Fearing of the Lord

Did you know that in the NIV the word 'fear' appears 326 times? Did you know that in the 'NKJV' the word fear appears 454 times? Do we know what it means and are we living it?

Christians today don't understand 'fear' or 'fear of the Lord'. Christians want to enjoy His grace and mercy without anything more. Christians are missing out on what God wants to do for them and through them. When things go wrong, do they even think or have the thought cross their minds that it could be a correction from the Lord? Fear is healthy. It tells us we have consequences and helps us to avoid those consequences. (Job 28:28, Prov 1:7, 2:6, 2 Cor 9:6) Fear is also respectful. God, the Triune God, deserves our all and He deserves our awe. (Psalm 22:23, 33:8)

How many times do we come up with excuses why we aren't doing what we should be doing? Or blame God for a sacrifice we might have to make in order to serve Him? But aren't we glad that He didn't come up with any excuses when Jesus was being sacrificed on the Cross? Aren't we glad Jesus was willing to make the sacrifices He did? He cried tears of blood for us, He died for us. (Matt 27)

No fear = pride. Pride is a feeling of entitlement, a feeling of what we feel we're entitled to. However, entitlement should only come from God and truly we have no entitlement at all. God can do what He desires to do with us. He spoke all of creation into being. (Gen 1) We can't command God to do anything. It's all up to Him. No fear = disobedient. No fear = pride.

How many times has God said to do something and you (we) don't? Or how about something simpler; are you (we) making time to be alone with God? Are you (we) praying everyday? Are you (we) reading? Are you (we) studying? Are you (we) crucifying your flesh/dying to self?

We all have excuses... I work too hard or the work days are too long, too much stress, not enough time, etc. Is God not worth a sacrifice? Excuses can be comforting, they can even give you peace (falsely) and justification feels good. But for how long? What's the consequence, what's the price?

Is there a habit that needs to be let go of? Poor financial choices? Pornography? Drinking? Gambling? Smoking? Entertainment habits? The list is goes on. Do you need to make time for God? Where and how are you spending your time? Are you praying and studying? Some think reading a paragraph or chapter is studying. But studying requires note taking and digging, really digesting God's word. It involves meditation and prayer.

God doesn't want our sloppy seconds or left overs. He wants our first fruits. He wants us! Churches today are becoming more and more complacent about the things of God. The church will NOT stop God's plan. We all have the blueprint for what the future is going to bring. Are we prepared? Are we preparing those around us? What happened to fear in our lives, fear in our churches? There is less and less regard for God in everything these days.

We can make a difference and we have to start with ourselves. We have to be renewing our minds everyday (Rom 12:2) and we have to make that commitment to Him. We can commit to TV, we can commit to a sport, we can commit to a hobby, but why is committing to God such a 'chore' or such a challenge? Could it be we don't want to give up our selfish tendencies?

Please please don't misunderstand. God wants you to enjoy the life He gave you here on Earth. But to do that, it MUST start with Him. Where do you spend most of your time? What habits are you unwilling to let go? Are you waiting on tomorrow? Tomorrow is hear! God will see you through and help you through it all. All things are possible with Him! He NEVER EVER lets you down.

A healthy fear will bring you into such a close relationship with Him that it will knock your socks off! He wants to love on you, but how can He when you don't give Him the time He longs for to be with you. Get to know Him, intimately, honestly. Make the sacrifice for Jesus! Turn off the TV, the computer, get up a few minutes earlier, whatever it takes, because He first loved you.

Be honest with yourself.... be honest with Him. Regardless of your Bible translation of choice, there's a lot to look up if you need more on fear.

July 2007

Updated May 19,2011

Fearing the Lord – from the book of Jonah

Definition of fear - Job 28:28, Psalm 111:10, Proverbs 1:7, 2:6

1:1-2

Do you fear God, but not enough to obey Him when you don't want to?

vs 3

Is your fear of God weak enough to think that you can disobey and get away with it?

Num 32:23, Jer 1:12

vs 4-6

Is your fear of God weak enough to allow you to sleep through calamity?

vs 10

Is your faith so weak that others would question how you could profess to know God and live the way you do? (Is your faith strong enough to stand up for what is right?) Rom 12:2

vs 11-16

Is your fear of God so weak that the world puts you to shame because their fear of God is stronger? Gen 9:6, Gal 1:10 (Amos 3:6, Isa 45:6-7)

1:17-2:1

Do you fear God enough to pray in the midst of your distress or is it your last resort?

vs 2-3

Do you fear God enough to know that there is no calamity apart from God?

vs 4-7

Do you fear God enough to understand and appropriate His grace? 2 Cor 12:9-10

vs 8

Do you fear God enough to curb your flesh and it's appetites so that you're not lured from your faithfulness by the world's empty vanities? 1 John 2:15-16

vs 9

Do you fear God enough to realize that salvation is from the Lord?

Updated August 1, 2011