Dear all,
Herewith I am forwarding the writings of Dr. Daniel Sathiaraj.
In Christ
The Journey Team
Listen to the wisest man, King Solomon, as he summarizes his findings. “Here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments. For this is the whole duty of man” (Ecclesiastes 12:13). The commandments of our loving heavenly Father are a lamp unto our feet and light unto our path. To fear the LORD is to obey and honour Him. Christ died for us on the cross; therefore I want to obey Him. The cost of disobedience is very high. Remember Adam and Eve the first parents and the consequence of disobedience! The wicked do not fear God, and it will not go well with them (Ecclesiastes 8: 13).
One of the Bible verses which has had a deep impression on me since my childhood is Job 28: 28: “And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; to depart from evil is understanding.” The Bible says:”the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning” (Exodus 20:20).
“Let all the earth fear the LORD; let all the people of the world revere him” (Psalm 33:8). All of us in the world need to do just one thing — fear God. The world needs billions of God fearing people.
WHY SHOULD WE FEAR GOD?
1. He is our Creator
The realization of who we are and who God is must make us fear or revere God throughout our life. The greatness and wisdom of God as well as his eternal power and divine nature are understood through His creation. “Should you not fear me?” declares the LORD. “Should you not tremble in my presence? I made the sand a boundary for the sea, an everlasting barrier it cannot cross”(Jeremiah 5: 22).
2. He has forgiven us
We fear God, because He has forgiven us. The psalmist prays, “If you, O LORD, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness; therefore you are feared” (Psalm 130: 3,4).
3. Jesus the Messiah is our model
Jesus had the fear of the LORD, and He delighted in it. About 700 years before His birth, it was foretold: “The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him — the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD, and he will delight in the fear of the LORD. He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears” (Isaiah 11:2, 3). Do we delight in the fear of the LORD?
Jesus has asked us to fear God. He told his friends not to be afraid of those who could kill only the body. “But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after the killing of the body, has power to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him” (Luke 12:5).
4. To be wise and secure
”He (the LORD) 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” (Isaiah 33:6). People seek various treasures in this world. Many regard beauty, education, riches or pleasures as the sure foundation of their life. Proverbs 31:30 says, “Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.” From the God of the Bible, we can draw salvation, wisdom, and knowledge. We have access to this store of treasure with the key of the fear of the LORD. He who fears the LORD has a secure fortress, and for his children it will be a refuge (Proverbs 14:26).
5. He alone is holy and righteous
We fear Him because He alone is holy and His righteous acts have been revealed in history. These will be revealed also during the period of Great Tribulation. The apostle John saw those who had been victorious over the beast and his image and over the number of his name, and they sang: “Great and marvellous are your deeds, Lord God Almighty. Just and true are your ways, King of the ages. Who will not fear you, O Lord, and bring glory to your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous acts have been revealed” (Revelation 15:3-4).
6. God removes our other fears
When we know God and fear Him, we have eternal life and Jesus removes our fear of death.
Since the children have flesh and blood, he[Jesus] too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death – that is, the devil – and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death (Hebrews 2:14,15).
We will not have the fear of the future. We will not worry about anything.
PROVERBS FOR OUR MEDITATION
1:7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge.
2:1-5 My son, … if you … search for it (wisdom) as for hidden treasure then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God.
9:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy one is understanding.
10:27 The fear of the LORD adds length to life.
14:27 The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, turning a man from the snares of death.
15:16 Better a little with the fear of the LORD than great wealth with turmoil.
15:33 The fear of the LORD teaches a man wisdom.
19:23 The fear of the LORD leads to life: Then one rests content, untouched by trouble.
22:4 Humility and the fear of the LORD bring wealth and honour and life.
23:17 Do not let your heart envy sinners, but always be zealous for the fear of the LORD.
“Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgement has come. Worship him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea the springs of water” (see Revelation 14:6,7). We must worship, witness and serve God in reverential fear. In every city, town, village, we are to teach people the Word of God. Then the fear of the LORD will fall on all the people. The Bible records a similar instance.
In the third year of his reign, King Jehoshaphat sent his officials together with certain priests and Levites to teach in the towns of Judah. They went to all the towns and from the Book of the Law of the LORD taught the people throughout the kingdom. Let us praise our great God. Let us do our best and order our lives so that all the peoples will praise Him. Then “God will bless us, and all the ends of the earth will fear him” (Psalm 67:7)
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“JOYFUL JOURNEY WITH GOD IS INITIATED AND IGNITED IN LORD JESUS CHRIST BY THE POWER OF HOLY SPIRIT”
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