Tag Archives: fear of the Lord

FOUNDATION STONES – 4

Christian Life, ,

FEAR THE LORD

Proverbs 9:10 NLT
[10] “Fear of the Lord is the foundation of wisdom. Knowledge of the Holy One results in good judgment.”

Here’s a huge, solid stone on which to build a life. From cover to cover, the Bible teaches us to fear the Lord, the key to every other blessing in this life and the life to come.

Just as “a-b-c” is the foundation of all language, and language is the most important part of communication, so the fear of the Lord is the essence and source of all the knowledge, wisdom, and understanding that we can acquire only through Him.

No child will ever learn to read and write without knowing the alphabet. No child of God will ever learn to know and trust God without the fear of the Lord.

What is the fear of the Lord?

My definition of the fear of the Lord is basic and simple…to fear the Lord is to take Him seriously because of who He is.

Although there is much more to the fear of the Lord than my simple definition, my definition helps me to keep the fear of the Lord in focus when I interact with Him.

Isaiah 33:5-6 NIV
[5] “The Lord is exalted, for he dwells on high; he will fill Zion with his justice and righteousness. [6] He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the Lord is the key to this treasure.”

How easy it is to ignore or dismiss God, who He is and what He says, in a secular environment where we are driven and directed by our senses and our selfish nature. Most of the world does this…treats the Lord as though He doesn’t exist. Their neglect lies at the base of the world’s wickedness. The Apostle Paul concludes that the whole human race is guilty of gross sin…

Romans 3:10-18 NIV
[10] “As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one; [11] there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God. [12] All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.” [13] “Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit.” “The poison of vipers is on their lips.” [14] “Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.” [15] “Their feet are swift to shed blood; [16] ruin and misery mark their ways, [17] and the way of peace they do not know.”

And diagnoses the cause…

[18] “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”

When we fear the Lord, when we hold Him in highest reverence, awe, and honour, when we listen to Him and take Him seriously, the door swings wide open to a multiplicity of blessings and benefits. God’s promises, built on His unfailing faithfulness, provide the hope that steadies and steers us through all the ups and downs of a turbulent life on this fallen planet until we reach the safe haven of His eternal presence.

The fear of the Lord exposes us, first, to God’s mercy without which we are doomed from birth.

Before we can ever connect with a heavenly Father, we need mercy. God’s mercy, is His “chesed”, an untranslatable Hebrew word that encompasses the vast, indescribable, covenant love of God. He saw our lost condition. He planned and executed a just solution at His own expense. He sacrificed His own Son to a cruel and humiliating death, and He welcomes us back into His favour because of His “chesed”.

How immeasurable is His mercy?

Psalms 103:9-12 NIV
[9] “He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; [10] he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. [11] For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love (chesed) for those WHO FEAR HIM; [12] as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.”

Who are the ones who receive this mercy?

“… so great is his love FOR THOSE WHO FEAR HIM… “

God’s mercy, reserved for those who fear Him, opens the door to everything we receive from Him in this great salvation.

Second, the fear of the Lord calls us to respond in faith and obedience. Once we have received God’s mercy and, since He is holy, He requires us to hate and distance ourselves from sin as much as He does.

Proverbs 8:10-13 NLT
[10] “Choose my instruction rather than silver, and knowledge rather than pure gold. [11] For wisdom is far more valuable than rubies. Nothing you desire can compare with it. [12] “I, Wisdom, live together with good judgment. I know where to discover knowledge and discernment. [13] All who FEAR THE LORD will hate evil. Therefore, I hate pride and arrogance, corruption and perverse speech.”

Listen to David’s wise counsel…

Psalms 34:11-14 NLT
[11]”Come, my children, and listen to me, and I will teach you to fear the Lord. [12] Does anyone want to live a life that is long and prosperous? [13] Then keep your tongue from speaking evil and your lips from telling lies! [14] Turn away from evil and do good. Search for peace, and work to maintain it.”

In essence, we show our fear of the Lord by the way we speak and act.

The Bible has much more to say about the fear of the Lord that brings us into close contact with Him, opens us to His mercy and favour for ourselves and our descendants, and guides us through the maze of tests and temptations to our desired eternal destiny.

Without the fear of the Lord, we have no solid foundation on which to build our lives, and no support for the superstructure of thoughts, decisions, and actions that we build on our foundation. However, guided by a commitment to take God seriously because we honour Him for who He is, we can be absolutely sure that He will honour that commitment by His utter faithfulness to Himself and His Word.

Proverbs 3:5-8 NLT
[5] “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. [6] Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take. [7] Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom. Instead, fear the Lord and turn away from evil. [8] Then you will have healing for your body and strength for your bones.”

THE FEAR OF THE LORD

Bible Study, ,

How often I have written about the fear of the Lord! The concept still grabs me!

The fear of the Lord or lack underpins all our responses to His dealings with us. It’s a huge subject but one worthy of our constant attention and continued exploration.

“The fear of the Lord” is defined in different ways in Scripture, what it is, what its benefits are, how we learn to fear God, and to where the fear of the Lord leads us. From cover to cover, the Bible advocates the fear of the Lord as the source of wisdom and of life itself.

Proverbs 19:23 NLT
[23″Fear of the Lord leads to life, bringing security and protection from harm.”

For me, a simple definition is in three words, TAKING GOD SERIOUSLY. When we read Paul’s diagnosis of the cause of all the wickedness of ungodly people he concludes with…

Romans 3:18 NLT
[18] “They have no fear of God at all.”

Worldly people do not take God seriously.

Therefore, how we regard God, His Word, and His requirements will determine both the course and the destiny of our lives. There is no such thing as casual or partial fear of the Lord. It’s all or nothing. We either reverence Him and hold Him in such awe and high regard that we accept His authority without question, or we don’t.

A basic attitude of abhorrence towards sin is the starting point in our journey to fear the Lord.

Proverbs 8:13 NLT
[13] “All who fear the Lord will hate evil. Therefore, I hate pride and arrogance, corruption and perverse speech.”

Why should we hate evil?

Habakkuk 1:13 NLT
[13]”But you are pure and cannot stand the sight of evil.”

God hates evil. He Himself is utterly separate from sin. Sin ruins us and separates us from God. To be holy means that we stand with God in His hatred of anything that contradicts who He is and blocks our approach to Him.

If we don’t hate evil in every shape or form, it simply means that we don’t really believe that God is holy, and that, without holiness no-one will see the Lord.

1 Peter 1:15-16 NLT
[15]”But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. [16] For the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy.”

Hebrews 12:14 NLT
[14] “Work at living in peace with everyone, and work at living a holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord.”

When we have secured a right attitude in our hearts towards sin, the next step is to soak our minds and hearts in the life of Jesus since He is the embodiment of God’s wisdom. We need wisdom to live in a way that preserves us from the ravages of sin.

Proverbs 9:10 NLT
[10]”Fear of the Lord is the foundation of wisdom. Knowledge of the Holy One results in good judgment.”

If we want to live our lives wisely, we must look at Jesus. The fear of the Lord was not only the foundation of His life but His delight.

Isaiah 11:1-3a NIV
[1]”A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.

[2] The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him— the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord— [3] and he will delight in the fear of the Lord….”

In union with Jesus by faith, we have access to the source of all God’s wisdom, through Jesus, who is the key.

1 Corinthians 1:30 NLT
[30]”God has united you with Christ Jesus. For our benefit God made him to be wisdom itself. Christ made us right with God; he made us pure and holy, and he freed us from sin.”

Colossians 2:2-3 NLT
[2] “I want them to be encouraged and knit together by strong ties of love. I want them to have complete confidence that they understand God’s mysterious plan, which is Christ himself. [3] In him lie hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”

We have access to all the ramifications of fearing God when we approach Him with an attitude that honours Him above everyone and everything, takes Him seriously, obeys Him implicitly, and trusts Him fully.

Isaiah 33:5-6 NIV
[5]” The Lord is exalted, for he dwells on high; he will fill Zion with his justice and righteousness. [6] He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the Lord is the key to this treasure.”

What we need more than the “stuff” worldly people crave, is the knowledge and wisdom to live righteously that pleases God and prepares us for eternity. When we watch and listen to Jesus, hear and obey the Holy Spirit, and walk in the truth, fearing the Lord, we will stay in track for our eternal home.

The steps to the fear of the Lord are simple.

Matthew 11:29 NLT
[29] “Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”

How can we know that we are living in the fear of the Lord? We will know by our response to God’s tests.

“In school, you’re taught the lesson, then given a test.
In life, you’re given a test that teaches you a lesson. ” (quote from Tom Bodett, sourced from Pinterest)

The best example is Abraham’s story in Genesis 22. God tested him by asking him to sacrifice his son. Abraham’s unquestioning obedience earned him this conclusion…

Genesis 22:12 NLT
[12] “Don’t lay a hand on the boy!” the angel said. “Do not hurt him in any way, for now I know that you truly fear God. You have not withheld from me even your son, your only son.”

In the end, whether we fear God or not is judged by one criterion, obedience to His instructions.

Psalms 34:9, 11-14 NLT
[9] “Fear the Lord, you his godly people, for those who fear him will have all they need…
[11] Come, my children, and listen to me, and I will teach you to fear the Lord. [12] Does anyone want to live a life that is long and prosperous? [13] Then keep your tongue from speaking evil and your lips from telling lies! [14] Turn away from evil and do good. Search for peace, and work to maintain it.”

Let pray David’s pray with a sincere desire to live daily in the fear of the Lord.

Psalms 86:11 NLT
[11] “Teach me your ways, O Lord, that I may live according to your truth! Grant me purity of heart, so that I may honor you (fear your name).

THE FEAR OF THE LORD – ROD CAMPBELL

Devotion, ,

THE FEAR OF THE LORD – ROD CAMPBELL

A traditional view spawned from the Old Testament represents the Israelites being terrified of God in a way that they did not want to be near His Presence. Their sin was the big obstacle, and it is sin that separates us from God. In the garden of Eden, after disobeying God, sin entered the world and Adam and Eve died. The concept of death is that of an irreversible disconnection or separation. They lost their connection (love relationship) and found themselves unprotected (naked and ashamed).

Shame is a fundamental human emotion that serves as a self-preservation mechanism in the presence of perceived threat to self. Adam and Eve were afraid of God’s presence because of shame – this unleashed the spirit of fear and death that every human being is subjected to until they are born again and mature in love (the Love that casts out all fear).

2021/02/20, 11:06 am – Rod Campbell: God is Love. It is a Holy Love. Holiness, not in the sense of a base morality (don’t do this, or don’t do that), but complete and utter Goodness in which no shadow of wickedness or evil exists, only Total Good. We were created from this and for this – to be encapsulated, entwined and immersed in the Circle of Love in which dwells Father, Son and Holy Spirit and always and will always abide.

2021/02/20, 11:15 am – Rod Campbell: The Fear of the Lord, then is demonstrated in what we know as separation-anxiety in an infant when their parent(s) leave the room and the infant becomes distressed because of a perception of “loss’ of connection with their parent(s). The infant’s bonding and dependence on the parent(s) is total and consuming – the threat of disconnection elicits terror in the heart of the infant.

Such is the True Fear of the Lord – have being born again and being placed in Christ, experiencing that intimate love and utter dependence as a creature with the Creator – uncoerced, but drawn (like a magnet) – where the thought of losing connection with Him for one moment elicits such terror. This is the beginning of Wisdom (for in Him ALL the Treasures of Knowledge and Wisdom are found)

Prayer And Obedience

Christian Life, , ,

PRAYER AND OBEDIENCE

This leads to our fourth important attitude towards God as we engage with Him in prayer – obedience. God rates obedience above everything else because obedience encompasses all the other right attitudes we need to have towards Him. Obedience is the ultimate evidence of our holy fear of the Lord. Again Jesus is our model.

During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, He offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save Him from death, and He was heard because of His reverent submission. Although He was a son, He learned obedience from what He suffered and, once made perfect, He became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey Him. (Heb. 5: 7-9)

I think this is the one we struggle with the most. Why? Is it because we connect obedience with understanding? Before we act in response to God’s instructions, we demand to know why. We will trust God and do what He requires of us if we know that it makes sense and will turn out right in the end.

Abraham was known as the friend of God. He did not respond to God’s command like that. What God asked him to do made no sense to him at all but he obeyed anyway. “Go and burn you son on an altar to me!” How crazy was that, especially when the son he was to sacrifice was the one who was born to an elderly and barren couple after twenty-five years of waiting! “God, do you know what you are asking? Do you know what you are doing?”

Obedience is the mark of one who truly fears God. Abraham obeyed and went without hesitation, willing to obey God to the last drop of Isaac’s blood because he knew what it meant to fear God, a holy fear because he knew God and he trusted Him because he knew that God knew what He was doing and why.

God told Jesus to give Himself over to the religious leaders to torture and crucify. Really? “God, this is your Messiah, your Son. Do you know what you are asking of Him? Do you know what you are doing? This surely has no good in it for Him. What is the point of having Him killed? A dead Son will be of no use to you.” That’s how we humans reason. God is not under any obligation to explain. The reasons may only become clear later on when we have done what He asked us to do.

There is one man in the Bible who was given the honour of the title “A man after my own heart.” Imagine that! In spite of the many theories preachers put forward about the reason for this honour, the Bible gives us God’s take on it.

He testified concerning him: ‘I have found David, son of Jesse a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.’ (Acts 13: 22b)

Was David a perfect man? Far from it! He messed up on more than one occasion, but at those times when “he enquired of the Lord,” as he so often did when he needed help from God, he did what God told him to do and he prevailed. He became the greatest of all the kings of Israel and the model of a godly king for both the southern and northern kingdoms.

In spite of his failures, David adored God. He longed after Him. He gazed on His beauty in the creation around him and in the tabernacle where he went to worship. God filled David’s horizon; He was his rock; his shelter, his source and his everything. He sang about Him; he worshipped Him; he danced before Him; he celebrated Him; he even complained and mourned over Him when God seemed far away and non-responsive to him, but he never gave up on Him or put Him out of His mind for any longer than a moment.

“A man after my own heart!” That surely fitted David as the one Old Covenant, ordinary, sinful human being who was “stuck” on God, and God loved it! With his limited vision and experience before the cross event, David was just like Jesus. He could not get enough of God.

How much more should we, who have the mercy of God right in our faces, and every opportunity with the Holy Spirit within us, to become like our rabbi, be stuck on God. What greater privilege is there than to do His will and to see Him kingdom come, to deliver people from bondage to sin and to give them brand new lives under His rule?

What if we really feared the Lord because we knew Him and trusted Him? Would we be, like the great men of the Bible, be willing to obey Him promptly and without question because we were sure that He would ask nothing of us that were not for our good or His glory?

Scripture is taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Have you read my first book, Learning to be a Son – The Way to the Father’s Heart (Copyright © 2015, Partridge Publishing)? You’ll love it!

ISBN: Softcover – 978-1-4828-0512-3,                                                                              eBook 978-4828-0511-6

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Learning To Be A Son – Chapter Thirteen – Lest We Forget

Book Reviews, , , ,

LEARNING TO BE A SON

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

LEST WE FORGET

Fellowship with God as His sons and daughters can lead to problems if we forget who our Father is. We must beware that intimacy with God does not become familiarity which borders on disrespect for who He is and contempt for His word.

Moses had problems in the Israelite camp with two of Aaron’s sons who offered profane fire on God’s altar. God put them to death. Moses himself was refused entry into the Promised Land because he disobeyed God and struck the rock twice. The people in Malachi’s day were sliding back into sloppy worship and had to be warned.

David knew that God was inescapable, but it comforted him, not terrified him because he knew that God responded to those who fear Him. Jesus was the perfect model of one who feared the Lord. He honoured the Father by His submission and obedience to Him.

What is friendship with God? Abraham was known as the friend of God. How did he get a title like that? God put him to the test and he trusted God so implicitly that he obeyed Him immediately. Prompt and complete obedience is the acid test of true friendship with God.

Jesus called His disciples His friends but He qualified His statement with these words:

You are my friends if you obey what I command. (John 15:14)

The fear of the Lord opens the way to intimacy with Him (Psa. 25:14). The fear of the Lord is also the foundation of true wisdom. Everything we do in life in obedience to God’s word works and shows us that respect for God which issues in obedience is the foundation of success in life.

Our relationship with God stands firmly on two legs. He is our Father and He invites us into fellowship with Him. He is also our Creator, source and sustainer. He is sovereign over us and we honour Him and obey Him because He is the Almighty God.

We are to keep these two aspects of our relationship with Him in balance. He calls us to separate ourselves from the world and its evil desires and to be His holy temple in which He dwells by His Spirit.