What do You Fear?

"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." Oswald Chambers

I always understood the fear of God to be awe. It is not that we stand shaking at the thought of Him, but more so that we have a healthy understanding of who He is and what He does and how He works.  We are in awe of an omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient God who created all things,  knows all things, has all power, and is everywhere.  We realize how great He is and how small we are.  We understand our place in the universe and also understand that He, even though He is who He is and we are who we are, understands us and loves us like an amazing Father loves His children,  that he made provision for our frailty by sending His only Son to become an offering for our sakes.

Oswald Chambers was right in the quotation above!  If we have a healthy fear of God (awe), we are no longer afraid of the things that this world or the next may bring.  We are no longer afraid of uncertainty, sickness, pain, suffering, or death.  We understand that we have been bought with a price so great that nothing else compares, nor is there anything else to worry about.  If you soak yourself in the fear of God, you won't be left with an armload of nothing! (Proverbs 23:17)

Those who do not fear God, do fear everything else, don't they?  Even if they act like they're not afraid of anything, they are afraid of everything and most everything they do is done out of their fear.  They have no confidence because they have no compass.  Whether it be inward and unseen or outward and seen, fear is the great motivator of the world.  But we do not have to live that way because we know whom we have believed and we are persuaded that He is able to keep that which we have entrusted to Him.  (2 Timothy 1:12)

"Hallelujah! I give thanks to God with everything I've got— Wherever good people gather, and in the congregation. God's works are so great, worth A lifetime of study—endless enjoyment! Splendor and beauty mark his craft; His generosity never gives out. His miracles are his memorial— This God of Grace, this God of Love. He gave food to those who fear him, He remembered to keep his ancient promise. He proved to his people that he could do what he said: Hand them the nations on a platter—a gift! He manufactures truth and justice; All his products are guaranteed to last— Never out-of-date, never obsolete, rust-proof. All that he makes and does is honest and true: He paid the ransom for his people, He ordered his Covenant kept forever. He's so personal and holy, worthy of our respect. The good life begins in the fear of God— Do that and you'll know the blessing of God. His Hallelujah lasts forever!"  Psalm 111:1 (The Message)

"Because you hated Knowledge and had nothing to do with the Fear-of-God, Because you wouldn't take my advice and brushed aside all my offers to train you, Well, you've made your bed—now lie in it; you wanted your own way—now, how do you like it? Don't you see what happens, you simpletons, you idiots? Carelessness kills; complacency is murder. First pay attention to me, and then relax. Now you can take it easy—you're in good hands." Proverbs 1:29 (The Message)

"The Fear-of-God expands your life; a wicked life is a puny life."  Proverbs 10:27 (The Message)

"The Fear-of-God builds up confidence, and makes a world safe for your children."  Proverbs 14:26 (The Message)

"The Fear-of-God is a spring of living water so you won't go off drinking from poisoned wells."  Proverbs 14:27 (The Message)

"A simple life in the Fear-of-God is better than a rich life with a ton of headaches."  Proverbs 15:16 (The Message)

"Don't for a minute envy careless rebels; soak yourself in the Fear-of-God— That's where your future lies. Then you won't be left with an armload of nothing."  Proverbs 23:17 (The Message)

"Is not your fear of God your confidence, and the integrity of your ways your hope?"  Job 4:6 (ESV)

"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding."  Proverbs 9:10 (NIV)

"There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love."  1 John 4:18 (ESV)

Dear Lord,  Thank you that You are our compass and that because we have You, we have no need of fear.  Help us to show others how to live without fear.  Help us to be the beacon of light that You desire us to be...

God Will Take Away Your Fear, But You Have to Let it Go

We need a Hero to save us from ourselves. We don't make very good choices sometimes. Sometimes we pass up a really good thing in favor of something that has let us down in the past, something that we know isn't good for us, or some way of thinking that we know is damaging. We always think that the grass is greener somewhere else. We think the grass is greener everywhere else actually, everywhere besides where we are. Whether it is or not in truth is another question because sometimes our perceptions are skewed. And whether we move on to what we think are greener pastures or not, we have trouble being at peace because we live in fear.

Sometimes we are more comfortable with pain than peace. We go back to where we suffered because it comforts us. I know! It doesn't make sense that we would go back to a situation that really wasn't right, or a situation where we were not treated right, but sometimes it is familiar and we go back to it because it is. We do not like new, scary things, things where we may have to learn and grow, where we have to work. We would rather struggle with something that we know rather than venture out where we do not know what to expect. Proverbs 26:11 says, "As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his folly."

Many times the "right" thing is more frightening than the wrong thing. In one of my favorite movies, "Father of the Bride" with Steve Martin, he says, "First you worry about her (your daughter) going out with the wrong kind of guy. Then you worry about her meeting the right guy." Sometimes the right thing means a commitment you are not sure you are ready to make. Sometimes we just don't want to have to make that decision right now...Sometimes it means losing something, perhaps our freedom, perhaps part of ourselves. And we are afraid...

Jesus said, "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Matthew 6:25-34 (NIV)

"In that day you will say: 'I will praise you, O LORD. Although you were angry with me, your anger has turned away and you have comforted me. Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The LORD, the LORD, is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.' With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. In that day you will say: 'Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done, and proclaim that his name is exalted. Sing to the LORD, for he has done glorious things; let this be known to all the world. Shout aloud and sing for joy, people of Zion, for great is the Holy One of Israel among you.'" Isaiah 12:1-6 (NIV)

"You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah" Psalm 32:7 (NIV)

"But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong." 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 (NIV)

We are a people full of weaknesses! And if we are willing to step out in faith even when we are afraid, a whole new world of opportunity will open up to us. God desires to use us, with all our weaknesses, fears, sorrows. "But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong." 1 Corinthians 1:27 (NIV) Embrace His grace. Rise above your fears and stand firm in the face of every possible distress. "What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?" Romans 8:31 (NIV)

God will take away your fear, but you have to let it go...

Dear Lord, Thank you that You have not given us a spirit of fear but of power and love and discipline. Teach us to step out in faith when You lead us, knowing that Your grace is sufficient for us. Help us not to go back to old ways, old places, old situations that were not "right". Give us Your strength and Your power to live in Your victory.