@juno.com>
Subject: Sunday Greetings to All
Date: Sunday, March 05, 2000 9:09 AM

"Understanding is a fountain of life to him who has it..." Proverbs 16:22

We know here that this refers to spiritual understanding and not
understanding the world's way.  We are admonished to "be of good cheer [take
courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]!"   We do this through
understanding.  Let's look at Scripture that speaks of 'understanding' and
'fountain of life'.

The Psalmist says,
"From Thy precepts I get understanding..."  Psalm 119:104

"For the Lord gives wisdom;
 From His mouth come knowledge and understanding."  Proverbs 2:6

Wisdom (Christ) is speaking here in Proverbs 8:14
"Counsel is mine and sound wisdom;
 I am understanding, power is mine."

"Good understanding wins favor,
 But the way of the transgressor is hard [like the barren, dry soil or the
impassable swamp].  Proverbs 13:15 Amplified

"He who is slow to anger has great understanding..."  Proverbs 14:29

"He who restrains his words has knowledge,
 And he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding.
 Even a fool, when he keeps silent, is considered wise;
 When he closes his lips, he is counted prudent."  Proverbs 17:27-28

The Apostle Paul tells us in 2 Timothy 2:7,
"...The Lord will give you understanding in everything."

Search out the Scriptures for yourselves concerning understanding and
wisdom, for as our opening verse tells us "understanding is the fountain of
life."

Christ is our life and our light.  The Palmist says,
"For with Thee is the fountain of life;
 In Thy light we see light.  Psalm 36:9

We have this glorious truth in 1 Peter 2:9 that we know so well, but bares
repeating, "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a
people for God's own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of
Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light."

As we thirst after the Lord with our hearts open to His teaching then,
"The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life,
 To turn aside from the snares of death."  Proverbs 13:14

"The fear (reverence and awe) of the Lord is a fountain of life,
 That one may avoid the snares of death."  Proverbs 14:27

Jesus, speaking to the woman at the well, tells us down through the
generations, "...Whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him shall
never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall become to him a well
of water springing up to eternal life."  John 4:14

"For the Lamb in the center of the throne shall be their Shepherd, and shall
guide them to springs of the water of life..."  Revelation 7:17

The Lord is the One with whom we have to do!  Keep your eyes on Him and
learn of Him for He is our all in all.  In Him all our needs are met.
Worship Him, give Him praise, for He alone is worthy of all honor and glory.