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When Fear is Good

PRO 9:10 ESV
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.

Reverence,  awe, and yes,  fear.

In the 45 places this Hebrew word yir’ah is used in the old testament, it is always speaking of the fear of God, which is not just reverence, not just awe,  but respectful fear of our creator God. It is always mentioned as a fear that should lead to a changed attitude. I think of Godly fear as “conviction under the realization that He is Almighty God,  Creator of the Universe”. Yes, all power streams from our God.

But this Godly fear is not the type that paralyzes us or cripples us. That type of fear is typified in the Hebrew word yare’ which is used 314 times in the Old Testament,  mainly in places where God is encouraging us to not be afraid.

In fact,  Exodus 20:20 uses both of these words in the same verse – demonstrating to us the difference in these two very different concepts that have two Hebrew words, but that we in English have bound together in a single word “fear”.

Exodus 20:20
And Moses said unto the people, Fear [yare’] not: for God is come to prove you, and that his fear [yir’ah] may be before your faces, that ye sin not.

And doesn’t this verse unlock the mysteries? Doesn’t it underscore the purpose of Christ?

Didn’t Christ come to tell us that we don’t have to remain where we are? Didn’t He come to call us out of our exile,  call us out of our slavery to sin?

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Understanding

Proverbs 3:5
Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own _________________.

God is so good.

The words aren’t even big enough.

I don’t lean on myself,  because all that I have to lean on of my own is weakness that has been packaged up and mislabeled by “wise” men of the world as understanding, knowledge,  strength,  logic. But when it is mine alone it is weakness, it is powerless.

But in His infinite mercy,  He reveals His grace,  His power,  His honor. And He let’s me come into the presence, and my weakness is redeemed, restored,  rebuilt,  into a measure of His strength through faith.

And this is why I trust in the Lord with all my heart,  because who can I trust if not the Lord? I surely can’t trust myself, this deceitful heart of mine that will use foolish pride to elevate self and seek my own desires,  or that will stir up its humanitarian sensibilities and emotions and overlook righteousness and repentance for the sake of cheap grace.

This Grace is costly and paid at a high price. Just because the bill is already paid in full doesn’t make its value any less.

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Just try it?

It’s tough to not want to drag people along with you when you think that your headed in the right direction.

image

But then I need to be reminded that:

1) I encounter unexpected turns in the road constantly, I can’t see past just a few steps ahead. Yes,  I know my destination, but other than staying humble, seeking God’s will, and living a repentant life loving and fearing God, what specific direction can I give other than the Word of God? If I step outside of that, I could find myself as the blind leading the blind, instead of the healed going and sinning no more and being a servant.

2) My path is mine. If I try to walk yours and you try to walk mine, we will both end up in the wrong place.

3) I don’t have to gather people. I am not alone even if no person of flesh and blood is walking beside me,  because I have the Lord with me. Even in the valley,  especially in the valley,  He is my comforter,  my shield,  my rock,  my firm foundation,  my portion.

4) I walked that far from God path myself for so very long,  and I was so hard headed that nothing that another person could say was going to change my heart. But they each planted seeds, that lay there until it was time for the Lord to say,  “Let there be light” over my life – until it was time for Him to send the waters and to spring up the new growth in my life that only His healing touch can accomplish.

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Don’t judge ahead of time

http://bible.com/116/1co.4.3-5.nlt
As for me, it matters very little how I might be evaluated by you or by any human authority. I don’t even trust my own judgment on this point. My conscience is clear, but that doesn’t prove I’m right. It is the Lord himself who will examine me and decide. So don’t make judgments about anyone ahead of time—before the Lord returns. For he will bring our darkest secrets to light and will reveal our private motives. Then God will give to each one whatever praise is due.

I find enemies asking questions like, “Don’t you think __________________ is going to burn in hell for what he/she did? ”

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Teacher? Or Messenger?

http://bible.com/116/eph.4.2-6.nlt
Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all, in all, and living through all.

It seems like it would be easier to meditate on the Word of God if we disappeared into a quiet corner and stayed there,  like a monk for the rest of our lives – but being “high minded” or being “intellectual” about the theology of Christ is not our goal. Our goal is to live a life of love and service unto one another.

And if everyone was perfect and had no faults,  this would be an easy task and calling, but unfortunately, we are not surrounded by perfect people like Christ while we are still in this world. We are called to accept and love other Christians in spite of their faults, to find unity and to grow together in Christ.

It is sad to look at divisions and dissention within the world that calls buildings and denominations the church. Do we not know that the Lord does not dwell in temples made by the hands of men,  but that He dwells in the bodies of the believers? Do we not know that those who follow their sinful nature of division and dissention will not inherit the Kingdom of God?

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Jesus didn’t flee from sharing truth, His words were bold as a lion

And he said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father.”  After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. So Jesus said to the Twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?”  Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.” Jesus answered them, “Did I not choose you, the Twelve? And yet one of you is a devil.”
John 6:65-70 ESV
http://bible.com/59/jhn.6.65-70.ESV

Many are called,  but few are chosen.

There are those who hear the call and fall away when it puts their comfort at risk.

These twelve,  these true students of Jesus Christ,  the Word of God, God come in the flesh, eleven of them got it. They realized they had nowhere to turn but to God,  because they understood that this life is nothing in comparison to eternity. And it changed their lives completely, and their lives rocked the world around them.

Jesus wasn’t a numbers guy. He wasn’t looking for visible outcomes,  because He knew the difference between false “religious converts” and true chosen children of God. If He was just about altar calls and gathering reliable tithes into the storehouse,  He surely wouldn’t have so often delivered messages like –

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There can be only one

All roads don’t lead to heaven.

John 14:6 ESV
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Sounds quite clear. Even my 4 year old daughter can understand that at the name of Jesus every head will bow and every tongue confess that He is Lord of Lords, and King of Kings.

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Children, Fathers, Young Men

I am writing to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven for his name’s sake. 
I am writing to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning.
I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one.
I write to you, children, because you know the Father. 
I write to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning.
I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.
1 John 2:12-14 ESV
http://bible.com/59/1jn.2.12-14.ESV

Scripture makes a distinction between babes, young men, and fathers. And this is not a distinction made by age, but by spiritual maturity.

Little children
RECEIVE their sins are forgiven FOR HIS SAKE
BECAUSE they know the Father

Fathers
Know Him who is from the beginning (Jesus Christ, Word of God)

Young Men
Have Overcome the Evil One
Strong, Word of God abides in you (Holy Spirit)

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Faithful Servant

The greatest among you must be a servant. But those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.
Matthew 23:11-12 NLT
http://bible.com/116/mat.23.11-12.NLT

I serve each week in a variety of ways. Serving is very important, because it is the activity of the body of Christ manifest in this world through me and you. It took Christ coming to earth and walking it out as a visible example to others for the way, the truth, and the life to become visible to blind eyes. In the same way, our lives are to be signs shining brightly, pointing to Him by loving and serving others.

But the act of serving isn’t the part that determines whether or not I’m participating in His greatness. You see, if I’m doing works to earn favor or reward, then I’m little more than a hired hand. And when the perceived cost outweighs the benefit, I’m going to run away from the trials and the struggle to try to find something else that has a better return for my time and effort. You see, in that perspective, it is still all about me and what I’m going to get. And this perspective is dangerous because we are laying claim to our works and expecting a payment in return. This is pride.

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Puddles of tears

How often do our prayers consist of a practiced ritual instead of a genuine pouring out of ourselves to God?

How often do we actually see the pain and struggles of others and mourn for them, covering our floor or our pillow with tears about others and not just ourselves?

I am worn out from sobbing. All night I flood my bed with weeping, drenching it with my tears.
Psalms 6:6 NLT
http://bible.com/116/psa.6.6.NLT

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