Saturday Scripture Gold with Bibi: When You Fear God, You Fear Nothing Else!

"We fear men so much because we fear God so little."  -William Gurnall.

We've all experienced fear, correct? Fear is a universal problem. It hits us hard like an enormous wave, threatening to drag us under in its swirling vortex. Scripture identifies the overwhelming emotion of fear almost 1000 times with words like fear (441 times), afraid (167 times), tremble (101 times), terror or terrified (121 times), as well as, dread, frighten, and faint.

On the encouraging side, God's Word provides solutions for healing and hope from the barrage; the most common exhortations from God Himself are: Fear not, (33 times), Do not fear (37 times) and Do not be afraid (33 times). This week, I'd like to focus on the phrase "fear of the Lord" because it is so emotionally powerful.

The fear of the Lord is mentioned roughly 18 times in the Book of Proverbs. This is an appropriate starting point for us, because it consists of wise and weighty sentences: regulating the morals of men: and directing them to wisdom and virtue. Consequently, if we are to learn wisdom and knowledge, it must begin with the fear of the Lord. Unfortunately, this is a subject that isn't preached about much today, but it's still vital to the Christian's faith. We unquestionably need to know what the "fear of the Lord" is all about.

What does the phrase "the fear of the Lord" refer to? When we think of fear, we associate the word with terror. Webster's Dictionary defines fear as: "a feeling of anxiety and agitation produced by the presence or nearness of danger, evil, pain, etc." For many, this would describe the feeling you get when you see a snake, go to the doctor or dentist, or when you find yourself in a time of extreme danger. It's dread of the unknown. Surely, this isn't the sensation the writer of Proverbs is referring to.

In our modern language, the word fear, in the context in which it is used by Solomon, has been replaced with reverence, awe, great respect. What the writer of this book is saying is that we are to have a deep reverence and respect for the Lord. Literally, we are to be awed and humbled by His presence.

What, then, does it mean to fear the Lord? When we truly fear the Lord, we will recognize that He is the Creator and we are the creatures. He is the Master and we are the servants. He is the Father and we are the children. This attitude will manifest itself in our having a respect for God, His word and in our having a desire to do what He tells us to in His Bible. We can relate this kind of fear to that which a child has for his parents.

If the right kind of fear is present, the child knows that his parents can hurt him if there is disobedience, but overriding that fear is the knowledge that disobedience hurts the parents and the child loves and respects his parents and does not want to hurt them. To put it simply, the fear of the Lord is a deep seated reverence for God that causes men to want to please Him at all costs.

Genuine fear of the Lord is always seen in obedience to the Word of God (Proverbs 8:13). People who do not walk in line with God's Word do not fear the Lord; regardless of what they profess with their lips. Therefore, when we fear the Lord, there is an elements of dread at what His wrath can do, but there's also such a respect for Him, and for His will, that nothing else matters but doing that which pleases the Lord.

The great evangelist Oswald Chambers put it this way: "The remarkable thing about fearing God is that, when you fear God, you fear nothing else; whereas, if you do not fear God, you fear everything else."

Now some questions for you. Would you describe your life as one lived in the fear of God? Does the dread of His wrath prompt you to holiness? Does respect for Him and for His will propel you toward obedience and godliness? We need to fear of the Lord in our lives!

Dear reader, walking in the fear of the Lord is going to have to be your individual decision. No one can make you do it, no one can do it for you. The decision to live a life that is ordered around a holy, reverential respect for God is a decision that you must make for yourself.

Here are some parting thoughts I have for you. A life lived in the fear of the Lord will tell on you. If you fear Him, then you will want to honor him in everything. He will come first, and His will will be paramount in your life. It's easy to see those who walk in the fear of the Lord. His House is a priority, prayer and the Scriptures are priorities, everything God says in His Word take priority and precedent over one's personal will and desires. The Lord's way becomes the only way.

By the same token, a life lived outside the fear of God is easy to pick out as well. The things of God will be secondary. Other matters will consistently be placed ahead of the Lord and His will and His work. This kind of life is usually filled with trouble and trial. There is more heartache and disaster in a life lived outside the fear of the Lord. This is not the way God intended the Christian life to be lived! The choice is ultimately yours...

Scripture: Deuteronomy 31:8; Psalm 33:8; Job 28:28; Proverbs 1:7; Psalm 111:10; Acts 10:35; Ephesians 5:21

Now, let's pray...

O Father, give us the humility which realizes its ignorance, admits its mistakes, recognizes its need, welcomes advice, accepts rebuke. Help us always to praise rather than to criticize, to sympathize rather than to discourage, to build rather than to destroy, and to think of people at their best rather than at their worst. This we ask for in thy name's sake. Amen

Until next time...

Have a blessed week!

Bibi